The appeal and evaluation of the unreleased episodes of "The Tatami Galaxy"

The Tatami Galaxy TV Unaired Episodes - The Tatami Galaxy TV Unaired Episodes

■ Public Media

OVA

■ Original Media

novel

■ Release date

August 20, 2010 #1 / "Surface Submarine to Antarctica" (2010/08/20)
#2 / "Subsurface Submersible to the Women's Bath" ~ Bedroom Investigation Team's Pink Exploration ~ (2010/10/22)
・#3／"Love and Fishing Submarine" (2010/11/26)

*Included in the packaged version of "The Tatami Galaxy" volumes 1, 3, and 4.

■Release and sales

・Distributor: Toho

■Frequencies

7 mins

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 3

■Original Story

Tomihiko Morimi, "The Tatami Galaxy" (published by Ohta Publishing, Kadokawa Bunko)

■ Director

Masaaki Yuasa

■ Production

Animation Production: Madhouse Production: The Four-and-a-Half Tatami Society (Asmik Ace Entertainment, Fuji Television Network, Sony Music Entertainment, Dentsu, Toho, Kadokawa Shoten)

■Works

Illustration by Yusuke Nakamura ©Yojohanshugikai

■ Story

"I can state categorically that I have not done anything of practical use in the two years up until the spring of my third year of college."

"I" is a proud third-year student who dreams of a "rosy campus life". However, reality is far from it, and two unfruitful years are about to pass. I am manipulated by my bad friend Ozu, the mysterious free spirit Higuchi-sensei makes unreasonable demands, and I can't seem to get close to the solitary maiden Akashi-san.

I wish I could go back to being a shiny new freshman and start college life all over again!

What if, at that fateful day in front of the clock tower, he hadn't joined the film club "Misogi" and had chosen a different path?
What if, in front of that fateful clock tower, he had not responded to the bizarre request for an apprentice, and had instead chosen a different path?
What if, instead of joining the softball club "Honwaka" in front of that fateful clock tower, she had chosen a different path?
If only he had chosen a different path instead of joining the secret organization, Lucky Cat Restaurant, in front of that fateful clock tower...

A tale of youthful futility and folly that unfolds as the protagonist gets lost in four parallel worlds.

■Explanation

Director Masaaki Yuasa finally joins NoitaminA!
Animator and director Masaaki Yuasa, who continues to exude the primitive charm of animation - "the way the pictures move is satisfying in itself" - is finally joining "Noitamina".

This is his first time working on the original novel, "The Tatami Galaxy" by Tomihiko Morimi. Surprisingly, this is also the first time one of Morimi's works has been adapted for the screen. The script was written by Ueda Makoto of the Kyoto-based theater company Europe Kikaku, which is active all over Japan. His works, such as "Summertime Machine Blues" and "Bend! Spoon" (originally written by Uri Geller in Winter), which have been made into films, feature intricate mechanisms interwoven within offbeat humor, and have attracted much attention not only in the theater world but also abroad. This is his first time working on an anime script.

The original character designs are by Nakamura Yusuke, whose first artbook "Blue," released last year, has become a bestseller, selling over 60,000 copies. This is also his first time working on an anime character. The unique characters are colored in designs that are full of a mood that combines nostalgia and newness. The work is produced by Madhouse, the creators of the 2009 hit anime "Summer Wars." Creators active in various fields have come together to make "Yuasa Group," a unique production system for TV anime, in which one animator is sometimes in charge of storyboarding, directing, and animation direction.

■Cast

・"I", narration/Shintaro Asanuma, Ozu/Hiroyuki Yoshino, Akashi-san/Maaya Sakamoto, Master Higuchi/Keiji Fujiwara, Kaori-san/Shintaro Asanuma, Senior Jogasaki/Junichi Suwabe, Hanuki-san/Yuko Kaida, Fortune-teller Granny/Ako Mayama, Aijima/Setsuji Sato, Johnny/Nobuyuki Hiyama, Li Bai/Tadashi Miyazawa, Leap Chamber Investigation Team/Takeo Ogawa, Takuya Sato

■ Main staff

・Original story by Tomihiko Morimi・Producers: Kazuhiko Yusa, Hachiho Tomikawa (Fuji TV), Naoki Kitagawa, Yoshio Takada, Junichi Shinsaka, Kenji Shishido・Director: Masaaki Yuasa・Series composition: Makoto Ueda・Character original plan: Yusuke Nakamura・Character design, chief animation director: Nobutaka Ito・Art director: Shinichi Uehara・Color design: Kunio Tsujita・Director of photography: Keiko Ishizuka・Editor: Yoshiko Kimura・Video editing: Sony PCL (Tomoki Takemura, Satoshi Noguchi)
・Offline editing assistant: Tsukato Mariko ・Title and logo design: Akutagawa Yoko (note)
・Recording adjustment: Kazutoshi Yamamoto ・Recording assistant: Taiki Sato ・Sound effects: Katsuhiro Nakano (Sound Box)
・Song selection: Maiko Goda ・Recording studio: Omnibus Japan ・Sound production: Takuya Ohno, Takuro Okada ・Sound production: Tohokushinsha ・Sound director: Eriko Kimura ・Music: Michiru Oshima ・Music producer: Hiroaki Sano ・Music production: Sony Music Entertainment ・Arrangement: Ayako Mizuno (Fuji TV)
・Production staff: Yoshinobu Sato, Yoshihiro Yamazaki (Fuji Television), Takejiro Kamei, Goro Hirota, Daiji Horiuchi ・Public relations: Kyoko Tanaka (Fuji Television)
・Advertisement/Anri Maeda (Fuji TV)
・Advertising cooperation: K Press ・Original work cooperation: Shuichi Kitao (Ohta Publishing), Jun Kobayashi (Kadokawa Shoten)
・Cooperation: Kyoto Prefecture, Shimogamo Shrine, Hatena Co., Ltd. ・Costume cooperation: Morikage Shirts Kyoto, Kazuki Kuraishi (adidasJapan KK)
・Reportage cooperation: Toshihiro Tonohara (Yoshida Dormitory, Kyoto University), Gingetsu Apartment ・Production desk: Satoshi Nakatani ・Setting production: Hyun-tae Kim ・Production administration: Emiko Uchimura ・Production management: Yukiko Futakata, Shunji Sakai ・Chief producer: Koji Yamamoto (Fuji Television Network, Inc.)
Producers: Fumie Takeuchi, Noriko Ozaki (Fuji Television)
・Animation producer: Tsutomu Fujio ・Animation production: Madhouse ・Production: The Four-and-a-Half Tatami Society (Asmik Ace Entertainment, Fuji Television Network, Sony Music Entertainment, Dentsu, Toho, Kadokawa Shoten)

■ Main Characters

・I am the protagonist. A third-year university student. Two years have passed since I started university life, and now I am sitting in my four-and-a-half-tatami room. I lament that the rosy campus life I once dreamed of has slipped away because of Ozu, but...
Akashi-san is a second-year university student. She meets "I" at a summer used book market, as a co-worker and as a customer. She is an intelligent and cool-looking girl with black hair. She only lets out a manga-like shriek when she encounters moths, which she hates.
- A despicable friend of Ozu's "I", a monster-like character. He shows up everywhere, busying himself with pointless things, dragging "I" into a negative spiral. He is secretly involved in the secret organization "Fukunekohanten" and is actually trying to control Kyoto from behind the scenes(?). He has a cute girlfriend whom "I" never tells about. There is also a vague sense of a dirty "love" between him and the protagonist.
Master Higuchi is an eighth-year university student who is a symbol of moratorium. He commands his "apprentice" with his mysterious charm and makes him act for his own benefit. Ozu is also in the service of Master Higuchi. He may actually be a god.
・Jyogasaki Senpai is the president of the film club. He is a ladies' man, but he is also a germaphobe and loves love dolls.
Hanuki-san is a dental hygienist. She is learning English. "I" fall in love for a moment. However, her true identity is a woman with a terrible drinking habit. She plays the role of a housewife to Master Higuchi.
- Ajima-senpai: Chief of the Library Police. Despite his important position, he has a grudge against Jougasaki-san(?)
・Kaori-san, the love doll that Jougasaki-senpai loves

■Subtitle

#1: "Subsurface Submersible to Antarctica" (2010/08/20)
#2 / "Subsurface Submersible to the Women's Bath" ~ Bedroom Investigation Team's Pink Exploration ~ (2010/10/22)
・#3／"Love and Fishing Submarine" (2010/11/26)

■ Related works

・The Tatami Galaxy ・The Tatami Galaxy Special Edition

The Tatami Galaxy Unaired Episodes - Detailed Review and Recommendations

The Tatami Galaxy: Unaired Episodes is an OVA based on the novel by Tomihiko Morimi, a series of episodes packed with director Masaaki Yuasa's unique visuals and humor. This work includes special episodes that were not broadcast in the TV series, making it a must-see for fans. Below, we will provide a detailed review and recommendation of this work.

Story and Themes

In "The Tatami Galaxy: Unaired Episodes," the protagonist "I" looks back on the idle days of his college life and imagines a world of "what if" choices he had made at those times. Each episode depicts the protagonist's adventures in a different parallel world, and is a mix of humor and philosophical questions.

The first episode, "Surface Submarine to Antarctica," depicts the eccentric adventure of the protagonist, who does not join the film club "Misogi" and heads to Antarctica. The second episode, "Surface Submarine to the Women's Bath" ~ Bedroom Investigation Team Pink Exploration ~, depicts a humorous situation in which the protagonist infiltrates the women's bath, and the third episode, "Surface Submarine of Love and Fishing," depicts a story where the themes of love and fishing intersect. These episodes highlight the humor and philosophical depth of the original work, offering viewers new perspectives.

Visuals and animation

Director Masaaki Yuasa's visual style can be seen throughout this work. The colorful and dynamic animation provides visual enjoyment and enhances the storyline more vividly. In particular, the scene with the surface submarine and the scene infiltrating the women's bath are visually striking, with Director Yuasa's distinctive touch.

The character designs are also by Yusuke Nakamura, and are characterized by a combination of nostalgia and modernity. Each character's individuality is expressed through their visuals, leaving a strong impression on viewers.

Cast and voice actors

The cast is a star-studded line-up of voice actors, including Shintaro Asanuma, Hiroyuki Yoshino, Maaya Sakamoto, and Keiji Fujiwara. In particular, Shintaro Asanuma's voice acting as "I" and the narration play an important role in enhancing the tone of the work. Hiroyuki Yoshino's voice acting as Ozu and Maaya Sakamoto's voice acting as Akashi also express the characters' rich personalities, eliciting sympathy from the viewer.

Music and Sound

The music was composed by Michiru Oshima and is an important element in enhancing the atmosphere of the show. In particular, the music that matches the theme of each episode has the effect of evoking emotions in the viewer. The sound effects were also created by Katsuhiro Nakano, further enhancing the humorous scenes.

Production and staff

The film is produced by Madhouse, also known as the production studio behind the 2009 hit anime "Summer Wars." Under the direction of Director Masaaki Yuasa, a unique production system has been put in place in which one animator is in charge of storyboarding, directing, and animation direction, making this a work that brings together the talents of many creators.

Recommendations and ratings

"The Tatami Galaxy: Unaired Episodes" is highly recommended not only for fans of the original work, but also for viewers who enjoy the artistry and humor of animation. The film combines director Masaaki Yuasa's unique visual style with Tomihiko Morimi's philosophical questions, providing visually and content-wise satisfying entertainment.

In particular, the adventure to Antarctica in episode 1, the infiltration into the women's bath in episode 2, and the themes of love and fishing in episode 3 provide viewers with new perspectives and make them laugh and feel moved. In addition, the gorgeous voice actors and Michiru Oshima's music are also important elements that enhance the appeal of the work.

This work is available for purchase on DVD and Blu-ray and is included in the packaged version of The Tatami Galaxy volumes 1, 3, and 4. It's a must-see for fans, and viewers encountering the work for the first time will likely find something new. Please give it a watch.