The Tatami Galaxy

I'll tell you right now that I don't like anime. I never got into it and of the anime I've been exposed to, I felt the horrible overacting and ridiculous plots robbed the medium of anything worth watching. Now that I've seen The Tatami Galaxy, I'm forced to eat my words and consider it one of the greatest television shows of all time. It's an artistic powerhouse with great characters, clever writing, and an unmistakable artistic style.

The art itself is admittedly what attracted me to the series. I've always been interested in avant-garde animation and this is one of the most beautifully animated shows of them all. I won't bore you with describing the style itself but needless to say it's incredibly unique and satisfying. Even if the writing was atrocious this would be a show worth watching on the animation alone. Luckily enough, it isn't the only great thing about the series. The story keeps reeling you back in time and time again until before you know it, it's all over.

The plot is simple -- an unnamed protagonist recollects his previous two years at university and, like most people, asks whether or not doing something different would lead him to a better position for his 3rd year. For the protagonist, this is often culminated in joining a different club or choosing to pursue a different girl than he previously had, and the series explores what alternative possibilities arise when these choices are made. Imagine "Groundhog Day" or "Lola Rennt" with the wonders and curiosity of a misfit underclassmen.

The show presents itself as an outstanding stand-alone project with a clear story structure. Even though each episode is essentially revisiting the same kind of conflict and resolution, the differences are fresh enough to surprise you every time. Every episode starts with the protagonist complaining about how he came as a freshmen looking for that "rose coloured" (romantic, idealized) campus life complete with a raven-haired maiden, and every episode ends with him asking himself if he had only done something different, wouldn't he have gotten what he'd came to university in search of? This formula allows for seemingly minute details and background characters to re-appear in genuinely novel and surprising ways throughout the duration of the series. The writing is astounding to say the least and you'll find yourself watching the series again and again noticing every time a couple of new things which either foreshadow or reference that which you hadn't seen before. It's not usual that such a limited run series can offer so much on repeated viewings.

The ending is one of the best finales of all time. It ties every loose end up in a way that I would have never expected and feels incredibly satisfying. The last episode answers every question you have about the series, has a very clever twist, and leaves the protagonist with some proper insight and feeling when it's all said and done. It even choked me up a bit, which was probably the last thing I'd expect from a show that doesn't seem to take itself so seriously. The sentimentality and philosophy at the end really strikes a chord and leaves the viewer with insight on their own life decisions and how to come to grips with them.

The most telling part about the show is that you don't end the series wishing there were more, rather, it's a perfectly self-contained package that covers all the ground it needs to without an inch too little or too much. Shows that are this well thought out from start to finish are so rare and few and far between I'm at a loss to even think of a comparable example.

So all this excellence and nothing bad? The only thing negative to say is that the narrative is EXTREMELY fast in every episode so reading subtitles is pretty much as hard as it gets. The worst part about that being how hard it is to enjoy the art style without missing out on key dialogue and narration at the bottom of the screen. If you're patient, you can pause it when you need to or slow down the playback speed, but bear in mind the rapid pace plays very well into the animation style, and serves to "cram" a lot of content into each 22 minute episode. But if the pace were slower and each episode an hour long, the show would definitely lose its magic.

In the end, I guess all I can say is to watch The Tatami Galaxy and see if you like it yourself. Give it at least a few episodes before you make a decision and believe me you'll be hooked. I cannot recommend it highly enough for those who like artsy animation, poignant but never overbearing themes, and the foibles of truly unique characters experiencing college life. Simply put, anime fan or not, this is one of the best shows you'll ever see.

My first review here, just like the other person who's reviewed this so far. I'll make it short. This is one of the greatest series I've ever seen. Minute for minute this was one of the most worthwhile watching experiences I've ever had, anime or not. The animation as absolutely beautiful, often including multiple mediums and styles, the main style being very stark drawings with very subdued subtle coloring and great animation, but also including highly stylized film-work on occasion, the occasional splash of 3d, another very vividly colored style, and a really odd sort of chalk-board looking style of cg for particular scenes. The story is an adaptation of a novel, and the visuals tell it in a way that never could've come through in novel form, which are the best kind of adaptations in my opinion, I'm very curious about the original novel though. I'll just go ahead and not cover any parts of the story, as you can find that many places, including here, and I'd rather not spoil any more for you. Watch this now! These 4 hours of TV will not be ones you feel like you wasted, permitting you enjoy good art.

Tatami galaxy is one of these anime where everything falls into place In the end, I know you'll see the episodes and think that they are the same, but each one is more different than the last, if u pay close attention, by the last episode, it becomes clear what the writers are trying to tell you, and the art style is very unique and beautiful, a must watch for someone who likes unusual and well made shows.

This anime series is centred on an unnamed college student in Kyoto who feels that he has wasted his time there; he has no girlfriend and he has made only two friends' Ozo, who has no redeemable features, and first year student Ms. Akashi. One night he meets a god who tells him that Akashi will end up with either Ozo or our protagonist. He just has to grab the opportunity dangling in front of him. Our protagonist finds himself reliving the previous two years; each time making different choices, such as joining different clubs.

If you think all anime look the same then this will disprove that idea. The character designs and backgrounds are unlike any other series I recall watching, and I've watched quite a few. The story might sound repetitive but, while there are recurring events, each episode has more differences... and the similar moments prove humorous for the most part. There is a fairly small main cast but they are fun characters; our protagonist is the closest to a normal person. Ozo is strange, both in actions and appearance, he also provides much of the amusement. This series won't be for everybody but I'd certainly recommend it to anime fans looking for something different.

These comments are based on watching the series in Japanese with English subtitles.

From time to time, I desire a show that will deliver a simple and grounded in reality plot in an unorthodox way with great success. Yes, you should already understand that Tatami Galaxy holds no need for superficial or amazing concepts to be successful, just a realistic story executed in a masterful way.

Story : 10 / 10 "Masterful"

Tatami Galaxy is set on a fictional universe, specifically a town, which seems pretty close to the modern Japanese towns. Our main character, Watashi, expects to find the rose colored campus life that he always dreamed of, entering a campus club. Instead, he finds mischief and disappointment in every way possible. Every time he joins a club, everything seem to go wrong and he ends up regretting his choice, wanting to go back to the moment of choosing it and reset his life by changing his choice. The plot is following his different choices and the different lives he lived after them. Watashi begins a journey of self- discovery, where the weight of his choices matters the most, becoming a matured young man who lives his life with unlimited freedom but also respect on every choice.

Art : 9 / 10 "Great"

The show uses a minimalistic style that combines cartoonish graphics with no shading with a lot of live action film segments used in for quick depiction of areas with lots of background detail. Seen as poor by many, the art of Tatami Galaxy is gravely underrated. It effectively depicts the themes of the show, taking a realistic approach on many problems that college students face in Japan. Furthermore, it becomes very interesting when adding the psychological symbolisms included in the show.

Sound : 9 / 10 "Great"

A testament to the superb voice acting could be that, even though Watashi's speech is faster than a bullet train, he still manages to keep the viewer in his toes with his smart (and funny) take on many different subjects and make him feel whatever emotion he emits. As for the soundtrack, it fits great with the theme and mood of the series, successfully representing the constant changes in atmosphere, from the melancholic "Youjou han to Castella to Watashi" to the mysterious "Kamotaketsunuminogami" and powerfully liberating "Yojouhan Ki Owari" or "Takasegawa".

Characters : 9 / 10 "Great"

From the bullet-speed monologues of Watashi to the stoic and spiritual presence of Higuchi, the cast is the recipe for instant success. Watashi is a young college dropout who never seizes to amaze with his sarcastic and dark but witty dialogues on everything he analyzes. He is the source of the dialogues and monologues in Tatami Galaxy, and his themes vary from social commentary to self - sarcasm of the highest caliber. Ozu is another college student, dark and devilish character, who constantly drags Watashi to troubles. However, he has some hidden aspects which make him intriguing and three-dimensional. Akashi, a college student in the engineering department, is an adorable female character, and Watashi's biggest love interest. Higuchi is a stoic, and full with dreams on exploring the globe, character who is still a college student, even though he ,by far, had exceeded the minimum years of studying there. He also has many hidden sides, which made him mysterious, spiritual and occasionally wise. There are more characters that are also very interesting, but doesn't quite measure up to the other mentioned above. However, there is not a single character that is not likable in this series, because of his quirks and personality.

Enjoyment : 10 / 10 "Masterful"

I fully enjoyed every minute of Watashi's attempts to reach a rose- colored campus life, his moments of self-discovery and liberation scenes.

Verdict : 9.4 / 10 "Excellent"

When simple but meaningful premises meets innovative and unique storytelling methods, a show like Tatami Galaxy is born. Excluding or changing only one component of the Tatami Galaxy's recipe would result in losing it's eternal glowing.

There's nothing more boring than reading a review, so give yourself the chance to watch this exquisite show. You will not regret it.