Though it wasn’t quite as terrific as the last, this was a really good episode, as it illustrated several essential and highly interesting complexities within Midori’s development, while also touching on an abundance of separate character dynamics in a very effective manner. This episode, in particular, was excellently balanced throughout, as it never excessively lingered on a particular development or interaction, while it also, once again, allowed the supporting characters to provide the most effective and consistent perspective. Dera’s brief narration towards the end concluded the episode on a suitably poignant and astute note.
Midori’s characterization throughout this episode was suffused with a plethora of intriguing nuances that strongly allude to the possibility that she does, in fact, have romantic feelings for Tamako, which were depicted with an abundance of considerably well-implemented flourishes of emotion and nearly imperceptible expressions. In particular, I thought that the moment Midori attempted to casually, yet somewhat forcefully, compel Tamako into an acknowledgement of who she’d be giving chocolate to was rather effective and thoroughly revealing. The subsequent shot, in which a noticeably curious Midori looms over Tamako, was nicely framed, conveying several fleeting emotions with a deceptively simplistic bit of imagery. Several other moments and beautifully subtle expressions, such as Midori’s forlorn gaze towards Tamako while filming, along with Kanna’s final words to Midori, essentially solidified her romantic inclinations into a relative certainty. Though her personality doesn’t necessarily lend itself to an immensely engaging focus, her development was implemented into this episode extremely well, never appearing as unnecessary tedium.
Though indistinct and likely deceptive in nature, I’m hoping that Dera’s mention of the prince to Tamako and his subsequent bewilderment at where a “princess” could be found isn’t subtly foreshadowing that Tamako would eventually be the realized conclusion to that aspect of the story, since that would be a rather disappointing and needlessly predictable development. If romance is to eventually be filtered into the narrative, which, in itself, could be quite interesting, I’d immensely prefer an approach towards either allowing Mochizou’s feelings for Tamako to be reciprocated or a further focus on Midori’s potential love for her. The prince, so far, is simply too tangential to warrant significantly increased involvement towards the conclusion of the story.
The characters, though quite interesting and enjoyable, remain one of the slightly weaker elements, due largely to their lack of properly established characterization. Of course, I don’t yet consider this to be a flaw, since this aspect of the narrative still possesses immense potential, as partially illustrated by the compelling focus on Midori and her individualistic inclinations throughout this episode. As such, it appears nearly inevitable that many of the characters, in time, will receive, at the very least, a heightened insight, which would partially benefit the rather simplistic nature of the story.
Following this episode, though I quite like Midori, Kanna has quickly become of the most enjoyable characters in the show, and, as such, I’m hoping that she’ll be properly developed along with the others, rather than remaining a somewhat ancillary figure within the story. Her personality, similar to Dera’s, allows for the most consistent humor. However, it seems unlikely that she’ll ever be portrayed within the story as anything more than a purely comedic entity, which is still quite satisfying, but I would definitely prefer her to be considerably more prevalent. The character interactions remain thoroughly engaging, as they often elevate mere simplicity into something exceedingly interesting, most notably displayed by the numerous complexities that were comprehensively conveyed by the smallest expressions within the various filming sequences. This aspect of the show is definitely one of it’s most impressive, as it consistently excels at illuminating a rather suitable naturalism. Of course, Dera’s presence really heightens the effectiveness of the interactions, since he’s typically involved in the best moments.
The subdued direction continues to be very effective, as it consistently complements the nature of the show. As such, this deft handling of the material has greatly illuminated the beauty of several sequences, such as the wonderfully stylistic scene in which Midori blissfully tiptoes along with her arms outstretched. This nearly inconsequential moment was infused with a seemingly heightened significance, due mostly to the particularly expressionistic framing throughout. Some of the most atmospheric moments throughout this episode and the last are those that involve Tamako traversing through the market, as they illuminate the distinct liveliness that inherently permeates through this relatively unique setting. The particularly similar sequence that appeared towards the beginning of this episode greatly assisted in further establishing the energetic and diverse nature of Tamako’s world.
Visually, this episode, though not quite as impressive as the first, was crafted with an exceptional attention to complementary detail. As such, the meticulous artistry within the backgrounds really accentuated a wonderfully vibrant atmosphere. Musically, this episode was great, particularly the whimsical selection that directly followed the title card, as this accompanying flourish excellently established the distinctly lighthearted and slightly romantic tone that would permeate throughout the rest of the episode. I also loved the selection that accompanied the momentary glimpse of the shopping district commercial, which was really well-directed.
All in all, though not as strong as the introductory episode, Tamako Market skillfully impressed with an episode that continues to illustrate a superb execution, particularly in it’s ability to illustrate the complexities within the setting’s relation to the characters. The approach to storytelling, especially within each isolated episode, has been considerably strong. Though it hasn’t yet proved detrimental, I do, however, hope that some sort of consistent narrative will materialize soon, since an absence of one could eventually detract from the effectiveness of the show. |