Story (9/10):
Shimogamo Yasaburou is the third of four sons in the Shimogamo family, a tanuki (raccoon dog) family that lives in a modern, fantastical depiction of Kyoto where tanuki, tengu (crows), and humans live “peacefully” amongst each other. His late father, Soun, was once the Nise-emon (which is basically the leader) of tanuki society, and after his passing, the four sons of the Shimogamo family became notorious for being “idiots that failed to inherit their magnificent father’s blood.”
The story starts off with a leisurely pacing that sees us follow Yasaburou’s life as somewhat of a carefree delinquent. A seemingly episodic format with entertaining happenings that ranges from competing in mid-festival airship battles to starting bathhouse quarrels characterize the series as unpredictable and messily composed, but fun nonetheless. This is where the magic begins. The entirety of the series, despite its episodic happenings, has an overarching storyline in the form of a quasi-mystery concerning the enigmatic disappearance and unfortunate fate of Soun. Immediately, red flags for a melodramatic mess should be raised by now; however, Uchouten Kazoku chooses the path less traveled. Although the pacing of each individual episode changes from time to time, seeming to speed up as we reach the climax, the actual structure of the narrative is both well-planned and controlled. By building a strong exposition that seems disorganized at first, the rest of the story plays out like putting the rest of the pieces into a jigsaw puzzle that explains the nonsensical events that seemed to have no reason to occur before all was said and done.
Thematically speaking, Uchouten Kazoku holds true to the ideals frequently repeated to the audience throughout the anime. Living life to its fullest with no unnecessary desires along with coming in terms with the past are just a handful of messages that are conveyed not only through the dialogue, but also through the actions of the characters too. Speaking of dialogue, when it comes to entertaining conversations, Uchouten Kazoku is filled with quality exchanges and witty retorts. Although action scenes are sprinkled throughout the story, much of the series is heavy on dialogue. Despite this, Uchouten Kazoku still finds a way to be entertaining and gripping.
Overall, the brilliance of Uchouten Kazoku’s story lies behind its execution and fantastic dialogue. Although there are no deep, philosophical questions posed or any interesting social/political debate to be argued, it’s this very simplicity that makes the experience all the more endearing.
Art (9.5/10):
The animation quality and details behind Uchouten Kazoku is something that took me by surprise as the show progressed. PA Works have often been known for their visually stunning backgrounds and fluid animation; however, with the exception of Hanasaku Iroha, the settings they have created felt very generic or empty, despite high production values. With Uchouten Kazoku, PA Works nailed nearly every fathomable criterion regarding an anime’s artistic set.
The crowning achievement of Uchouten Kazoku was its rich and detailed backgrounds that depicted a fantastical, yet grounded image of the city of Kyoto. From iconic landmarks like the stunning Kamo River to the moonlit roofs of the city’s diverse buildings, the detail behind the show’s setting was both technically sound and richly enchanting. Not only does one have desktop background-quality images scattered plentifully throughout the series, but the scenes are fluid and alive. Background characters will walk about and have distinctively different designs and the flora and fauna are just as vivid and full of personality as the characters. Character designs done by Kumeta Kouji (of Zetsubou Sensei fame) accurately reflect the personalities of the wide variety of characters the series have to offer, each carrying a distinct charm.
Overall, the visual set of Uchouten Kazoku was consistently stunning. From the lively and inviting atmosphere to the quirky yet lovable character designs, the series may perhaps be the best-looking show of this year.
Sound (9.5/10):
When it comes to Uchouten Kazoku’s OST, there seems to always be a track that compliments the scene. Being a show that blends together a generally upbeat and lighthearted mood with scattered moments of melancholy, one can imagine just how many different types of tracks the OST has to offer. In between the laid back piano/flute arrangements and the heavier string pieces are addicting electronic tunes influenced from various genres ranging from traditional shamisen to jazz. The modern flair to an otherwise traditionally influenced soundtrack brings a playful air, making the experience all the more entertaining.
Similar to Morimi Tomihiko’s other work, The Tatami Galaxy, both the opening and ending sequences somehow find a way to have a hidden “significance” of sorts. Although director Yoshihara Masayuki opted to do so in an audial manner rather than a visual one (like Yuasa Masaaki did with Tatami Galaxy), the impact was equally made. The opening song, Uchouten Jinsei, plays out as a lively piece that may sound a tad too gritty at first, but grows onto oneself after a while. The lyrics complain about a boring world, yet champion one to find the fun in it and to be happy with what one has in life. The ending, Que Sera, Sera, is a calming ballad that has its meaning behind its name. “Whatever will be, will be” conveys not only the meaning of the song itself, but of the series as a whole.
While I wouldn’t go as far as saying there were many standout performances, voice acting was solid all around, with a diverse cast of well-fit roles. The narration given by Sakurai Takahiro’s Yasaburou was a great lead voice, articulating clearly and keeping an interesting tone.
Character (9/10):
The characters in Uchouten Kazoku do what they do best – compliment the story perfectly. Of course this always comes at a cost, but when it comes to Morimi’s previous work that also utilized its characters to augment the story’s depth and entertainment value, the product was excellent. With Uchouten Kazoku, much of the same can be said with its result. Yasaburou is a fine lead whose carefree yet lively personality demonstrates the quirky nature of the series. The rest of this eccentric family each carries unique and lovable characteristics that make up an incredibly diverse and entertaining cast. From the stoic Yaichirou to their doting mother, characterization is thorough and pronounced throughout most of the show.
Outside of the immediate family, Uchouten Kazoku provides the viewer with a further extended array of memorable personalities. Standouts such as the ever-so mysterious Benten and the annoying, yet oddly funny Ebisugawa twins, Ginkaku and Kinkaku, are some more examples of a central cast that uses each character to his or her fullest extent throughout the span of the story. Speaking of utilization, as I’ve said before, it is what makes the cast so great. More often than not, shows throw together too many characters to the point where some roles feel unnecessary or simply added on without proper prior planning. In Uchouten Kazoku, each character fits more than just his or her role, but acts as an integral part of the story’s development. To put it in laymen’s terms, it’s hard to actually imagine the story being complete if any one of them didn’t exist.
Enjoyment (10/10):
As advertised, the point of Uchouten Kazoku was to have fun, and boy was there a lot of fun to be had. Despite starting off a bit slowly, failing to showcase what the series really had to offer until a few episodes into the series, the majority of the ride was highly entertaining. Even the aforementioned gaffe of not giving their all in hooking in potential viewers cannot be blamed on the staff, for the set-up episodes, albeit a bit slow-paced, were absolutely integral to the composition of the series as a whole. I admire this decision because it was a worthwhile investment that acted as a backbone to the series, and it paid dividends as the series reached its climax.
Overall:
Technically stunning, intelligently constructed, and wonderfully enjoyable, Uchouten Kazoku is a complete package that squeezes everything out of its limited scope. It takes its creative premise and skillfully crafts a highly entertaining experience that relies not on cheap conventions, but its own ambition, to keep its viewers constantly on the edge of their seats. The best anime of 2013 thus far, and one of the best in years, Uchouten Kazoku is that diamond in the coal mine that I would not hesitate to recommend to any fan of the medium.
Average score: 9.4/10
Weighted score: 9/10 (Absolutely loved it, a must-watch)
(if the rating confuses you, take a glimpse at my rating system on my profile for clarifications)
