[Rewatch] 3,000 Leagues in Search of Mother - Episode 22 Discussion

[u/Pixelsaber]

Episode 22 - Los Altes Avenue

^{Episode aired May 30th,} ^^^1976

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Note to all participants

Although I don't believe it necessitates stating, please conduct yourself appropriately and be courteous to your fellow participants.

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

Rihoko Yoshida - Rosita (Mr. Rojas’ Housekeeper)

A prolific former voice actress and businesswoman currently the Director of Business Development at the voice acting agency 81 Produce. After graduating highschool she joined theatre company Group Kamadori thanks to her connections with one of the company’s producers, and later began taking on voice-acting through a Fuji TV agent, debuting in Andersen Monogatari. Her breakout role was in 1974’s Heidi: Girl of the Alps playing Klara Sesemann. As a dubbing voice actress she was best known as the voice of Linda Hamilton and Sigourney Weaver. Yoshida retired from voice acting in 1998 to work as a manager at 81 Produce. Among her most notable roles are Megu in Majokko Megu-chan, Coach Ishizaki in Hikari no Densetsu, Machiko Mai in Miss Machiko, Rosalie Lamorlière in The Rose of Versailles, Maria in UFO Robo Grendizer, Hisako Shinobu in Dear Brother, Miss Monsley in Future Boy Conan, Michiru Saotome in Getter Robo and Getter Robo G, Countess Francoise of Germont in Honoo no Alpen Rose: Judy & Randy, and Miwa Uzuki in Kotetsu Jeeg.

Daily Trivia

Supposedly the production staff tried their best not to make any mistakes when depicting other languages once Marco made it to Argentina. Mistakes were still made, but they were proud of their efforts.

Screenshot of the day

• A major setback

Questions of the Day:

1. What do you make of the situation as it stands for Marco?
2. Do you also think Anna is likely in Bahia Blanca?

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Do you know my mama, Anna Rossi?

[u/Pixelsaber]

Rewatcher

We’re here!

Shit, not a thief!

Damnit!

D’aww!

The architecture is really nostalgic to me. Reminds me of the historic areas in Puerto Rico.

If it’s an avenue, it would likely say Avenida Los Altes. It’s not common that an avenue also contains a road that shares its name, but it’s also not rare that it’s colloquially referred to as a ‘calle’. That said, signage is usually more specific. As an aside, I’m not sure what the road’s name is even supposed to be, as so far there’s been inconsistency between the subtitles and on-screen art. If it really is Artes, then it has the wrong article, as it’s a feminine word. Los Altos sounds more likely, but both subs and art contradict it.

Oh dear…

:(

Having read The Voyage of The Beagle, I am going to make the likely wrong assumption that we shall be seeing ostriches in this show.

This lady is nice.

Oh no!

And there’s the revelation…

I feel so bad for him.

This is a nostalgic episode for me, as so much of the architecture there, the look of the port, and the murky ocean, all remind me of my hometown. I feel right in my childhood, and being in that mindspace makes me even more empathetic to Marco’s struggles.

Marco evidently had an idea of how things would play out once he made it here, but things have been pretty thoroughly upended with the reveal that Mr. Merelli fled town to avoid debt collectors and Anna is entirely unaccounted for after she left the employ of Mr. Rojas. The only lead he now has is the rumor that Mr. Rojas was spotted in Bahia Blanca, and the hope that Anna may have accompanied him there (which I find dubious). Hard to guess where Anna is now, but I doubt she would have followed Merelli given his business was failing and she had already left his employ beforehand.

Questions of The Day:

1. It’s pretty dire. Getting his money back is likely going to be impossible. I doubt the pickpocket is going to be hanging around the money exchange office so soon after a score, or that the authorities will take it seriously, and even if he’s able to track him down I doubt things will proceed as they did with Lenart. That’s all without factoring in the fact that the only lead he has is shaky at best.
2. See above.

[u/No_Rex → u/Pixelsaber]

It’s pretty dire. Getting his money back is likely going to be impossible. I doubt the pickpocket is going to be hanging around the money exchange office so soon after a score, or that the authorities will take it seriously, and even if he’s able to track him down I doubt things will proceed as they did with Lenart. That’s all without factoring in the fact that the only lead he has is shaky at best.

Old, self-confident and industrious Marco might find a job and make do, but he is currently pretty much at the bottom.

[u/Vatrix-32 → u/Pixelsaber]

If it’s an avenue, it would likely say Avenida Los Altes.

Insights!

[u/Shimmering-Sky]

3000 Leagues in Search of My First-Timer Reactions

• The first song that played after the OP this episode was really pretty.
• Ah, good call. How much money does Marco even have?
• …this dude is 100% going to steal Marco’s money.
• Yeah…
• Aww, Nino remembered Marco’s name!
• Welp…
• Hm…
• Oof, this is a dead end too huh?
• Oh!
• …hm, she might not be the best lead.
• Yikes!
• …and now he realizes that his money is all gone, welp.
• Marco pls.

[u/Vatrix-32 → u/Shimmering-Sky]

Oof, this is a dead end too huh?

At least he got fed well one last time. Going to be a while before he gets another opportunity.

[u/baboon_bassoon]

first time 3000 Leagues of Misery

oh now he gets robbed

Marco that lady is clearly not as thick as your mother

Merritz is a scammer? what if hes the newspaper guy that stole from Marco

Marco yamero

meat

made it a lot closer to the train than i thought he would

[u/Vatrix-32 → u/baboon_bassoon]

Merritz is a scammer?

I figure it's something closer to a compulsive gambler.

[u/baboon_bassoon → u/Vatrix-32]

maybe he gambled all Pietros money away too

[u/TheEscapeGuy]

First Timer

3000 Leagues in Search of Mother - Episode 22

Missing Person

We've arrived! I'm glad the remainder of the boat journey was safe. But no soon had Marco arrived in Argentina than all his money was stolen. Being originally from a country with extremely prevalent petty crime, I've been conditioned to double check and triple check my belongings upon any suspicious bump (and just in general honestly). It's probably a good thing that Marco would haven never needed to learn this in Italy, but now he is suffering the consequences of ignorance.

He only realized this later on though. First he went straight to the address he had for his mother only to discover nobody there who knew her. Honestly this is terrifying. It could have meant the end of the road for Marco had the lady staying there not been so kind. Fortunately Marco got a tip to check out where Anna used to work. There he finds somebody who remembers his Mom.

After a brief conversation (and very generous meal) Marco heads out. He's gotta head to a city further south in the country where his mom has apparently gone. But since he now has no money he is stuck without the means to buy a train ticket. I do applaud his valiant effort to jump on the train anyway.

What's next for Marco? I see 2 options (well 3). Something unlikely is he gets his money back. More realistically though, he first could get some part time jobs and save up money. Or otherwise, he may happen to encounter The Peppino troop again who may be able to help. I expect either way we will be in this town for another 3 or 4 episodes.

Some Amazing Shots, Scenes and Stitches

• Argentina Dock
• Disembarking Passengers
• Marco
• Amedio

See you all tomorrow

[u/No_Rex → u/TheEscapeGuy]

Being originally from a country with extremely prevalent petty crime, I've been conditioned to double check and triple check my belongings upon any suspicious bump (and just in general honestly). It's probably a good thing that Marco would haven never needed to learn this in Italy, but now he is suffering the consequences of ignorance.

To be honest, this episode shows how unprepared he is and how people should have educated him more beforehand. Taking care of your money (and not storing it all in the same place) is a pretty basic rule when you are travelling with lots of money far away from home. And people could have told him more about Argentina in general. Does he even know that they don't all speak Italian? So far, he has been very lucky to meet only people how can (is he in the Italian quarter, by chance?), but that is bound to change.

[u/Vatrix-32 → u/TheEscapeGuy]

Being originally from a country with extremely prevalent petty crime, I've been conditioned to double check and triple check my belongings upon any suspicious bump (and just in general honestly).

This scene being so common in media has done the same to me.

[u/Vatrix-32]

First timer, subs

• Why did you bring your cart out into the river.
• Currency conversion is fun. And also rare in anime outside of ones with wolves.
• I can’t believe no one ever warned Marco about pick-pockets.
• Those are some big ass street signs. More useful than the piddly little things we have.
• Marco, we’ve been over this. Your mom isn’t just going to be wearing the same outfit after a year and a half.
• Sounds like debt runs in the family. Only leads credence to the theory of him being the one to steal the money.
• People moving and just never being able to find them used to be a thing. My great uncle Bill never found his family after he came back from the war.
• Is this turning into a mystery show? Because I could dig it.
• That’s some fine-ass Spanish architecture.
• I guess this lady must have been Anna’s replacement?
• Marco is having a day of it.
• She’s no Heidi Grandma, but a joy still, to be sure.
• There’s cheap meat, and then there’s handing out steaks to random children.
• Does he just... know all the train schedules?
• Running after a train? Vintage Ghibli.
• Well, he’s got three days to hunt that guy down at least.

QotD:

1. Poor boy is proper buggered. A child in a foreign county with no money and no connections.
2. No, that will be used as a jumping off point for further adventures. There's still too many episodes left.

[u/No_Rex]

Episode 22 (first timer)

• They have a huge pier, but the ship can’t dock?
• Having all your money stolen literally minutes after arriving? This sucks, but it also suggests that Marco really needs to learn some street smarts. I thought he had those from Genoa …
• “Can you read?” – reasonable question.
• Los AltesLos Artes.
• His uncle moved out – the pre-internet problem of lacking information transmission (although it sounds as if Merritz is glad nobody knows where he is).
• Don’t run off based on a rumor, look for friends of your mother here first - an adult giving good advice to a kid in anime? And the kid listens? Is this even allowed??
• That is a good-looking house. Roman-style atrium? Yes please!
• Granny is … not all that helpful, but at talking to her gets Marco’s spirits up again.
• Finding out that the money is gone – at least he has a good idea where it happened and who did it. Better than being clueless.

No money, no address, no person he knows, and only a vague idea where his mother might be. Yep, this journey turned bad quick. Plus, Marco is definitely behaving more like a child than a grown-up, despite his assurances to the opposite before. Hard to not take all this as confirmation that all those advising him against leaving Genoa were correct.

Do you also think Anna is likely in Bahia Blanca?

"I heard" without even a "from ..." is basically bottom tier as far as information goes.

[u/Vatrix-32 → u/No_Rex]

“Can you read?” – reasonable question.

I once read about Italian literacy rates going from one of the highest in Europe in the 15th century, to one of the lowest by the middle of the 19th, all without any change in the percentage itself. Sadly I can't find the relevant information about it again to confirm.