Tamako Market: Review for its charming characters and heartwarming story

Tamako Market - Kyoto Animation's heartwarming slice-of-life anime

Tamako Market is a TV anime series produced by Kyoto Animation that aired in 2013. The original work was created by Kyoto Animation itself, and the series was produced by a stellar team of staff including director Yamada Naoko, series composition Yoshida Reiko, and character design Horiguchi Yukiko. The series aired for a total of 12 episodes from January 9th to March 27th, 2013, on TOKYO MX, BS11, and other networks. Each episode was 30 minutes long, and was loved by many fans as a heartwarming slice-of-life anime set in Usagiyama Shopping Street.

Story and setting

Tamako Market is set in a small shopping district called Usagiyama Shopping Arcade. The main character, Kitashirakawa Tamako, is a second-year high school student and the daughter of Tamaya, a mochi shop located in the arcade. Bright, lively, and kind, she is a member of the baton club and loves mochi. Although she is a bit of a scatterbrain, she has a genius way of rolling mochi, and the story revolves around her daily life.

Tamako's family consists of her younger sister Anko, her father Mameda, and her grandfather Fuku. Anko is a fashionable fifth grader, but thinks that the family business of selling rice cakes is a bit uncool. Mameda is a stubborn craftsman who is devoted to making rice cakes, and he always ends up fighting with Oji Gohei, the owner of the rice cake shop across the street, "RICECAKE Oh!ZEE." Fuku is an easygoing grandfather.

Tamako's classmates are Midori Tokiwa, Kanna Makino, and Shiori Asagiri. Midori is a childhood friend, belongs to the baton club, and takes care of Tamako. Kanna is the daughter of a carpenter, and is a laid-back person who is concerned about the verticality of buildings and surveys them. Shiori is cool and serious, and belongs to the badminton club.

The Ohji family of "RICECAKE Oh!ZEE" includes Tamako's childhood friend Mochizo and his parents Gohei and Michiko. Mochizo is a member of the film club, and Gohei is always busy developing new mochi products. Michiko runs "RICECAKE Oh!ZEE".

Also, Della Mochimazzi, a bird who can speak the human language and comes from the south, ends up staying at Tamako's house, and his purpose becomes an important element of the story. In addition to Della, Mecha Mochimazzi, the prince of the southern island, and Choi Mochimazzi, who is his attendant, also appear.

Usagiyama Shopping Street is home to a variety of unique store owners and residents, including Hanase Kaoru of "Florist Princess," Yaobi Kunio of "Stars and Clowns," Yumoto Nagaharu and Sayuri of "Usayu," Mitsumura Fumiko of "Just Meat," Tokiwa Nobuhiko of "Tokiwado," Uotani Takashi and Mari of "Sashimi," Shimizu Tomio of "Shimizuya," and Shiraki Tadanao of "Miyakodon." These shopping street residents add color to Tamako's daily life.

Characters and voice actors

Tamako Market features many unique and charming characters, and the voice actors are also impressive. The main character, Kitashirakawa Tamako, is played by Suzaki Aya, who perfectly expresses her bright and energetic character. Tamako's younger sister Anko is played by Hidaka Rina, her father Mamedai is played by Fujiwara Keiji, and her grandfather Fuku is played by Nishimura Tomomichi.

Tamako's classmate Tokiwa Midori will be played by Yuki Kaneko, Makino Kanna will be played by Juri Nagatsuma, and Asagiri Shiori will be played by Yurie Yamashita. Oji Mochizo from "RICECAKE Oh!ZEE" will be played by Atsushi Tamaru, his father Ahira will be played by Fumihiko Tachiki, and his mother Michiko will be played by Satsuki Yukino.

The southern people, Della Mochimazzi, are played by Takumi Yamazaki, Mecha Mochimazzi by Hiro Shimono, and Choi Mochimazzi by Yuri Yamaoka. The voice actors of the people in Usagiyama Shopping Street are also unique, with Daisuke Ono playing Kaoru Hanase in "Florist Princess," Koji Tsujitani playing Kunio Yaobi in "Stars and Pierrots," Norio Tsukui playing Nagaharu Yumoto in "Rabbit Bath," Junko Iwao playing Sayuri Yumoto, Kumiko Watanabe playing Fumiko Mitsumura in "Just Meat," Hiroshi Ienaka playing Nobuhiko Tokiwa in "Tokiwado," Ken Narita playing Takashi Uotani in "Sashimi," Yoko Hikasa playing Mari Uotani, Yoshihisa Kawahara playing Tomio Shimizu in "Shimizuya," and Naoya Nosaka playing Tadanao Shiraki in "Miyakodon."

The appeal of anime

The greatest appeal of "Tamako Market" is its heartwarming depiction of everyday life. The interactions between the people of Usagiyama Shopping Street and the youthful days of Tamako and her friends are carefully depicted. Tamako's clumsy personality and her love for mochi are particularly endearing, and just watching the story makes you feel warm and fuzzy.

Also, the appearance of people from the southern countries adds a fantasy element to the story, and the extraordinary blends into the everyday, keeping the audience interested. Della Mochimazzi's purpose and the existence of Mecha Mochimazzi and Choi Mochimazzi add depth to the story.

In addition, you can't miss Kyoto Animation's beautiful drawings and detailed background art. The scenery of Usagiyama Shopping Street and Tamako's rice cake shop are depicted so realistically that they seem like they are actually there. The character designs are also cute, and Tamako's facial expressions are particularly expressive.

music

The music of "Tamako Market" is also one of its charms. The opening theme "Dramatic Market Ride" was written by Koichi Fujimoto, composed by Tomoko Kataoka, arranged by Dan Miyagawa, and sung by Tamako Kitashirakawa (CV: Aya Suzaki). This song symbolizes Tamako's bright and energetic character, and will lift the spirits of viewers.

The ending theme "Neguse" was written by Dan Miyagawa, composed by Yu Yamaguchi, and arranged by Toshiyuki Akabane and Yu Yamaguchi, and sung by Tamako Kitashirakawa (CV: Aya Suzaki). This song has a gentle melody that evokes the warmth of Tamako's daily life, enhancing the atmosphere of the story.

Related Titles

A related work to Tamako Market is the movie Tamako Love Story, which was released in 2014. This movie depicts the story after the TV series, and focuses on the love life between Tamako and Mochizo. It is a must-see for fans of the TV series, and will leave you with even deeper emotions.

Ratings and Recommendations

Tamako Market is a work that brings out the best of slice-of-life anime. This anime combines a heartwarming story, unique characters, beautiful drawings and music, and just watching it will soothe your soul. It is especially recommended for adults who miss their youth and those who want to experience the small joys of everyday life. It also contains fantasy elements, making it a work that can be enjoyed by a wide range of people.

Furthermore, by watching the related work "Tamako Love Story" together, you can feel the growth of Tamako and her friends even more deeply. This is a work that should be watched not only by Kyoto Animation fans, but also by those who like slice-of-life anime and those who are looking for a heartwarming story.

subtitle

The subtitles for each episode of "Tamako Market" are also appealing and express the content of the story well. Below are the subtitles for all 12 episodes.

• Episode 1: That girl is a cute rice cake shop owner
• Episode 2: Valentine's Day, when love blossoms
• Episode 3: Hot and bothered by that cool girl
• Episode 4: A Little Love Has Bloomed
• Episode 5: We Spent the Night Together
• Episode 6: It sent chills down my spine
• Episode 7: That Girl Got Married
• Episode 8: I wouldn't let you call me a chicken
• Episode 9: Let's sing a love song
• Episode 10: Flowers Bloom on That Girl's Baton
• Episode 11: That Girl is a Princess
• Final episode: The year has come to an end again

Conclusion

"Tamako Market" is a heartwarming slice-of-life anime from Kyoto Animation. It carefully depicts the interactions between the people of Usagiyama Shopping Street and the youthful days of Tamako and her friends, making you feel warm and fuzzy just by watching it. The beautiful drawings, music, and story woven by the unique characters will make you feel the little joys of everyday life. Please enjoy this work.