Hataraki Man

[tun]

9-11 are imminent.

[Jazzrat]

Woohoo, it's finally out
Again, thanks for subbing this gem Arienai!

<faithfully download the last 3 episode>

[night train]

Big ups to Arienai for picking up Hataraki Man and finishing it. Thanks for subbing this.

[Quarkboy]

I really look forward to what people think of the final episodes. Even after watching them/translating them/pondering them, I still wonder about what other people will take away from the series.

I spent a crazy amount of mental time figuring out how to translate the final two lines of episode 11... I actually came up with what I put down while sitting on the toilet at work, randomly. (Guess that just shows you what I'm thinking about on campus).

Hmm, now that I think about it, those lines are very appropriate for an easter sunday release. creepy.

[Burner of Anime]

At long last- Thank Arienei for some godlike subbing ability

Now for the other Anno Moyoko show ...

[Jazzrat]

Yet another excellent episode.
This one focus on Matsukata's stress and her ambition to be a Chief Editor.

I really sympathized with her this episode, there are so many times when i felt the way she felt when she's sick and crushed with mountains of work.

[night train]

I think the last few episodes are really well done especially the relationship aspect between work and personal life.

Spoiler:

I think Hiro's and Shinji's relationship broke apart is not limited to work issues but how Shinji's ego couldn't stand the fact that Hiro is more successful. The chemistry between them was fine when they were on equal footing as shown in the flashbacks and earlier episodes, but when Hiro's career start to take off and Shinji got stuck at a dead end job; that when everything started to fell apart for them. The subtle message I got from the last two episodes was sometimes relationship are a casualty of a career minded person. Most of the time, it's not gonna work out and you just have to wait for someone who accepts the way you are (the deceased person's wife in episode 9) or is on equal grounds as you, career wise. What I thought was very clever is that they never really talked about the relationship commitment of working women because of all the female characters, only one was married while the rest are single even Hiro's friends. It is well know in Asian cultures, girls who aren't married and having a family above the age of 25 is considered a bad thing. This point was never brought up at all except briefly touched upon during the baseball players arc. The goal was to keep it about professionalism and concentrate on the work life and the environment rather than personal life drama and views of society. I also think that Kaji is a older, more matured version of Hiro and experienced the same obstacles. They both understand what the other is going through in an almost telepathic sense while others are completely clueless (the plane crash news stoic face and the breakup) Overall, the is probably the best slice of life series IMHO.

Once again, thanks to the people at Arienai for subbing such a great series.

[Quarkboy]

Here's something I'm confused about... even now.

What do people think of Kaji's reaction to

Spoiler for episode 10:

the painting? The scene seemed odd. Maybe they were trying to make the opposite point, that along with not getting upset at bad things, you also sacrifice your excitement about happy things. Or perhaps they were just emphasizing how calculating Kaji is at all times, with her looking at the painting with a contemplative "hmmm" instead of just being happy about it.

[Jazzrat]

That's an odd scene, it feels like the painter thought he captured Kaji's beauty on his painting but only to realized he didn't.......

i really can't be sure, that scene left me scratching my head as well

[Joojoobees]

Originally Posted by Jazzrat

that scene left me scratching my head as well

Yeah, me too. I didn't feel like I was following that part of the story well. Even the comment about her being a pro was puzzling to me.

[Quarkboy]

Originally Posted by Joojoobees

Yeah, me too. I didn't feel like I was following that part of the story well. Even the comment about her being a pro was puzzling to me.

Well, to me that meant this: In life, there are many ways to be successful, thinks Hiro... There's the way she tries to do it, like the man who died in episode 9, by working really hard, and building up the trust and confidence of those around you. Or, in Kaji's case, by modernizing the Yamato Nadesico image of the perfect woman, and using that to succeed by causing those around you to idolize you (and thus, you can be effective in what you do). Her comment about Kaji "not being a pro at work, but a pro at being a woman" is commenting on this. Note, I don't feel like Hiro judges one way as "better" than the other, only that she figures out at the end of episode 10 WHY Kaji is how she is. To Hiro, it's hard for her to understand Kaji, her work ethic, her relationships with the other people in the office.

That's what I think about that. But, you also have to keep in mind something that was mentioned before. Kaji is still single, and working, which BY ITSELF in japanese society is all you need to put her as a career working woman. So although she seems to be kind of the "anti-feminist" to the western viewer, she is quite far from it. I might even lable her something like a "neo-feminist", empowerment through taking advantage of her femininity.

[Jazzrat]

I can see why Matsukata call Kaji a pro because unlike herself who gets worked up about everything, Kaji just keeps it cool and keep on doing her work(which doesn't seem like much work at all lol). Even when one of her author died or might have died, Kaji kept her composure... Matsukata would probably have freaked out.

As usual, Atsuko Tanaka voiced another cool bean female character again, even Yumi couldn't touch her. I like the part when Kaji comfort Matsukata at the end, seems like she's the one of the few that realized what Matsukata was going through then.

[Joojoobees]

Definitely an interesting series. I think it was particularly that they went the "no easy answers" route. The question that was set up in the beginning was essentially the one that was hammered away at all throughout the series, but in the end, they chose to not actually answer it, and instead gave a pretty balanced view of the situation.

I really liked the continuity of elements from different episodes such as the way we hear she has proposed the Fifty Samurai, and we eventually see her working on it, and, in an even later episode, it hits the stands.

Spoiler for ending:

I guess I'd call the ending bittersweet. There was a certain amount of reaching for triumphant in that final shot, but the hardships caused by her life choices had already been plainly documented.

Re: Kaji
Maybe I'm having a hard time understanding, because I relate to Hiroko so much easier. I don't even really understand why Kaji sits for the portrait, so it probably shouldn't be surprising that her response on seeing it is also unclear.

[Quarkboy]

Originally Posted by Joojoobees

Re: Kaji
Maybe I'm having a hard time understanding, because I relate to Hiroko so much easier. I don't even really understand why Kaji sits for the portrait, so it probably shouldn't be surprising that her response on seeing it is also unclear.

Well, it's clear from the dialog that Mogi Sensei (the author who Kaji is in charge of) and the artist are friends (or at least, acquaintances). So I presume that Mogi's artist friend ran into Kaji one day when she was checking up on Mogi, and went "Damn, she's beautiful!" and asked her if she'd pose for him. Kaji, of course, would never say no.

[Dop]

Hurrah!

I did like the way episodes 10 and 11 depicted different events happening concurrently.

Spoiler:

Ah, drunken Shinji. What a smooth talker.. "When I look at you Hiro, all I see is my own worthless self."

Still, we've all been thinking Hiro could do so much better.

Good to see that Kaji was the only one who had really cottoned on to what had been happening, and comforted Hiro by saying work would give rise to her next romance.
And it looks like that's what might happen, as there's definitely something going on with the photographer Sugawara.

Wonder if there'll be a second series?

Many thanks to Arienai for their work subbing this excellent series!

[Quarkboy]

Originally Posted by Dop

Hurrah!

I did like the way episodes 10 and 11 depicted different events happening concurrently.

Spoiler:

Ah, drunken Shinji. What a smooth talker.. "When I look at you Hiro, all I see is my own worthless self."

Still, we've all been thinking Hiro could do so much better.

Good to see that Kaji was the only one who had really cottoned on to what had been happening, and comforted Hiro by saying work would give rise to her next romance.
And it looks like that's what might happen, as there's definitely something going on with the photographer Sugawara.

Wonder if there'll be a second series?

Many thanks to Arienai for their work subbing this excellent series!

Spoiler for non-existent season 2: (from the manga) Sugawara gets transferred to the weekly shounen manga magazine owned by Gotansha! (called "Shounen Brave") He still hangs around the same building though. It's truly hilarious to see him forced to interact with a bunch of manga geeks, though.

[Joojoobees]

Originally Posted by Dop

Ah, drunken Shinji. What a smooth talker..

Yeah, that could have been better phrased. I think, in a weird way, he meant it as a compliment, so that was actually a pretty touching scene.

Spoiler:

When you come right down to it, there probably is no good way to do such things, and acknowledging what has to be is better than spending years denying it, only to have the inevitable happen anyways.

[pathyfinder]

Originally Posted by Quarkboy

...That's what I think about that. But, you also have to keep in mind something that was mentioned before. Kaji is still single, and working, which BY ITSELF in japanese society is all you need to put her as a career working woman. So although she seems to be kind of the "anti-feminist" to the western viewer, she is quite far from it. I might even lable her something like a "neo-feminist", empowerment through taking advantage of her femininity.

I have to admit I truly admire the Japanese Women for using this "empowerment" to the best extreme in life. A lifesource of power that is a gift to be utlilized (instead of ...well I'm just so sick of some women bitching about their limits, albiet in my opinion are self imposed). Be it a career or at home, or a student it's an art. I think that is why at the end we were all allowed to see that aspect come out from her. A nice gift to us viewers.

I'm glad she found out again at the end that she loves this job, and at times can shelter her as well as others from the at times harsher reality of "life". There has been many times I've seen my job (don't dare say it's a career) has been my salvation.

I also loved the what I would call a touching moment of truth near the end, with a glimpse of hope, and even perhaps romance

Such a great series, very enjoyable.....and.....will be so missed

[zrdb]

This is a very cool little series-and to think I discovered it purely by accident?!?!? Guess the reason I found it was because I'm addicted to Pretty Cure in all of it's incarnations and Quarkboy loves it-so ya'll can figure out the rest.

[roon]

This was a great series. I loved the reality of it, and the lack of "happily ever after." The bittersweet ending was a nice touch, IMO.

I've seriously gotta go read the manga now...