Jantama PONG☆ - A thorough analysis of the new entertainment experience created by the fusion of mahjong and music

"Jantama PONG☆" - A 5-minute festival where you can feel the soul of mahjong

"Jantama PONG☆" is a TV anime series based on the mahjong game "Jantama," which aired from April 2 to June 18, 2022. The original is a popular game created by CATFOOD STUDIO and Yostar, with animation by SCOOTER FILMS and production by Yostar. The director is Kenshiro Morii, who is also in charge of series composition and scriptwriting.

Broadcast information

"Jantama PONG☆" was broadcast on 28 MBS/TBS affiliated stations nationwide every Saturday from 1:50 to 1:55. It was also broadcast on AT-X every Thursday from 22:00 to 22:05. It was streamed online every Saturday on the official YouTube channel (Official Mahjong Soul -Jantama-). There are 12 episodes in total, each one only 5 minutes long, but it is packed with dense content.

story

The setting of "Jantama PONG☆" is Tamatema Tenjin Shrine. Here, mahjong players with unique personalities gather, and every day is a festival. With the protagonist Ichihime at the center, characters such as Kaguyahime, Wanjiro, Saito Osamu, Yagi Yui, and Akechi Hideki play out various dramas through mahjong. If you watch the anime, you may be able to enjoy Mahjong Soul even more. Even if you are small, you can dream big and become unrivaled! Now, let's start the game! PONG!

Character Introduction

Kazuhime

She is one of the first mahjong players to appear at Tamashii Tenjin Shrine, and is currently a shrine maiden. Despite having cat ears, she strongly claims to be human. Food and naps are more important than anything else, and her daily life revolves around those two things. She is voiced by Uchida Maaya.

Princess Kaguya

A rabbit-eared girl who calls herself "God's Princess Kaguya." She loves lying and playing pranks, and since coming to Tamatematsu Shrine, she has been in a constant battle with Ichihime over ownership of the shrine. She is voiced by Mariya Ise.

Wanjiro

He is one of the mahjong players who descended to Tamashii Tenjin Shrine with Ichihime, but he was just traveling. He is supposed to add "wan" to the end of his sentences, but he often speaks normally as if he has forgotten to do so. His favorite food is cookies, and he is voiced by Yuki Ono.

Osamu Saito

The calm, collected, and flawless president. He has lived a flawless life, behaving like a machine, with everything perfect. He has high demands on his employees at work, and is known behind their backs as "Boss Enma." He is voiced by Hiroki Yasumoto.

Yagi Yui

Although he is a genius with an IQ of 180, he has difficulty understanding other people's feelings. After he happened to visit Tamashii Tenjin Shrine hoping to be able to understand others, he started to change little by little. He has a hopeless tongue and is voiced by Koshimizu Ami.

Hideki Akechi

He is the captain of the university's mahjong club. Perhaps because he received special education from a young age, he is always smiling and kind to people. He is voiced by Shinnosuke Tachibana.

Episode Guide

• Episode 0 / Special program just before broadcast (2022/04/02)
• Episode 1 / Mahjong Parlor - Tamaten Shrine (2022/04/09)
• Episode 2: Gourmet Battle (2022/04/16)
• Episode 3: A giant meteorite attacks (2022/04/23)
• Episode 4 / PONG☆Nya (2022/04/30)
• Episode 5 / Working Nya (2022/05/07)
• Episode 6 / Solo Camp (2022/05/14)
• Episode 7 / All White (2022/05/21)
• Episode 8: Detective Akechi (2022/05/28)
• Episode 9: Curse of the Moon (June 4, 2022)
• Episode 10: The Crab Cannery Ship (2022/06/11)
• Episode 11: Ichihime awakens! (2022/06/18)

Production Staff

Many talented staff members are involved in the production of "Jantama PONG☆". The original work is by CATFOOD STUDIO, the director, series composition and scriptwriter is Kenshiro Morii, the assistant director is Motoki Nakanishi, the animation character design is Soushi Kinutani, the art director is Noriko Tsutsui (Studio Aqua), the sound director is Takatoshi Hamano, and the music is Shintaro Mori (Mint Forest). The animation is produced by SCOOTER FILMS, with animation production cooperation from Arke LLC, and production is by Yostar.

Appeal of the work

The greatest appeal of "Jantama PONG☆" is the dense content packed into its short time. Although each episode is only 5 minutes long, the characters' personalities and storylines are well-developed. Also, although it is a mahjong-themed work, it is notable in that it does not delve deeply into the rules and tactics of mahjong, but instead focuses on the characters' daily lives and relationships.

In particular, the festive atmosphere set at Tamashii Tenjin Shrine is enjoyable to watch. The humorous exchanges between characters such as Ichihime, Kaguyahime, and Wanjiro, and the dramatic developments between characters such as Saito Osamu, Yagi Yui, and Akechi Hideki draw viewers in.

Ratings and Recommendations

"Jantama PONG☆" is a work that can be enjoyed not only by mahjong fans, but also by people who are not interested in mahjong. It is praised for maximizing the charm of the characters and the interesting story in a short time. In addition, the voice actors' performances are excellent, further enhancing the individuality of the characters.

The first thing that makes it a recommended series is its humorous story. Each episode has a different theme and development, so you won't get bored. Also, don't miss the growth of the characters and the changes in their relationships. The stories of each character intertwine as they progress, including the rivalry between Princess Kaguya and Princess Kaguya, the purpose of Wanjiro's journey, Osamu Saito's dedication to his work, Yui Yagi's understanding of emotions, and Hideki Akechi's kindness.

Another big attraction is that you can enjoy the game even if you don't know the rules or tactics of mahjong. The mahjong game scenes are merely background, and the story focuses on the characters' daily lives and relationships. Therefore, even people who are not interested in mahjong will be drawn into the humorous exchanges and dramatic developments of the characters.

Finally, it is also appreciated that it offers dense content in a short amount of time. For busy modern people, anime that can be enjoyed in as little as five minutes is a valuable asset. It can be watched during the commute to work or school, during breaks, or in any spare time you have. Therefore, it is a work that even busy people can enjoy easily.

summary

"Jantama PONG☆" is an anime themed around mahjong, but it is a work that focuses on the personalities and story of the characters. You can enjoy a lot of content in a short time, and it is a work that can be enjoyed not only by mahjong fans but also by people who are not interested in mahjong. It is praised for its humorous story, the growth of the characters and changes in their relationships, and the fact that it can be enjoyed in a short time. Please give it a watch. PONG!