Yojouhan Time Machine Blues 四畳半タイムマシンブルース

| Episodes: 6 | Score: 8.2 (14229)

Updated every at | Status: Finished Airing

Type: ONA

Streaming: Disney+

Synopsis

On a hot summer day in Kyoto, a young man walks toward his apartment, dreaming of turning on the air conditioner and cooling down. But before he can turn his dream into reality, disaster naturally strikes in the form of Ozu, who spills soda all over the remote. With the air conditioner rendered completely unusable, the man and his friends are left to suffer in the terrible August heat. Just when all hope seems lost, the group finds a true-to-life time machine in their storage room. Not knowing the dire consequences of doing so, they decide to travel back to the past and grab the remote before Ozu even has a chance to destroy it. What awaits them on the other side is a staggering adventure none of them are prepared for. [Written by MAL Rewrite]

Voice Actors

Sakamoto, Maaya

Yoshino, Hiroyuki

Asanuma, Shintaro

News

Reviews

Haustlaufivindi
03/22/2025, 07:52 AM
Original and funny anime with good SF roots, peculiar drawing style and presentation. Despite the comedy and surrealism of the narrative, "Tatami Time Machine Blues" clearly shows the optimism of classic 1950s science fiction. It is seems to be by influenced by both Young's "The Dandelion Girl" and Heinlein's "The Door into Summer" which are some of the most popular SF stories in Japan. Tomihiko Morimi's attitude to the "paradox of time" is the same as that of Young and Heinlein. Or, if you like, the same as that of Boethius. However, the tone differs both from the lyrical "The Dandelion Girl" and from themelodramatic adventure "The Door Into Summer". The slightly absurd "Blues" is not as serious, but much more cheerful and "light" than its literary inspirations. Immersing the protagonist (and a viewer) into an openly meaningless, comically absurd world, the author carefully leads him past the ridiculous monsters inhabiting chaos, gradually streamlining the surrounding reality and leading to a romantic and optimistic ending that triumphs over chaos and absurdity. The seemingly disparate cacophony of sounds is woven into a blues improvisation. A wonderful work that clearly stands out from the gray background of the rest of the anime.
jetrax12
07/31/2024, 07:46 PM
I was probably harsher on this due to its relation to Tatami Galaxy, which set an impossibly high bar; if it was not related to that, I would probably have ranked it a bit higher, but I think I still would not recommend it as a must-watch. The narrative structure was much more straightforward than Tatami Galaxy, and one is kind of expected to be familiar with the characters of the aforementioned. That said, it was still a fun little romp with familiar characters and felt a little comfy in that regard - it was nice to see the main cast all doing stuff togetherinstead of how adversarial Galaxy felt at times. While it lacked the punch of Tatami Galaxy's message, it felt like it remained in this form: where Tatami Galaxy said don't dwell on your past mistakes, this said don't worry about your future choices. I guess that at least makes it feel a bit more substantial.
whiteflame55
04/22/2024, 07:45 PM
I had a really good time with this one. I was more continuously invested than with Tatami Galaxy, though this series doesn't wrap up as expertly as that did. The time machine itself is quite the vehicle for telling the story, leaving me grasping for hints from previous episodes - I think this might work even better upon repeat watch. It's more the ride than the destination on this one, though it's also nice to see some closure on some of the central plots of the series as a whole. Much to its credit, this also improved on the amount of attention various side charactersgot, something I felt was distinctly lacking in Tatami Galaxy. The animation is also on point, providing some of what that series gave in a sharper package. Really, my only issues with this one are that the episodes were too short to give me everything I wanted out of a 6-episode run (it crams in a lot, but we often get side-tracked - not that I'm complaining, since I love the side-tracks), the humor of the series still doesn't quite hit for me, and, even after they dedicate a whole episode to him, I'm still kind of baffled by Ozu. He's a great plot vehicle, but such a strange character.
Godslayer27
03/31/2024, 01:19 PM
Just like with the previous season the plot starts with kinda absurd reason that puts on movements all the followed events with this time our characters trying to go back on time preventing that the air conditioner remote gets broken which sends them on a crazy journey throughout of time. Now the nature of the series is very fast paced on the sense that the dialogs between the chracters as well as the narration that happens sometimes are fast (not so much like the first season at least i feel that way), on simple surface might seems like all fun though just like with tatami galaxythere are many serious and reflexive themes along the series on this instance being the premise revolving around time travel touching things like destiny or freewill like many others series that play with these themes yet like any others work of masaaki yuasa has this own unique take and approaching on it which makes for something really distinctive and fun experience. Im aware that on this instance the director is a complelty different person and that only natsume shing who was involved on the previous season is present but still hold the same elements, pacing and overall values that make so recognizable yuasa works. This is supposedly to be a secuel (or at least that is how is categorize on MAL) and although might be true to some degree it is too that feels like an more standalone work and is because doesnt really follows an choronological manner so much like others series sure we can learn a little more about ozu and his relationship with watashi or akashi itselft but right from the beggining stars off like his own thing which besides the apparition of the same sacondary characters leaves little to place it like an direct continuation from the previous season. This makes it on my opinion something possible to watch and enjoy without having knowledge of the previous one for anyone interested, its an kinda short season with only 6 episodes that last until all the time travel thing is done. The op was kinda meh but the end is such a gem i love it, the soundtrack just like with the first season have so many cclasical pieces and are used so well to support some dialogs and moments. RESUME The Tatami Time Machine Blues is a crazy experience about time travel that although is categorize like an secuel due to his nature rather more independent doesnt make it necessary to watch previously the first season to fully enjoy this one, if you liked tatamki galaxy this one surely will be the same and for those new just give it a try im sure that at least you are gonna find some things whether be the chracters, plot , music, etc pleasing to you.
Bountyfull
03/24/2024, 11:49 AM
Operation nostalgia that does nothing of value, playing with the watcher's feelings about the 2010 masterpiece. The problem with this sequel? Potential future? Whatever it is, is that it's lazy. Extremely lazy. It backloads the entire character development, background, and nuances to the 2010 main series while giving us a glimpse of a different path. But let's go in order. When dealing with this kind of anime, which is abundantly quoting and taking inspiration from the original, it's impossible to not consider parallels with the former series. The screenwriters impose it on us, anyway, since the series forces you to know all the characters beforehand. Thisis not necessarily a bad thing. ART 9.5/10 The original has aged respectably, but Shingo Natsume empowered everything to the max wherever it was showing signs of its age. Not much to fault, but there were a few static talking scenes that, in a 6 episode series, stand out annoyingly. Overall, Shingo is one of the few directors competent enough to deal with this boulder of a series. We also begin to see how much is "stolen" by the original. It's necessary and not a bad thing, but we'll see when it all starts crashing down when substance starts to matter. SOUND 8.5/10 Again, it mostly used all songs, which is good. Tamura's and Higuchi's dubbers are weaker, and while for the latter it's comprehensible given the death of the first dubber, for the former it's just inexcusable. It's not a big deal but it's there. Both the ending and the opening are weaker than the original. Again, they're not bad per se, but not as great as before. STORY: 5/10 Here's where push comes to shove. The story is terrible and extremely devoid of pathos. It reeks of banality and goes for the pointless and trite trope of time travel. The original also had some supernatural touches here and there, but it was never the major point of the story, whereas here it's the main pull. Time travel stories are almost always made in 2 ways: either you go for a closed space-time loop or a multiple-universe approach. Tertium non datur. This series goes for the former. It removes all agency from its characters and makes the entire plot extremely predictable. Almost all plot points become devoid of interest because of it, although you can commend how the complexity of the loop was explained and taken care of. Alas, it's not enough. The story in itself is also bad. It is pointless in the grand scheme of things because it doesn't add anything of value to the original series. It also abundantly cites the point of annoyance catchphrases, jokes, and even major plot points. This is eloquently illustrated by the true ending in episode 5, which features an almost identical dialogue that we have during the last episode of the original series. It's not bad per se... but we've already seen it once, which makes it...pointless. The pacing was very good... until the screenwriters decided to add context to the first episode by backloading it after the lovely conclusion of the story in the fifth one. This is absurd and destroys the ending, by also adding stuff that it's not long enough to make us empathize with the characters. The sixth episode is basically a compressed, mini version of the first one from the original, which makes it all the more silly. They are already heavily implying you need to know these characters and the plot points from the original... so it makes no sense. Pretty baffling decision, really. CHARACTERS 5/10 It's not that these characters are bad (except for Tamura, and there's a reason for it...), it's more like that the series is just offloading all the development to the first one because they don't have time or a reason to develop them more. It's the correct decision... but this pseudo-sequel is just a possible path that's arguably not even canon, and definitely not an ounce as good as the original ending! So all the characters are as good as the original... but because of that, they are lazy homages to the originals. The only one who isn't it's Tamura... which in fact just sucks. It doesn't have screen time nor does it get developed in such a short amount of time. Sigh. There's not much to say about them, they are fine but mediocre, they don't have their own flavor, they're just a bland copy of the originals that exist to force nostalgia out of the watcher. Pretty sad. ENJOYMENT: 4.5/10 In the end, I loathed my time with time machine blues, because time travel stories are overdone to death unless some genius does something interesting, which unfortunately doesn't happen here. Moreover, as I have stated, the entire anime is a pointless homage to the original series, and doesn't stand a chance in comparison to it, nor is it needed or pleasurable to see. It seems like whoever wrote the script forgot that the sci-fi escamotage from the first series was not the actual pull, but just the flint that got the plot going. The characters and their realistic stories were the main focus, which is why you can consider it the greatest coming-of-age anime of all time, and arguably one of the best, if not THE best, the media has to offer. I also don't care that this is an adaptation of a stage play since it doesn't matter in the slightest, for self-evident reasons. Tatami Galaxy was a masterpiece that stands among the greats even today, and its warning about living life with rose-tinted glasses is hilariously applied here: take off your nostalgia goggles and go watch something better.
Leme-Le
03/13/2024, 07:20 PM
This is a beautiful and entertaining piece of work. The story at first seemed too goofy, but the art style sold it. I thought it would be the type of anime that tries to take itself too seriously for its idea, but it didn't. The seriousness of it is at the right level for you to care about the characters and the development of the history, and the goofiness is funny enough for you to give some laughs. Also, as an artist, I highly recommend it. The art style is simple in a beautiful artistic way. It's nice to watch, and the colors give off a nice,comfy vibe. It inspired me a lot, and I'm definitely going to use it as a referee for my art works. In the end, it is not a 10 only because I fell like it's either too short or too long, if that makes sense. It would be a nice movie if the story was condensed in more essential things yet if given enough time and attention it would be a nice more long series.
Halcyon13
12/02/2023, 08:38 PM
Not a direct sequel, Yojouhan Time Machine Blues is a spinoff set in the Yojouhan Shinwa Taikei universe and the events seemingly occur in an alternate timeline, while still retaining the original cast and setting-based context. The parent TV series is certainly not essential viewing, but I find that it enhances one's understanding of Tomihiko Morimi's (original creator) prioritization of character chemistry, which, unfortunately, benefits this ONA's ability to appeal to the audience, especially on the newer side. It's unable to form the full picture of contrasting dynamics alone given the limited runtime, and without that subtext, the already enjoyable humor isn't elevated to comprehensiveinsight into the so-called rose-colored campus life. The shades of youthful philosophies reflecting Watashi's college experience became a mere shadow of themselves, paving the introduction for the titular science-fiction element, where the manipulation of time and sequential happenings are at the mercy of a single remote's suspected location. As a concept, it's completely in line with the overarching style of narrative, but the absence of an exciting finale may dampen the satisfaction of an incredible chase for some. Shingo Natsume's direction is slightly less snappy, and the fundamental pace of Yojouhan Time Machine Blues is somewhat slower than the "prequel", noticeable in the rapid delivery of the dialogue, which shows signs of intentional space between interactive scenes or drags a bit when rehashing gags. However, Natsume is more than capable, and he demonstrates the punchy personalities we're accustomed to as they parallel each other in a complex order of shenanigans and the looming fear of potentially being trapped in a paradox if something were to go awry. He pays homage to Yuasa's adaptation, merging various references into a product that can be called his own. Science Saru's production mimics the original series well, although replicating the subtle idiosyncrasies is virtually impossible. I've grown fond of the ending track after multiple listens, a vocalization that signals a bittersweet end, not to mention, Asian Kung-Fu Generation's irreplaceable return for the opening. The character acting and shot angles/composition stretch the frames and characters to and fro, enabling a sense of nostalgia for those familiar with these deathly pale faces and unmissably specific voices. A reversal of the irreversible arrow of time.
sammm24
08/24/2023, 07:35 PM
Really great continuation of the Tatami Galaxy! I watched that years ago, but because this is not marked as season two I never knew it existed until now. Really disappointing, considering it probably would have gotten a lot more deserved attention, but I suppose it makes sense, as it has been more than a decade since the first season. But still incredible, and I highly recommend watching after you have seen the first season! There are fewer episodes than the first season, which is sad, but they still pack a great story into them, so it is ok. The main character, Watashi, also speaks a lotslower than he did before. I think that was a turn-off point for people with the first season, so I suppose this is an OK change, though it does affect his character a little.
Steamwood
12/05/2022, 05:21 PM
If you liked The Tatami Galaxy, then this will be a nice little romp with the fun group you liked before with a couple alterations (Jogasaki is a little more aggro than usual) and it'll be a great time. If you haven't seen Tatami Galaxy, this is a good shorter step into the themes of the series, and if you enjoy it then I can't recommend the original enough! If you hated it, then I cannot help you at this time. Striking visuals, great humor, interesting and mind-bending plot, fun characters I loved to see again, and all in a concise package of 6 slightlyshorter episodes. Very much stands on its own, but much better with the added context of Tatami Galaxy. I loved it, but it wasn't as groundbreaking as the original so it gets a little less than perfect from me. Glad it exists!
thestarsailor
11/06/2022, 07:26 PM
The Tatami Time Machine Blues feels like the perfect balance between the main series and the specials: maintaining the quality and style of the former, but focusing more on a fun side-story like in the latter. I didn't even realize Masaaki Yuasa was not even directing this until looking it up, but Shingo Natsume is a great fit for this kind of material. There isn't a deep emotional and fatalist element to this unlike the main series, and spends more time making this clockwork of different pieces in the loop of time travel mix and tie in with each other, like a bound book asAkashi mentions. Watching this reminds me of T2: Trainspotting, as a kind of sequel that doesn't try to recreate the original or pretend that it should take some different step with the characters, but mix up the kind of story that lets them run free again. The last episode is like that as its structure is just like The Tatami Galaxy before switching back to the beginning of where this series starts. The style of the show is the same, maybe not as experimental as Yuasa, and I remember more jokes made from facial reactions here than previously. I would definitely recommend to anyone watch this if they liked The Tatami Galaxy, and it would make more sense to watch that before this.
Mustang_47
10/13/2022, 11:09 PM
Tatami Time Machine Blues is a great sequel and a love letter to the fan of OG Tatami Galaxy. It's never meant to replicate what the og show did. The story just expands with the characters it established in the first part based on a play and movie called "Summer Time Machine Blues" and just focuses on 1 Watashi variant with a different story (instead of 10 variants). As the characters are dealing with an active problem, the main protag doesn't get that many opportunities to do his trademark "meta-commentary" but it's still here and there. But that's fine and I think Shingo Natsume didan excellent job with the plot he had and he's a perfect replacement for Yuasa. The first and the last episode almost felt like Yuasa directed them. And ofc in terms of animation, Science Saru did great to maintain the quality and artistic style the original show had. Overall, a fantastic show. People might say putting a backstory in the last episode was a meh move but hey, that means you get more of Watashi's monologue, More of Ozu being Ozu, and ofc more of Akashi. and I'm a fan of the og so I'm biased lol.
Senpapa_
10/12/2022, 11:08 PM
Not so long ago I decided to watch The Tatami Galaxy, it was an anime that I was planning to watch for a while now, so when i watched it, it quickly became one of my personal favorites and one of the few anime that i can wholeheartedly say that it's a masterpiece, so when I heard that it was receiving a spin-off, you bet I got excited, and i am very happy to say that it did not disappoint and that it is an easy contender for anime of the year. Characters (10/10) Now of course this anime is meant for people who have already watchedTatami Galaxy, its not really a sequel and it also doesn't spoil anything major from The Tatami Galaxy, it's mostly meant for those who really enjoyed Tatami and just want to see more fun moments with the memorable cast, if you loved the cast of Tatami, then i can assure you that you will not be disappointed with this one, it really feels like even though its been over 10 years from the original release of Tatami, even though Yuasa's direction was missing in this one they still managed to capture that same charm that made people really like the characters, and i really can continue praising the characters more and in all honesty they are the main highlight of the show, since they are just as good as the original, had a great time with every single character, they all made me laugh and really if you wanna watch something that has a fun and diverse cast then please give Tatami a go, they are not really "DEEP" characters (Watashi did have some depth in Tatami Galaxy, but i feel like that was already explored enough so they decided to focus more on comedy and really i cant complain) but really depth is not needed to make this a very memorable cast, they are all extremely unique and I really appreciated this spin-off because more memorable times with these characters was something that I definitely needed. Story (9/10) I have always been of the idea that a story doesn't have to be very detailed or very complex for it to be good, some times stories are better when they are more straightforward and this definitely applies for Tatami Time Machine Blues, the story is extremely straightforward and easy to follow but despite all of that it is still extremely unique and just fascinating, its a story that had me smiling the whole time, and it works perfectly as a 6 episode series, episodes are short making it easy to watch in one sitting, it's not episodic like Tatami Galaxy was which to some certain extent i do miss the episodic aspects but i also can appreciate how well paced it is and how it manages to make an extremely fun story with the 6 episodes that its presented in, it obviously pales in comparison to Tatami Galaxy's story, but this doesn't make it bad, it does feel like a side story but a one that is definitely appreciated Art (9/10) Tatami Galaxy's aesthetic has always been easily recognized, it is very unique and just very pleasing, it's hard for someone to look at it and say that it is ugly, and the same applies for Tatami Time Machine Blues, but with a bit of a shortcoming, the animation is still incredible and i would even say smoother than its predecessor, but ever since episode 1 came out i did notice something, it really didn't have the same art direction as Tatami Galaxy, at a simple glance it might look identical but well since this one isn't directed by Yuasa himself, it is very easy to notice that at times it is missing that feeling that it used to have, don't get me wrong it is still amazing in this one, and Natsume Shingo did do a truly amazing job, he did his best to replicate Yuasa's art direction and overall he did one hell of a job but it just missed the same playfulness that its predecessor had, it is playful and experimental here, but just not as much as Tatami Galaxy Sound (9/10) Well i really don't know how much i can say in this section except that it is just as good as Tatami Galaxy in the sound department, both in the music and voice acting, the music really has the exact same style and there even is a lot of songs that are reused from Tatami Galaxy which is not a bad thing, but where music really excels is in the opening and in the ending, the opening is done by Asian Kung-Fu Generation a Japanese band that im pretty sure everyone knows, and the opening here is one of my favorite songs by them, take this with a grain of salt of course since i am a huge Tatami fan and well that just makes me like this song even more, also the ending is pretty great as well, its catchy and fits the tone of the series perfectly, both the op and ed were never skipped even once just because i enjoyed listening to them, so yeah great job with the new op and ed Enjoyment (9.2/10) I had a blast watching this, every episode was a great time and not once did i feel bored, i do wish that maybe they would have made the episodes a bit longer, since each one was about 18 minutes each, which is not bad considering that its a short story but a few more minutes per episode would have 100% been appreciated, now i do have to state the obvious, i did not enjoy it as much as Tatami Galaxy, and i do believe that its predecessor is better in basically every way, it does everything that Tatami Galaxy did, just not quite as perfect as it, it can be considered a "watered down Tatami Galaxy" which sounds bad but i dont mean it in a bad way, but just basically saying its just a bit inferior Overall (9/10) There have been so many good anime this year, but so far as of writing this i would say that this has been my highlight, it has been my favorite anime of 2022 so far, sadly i dont think that it really is for everyone, its comedy is not for everyone and really its overall vibe is not something that everyone can enjoy, its never really gonna get as much attention as many shows that have come out this same year, but i feel like it does deserve more atention, now just a little quick thing i wanted to add, Tatami Galaxy was one of those shows that does fall into the category of "Stories that leave you with a meaningful message", it was something that was necessary for its tone, and its one of the things that made me fall in love with it, its message did hit me and made me think about stuff, and i dont think Tatami Time Machine Blues really has a big impactful message like its predecessor did, but its still not devoid of its message, it has smaller messages that are still appreciated and that overall make the show better, its not as hard hitting as Tatami Galaxy, but it still was a damn good time. That's all for me, hope you liked my review, ty!
TakumaEN
10/12/2022, 09:11 PM
Words can't describe the joy I had while watching through this anime. As a huge fan of the original, "Yojouhan Shinwa Taikei" (or Tatami Galaxy for short), the moment they announced "Time Machine Blues" was in the making and that it would be handled by Science SARU, I just knew I could rest at ease given that Yuasa and Choi were integral members of the original staff, and to nobody's surprise, the trust was not misplaced. Science SARU makes lightning strike twice by perfectly capturing what made the show so special in the first place, which is nothing to sneeze at considering it's been over 12years since it first aired. Faithfully recreating the show's structure, aesthetic and humor was only possible thanks to the return of the original staff members and cast, but also new members that clearly held Tatami Galaxy very dearly, and the love shows! As I watched, I felt like the time machine theme here applies not simply inside the story, but also to the project as a whole seeing how it paradoxically manages to be new, and yet, be the same old Tatami Galaxy I always loved.
SingleH
10/12/2022, 07:42 PM
Disclaimer: An entire bottle of Mount Gay Black Barrel, an undisclosed amount of Appleton 21, and multiple cans of Bacardi Rum Punch (to use as chasers) were consulted in the creation of this review. Plus however much Barrell Armida is in this rocks glass. This entire show and this entire review itself were both additionally and respectively viewed and created over the course of about nineteen hours. Alcohol and its affects were therefore heavily involved in all relevant processes. Hopefully you enjoy… Being a drunk corpse, I figured a much more pertinent use of my time than watching Cyberpunk: Edgerunners—as much fun as that show was—wouldbe to take a leap back in time to once again reacquaint myself with the 4.5 Tatami Ideologue, and I must say, it was more than happily worth my time. Maybe I would’ve felt differently about the series if I had watched it first at the appropriate age, but personally, The Tatami Galaxy had always been one of those anime whose reputation seemed completely incongruous with my own experience. It was always spoken of as being this “pretentious,” “elitist,” “pseudo-intellectual” anime, and I could never understand why. I obviously understand that in the context of their common usage, these phrases are buzzwords that mean nothing and whose actual definitions are completely unknown and misunderstood to those using them, but still, these buzzwords have always been used to describe artsy, confusing, abstruse anime which the casual viewer would consider annoyingly if not purposefully difficult to parse. Anything written by Chiaki Konaka; anything directed by Mamoru Oshii; anything touched with a ten-foot pole by Kunihiko Ikuhara; even shit like Evangelion. These to me are anime which most of these people would call “pretentious,” “elitist,” whatever. But even if I find things like this to be relatively easy to understand, I at least understand why others wouldn’t. Lots of weird symbolism, unstated themes, non-linear storytelling, etc. But The Tatami Galaxy doesn’t really have any of that. It’s just a show about a college kid losing his mind in his dorm room, because he doesn’t know how to grapple with his newfound freedom to choose his own path and frankly thinks he REALLY should’ve gotten laid by now…which is a station in life pretty much anyone over the age of twenty can empathize with…right? Unless everyone on the internet whose ever used those buzzwords to describe The Tatami Galaxy was fucking fourteen (which I highly doubt), then the idea that such an anime would be lumped in with the taste of someone who’d be super into Serial Experiments Lain for example seemed completely ridiculous to me. What could possibly be less “pretentious” than a story such as this, let alone one presented with this much emotional honestly and this many details which reveal it all to come from a place of the author’s intensely personal experience? At the end, seeing the main character being the one to tease Ozu in the hospital bed is among the most cathartic character arcs I’ve ever seen executed on screen, and the idea anyone could see something this sappy and adorable and think “elitist” is downright alien to me. And Masaaki Yuasa had at that point had already established himself as a master of this specific craft. Mind Game, Kemonozume, Kaiba—they all vary in subject matter, in theme, and—let’s be honest—in overall quality, but they all share this emotional openness that characterizes a great deal of his catalog, and The Tatami Galaxy was far from being an exception. Even characters who you weren’t strictly supposed to relate to, I found to be open books. Far more than the main character and his isolated arrogance, I personally found Akashi to be a much more empathetic presence, because depending on how you look at it, she is failing to reach out and “grasp the opportunity” just as egregiously as he is. Even in the early episodes, it’s completely obvious that she’s trying to get this guy’s attention, and yet she stops short of making any moves on him despite the fact he’s clearly fucking oblivious. And that’s fine—The Tatami Galaxy is very much a male show, meant to teach a lesson to a male audience. But the fact it can nevertheless have so many angles to appreciate it from speaks volumes. If there was one human being on Earth who I would think to be a good-enough Yuasa replacement to take the reins of Yojouhan Time Machine Blues, Shingo Natsume would most probably be the one. Not only did he work as an episode director on the original show, and not only is he a genius director on his own rights, but his style simply fits this project perfectly. And this project was, if it needed to be stated, an exercise in pure nostalgia. Never have I felt more warm in my heart and at home in my soul than I did as soon as that Asian Kung-Fu Generation OP kicked on. I don’t know what exactly it is about the music they’ve done for this series, but it fits so wonderfully. Seeing all these faces I’ve known for over a decade now felt like…well, it felt like seeing faces I’ve known for over a decade now. I didn’t even have to look at the screen in that opening scene. I was on the other side of the room, pouring this glass, but hearing Jougasaki, Hanuki, Higuchi, Ozu, and Akashi speak—I didn’t need to see the screen to know the expressions on their faces. I was actually just talking to my hairdresser about this earlier today, because, not to brag or anything, but next week I’m getting transferred and promoted. And the people I’m going to be presiding over now are angels send down from Heaven to save me from the fiery depths of hell. I was talking to her about how it’s been so long since I’ve been able to spend time around people who actually LIKE me. People who actually know something about me, and who I know something about, who ACTUALLY like me. We like being around each other, and it’s cute. This department in particular has, more than any other department I interact in the vicinity of, a distinct “work culture,” for lack of a better term. And it’s because they like and know each other. They spend time together. This series has absolutely succeeding in capturing that aura of…I don’t know…that aura of people. It was so funny. The morning I posted my most recent project, I was so happy, so excited, so optimistic for the future, and within hours it was humiliatingly raped and destroyed, and I sunk deep, deep, deep back into the bottle, to a depth and darkness which I still have yet to escape. Night is Short, Walk on Girl, another companion piece to The Tatami Galaxy, is a movie which I’ve slowly over the years come to appreciate as a film which can only be properly enjoyed while intoxicated, and I say this seriously with a straight face. All her talk of cocktails, and how she wishes the Pacific Ocean was made of rum is, yes, #SoRelatable, but it is also in all seriousness a legitimate guide to enjoying the film. The serendipitous, jovial nonsense; the attitude of gleeful abandon; the endless shifting from one adventure to the next, all while keeping the overall emotional arc in mind. The way the film flows is very much reminiscent of an actual night on the town, and I don’t think I ever truly experienced that film until I did so drunk. And I did this; I’m typing this sentence separately, but I did this, and it was life-altering. This is ironic not simply for obvious reasons, but also because becoming a proper alcoholic has utterly decimated my short-term memory. I can’t really remember anything anymore. Zero. Zilch. Nada. Nothing. なし. I can’t remember anything, but I do remember this series. And what does that say? Well, first of all, it’s actually good, but moreover, it’s memorable and worthwhile enough to warrant not only enjoyment, but a rewatch of the entire series. Typically, I write to slow, lyric-less music. Anything else I think would be too distracting, and so I write to the tune of shit you could fall asleep to—shit I actively do fall asleep to on occasion. But this time, sippin’ whiskey, of course, I felt it would be an utter sacrilege to type to the tune of anything other than the titular blues. Now if only I had a time machine to go with… Thank you for reading.
Jaekoi
10/12/2022, 04:20 PM
The Tatami Time Machine Blues may not have the same identical style as Masaaki Yuasa’s acclaimed Tatami Galaxy, yet it is a title that lives up to its unrivaled legacy known for poetic storytelling. It is artistically defined by its cultural sensibility, sophisticated writing, and verbose panache, capturing the frenetic repetitions of life in ways that allow one to truly feel its grand revelations. Time Machine Blues reroutes its original concept through Shingo Natsume’s more-than-capable directing, meshing in Yuasa’s former narrative knack with his own individual flair in presentation. Natsume’s abstract ideas come in the form of a cutback on mentally taxing developments, restructuring itwith a dose of narrative patience and preplanned mathematics in its implementation of time-travel. Rather than simply engineering itself within alternate timelines for the sake of shock value, it takes a more figurative approach by complexifying one universal actuality. The rewatch value allows one to view the episodes in reverse, where each individual detail becomes more evident than it once was. At its core, it layers nuance through professed lighthearted comedy, immersive dynamics, and tinges of relevant, meaningful poetry that still hold true to this day. The story grows to respect the eventful happenings of time, an unfeigned deference for all everyday conveniences and inconveniences we preoccupy ourselves in. Watashi, the protagonist, attempts to repair the fragilities of his own doings along with the rest of his different “personalities”, coming to realize the invaluable gravity of why everything flows in the way it is. Science SARU controls the camera through multiple departments, which can be considered a gripping balance between our youthful imaginations and life’s monotonous echoes. The time-travel idea is a reflection of one’s inherent relationship with change, and how inevitably sought-after it has become, regardless of what tense it’s in. Questionability, as a concept, has always stayed a prevalent characteristic in maturing, an uncertainty when it comes to the “what-if’s” and different possibilities standing before us. Aside from ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION’s musical talent in crafting the opening, let alone the phenomenal blues score, Natsume’s ability to simultaneously carry on Yuasa’s narrative whilst adapting to different circumstances, or Science SARU’s remarkable storyboarding, the tale still manages to discover ways that manipulates us into reflecting and contemplating, as if homaging its former methods. In addition, the tale is still built on the premise of experimental artistry, although with a blend of supplemental plot clarity in exchange for its past episodicism. Time Machine Blues underlyingly conveys a message reminiscent of its counterpart, except now, through an entirely distinct narrative perspective which offers the same philosophical authenticity. I say this not only within its refreshing world of unparalleled poetry, amusing wordage, or visual symbolisms, but also from a production and overall viewing experience standpoint. Episode 5 and 6 looks back on its past desperations in making things consistent, flawlessly transitioning into pure nostalgia. The realizations made can be described as the story’s profound acceptance with the constraints and uncertainties of existence. The characters find solace in the present moment, appreciating the general dichotomy able to be found in time; potentially allowing viewers to recognize why it exists. Aside from its genius in illustrating the wonders and apathies of life, Time Machine Blues imparts an atmosphere of recreation and profundity through a spin-off biography of the protagonist. The tale encourages one to acknowledge the story-like nature in all things, conveying an artistic parallel between the unpredictability of time and “change.” We venture through its causalities, whereas the story instills its unfathomable value that’ll last a lifetime. “Purpose” in of itself is universal, an intrinsic conceptualization bound to every storyline.
Professional2341
10/12/2022, 03:12 PM
This is a continuation of the first installment of Yojouhan. Yojouhan in of itself is a completed story, but the writer was inspired by his friend's play and wrote a sequal after 10 years adapting the play into the Yojouan universe. So, in this world, the cathartic resolution our main character comes to towards the end of the 1st season never happened, and this is the summer after his 2nd year. However, it has very similar themes that are being tackled, but from a different angle. Taking action, being proactive, and forging your own future. Also, taking advantage of opportunities, taking responsibility of your actions,and most important: you can't change the past, but you can change the present. All of these themes that were tackled in the 1st season are tackled again, but in a new, light-hearted time-traveling gag. This is just like season 1: funny, thought-provoking, and inspiring. The characters look slightly different and the animation is smooth and crisp, which gives it a fresh vibe. Also, the ending was really good, just like season 1! If you liked Yojouhan, you will like Tatami Blues.
otherdummy
10/12/2022, 11:31 AM
Yojouhan Time Machine Blues is Science SARU’s treat for all the Tatami Galaxy fans wanting more. Our ever-so-unfortunate Watashi and the zany crew are as delightful as ever as they travel across time and space to save an air conditioning remote control from its fizzily death. Although it is a side-story of The Tatami Galaxy and roughly follows the plot of another move, Summer Time Machine Blues, the show does a good job at assimilating the story in The Tatami Galaxy universe, with the location, character relations, and cast all carrying over. The only new character, Tamura, integrates quite well into the pre-existing gang. Andthere are plenty of Easter eggs for sharp-eyed fans to find, such as Jougasaki’s shirt. The Tatami Galaxy’s shining point is its cast, all with their own eccentric personalities and intersecting stories, who help explore the main theme through varying angles. And although Yojouhan Time Machine Blues opts not to focus on developing a particular message, the cast remains as strong as ever. The script and voice acting takes the variety of the cast a step further; there is no mistaking Watashi’s tense, hurried sentences with Higuchi’s words of (dubious) wisdom, or Ozu’s mischievous voice with Akashi’s sharp and direct one. The diversity of the cast goes far in making the irony funny and memorable, and the story brisk and witty. Although there isn’t really any “bigger message” hidden inside Yojouhan Time Machine Blues, it is still very good fun to watch. The story is like one big time-travel puzzle, and the way it unfolds is very well-done. There are many time-travel movies where the “solutions” get increasingly complicated and confusing to the point of unintelligibility (Tenet, for one), and I can confidently say Yojouhan stays far away from that mistake. If you want a short and fun watch, Yojouhan Time Machine Blues would definitely be a good choice for you.
Gsarthotegga
10/12/2022, 11:26 AM
Though TTMB is suggested to be a sequel to the original Tatami series, it appears to be set in an alternate timeline/universe from the rest of the franchise and would probably still be enjoyable without having seen the original, though it's reliant upon the original series to introduce the characters, and it references past scenes regularly, as well as a segment from The Night is Short, Walk on Girl. The novelist behind the Tatami Galaxy series was inspired by Summer Time Machine Blues (I believe he is friends with the creator), and the plot is the same, with the main alteration being Morimi's quirks asa writer and his cast from Tatami Galaxy. It's mildly nonlinear for the first episode but quick and to the point while being well-paced enough to provide familiar characterization for all of the mains—especially Watashi, Ozu, and Akashi. While I personally haven't seen previous Tatami Galaxy installments recently, this new ONA holds up pretty well in terms of writing, direction, and most other technical aspects. Whereas Science Saru has been putting out "weird" or "flawed" series like Heike Monogatari, Yurei Deco (gross!), and a bunch of interesting looking but mostly average series or movies, especially with Masaaki Yuasa stepping down, this is actually reasonably faithful to the old Tatami Galaxy. Perhaps Yuasa's effort was better directed and better stylized, but Shingo Natsume is certainly no slouch and TTMB towers over other seasonal anime in terms of directing, storyboarding, etc. There's also very lively character acting. The series is just as distinct visually, making me think of some kind of (actually good) pop art with somewhat more muted tones and filtered with Japanese aesthetic sensibilities and literary trappings. It should be immediately familiar to fans, as we're thrust into the same stinky bowels of Watashi's apartment complex through POV shots, set to another Asian Kung-Fu Generation song that's just as nostalgic as the last (I wish I could say the same about the ED...). There's the same fast-talking narrator—hampered somewhat by the time travel gimmick—with typical witty dialogue and self-aware monologues, and since this is a time travel story, we get great lines like "I wanted to speak out in fierce opposition, but there's no point arguing with a man from yesterday." This is another one of those "film within a film" kind of series, so it's no surprise that the shot composition is stellar, and there's excellent visual language. I think those who are at all interested in the filmmaking process will find greater appeal in this series, as it briefly touches on the whole process of making a short film from the pre-production phase, to the scripting, directing, and conflict between crew and actors and awful environments and whatever other problems and disagreements that will arise. It's not long until the time travel shenanigans begin, for many seemingly irrelevant details are eventually reincorporated into the plot with significance. This does get a bit convoluted, as there are so many little cues from earlier episodes, whether they be humorous events or imagery, or entire scenes of dialogue or bizarre behavior. Many scenes you thought you understood will take on a new meaning, and we often revisit past scenes from new perspectives. Making it more complex, is that most time travel fiction I've seen focuses more heavily on either the time travelers or the normal characters, but TTMB blurs the lines almost completely. Despite the humor of it there is even a little fear and dread about what could happen. The tension of paradoxes offered by any good time travel story are there, though perhaps it's a little too exaggerated, which adds to the hilarity as they succumb to numerous assumptions and construct complex timelines. There's also a touch of the bittersweet and a similar philosophical perspective as you'd see with past iterations—it's just a little more diluted. Episode 5 offers what appears to be a conclusive ending, and episode 6 comes across almost as a disconnected special at first, providing a nice template for how Tatami Galaxy could regularly be cranked out as short stories, should the author wish to do so. Perhaps the tie-in is a little clumsy, but it's a great episode, and it does clear up a few loose threads, connects the entire plot together well, and reinforces Ozu's role as an instigator and supreme, though strangely lovable, bastard. It's far more solid than I think one could hope for with an unnecessary sequel, using a gimmicky and frequently visited story telling device such as time travel. It wasn't a needed or asked for sequel, but it's always fun to see a cast you've warmed up to get one more chance to flex their muscles with such aplomb.
_Redo_
10/12/2022, 05:00 AM
Honestly, going into the tatami galaxy, I wasn't really interested. But, in a matter of seconds, I regret what I say. The tatami galaxy is awesome. It brings up a unique idea, and instantly gets the person watching in love with the show. The tatami time machine blues is no different. The tatami time machine blues is a much more different change from season one. It introduces a different idea, compared to the first season (if this is a sequel). It's a really simple and fun idea. The writers know what they're doing, because this was incredibly entertaining. The concept, humour, etc. Honestly, I was pretty disappointedthat Madhouse wasn't going to animate this. Science SARU had surprised me though. The visuals were the same, which had got me pleased that there wasn't a new style (or different looking style). Sometimes, the dialogue isn't as fast as the first season's used to be. Sure, this was one of the issues I had. Higuchi's voice is weird. But still, I think it's good enough. The voice actor for the first season had sadly died in 2020, meaning that Higuchi had to be voiced by someone else. Sad, but nothing people can do. Other than that, I really loved how Science SARU sticked to the voice actors from season one. Watashi's voice is still great, even after 12 years. Ozu's voice too. The music? Good. The music was a bit unappealing at first, but I got used to it. The intro bangs. Ed slaps. Definitely a subpar version compared to the first season, but I still liked it. The sound effects are great. No issues at all with it. The sound effects fit well for what the characters are doing. I enjoyed the tatami time machine blues, of course. Great humour, good animation, great concept, etc. basically the things I've mentioned before. I'd highly recommend you this, especially for people who have been waiting 12 years for a sequel to the tatami galaxy. It's a really fun and engaging sequel.
Mcsuper
10/12/2022, 04:43 AM
First of all, let me be clear here, this show is not a sequel for The Tatami Galaxy, but I highly recommend you to watch it to get the most out of this show. This review will be written in a way that assumes you have watched The Tatami Galaxy. This show was essentially a side story in the universe of “The Tatami Galaxy”, and for many fans of that show, this would be extremely nostalgic, seeing the likes of Watashi, Akashi, and Ozu back at it with their ridiculous shenanigans. At its core, this show revolves around the same aspects as the Tatami Galaxy did,themes about grasping what’s in front of you, and the fact that time only goes forward, and you can’t change your past mistakes. Though, where The Tatami Galaxy used a more philosophical approach to the whole time travel mechanics, Time Machine Blues uses it in a bit more of a comedic approach. In a nutshell, Watashi’s friend, Ozu, spills liquid onto the air conditioning remote in Watashi’s apartment, causing it to break down, and the characters have to find a way to fix it. Pretty dumb, I know, but for a show set in such a ridiculous universe to begin with, it works. The story is quite a lot to take in, and you have to keep up with the rapid speaking, but overall, it felt slightly slower paced than The Tatami Galaxy. Art-wise, it looks good, though it does lack the eccentricity of Yuasa’s style, but Shingo Natsume also worked under him for a while, so I did see some shades of that uniqueness, but not to Yuasa’s scale. The facial expressions are a joy to watch still. Character-wise, it’s very nostalgic, and everyone is quite eccentric in their own ways. Ozu is still extremely funny to watch at times, and each character has their own nice comedic bits to them. Thematically, it’s a bit all over the place, and it’s nowhere near as thought-provoking as The Tatami Galaxy, and that’s not the show’s goal. It serves a light hearted side story, and it does that well enough. Simply put, if you enjoyed The Tatami Galaxy, you’ll likely enjoy this as well. If you didn’t enjoy the original, then you won’t. This show was just a fun time, and there’s not much to take away from it other than that.

Yojouhan Time Machine Blues 四畳半タイムマシンブルース

| Episodes: 6 | Score: 8.2 (14229)

Updated every at | Status: Finished Airing

Type: ONA

Streaming: Disney+

Synopsis

Voice Actors

Sakamoto, Maaya

Yoshino, Hiroyuki

Asanuma, Shintaro

News

Reviews

Haustlaufivindi
03/22/2025, 07:52 AM
Original and funny anime with good SF roots, peculiar drawing style and presentation. Despite the comedy and surrealism of the narrative, "Tatami Time Machine Blues" clearly shows the optimism of classic 1950s science fiction. It is seems to be by influenced by both Young's "The Dandelion Girl" and Heinlein's "The Door into Summer" which are some of the most popular SF stories in Japan. Tomihiko Morimi's attitude to the "paradox of time" is the same as that of Young and Heinlein. Or, if you like, the same as that of Boethius. However, the tone differs both from the lyrical "The Dandelion Girl" and from themelodramatic adventure "The Door Into Summer". The slightly absurd "Blues" is not as serious, but much more cheerful and "light" than its literary inspirations. Immersing the protagonist (and a viewer) into an openly meaningless, comically absurd world, the author carefully leads him past the ridiculous monsters inhabiting chaos, gradually streamlining the surrounding reality and leading to a romantic and optimistic ending that triumphs over chaos and absurdity. The seemingly disparate cacophony of sounds is woven into a blues improvisation. A wonderful work that clearly stands out from the gray background of the rest of the anime.
jetrax12
07/31/2024, 07:46 PM
I was probably harsher on this due to its relation to Tatami Galaxy, which set an impossibly high bar; if it was not related to that, I would probably have ranked it a bit higher, but I think I still would not recommend it as a must-watch. The narrative structure was much more straightforward than Tatami Galaxy, and one is kind of expected to be familiar with the characters of the aforementioned. That said, it was still a fun little romp with familiar characters and felt a little comfy in that regard - it was nice to see the main cast all doing stuff togetherinstead of how adversarial Galaxy felt at times. While it lacked the punch of Tatami Galaxy's message, it felt like it remained in this form: where Tatami Galaxy said don't dwell on your past mistakes, this said don't worry about your future choices. I guess that at least makes it feel a bit more substantial.
whiteflame55
04/22/2024, 07:45 PM
I had a really good time with this one. I was more continuously invested than with Tatami Galaxy, though this series doesn't wrap up as expertly as that did. The time machine itself is quite the vehicle for telling the story, leaving me grasping for hints from previous episodes - I think this might work even better upon repeat watch. It's more the ride than the destination on this one, though it's also nice to see some closure on some of the central plots of the series as a whole. Much to its credit, this also improved on the amount of attention various side charactersgot, something I felt was distinctly lacking in Tatami Galaxy. The animation is also on point, providing some of what that series gave in a sharper package. Really, my only issues with this one are that the episodes were too short to give me everything I wanted out of a 6-episode run (it crams in a lot, but we often get side-tracked - not that I'm complaining, since I love the side-tracks), the humor of the series still doesn't quite hit for me, and, even after they dedicate a whole episode to him, I'm still kind of baffled by Ozu. He's a great plot vehicle, but such a strange character.
Godslayer27
03/31/2024, 01:19 PM
Just like with the previous season the plot starts with kinda absurd reason that puts on movements all the followed events with this time our characters trying to go back on time preventing that the air conditioner remote gets broken which sends them on a crazy journey throughout of time. Now the nature of the series is very fast paced on the sense that the dialogs between the chracters as well as the narration that happens sometimes are fast (not so much like the first season at least i feel that way), on simple surface might seems like all fun though just like with tatami galaxythere are many serious and reflexive themes along the series on this instance being the premise revolving around time travel touching things like destiny or freewill like many others series that play with these themes yet like any others work of masaaki yuasa has this own unique take and approaching on it which makes for something really distinctive and fun experience. Im aware that on this instance the director is a complelty different person and that only natsume shing who was involved on the previous season is present but still hold the same elements, pacing and overall values that make so recognizable yuasa works. This is supposedly to be a secuel (or at least that is how is categorize on MAL) and although might be true to some degree it is too that feels like an more standalone work and is because doesnt really follows an choronological manner so much like others series sure we can learn a little more about ozu and his relationship with watashi or akashi itselft but right from the beggining stars off like his own thing which besides the apparition of the same sacondary characters leaves little to place it like an direct continuation from the previous season. This makes it on my opinion something possible to watch and enjoy without having knowledge of the previous one for anyone interested, its an kinda short season with only 6 episodes that last until all the time travel thing is done. The op was kinda meh but the end is such a gem i love it, the soundtrack just like with the first season have so many cclasical pieces and are used so well to support some dialogs and moments. RESUME The Tatami Time Machine Blues is a crazy experience about time travel that although is categorize like an secuel due to his nature rather more independent doesnt make it necessary to watch previously the first season to fully enjoy this one, if you liked tatamki galaxy this one surely will be the same and for those new just give it a try im sure that at least you are gonna find some things whether be the chracters, plot , music, etc pleasing to you.
Bountyfull
03/24/2024, 11:49 AM
Operation nostalgia that does nothing of value, playing with the watcher's feelings about the 2010 masterpiece. The problem with this sequel? Potential future? Whatever it is, is that it's lazy. Extremely lazy. It backloads the entire character development, background, and nuances to the 2010 main series while giving us a glimpse of a different path. But let's go in order. When dealing with this kind of anime, which is abundantly quoting and taking inspiration from the original, it's impossible to not consider parallels with the former series. The screenwriters impose it on us, anyway, since the series forces you to know all the characters beforehand. Thisis not necessarily a bad thing. ART 9.5/10 The original has aged respectably, but Shingo Natsume empowered everything to the max wherever it was showing signs of its age. Not much to fault, but there were a few static talking scenes that, in a 6 episode series, stand out annoyingly. Overall, Shingo is one of the few directors competent enough to deal with this boulder of a series. We also begin to see how much is "stolen" by the original. It's necessary and not a bad thing, but we'll see when it all starts crashing down when substance starts to matter. SOUND 8.5/10 Again, it mostly used all songs, which is good. Tamura's and Higuchi's dubbers are weaker, and while for the latter it's comprehensible given the death of the first dubber, for the former it's just inexcusable. It's not a big deal but it's there. Both the ending and the opening are weaker than the original. Again, they're not bad per se, but not as great as before. STORY: 5/10 Here's where push comes to shove. The story is terrible and extremely devoid of pathos. It reeks of banality and goes for the pointless and trite trope of time travel. The original also had some supernatural touches here and there, but it was never the major point of the story, whereas here it's the main pull. Time travel stories are almost always made in 2 ways: either you go for a closed space-time loop or a multiple-universe approach. Tertium non datur. This series goes for the former. It removes all agency from its characters and makes the entire plot extremely predictable. Almost all plot points become devoid of interest because of it, although you can commend how the complexity of the loop was explained and taken care of. Alas, it's not enough. The story in itself is also bad. It is pointless in the grand scheme of things because it doesn't add anything of value to the original series. It also abundantly cites the point of annoyance catchphrases, jokes, and even major plot points. This is eloquently illustrated by the true ending in episode 5, which features an almost identical dialogue that we have during the last episode of the original series. It's not bad per se... but we've already seen it once, which makes it...pointless. The pacing was very good... until the screenwriters decided to add context to the first episode by backloading it after the lovely conclusion of the story in the fifth one. This is absurd and destroys the ending, by also adding stuff that it's not long enough to make us empathize with the characters. The sixth episode is basically a compressed, mini version of the first one from the original, which makes it all the more silly. They are already heavily implying you need to know these characters and the plot points from the original... so it makes no sense. Pretty baffling decision, really. CHARACTERS 5/10 It's not that these characters are bad (except for Tamura, and there's a reason for it...), it's more like that the series is just offloading all the development to the first one because they don't have time or a reason to develop them more. It's the correct decision... but this pseudo-sequel is just a possible path that's arguably not even canon, and definitely not an ounce as good as the original ending! So all the characters are as good as the original... but because of that, they are lazy homages to the originals. The only one who isn't it's Tamura... which in fact just sucks. It doesn't have screen time nor does it get developed in such a short amount of time. Sigh. There's not much to say about them, they are fine but mediocre, they don't have their own flavor, they're just a bland copy of the originals that exist to force nostalgia out of the watcher. Pretty sad. ENJOYMENT: 4.5/10 In the end, I loathed my time with time machine blues, because time travel stories are overdone to death unless some genius does something interesting, which unfortunately doesn't happen here. Moreover, as I have stated, the entire anime is a pointless homage to the original series, and doesn't stand a chance in comparison to it, nor is it needed or pleasurable to see. It seems like whoever wrote the script forgot that the sci-fi escamotage from the first series was not the actual pull, but just the flint that got the plot going. The characters and their realistic stories were the main focus, which is why you can consider it the greatest coming-of-age anime of all time, and arguably one of the best, if not THE best, the media has to offer. I also don't care that this is an adaptation of a stage play since it doesn't matter in the slightest, for self-evident reasons. Tatami Galaxy was a masterpiece that stands among the greats even today, and its warning about living life with rose-tinted glasses is hilariously applied here: take off your nostalgia goggles and go watch something better.
Leme-Le
03/13/2024, 07:20 PM
This is a beautiful and entertaining piece of work. The story at first seemed too goofy, but the art style sold it. I thought it would be the type of anime that tries to take itself too seriously for its idea, but it didn't. The seriousness of it is at the right level for you to care about the characters and the development of the history, and the goofiness is funny enough for you to give some laughs. Also, as an artist, I highly recommend it. The art style is simple in a beautiful artistic way. It's nice to watch, and the colors give off a nice,comfy vibe. It inspired me a lot, and I'm definitely going to use it as a referee for my art works. In the end, it is not a 10 only because I fell like it's either too short or too long, if that makes sense. It would be a nice movie if the story was condensed in more essential things yet if given enough time and attention it would be a nice more long series.
Halcyon13
12/02/2023, 08:38 PM
Not a direct sequel, Yojouhan Time Machine Blues is a spinoff set in the Yojouhan Shinwa Taikei universe and the events seemingly occur in an alternate timeline, while still retaining the original cast and setting-based context. The parent TV series is certainly not essential viewing, but I find that it enhances one's understanding of Tomihiko Morimi's (original creator) prioritization of character chemistry, which, unfortunately, benefits this ONA's ability to appeal to the audience, especially on the newer side. It's unable to form the full picture of contrasting dynamics alone given the limited runtime, and without that subtext, the already enjoyable humor isn't elevated to comprehensiveinsight into the so-called rose-colored campus life. The shades of youthful philosophies reflecting Watashi's college experience became a mere shadow of themselves, paving the introduction for the titular science-fiction element, where the manipulation of time and sequential happenings are at the mercy of a single remote's suspected location. As a concept, it's completely in line with the overarching style of narrative, but the absence of an exciting finale may dampen the satisfaction of an incredible chase for some. Shingo Natsume's direction is slightly less snappy, and the fundamental pace of Yojouhan Time Machine Blues is somewhat slower than the "prequel", noticeable in the rapid delivery of the dialogue, which shows signs of intentional space between interactive scenes or drags a bit when rehashing gags. However, Natsume is more than capable, and he demonstrates the punchy personalities we're accustomed to as they parallel each other in a complex order of shenanigans and the looming fear of potentially being trapped in a paradox if something were to go awry. He pays homage to Yuasa's adaptation, merging various references into a product that can be called his own. Science Saru's production mimics the original series well, although replicating the subtle idiosyncrasies is virtually impossible. I've grown fond of the ending track after multiple listens, a vocalization that signals a bittersweet end, not to mention, Asian Kung-Fu Generation's irreplaceable return for the opening. The character acting and shot angles/composition stretch the frames and characters to and fro, enabling a sense of nostalgia for those familiar with these deathly pale faces and unmissably specific voices. A reversal of the irreversible arrow of time.
sammm24
08/24/2023, 07:35 PM
Really great continuation of the Tatami Galaxy! I watched that years ago, but because this is not marked as season two I never knew it existed until now. Really disappointing, considering it probably would have gotten a lot more deserved attention, but I suppose it makes sense, as it has been more than a decade since the first season. But still incredible, and I highly recommend watching after you have seen the first season! There are fewer episodes than the first season, which is sad, but they still pack a great story into them, so it is ok. The main character, Watashi, also speaks a lotslower than he did before. I think that was a turn-off point for people with the first season, so I suppose this is an OK change, though it does affect his character a little.
Steamwood
12/05/2022, 05:21 PM
If you liked The Tatami Galaxy, then this will be a nice little romp with the fun group you liked before with a couple alterations (Jogasaki is a little more aggro than usual) and it'll be a great time. If you haven't seen Tatami Galaxy, this is a good shorter step into the themes of the series, and if you enjoy it then I can't recommend the original enough! If you hated it, then I cannot help you at this time. Striking visuals, great humor, interesting and mind-bending plot, fun characters I loved to see again, and all in a concise package of 6 slightlyshorter episodes. Very much stands on its own, but much better with the added context of Tatami Galaxy. I loved it, but it wasn't as groundbreaking as the original so it gets a little less than perfect from me. Glad it exists!
thestarsailor
11/06/2022, 07:26 PM
The Tatami Time Machine Blues feels like the perfect balance between the main series and the specials: maintaining the quality and style of the former, but focusing more on a fun side-story like in the latter. I didn't even realize Masaaki Yuasa was not even directing this until looking it up, but Shingo Natsume is a great fit for this kind of material. There isn't a deep emotional and fatalist element to this unlike the main series, and spends more time making this clockwork of different pieces in the loop of time travel mix and tie in with each other, like a bound book asAkashi mentions. Watching this reminds me of T2: Trainspotting, as a kind of sequel that doesn't try to recreate the original or pretend that it should take some different step with the characters, but mix up the kind of story that lets them run free again. The last episode is like that as its structure is just like The Tatami Galaxy before switching back to the beginning of where this series starts. The style of the show is the same, maybe not as experimental as Yuasa, and I remember more jokes made from facial reactions here than previously. I would definitely recommend to anyone watch this if they liked The Tatami Galaxy, and it would make more sense to watch that before this.
Mustang_47
10/13/2022, 11:09 PM
Tatami Time Machine Blues is a great sequel and a love letter to the fan of OG Tatami Galaxy. It's never meant to replicate what the og show did. The story just expands with the characters it established in the first part based on a play and movie called "Summer Time Machine Blues" and just focuses on 1 Watashi variant with a different story (instead of 10 variants). As the characters are dealing with an active problem, the main protag doesn't get that many opportunities to do his trademark "meta-commentary" but it's still here and there. But that's fine and I think Shingo Natsume didan excellent job with the plot he had and he's a perfect replacement for Yuasa. The first and the last episode almost felt like Yuasa directed them. And ofc in terms of animation, Science Saru did great to maintain the quality and artistic style the original show had. Overall, a fantastic show. People might say putting a backstory in the last episode was a meh move but hey, that means you get more of Watashi's monologue, More of Ozu being Ozu, and ofc more of Akashi. and I'm a fan of the og so I'm biased lol.
Senpapa_
10/12/2022, 11:08 PM
Not so long ago I decided to watch The Tatami Galaxy, it was an anime that I was planning to watch for a while now, so when i watched it, it quickly became one of my personal favorites and one of the few anime that i can wholeheartedly say that it's a masterpiece, so when I heard that it was receiving a spin-off, you bet I got excited, and i am very happy to say that it did not disappoint and that it is an easy contender for anime of the year. Characters (10/10) Now of course this anime is meant for people who have already watchedTatami Galaxy, its not really a sequel and it also doesn't spoil anything major from The Tatami Galaxy, it's mostly meant for those who really enjoyed Tatami and just want to see more fun moments with the memorable cast, if you loved the cast of Tatami, then i can assure you that you will not be disappointed with this one, it really feels like even though its been over 10 years from the original release of Tatami, even though Yuasa's direction was missing in this one they still managed to capture that same charm that made people really like the characters, and i really can continue praising the characters more and in all honesty they are the main highlight of the show, since they are just as good as the original, had a great time with every single character, they all made me laugh and really if you wanna watch something that has a fun and diverse cast then please give Tatami a go, they are not really "DEEP" characters (Watashi did have some depth in Tatami Galaxy, but i feel like that was already explored enough so they decided to focus more on comedy and really i cant complain) but really depth is not needed to make this a very memorable cast, they are all extremely unique and I really appreciated this spin-off because more memorable times with these characters was something that I definitely needed. Story (9/10) I have always been of the idea that a story doesn't have to be very detailed or very complex for it to be good, some times stories are better when they are more straightforward and this definitely applies for Tatami Time Machine Blues, the story is extremely straightforward and easy to follow but despite all of that it is still extremely unique and just fascinating, its a story that had me smiling the whole time, and it works perfectly as a 6 episode series, episodes are short making it easy to watch in one sitting, it's not episodic like Tatami Galaxy was which to some certain extent i do miss the episodic aspects but i also can appreciate how well paced it is and how it manages to make an extremely fun story with the 6 episodes that its presented in, it obviously pales in comparison to Tatami Galaxy's story, but this doesn't make it bad, it does feel like a side story but a one that is definitely appreciated Art (9/10) Tatami Galaxy's aesthetic has always been easily recognized, it is very unique and just very pleasing, it's hard for someone to look at it and say that it is ugly, and the same applies for Tatami Time Machine Blues, but with a bit of a shortcoming, the animation is still incredible and i would even say smoother than its predecessor, but ever since episode 1 came out i did notice something, it really didn't have the same art direction as Tatami Galaxy, at a simple glance it might look identical but well since this one isn't directed by Yuasa himself, it is very easy to notice that at times it is missing that feeling that it used to have, don't get me wrong it is still amazing in this one, and Natsume Shingo did do a truly amazing job, he did his best to replicate Yuasa's art direction and overall he did one hell of a job but it just missed the same playfulness that its predecessor had, it is playful and experimental here, but just not as much as Tatami Galaxy Sound (9/10) Well i really don't know how much i can say in this section except that it is just as good as Tatami Galaxy in the sound department, both in the music and voice acting, the music really has the exact same style and there even is a lot of songs that are reused from Tatami Galaxy which is not a bad thing, but where music really excels is in the opening and in the ending, the opening is done by Asian Kung-Fu Generation a Japanese band that im pretty sure everyone knows, and the opening here is one of my favorite songs by them, take this with a grain of salt of course since i am a huge Tatami fan and well that just makes me like this song even more, also the ending is pretty great as well, its catchy and fits the tone of the series perfectly, both the op and ed were never skipped even once just because i enjoyed listening to them, so yeah great job with the new op and ed Enjoyment (9.2/10) I had a blast watching this, every episode was a great time and not once did i feel bored, i do wish that maybe they would have made the episodes a bit longer, since each one was about 18 minutes each, which is not bad considering that its a short story but a few more minutes per episode would have 100% been appreciated, now i do have to state the obvious, i did not enjoy it as much as Tatami Galaxy, and i do believe that its predecessor is better in basically every way, it does everything that Tatami Galaxy did, just not quite as perfect as it, it can be considered a "watered down Tatami Galaxy" which sounds bad but i dont mean it in a bad way, but just basically saying its just a bit inferior Overall (9/10) There have been so many good anime this year, but so far as of writing this i would say that this has been my highlight, it has been my favorite anime of 2022 so far, sadly i dont think that it really is for everyone, its comedy is not for everyone and really its overall vibe is not something that everyone can enjoy, its never really gonna get as much attention as many shows that have come out this same year, but i feel like it does deserve more atention, now just a little quick thing i wanted to add, Tatami Galaxy was one of those shows that does fall into the category of "Stories that leave you with a meaningful message", it was something that was necessary for its tone, and its one of the things that made me fall in love with it, its message did hit me and made me think about stuff, and i dont think Tatami Time Machine Blues really has a big impactful message like its predecessor did, but its still not devoid of its message, it has smaller messages that are still appreciated and that overall make the show better, its not as hard hitting as Tatami Galaxy, but it still was a damn good time. That's all for me, hope you liked my review, ty!
TakumaEN
10/12/2022, 09:11 PM
Words can't describe the joy I had while watching through this anime. As a huge fan of the original, "Yojouhan Shinwa Taikei" (or Tatami Galaxy for short), the moment they announced "Time Machine Blues" was in the making and that it would be handled by Science SARU, I just knew I could rest at ease given that Yuasa and Choi were integral members of the original staff, and to nobody's surprise, the trust was not misplaced. Science SARU makes lightning strike twice by perfectly capturing what made the show so special in the first place, which is nothing to sneeze at considering it's been over 12years since it first aired. Faithfully recreating the show's structure, aesthetic and humor was only possible thanks to the return of the original staff members and cast, but also new members that clearly held Tatami Galaxy very dearly, and the love shows! As I watched, I felt like the time machine theme here applies not simply inside the story, but also to the project as a whole seeing how it paradoxically manages to be new, and yet, be the same old Tatami Galaxy I always loved.
SingleH
10/12/2022, 07:42 PM
Disclaimer: An entire bottle of Mount Gay Black Barrel, an undisclosed amount of Appleton 21, and multiple cans of Bacardi Rum Punch (to use as chasers) were consulted in the creation of this review. Plus however much Barrell Armida is in this rocks glass. This entire show and this entire review itself were both additionally and respectively viewed and created over the course of about nineteen hours. Alcohol and its affects were therefore heavily involved in all relevant processes. Hopefully you enjoy… Being a drunk corpse, I figured a much more pertinent use of my time than watching Cyberpunk: Edgerunners—as much fun as that show was—wouldbe to take a leap back in time to once again reacquaint myself with the 4.5 Tatami Ideologue, and I must say, it was more than happily worth my time. Maybe I would’ve felt differently about the series if I had watched it first at the appropriate age, but personally, The Tatami Galaxy had always been one of those anime whose reputation seemed completely incongruous with my own experience. It was always spoken of as being this “pretentious,” “elitist,” “pseudo-intellectual” anime, and I could never understand why. I obviously understand that in the context of their common usage, these phrases are buzzwords that mean nothing and whose actual definitions are completely unknown and misunderstood to those using them, but still, these buzzwords have always been used to describe artsy, confusing, abstruse anime which the casual viewer would consider annoyingly if not purposefully difficult to parse. Anything written by Chiaki Konaka; anything directed by Mamoru Oshii; anything touched with a ten-foot pole by Kunihiko Ikuhara; even shit like Evangelion. These to me are anime which most of these people would call “pretentious,” “elitist,” whatever. But even if I find things like this to be relatively easy to understand, I at least understand why others wouldn’t. Lots of weird symbolism, unstated themes, non-linear storytelling, etc. But The Tatami Galaxy doesn’t really have any of that. It’s just a show about a college kid losing his mind in his dorm room, because he doesn’t know how to grapple with his newfound freedom to choose his own path and frankly thinks he REALLY should’ve gotten laid by now…which is a station in life pretty much anyone over the age of twenty can empathize with…right? Unless everyone on the internet whose ever used those buzzwords to describe The Tatami Galaxy was fucking fourteen (which I highly doubt), then the idea that such an anime would be lumped in with the taste of someone who’d be super into Serial Experiments Lain for example seemed completely ridiculous to me. What could possibly be less “pretentious” than a story such as this, let alone one presented with this much emotional honestly and this many details which reveal it all to come from a place of the author’s intensely personal experience? At the end, seeing the main character being the one to tease Ozu in the hospital bed is among the most cathartic character arcs I’ve ever seen executed on screen, and the idea anyone could see something this sappy and adorable and think “elitist” is downright alien to me. And Masaaki Yuasa had at that point had already established himself as a master of this specific craft. Mind Game, Kemonozume, Kaiba—they all vary in subject matter, in theme, and—let’s be honest—in overall quality, but they all share this emotional openness that characterizes a great deal of his catalog, and The Tatami Galaxy was far from being an exception. Even characters who you weren’t strictly supposed to relate to, I found to be open books. Far more than the main character and his isolated arrogance, I personally found Akashi to be a much more empathetic presence, because depending on how you look at it, she is failing to reach out and “grasp the opportunity” just as egregiously as he is. Even in the early episodes, it’s completely obvious that she’s trying to get this guy’s attention, and yet she stops short of making any moves on him despite the fact he’s clearly fucking oblivious. And that’s fine—The Tatami Galaxy is very much a male show, meant to teach a lesson to a male audience. But the fact it can nevertheless have so many angles to appreciate it from speaks volumes. If there was one human being on Earth who I would think to be a good-enough Yuasa replacement to take the reins of Yojouhan Time Machine Blues, Shingo Natsume would most probably be the one. Not only did he work as an episode director on the original show, and not only is he a genius director on his own rights, but his style simply fits this project perfectly. And this project was, if it needed to be stated, an exercise in pure nostalgia. Never have I felt more warm in my heart and at home in my soul than I did as soon as that Asian Kung-Fu Generation OP kicked on. I don’t know what exactly it is about the music they’ve done for this series, but it fits so wonderfully. Seeing all these faces I’ve known for over a decade now felt like…well, it felt like seeing faces I’ve known for over a decade now. I didn’t even have to look at the screen in that opening scene. I was on the other side of the room, pouring this glass, but hearing Jougasaki, Hanuki, Higuchi, Ozu, and Akashi speak—I didn’t need to see the screen to know the expressions on their faces. I was actually just talking to my hairdresser about this earlier today, because, not to brag or anything, but next week I’m getting transferred and promoted. And the people I’m going to be presiding over now are angels send down from Heaven to save me from the fiery depths of hell. I was talking to her about how it’s been so long since I’ve been able to spend time around people who actually LIKE me. People who actually know something about me, and who I know something about, who ACTUALLY like me. We like being around each other, and it’s cute. This department in particular has, more than any other department I interact in the vicinity of, a distinct “work culture,” for lack of a better term. And it’s because they like and know each other. They spend time together. This series has absolutely succeeding in capturing that aura of…I don’t know…that aura of people. It was so funny. The morning I posted my most recent project, I was so happy, so excited, so optimistic for the future, and within hours it was humiliatingly raped and destroyed, and I sunk deep, deep, deep back into the bottle, to a depth and darkness which I still have yet to escape. Night is Short, Walk on Girl, another companion piece to The Tatami Galaxy, is a movie which I’ve slowly over the years come to appreciate as a film which can only be properly enjoyed while intoxicated, and I say this seriously with a straight face. All her talk of cocktails, and how she wishes the Pacific Ocean was made of rum is, yes, #SoRelatable, but it is also in all seriousness a legitimate guide to enjoying the film. The serendipitous, jovial nonsense; the attitude of gleeful abandon; the endless shifting from one adventure to the next, all while keeping the overall emotional arc in mind. The way the film flows is very much reminiscent of an actual night on the town, and I don’t think I ever truly experienced that film until I did so drunk. And I did this; I’m typing this sentence separately, but I did this, and it was life-altering. This is ironic not simply for obvious reasons, but also because becoming a proper alcoholic has utterly decimated my short-term memory. I can’t really remember anything anymore. Zero. Zilch. Nada. Nothing. なし. I can’t remember anything, but I do remember this series. And what does that say? Well, first of all, it’s actually good, but moreover, it’s memorable and worthwhile enough to warrant not only enjoyment, but a rewatch of the entire series. Typically, I write to slow, lyric-less music. Anything else I think would be too distracting, and so I write to the tune of shit you could fall asleep to—shit I actively do fall asleep to on occasion. But this time, sippin’ whiskey, of course, I felt it would be an utter sacrilege to type to the tune of anything other than the titular blues. Now if only I had a time machine to go with… Thank you for reading.
Jaekoi
10/12/2022, 04:20 PM
The Tatami Time Machine Blues may not have the same identical style as Masaaki Yuasa’s acclaimed Tatami Galaxy, yet it is a title that lives up to its unrivaled legacy known for poetic storytelling. It is artistically defined by its cultural sensibility, sophisticated writing, and verbose panache, capturing the frenetic repetitions of life in ways that allow one to truly feel its grand revelations. Time Machine Blues reroutes its original concept through Shingo Natsume’s more-than-capable directing, meshing in Yuasa’s former narrative knack with his own individual flair in presentation. Natsume’s abstract ideas come in the form of a cutback on mentally taxing developments, restructuring itwith a dose of narrative patience and preplanned mathematics in its implementation of time-travel. Rather than simply engineering itself within alternate timelines for the sake of shock value, it takes a more figurative approach by complexifying one universal actuality. The rewatch value allows one to view the episodes in reverse, where each individual detail becomes more evident than it once was. At its core, it layers nuance through professed lighthearted comedy, immersive dynamics, and tinges of relevant, meaningful poetry that still hold true to this day. The story grows to respect the eventful happenings of time, an unfeigned deference for all everyday conveniences and inconveniences we preoccupy ourselves in. Watashi, the protagonist, attempts to repair the fragilities of his own doings along with the rest of his different “personalities”, coming to realize the invaluable gravity of why everything flows in the way it is. Science SARU controls the camera through multiple departments, which can be considered a gripping balance between our youthful imaginations and life’s monotonous echoes. The time-travel idea is a reflection of one’s inherent relationship with change, and how inevitably sought-after it has become, regardless of what tense it’s in. Questionability, as a concept, has always stayed a prevalent characteristic in maturing, an uncertainty when it comes to the “what-if’s” and different possibilities standing before us. Aside from ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION’s musical talent in crafting the opening, let alone the phenomenal blues score, Natsume’s ability to simultaneously carry on Yuasa’s narrative whilst adapting to different circumstances, or Science SARU’s remarkable storyboarding, the tale still manages to discover ways that manipulates us into reflecting and contemplating, as if homaging its former methods. In addition, the tale is still built on the premise of experimental artistry, although with a blend of supplemental plot clarity in exchange for its past episodicism. Time Machine Blues underlyingly conveys a message reminiscent of its counterpart, except now, through an entirely distinct narrative perspective which offers the same philosophical authenticity. I say this not only within its refreshing world of unparalleled poetry, amusing wordage, or visual symbolisms, but also from a production and overall viewing experience standpoint. Episode 5 and 6 looks back on its past desperations in making things consistent, flawlessly transitioning into pure nostalgia. The realizations made can be described as the story’s profound acceptance with the constraints and uncertainties of existence. The characters find solace in the present moment, appreciating the general dichotomy able to be found in time; potentially allowing viewers to recognize why it exists. Aside from its genius in illustrating the wonders and apathies of life, Time Machine Blues imparts an atmosphere of recreation and profundity through a spin-off biography of the protagonist. The tale encourages one to acknowledge the story-like nature in all things, conveying an artistic parallel between the unpredictability of time and “change.” We venture through its causalities, whereas the story instills its unfathomable value that’ll last a lifetime. “Purpose” in of itself is universal, an intrinsic conceptualization bound to every storyline.
Professional2341
10/12/2022, 03:12 PM
This is a continuation of the first installment of Yojouhan. Yojouhan in of itself is a completed story, but the writer was inspired by his friend's play and wrote a sequal after 10 years adapting the play into the Yojouan universe. So, in this world, the cathartic resolution our main character comes to towards the end of the 1st season never happened, and this is the summer after his 2nd year. However, it has very similar themes that are being tackled, but from a different angle. Taking action, being proactive, and forging your own future. Also, taking advantage of opportunities, taking responsibility of your actions,and most important: you can't change the past, but you can change the present. All of these themes that were tackled in the 1st season are tackled again, but in a new, light-hearted time-traveling gag. This is just like season 1: funny, thought-provoking, and inspiring. The characters look slightly different and the animation is smooth and crisp, which gives it a fresh vibe. Also, the ending was really good, just like season 1! If you liked Yojouhan, you will like Tatami Blues.
otherdummy
10/12/2022, 11:31 AM
Yojouhan Time Machine Blues is Science SARU’s treat for all the Tatami Galaxy fans wanting more. Our ever-so-unfortunate Watashi and the zany crew are as delightful as ever as they travel across time and space to save an air conditioning remote control from its fizzily death. Although it is a side-story of The Tatami Galaxy and roughly follows the plot of another move, Summer Time Machine Blues, the show does a good job at assimilating the story in The Tatami Galaxy universe, with the location, character relations, and cast all carrying over. The only new character, Tamura, integrates quite well into the pre-existing gang. Andthere are plenty of Easter eggs for sharp-eyed fans to find, such as Jougasaki’s shirt. The Tatami Galaxy’s shining point is its cast, all with their own eccentric personalities and intersecting stories, who help explore the main theme through varying angles. And although Yojouhan Time Machine Blues opts not to focus on developing a particular message, the cast remains as strong as ever. The script and voice acting takes the variety of the cast a step further; there is no mistaking Watashi’s tense, hurried sentences with Higuchi’s words of (dubious) wisdom, or Ozu’s mischievous voice with Akashi’s sharp and direct one. The diversity of the cast goes far in making the irony funny and memorable, and the story brisk and witty. Although there isn’t really any “bigger message” hidden inside Yojouhan Time Machine Blues, it is still very good fun to watch. The story is like one big time-travel puzzle, and the way it unfolds is very well-done. There are many time-travel movies where the “solutions” get increasingly complicated and confusing to the point of unintelligibility (Tenet, for one), and I can confidently say Yojouhan stays far away from that mistake. If you want a short and fun watch, Yojouhan Time Machine Blues would definitely be a good choice for you.
Gsarthotegga
10/12/2022, 11:26 AM
Though TTMB is suggested to be a sequel to the original Tatami series, it appears to be set in an alternate timeline/universe from the rest of the franchise and would probably still be enjoyable without having seen the original, though it's reliant upon the original series to introduce the characters, and it references past scenes regularly, as well as a segment from The Night is Short, Walk on Girl. The novelist behind the Tatami Galaxy series was inspired by Summer Time Machine Blues (I believe he is friends with the creator), and the plot is the same, with the main alteration being Morimi's quirks asa writer and his cast from Tatami Galaxy. It's mildly nonlinear for the first episode but quick and to the point while being well-paced enough to provide familiar characterization for all of the mains—especially Watashi, Ozu, and Akashi. While I personally haven't seen previous Tatami Galaxy installments recently, this new ONA holds up pretty well in terms of writing, direction, and most other technical aspects. Whereas Science Saru has been putting out "weird" or "flawed" series like Heike Monogatari, Yurei Deco (gross!), and a bunch of interesting looking but mostly average series or movies, especially with Masaaki Yuasa stepping down, this is actually reasonably faithful to the old Tatami Galaxy. Perhaps Yuasa's effort was better directed and better stylized, but Shingo Natsume is certainly no slouch and TTMB towers over other seasonal anime in terms of directing, storyboarding, etc. There's also very lively character acting. The series is just as distinct visually, making me think of some kind of (actually good) pop art with somewhat more muted tones and filtered with Japanese aesthetic sensibilities and literary trappings. It should be immediately familiar to fans, as we're thrust into the same stinky bowels of Watashi's apartment complex through POV shots, set to another Asian Kung-Fu Generation song that's just as nostalgic as the last (I wish I could say the same about the ED...). There's the same fast-talking narrator—hampered somewhat by the time travel gimmick—with typical witty dialogue and self-aware monologues, and since this is a time travel story, we get great lines like "I wanted to speak out in fierce opposition, but there's no point arguing with a man from yesterday." This is another one of those "film within a film" kind of series, so it's no surprise that the shot composition is stellar, and there's excellent visual language. I think those who are at all interested in the filmmaking process will find greater appeal in this series, as it briefly touches on the whole process of making a short film from the pre-production phase, to the scripting, directing, and conflict between crew and actors and awful environments and whatever other problems and disagreements that will arise. It's not long until the time travel shenanigans begin, for many seemingly irrelevant details are eventually reincorporated into the plot with significance. This does get a bit convoluted, as there are so many little cues from earlier episodes, whether they be humorous events or imagery, or entire scenes of dialogue or bizarre behavior. Many scenes you thought you understood will take on a new meaning, and we often revisit past scenes from new perspectives. Making it more complex, is that most time travel fiction I've seen focuses more heavily on either the time travelers or the normal characters, but TTMB blurs the lines almost completely. Despite the humor of it there is even a little fear and dread about what could happen. The tension of paradoxes offered by any good time travel story are there, though perhaps it's a little too exaggerated, which adds to the hilarity as they succumb to numerous assumptions and construct complex timelines. There's also a touch of the bittersweet and a similar philosophical perspective as you'd see with past iterations—it's just a little more diluted. Episode 5 offers what appears to be a conclusive ending, and episode 6 comes across almost as a disconnected special at first, providing a nice template for how Tatami Galaxy could regularly be cranked out as short stories, should the author wish to do so. Perhaps the tie-in is a little clumsy, but it's a great episode, and it does clear up a few loose threads, connects the entire plot together well, and reinforces Ozu's role as an instigator and supreme, though strangely lovable, bastard. It's far more solid than I think one could hope for with an unnecessary sequel, using a gimmicky and frequently visited story telling device such as time travel. It wasn't a needed or asked for sequel, but it's always fun to see a cast you've warmed up to get one more chance to flex their muscles with such aplomb.
_Redo_
10/12/2022, 05:00 AM
Honestly, going into the tatami galaxy, I wasn't really interested. But, in a matter of seconds, I regret what I say. The tatami galaxy is awesome. It brings up a unique idea, and instantly gets the person watching in love with the show. The tatami time machine blues is no different. The tatami time machine blues is a much more different change from season one. It introduces a different idea, compared to the first season (if this is a sequel). It's a really simple and fun idea. The writers know what they're doing, because this was incredibly entertaining. The concept, humour, etc. Honestly, I was pretty disappointedthat Madhouse wasn't going to animate this. Science SARU had surprised me though. The visuals were the same, which had got me pleased that there wasn't a new style (or different looking style). Sometimes, the dialogue isn't as fast as the first season's used to be. Sure, this was one of the issues I had. Higuchi's voice is weird. But still, I think it's good enough. The voice actor for the first season had sadly died in 2020, meaning that Higuchi had to be voiced by someone else. Sad, but nothing people can do. Other than that, I really loved how Science SARU sticked to the voice actors from season one. Watashi's voice is still great, even after 12 years. Ozu's voice too. The music? Good. The music was a bit unappealing at first, but I got used to it. The intro bangs. Ed slaps. Definitely a subpar version compared to the first season, but I still liked it. The sound effects are great. No issues at all with it. The sound effects fit well for what the characters are doing. I enjoyed the tatami time machine blues, of course. Great humour, good animation, great concept, etc. basically the things I've mentioned before. I'd highly recommend you this, especially for people who have been waiting 12 years for a sequel to the tatami galaxy. It's a really fun and engaging sequel.
Mcsuper
10/12/2022, 04:43 AM
First of all, let me be clear here, this show is not a sequel for The Tatami Galaxy, but I highly recommend you to watch it to get the most out of this show. This review will be written in a way that assumes you have watched The Tatami Galaxy. This show was essentially a side story in the universe of “The Tatami Galaxy”, and for many fans of that show, this would be extremely nostalgic, seeing the likes of Watashi, Akashi, and Ozu back at it with their ridiculous shenanigans. At its core, this show revolves around the same aspects as the Tatami Galaxy did,themes about grasping what’s in front of you, and the fact that time only goes forward, and you can’t change your past mistakes. Though, where The Tatami Galaxy used a more philosophical approach to the whole time travel mechanics, Time Machine Blues uses it in a bit more of a comedic approach. In a nutshell, Watashi’s friend, Ozu, spills liquid onto the air conditioning remote in Watashi’s apartment, causing it to break down, and the characters have to find a way to fix it. Pretty dumb, I know, but for a show set in such a ridiculous universe to begin with, it works. The story is quite a lot to take in, and you have to keep up with the rapid speaking, but overall, it felt slightly slower paced than The Tatami Galaxy. Art-wise, it looks good, though it does lack the eccentricity of Yuasa’s style, but Shingo Natsume also worked under him for a while, so I did see some shades of that uniqueness, but not to Yuasa’s scale. The facial expressions are a joy to watch still. Character-wise, it’s very nostalgic, and everyone is quite eccentric in their own ways. Ozu is still extremely funny to watch at times, and each character has their own nice comedic bits to them. Thematically, it’s a bit all over the place, and it’s nowhere near as thought-provoking as The Tatami Galaxy, and that’s not the show’s goal. It serves a light hearted side story, and it does that well enough. Simply put, if you enjoyed The Tatami Galaxy, you’ll likely enjoy this as well. If you didn’t enjoy the original, then you won’t. This show was just a fun time, and there’s not much to take away from it other than that.

Yojouhan Time Machine Blues 四畳半タイムマシンブルース

'Yojouhan Time Machine Blues' Announces Supporting Cast

PV Collection for Jul 25 - 31

PV Collection for Apr 25 - May 1

Disney+ Licenses 'Yojouhan Time Machine Blues', 'Summertime Render', 'Black★★Rock Shooter: Dawn Fall' for Worldwide Streaming

'Yojouhan Shinwa Taikei' Sequel Novel 'Yojouhan Time Machine Blues' Gets Anime

Yojouhan Time Machine Blues 四畳半タイムマシンブルース

'Yojouhan Time Machine Blues' Announces Supporting Cast

PV Collection for Jul 25 - 31

PV Collection for Apr 25 - May 1

Disney+ Licenses 'Yojouhan Time Machine Blues', 'Summertime Render', 'Black★★Rock Shooter: Dawn Fall' for Worldwide Streaming

'Yojouhan Shinwa Taikei' Sequel Novel 'Yojouhan Time Machine Blues' Gets Anime