#“Tamako Market” Vol. 1: Lots of mochi and a talking bird

Table of Contents

Today the first volume of “Tamako Market” is officially released by polyband anime. Fans had to wait more than 11 years for a German release – but was the wait worth it? We take a closer look at the publication in our review!

Label: polyband anime
Publication: 25.10.2024
FSK: Released for ages 12 and up
Duration: approx. 144 min
Image format: 16:9
Resolution: 1920 x 1080 p
Genre: Comedy, Slice of Life
Languages: German, Japanese (DTS-HD 2.0)
Subtitle: Deutsch
Number of discs: 1
Packaging: Amaray in a hardcover slipcase
Extras: Hardcover-Schuber

Story

Tamako knows pretty much everything about mochi, the traditional Japanese dessert. When she’s not at school, she enjoys creating new flavors for her family’s mochi shop. However, she is still trying to find the right recipe for school and growing up. But with the help of her best friends Kanna and Midori, Tamako makes the best of it. However, sometimes it’s complicated, especially when it comes to feelings and the relationship with her best friend Mochizo, whose family also runs a mochi shop. And what’s up with the strange bird that flutters around and can speak fluently? The whole thing is very mysterious and exciting, but at least Tamako can always rely on one thing: whether her day was good or bad, there is sure to be something tasty waiting for her at the end.

(Description: polyband anime)

Personal assessment

Anyone who sees “Tamako Market” for the first time will inevitably remember “K-On!” feel reminded – visually the two series are like one mochi to the other. No wonder, after all, both were produced by Kyoto Animation under the direction of Naoko Yamada, and the script and character design were once again by Reiko Yoshida and Yukiko Horiguchi. Nevertheless, “Tamako Market” could never match the success of “K-On!” tie in – rightly so?

In any case, the beginning of the series is turbulent. In the first episode, the events happen in quick succession: within the first minute, the viewer is not only introduced to Tamako and her two friends Midori and Kanna, but the bird Dera can also be seen. After his discovery, Tamako takes him straight home with her, perhaps out of necessity. The fact that the bird can speak like a human only seems to cause some surprise. Shortly afterwards, the birdie nests in the Kitashirakawa household and is fed mochi. I was surprised that the anime integrated the bird into the plot so quickly. In advance, I expected the anime to take an episode to introduce Tamako and her normal everyday life before the bird joins in. But perhaps the production team was just trying to get off to a lively start.

Dera is without a doubt the protagonist about whom opinions differ the most. He is used almost exclusively for comedy purposes in the series. The viewer’s perception can fluctuate between “funny” and “annoying”. In my opinion, this balance was managed quite well, although it may take a few episodes to get used to. Apart from the fantasy element of the talking bird and its mission, which is only very sparsely discussed in the first six episodes, “Tamako Market” is a slice-of-life anime through and through. The topics are quite typical of the genre, such as a visit to the swimming pool, a party and a school trip. However, the fact that Tamako’s family runs a mochi shop on a shopping street adds a new perspective. The festivals and holidays covered in the anime also have an impact on the mochi offering and the store’s order situation. Unfortunately, romantics don’t get their money’s worth, at least in the first six episodes: Although it is sometimes discussed that Mochizou is in love with Tamako, nothing more develops from it at the moment.

As a big “K-On!” fan, I unfortunately had to realize after the first six episodes that “Tamako Market” cannot follow in these huge footsteps. However, despite the almost identical appearance and the same main genre, perhaps it is better to look at the series in isolation. If you enjoy light-hearted slice of life and comedy, you should still give “Tamako Market” a chance. This is also supported by the great animations that one is used to from Kyoto Animation. The opening song gets the viewer in the mood for the episode with its cheerful nature, while the ending is a little more thoughtful.

The German dubbing from TNT Media in Potsdam leaves a solid impression, but does not stand out from the crowd of anime dubbings. Ronja Peters as Midori and Marie Hinze as the rather taciturn Kanna deserve positive mention. Both casts harmonize well with their respective roles. But when it comes to the main role, Tamako, one gets the impression that there might have been more suitable casts. At this point it should be noted that I think Sarah Alles is a great speaker. However, she has to put on a noticeably higher charge for the role, as a result of which the acting expression suffers. The combination with Peters and Hinze also doesn’t work so well here anymore because, in contrast to Alles, they speak in a more natural voice. In my opinion, Gerald Schaale is again a suitable choice for the bird Dera. Only in one place or another could the dialogue direction perhaps have teased out more in a playful way. The dialogue book and the mix of the German version are rather inconspicuous, but in a positive sense there are no major mistakes.

In terms of image quality, the disc from polyband anime cuts a very good figure and has flawless sharpness and coloring. The fine grain effect can also be clearly seen during the ending, which suggests a sufficiently high bit rate. Apart from the sturdy hardcover slipcase, fans unfortunately have to do without any extras for the first volume. The packaging is again very successful, and I particularly like the back of the pink slipcase. Furthermore, it is very commendable that the slipcase not only offers space for the two series volumes, but also the film “Tamako Love Story”, which will also be published by polyband anime.

Conclusion

“Tamako Market” scores particularly well in terms of the animation quality and pretty character designs from the Kyoto Animation studio. Regarding the story, viewers have to come to terms with the talking bird Dera, who provides the comedy. Apart from that, the title mainly shows the carefree daily life in a shopping street. Another storyline, which is about the actual mission of the talking bird, is only gradually gaining momentum. A new character can be seen briefly in the sixth episode. Hopefully we will find out exactly what this is all about in the second volume!

Evaluation

Story (double weighted)		7/10
Animations		9/10
Music		7/10
German localization		7,5/10
Packaging & Extras		7,5/10
In total		7,5/10

>>Here you can buy «Tamako Market» Vol. 1 on Blu-ray!<<

We would like to thank polyband anime for providing the review copy!

The post “Tamako Market” Vol. 1: Lots of mochi and a talking bird appeared first on BuradaBiliyorum.Com.

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