What is there to say about Tamako Market when I’m sure a large number of those who have viewed it have also pushed aside every little feeling they had about it to simply consider it as…bizarre?

A lot, really.

My impressions on Tamako Market’s first episode do not completely differ from my fellow bloggers who have also seen this anime – Tamako Market left me too with a astonished expression on my face, with the words: “What in the world did I just watch” echoing around in my mind. I know randomness isn’t a rare sight in anime; it wouldn’t be very fun without it, yet when an out-of-the-ordinary element is added, (in this case, a talking bird) I can’t say it doesn’t take me by surprise.

From what we’ve seen until now, Tamako Market revolves around the lives of the various merchants who work in Tamaya (the town)’s shopping district, and mainly around the life of Tamako, the daughter of the Mochi shop owner. However, this would be too simple of a story if not for the sudden appearance of a talking bird named Mochimazzui, who decides to live with her until he loses weight from all the mochi finds a potential bride for his prince.

I’m perhaps not in the best position to say this, since Tamako Market is my second (at least to my knowledge) Kyoto Animation anime, but I felt this strong sense of familiarity when viewing this episode. The recognizable, pretty (to not say moe) character design and the calm, yet lively mood probably has something to do with it, but I really did feel like re-watching Hyouka, this time in an entirely different setting. Just like in Hyouka, I quickly fell in love with the charming characters who all live and work at the shopping district. Even if we haven’t presented and perhaps, seen them all in the first episode, they have managed to win my heart already just by sharing a strong, family-like bond between them and Tamako.

…Okay, so the only merchant anyone cared about was the transsexual florist. And maybe I was thinking about him in my last paragraph!

Moving on, what I also appreciated about Tamako Market, and which will possibly be shown under a serious light later on, are the little troubles of Tamako’s friend, Mochizou. Apparently, he’s beginning to develop feelings for our heroine, and is currently living an awkward phase which I look forward to seeing in the future. I always was a sucker for little romance.

Unfortunately, not everything can be perfect, and Tamako Market’s flaws were already apparent – the main one being the dull moments where the characters (or rather the narcissist bird Mochimazzui) were attempting to be funny when it wasn’t – but thankfully weren’t numerous to keep me from enjoying the episode.

Tamako Market’s first episode was bizarre (A bird having a nosebleed, no thank you finally), full of moe high school girls and a pinch of friendship, but nevertheless, it has won me over. Until the Mochimazzui with his high airs ends up really annoying me, that is.