Don't know if this topic had been brought up before in this thread. A simple keyword search threw up several possibilities and I don't have time to check them all. If it's a repeat, my apologies in advance.
Basically, I've been wondering about the relationships between grown children and their parents in Japan. I'd just watched
Ookami Kodomo no Ame to Yuki over the weekend and, if you aren't aware, the movie is essentially a loving
tribute to mothers, among other things.
Here's a part of my overall question: To what extent does mainstream anime accurately reflect family relationships? As many of you may have observed, parents are usually not present in many anime series. They're usually not included to keep the cast small and plot-relevant, or else they are simply written out of the picture altogether (eg, the protagonists' parents died while they were still children, forcing them to grow up either alone or in the care of relatives).
More importantly, I'm curious about the extent to which grown-up children keep in touch with their parents. I get the impression that Japanese families are similar to Western families in this regard, that is, parents — particularly the poor hardworking mothers — are essentially left alone in home towns once the children have flown the coop.
(I get the impression that Western parents greatly look forward to this "coming of age". For starters, they get to have the house back all to themselves! No more pesky children messing up the place and unwilling to do their fair share of chores! Yay!)
Do understand that I'm speaking as a person who grew up and lives in a city-state. People in Singapore, and in cities like Hong Kong, tend to be very close to their parents — both physically and emotionally — often living with them all the way till they are married. There is little to no stigma about not leaving to set up your own home, as is often the case in the West. (Partly because homes are extraordinarily expensive, and also because, culturally, parents in both cities do like to have their children nearby, even after they've moved out.)