[Categories: Anime Reviews]
Bokurano 8-10
“Bless the martyrs and kiss the kids for knowing better, for knowing this…”
My Bokurano catch-up and my first attempt at a ‘guess the lyric’ challenge aimed at you guys…it’s an album track from a double-disc record dating back within the last twelve years, which is the only clue I’m going to give you. In these three eps we get to see things from the points of view of three characters, which gives plenty of perspective on things at a personal level.
First up is Chizuru, whose end is suitably dramatic as she takes the battle to be an opportunity to seek revenge on the man who ruined her life. The events that follow take a slightly unpredictable twist and highlight what is becoming a recurring theme with the show (hence that song lyric quote above) - that of the children of Bokurano showing more mercy and admirable judgement than the adults who have let them down so badly. There’s even the possibility of Chizuru’s loss being even more tragic than it appears…it’s not definite, but the numbers don’t quite add up…at this point, there’s the possibility that not all of them are doomed to die. I was a bit confused at the latter revelation, so I’m hoping for explanations later. Anyway, Chizuru’s calm manner towards her end made me feel even more sorry for her than I did before, which really is saying something - in the end her hatred ultimately turns inward which is not what she deserved.
The heartache doesn’t let up with the next pilot, the stoic Daichi. Once again, it’s mistakes of the parents being reflected in - and addressed - by the young, as his responsible and selfless nature shines through. What I found particularly noteworthy is how parallels were drawn between Daichi’s calling and his father’s disappearance: like his dad, Daichi leaves his family behind for reasons that are unknown to them, with plenty of ensuing upset. The difference with the younger Yamura of the family is that he makes arrangements to see that the rest of them are taken care of - as he had faith in his father, he urges his siblings to have faith in him. All through the series I didn’t know what to make of Daichi but now I respect his mature attitude in the face of adversity that he neither deserves nor is able to change. It’s another recurring theme of the show: make the best of the situation you’re landed with. I agree with Impz’s view that his gestures were heroic ones.
This brings us neatly up to Mako, who learns to accept her situation and that of her mother so she is able to make peace with herself as she takes the pilot’s seat. She’s another innocent who’s been dealt a bad hand but she maintains her sense of ‘doing the right thing’ to the end - interestingly it’s not until she fights in Zearth that she learns that sometimes, selfless people have to remember their own interests because they owe it to themselves to do so. “Fighting for myself” is a privilege that Mako has earnt, in my opinion at least.
What I also found interesting about Mako’s story is that it doesn’t actually turn out to be that of a character overcoming a bad upbringing, which is what it appeared to be at first. Before the inevitable, Mako sees that within the questionable lifestyle of her mother’s that has attracted the derision of the school bullies and cost her many potential friends, she is loved and her mother’s lifestyle is borne from dignity and independence. My only reservation about this beautifully-realised episode is Mako’s exact motivation isn’t clear - did she really go down the same road as her mother for the sake of a few pieces of material?
Overall, these three episodes are superb examples of why this show is a candidate for my fave of the season; the lyrics of the op theme seem to carry more meaning with every replay too.
Posted on July 19th, 2007 @ 6:39 am
Mako’s episode didn’t work for me. I could not make the logical leap to “we’re fighting for ourselves” from what we saw of her life.
Not that I disliked the episode. I thought the man crying because Maki’s mother thought he was about to take advanage didn’t work, and the repeated confessions of the men towards her mother didn’t either. On the other hand, the point of the scene, that Maki’s mother was loved and respected, and because of this, Maki too, shone through.
And I absolutely loved one early moment, when Maki comes home after being taunted by classmates. When her mother praises her, Maki’s posture straightens. It told us in a way words couldn’t the love between mother and daughter.
Posted on July 19th, 2007 @ 11:51 pm
@Peter S: The thing that didn’t work for me was the way Mako just decided to sell herself at all. Maybe growing up with the idea of her mother doing it for as long as she could remember made the issue less of a big deal for her, but surely everyone else’s attitude to the ‘profession’ would make her less inclined to follow in her footsteps? That would fit the ‘children not repeating the mistakes of the previous generation’ theme I picked up on.
As for the other lighter, more out-of-place elements, it could be the point where Morita’s divergence from the story begins; from what I’ve heard from others, Chizuru’s suffering was toned down considerably from what happens to her in the manga too, but to my mind it was still effective.
All three episodes were superb though - it’s even more powerful when the ‘good’ kids start to go!
Posted on July 20th, 2007 @ 5:15 am
You’re quite right. Mako deciding to sell herself was another thing I didn’t buy. Forgot about that one. You could pin it on desperation for money, perhaps … Nah, still don’t buy it.
But there’s a lot you have to let slide on this show, like Mako making uniforms for the girls to die in.
And I forgot to praise the Daichi ep. One excellent touch is early on they show him scared. Well, of course he is! But he takes care of everything he can before the time comes.
Dang I wish the fansubbers would crank these out faster …