The Rose-Colored Campus Life, or: Why You Should Be Watching The Tatami Galaxy

[Mr. Hat'n'Clogs]

Then I was a brand-spanking new freshman university student and before my eyes were held out innumerable circle fliers far surpassing my personal information intake. In each and every one of them I could see a door to that rose-colored campus life.

There I was sure lay my future of pure, sparkling gold.

What do you want to know? Your face is of extreme patience... you are unsatisfied. I feel that you are not in a situation that you do not believe suits you, and I can sense your fiercely earnest talent.Anyways, I sense there is an opportunity you can let pass by.
An opportunity?
As in an excellent chance.
Yes, I know what it means.

This opportunity is always dangling in front of your eyes.

Now, why should you be watching this show?

Are you one of those people who complains about how all anime is the same?

Would you like to see something, I don't know, maybe a little different?

You must grab onto this opportunity and act on it.

The Tatami Galaxy is an eleven episode series created by Studio Madhouse and directed by Masaaki Yuasa, a man who is at least trying something a little different. Would you like to support a project that wants to try and break out of the mold a little, despite near-guaranteed failure? Would you like to do it for free?

This is a really clever show that I think everyone should at least try. It's short but great and you don't have an excuse not to watch it. The animation is hypnotic, the writing is good, the message is a little meaningful, and it is something that is just worth your time.

[Atria35]

I knew it was going to be a marathon-worthy anime when it came out. The moment all the episodes had been realeased? I was on it like white on rice! I was not disappointed. I love alternate universes and all that, and seeing everything come together, flow together, was just wonderful. Little things in one episode (a pink kimono, a partially-eaten sweet), came to be of importance in a later epsiode, though they might not have been in the same episode. There was the importance of grabbing opportunity, not putting things off, living for today, that I really enjoyed. And the final episode is up there in my top 5 favorites.

It was fun, it was fabulous, and I am dying to find time to watch it again!

[TheSubtleDoctor]

Tremendous series. Agreed: everyone should at least give it a try.

The writing really is one of the stars of the show and is intelligent and hilarious. The comedy stands out because it isn't run-of-the-mill, post Excel Saga comedy, i.e. that oh-so-wacky, hyper, physical comedy or strictly fan-service oriented stuff. Though I can talk about what it isn't I'm not exactly sure how to positively describe what the comedy is. All I know is that it is definitely my kind of humor.

The other star in unquestionably the whole visual aesthetic. The look of everything is so odd, yet so appealing. It really draws you into the show. Hat was completely correct when stating that TG's art and animation are hypnotic. Yuasa gets the most out of the talented Madhouse artists and animators.

[FllMtl Novelist]

So thanks to this thread, I've watched it, and enjoyed it. I don't want to just repeat what everyone else said, so I'll try to mention what else stood out to me.

One thing was the surprising depth of each cast member. It was interesting to see so many different sides to characters you think you know.

I also liked how various things repeated to some degree in most episodes. The meeting with the fortune teller, Ozu's influence, the chats with Akashi. Despite the unique choices the protagonist makes and how each accompanying situation is fairly different, a lot of things turn out much the same, which was kind of funny. On a related note, I liked how the protagonist may hate a side character in one episode, but end up filling that character's role in another.

I also enjoyed the humor, animation, and how everything came together in the end. It was a fun, short anime that was totally different from everything else I've seen. The only problem I have is, because of the sexual content, I can't really share it with anyone I know. XD But I'm still glad I watched it, so thanks to Hats for starting this thread.