With a new episode of
Folktales from Japan having aired last night, I thought what better way to start my new Spring Anime Spotlights than with this interesting series.
Brief Summary
Unlike most Anime series - or any series for that matter - instead of having a story that continues on every episode with a constant cast, each episode of
Folktales from Japan revolves around three short vignettes that follow the story of an old Japanese folk tale. For example, in the most recent episode there's a story about a monk who saves a village from an angry god, a story about a lazy boy who travels from his village, to heaven, and eventually back again, and a story about a lazy man who after going for a walk meets two other lazy people (riveting I know).
Pros
The main pro of this series, in my opinion, would definitely be the animation. This is because unlike other animes who try to have a pseudo-real animation,
Folktales from Japan, takes a complete 180 and tries to be as cartoon-like as possible. Although this story book style wouldn't work for all animes, for a series that is trying to re-imagine folk tales told to children, it is perfect. The fact that there is no consistent plot can also be seen as a pro in the sense that one does not need to fret about having seen every previous episode when a new one comes out, you simply turn on the television (or computer screen if you don't live in Japan) and watch.
Cons
Just as its lack of continuity can be seen as beneficial, it can also be seen as a detraction. This is because since there's no recurring characters or story, there is no reason to come back every week. Sure you might want to check in every once in a while, but there's nothing that makes you feel like you have to. Another con, and perhaps the most off-putting would be the lack of interesting story. By this I mean that even though there are three stories per episode, not all of them are going to be interesting. For example, the folk tale I described earlier about a lazy man going for a walk is literally just that, a lazy man going for a walk. There is not even a lesson or morale at the end.
Bottom Line
The bottom line for this series is: if you're someone looking for a good action, romance, or comedy series then try some of the other new springtime series, but if your interested in Japanese history then this could be a fun way to learn a bit more!
If you are like me and are super excited for Quentin Tarantino's new flick Django Unchained, then you'll be happy to know that new pics from the set have been released, which you can check out below. Now although the pictures don't reveal much in the way of story, its nice to see what the costumes and setting will look like.
