Welcome to this week’s review of notable instances of transit, place and culture as rendered in anime currently broadcast in Japan and simulcast internationally via the web. For a detailed outline of the approach, please refer to the explanation in the inaugural issue. Links to streaming sources are included when available, though not all may have current episode available at the time this column is published.

The Eccentric Family

(有頂天家族 Uchōten Kazoku)
Watch: Crunchyroll

Episode 5

With @ye_bi_su taking a three week hiatus from blogging, I may not be able to give you pinpoint identification for each and every shot, but will try my best. Here is Shijō Bridge (四条大橋).

This is in Ponto-chō (先斗町), the very well-known hanamachi (花街) district that consists mainly of a long, narrow alley running parallel to the Kamo River.

Correction 2013/08/30: This is not in the Teramachi Kyogoku Shōtengai (寺町京極商店街), as I had originally thought, though not far away. This is an underground passage below Shijō-dōri (四条通).

This is Teramachi Kyogoku Shōtengai.

Update 2013/08/30: We still don’t have a solid identification of the cafe. @ye_bi_su notes that in the original novel, the location was indicated as Umeda, the central business district in Kita Ward, Osaka. It’s obvious that the story has been simplified to keep this meeting in Kyoto, so perhaps the cafe is modeled on a location in Umeda, or nearby Cafe Mahayana (喫茶店マハヤーナ).

The antiques store is also an actual antiques store, though the exterior looks a bit different in real life, and is located on Teramachi-dōri (寺町通) to the south of the intersection with Shijō-dōri (四条通).

The sukiyaki restaurant where the Friday Fellows meet is in the Teramachi Kyogoku Shōtengai, where the shopping street crosses Sanjō-dōri (三条通).

In a flashback, Yodogawa finds Yasaburō’s mother in the mountainous Kitashirakawa (北白川) area on the east side of the city. Now you know the source of the protagonist’s surname in Tamako Market.

The remainder of the episode is set on the catwalk above the shōtengai.

A Certain Scientific Railgun S

(とある科学の超電磁砲（レールガン） Toaru Kagaku no Rērugan)
Watch: Funimation

New Opening Credits

With a new story arc beginning, a refreshed set of credits gives us some new angles.

Episode 17

As always, the Tama Toshi Monorail Line (多摩都市モノレール線) and the many elevated walkways in the central business districts of Tachikawa (立川) and Tama (多摩) provide the basis on which the futuristic Academy City is built.

Gatchaman Crowds

(ガッチャマンクラウズ Gatchaman Kurauzu)
Watch: Crunchyroll

Fan Pilgrimage Update

@rimatai made a pilgrimage to Sōunzan Station on the Hakone Tozan Cable Car Line, Nihonbashi and Toyosu Station for Episode 4.

Episode 4

Though not as visually interesting as the central business district, Hajime helps us identify many of the government services offices and facilities as she and Utsu-tsu walk around the city. These locations are within walking distance of the train stations.

Tachikawa Police Station (立川警察署)

Tachikawa Airfield (立川飛行場), home to the Ground Self-Defense Force’s Camp Tachikawa

Tachikawa Fire Station (立川消防署‎)

Tachikawa City Hall (立川市役所‎)

Hajime tries to open up Utsu-tsu through conversation as they wait at a covered bus stop.

O.D. and Utsu-tsu walk through the central business district, with Tachikawa-Kita Station (立川北駅) in the background.

Rui has a flashback of meeting the disgraced former Gatchaman, at Toyosu Station (豊洲駅).

A quick stop back at Tachikawa Station (立川駅), where Hajime has a part-time job in the Lumine department store complex attached to the station.

An incident unfolds in the crossing in front of Toyosu Station.

Bus terminal at Tachikawa Station

Genshiken Second Season

(げんしけん 二代目 Genshiken Nidaime)
Watch: Crunchyroll

Episode 5

Chūō-Daigaku-Meisei-Daigaku Station (中央大学・明星大学駅)

Note the convenience store, a Family Mart, inside the train station.

The Genshiken crew is taking the first Tama Toshi Monorail Line (多摩都市モノレール線) train in the morning, the first leg of another trip across Tokyo to Ariake. With A Certain Scientific Railgun S, Gatchman Crowds and Genshiken, the monorail has been popping up quite a bit this summer season.

Kokusai-Tenjijō Station (国際展示場駅)

Tokyo Big Sight (東京ビッグサイト)

Monogatari Series Second Season

(〈物語〉シリーズ セカンドシーズン)
Watch: Daisuki • Crunchyroll

Fan Pilgrimage Update

@nobucafe made a pilgrimage to Chūō Ward, Osaka and Seika, Kyoto Prefecture for Episode 2 and Episode 4.

Episode 5

One thing I’ve always loved about the animation in the Bakemonogatari franchise is how, despite the unusual, highly stylized and at times abstract depiction of urban environments, various bits and pieces of commuting infrastructure jump out in high detail. Markings for bicycle lanes, rail crossings, signals, switches, overhead power lines and others show up repeatedly. Because the rendering style tends to the abstract, it’s not always apparent what or if settings are based on real locations. But for urban dwellers who frequent them on a regular basis, familiar places are still recognizable even after having been distilled down to their essence, as was the case for Mitaka Station (三鷹駅). The station’s large rail yard supports its role as the terminus for the Chūō Line (中央本線), Chūō-Sōbu Line (中央・総武緩行線) and Tokyo Metro Tōzai Line (東西線).

Can you even see Tokyo Skytree from Mitaka? Monogatari, like the others in the series, pulls scenery from cities all over Japan, so don’t get too hung up on geography.

Day Break Illusion

(幻影ヲ駆ケル太陽 Gen’ei o Kakeru Taiyō)
Watch: Crunchyroll

Fan Pilgrimage Update

@paffue made a pilgrimage to the Joshibi University of Art and Design in Sagamihara, Kanagawa Prefecture, which appeared in Episode 4. This is a little bit odd, considering that the settings have been really clear that the show is placed in Nagasaki. I guess the animators couldn’t find a local building they liked.

@Beetle787 made an extensive pilgrimage around Nagasaki, covering Episodes 1 through 3 and the OP credits.

Episode 5

I’m not too knowledgeable on Nagasaki landmarks. Anyone recognize this?

Ginka’s father recounts youthful days with a close friend, to a montage of popular locations in Osaka. This is Osaka Castle (大坂城).

Dōtonbori (道頓堀)

Shitennō-ji (四天王寺)

Back in Nagasaki, Ginka’s father narrowly misses a tram car (Nagasaki Electric Tramway 長崎電気軌道) as he runs across its path.

WataMote ~No Matter How I Look at It, It’s You Guys’ Fault I’m Not Popular!~

(私がモテないのはどう考えてもお前らが悪い! Watashi ga Motenai no wa dō Kangaetemo Omaera ga Warui!)
Watch: Crunchyroll

Fan Pilgrimage Update

@ngwrb made a pilgrimage to Kabukichō, Shinjuku Ward, Tokyo for Episode 5.

@ngwrb also made a pilgrimage to Tsudanuma Station, Higashi-Funabashi Station and Funabashi Station, all stops on the Chūō-Sōbu Line, for Episode 4.

@nobucafe made a pilgrimage to Tenjinbashisuji Shōtengai for Episode 4.

@sennoha13 made a pilgrimage to Tsudanuma Station’s surrounding commercial district for Episode 4.

Episode 5

Tomoko takes the Chūō-Sōbu Line (中央・総武緩行線) to Shinjuku.

Kabukichō (歌舞伎町)

Servant x Service

(サーバント×サービス)
Watch: Crunchyroll

Fan Pilgrimage Update

@Beetle787 showed us several famiresu, from Sapporo and Kitakyushu, that may have been used to create the composite of the famiresu where Hasebe and Lucy go for dinner in Episode 4. He later confirmed Kitakyushu as the undisputed location, after more analysis.

Episode 5

Hasebe and Lucy walk along a tree-shaded sidewalk with wayfinding aid for the visually impaired.

In the background, a pedestrian overcrossing

Hasebe’s sister and Lucy take the subway to deliver a gift

Miyoshi takes Tōko to a cafe located in an open street shōtengai.

Kinmoza!

(きんいろモザイク Kin’iro Mozaiku)
Watch: Crunchyroll

Fan Pilgrimage Update

@kibaichi updated his Keisei-Usui post to include Episode 5.

@ngwrb made a pilgrimage to Tsudanuma Station and surrounding commercial district for Episode 2 and Episode 4. He also made a very thorough pilgrimage of Keisei-Usui Station, its commercial district and further out residential neighborhood, covering the OP and Episodes 1 through 4.

@sennoha13 (post) and @nishionishio (post) both made complete Episode 4 pilgrimages to Tsudanuma Station, Mimomi Station and Keisei-Usui Station with nearby residential neighborhood.

Episode 5

In a flashback, Shinobu and Yoko are depicted walking home from school unsupervised, when they were elementary school students. Children in Japan are taught to walk to and from school in kindergarten, later adding cycling and taking trains to the commuting options.

Keisei-Usui Station (京成臼井駅)

Free! – Iwatobi Swim Club

(岩鳶高校水泳部 Iwatobi Kōkō Suiei Bu)
Watch: Crunchyroll

Episode 5

A few short scenes on the main drag through Iwami (岩美) this week.

Iwami Station (岩美駅)

A Town Where You Live

(君のいる町 Kimi no Iru Machi)
* Not available for international simulcast

Fan Pilgrimage Update

@kbt_tigers1985 made a pilgrimage to Tokyo for the OVA.

 

Special Items

@rimatai made a pilgrimage to Ogikubo Station and its surrounding commercial district in Suginami Ward, Tokyo for Fantasista Doll.

@ngwrb made a pilgrimage to Narita Airport for Fate/kaleid liner Prisma Illya.

@paffue made a pilgrimage to Fukuoka for Yuyushiki.

@ngwrb made a pilgrimage to Tokyo Station and University of Tokyo for Chihayafuru 2.

@rimatai (post), @code_bk201 (post) and @ngwrb (post) all made a pilgrimages to a school that was used as a model in YuruYuri. The location is somewhere in Tokyo, though no one will say exactly where.

@1000th_summer made a pilgrimage to Matsue, Shimane Prefecture for Asagiri no Miko.