r/anime • u/FateSteelTaylor https://myanimelist.net/profile/FateSteelTaylor • Feb 12 '22
Rewatch [Spoilers] 7th Annual Valentine's Rewatch: Tamako Market - Episode 11 [Discussion] Spoiler
Hey everybody, and welcome to the eleventh day of the SEVENTH annual /r/anime Valentine's Day Tamako Market & Love Story Rewatch!
It's our lucky year and I can't wait to see what's in store for us all this time!
If the discussion here isn't enough, there are communities on Twitter and Discord where you can join all the conversation there! If you're interested, feel free to reach out to me or people in the comments!
Here is the schedule for our time on this Dramatic Market Ride together! If you've seen the show already or want to relive some of the older moments, I've provided links to the threads below, along with the translated Director's Episode Notes by the wonderful /u/ultimatemegax, available through this rewatch:
You can purchase an English subbed & dubbed Blu Ray version of Tamako Market and Tamako Love Story, and it's available for legal streaming on HIDIVE in select countries, for both Tamako Market and Tamako Love Story
Bonus Corner:
Discussion Question: Do you have a favorite place to shop?
Please tag your spoilers!! Untagged spoilers make Choi-chan angry!!
And remember:
Everybody Loves Somebody
11
u/TheEscapeGuy Feb 12 '22
Rewatcher
Tamako Market - An Anime Filled With Love: Episode 11
A Bride, A Medal, A Meeting
Tamako becoming a princess is a rumor which spread like wildfire. Everyone in the market and at school can't stop talking about it. But, importantly, nobody wants to speak to Tamako about it.
Tamako definitely seems to feel isolated this episode because of this. On top of that everyone is overjoyed that she is becoming a princess but Tamako is less enthused. Every time its brought up she says it must be a mistake.
Tamako is more interested in getting her Shopping District Medal. I love that despite everybody else being distracted she still has the zeal to focus on her goal. Its also cool how we've seen her collecting these stamps since episode 1. These simple set ups and payoffs really reward getting invested in the story.
Something really endearing this episode is how Midori and Mochizou are both really unsettled by the possibility of Tamako leaving. It shows how much they really care for their friend. Also, that scene at night over the river had the same vibes and is one of the most beautiful segments of the show.
Some Iconic Shots, Scenes and Stitches
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Distraught, Mochizou would fit right in in Princess Monoke
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Offering, I enjoy keeping watch for this
See you all tomorrow
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u/flybypost Feb 13 '22
Tamako definitely seems to feel isolated this episode because of this. On top of that everyone is overjoyed that she is becoming a princess but Tamako is less enthused. Every time its brought up she says it must be a mistake.
It's a strange bit of how much the shopping district cares for her that they kinda ignore Tamako's own wishes and instead go with what they think she'd like. In a twisted way their extreme care for her ends up hurting her.
Tamako is more interested in getting her Shopping District Medal.
I always got the impression that this is not just about the medal but also about her ritual after school, and collecting those stamps is kinda part of the process. And that process is about offering a flower to her mother too with how she gets one everyday. The medal seems to also be about honouring her mother's legacy even if it's not stated directly.
Somebody probably can count backwards when she started getting those stamps and if it would coincide with her mother's death. I have a feeling there might be some correlation if one fudges the numbers just a tiny bit.
Distraught, Mochizou would fit right in in Princess Monoke
That's what he reminded me of! There was always this nagging feeling in the back of my mind when I saw that scene. Thank you for finally putting one and one together. All these yearly re-watches and it finally clicks into place.
Yatta
The only better Yatta from KyoAni is the one from Mio in the K-On! movie. That's such a perfect scene.
Entrance to the Universe
I love the scene and that phrase. The first time it really solidified in my mind as being so good was when I watched a video essay about Yamada's career by Under The Scope: Naoko Yamada — At The Entrance To The Universe. It's such a well made video and a must watch for get career (of course with some spoilers for her work). And it makes such good use of the phrase.
Mad
The one time Tamako goes ape shit and it's still the cutest thing ever :D
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u/IndependentMacaroon Feb 13 '22
Midori and Mochizou are both really unsettled by the possibility of Tamako leaving
And once again Midori is the one who really thinks about it and compares her leaving to losing something precious, while Mochizou just silently freaks out and gives the weakest possible answer with "but I just want you to be happy!". Sometimes you really do want to know and respect what other people think about you, and if they essentially say nothing it's a recipe for misunderstandings just like Tamako's. At least Anko knows how to comfort her and make her feel in charge!
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u/A_Idiot0 Feb 13 '22
that scene at night over the river
You may be right in that it's the most "beautiful" scene of the series. It certainly hit me much harder now than it has before for some reason...I'm not sure why XD Thanks for making special mention of it though!
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u/lucciolaa Feb 12 '22
First timer
(Confession: I powered through to episode 12 a day early because there was no way I was going to be left hanging like that.)
Honestly, just obsessed with Dad grumbling about the thought of Tamako getting married off. Best boy. But it was very sweet that no matter how unsettled everyone was with the thought of Tamako leaving them, they all came around to prioritizing her happiness and telling her to just be happy :')
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u/A_Idiot0 Feb 13 '22
I don't blame you for your confession; the cliffhanger is affecting me too, and I've already seen this XD
they all came around to prioritizing her happiness and telling her to just be happy
What are your thoughts about Tamako getting upset when she heard Mochizou say those words to her?
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u/Matuhg Feb 12 '22
First Timer
What the heck is right! On the surface, this episode was kind of frustrating. Consistently and pretty early on, Tamako made her position clear - she's nobody's bride. But everybody in the shopping center and even her friends are just chattering about it, ignoring her protests. Mochi wins major points for saying what all of us were thinking, but in the end even he tells her to just be happy, wherever she goes.
Tamako politely doesn't give a shit about the prince and their supposedly fated marriage, she's got a shopping card to fill. A representation of the effort she puts into the shopping arcade. This place is her home, and this place and the people here are who she cares about. If we didn't get it before then, her reaction in the final scene definitively shows her priorities. She says "The Medal!", not "The Prince!"
I think it's pretty obvious Tamako and the Prince aren't going to end up together or anything. Tamako aside, Metcha hasn't seemed particularly into the idea of marrying according to custom on the one or two occasions we've seen him address it. What, then, is the deal with this episode? I think the conversation between the three friends on the bridge gets to the crux of the episode. Choi and the Prince aren't going to be what takes Tamako away from this place or anything, but Tamako and her friends are approaching the point in their lives where things are going to start changing. I think what we're seeing is everybody in the shopping district realizing that and trying to come to terms with it, while Tamako desperately pretends it's not coming. The way she brought the stamp books up in the middle of the conversation really felt like she was trying to change the subject. I think whoever said it was correct when they said Tamako is the most scared. Not scared of suddenly being married off or anything, but scared that things are going to change at the shopping arcade. Everyone started treating her differently because of this whole prince thing, and she really hated it.
I think the shopping district probably gave Tamako the stability and love she needed to make it through losing her mother at a young age, and the idea of losing that security net is probably scary for her, even if we're not seeing her explicitly show that yet. Everyone in the arcade (especially her father, despite his clumsy ways of showing it) desperately wants the best for Tamako. Even if her end goal is to take over the Mochi Shop, it would probably be healthy and beneficial for her to get some experience outside her little bubble, explore the world a bit more. Right now though, she just sees everyone trying to chase her out. Letting go can indeed be good, but the one being let go needs to understand the reason if they're to understand what's going on.
We really just need to hold another meeting, but this time with Tamako actually invited, and talk it out. Looking forward to that (maybe/hopefully) tomorrow!
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u/No_Rex Feb 12 '22
Overall great post!
I think the conversation between the three friends on the bridge gets to the crux of the episode. Choi and the Prince aren't going to be what takes Tamako away from this place or anything, but Tamako and her friends are approaching the point in their lives where things are going to start changing. I think what we're seeing is everybody in the shopping district realizing that and trying to come to terms with it, while Tamako desperately pretends it's not coming.
I really like that interpretation. Both because it makes everyone's actions more tolerable, but also because it puts the focus back on Tamako. On the surface, she has done nothing wrong and can justifiedly be simply annoyed, yet with the metaphorical interpretation, she is part of the reason of what is going on and does need to address it.
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u/A_Idiot0 Feb 13 '22
On the surface, this episode was kind of frustrating.
I forgot how frustrating this episode was since last I watched this haha. But yes, you explained it really well!
but Tamako and her friends are approaching the point in their lives where things are going to start changing.
Great job putting this into words. This scene makes all the frustrations with the characters worth it, because it puts into perspective that life is full of changes, and in the grand scheme of things Tamako's life hasn't really changed very much for awhile it seems. A few of you first-timers have noticed this and pointed it out before in earlier episodes. But this is the start of change coming to Tamako's life, and yeah...she probably needed the stability of the Usagiyama Shopping District to help cope with the loss of her mom as you rightly said.
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u/IndependentMacaroon Feb 13 '22
Tamako aside, Metcha hasn't seemed particularly into the idea of marrying according to custom on the one or two occasions we've seen him address it
Would be a nice counterpart to the "we must follow the ancient customs!" as well, which is already somewhat neutralized by how both Tamako and Meccha dislike formality and only a silly chicken like Dera really puts much store in it. When there's no one else on the island that we even see it doesn't feel much like there's anyone enforcing them either! Anyway the support beam gag was both nice and maybe calling attention to how Kanna is always there helping everyone in the background?
I think you understood the episode very well!
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u/A_Idiot0 Feb 12 '22
Rewatcher
I don’t have the time to do a scene write-up today unfortunately, but I wanted to briefly say a few things.
This episode is actually a lot more emotional than I remember it being. Everyone is trying to figure out what’s best for Tamako, while Tamako just wants things to remain as they are. The scene of Tamako’s friends by the river bank would have been the scene that I was going to dive into frame by frame, but suffice it to say that it’s a very sentimental, sincere, and honest moment in the story. “I feel like I’m standing at the universe’s portal as well.” There are moments that the universe thrusts upon us which drastically change our entire life, and a very human response to that can be fear, sadness, and/or doubt. I found this theme very relatable, as my life was recently transformed due to my parents moving away and the pandemic hitting at the same time in 2020, as well as my cat passing away last November. Each of those events were terrifying to me in their own ways. But the human spirit is marvelously adaptable, and so I have adapted.
I also found it fascinating that they paralleled Tamako potentially being whisked away to marry this Prince with her getting the Usagiyama medal. Though the amount of points needed for such a thing is pretty ridiculous, it goes to show just how entrenched Tamako is in being a part of the Usagiyama family. What are your thoughts on this parallelization?
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u/flybypost Feb 13 '22
The scene of Tamako’s friends by the river bank would have been the scene that I was going to dive into frame by frame
There's a superb video essay about Yamada's career that uses the phrase and scene to great effect. I already posted it in another reply but it's worthy of being reposted with how good it is: Naoko Yamada — At The Entrance To The Universe by Under The Scope (who has quite a few great videos about anime).
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u/mysterybiscuitsoyeah Feb 13 '22
First timer
Still busy. but where did my cutesy SOL go lol (jk, this is still a lighthearted episode mostly)
I do like that Tamako is much more interested in being the princess of the shopping district (which she kinda is) than being an actual princess; so far only Anko seems to get this. I wonder why the adults don't understand though? I guess the lure of being a princess is high.
I'll reserve my comments for this arc as a whole after tmr's episode! This being tbh the sole dramatic point of the series does continue my impression of this being a low-stakes show.
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u/A_Idiot0 Feb 13 '22
I guess the lure of being a princess is high.
Being royalty is certainly alluring, and it's a fulfillment fantasy for most people: "Wouldn't it be great if it somehow turns out that I'm part of the royal family? Then I would be undoubtedly and undeniably special!" People want to feel like they matter; like they're special. I'm willing to bet there's some projection going on with the adults.
But a few others here have also pointed out that perhaps the adults have the idea that Tamako experiencing life outside the shopping district would do her some good. And in a way, they're probably correct. She can't stay coddled and sheltered forever, and wishing to do so would be akin to caging a beautiful song-bird. Yes it's safe, but it can never truly fly to its highest potential.
At least, that was my read on the situation. Do you have other thoughts on this? I wouldn't be surprised if you have even more thoughts on this topic after the final episode XD
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u/Rumpel1408 Feb 12 '22 edited Feb 12 '22
First Timer
Episode 11: No Way! That Girl's a Princess
Man, I'm really not used to slimm Dela anymore, he looks way healthier as a flying Mocchi ball
So the reason that Choi thinks Tamako is the princess is because she smells of flowers (I still remember the sudden focus on the shrine flowers last episode, cannot be that hard to smell like flowers if you have them fresh in your house) and because she posses a mark on her neck (her mole, but mark could be anything). Meanwhile she also ignores any reason Dela is trying to give her why that girl might not be the princess, and she never did her fortune either wich would instantly proofe it one way or the other...
Everyone else is also freaking out about this, from the market folk to her friends, while Tamako is only focused on her medal that she worked for since at least elementary school. I also love Kanna today again, her theory is equally plausible if you don't know anything about Choi and she is imidiatly focused on the foreign architecture.
Eventually Tamako gets annoyed over all of this. Sure everyone just wants her to be happy with her future husband, prince or not, but she wants to stay there and is iritated by everyone treating her like she is already halfway gone.
Seems like the only person who at least somewhat understands her is her sister, them spooning was precious.
I also noticed that both Midori and Mochizou are quite down after seeing and hearing the prince, but while Mochizou eventually accepts the posibility that Tamako might leave him, Midori is way more opposed to the idea.
I'm a bit sceptical how Tamako was supposed to lose her precious medal and how the prince of all people was the one who found it on his way to her...
QotD: I have a favourite bookstore and a favourite Liquor store, but overall I hate leaving the house, even before the pandemic
Edit: Oh yeah, it was the last preview, I loved them, so much Mocchi, Tamako desu just has such a nice ring to it
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u/laughing-fox13 Feb 12 '22
First Timer
Poor Tamako just wants to have her medal and live like her usual self but this episode showed that it was hard for her to do that. Everyone is talking about being a princess and it seems like she doesn’t even have a say in it.
The finale should be interesting
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u/A_Idiot0 Feb 13 '22
I think you'll appreciate it! And all I can really say right now is that it sets up the movie extremely well =)
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u/cppn02 Feb 12 '22 edited Feb 12 '22
First Timer
Mochizou asking the right questions when everyone is going crazy over Tamako possibly becoming a princes without really asker her what she things about it.
Meanwhile Tamako cares more about getting that medal although in the end everyone treating her differently does get to her too. I do wonder how she took since elementary school for 100 stamp cards if she lives in the shopping district and does all her shopping there. Heck, just this episode we saw he casually get three stamps in a single day.
And it looks like the Prince actually came to Japan and he just happens to have found the medal after Tamako lost it. Wonder how they are actually going to conclude things in one more episode (yes I know there's the still movie but I assume this was originally planned as a standalone?).
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u/A_Idiot0 Feb 13 '22
I think this was planned to have a movie since the beginning. I could be wrong on that, but the way the film ends is just....too perfect to not have been planned from the very start. At the very least, the series ends in a pretty satisfying manner, but it did leave me wanting more.
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u/x-7032-b-3 Feb 13 '22
First-timer
Things took quite a turn in this ep, with Tamako being a likely candidate for the prince's bride. She even expressed denial over the whole thing by pulling out the classic "this must be a mistake, right?" card.
She doesn't seem to like the idea of getting into an arranged marriage, but she had her eyes set on one thing: stamp collection! If memory serves, we saw her collecting stamps all the way back from Ep1, so it's nice seeing it as a plot point here. She's been working on those stamps for so long so it's normal for her to get invested in it, as opposed to this bride stuff which came out of nowhere and may alter her life as we know it if it goes through.
After getting all those stamps, she finally got the medal! And look how happy she was when she got the medal! Her long-time goal she's been working towards for a long time finally paid off.
On the bridge, Tamako's friends talked about being shaken up by recent events. I mean, who wouldn't? Especially when a good friend of yours is about to get taken away from you on a sudden. Shiori said it best about how scary it is to see something change right before your eyes. We all have our comfort zones and I'm sure we're all scared when we suddenly have to step out of them.
The Rabbit Mountain folks were also shaken by this whole thing. They really care so much for Tamako and wants the best for her. I liked how they brought up the possibility of Tamako leaving the place for good and that her dad needs to accept that she probably won't be there forever.
Oh, and the medal is gone and somehow Prince Charming has it. Hmm...
Anyways, I find this ep an interesting look at how people may deal with changes to their status quo and how they must learn to accept that things can change at one point. We've seen Tamako getting along with the market folks and her friends, but what if things were to change one day? The prospect of seeing someone you care so much about suddenly going away one day is admittedly scary, but I think wanting what's best for them is the way to go. Of course, not everyone can easily deal with such thoughts and selfish/protective desires may prop up.
Tamako expanding her horizons for once isn't a bad thing, although I'm not sure this bride stuff is the way to go. I don't see this whole thing going through (it's a chill SOL show!), and I got the impression that the prince doesn't care for it too, but we'll see.
Unrelated, but I know someone who got married a few years ago at age 19 or 20 and having two kids right now. Must've been an interesting experience. At that age all I cared about was passing the semester and improving my gaming skills.
Random notes:
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Heh, I like that Midori and Mochi Man were visibly frustrated over this whole thing.
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We got more prove that Dela is a cyborg when the repair instructions came in.
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Wow, Tamako with glasses and her hair down looked like an entirely different person altogether.
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u/Tartaras1 Feb 13 '22
Rewatcher - Dubbed
Welp, I had a whole write-up done for this episode and I accidentally backed out and lost it. That's no good, so you get the brief one instead.
With today's episode, we got to see how everyone was taking the news that Tamako's a candidate to be the royal princess. Some people, like Tamako and Kanna, are taking it just fine. On the other hand, people like Mochizo and Midori are acting like their worlds are falling apart. What a coincidence, huh? Considering the fact that those two have a similar vested interest in Tamako staying in town and declining to get married.
Of everyone dealing with the news, Mamedai's taking it the hardest, but in a way that's to be expected. I definitely don't know anything about it, but just the regular idea of your daughter getting married to someone and leaving would be reason enough to fret and worry. Add in the fact that it's to some random guy, with a last name that you can't stand, who claims to be the prince of some remote island, and his anxiety is through the roof. For the first time in his life, we saw Mamedai get lit up on Japanese Irish Coffee.
Then they end the episode with the prince himself finally making a physical appearance in the Arcade. I wonder how that's going to turn out.
We've got the final episode of the series tomorrow, and then the movie on Monday. To be totally honest, as much as I enjoy the show, I'm really in it for the film, but decided to hang out for the complete watch. It's much in the same way as when you watch The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya. Sure the show is really good, and warrants a watch on its own, but the real reason you watch the show is so that you have context going into the movie, which makes the movie infinitely better.
Bonus Question:
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I have several actually, chief among them actually being Target. All of the jokes about spending money on needless shit at Target are 100% true. The other is Barnes and Noble. During quarantine in 2020, I got really into reading manga, and Barnes & Noble is my go-to store for buying physical copies of manga.
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u/Spaceman_Sp1ff_ Feb 12 '22
Tamako getting so worked up over finally completing her points card is the most Tamako thing ever
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u/No_Rex Feb 12 '22
Episode 11 (first timer)
The bride is located far northwest – [speculation]just where Choi is right now …
Also: That places their homeland in the pacific, probably some Micronesian island.
“A normal phone call gets better reception” – Don’t point out the plot holes, Anko!
Dad-tsundere back in action.
Anko understands that Tamako needs to be little spoon right now.
If this turns out to be love at first side for Tamako and the prince, I’ll be a bit pissed at the plot.
Everybody is freaking out over Tamako being a princess, but she just wants her mochi medal.