In 2011, the producers at Kyoto Animation and Pony Canyon decided to re-unite the staff from the hit series K-On! for an original production. Through many changes during the planning process, the final version became a show about the daughter of a mochi shopowner in a little shopping district. Tamako Market had little promotion before its initial running of January-March 2013, only a few magazine articles and commericals promoted the show. It failed to catch fire like the previous show from the staff, but it wasn’t for a lack of love towards the characters. In 2014, a sequel film, Tamako Love Story was produced. Following that release and the popularity of the film, KyoAni and Pony Canyon decided to re-release the series in a Blu-ray box. This review covers said box of the show published by Kyoto Animation and the Usagiyama Shopping Street.
Tamako Market
Tamako Guidebook Short Story TL: Anko’s Lovey Dovey Diary
Anko’s Happy Romantic Diary
Author: Mutsuki Ichinose
Date: ☆/☆
Weather: Rainy!
Today I headed home immediately after school to take over for Gramps. Father was off on a delivery and Gramps had his knitting class in the afternoon, so even though it was just going to be a bit until Father returned, I was going to run “Tamaya.”
“Well, we trust you Anko.” Gramps had a kind smile as he looked at me.
“ Yep. Leave it to me!”
“ It’s only going to be for a little while. Tamako should be coming home from school too.”
“Ah, that’s right.” I looked at the clock as Gramps spoke. Big sis and her new boyfriend have been walking back to the shopping district since they got together. Only about half the time though.
Right, it’s raining today. Perhaps they’ll be sharing an umbrella. The main street of the district has a cover over it, but there’s none in front of our stores. Maybe, just maybe…… As I was thinking, I pulled out the cutest notebook from my backpack. I set it on my lap right above my knees and prepared to write in my diary. Continue reading
Tamako Love Story/Director Naoko Yamada interview: Media Arts Festival ver
The Cultural Media Arts Festival aims to display pieces of art from canvas art, entertainment, animation, and manga categories. In each category, works are chosen to win “grand prize”, “superior prize”, and “newcomer prize” awards with an eye towards the current cultural trends. In the 18th Cultural Media Arts Festival, the popular anime film Tamako Love Story and its director, Naoko Yamada, won a ”newcomer prize” in the animation category. The film, a sequel to the TV series Tamako Market, is an orthodox adolescent love story that won acclaim from viewers. With the work/director winning this prize, we ask director Naoko Yamada about the film’s highlights and how she felt upon winning the award.
Tamako Love Story JP BD review
The television anime series Tamako Market aired from January until March 2013. Though it was a pleasantly charming series, the director of the show, Naoko Yamada, felt she wasn’t done with the franchise once the final episode was finished. One of the interesting points of the TV show was that it focused around the main character, Tamako Kitashirakawa, but it never focused on her as a character; rather it detailed about the shopping market as a whole instead. Director Yamada wanted to delve into Tamako herself, and given that the theme of the franchise is “love”, what better medium than an adolescent love story? Thus, Tamako Love Story was brought to life. The film opened on April 26, 2014 and was released on video disc October 10, 2014 (mochi day and Mochizo Ooji’s birthday). This is a review for the Japanese Blu-ray release of the film. My thoughts on the film itself can be found elsewhere.
Front cover
Tamako Love Story: Yamada Excite Interview
Tamako Kitashirakawa: the daughter of the “Tamaya” mochi shopkeeper.
Mochizou Ooji: the son of the “Ricecake Oh! Zee” mochi shopkeeper.
The movie Tamako Love Story depicts the love between these two teenagers who grew up across from each other in the overly warm Bunny Mountain Shopping District.
The film, a sequel to the TV series Tamako Market which aired from January to March 2013, has had a long run in theatres due to the support of both Tamako fans and anime fans. Even over a month following its opening weekend, the film is still increasing the amount of theatres its screening at.
Thus we’ve come to interview the director of the film, Naoko Yamada, in order to thoroughly investigate Kyoto Animation’s newest masterpiece from when it was first planned until the ending.
(UMX warning: SPOILERS AHEAD FOR THE FILM!) Continue reading
Tamako Love Story: Yamada TAN Interview
In order to hype the upcoming release of Tamako Love Story on Blu-ray/DVD this week in Japan, I’ve taken the liberty to translate a couple of interviews with the director, Naoko Yamada. Here’s the first of them!
Tamako Kitashirakawa is the daughter of a mochi shopkeeper in the Bunny Mountain Shopping District. Tamako Market, the TV series which aired in 2013, begins when Tamako meets a talking bird from a southern island. The heartful comedy depicts people’s connections and love between Tamako’s friends as well as the shopkeepers in the shopping district. Coupled with the thorough work Kyoto Animation is known for with a warm story, the series was valued quite highly.
And so the sequel work, Tamako Love Story opened on April 26th. The orthodox adolescent love story is a new tale that shows a slightly different mood than the TV series. In order to find the highlights of the film as well as discuss production secrets, we went to speak with the director, Naoko Yamada.
Tamako Love Story Director Yamada Newtype March ’14 Interview translated
This month’s edition of the magazine Newtype had an interview with the director of the upcoming film Tamako Love Story, Naoko Yamada, this month. This is a translation of said article. Thanks to violaxcore for editing assistance.
Continue reading
Tamako Love Story Special: Director Yamada Interview translated
The Tamako Love Story official website posted the first part of an interview with the director of the film, Naoko Yamada, on 2014/03/07. This is a translation of that part. I’ll add the second part to this post whenever it is posted on the website. Thanks to violaxcore for editing assistance.
Continue reading
CTFK 2013 KyoAni, Pony Canyon, and Lantis Producers’ Discussion Translated
This is the third in a series of posts translating transcriptions/summaries of the four stage panels at Kyoto Animation/Animation Do’s CTFK 2013 event held November 30, 2013. This post will be about the Producers’ Discussion panel detailing background information about the works featured at the event. The transcriptions/summaries for this panel come from these bloggers. Editing support comes from irrevilent. Continue reading
KyoAni CTFK 2013 Directors’ Dialogue Event Translated
This is a translation of the “Directors’ Dialogue” stage event held at CTFK 2013 in Kyoto, Japan. The attendees on this panel were Director Tatsuya Ishihara, (AIR, Kanon, Clannad, Chuunibyou Demo Koi ga Shitai!), Director Yasuhiro Takemoto (Full Metal Panic? Fumoffu, Full Metal Panic! The Second Raid, Lucky Star (episodes 5-24), Hyouka, The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya), and Director Naoko Yamada (K-On! K-On! The Movie!, Tamako Market). The MC for this panel was Maiko Nishioka (Literature production and scriptwriter for Kyoto Animation). The transcript for this panel was provided by this blogger. Editing support comes from irrevilent.
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