What better way to end the year than with a look back at how the year has been, the choices made and the things we have done. Sometimes, existing regrets make it hard to do so, and in turn may leave us feeling weighted down. If we were given the chance to redo all that has happened, would you take it? The Tatami Galaxy (四畳半神話大系、Yojouhan Shinwa Taikei）explores that very question.

Meet Watashi, our main character Picture credits to: sekijitsu.com

Based on the novel of the same name, our journey begins with the meeting of our main character, a young male college student, as he shares with you his adventures and even more numerous misadventure over the course of his first 2 years in college. He looks back at his choice of circle (a club, or interest group in Japan, similar to clubs here in Singapore), having had hopes of meeting the raven-haired beauty of his dreams; but no matter how hard he tries to chase it, his efforts always seem to veer off course landing him in sticky, sticky situations. And as mentioned above about ‘changing the past, he wonders if he had did things differently, would he have achieved what he has always wanted? A rose-coloured campus life? With that the first episode ends with the chiming of a clock, the winding of a spring, and the counter-clockwise turning of the hands.

Picture credits to : elescritoriocaotico.blogspot.sg

Joining him on this merry romp is a colourful cast of friends, with equally colourful ideas and perspectives that matches the show’s unique aesthetic. Together with its machine-gun narration, the jokes and gags flying at a blistering pace, which hits hard and fast. A truly roller coaster of a ride, it stretches over a short 11 episodes, but its overarching message is a wonderful thing to behold and appreciate, which is something I definitely recommend to be worth a moment of your time this holiday.

Post by Meldon Wee
Edited by Kai Yeat

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