Saving the world... by fishing?
Yuki Sanada has always felt like a fish out of water. Socially awkward and anxious, he struggles to fit in with his surroundings and moves from town to town with his grandma. As he and his grandma settle into the charming seaside town of Enoshima, Yuki hopes for a fresh start. However, his reputation at school is jeopardized by the arrival of fellow transfer student Haru. The eccentric Haru immediately makes a splash, wildly claiming to be an alien and declaring that Yuki is his friend. Pairing the reluctant Yuki with their classmate and fishing talent, Natsuki Usami, he tasks both of them with the absurd mission of saving the world from a mysterious threat in the ocean. Mischief and hijinks ensue, as these three embark on a whimsical adventure filled with laughs, heart, and self-discovery!
[Written by MAL Rewrite]
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Comentários
Astar
Tsuritama is a show that will exceed your expectations. It will lure you in hook, line, and sinker, and make you question how an anime about fishing could ever be quite so enjoyable. The story is set in the quaint town of Enoshima. There, the show’s protagonists—Yuki, Haru, Natsuki, Akira, and Tapioca (*quack quack*)—all come together to share in a singular pastime: fishing. It is through the characters’ forced participation to undertake in this hobby that we are able to truly understand each and every one of their personal anxieties and motivations. We are imbued with a real sense of fulfilment, as through their fishing we arenot only a witness to their own personal growth, but also to the most important theme of the show—friendship.
There can be no doubt that by the end of the last episode, you will find yourself truly invested in the characters. You will feel like you have walked through the streets of Enoshima yourself, and you will feel like you could just as easily cast off, and spend the afternoon winding down to a spot of fishing—it can be that immersive at times.
A big part of why is due to the art and the sound, which are both thoroughly quirky. The art in particular, opts for a unique style that colours the setting of Enoshima and its occupants, in a vivid, refreshing palette. It does a fantastic job of symbolising and emphasising certain parts, which at times can also make it feel rather reminiscent of a work by Shaft.
The use of sound is also well thought out. The OP and ED are incredibly catchy, and ease you into the feel of the show, whilst the soundtrack never feels repetitive, or out of place.
It should go without saying that there are obvious limitations. Notably, Haru, who you will turn out to either love or despise. There are also personal niggles of mine, which include how certain objects do not benefit from the art style, and how there is practically no development for the character Erika, but these are subjective.
Tsuritama, overall, feels like it offers exactly what it set out to do. It is silly, imaginative, and charming, never once complicating its wacky, yet simple plot with unnecessary information. It is a true feel good show that I can thoroughly recommend trying.
Duck!
maxima423
i usually dont finish 12 episode animes in two days, but when i do, i know its a real work of art. if you're looking for a amazing anime to watch, than this is the one for you. it has everything you would want, awesome story, hilarious characters and one epic goal to bring them together. the story does start of kind of slow, but for a good reason, the characters needs to develop the necessary skills in order to accomplish their goals, the real story actually starts around episode 5 than it really picks up, it picks up so much that i couldnt stop from episode7-12, each episode keeps me wanting for more and more, and to me, i havent had an anime make me want to do that for a LONG time.
and also, one of my favorite hobbies is fishing, so this actually taught me a couple things, and thats always a bonus =)
give this anime a shot, you will be very surprised on how awesome it is
Pixaiated
The main theme behind Tsuritama is a very simple one, and one which is very common in media - the power of friendship. Of course, as this isn't a silly battle shounen, it is much more than a simple excuse to randomly power up a character to beat the big bad evil, but rather, is a simple and heartwarming tale of how a mysterious alien boy manages to break the barriers of a few boys, helping them form bonds that would last a lifetime, helping them to grow beyond who they are. Beyond its excellent slice of life portion, the show also features a very bizarreplot. I often call these things silly, but it is done with some remarkable charm that I can't help but love it. Ranging from Tapioca to the D.U.C.K organization, the show mixes its 'serious' side with some very hilarious scenes, resulting in a great experience. The actual plot is pretty well done as well, resulting in a satisfying ending that perfectly concludes the series.
As yet another excellent entry into the slice of life genre, Tsuritama mixes the supernatural with strong characterization to create a hilarious and heart-warming work that can surely resonate with most.
vegetablespirit
With age comes a sense of self. Or at least, that's what Tsuritama wants us to believe. Ironically, though, the series itself never knows what it wants to be – is it a dramatic slice of life or a quirky, supernatural adventure? The result is ultimately spontaneous, for better or for worse. Yuki has a hard time making friends. Always moving from place to place, there's little time for him to get to know anyone, and his social anxiety doesn't help. More than anything, he's afraid of being considered weird. But while living with his grandmother on the island of Enoshima, Yuki meets a self-proclaimed'alien' transfer student named Haru. To make matters worse, his grandmother is allowing Haru to stay with them, and he's asked their classmate to teach them to fish. Some may find this to be a bit of a boring premise, and they'd be right – it's just done very reasonably. When the rag-tag group begins to learn to cast their lines, choose their bait, and have fun, the series is at its best; even though the drama presented isn't anything groundbreaking, there's more than enough to keep the viewer entertained and smiling through these episodes... Until the direction of the series shifts drastically.
Disorienting would be an understatement. The events that follow this change feel like two completely different shows quickly mashed together. Plot elements that were previously completely ignored or played off as jokes were then brought to the forefront, and the elements I was beginning to grow fond of became totally irrelevant. As Tsuritama makes its way down a long checklist of sci-fi and coming-of-age clichés, we learn more about the history and goals of our characters as they work their way towards an unexciting climax. Given that the characters are nearly impossible to care about, the drama goes nowhere; the only effort put into writing them is regarding how weird or unique they are. It's enough for a simple slice of life, but becomes intolerable once any relatively serious element comes into play.
The only real consistency viewers should note is within the art and sound. If anything, the latter is too consistent. While the music is fun and compositionally playful, there's little risk or direction taken with it. The soundtrack is seemingly only made up of woodwind instruments and the occasional percussion, and that's the problem. While it may compliment the occasional scene, it usually sticks out like a sore thumb. The cheerfulness of it all doesn't refrain from playing in the middle of more dramatic or tense moments, so why not make use of silence? Character designs are also notable, but not in a positive fashion. The visuals are incredibly close to being considered good; you're shown scene after scene of bold, watercolour-inspired scenery and characters, yet something as simple as their hair doesn't match up with the rest of the artstyle. Thankfully, it's probably the only thing in the show that looks outright ugly, but it was more than enough to bother me a few times every episode.
With the first half of Tsuritama serving only as a setup for the second, it feels like a playful accident in which character development was an afterthought. As a whole, it could probably be described as an all-too-sweet desert stuffed into you after you're already full. The extra course proved to be a bit too much for me, but the less picky may find it welcome or even superior to the main dish. Taste is a strange beast to tackle.
Zomino
An anime about fishing, that somehow becomes shonen. I expected Tsuritama to be a slow slice of life that recreated the relaxing atmosphere of fishing and was driven by dialogue. Sadly the characters are mostly annoying and the strangely shonen ending is last minute character development. The whole fishing aspect is a bit gimmicky and I thought it was wasted potential. Yamada (Sugita Tomokazu) is awesome and the anime is visually really pretty but its still not particularly interesting. People say Tsuritama is underrated... ...Nah
matt_todd
Tsuritama (2012) is an “odd duck” (pun intended) of an anime, meaning it uses a less common style of story telling. While many stories can happen almost “anywhere,” and many occur in a fantasy location, this show has a very strong sense of a real place; namely Enoshima. Enoshima is an actual Island at the mouth of the Katase River in Sagami Bay, on the Pacific Ocean. The island is connected to the mainland by a pair of 600m bridges; a pedestrian bridge and a bridge for motor vehicles. Enoshima and Sagami Bay were made world famous for being the harbour and the area where thesailing races of the 1964 Olympic Games were held. The island is the centre of Shōnan, a popular resort area both because of the sandy beaches, and because of its proximity to Tokyo. Enoshima is roughly halfway between the center of Tokyo and the top of Mount Fuji.
The anime renders accurate depictions of the area, albeit with vibrantly exaggerated colours. The bridges, the sky tree (a prominent feature of Enoshima), the train stations, the high school, the beaches and piers, even the bridge at the mouth of the Katase River, and many other features of the area are all reproduced quite well for us here to enjoy.
This is a complex story with many layers and story types. It is partly a fishing story, partly a coming of age story, a story about the value of friendship and family, the importance of place, a even little bit of Man vs Alien, all with enough whimsy and over-the-top absurdity to keep it fun. With the exception of the opening of Episode 1, the entire story occurs in the Enoshima area, either on land or in the waters of Sagami Bay. And it is this strong sense of a real place that keeps the story somewhat grounded, even when the most absurd of events are occurring.
Almost all of the characters are, obviously, caricatures. The story is primarily about Yuki Sanada, a boy so helplessly self-conscious that he makes an absurd face when under stress which only makes him feel even more self-conscious and stressed. He lives with his Grandmother, Keito Sanada. Yuki is not particularly bright nor gifted in any way, but he is a nice guy when he’s not allowing himself to be too embarrassed to show it. Keito tries her best to guide and advise Yuki.
Upon arriving in Enoshima, an alien named Haru moves in with Yuki and Keito. Haru’s has arrived on Earth with his sister, Coco, and they have a mission to fulfil while here. Coco only shows up from time to time in the series. Haru immediately starts work on their mission, and Yuki is going to play a prominent role in fulfilling their mission on earth. Not being from earth, Haru is often unaware of human emotions and also find himself receiving plenty of advice from Keito.
Everybody needs a hobby, a pastime, or some goals in life. And everyone needs a mentor to be able to succeed at any of those. Natsuki Usami, a fellow high school student of Yuki and Haru, is a bit of a loner. Natsuki starts as the fishing instructor and mentor for Yuki and Haru and becomes a friend to them over time. He is a locally famous for his fishing skills and is called the “fishing prince” for his skills in competitions. Natsuki lives with his father and sister. His relations with his father are strained, but he holds his sister quite dear and is like another, much kinder, person around her.
The last of the main characters is the alien hunter, Akira Agarkar Yamada. He is older than Yuki, Haru and Natsuki, by about 10 years, but he ends up in the same high school anyway. Akira is quite aloof and another loner character. Akira keeps a white goose (or is it an oversized duck), named Tapioca, with him at all times, and constantly talks to it. Akira is an agent of “Duck,” a mysterious organization that tracks aliens. Akira has enough rank to have several agents who report to him, but still reports to several layers of superiors within “Duck.” Unsurprisingly, “Duck” has resources at its command that would make most Generals, and even most Commanders-In-Chief, jealous. As Akira follows and starts interacting with Haru and the rest, he becomes aware of the mission that Haru and Coco have, and starts to take part with fulfilling their mission while also making fiends with Natsuki, Haru and Yuki.
The story and action are the catalyst for the bringing together of these four characters. Haru, in part to fulfill his mission and in part because of how his character is, is usually the one to push and pull the story along until the climactic scenes. Learning any new skill takes time and practice and the process can be quite frustrating, even for fishing. But this learning process is the time when Haru, Yuki and Natsuki start to get to know each other, and during this process they become closer. It is also during this process that Akira stops watching from afar, and starts to participate with the others.
The story shows us how Yuki turns from an awkward boy with little by way of roots in any place, to a more confident young man with a deep connection to Enoshima; for this reason alone the story’s strong sense of place in Enoshima is critical. Haru, who knows little of human relationships, comes to learn of the importance of family and friends, and learns to participate as a friend amongst humans, all while receiving motherly advice from Keito and while being supported by his sister, Coco. Natsuki is able to open up enough to make friends with the others, and also opens himself up enough to improve his relations with his father. Meanwhile Akira is able to also open up and find friends, and to find the fortitude to stand up to what is important to him.
Fish tales are always hyperbole, and this anime is likewise over-the-top. But at its core is a heartwarming story about growing up and making friends, and about what friends can do together to overcome incredible hardships. It also shows that process of making friends is not without its own hardships, and that overcoming these hardships is well worth the effort. Likewise, the art style, the music, the story, the characters are all also over-the-top. But that it is all a bit over-the-top helps add to the comedy while softening some of the harsher moments.
Because it is a bit over-the-top it can be a bit hard to see the core of the story, specifically the character development of the main characters, at least at the beginning. But if you let yourself be taken in by this fish tale, you’ll have a whale of a time.
basementfire
Watch the series from beginning to end. The first 5 episodes are slow, but it definitely picks up from there. The pacing of the story is like that of a swelling wave: first you don't notice how slowly it's building up, and then suddenly it's 30 feet high and growing more impressive by the second. At first, I rated this anime an 8, but right now it's a solid 10, and it wouldnt have been without the earlier episodes to build it up to the final and beautiful conclusion. The anime isn't exactly slice of life, if I had to pick a genre, it wouldprobably fit best in that category in terms of feel.
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Characters: 10
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The story starts off with two main protagonists: Yuki (Japanese: Winter Snow) the red head with a fear of being stared at, and Haru (Spring), the innocent alien whose complete lack of self-consciousness allows him to bond with everyone. The story then expands to include Natsuki (Nastu=Summer), the reclusive fishing Prince with family problems, and Akira (Aki=fall), the indian who grew up friendless and claims that friendship is unnecessary. Each of these characters has a problem that they try to deal with on their own, but is unable to overcome until they accept the help from their friends.
Haru is the most polarizing character of the bunch. Because he's an alien, he inadvertently says or does some very, very offensive things. Like, "wow please just get punched in the face now" offensive. If you hate the series because of Haru, or because the plot is too slow, just stick with it, because I promise it gets better.
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Plot: 10
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Yes, there is some plot. From the first episode, you see that an fishy alien (Haru) comes down to earth and meets the socially-anxious Yuki, and asks him to fish with him. Plot wise, the anime goes deeper into how Yuki masters each fishing technique (shounen-style) from his tutor Natsuki, while Akira, the DUCK officer, tries to observe Haru without drawing suspicious. While this might not sound exciting enough to make you keep watching, I promise you it is better than it sounds. And that the main draw of the anime isn't exactly the plot as it is the character development and the forging of friendships
Perhaps the most beautiful part of this anime is seeing how each of these characters manages to change dramatically from the start of the series to the end, especially when you notice that a development in one character manages to spur maturity in another, and etc. Isn't this how we mature as people in real life, as well?
- Pacing Note -
First 5 episodes - slow, but the effort the show puts into developing basically every character and story you'll run into makes the emotional payoff from these episodes worth it. You have to pay attention, because there are so many beautiful little details scattered throughout that I didnt notice until I rewatched them (after episode 11)
All episodes after the first 5: just ridiculously amazing. The plot resurfaces after seemingly been shoved aside for awhile, and everything just picks up.
- Overall, this a beautifully drawn anime with a relatively simple (though eccentric) plot of how these 4 really different people meet, become friends, and change each other for the better.
Astroleaf
The story was very unique, but in a way it was almost it's crutch. While I did l enjoy the creative mix of fishing, supernatural, and alien, sometimes the absurdity of it all made the the story feel kind of silly. There were where times when the mixing of genres would take away the bite out of serious moments, of course there were also those pitched perfect moments where everything just came together. It was a bit awkward, but for the most part, it just worked. I am a real sucker for interesting art styles, I really couldn't help but appreciate that inTsuritama. The vibrant colors really made this anime pop, and it really suited a lot of the characters. Towards the end of the series a lot of that color was brought down to fit the climax, what little color was left really gave it a surreal sort of tone, fitting for an alien.
The music was great through out the series, though I did wish they would have changed the eyecatch a little at times. Hearing its happy tone interrupting some of the more serious moment was a bit unsettling, luckily the series remained happy go lucky most of the time, so this problem didn't occur too much.
In all honestly, I had some trouble getting used to Haru at the beginning, but I eventually warmed up to is absurd personality. As the story went on, Haru along with the rest of the cast became easier to sympathize with or just generally like. Whether it is the father who is trying to fix the strained relationship with his son, or the hilarious antic of the love struck small time ship captain. More notably our MC Yuki, a severely socially awkward young man, who is changed by a couple of strange new acquaintances, brought together by fishing. We get a few really great character breakthroughs in the series that is just handled very well.
I'm not one who easily enjoys everything they watch, but I really enjoyed this series. I enjoyed it for its modesty, something I don't see as often in anime, something that was very apparent in this series (unless you misread friendships for something else). The bond shared by close friends, and their obstacles they overcome together, something simple in a complex setting, something that just work.
Overall this series although not the greatest anime ever. A colorful story, wonderfully designed/likable characters, odd setting and an equally odd plot. Tsuritama is a great watch, and a solid 8 from me.
animeRoads
Hmm... What the fu*k is this? An alien who wants to fish a legend, so he involves a guy who is socially awkward and another guy who's good at fishing. Okay... I think that's the summary of my review. No, seriously, this is one of the MOST confusing anime I've EVER seen in my whole bloody life. The first 3/4 episodes don't make much sense... and the story don't take off until ep 6. By then, I figure most people would've dropped it already. So in a sense, this anime tests the viewer's perseverance .... and my God, if you persevered, you're in for one goodtreat. When the story kicks in, you are hooked, much like a fish. There's a sense of uniqueness surrounding this anime. You just gotta watch it to understand.
Now, if you've read my review all the way here, I thank you. But honestly, you would've noticed I've not talked about the characters/story/art etc at all. Well, I did say you gotta watch it to understand. I could say how good/bad this anime is, but that's my opinion. I only want to encourage others to explore an anime, instead of reading some stranger's comments.
Firechick12012
Let me get one thing straight: I hated 2012. I hated all the stuff that has been going on in my life since November 2011, when everything I know and love suddenly started mercilessly going down the drain. Ever since then, I've wanted to crawl under a rock and die, and I still do! Heck, I'd even be so bold as to wish that the world DID end on December 21st, 2012! After all the crap that's been happening to me, I honestly didn't think I'd ever be happy again, and I still don't think I'll ever be truly happy again considering how traumatizing everything'sbeen for me...that is, until April 2012. What if, one day, you were in a really depressed mood, and then you suddenly find something that somehow manages to put a smile on your face throughout the whole thing. It's so cheery, so colorful, so funny, so bright, so optimistic, so joyful, and so downright refreshing that you feel so happy you wonder why you were ever depressed in the first place. That is Tsuritama, right here. I still consider anime to be my gateway drug in times of great despair and anguish...though this anime in itself just fulfilled all of my gateway drug wishes.
A lot of people were a bit confused by the story so I'll try to explain it as clearly as possible. There's this kid named Yuki whose grandmother has to move around a lot due to her job, and he hasn't been able to make friends, nor does he have the proper social skills to really make any, and is frequently overcome with anxiety, mostly in the form of his face turning into a red demon face which scares the heck out of everybody (Why does it happen to him? I dunno. They never explain it). So he and his grandmother move to Enoshima, a beautiful island by the sea. All of a sudden, Yuki is approached by this strange cloud cuckoolander kid named Haru who claims he's an alien and forces him to go fishing. Why? Because Haru wants to save the world. But why does he need Yuki of all people, and how can fishing save the world? Joining them are Natsuki, a sour kid who hates everybody, and Akira, a strange Indian guy who works for an organization named DUCK and has a pet duck named Tapioca. They go on a bunch of adventures while learning about fishing, though some strange stuff happens.
If there's one thing I noticed about anime in my seven years of watching them in Japanese, it's the fact that no two anime can really have the same animation style (save for some exceptions). Every anime is different in their presentation and animation, which I think is one of the reasons why I've stuck with a lot of anime for all these years, and Tsuritama is no different. However, Tsuritama's animation in itself is quite different from a lot of modern anime you see in this day and age. Everything is completely bright and colorful for the purpose of showing us the sheer joy we find in the things we like doing, like how Yuki grows to like fishing after trying it. The animation style also helps to set the mood when it needs to, bright when it's happy and cheery, dark when wants to be serious and morose, and believe me, Tsuritama DEFINITELY has its serious moments, and they do NOT mess around! It may help to know that the animation was done by A-1 Pictures, known for doing anime like Sora no Woto, Sword Art Online, AnoHana, and Fractale, all with the same simple but fluid and motion-filled style of animation. Granted, some faces get distorted at times, but it's not anything that'll kill the show.
The music is another area where the show shines brightly, because it also has a very unconventional soundtrack. Let's put it this way: it's basically 85% woodwind instruments, complete with FWEET noises all over...and it is awesome. All of said pieces are bouncy, happy, and cheerful sounding, completely fitting the show's bright color palette and cheerful mood. But there's still room for nice orchestral pieces and bombastic epic pieces too, all fitting their respective scenes and moods like peanut butter and jelly meshing together perfectly. I can't seem to find any flaws with it! It's the kind of music that'll stick in your head for years and never leave, and you'll find yourself whistling it forever!
The characters are another great aspect of the show. There are just too many shows ripping off each other with teenagers as lead characters who all have the same personalities and archetypes: there's a shy kid, a cheerful kid, a stoic sourpuss, etc. Tsuritama, however, makes it a point to give its characters as much development and originality as possible, and they wind up growing into great characters in the process, and they don't stick to their gimmicks for long. Yuki starts off cripplingly shy, but soon he's able to speak his mind. Natsuki starts off as a jerk, but he becomes kinder later on. Haru is just too oppressively cheerful, but there's a lot more to his excessive childlike cheer than he lets on. There's also the fact that the situations they're in play out more naturally and don't come off as cheesy or ham-fisted, truly setting off their development. All of the characters are great, and because they bounce off each other and clash like the dickens, their chemistry comes off as really natural and realistic. I can see people acting the way they do in real life, and the animation really helped in bringing them to life, too.
I feel really bad trying to find flaws for this show, as it's the sweetest thing ever! But unfortunately, like all anime and everything else, it does have some flaws. For one thing, we never get a reason for where the heck Yuki's parents are, nor do we ever find out why he makes a demon face whenever he's anxious to the point of feeling like he's drowning. I also really didn't like Haru's Japanese voice. It got annoying hearing that overly squeaky voice...and surprisingly enough, his English dub voice improved on it in every single way! I seriously must talk about the English dub. Sentai Filmworks may not make good dubs most of the time, but when they hit, they hit REALLY hard, and Tsuritama is seriously one of the best English dubs they've made! Most of the voices are perfectly cast, the scripting is great, and it really does the show justice! I only found one major flaw with the dub, though: Sakura's voice. Nancy Novotny does her English voice, and while she isn't BAD, her voice is just too hoarse for a little kid like her, she sounds really forced, and unfortunately she misses the mark on one pivotal moment in episode 7. That, and I'm a HUGE Ogura Yui fan. That's about it. Plus, the first five episodes run at a slow pace and most of the episodes in that period are lessons on fishing, so it may test your patience quite a bit. Haru's English voice is seriously the high point of the English dub. It's like they shipped Miyu Irino off to America, made him take English for ten years, and recast him in the role, he's THAT good! You guys really need to check out the English dub! Also, my school's anime club absolutely LOVED this anime to death. We watched six straight episodes of it alongside Deadman Wonderland within two semesters!
If you're looking for something sweet and colorful that'll put you in a good mood and tug at your heartstrings, fish Tsuritama out of the water! Enoshima don!
onisuzume
Tsuritama is definitely one of the most re-watchable animes that I've ever watched. The story was quite different, and I'm not used to watch animes associated with 'fishing'?? Sanada Yuki is an introverted and socially awkward red-haired teenager who is used shifting schools with his grandmother, and somehow they happen to shift to this small island: Enoshima. There, Yuki encounters the cheerfully alien Haru and Natsuki, the fishing prince. The main reason why Haru and Yuki became friends is to save the world from the danger threatening the island of Enoshima. A mysterious organization ‘DUCK’ tries to capture Haru thinking he’s the main cause ofthe danger, and there they meet up with Akira (I didn’t like him at all but then he was wicked cool at the end!). And the only person who can save the world is Yuki, and that’s by learning how to fish. Thanks to Natsuki and other secondary characters in the story, Yuki’s confidence is built up and his determination to keep his friends close and saving the world kept me at the edge of my toes.
I really loved the characters and the art of the anime was quite different than the typical ones I watch. I enjoyed it though!
The thing I loved the most about this anime is that the 4 friends learn from each other and that Akira might have took too much time to shine but in the end it was Haru who saved the day. I laughed and cried in the same time, so that means this anime is sugoi sugoi!!
UsaagiTsun
- I've just recently started doing reviews on Youtube, and thought I might as well share them over here. They were written for video-form though, so either read it or give it a watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aX84r7k6vNM - Tsuritama is a 12-episode show full of quirky fun and sympathetic characters. It was produced by Studio A1-Pictures and aired during 2012's spring season. While directed by Nakamura Kenji and written by Oono Toshiya, it is most likely best recognized for its character designer, Uki Atsuya. In this kinda SoF, kinda sports and kinda sci-fi anime, the headline is “You can't catch fish if you don't go fishing, and you can'tmake friends if you don't at least try.”
The story follows Sanada Yuki, who just had to move to the island of Enoshima with his grandmother. His problem is, he's really bad at talking with strangers, can't handle pressure and therefore has problems making friends.
Then there's Haru, who just out of nowhere declares four things:
1. He's an alien.
2. He's now Yuki's friend.
3. He's now living with Yuki. and
4. He wants to learn fishing with Yuki.
“Why fishing?”, you may ask. Well, there seems to be one of Haru's kin living in the sea around the island and threatening all of humanity, and he chose Yuki to help catch him.
The dynamic between those two boys make out a great chunk of the show, as Haru really easily befriends just about anyone with his open and funny nature, and Yuki as the contrast, an introvert who usually prefers not to talk. Due to Haru having no clue of common sense from Yuki's perspective, they often clash with each other, but through that, Yuki can grow and become a better person making some friends on the way.
One of these friends is Natsuki, an experienced fisher in their age, called the “prince of fishing”, who's constantly in argument with his father after his mother died, but cares deeply about his little sister. And believe me, he and his problems get their time to shine.
Then there's Akira, an indian agent for a secret organization called “DUCK” with the mission to find, observe and capture aliens. He's also a big fan of fishing and therefore combines his hobby with Haru's observation. He also has a duck called Tapioca.
In the supporting cast, every character has their clear role and fulfills that without problems, Keito, the aforementioned grandmother, for example, who acts as a mentor for Haru or Koko, Haru's sister who doubts Yuki's ability to catch fish and puts even more pressure on him. And Tapioca is there as well. Just saying.
All the characters, be it main cast or a supporting role, are extremely fun to watch and likeable.
Like many other shows from A1-Pictures, Tsuritama's visuals seem gorgeous at first, especially in this case, as the unique artstyle full of blue and many light colors, really supports both the quirkyness and lightheartedness of the show. The animation though has some drops in the later parts from its usually pretty good standarts, but in this case, they aren't so major they'd interrupt your enjoyment of the show.
Tsuritamas soundtrack by a band called "Kuricorder Quartet" simply fits the show perfectly.
And while that may seem totally random, some parts reminded me of the music for the “lost woods” in “ocarina of time” and “kirby air ride”s OST, two of my all-time favorite videogames, so that is cool.
Most of the sound is really soothing and calm or supports the shows quirky atmosphere, but even when for example Natsuki's story arc reaches its dramatic climax, the OST can adapt to that. That said though, there aren't really that many pieces I'd listen to outside of the series, and in these more dramatic parts, the opening and ending can really easily feel out of place if you marathon the show.
My personal favorite tracks would be #1 – “Tsuritama March” and #19 - “Hajimete Tsuru”.
I can't really say anything about the japanese dub though, as I have no complaints whatsoever, but also can't crown one of the voice actors for doing a job out of the ordinarily good you find in any well made show.
As for the english dub, well, it's passable. If you don't tend to like dubs, this won't convince you otherwise, but if you don't feel like reading subtitles, you might as well consider it as long as you're not too picky.
Now, the only question left: Is Tsuritama worth the watch?
Yes, definetly, go for it. I wouldn't define it as a must-watch, but if you have the opportunity to see it, you'll most likely not be disappointed, as I think just about everyone can get something out of the show.
togglejoy
Tsuritama is happiness distilled into anime form. It's all bright colors and kind people and cute psychic alien fish boys, completely ridiculous and filled with emotion and joy. Gets extra credit from me for showing kids with realistic depictions of social anxiety and family difficulties, then making them happy too.
wallflower_
by far one of the best animes i've watched. i was never interested in fishing, yet this completely caught my attention. if i were to describe the anime in one word: quirky. the plot and story were original. the show did a good job of maintaining a nice air of mystery throughout, as in you dont see what the bulk of the plot is until later on. however, at the same time it was very enjoyable to watch and very warmhearted. so many humorous moments in the show, i honestly couldnt help but smile or laugh at various points. the artwork and animation were superb. its socolorful that you think it's an overall happy show, and while it is, it's clear later on that there's a slightly darker side to the story.
the characters were great. you can see how each on progress until they become who they are in the end. i normally find very loud childish sounding characters annoying (ie the maid and whatnot from black butler, couldnt even watch more than 5 episodes because of that), but haru's voice acting was very well done!
the one thing that i greatly appreciate from this anime, was the fact that the ending provided good closure. i've noticed in many animes that the ending is somewhat half-assed, which is definitely not the case here. with the way it ended, im hoping for another season.
overall i would rate this a 10/10 and recommend it to anyone. i cant express how well done this anime was.
himeyukii
When I first began watching Tsuritama, my expectations were pretty low, and all I thought it would be was just another comedy about friendship. However, upon watching just the first episode, I found that I was completely wrong about it. The artwork and animation is magnificent, and the overall atmosphere and mood is very well communicated. I found myself wanting to live in Enoshima with the main characters Yuki and Haru in their beautiful home by the ocean! Even the story line is very well thought out and the progression of the characters is very well depicted. Yuki's social anxiety and Haru's ignorance ofhuman life really changes throughout the story.
Also, of course I can't give out any spoilers, but the ending is beyond perfect. The anime includes an epilogue that really wraps up the story nicely and is devoid of untied ends.
I really found myself enjoying every single episode and not being able to wait for the next episode to come out. Everything about this anime is magnificent and I would recommend it to anyone. Let's hope there's a season 2! :D
bad3ip420
================= INTRO ================= Wow. I'm surprised how this gem passed under my radar for so long. I've forgotten how long it was since I watched a show so fun and relaxing that I always have a stupid grin on my face after each episode. Tsuritama is simple (the studio knows it) and sometimes simplicity is good enough for a show about fishing. =================THE REVIEW
=================
The show starts with Yuki, a socially awkward boy, transferring to a new school. There he meets Haru, who's a hyperactive self-proclaimed alien, and invites him to fishing. Sounds silly? Don't worry it gets more sillier! Haha. From there on, you will see an indian guy, an alien organization that worships ducks, hilarious dances, squirt gun madness, a cool grandma, etc. You can actually see that the studio is having a great time making this show.
The background visuals are well suited to the show. It's simple but the colors are crisp and vibrant. There are times when the backgrounds looks like painting out of a canvass and it's just a treat to watch. The meshing of the colors are really relaxing to the eyes and you would just want to sit back, get a cool drink, and relax.
The pacing was also pretty good. Some might find it a little slow but for a premise such as fishing you don't need an adrenaline pumping sequence. Truthfully, every scene has a purpose and builds character.
=================
CHARACTERS
=================
This is where tsuritama shines. Our main characters feel so alive. Yuki starts off as an anxious boy who's had a difficult time making friends due to him and his Grandma moving places so frequently. Natsuki, the fishing prince, is a grumpy rebellious boy who has a family problem. Ya-maaaaa-dah, the indian guy, starts off as a stalker. Haru, the alien, is just there to annoy Yuki. Each episode always bring something to their characters and by the end of the show they have shown a new level maturity and growth.
The supporting characters are also engaging specially the Grandma, Natsuki's family, and Tapioca the duck. Yes...the duck. I can't count how many times I've laughed whenever Tapioca gets a screentime. And come on, it's name alone makes me crave for a bubble tea.
I also liked the symbolisms. From Yuki getting drowned whenever anxious, Haru carrying a fishbowl, Natsuki getting a haircut, the flowers in the garden, etc. It provides a nice contrast to the silliness of the show.
The soundtrack is also good, I find myself always looking forward to the ED. When that "Hooo..Ho Ho..Ho Ho." starts to fade in, I find myself humming to the tune and singing it. It's a nice song to listen to when you're at the beach.
For a SoL show, there is actually an overarching plot that slowly gets develop with each episode so even with the "compelling story guys", they will have a hard time bashing the show.
=================
VERDICT
=================
Tsuritama tells a good story and message. Like fishing, we may find ourselves bored and exhausted with our everyday lives; but when we finally caught that elusive fish, friendship in Yuki's case, it makes all those difficult moments worth it. Thing is, we should always cherish the smallest things in our lives no matter the hardship because that's what living comes down to.
There a some flaws with the show and I'm pretty conflicted whether I should deduct it to my score. It could've been better to add more characters or show some character's backstory but at the same time it felt like the overall intention of the show might get lost if it was the case. So ultimately, I give it:
9.5/10!
Tsuritama is one of the best on its genre. It's full of enjoyable characters and silly moments. Don't watch this show with the intention of getting an adrenaline pumping story. A good way is to watch it once a week, gather your snacks, and watch with a friend or family.
stellaluna67
I'm going to try and be as objective as possible, but with a show that's affected me so profoundly, it's going to be tough. The thing about this show is it's almost subliminal, which is ironic because it is partially about mind control. What on the surface just seems like a goofy show about aliens and fishing is actually very deep and explores important topics, such as making friends, learning a new skill, dealing with loss, learning to accept people...ah. And it does so with an aura that is not only vibrant but tranquil at the same time, somehow. I watched this anime during a prettyrough time and it just made my entire day to sit down and watch it and forget about my troubles...It's hard to be objective about a show I'm so attached to. I guess it's one flaw would be that it is pretty confusing. Some things are never fully explained, and some characters are left not quite as fleshed out as I would have liked. But I guess what I like about the show is that it focuses on the "everyday problems" of the characters and less about the unrelatable aspects, like the aliens and the mind control and the secret agents. It is a slice-of-life, after all, however it would have been interesting to see the other side of the plot.
I was going to make a stupid water pun but...nah. Just watch this anime. You won't regret it.
ktulu007
Tsuritama is a science fiction comedy from 2012. It was written by Ono Toshiya and produced by A-1 Pictures. Yes, the studio that brought us Kuroshitsuji, Sword Art Online & Boku dake ga Inai Machi among others. In other words, their quality varies quite a bit. I haven't really heard anything about this anime, so I'm going into it pretty blind. Let's see how well it compares to the other A-1 anime I've reviewed. Story: Yuki is a highly introverted lad who moves a lot. After moving to Enoshima, his life turns around. Another transfer student, Haru, comes into class and introduces himself as an alien.He then insists that Yuki go fishing with him to save the world. Shenanigans incoming.
The first noticeable issue with this series is that there's a lot of technical talk on the mechanics of fishing and it's all really tedious and completely uninteresting. Look, I know that your comedy here is using fishing as its method to save the world but that doesn't mean there's anything comedic about long explanations of how to catch mahi mahi or the proper way to cast. I would go so far as to say that that time could have been better spent on amusing hijinks. Another issue is that the series doesn't really take full advantage of the comedic possibilities of its premise. This is a series about aliens who can control humans with water and an alien teaming up with some humans to save the world by fishing. That's a premise that's so patently ridiculous that it shouldn't be that hard to make laughs happen. But they downplay the comedic elements in favour of teaching us the mechanics of fishing.
That being said, those moments where they do embrace the absurdity tend to work pretty well. The funniest scenes all centre around Haru too. I will also say that some of the quieter, emotional moments are, surprisingly, really good. The scene where Yuki tells his grandmother how much she means to him in particular.
Characters:
Tsuritama is a bit unusual in the regard that the major characters really vary. Haru is good for comedic scenes but not so much for anything more serious. Yuki can work in both, but has his strongest scenes in the more serious moments. Natsuki largely plays the straight man in the comedic bits and works better for the more emotional moments. Akira is just a flat, predictable character. The side characters largely exist to play off of the main cast and provide them with strong moments. The only ones who really stand out are Yuki's grandmother and Natsuki's father & sister.
Art:
The artwork is pretty well done. There's a lot of effort put into making the water, fish and fishing equipment look polished. The character designs are a bit lacklustre, but functional. The animation is solidly done.
Sound:
The acting is pretty solid. We've got the talents of Irino Miyu, Osaka Ryota, Sugita Tomokazu, Uchiyama Kouki & various others. The performances are generally good for what they're doing. They can carry the comedic parts and sound like they're reading from the world's dullest instruction manual when explaining the mechanics of fishing or repeating them to show us that their character understands them. Osaka Ryota does a great job with the emotional stuff. The music is okay. Probably not anything I'd listen to again, but it's functional.
Ho-yay:
There are some moments betwixt Yuki and Haru where I question whether they're really just friends but there aren't many.
Final Thoughts:
Ultimately, Tsuritama is a series that has its charming and funny moments but it's also a bit of a slog with stretches of tedium to get through before reaching those moments. In the end, its good moments elevate it above mediocrity, but it's not a superb series. It's just okay. My final rating is going to be a 6/10. If you really love the mechanics of fishing, you'll probably like it better than I did. Next week I'll look at Palme no Ki.
caramel_soul
It is rare to find a story that seems both entirely implausible and out-of-this-world, yet still manages to be easily grasped by the most average of players. Tsuritama is a diamond in the rough, indeed. As the story begins to unfold following Yuki, a boy who is both endearing and relatable, Tsuritama doesn't hold back its true colors. The art is bright and magnificent, the music is like rafting down a stream with a faithful companion, and the humor is unashamed, full of quirk--and the understanding that sometimes everyone feels like they're drowning in a sea. On one hand, the story moves so effortlessly thatit is easy to forget that there is a wide-eyed boy claiming to be an alien running amok. Though, on the other hand, between a self-proclaimed alien and a mysterious man who talks to his duck, it can be just as easily forgotten that the story is, above all, about a few unlikely friends who are simply going fishing. The craft of story telling is mastered beautifully in Tsuritama. Even among the moments of concentrated fishing, there is never a feeling of doubt that this isn't just fishing--it's more, and that propels the story to move at an easy pace--ultimately too quickly by the series' end.
What ultimately shines in Tsuritama are the characters. None are without fault, and all are able to experience evident growth throughout the series. In true coming-of-age fashion, the boys are confronted with real-life issues of death, family, and friendship. The interactions between Yuki's grandmother and innocent, self-proclaimed alien Haru are some of the most poignant, as he learns about the inevitability of goodbye and the frailty of the human spirit.
Tsuritama is an artistic gem. It is not by any means an "average" slice of life, nor is it too fantastical to be grasped. While it lends itself to be a coming-of-age, that is not easily won on the viewer who, at its end, longs to be forever young, surrounded by the best of companions, with a hook and rod in hand. Perhaps that is, after all, how to save the world.
