Reviews

Dec 26, 2022
Mixed Feelings
It’s Just a Rakugo Bro.

My Master Has No Tail is fine. A charming little anime about a Tanuki called Mameda living in a time period where the Japanese people are getting harder and harder to trick and prank thanks to the advancement of technology. Later, after trying and failing to trick a mysterious, mythical creature living as a human, she discovers the magic and modern “trickery” of rakugo, and in such awe she decides to pursue a career as a rakugoka by studying under her reluctant master, Bunko.

I’ll be honest, I’m not exactly the biggest fan of anime about rakugo. I don’t hate it or anything, I’m just purely neutral towards it. However, I will admit this show is very wholesome. Mameda journey learning to integrate with humans instead of bamboozling them traditionally as a Tanuki is pretty fun. Most of the cast is eccentrically delightful from the staff at the theatre to the strange master rakugoka’s to even the normal everyday people of the city. Everyone is interesting in some way with their own story to tell which helps given that rakugo is an art form about telling stories.

However, I just have a real problem with the pacing. One minute I feel totally engaged with the show and the next I’ve zoned out from boredom. I know that’s not a particularly helpful critic, but I can’t really explain it in writing. I think if you choose to watch it you’d understand, or maybe not and that’s just me. The only episode I didn’t have this problem was the Thunder God episode which just so happens to be my favourite.

I also think the art is very… just okay? The character designs are great, but I find the art overall to be bland. A lot of block colours and the lack of good scene lighting and shading doesn’t, make it the most immersive anime to look at. The animation does goes some ways to help with the overall presentation. Mameda is very expressive and when characters such as Bunko and Tsubaki are performing rakugo there’s a positive tonal shift that happens in the art, but apart from that I wouldn’t call this LIDENFILMS best work.

I don’t know what else to say. I don’t want to give the impression that I don’t like this anime because I do, but in a season/year packed with probably some of the best anime I’ve seen it’s really hard to pinpoint why this show is overall, just okay.

6/10 It’s Okay *Thumbs Up*
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
What did you think of this review?
Nice Nice0
Love it Love it0
Funny Funny0
Show all
It’s time to ditch the text file.
Keep track of your anime easily by creating your own list.
Sign Up Login