Marigold Ran on Usagi Drop Ringing True

Original Post:

Usagi Drop Roundup: The Viewers Speak Up!

By ghostlightning | Published: August 23, 2011

MarigoldRan

Posted August 24, 2011 at 12:14 am | Permalink

Why the devil wasn’t I put on the discussion panel? I’ve probably more experience with kids than all of you COMBINED. I’ve been working with large groups of them for the last 6 or 7 years. For better or worse (Generally for the better. But not always. Hohoho).

In regards to question 1, I’m SHOCKED that an anime managed to accurately depict a child. I think this is the first time it has happened. From other anime shows I’ve watched, I’ve gathered that kids were either:

1. Miniature teenagers in disguise (Nanoha, various other shows).
2. Miniature adults in disguise (Cowboy Bebop).
3. Poor saps waiting to be victimized by monsters (Monster, Princess Mononoke).
4. Objects of adult/teenage interest (examples abound. Shudder).
5. Geniuses (Azumanga Daioh, Kare Kano)
6. Or the Permanently Cheerful Child (these types are surprisingly common in fiction. I don’t get it. If the writers think about it, it should be pretty obvious that NO ONE can stay permanently cheerful).

Rin acts normal for a kid in her circumstance. In episode 1, when she climbs the steps, she USES HER HANDS. When she’s angry that Daikichi didn’t pick her up, SHE KNOCKED DOWN A TOWER OF BLOCKS. When she wants to reach the grandfather clock, SHE GOES TO THE KITCHEN AND GETS A STOOL WITHOUT TALKING TO ANYONE. She likes piggy-back rides, BUT DOESN’T WANT TO BE CAUGHT ON ONE. She doesn’t understand the concept of I’m-really-tired-in-the-morning-and-I’m-an-adult-and-no-I-don’t-want-to-wake-up-at-5:45 AM-idea. She likes bouncing on the bed (and falling off it) when the adults are talking on the phone. When Daikichi tries to see which clothes fit on her, SHE WAVES HER HANDS UP AND DOWN. When she sees a stranger, SHE RUNS AWAY BECAUSE SHE’S SHY. Etc. etc.

Also, Reina is pretty accurate too. Her mom obviously has no idea what to do with her so Reina takes full advantage of the situation to do whatever she wants to do. This includes:

1. Running around the house.
2. Running around other people’s houses.
3. Makes friends easily.
4. Clamoring for stuff constantly.
5. Generally getting what she wants.
6. A lot of fun to be around for people who are not responsible for her. A headache for the parents though.

So, yes, Usagi Drop gets a lot of these little details RIGHT. Which is extremely rare for anime.

As to question #2: Do I want a kid?
No. Yes, eventually, but right now it’s way too early. First I need more money. Then a (beautiful) girlfriend. Then a wife. Then children. In that order. So there’s a long way to go.

Question #3: Do I have nostalgia for childhood? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. No. Do I have anxiety as an adult? HAHAHAHAHAHAHA. No. Anxiety, nostalgia, and worry require emotional memory, which I don’t have much of. After all, you have to REMEMBER you’re anxious to be anxious, you get my drift?

I’ll continue to watch Usagi Drop out of interest.

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Marigold Ran on Vagabond

Original Post: Legendary Feats of Swordsmanship: Berserk & Vagabond; Guts & Miyamoto Musashi

Discusssion starts here.

In the manga, Musashi is a genius and the reason is because he uses his attraction to Otsu to improve his sword techniques. For most people, the direction works in the other way (they use their fighting skills to attract women).

Continues here.

There was this one chapter where Takuan hit Musashi on the head with a stick after tricking him into becoming distracted by thoughts of Otsu. But Musashi learned very quickly from that experience that the correct way to deal with these distractions is not to fight them, but to go with the flow so that his attraction to Otsu will not hamper his fighting abilities.

In other words, Musashi is internally motivated at getting better at fighting for the sake of getting better at fighting, and this trait is something that all geniuses have. Unlike others, Musashi is not fighting for women or glory. Musashi’s friend, Otsu’s former fiancee, notes this on multiple occasions in his musings on why Musashi always seemed to be progressing faster and further than himself.

The other necessary trait for genius is talent, of which Musashi has an abundance of. The most successful fighters in Vagabond are all extremely talented and internally motivated (Kojiro, Musashi, Yagyu, and Ittosai). The second tier of fighters are extremely talented but are not particularly interested in fighting for the sake of fighting (Yoshioka Seijiro, and Inshun). Musashi improves the most from his fights with the second tier. The third tier are the characters are interested in fighting, but lack the talent (Yoshioka Denchischiro, Matahachi, and Gion Toji). These characters suffer terribly in the manga because they are never able to attain the genius-level of fighting they see in their colleagues despite their desperate, and frantic efforts. In the end, these third-tier fighters fall apart psychologically from the strain, or get chopped to pieces, or both.

Ueda Ryohei and Tsukihaje Kohei (the only character to survive a death match with both Musashi and Kojiro) are special cases. Ueda Ryohei has the desire and the talent to match Musashi, but he is hampered by his sense of comradeship and responsibility to the Yoshioka clan. This is why he loses. Kohei is special because he has first-tier fighting talent and the desire too. However, unlike Musashi or Kojiro who fights for the sake of fighting, Kohei fights for the sake of killing. In the end he loses too because clarity of genius (as expressed through Musashi and Kojiro) is stronger than clarity of malice.

And continues here.

Most of the enjoyment in Musashi comes from watching the second and third-tier fighters fall apart over the course of the story.

Matahachi finally learned, after losing everything precious to him, that trying to copy genius, when you’re not a genius, is a bad idea, but by then it’s too late for him and he’s already an old man.

Toji learned that his power was a the reflection of Seijuro’s genius, and that without Seijuro, he is nothing.

Denshichiro learned that he’s simply not up to par with people like Musashi or his younger brother. Not enough talent. Bad genetic luck.

Ueda learned in his final moments that his sense of responsibility kept him back as a fighter.

Kohei learned the hard way that there is always someone stronger than you.

Seijiro never learned anything. He was… beat. The only thing he may have regretted at the end was not killing Musashi when he had the chance.

Inshun learned that he never really wanted to fight at all.

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