The Tatami Galaxy 4

Nothing going on here....

For some reason, it felt as though not much happened this episode compared to the other ones. However, I believe that I am supposed to feel that since Watashi didn’t really do anything. There were some pretty good moments that hinted towards the overall picture, though. The introduction of Hanuki was hilarious and now we have another seemingly normal, bat-shit crazy person. This episode wasn’t really about Watashi as every other episode has been; this episode seemed to be more about the secondary characters. Unfortunately for me, this means that Akashi got the least amount of screen time this episode. And considering I just finished watching Ef – a tale of melodies, I really wanted some quality Akashi time to cheer me up.

Hanuki is a fun time.....for herself.

Summary:

In a dark room four people are eating something that can only be described as a disgusting menagerie of random things in a stew. The four people are Watashi, Ozu, Kamotake and Hanuki who is a mysterious dental hygienist that licks people when she’s drunk. This time around Watashi found the clubs suspicious so he tried to avoid them however he is pulled in by Ozu and Kamotake (A.K.A. Higuchi Seitarou) and ends up becoming one of Kamotake’s apprentices.

The things shrine gods do to have fun.

Kamotake appears to have an ongoing war with some guy named Jougasaki (wait…….THAT Jougasaki?) that has been going on for a long time. It is a war of petty pranks and inconveniences. Kamotake is also trying to avoid the Library police, who are after him because he won’t return books. Kamotake tells Watashi that he needs to find a mystical tortoise scrubbing brush; otherwise he will be expelled from their “club”. Watashi tries to find one, but has no luck thanks in part to the non-helpful and quite rude people (and legendary sea creatures?) that run the stores that he asks at.

What? Just, what?

However, Akashi comes along; Akashi is another student of Kamotake and is a junior in the engineering department. After Akashi asks the exact same store owners, who are way nicer to her, they eventually find a shady man who says that he’ll sell them one for 100,000 yen. Watashi leaves shortly after without the brush. While crossing a bridge the two hear Kamotake singing a song about the face buttons of a Playstation controller. Watashi is eating ramen with Hanuki when he discovers the cause of Kamotake and Jougasaki’s war. The person working explains that it is a proxy war that has continued and been passed down for a very long time.

Hmmmm, where have I seen those goggles before?

Back at the titular room Watashi finds a bag full of exactly 100,000 yen. He decides that this is an opportunity to go on a dream date with Akashi but ends up buying the brush and giving it to Kamotake anyway. Kamotake and Jougasaki meet with everyone else to settle the war. Ozu is revealed to be Jougasaki’s double agent as well as his proxy. Kamotake names Watashi as his proxy. Jougasaki wins, by a game of rock, paper, scissors. Ozu is given permission to make the first strike in the next phase of the war that is now between himself and Watashi. The episode ends with Watashi refusing to be a part of this war, saying that meeting Ozu was his greatest mistake. <<REWIND<<

Alright, the weirdest person wins!

Thoughts:

Every episode Watashi says that if he had joined a different circle he surely would have spent a very different two years, but we as viewers know that the differences between each episode have only been material. Fundamentally Watashi’s path isn’t changing because he keeps refusing to change it. This episode was the first time that I got mad; when Watashi ended up buying the brush anyway, I facepalmed. When Watashi remembers to return the Mochiguman to Akashi, why does he never do it? Instead he thinks of something else he could do for her instead of just returning it.

Moe blob Akashi is nice too.

Something that I realized this episode is that we are gradually moving away from the promise with Akashi, and not toward it. While Watashi realized that the Mochiguman was his opportunity and even felt that he had met the fortune teller before, he does the opposite of what would make him closer to Akashi. We have come so far in four episodes in terms of development that I feel that I am going to get annoyed much quicker in the episodes to come. This is something that I hope the show will prove me wrong about, since I like the show and do not want to get irritated from it.

Rock, Paper, Scissors is a serious war strategy, just like Akiyama Mio.

I really like the cast of characters that have been created here. While you might not like Jougasaki in episode two, you can’t help but like him in episodes three and four. Hanuki is another great addition to the cast, but I couldn’t help but notice that Hanuki and Akashi never acknowledged one another’s existence. Kamotake’s song was EPIC, so was the final confrontation between him and Jougasaki, both were funny while still being serious. It should be mentioned that when Kamotake was leaving at the end of the episode Jougasaki asked him if he’d be okay to which he replied that he still had the money from the Shimanami Cup; the race he won with Watashi’s bike last episode. Things are getting weirder.

Like I said, EPIC!

I’m still really enjoying the OP; it usually isn’t the kind of song I like for an OP so I’m not quite sure why I like it so much. I also really liked the Engrish OP for Ef. Speaking of Ef, what the hell was with that ending, I think that my enjoyment of this episode of Tatami Galaxy actually went down because of that. It’s a good thing I didn’t do what I originally planned to do this weekend and read Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle, apparently that manga has an awful ending. Oh but good news, the Neko Ramen stand was back this episode, unfortunately it was run by an aging Digimon trainer rather than a talking fox…………wait, that does sound good too though………..

/ 3 Commentsleave a comment /

• Mint says:

  May 19, 2010

  The ending of Ef really got to you, I see XD Hopefully it won't ruin any more of your watching experiences ;;

  The ending for TRC isn't that bad, that was just my opinion; there was a really abrupt one, and then there was an epilogue that kind of made things better ^^ Although it was still confusing as heck…

  Reply
• Kyokai says:

  May 19, 2010

  Hayayi ne~ Your post told me new episode of Yojouhan was out.

  I hate sad ending so I can understand how it could foil your anime experience. :/

  The flow of this epi was definitely different from the others like Ozu's first contact being worst contact coming last and Higuchi hogging most of the screen time. However, I guess it was all about showing the whole picture rather than Watashi's POV only.

  The song sequence was epic and moe blob picture reminds me of Arakawa. wants some Nino/Rec fix naaoo! Awaiting subs T_T
  .-= Kyokai´s last blog ..Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood – 57 =-.

  Reply
• Hellomotto says:

  May 19, 2010

  Yeah, I must agree: things got really, REALLY weird in this episode. I really haven't seen such randomness and eccentricity since FLCL and Excel Saga (both of which I eventually dropped). This episode was much more random than the previous episodes–and surprisingly, I liked it.

  As you said, the focus shifted away from the focus on the Akashi + Watashi relationship (and their promise) and more towards the experiences of college life. Still, I think the ending scenes were important in this respect: Watashi plans to quit but ultimately doesn't refuse the fat-chinned guy's wishes to "succeed" him, even though Watashi had no idea what was going on.
  .-= Hellomotto´s last blog ..Yojo-han Shinwa Taikei 3 =-.

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