Tari Tari - 03 - Lost in Anime

The three episode hurdle for Tari Tari is cleared, with some room to spare.

Of all the series I’m watching at the moment, the formula for this one may be the most straightforward. Five kids at a school (yes, all five were actually involved this time) trying to make their club a success. A nasty vice-principal, some cute girls doing cute things, musical theme. It’s all very safe and simple – but so far anyway, Tari Tari makes it work. The stuff that’s supposed to be funny is usually funny, the characters are mostly likable, and the pacing is such that the episode feel breezy and hold your interest. In short, it’s a good show that isn’t trying too hard to be anything else.

The funny thing is, there’s really nothing in writer/director Masakazu Hashimoto’s résumé to suggest that he has the talent to take played-out material and make it feel fresh and lively. But that’s the fun of it, finding new talents breaking through and surprising you – and it’s all the more fun in anime because it’s such a small and self-contained artistic community at the top levels. There are no big names associated with TT as there with were the show it’s often compared with, Hanasaku Iroha, but it may just benefit from not being burdened with too much ambition (and a galling lack of focus). There’s still time for all this to blow up, but at 13 episodes I see no reason to think the series’ charms can’t hold up.

One thing that I’m really enjoying about TT so far – and this reminds me of Seikimatsu Occult Gakuen, actually – is that the writing has a real gift for situation comedy. Take the scene where Wakana’s bike chain falls off (boy, today was a bad day for bikes) and she meets the odd Spaniard and his potbellied pig. This could have been awkward (well – it was, but in a good way) or stilted, but the timing of the scene was perfect – and it was a nice touch when she lapsed into bad Engrish to try and get rid of him (Japanese people in anime always default to English whenever any European language is spoken, apparently). His role in the story is still to be determined, but he certainly has a strong interest in Wakana.

Another positive this week is that the Y chromosomes finally got to step out of the chorus and share center stage, and it was long overdue. Wien has been likeable from the beginning with his twisted take on Japanese customs, and he seems to be an all-around softie – always smiling, and even trying to befriend the local rodent population. I’d like to learn a little more about him beyond the pleasant exterior, but hopefully that’s to come. As for Taichi, he’s still fighting to keep the Badminton Club alive – another one on the snippy V.P.’s termination list (where it’s joined by the Choir Club after Makoto and his first-year friends all quit). All along here I was thinking – why is it that Taichi’s dream is any less important than Konatsu’s? If anything his is even more valid – because as he said, he actually plans to try and pursue badminton through college and as a career.

So I was prepared to be really pissed off when Konatsu blatantly cheated in their playoff for club membership – three birdies at once? Yeah, that’s fair. But fortunately the series didn’t go there, instead taking the route I thought it might – with each kid filling out the required minimum for both clubs (though it’s still pretty bogus to make it the “Sometimes Badminton Club” based on an unfair match). I still haven’t really warmed to Konatsu, to be honest – she just doesn’t come off as an especially nice person. But the others are all fine to very good characters, though Sawa is just a bit too perfect. And there seems to be a pretty good chemistry between them as a group, which is obviously vital to a show like this succeeding.

Speaking of chemistry, the question of where the series goes from here can’t be asked without at least considering the possibility of romantic entanglements. They’re less obvious here than in, say, Kokoro Connect – perhaps Konatsu and Taichi have an osananajimi vibe going, and there might have been a little spark between Wien and Wakana – but it seems very possible that Tari Tari will be that rare high school series with no romance at all. We still have the music to drive the story (I hope badminton gets to play a part, too) and the new wrinkle there is the upcoming “World Music Festival” – and the possible role of the aforementioned Spanish dude with the two old musicians who ended up accompanying the club’s “audition” at the Beach House. I’m also interested in the dynamic between the Principal, V.P. and Wakana’s mother – all of whom seemed to know each other back when he was a teacher and they were students. I wonder if we might end up with a full arc devoted to that part of the story, told in flashback.

You might have noticed the change in the ED – the other three kids were added (with Wakana off by herself).

33 comments

Anonymous

July 16, 2012 at 6:07 am

writer/director Horikawa Kenji’s résumé

Actually, Masakazu Hashimoto is the director/writer. Horikawa is a producer (and founder of P.A. Works)

admin

July 16, 2012 at 6:15 am

Correct – late-night blogger fatigue.

Fencedude

July 16, 2012 at 6:19 am

and there might have been a little spark between Wien and Wakana

Enzo, your Het-goggles are on as strong as my Yuri-goggles.

admin

July 16, 2012 at 7:56 am

Yes, your goggles certainly distort reality much more.

Fencedude

July 16, 2012 at 8:05 am

I can actually present a plausible case for Sawa being gay, I don't think Wien and Wakana have even spoken to each other. The only "spark" between them at the moment is that they have compatible reproductive organs.

admin

July 16, 2012 at 8:16 am

They had a conversation at the end of this episode, actually, and she smiled at him – and I haven't seen too many smiles from her.

Anonymous

July 16, 2012 at 6:51 am

"You might have noticed the change in the ED – the other three kids were added (with Wakana off by herself) and the girl on the other side of the quad looking at Sawa and Konatsu like they were nuts has apparently gone home."
That was

Anonymous

July 16, 2012 at 6:53 am

I meant I'm pretty sure the girl in the first ED was Wakana so she hasn't gone home.

Fencedude

July 16, 2012 at 7:06 am

It was Wakana. I'm surprised Enzo didn't realize that.

admin

July 16, 2012 at 7:49 am

Really? The hair looked all wrong to me, but I guess I'm outvoted.

Beckett

July 16, 2012 at 7:50 am

Call me an optimist but I'm hoping Wien's hidden talent as an ultra-player will awaken and he'll get together with Taichi's hot sister.

admin

July 16, 2012 at 7:58 am

You're an optimist.

I seriously don't see that happening, unless she decides to have him for lunch like a wurst.

Fencedude

July 16, 2012 at 8:07 am

Now this is a het pairing I could get behind! I've always had a thing for guys who managed to score way, way above their level.

See also: Shipon's brother and Kouta's sister in Stellvia

admin

July 16, 2012 at 8:16 am

Shotacon goggles now?

Beckett

July 16, 2012 at 8:18 am

My post was definitely tongue in cheek, it's obviously not going to happen ;).

Kinny Riddle

July 16, 2012 at 10:43 am

Highlight this week has got to be Wakana's Spanish "stalker".

Enzo, is it that strange for a non-English person to engage in English to any foreigner he/she encounters in their native country? English is, after all, the de-facto lingua franca of the world.

What else would you have expected Wakana to speak besides the little broken Engrish that she has learned from school? It's not like they teach Spanish in Japanese schools.

PocariSweat

July 16, 2012 at 11:49 am

Wtf at all this shipping talk LOL!
Gaiz this ain't T.T (True Tears) k. It's TT (Tari Tari) :p.

Back on topic, I donno why the f*** why, but I really really liked this ep despite it being probably pointless plotwise. I actually found most of the comedy funny and it didn't cross the boundaries of "exaggerated" or "slapstick". Or maybe I'm just making excuses to hide my PA fanboyism :3.

Then again, I also really enjoyed Hyouka's culture festival episode for the same reason. Nothing over the top and it felt really genuine with some moments that actually made me lol legit. And I'm no fan of Kyoani – last thing I enjoyed by them was Clannad After Story since I don't give a f*** about K-on or Haruhi.

PocariSweat

July 16, 2012 at 1:09 pm

Sorry for double-posting but Enzo, you need to come bitchslap the obsessive Yuri fans on the Tari Tari thread on AS as well. I'm a one man army here… ^_^'

admin

July 16, 2012 at 3:52 pm

It's a losing battle – the goggles prevent them from seeing the futility of their own delusions.

Atelier

July 16, 2012 at 3:26 pm

"So I was prepared to be really pissed off when Konatsu blatantly cheated in their playoff for club membership – three birdies at once? Yeah, that’s fair."

He's a nationally ranked badminton player. I think it would have been unfair for him to expect a "fair" match. Konastsu acted appropriately.

As an aside, it was rather brave of the producers to make the main character not as pretty/cute as everyone else.

admin

July 16, 2012 at 3:52 pm

You don't think three-on-one with a single birdie is enough of a handicap? Sheesh.

jebnemo

July 16, 2012 at 10:05 pm

That's girl power for you.

Anonymous

July 16, 2012 at 4:09 pm

wakana tiene un acosador? tengo que ver el cap! pervert!

SQA

July 17, 2012 at 12:30 am

Is the "stalker" Italian or Spanish? I kept having Jeremy Clarkson going "mad Italian" in my head every time he popped up. 🙂

Anonymous

July 17, 2012 at 3:46 am

Spanish. You can tell by the way he is dressed an accent

Kishiu

July 17, 2012 at 4:07 am

OMG people, what's wrong with you? It's quite clear that he is speaking in Spanish.. Although I must say he made a few grammar mistakes xD I don't get why they don't check those things before airing the episode,it sucks.. And this comes from an Argentinian girl, btw. Yes Enzo, a girl from Argentina reads your awesome blog (and RandomC), surprise~

admin

July 17, 2012 at 6:11 am

Awesome – great to know LiA's long arm reaches to Argentina! Welcome.

Beckett

July 17, 2012 at 5:18 am

Yeah it was pretty obvious to me that it was Spanish but I live in Southern California so of course I'm exposed to the language regularly. I can definitely understand how someone from the Midwest or something might not know.

Awet M

July 18, 2012 at 5:10 am

The piglet running at top speed alongside the Spaniard was the funniest thing I've seen in a while.

PocariSweat

July 19, 2012 at 2:58 pm

Another observation someone else made, but I'll share it here. Watch the OP again. That poster in Konatsu's room… that's right.

admin

July 19, 2012 at 6:38 pm

D'oh!

Can't believe I missed that…

Copter Link

July 21, 2012 at 5:17 pm

I was paying closer attention to the OP because of the poster in Konatsu's room, and I'm pretty sure that Wakana's mother appears in there.

So many little hints everywhere. I'm liking this show a lot more than I expected.

Anonymous

July 22, 2012 at 9:21 pm

Wein as translator?

Tari Tari – 03

Guardian Enzo

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