Ikoku Nikki, episode 5

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Alternative Names

Diary of a Strange Land, Different Country Diary, Entre les lignes, Foreign Country Diary, مذكرات من بلد آخر, บันทึกจากวิเทศ

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  • Rottcodd@ani.socialEnglish
    3·
    4 days ago

    For a moment I thought grandma or some other person was embezzling money

    Me too, though I gave grandma the benefit of the doubt and assumed it was some other relative. We’ve already seen that they’re a pretty selfish lot.

    Speaking of which, it’s really funny to me that she decided joining a band club was so out-of-bounds that it wasn’t even worth asking but dropping 2 grand on a new laptop was okay. I wonder if that says anything about how her mother viewed spending money.

    Both how she viewed spending money and how she viewed doing something “frivolous” like playing music (or writing novels).

    And it’s notable too that Makio had already said that Asa could join whatever club she wanted, and Asa essentially just automatically assumed she didn’t really mean it.

    Makio’s wounds from Minori are raw and plain to see, but I think Asa has very similar wounds that she’s not even really aware of yet. Her memories of her mom are slowly shifting and clarifying.

    • Endmaker@ani.socialEnglish
      2·
      4 days ago

      For a moment I thought grandma or some other person was embezzling money

      Me too, though I gave grandma the benefit of the doubt and assumed it was some other relative.

      Surely I can’t be the only one who immediately thought of Asa when we saw the unexpected withdrawal of money. I thought this is a common enough occurence, having seen my fair share of news articles of kids using their parent’s cards behind their back to spend on video games and such.

      We’ve already seen that they’re a pretty selfish lot.

      The only time we have really seen them being “selfish” was at the funeral. Even then, IMO they weren’t being especially selfish. It was just a realistic depiction of what happens IRL in this kind of situation.

      In fact - hot take incoming - one can argue that the relatives aren’t the selfish one; Makio is.

      The relatives know that it is irresponsible to take Asa in when they don’t have the capacity to truly care for her. The way Makio took Asa in was reactive and in the heat of the moment, out of her sense of justice for Asa without thinking deeply enough of the consequences. Now she’s paying for it in this episode.

      (Personally I support Makio’s adoption of Asa; they are whom each of them need at their current stage in life.)

      • Rottcodd@ani.socialEnglish
        6·
        3 days ago

        I dunno - I never even considered the possibility that it was Asa. Granted that kids do stuff like that, it seems entirely out of character for her.

        For the relatives, “selfish” probably wasn’t quite the right term - “self-centered” would be better.

        one can argue that the relatives aren’t the selfish one; Makio is

        I disagree entirely.

        The relatives know that it is irresponsible to take Asa in when they don’t have the capacity to truly care for her.

        But I don’t think that’s what happened at all. They weren’t thinking about Asa - they were thinking about themselves. It wasn’t a matter of whether or not they could care for her - it was that caring for her would require making sacrifices, and none of them were willing to do that.

        Makio, on the other hand, was thinking about Asa, and in fact was so focused on Asa that she didn’t stop to think about the sacrifices she was going to have to make at all. That all hit her later.

          • _‌_反いじめ戦隊@ani.socialEnglish
            11·
            2 days ago

            Reviewing your “takes” while ignoring the signs of both Kyōko’s and Minori’s apparent dismissals of both Asa’s & Makio’s feelings and inputs may mean three things you haven’t personally been diagnosed for in both NPD symptoms and/or traumas.

            The fact Asa couldn’t believe Makio because Minori always lied and flippantly ignored Asa’s decisions, shows me that either you were abused by an NPD, or you really really need a therapist right now.

            Either way, if it comes out you’re normal, no trauma, etc., that therapist can guide better see these signs of dismissals and neglect.

            I sympathize with Makio greatly, because she doesn’t see that she distanced herself from both, because of NPD abuse. I 🙏 Kazunari Touno, the attorney, can recommended them all three therapists.

            • Endmaker@ani.socialEnglish
              2·
              2 days ago

              To suggest that I have a disorder is uncalled for.

              My personal take aligns more closely with what others have already said

              i.e. Makio is more selfless than the relatives:

              she didn’t stop to think about the sacrifices she was going to have to make at all

              The thing is,

              • this is just my subjective opinion that is biased towards the protagonist, Makio
              • this is such an obvious interpretation that makes for a simplistic narrative

              Either, I don’t see the need to parrot other commenters by offering the same comment dressed-up differently.

              IMO it is more meaningful to offer a more “objective”, “neutral” take (which is still subjective at the end of the day) that doesn’t automatically paint the relatives in a bad light while putting a halo over Makio.

              There are too many symptoms of groupthink on social media already, Lemmy included. It’s important to consider other perspectives instead of just your own.

              • _‌_反いじめ戦隊@ani.socialEnglish
                11·
                2 days ago

                I specified two more things, that only a licensed therapist can diagnose. So in good wishes and health, seek it!

                Regarding this anime adaptation, homo sapiens that grow emotional intelligence, have the capacity to show concerns for strangers and innocent alike. I would find it pretty normal to be selfless when a teenager has lost their support system.

                Or do you think Asa deserves to be sent to an orphanage?

      • NineSwords@ani.socialEnglish
        4·
        4 days ago

        hot take incoming

        I see where you are coming from. But having gone through raising two daughters myself, I would come to the exact same decision as Makio, even knowing perfectly well what hardships raising kids entails. Having family fall into foster care is unthinkable, even if it means that there is some personal sacrifice. I also don’t see Makio ever interpreting her current hardship as an error.