Whether you’re discovering the series for the first time or want to return with the release of Tatami Time Machine Blues, this guide will help you navigate the mind-bending world of campus life in Kyoto. Discover: The Best Experimental & Avant-Garde Anime Fans Need to Watch
The Tatami Galaxy Explained: What’s it About?
Some anime can be described in a few words, but when it comes to The Tatami Galaxy, it’s impossible not to get dragged into a description that spirals in much the same way as “I”, its unnamed protagonist and his journeys through time itself. The Tatami Galaxy was a mystery rom-com anime released in 2010, based on the book of the same name. The autobiographical story revolves around the narrator “I”, a student at Kyoto University, who joins various clubs seeking his perfect university life and the girl of his dreams. The story then gets wrapped up in parallel universes as the narrator keeps joining different clubs but experiences the same events. The narrator almost always finds himself infatuated with a girl named Akashi but before he can make a move, the club is spectacularly derailed by his devilish friend Ozu. The narrator then wonders if life would be any different if he joined another club, which restarts the cycle. The Tatami Galaxy was a success both originally as a novel and then as an anime, leading to more series being created, each with a slight twist on the above formula.
How Many Tatami Galaxy Anime are There?
Currently, there are three series in the ‘Tatami universe’, each based on a book by Tomihiko Morimi: The Tatami Galaxy is the original and plays out as explained above, with a focus on parallel universes and strange events in different clubs. The Night is Short, Walk on Girl is seen as a spin-off to The Tatami Galaxy. While it features many of the same characters (albeit with some different names), it doesn’t feature the time-bending traits of the other series, although the pursuit of love is still at the core and there are many otherworldly moments. The Tatami Time Machine Blues is a more traditional sequel to The Tatami Galaxy, but this also contains some anomalies that stop it from being that simple. The characters are the same, but instead of taking place in multiple clubs, the story focuses on an amateur film club and a time machine.
The Best Tatami Galaxy Watch Order
The most important thing to know is that you don’t have to watch the other series to understand what’s happening. The main characters play quite obvious caricatures, so you can easily jump into any of the Tatami series and learn what’s happening. That being said, there is something of a journey happening across these anime, so if you want the full experience, the best Tatami watch order is likely the order of release: The Tatami Galaxy is where the narrator’s journey starts, so even if you don’t watch all of it, it can help to start here to understand the kind of patterns being played with. While The Tatami Time Machine Blues has a slightly different style of story, it does also feel like a microcosm of The Tatami Galaxy, or perhaps a forgotten part of that journey. With this in mind, you’ll likely enjoy Time Machine Blues more having watched The Tatami Galaxy. Walk on Girl is unique enough for it to be classed as its own thing. However, if you’re a fan of either of the Tatami series, Walk on Girl has a very similar feel but with added cinematics, so is definitely worth watching! Hopefully, this article will help you to navigate the wild, wacky world that is The Tatami Galaxy! For more news on the latest things anime, why not follow us on Twitter @epicstreamanime or on Facebook?
