Anime-Source.Com - The Tatami Galaxy (Yojo-han Shinwa Taikei)

A Spotlight Preview by AJtheFourth

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Our nameless, ordinary-looking protagonist...

...who expected a "rosy campus life."

There is a time in most people's lives when their future seems to be beckoning with an irresistible amount of hope and brimming with an insurmountable quantity of optimism. For many, this time occurs simultaneously with their first year at a university.

It is with this enthusiasm and attitude that the nameless protagonist, referred to as Watashi, of The Tatami Galaxy approaches his first year, looking forward to all of the perks of a "rose-colored campus life." These naturally include the addition of a beautiful, raven-haired girl on his arm. Unfortunately, as much as Watashi wants things to change, he stubbornly remains the same static character, unable to fully grasp just why his personality is holding him back from achieving what he claims to desire.

Watashi envisions dreams of romance...

...that are quickly dashed by reality.

Just as he begins to despair, an odious character by the name of Ozu appears on the scene, much like a tiny devil on his shoulder who, preying on Watashi's insecurities, urges him to rail out against the people who he is still unable to fully connect with. Whether it's breaking up people on purpose because his own romantic life is nonexistent, or exposing a lauded Big Man on Campus as a closet pervert with several creepy fetishes, Watashi is only too eager to exact revenge on his supposed tormentors until his plans inevitably go horribly awry.

The friend/villain, Ozu.

Together, he and Watashi make others' lives miserable.

This is when Watashi begins to regret his lot in life, recounting his failures with a quick wit and an even quicker tongue. He begins to say things like, "If only I'd never met Ozu." "If only I'd kept my promise." "If only I'd acted sooner instead of later." "If only I'd been honest." The Tatami Galaxy takes these thoughts to new levels of humor and despair, exploring where exactly "if only" takes Watashi by restarting his university career at the beginning of each episode. If the Tennis Circle doesn't pan out for him, he'll try the Movie Club in the next episode. When that doesn't work, possibly the Cycle Team will bring him to where he wants to be. Watashi's not going back in time as much as we're seeing his story told in different parallel worlds.

Every episode he meets the same fortune-teller...

...who tells him that his dreams are within his grasp.

This does mean that every episode is basically the same type of plot, with fairly static characters. However, before the mention of repetition causes you to run screaming in the opposite direction due to bad memories of a certain summer series last year that ran eight nearly identical episodes, The Tatami Galaxy is nothing like "Endless Eight" of The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya fame. Instead of repetition for repetition's sake, The Tatami Galaxy uses its repetitive nature to demonstrate Watashi's inability to grow beyond his own insecurities and selfish nature. In these instances, "if only," gets him absolutely nowhere. It's as pathetic as it is humorous, especially since the viewer, and every other recurring character in the series, can plainly see the path to move forward literally dangling well within Watashi's grasp.

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