Hamtaro (2002)

If you haven't guessed it by this photo alone, I am moving back - or perhaps further - into the world of Anime. It has been since December of last year, with the behemoth known as "Super Dimensional Fortress Macross", but I survived and have moved forward into greener, more hamster-ish fields. "Hamtaro", a 5-disc series is the story of a little hamster named Hamtaro and the group of friends he has upon arriving to his new house. What makes "Hamtaro" stand above the a-typical children's anime series is the fact that his owner, Laura, goes through the same adventures on her day to school or via her parents - the parallels are impressive and transform Hamtaro's situations into ones that could be relatable to children of any age. Per the book that was picked for me, I only watched the first disc and three episodes running a brist 18-minutes a piece, but that was enough to be a curious Hamtaro fan for possibly another round.

When watching Anime, I always look to see if they are panning to a younger audience merely by looks and action, losing any ounce of story along the way -- and, is this something that I could suggest to my nieces without feeling the wrath of my brother? Two great questions for "Hamtaro", and I must admit, it surprised me. "Hamtaro", from the beginning, feels like a classic cartoon. The overuse of introduction and exit felt like a moment of my Saturday Morning cartoons. The adventures were episodic, allowing anyone to jump into the world of Hamtaro at anytime, but there was this connecting story arc that allowed the older viewer (a.k.a. myself) to feel that this wasn't just a one-shot series, but a world that was being created. References to past episodes and past friends always redeems a series in my eyes. It just shows that the creators are not just in it for a 9-5 paycheck, but care about building the mythology known as Hamtaro.

Found in my "500 Essential Anime Movies" - while this isn't a movie - it still was an enjoyable run through the backyard. Hamtaro and his crew are adorable, and while that did sway my vote a bit, it was the stories themselves AND the use of the bright bold colors that kept me glued to the screen for the full three episode run. I am excited to have this in the store, and while I won't jump to get the second disc right away, it will be something I will pick up if ever found. A great suggestion to kids and parents alike, "Hamtaro" surprisingly is getting a green mark with blue stars. I will watch further, will watch this again, and can definitely suggest to friends.

It's Hamtaro time!