This was such a joy to watch, I made it a routine to watch 2 episodes every night before bed, or early in the morning. It was an excellent way to start the day, or to end the night. The series has an amazing atmosphere, the music is excellent, some of the best I've heard in anime. The soundtrack really gives off an Animal Crossing vibe, like Wild World or City Folk. It took me back to the days of playing City Folk on my Wii, and making sure everything was just right in my little village. It reminded me of my best friend in City Folk, his name was Bizkit, he was such an amazing little pupper. The best thing about the show was the amazing art direction, it's got this beautifully bubbly vibe, it isn't too much but it also isn't too out there, it's a safe looking anime and I mean that in the greatest way possible. I genuinely became strongly invested in Dera's story arc, and the overarching themes of Community really made this show one I'll remember when I want that warm hug feeling. It's an emotional journey too, I almost teared up multiple times, Anko had an emotional arc involving this boy she had a crush on, and it has a satisfying conclusion, even though I felt like it could've been a bit more fleshed out of the show had a longer episode list. It has a movie too, I've yet to watch it and I'm pretty sure it's its own contained story rather than a bonafide continuation of the show's plot. My only critique is that it left me wanting more, and I wish it would've had more plot lines involving Mochi, there were so many mochi puns, and so many episodes that involved the mochi store Tamako and her family ran, but I feel like it could've benefitted from a chance to completely nerd out over mochi and have an episode with a stronger emphasis on the food. Other than that I enjoyed the story and I can't wait to continue my journey with these characters when I eventually watch Tamako Love Story. Kyoto Animation is a studio I'm very familiar with, but I haven't watched a single anime by them until now. I'm very pleased with this one and my hopes are high going forward, there's a lot to respect about the studio and I think I'm gonna become a big fan of theirs soon.
Review of Tamako Market
