(L) Usagi Drop

[TCman]

Well, finally watched episode 1 of Usagi Drop last night. I must say it's pretty good, it got nice pacing and interesting plot.

And Rin really remind me of Ushio who meet Tomoya in Clannad after Story for the first time; her reaction and behaviour both are quite similar, being curious, but at the same time being uncertain.

[MeoTwister5]

Single Parents

Comments that the setting suggests lolita-esque ideas would be insulting if the stereotyped anime trends weren’t actually valid to some extent. Fortunately for us the moment I read/heard Daikichi say at the end that she’s his aunt, we already know beyond a reasonable doubt that he is has a good head on his shoulders. His shoulders may be completely unprepared for the task that faces him, but hey no one ever is. He hasn’t realized it all yet of course, but when she woke him up that morning after it’s already running through his head that he’s unofficially adopted a young child. He is in ways different from his relatives who themselves make all sorts of excuses to not take her in, when in fact they are the one most experienced in raising a child. It fell on the shoulders of the one who has little or no idea what child rearing is to give this girl that no one else wants a home.

Daikichi may have been impulsive, but in the end he did what was right for Rin, and you must give him props for that.

[Tiberium Wolf]

Awesome like the manga. Pity they were damn lazy at the OP and ED animation. Really lazy. Songs were average.

[ttdestroy]

Originally Posted by MeoTwister5

Single Parents

Comments that the setting suggests lolita-esque ideas would be insulting if the stereotyped anime trends weren’t actually valid to some extent. Fortunately for us the moment I read/heard Daikichi say at the end that she’s his aunt, we already know beyond a reasonable doubt that he is has a good head on his shoulders. His shoulders may be completely unprepared for the task that faces him, but hey no one ever is. He hasn’t realized it all yet of course, but when she woke him up that morning after it’s already running through his head that he’s unofficially adopted a young child. He is in ways different from his relatives who themselves make all sorts of excuses to not take her in, when in fact they are the one most experienced in raising a child. It fell on the shoulders of the one who has little or no idea what child rearing is to give this girl that no one else wants a home.

Daikichi may have been impulsive, but in the end he did what was right for Rin, and you must give him props for that.

I'll concede that he did the right thing for Rin, but there is a literal ton of things you should consider before adopting a kid. For instance, he said he was busy presumably with a job, who's gonna look after that kid when he's a work? Does his job even pay enough to support two people? Is he psychologically ready to take care of another person? Will this kid even feel loved when she's with someone whom she barely knows and who may or may not have time for her. I'm not saying it was right for his family to make excuses but the individuals who had children could have been weighing all of this before impulsively making a decision.

But on the reals this series is gold. I went to my parent's house and showed this to my Mom and she was floored, seriously this show will make people a believer in anime.

[ipodi]

Originally Posted by Irenicus

But they weren't refusing Rin because they didn't have the means. They said that was the reason, but it couldn't be more obvious they were not just pushing away responsibility but they do it because they think she's somehow worth less, is a living shame, somehow of questionable parentage, her mother's apparently a bad woman, whatever, and they were gossiping about it at her father's very funeral. They rejected her not because of the weight of responsibility but, yes, small-mindedness. And Seiryuu was very clear that he was unimpressed with that attitude. He was not, I think, making claim that they should have taken her in even if they don't want to (he clarified as such in his latest post).

And the shame to family thing? Screw that. Daikichi agrees (for great justice!).

Bringing in an illegitimate child is a responsibility, a burden. Just because we Americans disagree with this concept it doesn't mean the people who do are small-minded.

You can reject Asians' ideas on illegitimate children on the ground that it is small-mindedness and that it is a mark against their culture. You can be unimpressed with the culture. You can even criticize those culture values. You can even persecute people for holding onto such culture values. The target is the culture, not the people. Again, people who can transcend the cultural limitations deserve praises; people who can't deserve understanding.

So we don't have the right to criticize anyone who follow the culture norms until we are willing to take on the consequences of rejecting them. We do, however, have the right to criticize the culture and to show them that there are better ways in dealing with a problem. Seiruyuu and everyone else are thus free to chime in on the inferiority of Japanese culture for fostering small-mindedness (by our American standard) on its people.

[keri]

Originally Posted by ttdestroy

I'll concede that he did the right thing for Rin, but there is a literal ton of things you should consider before adopting a kid. For instance, he said he was busy presumably with a job, who's gonna look after that kid when he's a work? Does his job even pay enough to support two people? Is he psychologically ready to take care of another person? Will this kid even feel loved when she's with someone whom she barely knows and who may or may not have time for her. I'm not saying it was right for his family to make excuses but the individuals who had children could have been weighing all of this before impulsively making a decision.

But on the reals this series is gold. I went to my parent's house and showed this to my Mom and she was floored, seriously this show will make people a believer in anime.

One of the reasons that I love Usagi Drop so much is that Unita actually addresses all of those things in the manga. Hopefully Production IG will do as bang-up a job adapting those chapters as they have the first chapter - and this first episode really was only the first chapter.

Usagi Drop is my #2 all-time favorite manga (at least, until the midpoint - I've not read any further yet, since I'm waiting for the YenPress editions), and Unita is my all-time favorite mangaka (my #1 fave manga is another of hers, actually). I have been super-anticipating this anime adaptation and the live-action movie since I first heard of them last winter. I had to wait until last night to actually watch the first episode of the anime, but it was so worth it. I loved the way they drew out the opening and showed a bit more of Daikichi's origins and what his family is like, and even the funerary traditions, before bringing us to the point where everyone is arguing about Rin. In the manga, with his narration boxes, the abrupt beginning with Daikichi in the kitchen learning about Rin's identity works well, but the anime allows for more quiet scenes and slow reveals and, well, atmosphere, and I really liked that they took advantage of that.

I was kind of annoyed with CR's method of translation, though. There were a few notes on the top of the screen that were dumb and distracting. It took away from the experience of watching. Though I guess since they translated the title to "The Bellflower Girl", they had to point out that Rindou = Bellflower somewhere. Still, both that and the note about Buddhist funerary customs were clunky and awkward and screwed up the mood of the scenes.

Loved the opening and ending themes. I'd love to see the ending sequence without the fuzzy circle mask thing, because it's really whimsical and fun, and also pretty. It appeals to the art-person in me.

[Flower]

Okay ... this is without doubt the best of the offerings of the season I have watched thus far ... amazingly well done.

Props to all those involved in its production.

After watching ep 1 I went back and read the manga chaps - extremely well done.

Annddd ... the OP isn't bad (fitting and "works" if nothing else) while the ED is VERY fitting and well done imo. Best ED I have come across this season thus far.

[CWW]

Even though I read the manga about a year before the anime, the first episode still teared me up inside, specifically the bellflower part. The anime version felt more heartwarming than the manga, since Daikichi's family were pretty rude towards Rin in the manga if I recall, specifically again the bellflower part where she stepped in the house with dirty feet.

I don't think there's enough time to cover the entire manga though, which is a shame since I stopped reading it a little after the major event. I assume they're not going further than that. Not only because of time constraints, but also because apparently a nine year-old is voicing Rin. Still have to get used to her voice, but I'm sure it will grow on me.

Good adaption so far then.

[FlareKnight]

Originally Posted by ttdestroy

I'll concede that he did the right thing for Rin, but there is a literal ton of things you should consider before adopting a kid. For instance, he said he was busy presumably with a job, who's gonna look after that kid when he's a work? Does his job even pay enough to support two people? Is he psychologically ready to take care of another person? Will this kid even feel loved when she's with someone whom she barely knows and who may or may not have time for her. I'm not saying it was right for his family to make excuses but the individuals who had children could have been weighing all of this before impulsively making a decision.

But on the reals this series is gold. I went to my parent's house and showed this to my Mom and she was floored, seriously this show will make people a believer in anime.

Somehow it seemed more like the people were pondering how to refuse to care for Rin without sounding like bad people more than anything else. Daikichi's mother was kind of the breaking point of tryign to pretend that this was about what was best for Rin and instead what was best for them. Sounded like the facility decision was where they were going to end up, just a question of slowly working towards that point.

Definitely a lot that Daikichi is going to have to deal with now. Taking a huge responsibility and his entire life is going to be changed by this decision. Of course still a good thing to do, but it'll be a challenge. Will just have to deal with those challenges as he goes though.

[kk2extreme]

On the lighter note, it is kind of awkward to tell other people that she is your aunt...

[Forsaken_Infinity]

Originally Posted by ipodi

Bringing in an illegitimate child is a responsibility, a burden. Just because we Americans disagree with this concept it doesn't mean the people who do are small-minded.

You can reject Asians' ideas on illegitimate children on the ground that it is small-mindedness and that it is a mark against their culture. You can be unimpressed with the culture. You can even criticize those culture values. You can even persecute people for holding onto such culture values. The target is the culture, not the people. Again, people who can transcend the cultural limitations deserve praises; people who can't deserve understanding.

So we don't have the right to criticize anyone who follow the culture norms until we are willing to take on the consequences of rejecting them. We do, however, have the right to criticize the culture and to show them that there are better ways in dealing with a problem. Seiruyuu and everyone else are thus free to chime in on the inferiority of Japanese culture for fostering small-mindedness (by our American standard) on its people.

As someone from Asia, and someone who has been through several situations quite close to what's portrayed in this anime, I can tell you that it's not the Asian culture but the people. No part of Asian culture says it's okay to abandon a child just because she happens to be an illegitimate child. In fact, it's a deed worth loathing. Them not being willing to take the responsibility is understandable from an American (if by that, you mean liberal) perspective and not otherwise. And yes it's understandable and people in Asia are wrong to be so quick to point fingers at parents that abandon children. But I dare say children are treated more as a treasure in Asia than the US - having lived here for the past couple of years. So don't pull off this random cultural difference thing please. It's almost offensive to have such a sweeping judgment passed about an entire culture while the point the show was making was the hypocrisy of the people who pretend to follow the culture and yet betray it. Those folks were talking about how irresponsible Rin's mom was etc. and yet were being rude to her and planning to abandon her all the while hypothetically saddened by her dad's death. Daikichi's deed is the right deed and in lieu with Asian culture. Just the fact that most Japnese viewers would consider Daikichi to have done an admirable deed is enough to establish that its not the Japanese culture that's bad. What was being portrayed here was the superficial nature of the relatives.

Basically, it is you who is viewing this whole thing in a liberal (American) light and finding the relatives to be understandable but yet it is you who says it isn't right for people to judge things from an American perspective and should instead lay the blame on the Asian culture. Wtf man? I will tell you what. Were my mom to see this show, she would grimace and condemn the relatives despite the fact that she has indirectly been part of something very similar in the past. That's the real bad part about Asian culture. The quick to condemn others part. And the pace at which rumors flow about. Sure the fear of rumors was behind the repulsion the relatives were showing Rin, but to say that the culture was the one at fault is finding an excuse to hide their hypocrisy and absolutely wrong. Because it's not at all alright to abandon a child, especially one directly from your dad, in Asian culture. Most definitely not. It's from the western point of view that those decisions become understandable with arguments such as economic liabilities and social prestige etc brought in.

[Kaoru Chujo]

I don't think cultural comparisons are meaningful here. The relatives' unwillingness and the remarkable guy who decides to do the right thing, even if it is ridiculous, are just as likely/unlikely in either an East Asian or a Euro-American context, it seems to me.

[Seiryuu]

I'd say that I can certainly understand the family. Taking care of a child is a big responsibility, and there would be a lot of problems and disapproval from others who found out that the girl is the bastard child of a 79-year-old man and a woman who appears to have disappeared. In that sense it is understandable, and I imagine it would be understandable in most cultures I'm aware of.

However, understandable and forgivable are two very different things. No matter how shameful and difficult it would be, it is wrong to simply pretend that what you're dealing with is anything less than an actual human being who had no say in how she came into this world. I don't care what culture has to say, even if that culture does somehow accept such things. I'd actually find it a little better if someone were to say "I'm not taking in some bastard child that Grandpa never even told us about". At least that person would be honest, unlike all the others who had clearly come to very similar decisions before sitting down and just threw around "practical" reasons that they couldn't take on the extra burden, even making up imaginary problems with the child that would make her even more difficult to care for, and even less of their responsibility. Daikichi's sister at least came up with an excuse that sounded sympathetic, saying that it would be sad for the girl to be all alone, even if this was just another excuse to dump her into a facility where she'd wait for who knows how long for someone who would be willing to take her.

And one thing to note, if anyone missed it, is that the discussion was never about who would adopt Rin and make her a permanent part of their family. The question was what to do about the girl for the time being while they either found her mother or other relatives who wanted her, or thought of something else to do with the girl. It was not a question of taking on a permanent responsibility, but one of helping out for a while. And no one was willing to do anything at all except come up with reasons to say they couldn't.

For obvious reasons, this reminds me of the parable of the Good Samaritan; when a guy was struck with terrible misfortune people came up with reasons to ignore him and not deal with him, until a person who had more reason than any of the others to want nothing to do with the man chooses to not simply take a moment to try and give him a hand, but to do everything he can for the guy. Every single excuse any of the family made was completely valid for him, yet he chose to take the girl in and raise her for however long it took.

[ipodi]

It is not my intention to jump into a discussion on cultural differences, but since I have been accused of making "sweeping" judgments on different cultures, I need to make a few points clear.

Originally Posted by Forsaken_Infinity

As someone from Asia, and someone who has been through several situations quite close to what's portrayed in this anime, I can tell you that it's not the Asian culture but the people. No part of Asian culture says it's okay to abandon a child just because she happens to be an illegitimate child.

Of course no one believes that it's "okay" to abandon a child, illegitimate or not. Americans also say it's not "okay" to suspend the Constitution and to jail people without charges. But we do it for certain "detainees."

No culture would ever support adults abandoning children. But orphanages are everywhere. Because if social, economic, and personal issues get in the way and that abandonment is necessary, then, sadly, children will be abandoned.

The argument is over whether the reasons these family members are throwing around are legitimate or not. They are legitimate. Since raising an illegitimate child is an issue.

Will anyone believe that it's okay to abandon a child, even if he or she is illegitimate? No. Do people in that culture believe that raising an illegitimate child is an issue? Yes.

Two separate issues.

But I dare say children are treated more as a treasure in Asia than the US - having lived here for the past couple of years. So don't pull off this random cultural difference thing please.

How children are treated at home and by society in general do not tell us about the stigma carried by illegitimate children.

It's almost offensive to have such a sweeping judgment passed about an entire culture while the point the show was making was the hypocrisy of the people who pretend to follow the culture and yet betray it. Those folks were talking about how irresponsible Rin's mom was etc. and yet were being rude to her and planning to abandon her all the while hypothetically saddened by her dad's death. Daikichi's deed is the right deed and in lieu with Asian culture. Just the fact that most Japnese viewers would consider Daikichi to have done an admirable deed is enough to establish that its not the Japanese culture that's bad. What was being portrayed here was the superficial nature of the relatives.

Making a general statement about the people in certain culture does not mean I am making a "sweeping judgment." Similarly, it is correct to say that America is more religious than most other Western countries, despite the fact that we have many atheists and do respect people's religious freedom. The statement is not a sweeping judgment. It's an accurate comment that pointed out the salient features of a particular society and/or culture, in comparison with other societies/cultures.

As for your rationale, that because Asians would laud Daikichi's deed, it must mean what he did represents the cultural norms. I will present an alternative explanation. People who have recognized the shortcomings of their own values and culture and aspire to transcend beyond them deserve our praises - this is a universal feature. Asians would see Daikichi as a hero because he has done the right deed, despite the cultural limitations. He is not being cheered because his actions represent the Asian cultures.

Basically, it is you who is viewing this whole thing in a liberal (American) light and finding the relatives to be understandable but yet it is you who says it isn't right for people to judge things from an American perspective and should instead lay the blame on the Asian culture.

My position should be straightforward. People are products of their culture, whether they want to be or not. Therefore, people who follow certain culture norms that we disagree with deserve our understanding. It is the culture that promoted the bad behaviors that deserves our criticisms.

Do we blame Arab women for putting on a hijab and perpetuating gender inequality? No. Do we blame the fundamentalist segment of the Arab culture for creating the inequality? Yes.

Because it's not at all alright to abandon a child, especially one directly from your dad, in Asian culture. Most definitely not. It's from the western point of view that those decisions become understandable with arguments such as economic liabilities and social prestige etc brought in.

First, of course it is not okay to abandon a child. Just because I don't think that we should attack people for failing to do something even though we are unwilling to do it ourselves, it doesn't mean I support child abandonment. So let's clear up that misconception.

Second, just because "Western" perspective takes economic liabilities into account (this is definitely a false characterization of Western culture; I am also fairly certain that the concept of "social prestige" is not uniquely Western), it doesn't mean Westerners believe that it's okay to abandon children.

Extending understanding to the family members, and believing that one should withhold judgments on people who would refuse to resume the legal guardianship that we ourselves would also refuse to resume, does not mean I believe adults can or should abandon a child the moment he or she becomes an inconvenience.

========================================

Originally Posted by Seiryuu

I don't care what culture has to say, even if that culture does somehow accept such things.

If this was made in response to my posts, then I wish to make it clear that I never suggest that any culture would thinks it is okay to abandon a child. Some cultures would find it difficult to take in an illegitimate child, thus, they are unlikely to take in a child whom they think do not belong to the family. In this case, child abandonment may be the unfortunate end result. But, in no culture would people accept child abandonment.

[keri]

One thing I'm wondering that I don't think was ever addressed in the manga either:

if Rin was living with Grandpa Kawachi but no one knew about her, 1) how did the family learn of his death, and 2) where was Rin living/what happened to her in the meantime?

I think it's kind of clear (after rewatching the first episode) that Rin is fascinated by Daikichi from the beginning, and not just because he's the only person to pay attention to her, and he looks a lot like the grandpa (there were several shots that jumped from Daikichi's face to the portrait, plus the uncle's comment). That and Rin's behavior shows that she was close to the grandpa, and he must have doted on her, so I figure she was living at the house - besides which, she clearly knew her way around as evidenced by the clock winding.

Maybe her mom was there right up until the old man died and she was the one who alerted the family, before disappearing? But then surely the family must have known who she is if she was living with their dad/grandfather. I don't know, it's all a bit murky to me.

[Freeter]

I think I just found my new Anohana. Rin is absolutely adorable.

Love the artstyle too. Feels almost like a Ghibli x Kimi Ni Todoke hybrid. It certainly makes the show stand out from the rest of the pack.

There's not much I'm looking forward to this season, but I'll definitely be keeping an eye on this one.

[LKK]

@keri: The family knows who Rin's mother is. They have the maternity record book, remember? That's how they knew that grandpa was in fact Rin's father. Her parents' names are recorded in the maternity book.

[pseudonhym]

I must say its good... however I felt that the scene where Daikichi decided to take care Rin somehow was lacking. It might be just me, but I feel that the manga portrayal of that scene was better.

^
They only know the name of the mother, but no one knows or have seen Masako. They only know that grandpa had a housekeeper. Of course, Masako would be shown later.

[Proto]

As a manga reader I'd ask all fellow readers to take the anime comparisons to the manga thread. Only other manga readers will be able to agree or disagree anyway.

[keri]

Originally Posted by LKK

@keri: The family knows who Rin's mother is. They have the maternity record book, remember? That's how they knew that grandpa was in fact Rin's father. Her parents' names are recorded in the maternity book.

Originally Posted by pseudonhym

^
They only know the name of the mother, but no one knows or have seen Masako. They only know that grandpa had a housekeeper. Of course, Masako would be shown later.

Right, they know her name, but nothing else about her - if they did, it wouldn't be a matter of "who is this missing person Masako" but "damn that Masako for running off, does anyone remember where she lived" and that kind of thing.


Dunno, but Rin's presence in the household and this question of how she is there bugged me during my second viewing, but it's never bothered me before. I don't guess we'll get an answer, but I wanted to ask it.