My Neighbors the Yamadas

My Neighbors the Yamadas is unique. With its unusual format and famous computer-generated animation (which is designed to look like watercoloring), I actually had to stop and reflect on whether it was actually an anime. If we use a simple definition of anime that simply states that it is Japanese animation, then Yamadas certainly counts. If we expanded that definition to say anything about style or plot, then Yamadas would not be an anime.

Yamadas tells dozens of short “slice of life” stories about the Yamada family. They go to school and forget things in the morning, call in sick to work, and fight over what to watch on TV. That’s pretty much all there is the Yamadas – there’s no large, overarching plot or huge conflict in this movie. The segments of this movie, often separated by poetry, make it surprising episodic. Overall, Yamadas is heartwarming.