A short retrospective before diving into the abstract lines in The Tatami Galaxy. Artists, writers, and authors use abstract art forms in different mediums to express meaning. Anime, which is one of the most common mediums today, is a great example. It often goes beyond the standards of reality through eyes, bodies, movements, and storytelling.
However, visibility and exposition of a genre can be shown using these methods. In response to reality, anime uses strange abstract icons and creates new ways of speaking by breaking away from traditional culture while still maintaining its original identity. Akira Kurosawa, for example, introduced an exaggerated way of describing characters through movements, surroundings, situations, and essence.
On the other hand, Jan Baetens talks about how a comic’s narrative is a deductive approach. Narrative structures are under pressure with many cross-fertilization possibilities, limiting their broader meaning. The image becomes a concept that is simplified for a more pleasant perception. It is a rough term for indulgence.
Masaaki Yuasa is one of the greatest names in anime, alongside Eiichi Yamamoto, Katsuhiro Otomo, Satoshi Kon, and Shinichirō Watanabe. They all influence these techniques. Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken! shows how Yuasa sticks to his unique style, never abandoning his identity while finding new ways to present and execute anime. The Tatami Galaxy, with its abstract lines, also uses more abstract methods, symbols, and contexts, reflecting the protagonist’s distorted yet biased view of life while drawing on Japanese literary traditions to highlight irony.
I see The Tatami Galaxy as a mystery and psychological anime with a touch of romance. Yuasa also directed Ping Pong the Animation, which is equally phenomenal. It is no surprise that the two anime share similar qualities, especially in their artwork. The Tatami Galaxy can be seen as constantly presenting two or more choices in everyday life. No matter how people react to it, it might end with a happy ending.
However, that is only temporary if the choice is rejected and leads to the opposite. There are many ways to interpret how The Tatami Galaxy works.
The story follows Watashi, a college student who dreams of living his college life like a beautiful story. However, things go differently than he hopes. He gets a chance to repeat his life. At first, it seems like a show about college days, but it ends with regrets. Beyond the repeated scenes with things like the Castella cake, ramen shop, fortune teller, and student organization, The Tatami Galaxy is like a literal journey through time into the abstract line.
In traditional media, The Tatami Galaxy presents a mysterious protagonist—much like the new possibilities and events in David Fincher’s Fight Club, but it differs from that story. The anonymous protagonist, or Watashi, has always been a key part of the story. His perspective often influences what the audience sees. When he talks about discovering college life in vivid colors, everything turns pink, and humanity is viewed through literal pixels.
Things turn red when he is drunk. His movements are sluggish and hazy; when he isolates himself from his crush, everything becomes a blur, symbolizing uncertainty and excitement. In the first five episodes, The Tatami Galaxy focuses on Watashi’s attempts to join a different group each time. However, each one leads to the same failure, all within the abstract lines of his experience.
At the same time, viewers who expect a story with a major twist might feel let down by the formula, especially since Watashi never seems to learn from his mistakes, which makes him anxious. However, Watashi’s perspective is shaped by the fact that he has not actually lived any of these experiences—he is just witnessing the possibilities of how his life could play out. Whether it is the tennis club, cinematography, literature, bikes, or hanging out with his seniors, it all ends the same: two years of college with little satisfaction.
As the story moves forward, the world around Watashi changes, shifting his understanding of the situation. Watashi joins the film club, but the club president needs to improve stifles his artistic vision. Watashi sees Jougasaki as a greedy, power-hungry person, much like the figures he dislikes. The visuals adjust to reflect Watashi’s perspective.
When Jougasaki speaks to the club members, they wear military uniforms. At humorous moments, his expression becomes strange and unlike his usual self. Yuasa shows Jougasaki through Watashi’s eyes, where a stretcher leads him to give a preachy speech. He is drunk, and two men are with him. One key point in the story is that small elements, like the Castella cake, remain unchanged.
The ending is always the same: Watashi sees Akashi as the “final destination” of his story. However, Watashi does not realize that his life is not as bleak as he thinks. His long-winded descriptions of how dire things are serve as proof, but only a few people connect with their juniors enough to make promises. Besides, with his big ambitions to fight Jougasaki’s corrupt behavior, does he want to keep being selfish?
The Tatami Galaxy is an obscure fairy tale, but the characters’ prejudices are immediately clear. Each episode is an anthology, with the story standing alone but following the same general pattern. However, after making a different decision, the show continues to follow Watashi. It is like a video game, especially visual novels, where every decision has meaning. Each episode brings unique, concise ideas and metaphors to express the main issues.
Just like the best abstract symbols, the protagonist’s journey becomes a two-dimensional concept from different points of view, making it easier to understand. Yuasa makes everyone feel more genuine and emphasizes the message of The Tatami Galaxy. Since Watashi only has one perspective, the way he sees others changes in each episode. The visuals reveal an obvious bias in Watashi’s prejudiced attitude.
In later episodes, the lack of other characters highlights how Jougasaki sees Watashi as a tyrant as he did in the film circle. When Watashi encounters Jougasaki in different situations, his negative portrayal of him is missing in another episode. The characters do not change, whether it is for sports matches, marionette shows, or even proxy fights, but the lens gives a new perspective.
In the final two episodes, the abstract techniques Yuasa emphasized from the start show the abstract nature of life and intentions. The Tatami Galaxy clearly shows the goal of choosing an abstract and iconic art style. Watching Watashi move from one universe to another, he becomes aware of the limits of each perspective in every galaxy. Jougasaki’s two-dimensional image gradually becomes three-dimensional, allowing viewers to see the characters’ appearances in every episode, bringing us back to the dynamic, complicated starting point that had no common ground at the beginning.
Watashi reevaluates his thoughts and views on Ozu, the unwelcome antagonist. Ozu is portrayed as a mysterious, almost supernatural figure—an alien, outsider, or demon in certain parts of the story. Eventually, Watashi breaks through the veil of his dislike and sees Ozu as a human. He enjoys this realization, especially when he meets Ozu again and finally sees him for who he really is.
Ozu has no sharp edges or harsh traits—he has a gentle face and personality. Watashi encounters him again in a dramatic, antagonistic way at the end. When Ozu asks why Watashi is so drawn to him, Watashi reflects on Ozu’s earlier traits and expresses his feelings with passion. Watashi understands his friendship with Ozu, and as a result, Ozu begins to view him differently.
Ironically, Watashi mirrors many people, especially teens who have just graduated from school and cannot wait to start college. This kind of story is entertaining but pretty good. However, maybe everyone is destined to become who they are meant to be, waiting to be accepted. On the other hand, most of them end up with a fantastic outcome.
There are many questions. What can be done? Is it about waiting for the opportunity or creating your chance to achieve something impossible? It is absurd to think about, and it might even be true—after all, everyone is Watashi in some way.
The Tatami Galaxy lets the audience project their perception onto an abstract art style, allowing them to see the world in a new way by reorganizing and shifting viewpoints from scratch. It draws attention to the unusual aspects of human nature, especially the tendency to generalize things in simple terms, often from a sinful perspective.
It quickly leads to prejudice, which blocks new understanding. The abstract art style often helps the protagonist use symbols, making himself a character that reflects the whole universe. In the end, it creates a meaningful world. However, the truth is that only the foundation of this world is real—everything else is confined and distorted.
The Tatami Galaxy encourages a view of freedom where all dimensions are easy to grasp and simplified while still being surreal.
References
- Baetens, J. (2013). The Comic Book as Art: The Rhetoric of Genre in Comics and Graphic Novels. In S. E. S. van Lier & R. M. Koenigs (Eds.), Comics as a Medium of Expression (pp. 45-63). Routledge.
- Fincher, D. (Director). (1999). Fight Club [Film]. 20th Century Fox.
- Kurosawa, A. (Director). (1954). Seven Samurai [Film]. Toho.
- Yuasa, M. (Director). (2010). The Tatami Galaxy [Television series]. Madhouse.
- Yuasa, M. (Director). (2014). Ping Pong the Animation [Television series]. Madhouse.
