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Tatami Galaxy
Anime Review
You step out onto the front steps for your first day at university. The rose-colored campus life is set out before you. Surely, any one of the many classes, groups, or hobbiest gatherings will turn a boring school life into one full of adventure, fun, and romance, right? Or perhaps it will send you spiraling down into an endless abyss of reliving your choices over and over, all due to a certain slimy individual who simply won't leave you alone. Masaaki Yuasa is about to take you on a journey.
Welcome to an unidentified Kyoto university, featuring a nameless main character. Our protagonist is looking forward to living life to the fullest and falling in love with the perfect woman. However, no matter which club he joins (or doesn't join at all), he's seduced into nefarious acts by Ozu, a classmate of his.
 Depicted as pale, ugly, and said to resemble a youkai by the protagonist, Ozu spreads misery wherever he goes. Whether it's stealing illegally-parked bicycles (and selling them), or making documentaries that smear their subject's reputation, he always finds something reprehensible to do - and then ropes the main character into it. Yet, despite these terrible things, our protagonist can't resist taking part and often finds enjoyment in these acts.
However, he's been told by a mysterious person named Higuchi (who claims to be a god of matchmaking), that he's been selected to be paired up with a girl one year his junior: Akashi. Well, almost. Higuchi states that there are only two options for Akashi: the protagonist and Ozu. And the protagonist better make his move soon. Unfortuntely, his destructive hobbies and schemes with Ozu seem to put that in jeoprardy. He wishes he could just go back and re-do his campus life - and then his wish is granted.
 We spend the rest of the episodes following the protagonists life if he had chosen different paths each time. A Groundhog Day-style story is nothing new (hello, Endless Eight), but it takes skill to pull it off well, otherwise you risk boring your audience and tossing their trust to the wind (hello again, Endless Eight). Luckily, director Masaaki Yuasa not only has a great novel to work off of, but his excellent direction holds the series together.
Visually, Tatami Galaxy is fascinating. Animated by Madhouse, even when frame count is low, plenty is done with each one. The characters all have a stretchy feel to them and exude life and energy. While there is heavy use of filter photographs and video as backgrounds or accents, they fit in with the whimsical stylings of the show. And when the animation does kick up, it's done beautifully so.
 Of course, the use of color must also be mentioned - digital anime has resulted in muted colors becoming common. That's why it's so enjoyable to see an abundance of bright, saturated color schemes that complement the story well. Mood and tone are effectively communicated via carefully chosen colors, and when the colors are missing, it's for good reason (as in during episode 10 when the protagonist is depressed). This show is a feast for the eyes.
Tatami Galaxy's rapid-fire dialogue is both insightful and clever - and while you may have to pause it occasionally to absorb everything, it's that narration and interaction that keeps you engaged. Although, the beautiful art doesn't hurt either. At first it may seem like your typical time-loop story, but there's a surprising amount of depth lurking beneath its colorful surface. You may also try to wave it off as a romance that already has a predetermined ending, but the narrator cheekily asserts, "nothing else is as boring as a story of successful love." They take the story in other, more interesting, directions.
At only 11 episodes and streaming free online, it's hard to find a reason not to recommend Tatami Galaxy to everyone. Yes, the subtitles run by quickly, and at first you may be confused by odd elements popping up each episode, but by the time you reach the end the strings of the story tie together nicely and leave you satisfied. Masaaki Yuasa's work always is fantastic, and Tatami Galaxy is one you don't want to miss out on.
Reviewed by Ben Huber, August 2013
Below: Scenes from Tatami Galaxy.
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