Cardcaptor Sakura 10-11 - GAH! Yeah, I knew it was coming (I'd seen these two episodes before, just not 5-9 before them), but finally I got to the bad part, the most disturbing thing about this series that I know of -- the relationship between Sakura's parents.
I mean, honestly, who thought that this was an idea that they should go with? It's so disturbing and messed up, what in the world were they thinking...
So, when he was a beginner highschool teacher (started as a highschool teacher, then moved up to college professor? Huh, I don't think it usually works that way... maybe once in a while I guess.), her father met her mother, Nadeshiko, who was a student at the school he taught at. She was at most 16 at the time, perhaps younger. She was a ditzy airhead bad at sports (yeah, Sakura's a much better character than her mother...), and fell out of a tree onto him. He responded by hitting on her, asking if she was an angel. They started dating sometime after that. Despicable behavior there from him.
Their relationship moved quickly, and they got married when she was 16. The next year, she had her first child. I mean, she has to have. They said that she died at age 27. Sakura (currently 9 or 10) was three when she died. That means Sakura was born when her mother was 24. Her older brother is a high school junior, seven years ahead of her in school. So, he's most likely seven years older than her, and thus was born when his mother was 17. The series mentions none of this of course, though.
Somehow, the fact that marrying and then impregnating a student in your school is illegal in, as far as I know, the entire first world doesn't even come up. Sure, she may have been of legal age to marry, but not when he's her teacher... but the show makes it VERY clear that they married while she was still a highschool student and he taught in that school. They brought lunches they'd eat together, etc -- it wasn't hidden. He should have gone to jail for that... okay, so this is Japan so maybe they wouldn't (maybe they would, I don't know, could go either way; such relationships are illegal in Japan, thoug, whether or not they'd prosecute it enough.), but at least he'd have been almost certainly fired, and probably have trouble getting another higher position like his current professorship, with that kind of history (and maybe criminal record).
But in the story, so Tomoyo's mother, who was Nadeshiko's cousin, liked her cousin (very much like how Tomoyo likes Sakura, some nice parallels there), and was very angry at him for taking Nadeshiko away from her like that. There was probably then a fallingout between the couple and her family. Then she died some years later, how they have not said. On that note Tomoyo's mother isn't a great character. She acts so, so childish most of the time, it's absurd... but, when asked what Sakura's father's biggest character flaw is, what does she say?
That he's perfect, that's what. Yeah.
All the show has to say about the age and teacher/student issues is "but they loved eachother, so it's okay!" The message is that Tomoyo's mother should forgive him for what he did and accept that her sister loved him and that what they did was fine, because it was love (Oh yeah, and she probably likes him too, as the "he's too perfect, that's his only problem" line implies.). NO. That is absolutely false, couldn't be much less true considering the actual situation... Who cares if you fell in love at first sight? She's 16 or less and your student. As I said, despicable.
Overall, that's so disturbing that it's kind of hard to believe someone would actually put a plotline like that in a modern anime aimed at children... I mean, a plotline like that in a late-night, otaku-centric series would be one thing (though heck, even Onegai Teacher, as horrible as it was, has the two of them having to keep their relationship a secret...), but in a series like this? Seriously?
And I mean, it'd have been so easy to avoid, too! Just have her be a couple of years older and not still his student and presto, still somewhat problematic, but not nearly to the degree that it is.
I mean, other than the relationships it's a very good show, but why did they have to make them so messed up...
Geneijin said:
Ah, gotcha. But I think the bad writing outweighs the production values enough to say it is pretty generic although we disagree obviously.
Without that original, shiny coat though, would we even have watched it?
It's a cause for grievance with how often they resorted to it though. The pacing was brisk but there was no sense of pace at all because there was a lack of any true development. From character relationships to plot, they glossed over it almost completely. Maybe everything but I don't remember enough to say it's entirely true.
I'd say that there was development (in this genre's way) during many of the episodes, it's just that then they'd randomly completely change everything in the beginning of the next episode and completely negate some of what happened with no explanation.
Yeah, this level of bad writing will happen traditionally in harem animes. It's expected of the genre. But has there been a harem anime which has gone through so many cliches and was literally fueled by them yet achieved nothing?
This level of bad writing does happen sometimes in this genre, certainly, but it's not always as bad, or as nonsensical, as it is in IS... as I've said all along the show is below average for its genre in terms of writing quality, and yeah that is saying something.
doomed1 said:
Then they're pussies. And they deserve my unending scorn for turning what was a GREAT high school band comedy into a college band comedy that acts like a high school band comedy. It's a shame too, since the music is damned good...
I don't really like K-On, so I can't say anything about it being great (though of course I don't like rock or bands either), but really, you think the setting change hurts the formula that much? I mean, it probably does, to some degree, but the otaku don't care so it likely won't happen.
The Japanese otaku expect the girls to be virgins with no love lives, after all. It's important now (probably as much or more because of Western influences over the past 150 years or so than anything else, but still, it's there now.). As if a mere change of setting should disturb the perfection of the moe, regardless of whether it makes less and less sense as it goes along to stick to it...
He should do it, if only to prove himself a man. Bring it in carefully, out of the blue, a casual mention. "Hey, Mio, lets go out for ice cream or something!" "Sorry Ritsu, Yuiichi wants to go out to a movie." *insert relationship character gag here* or something like that, and watch the otaku boil over, but on a delay. Just long enough to make a strip about how dumb the otaku were for assuming they'd never see anything male their age evar.
I agree here, he should. I know it's very unlikely, because the people that would complain are the most diehard fans and are very vocal, but despite the above plenty of people in Japan would accept it, particularly considering the college setting now... the problem is, is it worth offending the otaku to do? It would be good if his answer would be yes, but sadly given the nature of the series, with how devoted and large its okatu following is, it would surprise me if he actually did it. It would be pretty amusing to see the reaction if it actually does happen, though...
mAcOdIn said:
It IS that bad. I wouldn't mind if after every episode they showed something new or if there was nothing after every episode and I wouldn't mind if there was always a recap with nothing new before an episode or no recap at all but it's the inconsistency of it all that kills me. And again look at Laste Exile, there was 20 plus episodes to that series, if there were no recaps you'd have the equivalent of an entire 'nother episode to play with time wise, they could have made the ending make sense or something, instead they waste their time for recaps for people who find the series complicated or some shit.
Yeah, but how many people would find it even MORE confusing if there weren't at least those summaries saying what had just happened?
Oh heaven's no. First, Hanasaku Iroha shits all over Nichijou, second what is Nichijou if not also vapidly amusing, assuming one finds it amusing? We're not going to say it's intelligent humor are we? But best shot at being essentially the show of the season? Not a snowball's chance in hell that's true, it's already been bested and there's still other stuff coming that's more promising.
In my opinion it's definitely got the best chance of being show of the season, yes.
