Sunday 28 July 2013

The Eccentric Family - Episode 4

The Shimogamo family have managed to acquire their rather less than leisurely "leisure liner" just in time for the festival, ensuring an evening of celebration that is (hopefully) free from any shame brought about by rival tanuki families.

Despite his protestations, even Professor Akadama comes along for the ride, even if his appearance involves a little charade on his part to make it seem coincidentally, and even though he's quite clearly only there for the booze anyhow.  Unfortunately for Akadama, much of that alcohol is used to fuel the teakettle of the inner parlour which acts as their craft to keep it sky-borne, leaving his glass to be somewhat neglected.


With the family having been regaled of the tale of their father's cunning and sense of mischief which has gone down in legend, neither mother nor two of the three brothers are prepared to be usurped by the Ebisugawa family - they may have a proud and almighty vessel which dwarfs their own little flying shack, but bombarding the Shimogamo craft with fireworks really isn't cricket.  With the realisation that Benten is enjoying herself on the Ebisugawa boat not exactly helping the mood either, it's only a matter of time before things escalate... and boy do they escalate, with fireworks soon becoming munitions in this undignified battle over the skies.  Perhaps Benten hasn't quite picked sides as blatantly as it seems however, as she appears to have left something of a "secret weapon" for Yasaburou...

I still can't quite pin down what it is that's so wonderful about The Eccentric Family, but wonderful it most certainly is - the series is still meandering without any real sense of what its broader purpose is, but I can't say I mind that too much when it treats us to such wonderful visuals while springing forth a real sense of fun from its fantastically well-built world.  From its regaling of old stories through to its childish battle with fireworks, I was engrossed from beginning to end - even if it doesn't have a grand plan, this show really seems to be onto a winner with the elements currently in its possession.

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