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「みんなで歩けばハッピー、なので」 (Minna de Arukeba Happy, Nanode)
“I’m Happy Walking with Everyone”
Another episode of Tamayura filled with an overabundance of absolutely nothing, except for the best characters that you could ever create in the span of less than 15 minutes! Besides the fact that all it takes is cute characters to grab my attention (and keep it) I think Tamayura is really good at tugging on my emotions through the use of realistic real life situations. By real life, I’m talking about the situations that most of us have faced sometime throughout our lives. Being the the oldest in my family, I understand what it’s like to have an older sibling since all of my friends were usually the youngest in their family. This translated into me really feeling for Kaoru when her older sister Hanawa Sayomi (Ohara Sayaka) decided to jump in and join the group. I think it’s the feeling of jealously with a little bit of embarrassment that the younger sibling feels when their older sibling starts to hang out with them which makes them act differently. While it was clear that Kaoru was pretty bummed out for most of the episode, I’m glad that she still retained that pleasant aura around her at the end. Shifting the focus back to everyone else – I’m so happy that this episode of Tamayura finally came out. While Norie’s “Kou-tan” mode drives me insane to the point that I was really considering muting the video, especially when she starts speaking at 100 words per second (it was almost like listening to Outsider), I think she’s actually really sweet when her mind hasn’t been blown by a moe-overload. Fu and Kou are still the cutest in the group, especially with both of them being so short compared to everyone else. It really makes Fu look extra cute in some scenes – almost like a little kid tagging along with older friends. Maon on the other hand is my favorite out of the group. I’m really fond of her quiet personality and the fact she whistles randomly just to lighten the mood really gets me. I mean I started hating her character because of the whistling and now its my favorite trait.
For a quick summary of this episode, after eating something so delicious that you enter a trance like state, the group embarks on a grand adventure to discover the location of where the mysterious picture of Fu’s father was taken. After waiting because Sayomi was late, the group ends up walking in and around the entire city. Just as Kaoru and Norie seem to be slowly dying from fatigue the group decides to have a small picnic to recover their strength. After a touching moment between Fu and the others, the group manages to find the spot they were looking for. While the spot isn’t where the photo was actually taken, everyone still stays in high spirits after finding such a pretty spot after a day of spending time with each other.
While this episode of Tamayura went back to being only fifteen minutes, boys were those fifteen minutes relaxing. The music in this series is exceptional. Half way through the episode there was an amazingly beautiful insert song that started playing. The background track fit the whole mood of Tamayura perfectly and the lyrics were very pretty as well. I just think it’s so cool that such a great sounding song would be hiding inside this short OVA – it really shows how much care went into making Tamayura. Besides the awesome insert song, the general background music was very relaxing to listen too as well. Not overly classical, but using a mix of piano and accordion in certain slow parts to mixing string instruments with some light drums to make some really soft upbeat music for everything else, it all comes together to create some of the most refreshing music I’ve heard in a while.
Someone last time asked, “Why would you watch this?” My response would be – just to let your mind drift away and relax. While everyone has their different tastes I think that Tamayura is something anyone can watch. It’s short, sweet, and leaves you feeling great after watching it. I don’t know if I have low standards for what I’ll watch, but I know that it’s these kind of shows that bring our everyday lives to life, and I LOVE watching them. Don’t get me wrong though, I also love it when my adrenaline gets pumped up and my heart starts beating. Especially when the words epic and fight describe what I’m watching (gurren lagann anyone?).
That’s why I like it, it’s just nice, and sometimes that’s what’s missing. Drama is great but sometimes I need a break! This really is like looking at a photo artbook, something relaxing that you can read into, take what you want from it.
100% agree, Takaii. Battle/fantasy/scifi/whatever shows are great fun, but they’re also dime-a-dozen. Really good slice of life, the stuff that takes everyday boring events and makes them interesting, that’s fantastic.
Okazaki Norie really do look like an older version of sakura mikan..
I LOVE SLICE-OF-LIFE SERIES!! and i second to every word you said about them. you can watch them w/o worries.X3 ah feels like ARIA all over again..(i miss my k-0n)
Is this episode subbed yet?I checked yesterday and it wasn’t.I want to watch this badly after seeing the first 2 episodes!
It is subbed Fai D. I love my Tamayura times for being so relaxing after all the actions, doubts, romance and robots…I really would love this to become an ongoing series. Does anyone know who sings that insert song and the title of it?
The title of the song is “Yasashisa ni Tsutsumareta Nara” and sung by Maaya Sakamoto. It’s actually the same song that is used for the ending of “Kiki’s Delivery Service” by Ghibli although different singer (Yumi Arai). When I was listing to it, I was like “I know I heard this somewhere) and it was crazy because that night I decided to watch Kiki’s and voila!
@Shinjiro
Thanks 🙂
I saw it and liked it very much!
I love this OVA series (if you can call that) but, though original, I can’t say the same about the whistling girl… She annoys me the most and I find her whistle awkward and off-putting, really… To each his own, I guess…
More like…. “Why would you NOT watch it? Do you fear the quiet? Do you fear reflection?” 🙂 Anyway, not being serious but like Sketchbook, ARIA, and some other reflective works – its the perfect cup of hot green tea.
Wow. This OVA was so obviously produced by very manly men who love their masculinity.
Haha, it’s pretty much Aria but with a different setting. But yeah, it’s just so perfect when you need to just relax…
I’m catching on to a theme of human senses among the characters in たまゆら.
Fuu-chan favors sight,
Kao-chan favors smell,
Mao-chan favors hearing,
Nori-chan favors feeling.
I believe everyone shares a feeling for taste as each react the same when eating the snacks prepared for them.
のりちゃんとこうちゃんがんばって！
Definitely one of the hidden gems of this season. Anyone realize how Momoneko-sama looks just like the other cat in Lucky Star?
Gotta love this series, so cute and relaxing to watch. :3
This is why I love anime. and those cozy little Japanese towns in em <3
This is the 2nd 15 min OVA series I watched and liked. The first being REC.
This is such a joy to watch…I feel so warm and fuzzy XD …Except when Norie’s voice is blaring like a foghorn about Kou. Please..just no…Fu hardly even got to say anything -_-