The last full series review I put
together talked about P.A. Works' spring offering, Red Data Girl.
More specifically, it showcased the idea of high concepts and
ambition floundering under middling execution, leading to
disappointment.
Today,
however, we are tackling their summer offering, The
Eccentric Family (Uchoten
Kazoku), a show which did not
have a strong amount of hype or excitement behind it that ended up
being one of the most artful and enjoyable titles of not just the
season, but the year.
The
Eccentric Family
Originally
aired: 7 July 2013 – 29
September 2013
Episodes: 13
Production:
P.A. Works
Director:
Masayuki Yoshihara
Series
composition: Shotarou Suga
Genre(s):
Slice-of-life, comedy, drama,
fantasy
Unlicensed; streaming on Crunchyroll
Synopsis:
Shimogamo Yasaburo is the third son in the Shimogamo tanuki
family in Kyoto, who live among tengu and humans. He has a tendency
to associate himself with tengu, taking care of his old teacher (who
happens to be an old tengu) and messing around with a psychic human
girl (who may or may not be messing with his head). One night,
though, his family is shaken when a human group known as the Friday
Fellows boils his father in a hot pot. Yasaburo now wanders about,
living his daily life while he and his fractured family try to accept
the death of their leader.
Review:
On the surface, nothing about The Eccentric Family seems
to be all that special. It is yet another show based around Japanese
mythology, requiring a bit of knowledge of basic Japanese customs and
mythology to make some sense. On top of that, the premise does not
paint a solid premise but a series of basic circumstances. However,
the execution is truly what matters, creating a truly memorable and
artistic experience that tells a truly universal story about the ties
between people and how to move on from tragedy.
The
Eccentric Family is, in essence,
a slice-of-life anime with a forward-moving plot. It does primarily
focus on one character (Yasaburo) as opposed to an ensemble cast and
feels more structured like a drama, but it definitely fits into the
characteristics of the slice-of-life genre: showcasing people living
their lives, no matter how abnormal it ends up being. The
presentation of it still fits in the genre, with Yasaburo living his
life and that moving the events of the story forward. The beauty of
each encounter is that they mean something and either move the story
forward, add to the story thematically, or both. When the plot picks
up, the daily life elements are not ignored in the slightest but
rather become necessary to the story's progression. This is what I
personally like to see as a viewer in my more dramatic slice-of-life
and its execution comes across as smooth and natural.
The
characters and their relationships
between one another are truly what make this show
stand out. This is due to
the characters being portrayed like how real people would act, for
the most part. The Shimogamo
family is portrayed as having a strained relationship, and viewing
the entire situation through the detached and
occasionally-morally-questionable Yasaburo helps paint the
meticulously detailed relationships between the family members and
how strained they have become around one another. None of the family
members are characterized as wholly terrible when they do have their
moments of being terrible people, and when they are what one would
typically characterize as good it falls underneath the typical idea
of tanuki good (which boils down to being a bit of a trickster and
having fun). The tengu are equally characterized, but showcasing
larger shades of gray. Akadama, the old tengu teacher, tends to be
showcased as a jerk with a heart of gold, and the impossible-to-read
Benten comes across wholly as such. The only characters who are
purely evil tend to be the three prominently on-screen members of the
Ebisugawa family, whom are the only characters with wholly redeemable
characteristics. However,
they play their role in illustrating the main ideas of the story, so
this flaw becomes a bit less egregious.
 |
| Oh, right, did I mention this show can be silly? |
The
dialogue makes a point of being a major point of why this show works,
due to its prose-like nature while flowing like how real people would
talk. Underneath the seemingly natural dialogue comes tone of voice
and word choice that speaks beyond the levels of the conversation at
has and, allowing the viewer to know character relationships without
the show needing to bask in exposition to deliver as such. The ideas
behind prioritizing outside pursuits and dealing with familial issues
come to light more through the hushed tones of the dialogue than
blatantly stating that there is a problem would in other shows.
Needless to say, this is a show that one cannot put on in the
background due to the nature of the dialogue.
Previously
mentioned were the ideas the
show demonstrates, which may hit a bit close to home: the ideas
behind the ties that keep family together, prioritizing family and
outside interests, dealing with the loss of a loved one, and moving
on. For the sake of argument: no, these are not new ideas or new
topics to explore, even in anime. The originality of this message is
not why I am shining light on the myriad of topics explored here, but
the execution of said message being more strong and personal than
most other titles of this nature is what makes it stand out. It
addresses the multiple perspectives of a family after the tragic loss
of one of their members, how they each individually are affected by
it and move on slowly, how they come together in time of strife to
support those who still remain...it comes across with a delicacy and
weight this sort of material is usually not treated with.
 |
| A rare moment with, well, most of the family... |
The
art and animation are also what set this series apart from its peers.
The art style is different than P.A. Works' usual approach, going
against the typical moe doll-eyed expression in favour of a more
stylized, angular approach to the characters. The human designs and
simplistic-yet-gorgeous backgrounds get this angular touch, but the
tanuki designs are expressive and round, fitting of the creature
itself. The animation itself is more minimal than what is expected
from the studio, but it remains well-animated within the boundaries
of its style, not needing the high amounts of flourish seen in
certain previous titles of theirs. The high amount of detail still
comes through, but in a different style and utilizing more creative
cinematography than their previous efforts. The animation in the
openings and endings are minimal, but the editing tends to make up
for it in the opening (not so much in the ending, which is just a
series of stills).
 |
| The tanuki are also all very distinctive in their normal forms. |
The
sound of this show is just as successful as the rest of the show,
with competent acting and a gorgeous score backing up the elements in
the forefront. The subdued yet haunting score from Yoshiaki Fujisawa
sweeps and sneaks its way around the entire show, being varied and
well-orchestrated enough to be noticeable and utilized without
distracting the audience. The acting can be a bit loud at points,
but always fits the nature of the scene. Takahiro Sakurai nails his
performance as Yasaburo, permanently cementing his voice with the
character in my mind. The
rest of the cast stands out as solid, particularly with Mamiko Noto's
Benten portraying the character with every shade of moral ambiguity
she possesses.
Overall,
The Eccentric Family ends
up bringing itself above what its premise might indicate and takes it
to thoughtful, personal places. Sometimes just discussing the show
does not do it enough justice, and this show is most certainly one of
those instances. It is worth watching for yourself to form your own
opinion, sure, but it is also worth watching because it is a work of
art that is best experienced and discussed among others who have
viewed it. Regardless, it is a title that handles its subject matter
with a weight and personality all its own, managing to be accessible
and high-brow while maintaining a sense of fun. This is truly one of
the stand-out titles of 2013.
Overall:
A
Pros:
Brilliantly-constructed
main cast, weight and competent delivery in its main ideas and
themes, intriguing
art style and cinematography, great acting, shockingly accessible
despite the folklore
Cons:
Art
style is not for everyone, a few less complex characters,
minimal-tangential-knowledge of Japanese folklore required for entry,
may be overly chatty for some
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