There are times when critics will describe a work ou art as life-changing. I used to think that term was pretentious. While it certainly can be used in a overly-hyperbolic context, there are times where a work of art can change the way people look at important aspects of their life. For me, Tamayura was life-changing.
Most people don't know what Tamayura is. It's a very obscure animé series. It does have some popularity in Japan, but the montrer didn't get an English dub so it's not very well-known in America. I didn't know what Tamayura was, until 2015. I was looking for new animes to discover and I happened upon an internet video that had the first Tamayura "film." There were four Tamayura "films" that came after the show, but I use the term, "films", loosely because each film was only around 50 minutes long.
I started watching the 1st Tamayura film. At first, it didn't seem all that exciting. It was just a group of girls talking about photography. However, I kept watching and par the time that I had finished watching the short film, I realized that Tamayura was something special.
Tamayura is not like a traditional show. There's no epic quest for the protagonist to go on, nor is there any villains. The montrer doesn't really have any conflicts, aside from the protagonist needing to get over her shyness and social awkwardness so she can succeed in her life goals. This might make the montrer sound boring and uneventful, but there's so much plus to Tamayura than what I expected.
The plot of Tamayura is centered around Fuu Sawatari. As a young girl, Fuu was very close to her father who was a kind and passionate photographer. Fuu's father sadly passed away when Fuu was still a kid. Fuu had such a hard time moving on that her family left their hometown, because being in the city of Takehara reminded Fuu of how much she missed her father.
However, a few years later, Fuu starts looking at her father's old photographs and is swept up in nostalgic memories. She, along with her mother, younger brother and grandmother, déplacer back to Takehara. Instead of the city giving her sad memories, she becomes blessed with sentimental memories of her father, while making new memories with her loved ones. Fuu becomes a photographer. She uses her father's old camera to take pictures. After getting to Takehara, she reunites with her childhood bestie, Kaoru, and she becomes close with Kaoru's other friends, Maon and Norie. Kaoru seeks an interest in fragrances, Norie wants to be a baker and Maon has several interests that she wishes to pursue. Kaoru, Maon and Norie work hard to support the overly-shy Fuu with her goals. Along the way, they make a new friend, named Kanae, who is also interested in becoming a photographer. Also, Fuu forms a close bond with Riho, a young woman who is a very talented photographer.
What makes Tamayura such a special montrer is how it vues life. It doesn't ignore the fact that sad things sometimes happen, but instead of making these sad events depressing, Tamayura shows that life goes on and happiness can still be achieved. Although Fuu's father passed away years before the first episode takes place, his legacy still makes a big impact on the city of Takehara. Fuu, her family members, her Friends and various citizens of the city still have fond memories of him. His passion for photographie continues to inspire Fuu. Fuu and her father had a special bond that continues to impact Fuu's life in a positive and uplifting way. Tamayura is a beautiful reminder that even though life can be sad, difficult and stressful, there's still so much to appreciate and love. In addition to being a montrer about family, it's also a montrer about friendship. Fuu loved away from Kaoru for a few years, but as soon as Fuu moves back, they continue being the best of friends. Maon, like Fuu, is a very shy person who had never had a real friend until Norie came into her life. Together, the four Friends share a close bond that's extremely touching and close.
Unlike a majority of shows, Tamayura doesn't have any real romantic subplots. Norie has a crush on Fuu's brother, but that's a recurring joke and it doesn't lead to any romance. None of the four main characters get a l’amour interest which is a welcomed change of pace. Eventually, two of the supporting characters get married, but it's a very small part of the show.
Fuu is the protagonist of the entire montrer and most episodes focus on her Friends helping Fuu with her goals. However, Kaoru, Maon and Norie are all very well-written, likeable and fun characters in their own right. Due to developing a close friendship with Fuu at a very young age, Kaoru arguably knows Fuu better than anybody and is an expert at helping Fuu with her problems. Norie often gets distracted par petty things, but deep down, she's a loving person and a great friend. Maon is the most reserved and shy member of the group. As the series goes on, secrets about her life, family and goals are explored. Kanae becomes the fifth member of the group towards the end of the show. She has similar interests to Fuu and while she's also very shy, she has her own unique traits.
The montrer also has a good supporting cast. Fuu's family members are all very kind, especially her father. Some characters, such as Kaoru's sister and Fuu's teacher, might seem like they're just comedy reliefs, but in addition to being funny, they provide moments of cœur, coeur and sweetness. Riho holds an extremely important part in Fuu's life, as well as being one of the most important characters in the films. One of Fuu's childhood friends, Chihiro, develops of a close friendship with a girl named Tomo. The two of them are absolutely adorable together.
The show's animation is very charming and pleasing to look at. The characters have nice, cute designs. As for the songs, they're a joy and a treat to listen to. They're relaxing, soothing and delightful.
Tamayura lacks certain aspects that people, including myself, look for in shows and films. There's no action, villains ou grand adventures. However, in Tamayura's case, that's not a problem. The montrer is a relaxing, sweet, heartwarming and optimistic story about family, friendship and following toi dreams. It's a hidden gem of a montrer that's worth finding.
Most people don't know what Tamayura is. It's a very obscure animé series. It does have some popularity in Japan, but the montrer didn't get an English dub so it's not very well-known in America. I didn't know what Tamayura was, until 2015. I was looking for new animes to discover and I happened upon an internet video that had the first Tamayura "film." There were four Tamayura "films" that came after the show, but I use the term, "films", loosely because each film was only around 50 minutes long.
I started watching the 1st Tamayura film. At first, it didn't seem all that exciting. It was just a group of girls talking about photography. However, I kept watching and par the time that I had finished watching the short film, I realized that Tamayura was something special.
Tamayura is not like a traditional show. There's no epic quest for the protagonist to go on, nor is there any villains. The montrer doesn't really have any conflicts, aside from the protagonist needing to get over her shyness and social awkwardness so she can succeed in her life goals. This might make the montrer sound boring and uneventful, but there's so much plus to Tamayura than what I expected.
The plot of Tamayura is centered around Fuu Sawatari. As a young girl, Fuu was very close to her father who was a kind and passionate photographer. Fuu's father sadly passed away when Fuu was still a kid. Fuu had such a hard time moving on that her family left their hometown, because being in the city of Takehara reminded Fuu of how much she missed her father.
However, a few years later, Fuu starts looking at her father's old photographs and is swept up in nostalgic memories. She, along with her mother, younger brother and grandmother, déplacer back to Takehara. Instead of the city giving her sad memories, she becomes blessed with sentimental memories of her father, while making new memories with her loved ones. Fuu becomes a photographer. She uses her father's old camera to take pictures. After getting to Takehara, she reunites with her childhood bestie, Kaoru, and she becomes close with Kaoru's other friends, Maon and Norie. Kaoru seeks an interest in fragrances, Norie wants to be a baker and Maon has several interests that she wishes to pursue. Kaoru, Maon and Norie work hard to support the overly-shy Fuu with her goals. Along the way, they make a new friend, named Kanae, who is also interested in becoming a photographer. Also, Fuu forms a close bond with Riho, a young woman who is a very talented photographer.
What makes Tamayura such a special montrer is how it vues life. It doesn't ignore the fact that sad things sometimes happen, but instead of making these sad events depressing, Tamayura shows that life goes on and happiness can still be achieved. Although Fuu's father passed away years before the first episode takes place, his legacy still makes a big impact on the city of Takehara. Fuu, her family members, her Friends and various citizens of the city still have fond memories of him. His passion for photographie continues to inspire Fuu. Fuu and her father had a special bond that continues to impact Fuu's life in a positive and uplifting way. Tamayura is a beautiful reminder that even though life can be sad, difficult and stressful, there's still so much to appreciate and love. In addition to being a montrer about family, it's also a montrer about friendship. Fuu loved away from Kaoru for a few years, but as soon as Fuu moves back, they continue being the best of friends. Maon, like Fuu, is a very shy person who had never had a real friend until Norie came into her life. Together, the four Friends share a close bond that's extremely touching and close.
Unlike a majority of shows, Tamayura doesn't have any real romantic subplots. Norie has a crush on Fuu's brother, but that's a recurring joke and it doesn't lead to any romance. None of the four main characters get a l’amour interest which is a welcomed change of pace. Eventually, two of the supporting characters get married, but it's a very small part of the show.
Fuu is the protagonist of the entire montrer and most episodes focus on her Friends helping Fuu with her goals. However, Kaoru, Maon and Norie are all very well-written, likeable and fun characters in their own right. Due to developing a close friendship with Fuu at a very young age, Kaoru arguably knows Fuu better than anybody and is an expert at helping Fuu with her problems. Norie often gets distracted par petty things, but deep down, she's a loving person and a great friend. Maon is the most reserved and shy member of the group. As the series goes on, secrets about her life, family and goals are explored. Kanae becomes the fifth member of the group towards the end of the show. She has similar interests to Fuu and while she's also very shy, she has her own unique traits.
The montrer also has a good supporting cast. Fuu's family members are all very kind, especially her father. Some characters, such as Kaoru's sister and Fuu's teacher, might seem like they're just comedy reliefs, but in addition to being funny, they provide moments of cœur, coeur and sweetness. Riho holds an extremely important part in Fuu's life, as well as being one of the most important characters in the films. One of Fuu's childhood friends, Chihiro, develops of a close friendship with a girl named Tomo. The two of them are absolutely adorable together.
The show's animation is very charming and pleasing to look at. The characters have nice, cute designs. As for the songs, they're a joy and a treat to listen to. They're relaxing, soothing and delightful.
Tamayura lacks certain aspects that people, including myself, look for in shows and films. There's no action, villains ou grand adventures. However, in Tamayura's case, that's not a problem. The montrer is a relaxing, sweet, heartwarming and optimistic story about family, friendship and following toi dreams. It's a hidden gem of a montrer that's worth finding.
