Rumiko Takahashi Anthology

Hey there blog!Aitakatta! I know it's been too long, but when your life seems like an infinite loop sometimes you lose the will to do the things you love. Any way yes I'm still job-less and maybe still not certain where I'm headed but somehow I'm not depressed anymore, it'll come when it comes and it'll be worth the wait :D

So, if you're facing some depression phase like I did and need something to cheer you up taking into account you like anime, I'd recommend Rumiko Takahashi's anthology.

The anthology is a collection of 13 short stories by the mangaka Rumiko Takahashi that are featured in 13 individual episodes.
I can't begin to describe how much fun I had watching those episodes; they were so colorful and beautifully different. I was blown away by the different ideas, characters and themes, they were definitely not the typical story lines I'm used to. You've got to admire Rumiko-san or should I say Rumiko-sama, she quickly gained my respect; because she made me laugh when I needed it most ^_^.

I'll give you some insight from my favorite episodes, which hopefully will encourage you to watch :D

5. The tragedy of P

This was the first episode, which was a great start! It has a cute penguin!!! Dude! A penguin! If that doesn't grab your attention I don't know what will. Anyway, it's about a family who has to take care of a penguin for a while in their- no pet- residence. It was very amusing to watch :D

4. Aberrant family F

I was laughing all through this episode. Hazuki thinks her father takes the family on a trip -despite being financially in trouble- so he can attempt a family suicide! I loved how freaked out she was the whole time and felt sorry that she missed some fun times.

3. As long as you are here

This episode was heartwarming! It has my second favorite character out of the 13 stories.
It's about Mr.Domoto who recently lost his job, and decides to fill in for his sick wife in her part-time job at a convenience store. It was enjoyable watching the scary looking Domoto-san trying to deal with a new world to him.

The character that I loved was the foreign student Achara-chan. She was so cheerful and always had a smile on her face and was the only one who didn't fear Domoto-san. I loved her accent especially when she says "nihon no wakarimasen!"

2. Extra-large size happiness 

Imagine a huge baby wearing a kimono, ruining your life and you're the only one who can see it! This is Hanako's problem which arises when her mother-in law moves in with her and her husband. The huge cute baby keeps putting her in trouble, but you just can't hate him because he's so adorable! ^_^

1. One hundred years of love

My favorite story with my favorite character. This one is about an old lady who dies and somehow comes back to life with super powers ;) All the more she has a crush on a young patient she sees at the hospital who reminds her of her past! Risa-san was hilarious, she was a talkative lady with a mouth shaped like a beak XD
I loved the contradiction between her version of flashbacks and the one we see at the end of the episode :D

Note: I loved that you can see characters from previous episodes, they were connecting the stories :D That reminded me of Pixar's hidden messages intertwining the worlds together making them more real and interesting.

Another note: The ending song was really good! At first it seemed energetic and cool, but when I concentrated on the lyrics it turned out somewhat sad. Listen to it and see for yourself ;)