Tamayura ~more aggressive~  (TYO Animations) – Genre: Slice of Life

Episode 01 – “A Year Since Being Welcomed Home, So…”

In this first episode of Tamayura series’s second season, we receive a lot of flashbacks that serve as a refresher of the first season. This also allows people who haven’t watched the first season Tamayura ~hitotose~, to easily jump into the action. Of course, I say that ironically because this series probably has the least action out of anything I’ve ever watched. It’s meant to be a completely relaxing anime, much like the Aria series.

Tamayura centers around a group of four high school friends who are trying to find their place in the world (aren’t we all though?). Our main character is Fuu Sawatori (CV: Ayane Taketatsu, Azusa from K-On!), a spacy girl who loves photography and is affectionately called “Potte” by her best friends. This coming school year, she vows to become more aggressive in continuing her love of photography by creating a photography club at school. Her other three friends include the caring Kaoru Hanawa (CV: Kana Asumi, Nyaruko from Nyaruko), the hyperactive Norie Okazaki (CV: Yuka Iguchi, Index from Index), and the near mute Maon Sakurada (CV: Yuko Gibo).

The series’s biggest strength is its amazing soundtrack, comprised of gentle piano, warm strings and winds and sets the easy-going pace of the series. Just listen to the main theme! Understandably, this slow pacing can be frustrating for people who want a bit more out of their anime series. So, I wouldn’t go into a series like this expecting a lot of conflict or important plot progression. Interestingly, the first season didn’t have any scenes that actually took place at school. The entire series took place on the island where Potte’s late father grew up, but this season already changed that idiosyncrasy in the first episode.

I feel like all I can say about Tamayura is that it’s a calming anime series, though the addition of “more aggressive” in this new season might imply that there might be a bit more (aggression?) to what was previously introduced in the first season. I’m looking forward to what other changes the series might bring, as well as the new characters. Also, more Momoneko!

B.W.