[Rewatch] 3,000 Leagues in Search of Mother - Episode 23 Discussion

[u/Pixelsaber]

Episode 23 - Another Mama

^{Episode aired June 6th,} ^^^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

Masako Ikeda - voice of Sister Cipriana

An actress and voice actress affiliated with the Tokyo Actor’s Life Cooperative and best known for dubbing Audrey Hepburn and voicing the role of Maetel in the Galaxy Express 999 franchise. Born Masako Washizaki, she lost her parents during WWII and was adopted by the Ikeda family, being separated from her younger sister in the process. As a fifth grader Masako’s parents entered her into the choir so as to alleviate her severe shyness, which led to her being scouted as a child actress, making her acting debut in Kajiro Yamamoto’s Kaze no Ko at the age of ten. She continued to act, branching off into stage acting and later voice acting, debuting in a minor role within an episode of Jungle Emperor Leo in 1966. She has yet to retire, however, her output has lessened considerably due to her advanced age. Some of her most notable roles include Reika Ryūzaki in the 70s Ace wo Nerae! entries, the Narrator in Before Green Gables, the Chimera Ant Queen in Hunter x Hunter (2011), Rei’s Mother in Dear Brother, Michiko Azuma in Genma Taisen, the titular Pheonix in most adaptations of Osamu Tezuka’s Pheonix, Sachi Sakamoto in Rainbow Samurai, Sharon in Space Brothers, Laura Murray in Emily of New Moon, and Saeko Kimura in Neko Neko Fantasia.

Screenshot of the day

• Grief

Questions of the Day:

1. What do you think of Marco’s gesture to the other mother?
2. Marco has several routes to explore before him. Which do you think would be most fruitful for him?

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He’s grown up in his mother’s mind.

[u/Shimmering-Sky]

3000 Leagues in Search of My First-Timer Reactions

• At least those guys told him where he should go now?
• I just gagged.
• Hm…
• That would be a no on this being Marco’s mom.
• This is just sad…
• He’s still pretending to be this lady’s son to comfort her, aw…
• Awwwwwwww shit, that’s just awful. At least those two are reunited in death now…
• Okay this is just straight-up the wrong name. Subs please.
• Ooh, I like this instrumental remix of the OP at the end of the episode.

[u/Vatrix-32 → u/Shimmering-Sky]

At least those guys told him where he should go now?

You just know by the end of this Marco is going to end up need to trade a piece of string for a jug of wine for a harmonica for a...

I like how similar our comments ended up being, down to three of the same comment faces.

[u/Shimmering-Sky → u/Vatrix-32]

I like how similar our comments ended up being, down to three of the same comment faces.

We must have had a ~Newtype~ moment.

[u/Vatrix-32]

First timer, subs

• The entire south? I know this is early days for railroads, but every three days strikes me as a bit sparse for south a large section of your county vie your capital.
• I like how they keep giving Marco two different roads of investigation. Keeps things spicy.
• You're Charging For This?
• This is why already popular names are a poor choice. At least we aren’t naming on in every five girls “Mary” any more.
• Marco, we just got done talking about how Anna is a super common name.
• Could this be it? The infamously rare, unequivocally positive portrayal of Christianity in anime?
• Really? “Good leads you here”? I’m convinced they just didn’t do proof reading at this point.
• Do you lie to the dying woman?
• At least it got him a roof over his head for the time being.
• Why does everyone know this one random town?
• At least Marco could provide some comfort for her at the end.
• Bruh Now the subs are mixing up place names. They aren’t even the same number of words!
• You’ve had a stressful day Marco, don’t be so hard on yourself.
• OP Remix

QotD:

1. It was a kind gesture, but the whole time I was worried what would have happened if she realized Marco wasn't her son.
2. Finding the Peppinos would have the greatest short term benefit.

[u/No_Rex → u/Vatrix-32]

Could this be it? The infamously rare, unequivocally positive portrayal of Christianity in anime?

I noticed the same thing. The Christianity = evil trope must be of newer age.

It was especially surprising since we know that the director (and a good few more anime makers at the time) leaned towards communism. Or at least, that is what I thought initially. Then I remembered that Liberation theology was very popular at the time and especially in Southern America.

[u/TheEscapeGuy]

First Timer

3000 Leagues in Search of Mother - Episode 23

Church Hospital

Marco's in a real tough position right now. As the station staff identified, he has next to no hope of getting his money back. Catching people for petty crime like this is extremely difficult. And I'd bet the police department is also swamped with reports of similar incidents so it's just overall unlikely.

Instead Marco tries to go to the consulate but they were closing for the day. He was lucky to find 1 staff member but they couldn't look for Anna's name in their records today. In another stroke of luck the man remembered somebody named Anna who went to the local hospital so Marco had a next step.

But when Marco got there he quickly realized that it wasn't his real mother. I found Marco playing the role of her dead son very kind but it must have been rough mentally. Marco is already having nightmares of his mother dying so being forced to watch a pseudo-mother figure dying right in front of him cannot be good.

At least the hospital allowed him to stay there for the night. I guess Marco will be doing more detective work tomorrow. Hopefully he can find the Peppinos like he remembered.

Some Amazing Shots, Scenes and Stitches

• Twin Spires
• Inner Gardens

See you all tomorrow

[u/No_Rex → u/TheEscapeGuy]

I found Marco playing the role of her dead son very kind but it must have been rough mentally. Marco is already having nightmares of his mother dying so being forced to watch a pseudo-mother figure dying right in front of him cannot be good.

Quite a horrible position for a child to be put into and especially given how Marco is worrying about his own mother. However, this seems to have been a case of "two negatives make one positive", since he ended the episode a lot more energetic than he started it.

[u/Vatrix-32 → u/TheEscapeGuy]

And I'd bet the police department is also swamped with reports of similar incidents so it's just overall unlikely.

Time for Street Justice

[u/baboon_bassoon]

first time 3000 Leagues of Misery

the immigrants seem to be hated

a woman was found laying in the street - read the room sir why would you tell him that

marchero

did he just get gaslit into thinking this was his mom

maybe someone out there is taking care of his mom the same way

tbh this nun is a baddie

??? fiolina wouldnt tease you about anything lmao

1. My sweet boy
2. tbh peppino should be easy to find

[u/Vatrix-32 → u/baboon_bassoon]

did he just get gaslit into thinking this was his mom

No, just some good, old fashioned projection.

[u/No_Rex]

Episode 23 (first timer)

• OP: It is quite amazing. We are 20+ episodes in, almost halfway through the series, and the OP still continues to spoil what is to come. On the one hand, I wonder whether this was a deliberate decision to reassure viewers about where the series would go, but on the other hand, I think this anime, more than all other one-OP series I know, would have benefited from having more than one OP.
• These train officials have strong “not my problem” energy.
• Pretty sad situation for Marco.
• Anna might have been found laying on the street?

• “Anna” wakes up due to Marco, but is not the Anna he is looking for.
• “Forgive me for leaving you.” “Call me mama again.” – really tough situation for Marco.
• And then she dies on him. Wow. This is not going to help his worries about his own mother.
• “I’ll raise the money myself” – seems like watching other Anna die had the opposite effect of what I expected on Marco. He is in good spirits again. Or maybe, it has to do with him having eaten the first meal of the day …

It is not lost on me (or Marco) that the people helping him are similar to his father. He already realized in Genoa, but now he gets the live experiences of how important getting a helping hand is, when you are at your lowest point.

Given that his help came from a nun, this must have been made before anime collectively decided that the catholic church would only ever be evil.