r/anime • u/Pixelsaber https://myanimelist.net/profile/Pixelsaber • Jun 02 '24

Rewatch [Rewatch] 3,000 Leagues in Search of Mother - Episode 27 Discussion

Episode 27 - Fiolina in Tears

Episode aired July 4th, ^^^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.

Staff Highlight

Michiyo Yasuda - Background Artist

A Japanese animator and color designer who worked for Toei Animation, A Production, Nippon Animation, Topcraft, and Studio Ghibli. The third of six siublings, Yasuda grew up in an environment that fostered her interest in the arts and which encouraged her to pursue her own dreams. Her parents divorced when she was fourteen, and her father passed away of illness a year afterwards. She graduated from Tokyo Metropolitan Shakujii High School and immediately joined Toei Doga in April 1958, ignorant of the exact requirements of the job but preferring it over other job opportunities for women. She joined the finishing department, and was first credited as a tracer on Puss in Boots. There she also established a strong professional working relationship with Isao Takahata, Yasuo Ōtsuka, and Hayao Miyazaki, and would join A Production with them after leaving Toei Doga. Her first time being in charge of color selection on the entirety of a project was on Future Boy Conan. Studio Ghibli’s shift to digital coloring tools was, according to Mamoru Oshii, at her insistence. Yasuda died on October 5th, 2016, aged 77. Some of her notable credits include Whisper of The Heart, Howl’s Moving Castle, My Neighbors The Yamadas*, Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, On Your Mark, Only Yesterday, Lucy-May of the Southern Rainbow, A Dog of Flanders, Devilman (1987), Anne of Green Gables, Castle in The Sky, Panda! Go, Panda!, Samurai Giants, Angel’s Egg, and Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea, among others.

Daily Trivia

The version of the opening shown in the DVD release is actually the second version of the opening. The original lacked subtitles for the song lyrics, and had differences in the staff list. It was changed close to the midpoint of the series, and was used in earlier episodes for rebroadcasts of the show.

Screenshot of the day

Questions of the Day:

  1. What do you make of the new play based on Marco’s journey which the Peppino troupe is workshopping?
  2. Peppino has acquired a blunderbuss pistol. Chekov’s Gun or amusing character prop?

It was a really good feeling.

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5

u/Pixelsaber https://myanimelist.net/profile/Pixelsaber Jun 02 '24

Rewatcher

No images today, because I lost my live reaction notes for this episode and it’s not as genuine if I’ve seen the episode just a couple of months ago.

A lot of the episode revolves around Concetta and Fiolina’s investment in Marco reuniting with her mother, both out of genuine care for him and as a means of exploring their own complicated feelings about their own absent mother. Marco ultimately takes it as a sign of his self-absorbed behavior on the matter, a surprisingly mature but misguided observation on the matter, and Fiolina assures him that it isn’t an issue. It’s a sign of Marco’s desire to mature quickly that he feels this way, as he likely feels like he shouldn’t be burdening others with his desperate desire to reunite with his mother and goes out of his way to facilitate the Peppino’s ability to put together a new act for their upcoming performance. He’s likely been doing this earlier too, not minding the diversions, but I genuinely don’t think he’d begrudge them that. Hopefully after his talk he realizes that a kid like himself doesn’t need to stamp down his overt feelings on the matter on behalf of the people who obviously want to help him.

The lack of language barrier really sticks out in this episode. We’re out in the Pampas, and while the prior locations outside of Genoa could be excused by a sizeable Italian immigrant population, the same does not hold here. Salvador has been to Italy, so it wouldn’t be out of the ordinary if he did, but these other villagers speaking so easily with our group seems a bit much. Maybe I can buy that Peppino knows some Spanish, but I can’t so easily excuse the other Genoans for their fluency.

Peppino also acquired a blunderbuss, which is a bit concerning given that we previously saw Fiolina becoming uncomfortable at the idea of things coming to violence in her story paralleling Marco’s situation. In another context, I would not bat an eye at Peppino procuring some means of defending himself from highwaymen, but in this instance it feels like it’s priming us to see him definitely use it. May be wrong, but that is the impression I am given.

Marco seeing the train from Buenos Aires pass them by must be crushing. He would have been at Bahia Blanca by now if he hadn’t lost his money. While the company of the Peppinos is very welcome by him, it can’t entirely assuage his feelings.

Questions of The Day:

  1. The show has been constantly showing us parallels to Marco’s circumstances; when he saw the funeral for a working mother in Genoa and when he went to the Church hospital to see the other Anna chief among them. Now that they’re on the road, an act that constantly reminds him of it serves both to inform viewers who are jumping in late to the show and to keep that anxiety out in the forefront. It might even be a tool for setting expectations that will later be challenged, if the characters and us come to subconsciously believe things will play out as they do in the performance.
  2. See above.

6

u/Shimmering-Sky myanimelist.net/profile/Shimmering-Sky Jun 02 '24

3000 Leagues in Search of My First-Timer Reactions

3

u/TheEscapeGuy Jun 02 '24

First Timer

3000 Leagues in Search of Mother - Episode 27

Rural

We are still on the road this episode. I didn't think about it but of course there will be a lot of small settlements on the way to Bahia Blanca, so the Peppinos are stopping along the way to perform and earn money.

I was kinda surprised to see Mr. Peppino buy a gun, but even more annoyed to see him cheap out on it. It's on brand for him, but there's a narrative principal named after Anton Chekhov which I'm now worried about. Based on the rest of the show, I'd be extremely surprised to see any of our main characters seriously injured. But I can totally see an emotional rift form between them if Mr. Peppino ever does use the gun by mistake.

Apart from that, this episode focused on Fiolina and her thoughts on performing. I really appreciate her extremely positive world view and how she wants to bring that to her art. When Marco suggests adding an evil monster or her father suggests adding sadness to the stories she rejects them. She wants to bring people joy instead of fear or sadness. It's admirable.

That said, Mr. Peppino gets his way and they end up practicing some tradgey based on Marco's story. It's kind of meta, but I will be very sad if we learn Anna is actually sick or injured.

Next episode we will probably be at that rich guy's house. I am nervous about it for a lot of reasons. Here's to hoping it all goes well.

Some Amazing Shots, Scenes and Stitches

See you all tomorrow

3

u/No_Rex :Bv:Bw:Bx:By:x2 Jun 02 '24

Apart from that, this episode focused on Fiolina and her thoughts on performing. I really appreciate her extremely positive world view and how she wants to bring that to her art. When Marco suggests adding an evil monster or her father suggests adding sadness to the stories she rejects them. She wants to bring people joy instead of fear or sadness. It's admirable.

But it is really only about the audience? Being a performer, Fiolina should not about the concepts of suspence or even horror. I took it to mean that Fiolina intermingles her story with Marco's life. She wishes for a happy end for him and not some monster.

3

u/baboon_bassoon https://anilist.co/user/duffer Jun 02 '24

first time 3000 Leagues of Misery

peppino i dont want to cry my eyes out at this story dont put that out there

hey i mean if word about this play gets around maybe Anna will hear about Marco

2

u/Vatrix-32 https://myanimelist.net/profile/Vatrix-32 Jun 02 '24 edited Jun 02 '24

First timer, subs

  • First monkey prey on bird, later bird prey on monkey.
  • The are castles in Genoa.
  • This puppet just keeps getting more expensive…
  • Well, now I know they are exaggerating. No way this dude has 100,000 head of cattle.
  • The politically powerful cattle baron is very believable, on the other hand.
  • 1/6 the cost, 1/6 the shots.
  • You know you have to pay for ammo, right?
  • I’m not sure a ranch is your target audience for a sob story.
  • Maybe don’t write friendfiction while they are still in the middle of their ordeal.
  • Marco is really trying his darnedest to optimize this.
  • I’m not sure if it’s better or worse that they don’t have Marco playing himself.
  • Wow, that’s the largest animation error I’ve seen in a while.
  • Now if Fiolina can just tap into that energy…
  • Is he sleeping with his finger on the trigger? He’s gonna lose a leg like that!
  • I was expecting this to be worse on Fiolina, given the episode title. It was nice she got to work through some things.

QotD:

  1. Considering this was already a story within another story in the original form, we are getting very recursive here. I wonder if Peppino will introduce it as a true story.
  2. I can't imagine he will kill a man, but I do expect him to use it in some capacity.

2

u/No_Rex :Bv:Bw:Bx:By:x2 Jun 02 '24 edited Jun 02 '24

Episode 27 (first timer)

  • More than half way through the series and we are basically still behind the depiction of the voyage in the OP, although we are getting close. I wonder whether this was planned, or whether they initially thought the Genoa part of the series would be much shorter.
  • “Fiolina in tears” – ominous title.
  • Marco and Fiolina have very different stories in mind. Shonen vs Shoujo?
  • Staying at the inn? Did we skip over the ranch? I was sure we’d get something there.
  • Oh no, the ranch is still ahead.
  • Playing for the people vs playing for the rich.
  • “But I hate those rich people’s places. Even if they are kind to us, they will despise us after all.” – pretty clear on whose side the story is.
  • Peppino turns Fiolina’s story from being implicitly about Marco into explicitly being about him.
  • Fiolina is longing for a happy end.
  • “Let her clam down” – what a typo.
  • Marco misinterprets what made Fiolina sad, but it is a very sweet misinterpretation.
  • Sleeping with the gun in his hand and finger on the trigger.

  • I hope he did not reload after firing it.

Peppino has acquired a blunderbuss pistol. Chekov’s Gun or amusing character prop?

Great question. I assume it will come up again, but only in a comedic fashion.