Series Review: Tamako Market (10/10)

Instant Summary: A girl lives in a mochi shop in a shopping arcade.

Everyone knows what to expect from Tamako Market even before it aired. Kyoto Animation's on a roll and churning out the cute-girls-doing-cute-things anime ever since K-ON became a smashing success and that their moéblobs literally oozes money. Plus, Tamako Market is an original; meaning they had free reign to stuff moé into the show in any way and every way possible.

So is it a cheap strategy that banks on a recycled stereotype? Shockingly, not at all. The gargantuan budget allowed superb production quality and a fair amount of creativity as well; the moéblob of the season, Tamako, proved that there still could be something new for this archetype. She's bubbly, but not clumsy. She's energetic, but not loud. She's mellow, but not air-headed. She's friendly, but not insensitive. She could have carried the whole show by herself.

Not that she has to. There's also the ridiculous obese talking bird of royal heritage, which is half of what made the show so funny. There's also the friendliness and homeliness of the shopping arcade, Tamako's quirky friends, the childhood friend that has a crush on her, and the tsundere dad. I ended most episodes knowing that nothing important has actually happened, but those factors made sure I never had a boring time.

And while endings has always been a weakness of these plot-less titles, Tamako Market has managed to end things on a surprisingly enjoyable high note. If I had to complain about something, it would be that their pinafore-styled uniform made then look like elementary students. Maybe that's actually the intention?

Once again, KyoAni delivered. Damn it, man. They're setting the bar too high for me to enjoy the other stuff. Giving something like this a full score makes me look stupid, man, but even if I try, I can't see it deserves any lower.

Plot/Concept: KyoAni + Moéblob = Peanut Butter & Jelly.
Story Style: Energetic, bubbly, and fun.
Audio/Visual: Excellent
Value: 10