May 09, 2006
Anime Parents
Steven has a post up on anime parents, or rather, the lack of same. To his missing persons list you can add, just off the top of my head, Saga from Tiny Snow Fairy Sugar (both parents), Kaoru from Ai Yori Aoshi (both), Akane, Nabiki and Kasumi from Ranma 1/2 (mother), Jubei from Jubei-chan the Ninja Girl (mother), Ushio from Ushio and Tora (mother), Sana from Kodomo no Omocha (spoiler), Yuzuyu from Aishiteruze Baby (both, effectively) and Tenchi from Tenchi Muyo (mother and grandmother). (Honoka from Pretty Cure has both parents, but they are rarely seen; they work (and apparently live) abroad, while Honoka stays with her grandmother, which is another thing we often see.)
He suggests that it's to save money on voice actors, but that can't be right, because most anime is produced from existing manga, and manga is noticably lacking in the audio department.
It's a plot device.
The other things these characters have in common is that (a) they are young and (b) they are not living what you would call normal lives, exactly.
Ranma and Urusei Yatsura are prime examples of this.
In Ranma, both mothers are absent; Mrs Tendo passed away some years ago, and Mrs Saotome is at home waiting for the return of her husband and her son - who are, of course, desperate to avoid her. If both ladies were present, the series would have been over in 13 episodes rather than 176.
In Urusei Yatsura, on the other hand, most of the characters do have two living parents (Ryuunosuke being the exception, and she's not a major character). But Ataru's parents are largely ineffectual (though one of the best episodes has Mrs Moroboshi taking center stage), and Lum's parents are absent most of the time, being, after all, from a different planet.
It's effectively the same, and the reason is the same: If you want your teenage and pre-teen characters to be running around causing chaos, it's hard to do it and give them a stable home environment with parents who aren't complete idiots. Some shows (Sailor Moon did this, I think) push the plot point the other way: You have to go out and save the world... Exept you're grounded.
Note also that it's usually the mother that gets it. The reason for that is that it's much more acceptable to portray men as idiots (see Soun Tendo and Genma Saotome for prime examples) than women. Possibly because men are idiots, but that's a whole 'nother post.
Posted by: Pixy Misa at 05:40 PM | Comments (8) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (Suck)
1
I agree. It isn't just anime, either--as I pointed out to SDB,
name a Disney movie (other than Mulan) that has a 2-parent family.
On top of that, look at most of the fairy tales that Disney movies are
based on--how many of them involve older children/younger adults who
have lost one or both parents?
The basis of many of our stories, whether old tales, books, movies, or
anime, is often the coming-of-age/young-adventurer/hero's-journey
mythos. How exciting and challenging is a world where the hero,
at the first sign of danger, has the option of running home to his
mother? No, instead the hero is all alone with nowhere to
go--they must find the courage to persevere and succeed on their
own. Frodo Baggins, Rand al'Thor, Taran, Conan, Luke.
A single parent, often a loving but somewhat distant father, doesn't
disturb the theme so much. In fact, they can serve as the villain
(Gendo Ikari, Anakin Skywalker, generic Wicked Stepmothers).
name a Disney movie (other than Mulan) that has a 2-parent family.
On top of that, look at most of the fairy tales that Disney movies are
based on--how many of them involve older children/younger adults who
have lost one or both parents?
The basis of many of our stories, whether old tales, books, movies, or
anime, is often the coming-of-age/young-adventurer/hero's-journey
mythos. How exciting and challenging is a world where the hero,
at the first sign of danger, has the option of running home to his
mother? No, instead the hero is all alone with nowhere to
go--they must find the courage to persevere and succeed on their
own. Frodo Baggins, Rand al'Thor, Taran, Conan, Luke.
A single parent, often a loving but somewhat distant father, doesn't
disturb the theme so much. In fact, they can serve as the villain
(Gendo Ikari, Anakin Skywalker, generic Wicked Stepmothers).
Posted by: Big D at May 10, 2006 04:29 AM (8EZDw)
2
Here's something I thought of after reading SdB's take on it followed by this post:
This is just rampant speculation, but it does make sense. The
formulations of Manga as we know it today rose out of Post-War japan,
a country that basically had a generation and a half of men
obliterated by 12 years or more of pretty much constant warfare.
Creators making series during that time would have made characters who
were being raised by a single parent or by grandparents because that's
what was happening. By the time the second generation of manga
creators came to the scene, these conventions would have solidified,
to the point where now they are tropes.
This is just rampant speculation, but it does make sense. The
formulations of Manga as we know it today rose out of Post-War japan,
a country that basically had a generation and a half of men
obliterated by 12 years or more of pretty much constant warfare.
Creators making series during that time would have made characters who
were being raised by a single parent or by grandparents because that's
what was happening. By the time the second generation of manga
creators came to the scene, these conventions would have solidified,
to the point where now they are tropes.
Posted by: toby Bianchi at May 10, 2006 05:34 AM (PvuPD)
3
Entirely possible, Toby. I'd also like to add Yohko Mano from Demon (or Devil, depending on translation) Hunter Yohko; raised by her mother and grandmother, Gally from Battle Angel (double orphan), Wataru from Sister Princess (double orphan).... in fact, the only other two-parent family I can think of is in Yumeria (plot spoiler).
In fact, the latter was the most surprising to me
(SPOILER WARNING
In fact, the latter was the most surprising to me
(SPOILER WARNING
Posted by: ubu roi at May 10, 2006 06:46 AM (dhRpo)
4
Amazingly, I can pullfourfull families out into the open almost instantly, and maybe a fifth.
First, there's the Mihamas, Chiyo-chan's parents (who, I'll admit, are never seen, but are referred to in a few episodes of Azumanga Daioh).
In World Of Narue, Kazuo's mother shows up in a couple of episodes, his father in one.
Then, in His Her Circumstances (aka KareKano), Yukino's parents are given an entire episode to themselves, and her sisters appear all through the show (and are two of the best characters). Arima's parents abandoned him, true, but his... erm... uncle and his wife(?) took him in; they are reoccurring characters.
And I seem to remember Love Hina's Keitaro talking to both parents at one time or another (though I may misremember). Of course, Shinobu's parents are divorcing, which is what drives her to the Hinatasou in the first place...
However, in Noir, Kirika (as a child) shoots Mirielle's parents. In Narue, Narue's father had two wives. One divorced him before Narue's birth (but not before they had a child, who is Narue's older younger sister... don't ask), the other died after Narue was born.
All of which is apropos of nothing, of course.
First, there's the Mihamas, Chiyo-chan's parents (who, I'll admit, are never seen, but are referred to in a few episodes of Azumanga Daioh).
In World Of Narue, Kazuo's mother shows up in a couple of episodes, his father in one.
Then, in His Her Circumstances (aka KareKano), Yukino's parents are given an entire episode to themselves, and her sisters appear all through the show (and are two of the best characters). Arima's parents abandoned him, true, but his... erm... uncle and his wife(?) took him in; they are reoccurring characters.
And I seem to remember Love Hina's Keitaro talking to both parents at one time or another (though I may misremember). Of course, Shinobu's parents are divorcing, which is what drives her to the Hinatasou in the first place...
However, in Noir, Kirika (as a child) shoots Mirielle's parents. In Narue, Narue's father had two wives. One divorced him before Narue's birth (but not before they had a child, who is Narue's older younger sister... don't ask), the other died after Narue was born.
All of which is apropos of nothing, of course.
Posted by: Wonderduck at May 10, 2006 11:06 AM (zBXYv)
5
The theory I've always heard is that it's wish fulfillment, especially
the usual lack of a mother, or an occulted mother like in Angelic Layer.
The idea is that Japanese post-war mothers were ideally stuck at home,
in tiny houses or apartments, with nothing to do but do housework -
quickly done in tiny Japanese spaces - cook - for relatively small
post-war families - and take care of kid(s). Thus, there's a
certain social stereotype of the obsessive, dominating, smothering
Japanese mother - or even worse, the "education mama". Kids go to
manga and anime for escape, not more of omnipresent, demanding,
overprotective mama. Thus, the manga anime which kills off
the mother-figure, never introduces her, or puts her on a safe, distant
pedestal, would tend to be much more popular than those that do
otherwise.
the usual lack of a mother, or an occulted mother like in Angelic Layer.
The idea is that Japanese post-war mothers were ideally stuck at home,
in tiny houses or apartments, with nothing to do but do housework -
quickly done in tiny Japanese spaces - cook - for relatively small
post-war families - and take care of kid(s). Thus, there's a
certain social stereotype of the obsessive, dominating, smothering
Japanese mother - or even worse, the "education mama". Kids go to
manga and anime for escape, not more of omnipresent, demanding,
overprotective mama. Thus, the manga anime which kills off
the mother-figure, never introduces her, or puts her on a safe, distant
pedestal, would tend to be much more popular than those that do
otherwise.
Posted by: Mitch H. at May 15, 2006 09:25 PM (iTVQj)
6
Christian Louboutin Platform Pump Christian Louboutin Banana Cork-Heel Christian Louboutin Lady Peep Patent Leather Platform Pumps Christian Louboutin Mater Claude 85 python Christian Louboutin Mater Claude Nude Christian Louboutin Mater Claude Red
Posted by: 2011 christian louboutin at May 24, 2011 10:02 PM (rAqze)
Processing 0.0, elapsed 0.0109 seconds.
16 queries taking 0.0068 seconds, 28 records returned.
Page size 15 kb.
Powered by Minx 0.8 beta.