Tari Tari - Episode 8

Last week's instalment of Tari Tari left us with quite the shock, as Sawa's ill treatment of her own body leads to a spectacular fall from a horse during a competition.

Luckily for her, there's no lasting damage, although the doctor who checks her over notes some signs of malnutrition.  Given this information, Sawa really has no choice but to face up to her parents, admitting that she's effectively been starving herself in the hope of coming within the weight guidelines for the riding school she wishes to join.  Even with her dad once again insisting that this is the time for her to think about her future education and job opportunities, Sawa still staunchly refuses to give up on her dream.

Although she quickly returns to school, even her friends soon see that something isn't right with Sawa, as she snaps at some of the other students and absent-mindedly goes through the motions the rest of the time - Miyamoto assumes that her friend is still lovesick, but eventually the truth comes out here too, with Sawa unable to accept even the guidance of her friends in this particular case.  As the rest of the makeshift choir club once again have to face up to the vice principle's obstinance in trying to ruin the club's chances of performing at the forthcoming festival, Sawa has an important role to play in proceedings, but will she even turn up?  With her friends and family both proving how much she means to them, perhaps she can finally find the strength to move forward.

In spite of being overly saccharine in some places and utterly daft in others, Tari Tari undoubtedly has its heart in the right place and once again this episode goes a great job of tugging at the heartstrings as and where required.  Sawa's story of a dream tumbling before her eyes is one that pretty much anyone can relate to in some shape or form and share in the heartbreak of, while its her parents unspoken desire to do anything they can for their daughter's happiness which was ultimately the most moving part of the whole episode - it isn't the kind of thing you see in anime perhaps as often as you should, which only served to make it more notable.  It's these simple things that keep Tari Tari punching above its weight relatively speaking, and coupled with its unceasing visual polish it continues to be a decidedly entertaining and occasionally touching viewing experience.