I got to take another crack at Eccentric Family! Which is good, because I never felt all that happy with my original essay on the show. This one doesn’t go as deep into the show’s central themes, since you can’t really focus entirely on that within a standard review structure, but it also doesn’t just retell the entire damn story. I hopefully was able to articulate the key reasons the show is so great this time, and man, is the show ever great. Plenty to talk about!

My full review is available over on ANN. I don’t have a full rewatch’s worth of notes this time, since this was actually my fourth watch of the show, and thus after the first couple episodes I didn’t really feel it was necessary. But I do have classic timestamp writeups for the entire show, along with new notes for the first couple episodes below. Enjoy!

Episode One

Start off with establishing Kyoto, of course

There’s a real energy to show’s transitions

And then immediately establishing the human-tengu-tanuki society and tension

These backgrounds are so beautiful! The use of light is particularly noteworthy, with the night scenes having a beautiful, warm glow to them

Yasaburou is a very compelling character to follow. “Watching that world spin is more fun than anything I can think of” – he’s a meddler and observer, a representation of the show’s freewheeling spirit

Shotaro Suga, right. Great work by him

The forest scenes, also beautiful. The colors, so rich. Reflections on the water

The bluray transfer looks so crisp

So much is expressed through body language – all the animation of the brothers interacting reveals their bonds

The show’s music is understated, but works well – jazzy, upbeat synths, that match the energy of the city

Great expressions

“That your daughter?” “My little brother.”

Oh wow, the scene transition with the flowers back to the moment Yasaburou met Benten is wooonderful

The show is so good at demonstrating Benten’s allure

“So you’re not human either.” “No. And you?” “I’m just a Suzuki Satomi.” Even in her first lines, Benten is revealing the isolation that informs her character. Everything in this show feels imbued with intent and relevant detail

“His skills are unparalleled, but he makes no effort to better himself.” “He seems very fond of you.” “Don’t be absurd.” This show’s dialogue is so good errgghh

And we get Benten’s dance through the blossoms jeeeeeez

The music here is PERFECT. Rising strings to match the wonder of Benten in the branches

Within a single scene, Yasaburou’s fascination with Benten is absolutely clear and understandable

There’s a wonderful quiet to many of the show’s moments. The show understands the small silences that fill out daily life, and this makes it feel much more grounded and less fictional than most shows

A wide variety of synth-style tracks for the music. Pretty versatile score

Everyone’s terrified of Benten, of course

“Is there something wrong with being a tanuki?” “I am a human, after all.” Lovely subtext in this line. Yasaburo’s bristling defensiveness is understandable, but to Benten it reads as “there is always a distance between us. You are not like me.” Her response, “I am human,” is really just a sad reflection of her acknowledging that distance, but to Yasaburo it reads as a too-playful acknowledgment of her wicked nature

Yasaburo’s body language makes him clear regardless of what form he takes

The color work highlights the city’s natural beauty, turning each landmark and alley into a tiny tapestry

“Somewhere along the way, wasting my time, I became aware there’s nothing else I have to do”

Episode Two

The inherent tragedy of their teacher’s position is such a rich vein. I really should talk about that

The tiny tragedy of Yasaburo assuming Benten’s form to put him to sleep

Talking about the hot pots. Do I need to add something about them for the review? Or maybe just something about the different kinds of love the show proposes

Great animation of Yasaburo scampering to the well

And these lovely slight animations of Yasaburo sprinkling on his beef bowl’s flavoring and then tossing the wrapper into the bag

The show’s lighting is so good

Playing with ideas of adulthood with Yashiro and the twins

Yaichiro’s performance is so, so good

Yaichiro panicking is so moe

Yasaburo naturally knows how to manage people. Even the supplemental materials mention it