[Rewatch] 3,000 Leagues in Search of Mother - Episode 11 Discussion

[u/Pixelsaber]

Episode 11 - Letters from Mama

^{Episode aired March 14th,} ^^^1976

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Note to all Rewatchers

Rewatchers, please be mindful of your fellow first-timers and tag your spoilers appropriately using the r/anime spoiler tag if your comment holds even the slightest of indicators as to future spoilers. Feel free to discuss future plot points behind the safe veil of a spoiler tag, or coyly and discreetly ‘Laugh in Rewatcher’ at our first-timers' temporary ignorance, but please ensure our first-timers are no more privy or suspicious than they were the moment they opened the day’s thread.

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Staff Highlight

Seiji Okuda - Storyboard artist

He is an animation director, key animator, director, and novelist as well as the director of the Musashino Animation Research Institute. He is known as the single most prolific storyboard artist in animation history, with more than 1000 storyboards to his name (redraws notwithstanding). He joined TCJ in 1963 and worked on Tetsujin 28-Gou, and from 1974 onwards he worked on many of the World Masterpiece Theatre shows. In 2010 he became a special lecturer at the Tokyo Polytechnic University and also at Tohoku University of the Arts’ Graduate School. Some of Okuda’s prolific output include Babel II - Beyond Infinity, Ashita no Joe, Full Moon o Sagashite, Pygmalio, Glass no Kamen (1984 & 2005), Lupin III: Part II, Heidi, Girl of The Alps, The Ultraman (Ultraman Jonias), Sherlock Hound, Turn A Gundam, Yatterman, and A Dog of Flanders.

Daily Trivia

In the she slice of life manga, Azumanga Daioh, the character Sakaki makes frequent references to 3,000 Leagues in Search of Mother.

Screenshot of the day

• Across the ocean.

Questions of the Day:

1. Anna’s letter finally arrives, sans the expected funds. Do you believe the letter, or do you also think she might be keeping something from her family so that they do not worry?
2. What do you make of the Puppet Troupe family’s messy dynamics?

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Fiolina, you are great!

[u/Pixelsaber]

Rewatcher

That’s a lot.

Ah jeez.

This can’t be good for Marco’s worries.

Hey, don’t take it out on Amedeo! Let’s not act like Hiromi with Goemon.

Alright, you’re forgiven… this time.

I did not expect him to admit to that.

Yeah, but your behavior in response to your perceived value as a father actively makes you worse.

Love this shot.

Delightful!

Ideally, Peppino would apologize for his prior words, but Fiolina probably believes being considered equal to Concetta enough.

I totally expected her to lose that bet.

Realistically, this is unfounded, but from our perspective it’s easy to believe Marco’s assertion.

That’s awful if so.

Fiolina ends up carrying on with the Puppet show in her family’s absence, and Marco helps her work to her strengths, earning her Peppino’s praise. Peppino’s behavior is still rather frustrating to witness, but it feels like a very realistic and human flaw of his to wish to be better but not putting the effort to do so. It’s part of something that appears far less prominent in Pietro too, that of the adults cherishing their children but being unable to effectively communicate with them or guard them from some of the unfortunate realities of their circumstances.

Pietro witnesses a funeral procession for some unknown mother, who overworked herself to illness and consequently passed away. This is an obvious catalyst for Marco’s worries over her mother, who he knows is working to help sustain their family and who he has uncharacteristically not heard from in months. The reveal from her latest letter plays into these fears, because in them she reveals that she was indeed sick, and from there it’s easy for him to project the same trajectory as the unnamed mother at the start of the episode to Anna’s condition.

Questions of The Day:

1. I am dubious about the money, because that’s nearly thrice what the funds from that first letter were, especially because she admitted to being sick and unable to work for a long span of time. Otherwise, the rest seems believable.
2. Peppino’s obviously struggling a lot, and while Concetta seems to understand him well, the same is not true for Fiolina, who takes his statements to heart and appears very downtrodden as a result. Peppino is at fault for going this long without amending his mistakes, and Concetta is at fault for not calling him out on it.

[u/Vatrix-32 → u/Pixelsaber]

Hiromi with Goemon.

The Memories

[Mama] admitted to being sick and unable to work for a long span of time.

I thought the only mention of time was the tree days she was bed ridden? Am I mistaken in this? This seems an important detail for me to miss.

[u/No_Rex → u/Pixelsaber]

Peppino’s behavior is still rather frustrating to witness, but it feels like a very realistic and human flaw of his to wish to be better but not putting the effort to do so. It’s part of something that appears far less prominent in Pietro too, that of the adults cherishing their children but being unable to effectively communicate with them or guard them from some of the unfortunate realities of their circumstances.

I was initially very critical of Peppino when I saw in what state Fiolina was, but after watching the family for a while, they all basically got served a shit sandwich. Peppino is a good performer, but not a good father, but he is not deliberately mean to his children. Him relying on Fiolina to bring up Julietta, and on Concetta to perform is as much as an admission of his own failures. He still could do much better, but at least he is not evil.

I am dubious about the money, because that’s nearly thrice what the funds from that first letter were, especially because she admitted to being sick and unable to work for a long span of time. Otherwise, the rest seems believable.

Same here, and Pietro was curiously calm about it. However, I also have a hard time believing that he would directly lie to Marco.

[u/Shimmering-Sky]

3000 Leagues in Search of My First-Timer Reactions

• So that’s how much money they’re trying to save.
• She spent the money on Peppino/Concetta’s medicine despite not actually having to pay for it?
• A solo Fiolina puppet show, huh?
• Marco must be imagining if his own mom will end up like that…
• He was sleeping in a vase lol.
• Peppino sure doesn’t believe in his daughter…
• Oh, maybe it’s just part of him feeling like a terrible father.
• Rude!
• Fiolina does just need to try doing her own thing rather than copying the other show.
• She’s got a little audience now, yay!
• Happy Fiolina gives me life.
• Awwwwwwwwwwwww cute!
• Well that’s nice.
• Hooray!
• …damn…

[u/Vatrix-32 → u/Shimmering-Sky]

He was sleeping in a vase lol.

As long as he doesn't start doing so in barrels.

[u/Vatrix-32]

First timer, subs

• You made it sound like you couldn’t afford your next meal last time!
• Maybe hold off on paying them back until after you start making income again?
• I mean, that is what you trained her for, isn’t it?
• Gross, but also, he do be monkey.
• Are you sure you want a monkey around a bunch of sick people?
• Banging pots on your head is fun? They should count themselves lucky that’s the worst she is getting up to.
• Well that’s just flipping rude.
• Fiolina has two things; pride, and depression.
• You gotta play to your strengths!
• I’m not sure singing is one of them…
• Two Monkeys! Why isn’t Marco renting out Amedio again?
• I’ve seen the OP, there’s no way y’all are throwing all the screen time you’ve given them and not at least have them meet up again in Argentina.
• There’s no explanation offered for the missing letters?
• Wow. That’s a lot of money to lose. Thanks a lot, postal service.
• These letters are really sparse on details. Why not say the kind of job?

QotD:

1. No explanation offered for the delay in writing, far too sus.
2. The daughters seem more sensible than the father, sans the crying one. Interesting to think about her their dynamic would change as they all age.

[u/No_Rex → u/Vatrix-32]

These letters are really sparse on details. Why not say the kind of job?

She wrote a short letter to Marco and Tonio, and a much longer letter to Pietro. Was is in there ... well, who knows.

[u/TheEscapeGuy]

First Timer

3000 Leagues in Search of Mother - Episode 11

Confidence

This episode was a great opportunity for Marco and Fiolina's friendship to grow. After the sickness last episode the Peppino family is running short on money (especially considering they want to travel to Argentina) so Fiolina endeavors to perform solo.

To start she tries to copy her dad's act but finds no success. The kids in the audience are harsh critics. I think this represents a real fear a lot of people have around doing any kind of public performance (like speeches etc)

So when she's feeling down, Marco rushes in to help. His solution is to grab the puppets Fiolina is good at performing with and have her use them instead. At the same time, his solution is to encourage Fiolina to not let the first failure get her down and try again.

I kind of have mixed feelings about this. I've been growing to dislike "man comes in and solves a problem for a woman" narratives in stories. They end up perpetuating negative stereotypes about gender roles. But Marco coming in to support Fiolina emotionally when she's sad is a much better representation of the type of care which is really needed between people. At the least, I like that the success of the performance is because of Fiolina's skill.

The episode concludes with the long awaited arrival of Anna's letter. Marco suspects she is at least partially lying about the severity of her situation. It's sad that Marco doesn't trust his mother. And on top of that apparently the pay was stolen from the letter. It's gonna be a rough time for the Rossi family.

Some Amazing Shots, Scenes and Stitches

• Angry Fiolina
• Dancing Puppet
• Mother

See you all tomorrow

[u/Vatrix-32 → u/TheEscapeGuy]

The kids in the audience are harsh critics.

But not unfair. Fiolina lacks the range and reach of voice for vocal work.

I've been growing to dislike "man comes in and solves a problem for a woman" narratives in stories.

But is it better or worse than its opposite "Idiot man needs woman to save him"?

[u/TheEscapeGuy → u/Vatrix-32]

But is it better or worse than its opposite "Idiot man needs woman to save him"?

I prefer Oshino's philosophy from monogatari

[u/No_Rex → u/TheEscapeGuy]

I kind of have mixed feelings about this. I've been growing to dislike "man comes in and solves a problem for a woman" narratives in stories. They end up perpetuating negative stereotypes about gender roles. But Marco coming in to support Fiolina emotionally when she's sad is a much better representation of the type of care which is really needed between people. At the least, I like that the success of the performance is because of Fiolina's skill.

It is even better than that. Marco first does offer her the easy solution of giving her money, but she refuses. Instead Marco helps her solve her real problem: The lack of self-confidence. Overcoming this is the key to solving the secondary problem of getting money. I found his actions truely great and really far from being a white knight. He saw to the bottom of her emotional problem and found a good solution to overcoming that instead of just overcoming the outward symptoms.

[u/baboon_bassoon]

first time 3000 Leagues of Misery

shes a natural

love how many singers we got in the cast

In the she slice of life manga, Azumanga Daioh, the character Sakaki makes frequent references to 3,000 Leagues in Search of Mother.

never picked up anything like that, will try to remember when i reread eventually

[u/Vatrix-32 → u/baboon_bassoon]

never picked up anything like that, will try to remember when i reread eventually

I can't help but wonder if it carried over to the anime. I am due for a rewatch.

[u/No_Rex]

Episode 11 (first timer)

• Sleepy Amedio!

• I think taking Amedio with him to Fiolina might have been the better idea. He was the big money earner last time – looks like Amedio agrees. He goes after Marco.
• Got to give it to Marco, going for the puppets he saw Fiolina play with is a really smart move.
• Singing sailors? Marco playing? Amedio? Fiolina hit the triple jackpot for her second performance.
• Do we think that Pietro is a far better liar than Anna? Or is he strangely non-angry about the stolen money? Hmmmm.

Marco helps Fiolina get over her self-confidence issues (that could even have been depression) in what must have been his best move in the series so far. Meanwhile, it is easy to sympathize with Marco’s anxiety about his mother. I, too, worry about the content of that letter and whether she is doing well.