First Look: Yojouhan Shinwa Taikei

Title: Yojouhan Shinwa Taikei (The Tatami Galaxy) Genre: Dark Comedy

Summary: When a college dropout stops for a late night bite at a mysterious ramen stand, he crosses paths with a self-proclaimed deity of matrimony. This bizarre meeting sends the young man hurtling through a horrifying flashback to his not-so-glorious college days when the influence of a cruel new friend turned him from a hopeless romantic into a mischievous “black cupid.”

First Look: Yojouhan Shinwa Taikei is a very… unique anime. I haven’t quite seen anything like it. But one thing is for certain: if you don’t speak Japanese be prepared to read subtitles at a mile a minute. The dialogue is very difficult to follow because of how fast the actors need to talk, and it doesn’t help that they are long winded sentences either. I’m not saying that it is a horrible idea, but you do miss some bits and pieces. So don’t plan on multitasking while watching this anime if you are serious about it. The thing that really stands out is the art. It is a very old style that was brought back into the modern world. The whole anime looks more like a painting than anything. They did a blend of reality and painting that is strangely effective. It really does seem as though the whole anime was taken through a camera, and edited by having drawings of random characters inserted into the scenes. It probably isn’t for everyone, but I personally loved the style the anime took. The storyline isn’t anything amazing, and a little bleak to be honest. Each episode just seems to have the main character “rewind” to his first day at college, pick a club (different every episode) and tell the events that happened. Each episode is different yet similar. You may notice key points in the episodes that will probably tie into how the anime will end. I have my suspicions on how the anime will turn out, but nothing solid yet.

Final statements: This shouldn’t be one of your top priority watches for the new season. It is a relatively short anime (11 episodes) that tries to pack a lot into each episode. The comedy isn’t for everyone, and if you aren’t a quick reader you will probably get frustrated. I will keep this on watch, so expect a full review. Until then, I don’t suggest putting this on your anime list.