Please view full review to get to my actual review. Thank you.

One note first, as I think everyone currently following this series has noticed that the Cyber12 files for episodes 6 and 9 are missing. I sadly have to admit it’s my bad. Links are further down, but explanation first:
Thing is that at the moment, there’s two archives for “Tari Tari” up here. Type it into the search, and you’ll see what I mean -- there’s two links. Both have the same name, thus the same URL, thus any visitors to the site will end up here regardless of which of the mentioned links is chosen. Not so the files. Those go into the respective archive, one of which, as mentioned, is inaccessible at the moment -- which is exactly what happened with those two Cyber12 files when I tried to upload them. I did try to correct the mistake and upload them to the accessible location, aka the archive you’re currently viewing, but as double uploads won’t be accepted, of course it didn’t work. The server seems to know where the files are, but only it does. At the moment, even I cannot access these files despite them sticking around in my upload history. Took me a while to figure the whole thing out. T_T In case an admin is reading this, could the problem be fixed, please?

As for those still unable to view the mentioned files, here’s the direct DL:
http://bitshare.com/files/2xrxvwm5/-C12--Tari-Tari---06.mp4.html
http://bitshare.com/files/agj710nm/-C12--Tari-Tari---09.mp4.html
Can’t promise those links will work forever, but at least atm they do. Not providing the MediaFire link since MF has been in a hurry to delete all things copyrighted recently. Haven’t yet met that phenomenon on BitShare, though I can’t guarantee anything.


On to the review.


I don’t usually review a short series (25 eps or less) while it’s still ongoing. However, I feel like I’ve seen enough of this show to be able to see both the ups and downs and at least got a glimpse of where it’s going.

Story -- Claiming that there is one overarching plot to the whole series would be lying. However, there are many small conflicts, and while at the beginning they seemed just a little too meaningless and the whole thing just a little too fluffy to be able to hold out for thirteen episodes, even as a slice-of-life, development of those conflicts has been decent so far, and with the series taking a slightly more dramatic turn during the recent episodes, the sugary feel from the beginning has been almost dispelled as well. Development of both story and characters is very well-done so far.

The concept isn’t exactly the most original, but one of the more rich and complex ones with its several subplots being woven into one. There isn’t a clear message, nor do I expect things to truly become resolved at the end (this is a slice of life, after all); however, the development of both plot and characters, as mentioned, is well-done and has a more realistic feel to it than many other anime around. The pace has been pleasant so far, although it could be a little more consistent during the first few episodes.

If you enjoy a slice-of-life with some drama, touches of comedy or tragedy, and some decent development to substories and characters, “Tari Tari” certainly isn’t the worst one to watch. Also, it looks like it’s sticking to the manga so far, which is always a plus.

Characters -- Putting aside that the setup of the main characters, two boys and three girls, oddly reminds me of the also ongoing Kokoro Connect (Despite that, they have nothing in common, so I don’t even know WHY that is ^^°), the characters are one of the brighter points in “Tari Tari”. The beginning of the show does a solid job of providing character exposition and introduction in a natural fashion, and while characters may still seem either a little too sweet or a little too odd during the first episodes, things start falling into place later on when you learn about each character’s backgrounds. Latest at that point, the characters begin to come alive and prove they are rich and realistic personalities with depth to them. In terms of psychological design, “Tari Tari” so far has been successfully treading on a delicate line; no character so far has wound up exaggerated, despite the fact that the setup would easily allow them to.

Speaking of character backgrounds, while not every chara’s background has been shown to this point (episode 9), those that have been shown are well-done and have a distinctive feel of ‘close to reality’ to them. Over the recent episodes, I have certainly become able to feel with the characters (hey, the show made me cry at one point, and that’s rare with me); with getting to know the characters better, sympathising has become a lot easier. Also, the overall theme of dreams you don’t want to give up is one that will probably touch many hearts throughout all ages.

What is a little odd, but also sets this show apart from most other high-school-setting shows, is that it seems utterly devoid of romance so far. There’s friendship, there’s familial love, there’s conflicts, there’s characters growing closer, but not a hint of a romantic relationship. I can appreciate that as a change, but it did catch my eye, so-to-speak.

Dialogue -- More than deserves its full score. Flows well and realistically, whilst still enabling the viewer/listener to keep track well. There’s no word that feels out of place. Voice acting also fits the characters, and I haven’t been able to find obvious hiccups so far in this regard. Character interaction is carefully done.

Music -- This show is full of it, and has quite a variety. Not always to my taste, it’s without a doubt well-done however; the background music, while setting in just a little early on some scenes, helps get the atmosphere across; and scenes where one character (mostly male) tries to sing and utterly doesn’t get the tune right are quite funny. Due to this series being full of music, scenes without background music stick out and kind of have an even greater impact, but that might just be me. For the opening and ending themes, both are well-chosen, although the ending seems a little too happy and out-of-place as a follow-up to more dramatic episodes.

Animation -- The animation in itself is excellent, this being a recent series; however, there’s simply too many bugs for me to let it slide. E.g. in the opening animation, you’ll see some girls riding bikes, yet their upper bodies barely move; in the ending animation, there’s a flash where an arrow is held the wrong way round; and things like these reoccur. These bugs are tiny in themselves, and may not even disturb you if you’re caught up in watching, but if you pay attention to detail, they are notable and all in all occur a little too often for me to give the animation a full score.

The artwork, in contrast, certainly is something to set this series apart. “Tari Tari” is especially strong on background artwork and where it comes to patterns of light and shadow. Although it looks a little bit too clean in places (school yard, streets of the town), it’s pure relaxation for the eye. Colouring is well-done, realistic, and rich, this series being set in a brighter season (looks like late spring or summer).

In terms of character design, I might have to mention that some of the girls wouldn’t be distinguishable if not for their hairstyle and eye colour -- aka, some of them kind of seem to have the same face -- but if you don’t let that get to you too much, the design is mundane but done with attention to detail and fits the overall atmosphere of the show.

Entertainment -- There isn’t really much suspense here, but a few episodes in, there’s undoubtedly the drama/emotion factor that right now is keeping me on my toes for the next episode. It’s not a second Clannad After Story or anything (much, much softer than that), but it’s well-done. Comedy is there as well, probably not enough to satisfy comedy lovers, and not in any way over the top, but there are undoubtedly humorous moments -- most of which are Wien being taken for a fool.

Conclusion -- So “Tari Tari” might not be the strongest show where it comes to being particularly suspenseful or thought-inducing, especially at the beginning, and it certainly isn’t going to win an award for originality or any overarching plot; however, so far, it is unique, richly written, and fares well as a slice-of-life with drama and the occasional sprinkles of other genres. While there is a stagnant point in the beginning concerning character likeability and backgrounds, and some things may even seem a little devoid of explanation at first, this resolves quickly; so far everything worked out more or less, and with more and more being revealed about the characters, this show has become more interesting for me after a slightly doubtful start. Strong on characters, character backgrounds, small problems and sub-stories, and the development of both characters and subplots; lovable in terms of voice-acting and realistic dialogue; and certainly provides a glimpse into how complex even high school life can be.

I wasn’t quite sure about this show at the beginning, and even three episodes in I still had my doubts; but now, two thirds in, these doubts have been dispelled. I won’t state this as a must-watch, nor as an utterly intriguing show, as it is probably the softest and most “clean” or innocent one among all currently airing anime; however, for a soft but emotional watch with a rich storyline and well thought-out characters, this is recommended. Delightful moments of happiness and literal sugar are sure to brighten up rainy days, and more dramatic moments, despite not hitting as hard as certain shows such as “Clannad”, are subtly and realistically done, thus making “Tari Tari” all the more intriguing to me. I don’t think it’d suit the masses, but at least I am going to stick around.



My thanks to anyone who had the patience to read this entire review. And in response to my pre-previous reviewer (sry, forgot your pseudonym), Samurai Champloo isn’t up here and I can’t remember it ever having been. Making use of Google should help you though. '>.> (show less)