The Tatami Galaxy
Encyclopedia
is a Japanese
comedy-drama
campus novel
written by , originally published in December 2004
by in the tankōbon
format and later reissued in March 2008 by Kadokawa Shoten
as a bunkoban. Its first-person
narrator is an unidentified upperclassman at a Kyoto
university reminiscing on the misadventures of his previous years of campus life, with each of the four chapters taking place in parallel universe
s in which he is enrolled in a different . As of January 2011 Korean
, Traditional and Simplified Chinese but not English
translations have been published.
The novel is the basis of an 11-episode anime
television series
of the same name produced in (primarily) traditional animation
at Madhouse
under the direction of Masaaki Yuasa
(making it the third such series following Kemonozume
and Kaiba
) which aired in the latter half of Fuji Television
's noitaminA
programming block at 25:15 to 25:45 from April 22 to July 1, 2010 (i.e. 01:15 to 01:45 from April 23 to July 2). In February 2011 it won the 2010 Japan Media Arts Festival
Grand Prize in the Animation Division, the first television program to do so, with the jury describing it in their justification as a "richly expressive work that turns the limitations of TV on its head" and complimenting its "unique scene layouts, characters' actions and color scheme." The series is legally available with English subtitles, having been licensed by North American distributor Funimation Entertainment
for free streaming on its Web site, YouTube
and Hulu
and by Siren Visual
and Beez Entertainment
for home video
release in Australia
and New Zealand
and the United Kingdom
and Republic of Ireland
respectively.
(also called "circle") at his university. He meets Ozu, another student, whose encouragement sets him on a mission of dubious morality. He contemplates his affection for a second year engineering student, Akashi, and makes promises to her, usually of and within a romantic subtext. The culmination of his dubious missions often conflict with his interest in her in some way. The story is one of a number that draw on the author's experience in Kyoto University
.
volume and was later re-published on March 25, 2008 by Kadokawa Shoten
as a bunkoban volume. The novel was translated to Korean
by Bichae Publishing in August 2008, traditional Chinese
by China Times Publishing in December 2009, simplified Chinese
by Shanghai People's Publishing House in August 2010.
is a production of the Tokyo-based Madhouse
animation studio
series-directed by Masaaki Yuasa
, with the screenplay
throughout adapted from the novel by Yuasa and playwright
Makoto Ueda (writer of Summer Time Machine Blues
). The series first aired on Fuji TV
's noitaminA
programming block on April 22, 2010. Funimation Entertainment
is streaming the show for free on its website with English subtitles concurrently with the series' airing in Japan; this is part of their mutual agreement with Fuji TV with regards to Noitamina distribution rights. The series uses a combination of 3D and 2D graphics, and heavily filtered live action film, portrayed in a variety of color schemes. Two pieces of theme music
are used for the series: one opening theme and one ending theme. The opening theme is "Maigoinu to Ame no Beat
" by Asian Kung-Fu Generation
, composition and lyrics by Masafumi Gotō and the ending theme is by Yoshinori Sunahara
(composition and arrangement), Junji Iwatashi (lyrics), and Etsuko Yakushimaru
(vocals). The series' soundtrack is composed by Michiru Ōshima
. At the London MCM Expo, British anime distributor Beez Entertainment
announced that they have licensed the series
Three seven-minute anime shorts will be released with the DVD/BD
releases of the series. The first DVD/BD volume will be released on August 20, 2010 and will contain the first anime short; the second and third shorts will be released on the third and fourth DVD/BD volumes to be sold on October 22, 2010 and November 26, 2010, respectively.
The Tatami Galaxy won the grand prize for the animation category in the Japan Media Arts Festival
on December 8, 2010. It was the first time a TV animation series won the grand prize.
Japanese literature
Early works of Japanese literature were heavily influenced by cultural contact with China and Chinese literature, often written in Classical Chinese. Indian literature also had an influence through the diffusion of Buddhism in Japan...
comedy-drama
Comedy-drama
Comedy-drama is a genre of theatre, film and television programs which combines humorous and serious content.-Theatre:Traditional western theatre, beginning with the ancient Greeks, was divided into comedy and tragedy...
campus novel
Campus novel
A campus novel, also known as an academic novel, is a novel whose main action is set in and around the campus of a university. The genre in its current form dates back to the early 1950s...
written by , originally published in December 2004
2004 in literature
The year 2004 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:* Canada Reads selects Guy Vanderhaeghe's The Last Crossing to be read across the nation....
by in the tankōbon
Tankobon
, with a literal meaning close to "independently appearing book", is the Japanese term for a book that is complete in itself and is not part of a series , though the manga industry uses it for volumes which may be in a series...
format and later reissued in March 2008 by Kadokawa Shoten
Kadokawa Shoten
is a well-known Japanese publishing company based in Tokyo, Japan. Kadokawa has published both manga novels and magazines, such as Newtype magazine...
as a bunkoban. Its first-person
First-person narrative
First-person point of view is a narrative mode where a story is narrated by one character at a time, speaking for and about themselves. First-person narrative may be singular, plural or multiple as well as being an authoritative, reliable or deceptive "voice" and represents point of view in the...
narrator is an unidentified upperclassman at a Kyoto
Kyoto
is a city in the central part of the island of Honshū, Japan. It has a population close to 1.5 million. Formerly the imperial capital of Japan, it is now the capital of Kyoto Prefecture, as well as a major part of the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto metropolitan area.-History:...
university reminiscing on the misadventures of his previous years of campus life, with each of the four chapters taking place in parallel universe
Parallel universe (fiction)
A parallel universe or alternative reality is a hypothetical self-contained separate reality coexisting with one's own. A specific group of parallel universes is called a "multiverse", although this term can also be used to describe the possible parallel universes that constitute reality...
s in which he is enrolled in a different . As of January 2011 Korean
Korean language
Korean is the official language of the country Korea, in both South and North. It is also one of the two official languages in the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in People's Republic of China. There are about 78 million Korean speakers worldwide. In the 15th century, a national writing...
, Traditional and Simplified Chinese but not English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
translations have been published.
The novel is the basis of an 11-episode anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
television series
Television program
A television program , also called television show, is a segment of content which is intended to be broadcast on television. It may be a one-time production or part of a periodically recurring series...
of the same name produced in (primarily) traditional animation
Traditional animation
Traditional animation, is an animation technique where each frame is drawn by hand...
at Madhouse
Madhouse (company)
is a Japanese animation studio, founded in 1972 by ex–Mushi Pro animators including Masao Maruyama, Osamu Dezaki, Rintaro, and Yoshiaki Kawajiri. It has created and helped to produce many well known shows, starting with TV anime series Ace o Nerae! in 1973, and including western favourites Ninja...
under the direction of Masaaki Yuasa
Masaaki Yuasa
is an anime television and film director, screenwriter, storyboard artist and animator known for his wild free form style. He was born on March 16, 1965 in Fukuoka, Japan...
(making it the third such series following Kemonozume
Kemonozume
is an anime series written and directed by Masaaki Yuasa, animated by Studio Madhouse, and broadcast on WOWOW from August 5, 2006 to November 5, 2006.-Plot:...
and Kaiba
Kaiba
is an anime series directed by Masaaki Yuasa that debuted on the WOWOW satellite network in Spring 2008. Animation is by Madhouse and it is described as a sci-fi love story....
) which aired in the latter half of Fuji Television
Fuji Television
is a Japanese television station based in Daiba, Minato, Tokyo, Japan, also known as or CX, based on the station's callsign "JOCX-DTV". It is the flagship station of the Fuji News Network and the ....
's noitaminA
Noitamina
– "Animation" written backwards – is a Fuji Television programming block, devoted to anime, originally broadcast each Thursday night from 24:45 to 25:15 . It was launched with the intention of expanding the target audience beyond the typical young male demographic...
programming block at 25:15 to 25:45 from April 22 to July 1, 2010 (i.e. 01:15 to 01:45 from April 23 to July 2). In February 2011 it won the 2010 Japan Media Arts Festival
Japan Media Arts Festival
The Japan Media Arts Festival is an annual festival held by Japan's Agency for Cultural Affairs since 1997. The festival for a nominal year was usually held during February or March next year, rather than at the end of the nominal year. For instance, the 2010 Japan Media Arts Festival, where...
Grand Prize in the Animation Division, the first television program to do so, with the jury describing it in their justification as a "richly expressive work that turns the limitations of TV on its head" and complimenting its "unique scene layouts, characters' actions and color scheme." The series is legally available with English subtitles, having been licensed by North American distributor Funimation Entertainment
Funimation Entertainment
Funimation is an American entertainment company. Originally founded in 1994 by Gen Fukunaga, the company became a subsidiary of Navarre Corporation on May 11, 2005...
for free streaming on its Web site, YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
and Hulu
Hulu
Hulu is a website and over-the-top subscription service offering ad-supported on-demand streaming video of TV shows, movies, webisodes and other new media, trailers, clips, and behind-the-scenes footage from NBC, Fox, ABC, and Obstacle on October 20th 2011 Nickelodeon and CBS and many other...
and by Siren Visual
Siren Visual
Siren Visual is an Australian company which specialises in the distribution of Japanese anime, documentaries and off-beat cinema in Australia and New Zealand....
and Beez Entertainment
Beez Entertainment
Beez Entertainment is a European anime distributor, and they also distribute anime soundtracks. They mainly act as the European branch for Bandai Visual as it is owned by Namco Bandai Holdings...
for home video
Home video
Home video is a blanket term used for pre-recorded media that is either sold or rented/hired for home cinema entertainment. The term originates from the VHS/Betamax era but has carried over into current optical disc formats like DVD and Blu-ray Disc and, to a lesser extent, into methods of digital...
release in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
and the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
respectively.
Plot
The story of The Tatami Galaxy follows an unnamed third year university student in Kyoto, Japan and what he views as his wasted time in a particular clubClub
A club is an association of two or more people united by a common interest or goal. A service club, for example, exists for voluntary or charitable activities; there are clubs devoted to hobbies and sports, social activities clubs, political and religious clubs, and so forth.- History...
(also called "circle") at his university. He meets Ozu, another student, whose encouragement sets him on a mission of dubious morality. He contemplates his affection for a second year engineering student, Akashi, and makes promises to her, usually of and within a romantic subtext. The culmination of his dubious missions often conflict with his interest in her in some way. The story is one of a number that draw on the author's experience in Kyoto University
Kyoto University
, or is a national university located in Kyoto, Japan. It is the second oldest Japanese university, and formerly one of Japan's Imperial Universities.- History :...
.
Characters
- An unnamed college student in Kyoto who is recollecting his past two years of college life. He entered college dreaming of the "rosy campus life" that must surely be his. He wants to meet the raven-haired girl of his dreams, which is why he joins a new social circle in each episode. He is quite shy, and easily manipulated by the other characters. Even though he is the central character, he seems to be the most powerless and normal person in the roster.
- The appearance of Ozu in each episode causes the protagonist considerable distress. The protagonist always expresses how ugly Ozu is on his first appearance, which is often followed by Ozu telling him that he's quite cruel. Ozu seems to be a misfit as well, yet he's often the one manipulating the other characters against the protagonist. He also seems to care for the protagonist, and rescues him on certain occasions from sticky situations. Because he often eats unbalanced meals, he looks very pale and spooky as if he is a yōkaiYōkaiare a class of supernatural monsters in Japanese folklore. The word yōkai is made up of the kanji for "otherworldly" and "weird". Yōkai range eclectically from the malevolent to the mischievous, or occasionally bring good fortune to those who encounter them...
, especially to the protagonist, and is occasionally depicted as such.
- A freshman student who is commonly (but not always) the center of the protagonist's affections. She acts rationally and even coldly towards most people, but often shows hints of affection or at least helpfulness to the protagonist. Her fear of moths also contrasts with her normally calm demeanor. She often appears in the same club that the protagonist joins, she is a student of the engineering department and a member of Birdman circle.
- Originally introduced as a deity of matrimony in the first episode, but he is actually an eighth year student living in the same dorm as the protagonist. He always wears a yukataYukataA is a Japanese garment, a casual summer kimono usually made of cotton. People wearing yukata are a common sight in Japan at fireworks displays, bon-odori festivals, and other summer events. The yukata is also frequently worn after bathing at traditional Japanese inns...
and has a wise, distant, nonchalant air about him. He is more commonly referred to simply as Master Higuchi or The Master (ShishōShisho, , , and are Japanese titles used to refer to or address teachers or masters of traditional Japanese arts including, but not limited to noh, shamisen, koto, ikebana, shodo, rakugo, and Japanese martial arts....
). He often aids the protagonist most directly, though the protagonist may not see it that way.
- An eighth year student who leads the Film Circle Misogi. Regardless of his bad GPA, he is a handsome man and adored by members of his circle but he harbors a secret fetish for breasts, and keeps a love-doll (Kaori). He often takes an antagonistic role relative to the protagonist, and Ozu often assists Jōgasaki in some way, usually a way detrimental to the protagonist's progress, in spite of the fact that Ozu is helping the protagonist at the same time.
- A dental hygienist who is close to Higuchi and Jōgasaki. She likes getting inebriated, at which point she drastically loses her sense of judgment and flirts with whomever is around. Aware of this, she is cautious about choosing who she goes drinking with. She serves as a formal love interest for the protagonist in episodes 6–8.
- The love-doll owned by Jōgasaki. In episodes 6-8, the protagonist develops affections for her after being given the opportunity to keep her in his room. She seems to speak to him but it is unclear whether the speaking is truly hers or whether it is simply the thoughts of the protagonist projected through her.
- A shady sub-leader of the Film Circle Misogi. He acts as a yesman of Jōgasaki in the circle but he leads the Secret Society Lucky Cat Chinese Restaurant on backstage.
- An elegant girl the protagonist is in a correspondence with. She has the appearance (in his daydreams) of the raven haired maiden he's always dreamed of. In episodes 6-8, she writes an ultimatum to him asking to meet or end their correspondence. The letters are revealed to be originally written by Ozu as a prank, and later by Akashi, who takes them more seriously.
- An old woman who appears in every episode, almost always along Kiyamachi StreetKiyamachi Streetis a historical street in Kyoto, Japan, running north–south. It runs between Kiyamachi Nijō and Kiyamachi Shichijō on the eastern side of the Takase River near the Kamo River. There also runs Nishi-Kiyamachi Street on the western side of Takase River between Sanjō and Shichijō. It was constructed...
, and tells the protagonist (often but not always at his behest) to seize the opportunities before him (or a variation thereof). She increases the price for her services by ¥1000 in each subsequent episode.
- The owner of the neko ramen shop the protagonist favors. He is mostly silent, occasionally putting in a short, new insight into the protagonist's current conversations or problems. He occasionally takes on a more active role in the protagonist's adventures, always on a helpful note. He appears to have some ties to Higuchi.
- A character representing the protagonist's sexual drive. He is shown as a cowboy. He constantly bickers against the protagonist, his only goal to receive sexual pleasure. He appears in episodes 6-8 and 10.
Novel
The Tatami Galaxy is a novel written by Tomihiko Morimi. The novel was originally published in December 2004 by Ohta Publishing as a tankōbonTankobon
, with a literal meaning close to "independently appearing book", is the Japanese term for a book that is complete in itself and is not part of a series , though the manga industry uses it for volumes which may be in a series...
volume and was later re-published on March 25, 2008 by Kadokawa Shoten
Kadokawa Shoten
is a well-known Japanese publishing company based in Tokyo, Japan. Kadokawa has published both manga novels and magazines, such as Newtype magazine...
as a bunkoban volume. The novel was translated to Korean
Korean language
Korean is the official language of the country Korea, in both South and North. It is also one of the two official languages in the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in People's Republic of China. There are about 78 million Korean speakers worldwide. In the 15th century, a national writing...
by Bichae Publishing in August 2008, traditional Chinese
Traditional Chinese character
Traditional Chinese characters refers to Chinese characters in any character set which does not contain newly created characters or character substitutions performed after 1946. It most commonly refers to characters in the standardized character sets of Taiwan, of Hong Kong, or in the Kangxi...
by China Times Publishing in December 2009, simplified Chinese
Simplified Chinese character
Simplified Chinese characters are standardized Chinese characters prescribed in the Xiandai Hanyu Tongyong Zibiao for use in Mainland China. Along with traditional Chinese characters, it is one of many standard character sets of the contemporary Chinese written language...
by Shanghai People's Publishing House in August 2010.
Anime
The television seriesTelevision program
A television program , also called television show, is a segment of content which is intended to be broadcast on television. It may be a one-time production or part of a periodically recurring series...
is a production of the Tokyo-based Madhouse
Madhouse (company)
is a Japanese animation studio, founded in 1972 by ex–Mushi Pro animators including Masao Maruyama, Osamu Dezaki, Rintaro, and Yoshiaki Kawajiri. It has created and helped to produce many well known shows, starting with TV anime series Ace o Nerae! in 1973, and including western favourites Ninja...
animation studio
Animation studio
An animation studio is a company producing animated media. The broadest such companies conceive of products to produce, own the physical equipment for production, employ operators for that equipment, and hold a major stake in the sales or rentals of the media produced...
series-directed by Masaaki Yuasa
Masaaki Yuasa
is an anime television and film director, screenwriter, storyboard artist and animator known for his wild free form style. He was born on March 16, 1965 in Fukuoka, Japan...
, with the screenplay
Screenplay
A screenplay or script is a written work that is made especially for a film or television program. Screenplays can be original works or adaptations from existing pieces of writing. In them, the movement, actions, expression, and dialogues of the characters are also narrated...
throughout adapted from the novel by Yuasa and playwright
Playwright
A playwright, also called a dramatist, is a person who writes plays.The term is not a variant spelling of "playwrite", but something quite distinct: the word wright is an archaic English term for a craftsman or builder...
Makoto Ueda (writer of Summer Time Machine Blues
Summer Time Machine Blues
is a summer 2005 Japanese film directed by Katsuyuki Motohiro. The film stars Eita as a member of a university science-fiction club, and Juri Ueno and Yoko Maki as part of the neighboring photography club.-Plot:...
). The series first aired on Fuji TV
Fuji Television
is a Japanese television station based in Daiba, Minato, Tokyo, Japan, also known as or CX, based on the station's callsign "JOCX-DTV". It is the flagship station of the Fuji News Network and the ....
's noitaminA
Noitamina
– "Animation" written backwards – is a Fuji Television programming block, devoted to anime, originally broadcast each Thursday night from 24:45 to 25:15 . It was launched with the intention of expanding the target audience beyond the typical young male demographic...
programming block on April 22, 2010. Funimation Entertainment
Funimation Entertainment
Funimation is an American entertainment company. Originally founded in 1994 by Gen Fukunaga, the company became a subsidiary of Navarre Corporation on May 11, 2005...
is streaming the show for free on its website with English subtitles concurrently with the series' airing in Japan; this is part of their mutual agreement with Fuji TV with regards to Noitamina distribution rights. The series uses a combination of 3D and 2D graphics, and heavily filtered live action film, portrayed in a variety of color schemes. Two pieces of theme music
Theme music
Theme music is a piece that is often written specifically for a radio program, television program, video game or movie, and usually played during the title sequence and/or end credits...
are used for the series: one opening theme and one ending theme. The opening theme is "Maigoinu to Ame no Beat
Maigoinu to Ame no Beat
is the 15th single of Japanese rock band Asian Kung-Fu Generation from their latest album Magic Disk. The single was released on May 26, 2010. The first track is the main theme for the anime "Yojō-Han Shinwa Taikei", which features character design from Yusuke Nakamura, the same artist who...
" by Asian Kung-Fu Generation
Asian Kung-fu Generation
, typeset as ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION, is a Japanese rock band formed in Yokohama, Japan in 1996. For nearly its entire career, the band has consisted of vocalist Masafumi Gotō, guitarist Kensuke Kita, bassist Takahiro Yamada, and drummer Kiyoshi Ijichi...
, composition and lyrics by Masafumi Gotō and the ending theme is by Yoshinori Sunahara
Yoshinori Sunahara
Yoshinori Sunahara is a Japanese DJ and club programmer, particularly prominent in the Shibuya-kei and chillout scene. He was born in Sapporo, Japan, on September 13, 1969. His style consists of a mixture of funk, bossa nova, Shibuya-kei, and 70s music...
(composition and arrangement), Junji Iwatashi (lyrics), and Etsuko Yakushimaru
Etsuko Yakushimaru
is the stage name of a Japanese female J-pop singer. She is known for her solo works including theme songs in several anime series, as well as being the lead vocal of the rock band Sōtaisei Riron. Previously, she had not disclosed her face to the public, until the artist and her band was featured...
(vocals). The series' soundtrack is composed by Michiru Ōshima
Michiru Oshima
, is a Japanese composer who has worked on several video game, movie, and television titles. Her works include composition for the video games Genghis Khan II: Clan of the Gray Wolf for Super Nintendo, Ico for PlayStation 2, Legend of Legaia for the PlayStation , is a Japanese composer who has...
. At the London MCM Expo, British anime distributor Beez Entertainment
Beez Entertainment
Beez Entertainment is a European anime distributor, and they also distribute anime soundtracks. They mainly act as the European branch for Bandai Visual as it is owned by Namco Bandai Holdings...
announced that they have licensed the series
Three seven-minute anime shorts will be released with the DVD/BD
Blu-ray Disc
Blu-ray Disc is an optical disc storage medium designed to supersede the DVD format. The plastic disc is 120 mm in diameter and 1.2 mm thick, the same size as DVDs and CDs. Blu-ray Discs contain 25 GB per layer, with dual layer discs being the norm for feature-length video discs...
releases of the series. The first DVD/BD volume will be released on August 20, 2010 and will contain the first anime short; the second and third shorts will be released on the third and fourth DVD/BD volumes to be sold on October 22, 2010 and November 26, 2010, respectively.
The Tatami Galaxy won the grand prize for the animation category in the Japan Media Arts Festival
Japan Media Arts Festival
The Japan Media Arts Festival is an annual festival held by Japan's Agency for Cultural Affairs since 1997. The festival for a nominal year was usually held during February or March next year, rather than at the end of the nominal year. For instance, the 2010 Japan Media Arts Festival, where...
on December 8, 2010. It was the first time a TV animation series won the grand prize.
| # | Title | Storyboard artist | Episode director | Original air date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
External links
- Official Japanese Web site of the television series
- Detailed posts on individual episodes at AniPages Daily
- Review of the program at Twitch FilmTwitch FilmTwitch Film, also known simply as Twitch, is an English language Canadian website featuring news and reviews of mainly international, independent and cult films. The website was founded in 2004 by Todd Brown, a cinephile with personal interests in arthouse and grindhouse cinema...