darrick09 - 2017-07-04 06:50:29

Brief review:

Wow. I ran across this anime randomly and it was a bit slow to start till I figured out what kind of show I was watching. Someone in some forum post asked what this was, a 13 part movie? That really changed my outlook on it after the first couple of episodes. It really felt like a movie! I felt this show encapsulated the messiness of real life…enemies, friends, enemy family members but still in all family members, pride, ego, tragedy, love and the trappings of whether or not one is or should be ambitious in life.

I thought this show was going to be the typical sort of fantasy anime that has some action, and characters powering up in big battles, a touch of romance and comedy, coming of age intertwined with the story, and generally a feel good “we defeated the evil dark arts” payoff by the final episode. But it was basically none of that in the end. Well…on paper maybe it was, but there was a lot more.

Now, if you start watching the show from that perspective (typical modern day magic/fantasy anime), as I did, and you keep that perspective until the end of the show, in its entirety, you might walk away feeling the show was mediocre at best. I’m telling you, watch it like it was a 13-part movie (pay attention, enjoy the subtext). This show has layers, it IS theatrical in many respects. I might have to watch it again soon!

The animation was great. And the backgrounds??!!! Absolutely amazing!! Oh and look, it has the best OST that I have heard in a LONG time. The insert music during the episodes was top production, really added to the theatrical nature of the show in its entirety. This damn show was basically a 5 hour movie, it was wonderful!! I think the ratings aren’t higher because people couldn’t reconcile their expectations going into the show with what they actually saw in the end, probably not enough payoff for people. Wonderful and hidden gem! And there is a season 2!

Put eyeballs on this show. And some ears too. Manage your expectations and you won’t regret it.

xorn - 2015-04-06 00:34:20

This anime is the most enjoyable ever.. so funny, amazing story and just magifincent. This is recommended too.. amazingly good, happy ending, really nice made, made me happy :)

bell90 - 2014-08-14 17:36:31

What is fun is good! — Souichirou Shimogamo

Uchouten Kazoku is both fun and good, I consider it a rare gem in a sea of junk that is the 2013 summer anime.

Story

The story begins with Shimogamo Yasaburou, the third son of a proud tanuki family giving us a quick tour of his hometown Kyoto inhabited by humans, shape shifting tanuki and Tengu. The story revolves around the power struggle between Shimogamo and Ebisugawa tanuki family. It's a tit for tat exchange though somehow the Shimogamo brothers always manage to rip off the asses of the Ebisugawa Twins. Their conflict started as a light bullying then it gets pretty serious as the series goes on. The story is simple yet it's hard to grasp at the beginning since there are all sorts of elements mixed in the setting, like a flying human girl and a club of humans with names resemble that of the gods. You're gonna ask yourself, are they just ordinary humans? or they're all like Benten --humans with the supernatural ability. The story goes deeper and more serious as they tackle the controversies revolving around their father's death.

Animation

The animation is average, it's pretty normal in my opinion. What I like the most is the character design, I really like Kumeta Kouji's design, it has a certain appeal to me like it's funny yet it's also serious in some ways. It's perfect for an ecstatic series like Uchouten Kazoku. The backgrounds too are beautifully done.

Sound

The OP fits the series really well, it's both loud and sounds really energetic, though it didn't appeal to me and the same goes for the ED, it's mediocre at best. The whole cast did a great job, the narrations and monologues are great, the voice of the MC is enticing enough for me to not get bored listening to his long dialogues.

Characters

The cast of Uchouten Kazoku is its foundation. The characters are what made this series so enjoyable to watch. The dialogues are well composed, the clashes of personalities plus their quips and jest are both excellent and well written. I planned to keep this review as short as I can so I will excuse myself on elaborating further into each of the characters personalities.

Enjoyment / Overall

Like I said, it's a gem in a sea of junk. The 2013 summer lineup is a pile of crap but Uchouten Kazoku made it a great season. It's a breath of fresh air if you're tired watching your usual dosage of moeshit. Not a masterpiece but it's certainly a must watch series.

percy.weber - 2013-11-21 09:40:45

Uchouten Kazoku was aired in 2013. It is an anime adaptation of a novel by

Tomihiko Morimi

Story(9/10)

Uchouten Kazoku is a beautiful story about family of tanuki who loses their father and hardships that comes with it. The story is fairly simple but the world in which the events takes place is enchanting and complex. Its a unique world inhabited by tengus who sore high in the sky, Humans who walks on earth and tanukis who crawls on earth. The world is the best part of the anime which turns a simple story into gem but the initial episode does not do a good job of introducing it. Initial episodes focus more on character development but the lack of knowledge about world leave the viewers confused.

The second half of show really picks up and finer details of the world are introduce which makes it easier to immerse in the story. The execution of event and plots twists was nothing less than amazing. When tension rises the show knows how to keeps you to your edge of your seat and when things get emotional it is very easy to relate to characters.

It is a wonderful combination of fantasy and family drama mixed with some comedy.

Character (8/10)

The characters is where this anime isn’t perfect. The character are quite interesting but the anime fails to develop some character which were really important to the story. Their motivation is never explained and thus leaves a bad impression.

Even with existence of these flaw the main cast is amazing. The family (including close friends) is developed quit well with exception of one character. They behave very realistically and leaves a very warm felling after watching them. Although the side characters are interesting but they lack their screen time.

Overall the characters are great with exception of some.

Art and Animation(8/10)

This is the first thing I watched from P A works and they deserve applaud for their work in Uchouten Kazoku . They follow a very minimalistic animation style but the backgrounds are insanely detailed (compared to characters) and dynamic (I hate static background). It looks nothing less than gorgeous. I don’t think there are any other studio which could have handled it better than them. Even though the animation was a bit inconsistent in some places but nothing immersion breaking.

Sound (9/10)

The sound is another part where Uchouten Kazoku excels. I really loved the opening and ending, the soundtrack was nothing less than amazing. It might seem a bit unusual but I liked the sound effects used in the actual anime much better than the actual opening and ending theme, there is a bit of keyboard (or other instrument) piece in some of the intense sequences which is quite beautiful, and the other bits used on emotion sequences were quite exceptional to me too.

Overall

I really enjoyed this anime and this is the kind of anime that remind me why I watch anime. It is something that could have never be achieved in any other medium. This is real gem and something you won’t get to see again.

This is one of the best anime of 2013. Don't waste your time reading this review just go watch it.

alden06 - 2013-10-25 02:38:24

I would like to start by saying that this review is slightly biased based on the sheer amount of love I have for this series, but I will attempt to qualify all my conjectures.

A quick summary of the plot can be found on both the Hummingbird page and elsewhere, but to wrap it all up:

Uchouten Kazoku follows the story of the Shimogamo family, a family of five that has recently suffered the loss of their father and husband, Shimogamo Souichirou, to a notorious group's tanuki hot pot. Taking place in a modern Japan fused with ancient folklore, the world of Uchouten is comprised of humans, tanuki and tengu, all of whom are able to show themselves throughout the anime. The tanuki world is thrown into turmoil at the loss of Souichirou, their head, and is constantly asking the same question as everyone else: How did a man as great as Souichirou end up in the Friday Fellows hot pot? Throughout a series of revelations, miscommunications, lies and tribulations, the truth of what happened on that faithful night begins to appear.

Story

Uchouten Kazoku is classified as a slice of life anime, and animes of that genre don't typically contain riveting plots. However, Uchouten manages to create an easy-to-follow plot that is intricately laced with feuding families, past secrets, present day rifts, Japanese folklore, and the "idiot blood" of the Shimogamo family. There was never a time where the story became mundane or painful to sit through, but instead every episode kept me engaged and emotional over this eccentric family. Each episode begins with a monologue from the lead character and middle son, Yasaburou, and typically ends with a similar monologue. These monologues are often reflective of the current situation or present life lessons/stories that the viewer can contemplate and relate to the story. Uchouten has a way of constructing a beautiful plot with a lot of merit without ever having to befuddle the viewer.

Animation

The easiest thing to notice about Uchouten Kazoku is the animation. Hands-down the most beautiful animation I've seen in a long time. There is a great contrast between the foreground and background that often allows both to shine without outshining the other. The characters are drawn in a fairly simplistic, stylized manner, but they are animated fluidly and able to portray a range of subtle emotions. The backgrounds, however, are intricate and beautiful, often resembling paintings of scenery. Scenery such as the vibrant red of the Torii contrasted with the greens and greys of the shrine or the autumn leaves falling upon a lamp-lit path with the nighttime hidden behind branches, are all gorgeously portrayed and used to the advantage of the mood. The animation never fails to convey the feel of the scene or lose its beauty throughout the entire series, a point worth mentioning.

Sound

Uchouten Kazoku has a beautiful soundtrack that is highly memorable to someone such as myself who doesn't typically ponder anime OSTs. The opening theme is fun and exciting and something that has you crying by the last episode over how much you're going to miss it, while the ending theme is quite somber in contrast. Both are catchy and easy to listen to without getting bored easily, and I often found myself sitting through the OP and ED every time. Other songs that play throughout the anime have me craving an OST release so I can download them and relish in their sole glory. From the song that plays during the opening monologue and casual moments, to the oddly melancholic piano melody that envelops all the serious scenes, to the song playing towards the final scenes of the last episode, Uchouten creates a soundtrack that never fails to contrast or accompany the mood in ways that just adds to the emotion the viewer is experiencing. Not to mention the lead voice actor is Sakurai Takahiro who voices many of my favorites.

Character

To me, good characters are what always makes up and saves many plots and storylines. While excelling in all other categories, Uchouten doesn't disappoint when it comes to its characters. The main character Yasaburou is a person without much ambition or drive much of the time; however, I couldn't help but feel drawn to him, almost like I understood where he was coming from. His development is not noticeable (as with all the other Uchouten characters), but the subtleties between his attitude at the beginning and at the end are what encompass his development as a character. His eloquent monologues, cowardly ways, impeccable transformation skills, and other aspects make Yasaburou a highly likeable lead. Furthermore, the other characters may not be built upon as much, but they are just as enjoyable as Yasaburou. The eldest brother Yaichiro and the second eldest Yajirou are real tearjerkers with their contrasts in trying to be a responsible adult and trying to escape from responsibility, but still manage to hold so much love for their family. The youngest brother Yashirou manages to show his heroics towards the end of the series, and their mother is an admirable woman of great dignity and love for her children. Although deceased before the series beginning, their father Shimogamo Souichirou was a respectable leader who had great ideal and an abundance of love for his children and wife. Aside from the main family, there is also the infamous Benten (a human who learned to be a tengu) and the eccentric Akadama-sensei (an elder tengu who's a little off-key). Both play highly involved and pivotal roles in the story with Benten functioning as not an antagonist but as a different opinion. The other characters include Souichirou's brother Ebisugawa Souun and his children (one of which is the fianceé of Yasaburou) and the Friday Fellows (the infamous group that cooks tanukis at their end-of-the-year hot pot). None of the characters fall through in enjoyment and interest, and all present a way to fall in love with them. Easily a category that I think Uchouten excels in is the characters.

Enjoyment

If I haven't gotten it across yet, I'll try again now: Uchouten Kazoku has been my favorite anime of the Summer 2013 season. It is so incredibly enjoyable, I cannot even stress it. Everything from the aesthetics which draw you in at first sight to the characters that keep you wanting to see more, Uchouten Kazoku never lets you feel bored for even a split-second. By the end of the series, you're crying at the opening theme because it's hard to see such an amazing show end. Easily a 10/10 for me because Uchouten has been something that I have recommend and will continue to recommend.

Overall

I couldn't get out of this even if I wanted to, but it's definitely a perfect 10/10.

antone64 - 2013-10-03 02:26:17

Uchouten Kazoku follows the trials and tribulations of a tanuki (raccoon dog) family in modern day Japan after the death of the father and leader of the tanuki clan. The world of Uchouten Kazoku has three races: the normal humans, the flying tengu, and the elusive tanuki. These beings have sought balance in the world, but this balance is thrown off after Souichirou Shimogamo (the tanuki leader) is mysteriously boiled in a tanuki hot pot by the prestigious gentlemen's club the Friday Fellows. As the story continues, the mystery of Sou's death gets deeper and deeper and characters become even more interesting and unique.

Story: 9/10

Uchouten Kazoku has the most compelling story I have seen in a while. It starts off simply by introducing the world to the viewer: the main character takes you and a journey in the first episode and explains the lifestyle of the world. As each episode airs, the story develops consistently and grows into a diverse and compelling story. Viewers will immerse themselves into the tribulations of the Shimogamo family, after all is a curse of their idiot blood.

Animation: 10/10

Clean cut and beautifully animated. Uchouten Kazoku has some really pleasant and incredible visuals from the fireworks, to the rivers, to the leaves, to the tanukis, etc. Human characters have traits that make them stand out among the mythical creatures of Uchouten Kazoku. Everything stands out and blends in.

Sound: 10/10

Arguably a contender for best OST of the Summer 2013 anime season. It has some really beautiful and uplifting music. The tone juxtaposes with the emotion of the story quite well. The sound effect of the tanuki transformations is just as lighthearted as the music.

Character: 9/10

Characters of Uchouten Kazoku are three dimensional, round, and eccentric. You have your tanuki, your tengu, and your human. They all stand out alone within their race and have complexities of their own. Probably the best out of these characters is Yaichirou Shimogamo, the second eldest son who transformed into a frog and forgot how to change back. Other notable characters include Benten, the human with tengu magic, and Prof. Akadama, the grumpy drunk old tengu who can't fly. Even beyond poor Yaichirou and the others there are plenty other characters for the viewer to enjoy.

Enjoyment: 10/10

Uchouten Kazoku is a slice-of-life-mystery-comedy-drama. The first two episodes might drive viewers away, but guaranteed after that the series will keep viewers wanting more cute tanukis doing tragic things. Definitely a top contender for Anime of the Season.

Overall: 10/10

I give Uchouten Kazoku a perfect score across the board. Highly enjoyable and highly re-watchable.