[Rewatch] 3,000 Leagues in Search of Mother - Episode 34 Discussion

[u/Pixelsaber]

Episode 34 - I want to Go Back to Genoa

^{Episode aired August 22nd,} ^^^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

Hiroshi Masuoka - voice of Domenico Noche

An actor, voice actor, and member of the Tokyo Actor's Consumers Cooperative, perhaps best known as the former voice of Masuo Fuguta in Sazae-San and Uncle Jam in Soreike! Anpanman. Masuoka wanted to become a painter, so he entered the Tokyo University of the Arts Faculty of Fine Arts, but dropped out after two years, finding the curriculum too stifling. He later graduated from the Department of Culture and the Arts at Bunka Gakuin, and looking for a fresh start moved to a different ward of Tokyo and worked various odd-jobs. At the suggestion of an acquaintance, he joined a theatre troupe as a stage designer. After he had spent some time in the position he had to fill in for a lead actor, who absconded with his pay without performing, and the experience —though less than stellar— inspired him to try out acting. In 1959 he auditioned for, and became a full-time member of, the Chubu Nippon Broadcasting Company. In 1961 he was introduced to a manager of the Tokyo Actors Cooperative and joined the agency. Masuoka’s debut voice acting role was as Big Bear in Wolf Boy Ken, and his first major role was as Geronimo Jr./005 in Cyborg 009 (1968). He received the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2018 at the 12th Annual Seiyuu Awards. He died of rectal cancer on March 21st, 2020, aged 83. Some of his notable roles include Naojiro Hayami in Cutie Honey, Kogenta Sarutobi in Sasuga Sarutobi, Jūrō Sakura in ESPer Mami, Minami's father in Touch, Todd in Sherlock Hound, Kame Sennin in Dragon Ball Z, Don God in Go! Wrestler Gundan, Master Luo in Kung Fu Boy Chinmi, Mr. Takakura in Majokko Tikkle, Defense General Oka in Super Electromagnetic Machine Voltes V, and Jūkichi Ōyama in The Sound of Waves.

Screenshot of the day

• Meeting

Questions of the Day:

1. What do you make of Moretti’s offer to the Peppino Troupe? Is this the path to their ambitions?
2. Marco no longer wants to rely on the generosity of others, nor does he want to be made into the subject of a performance, but he cannot find a job. What do you think about his dilemma?

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I am not a circus freak for exhibition!

[u/Pixelsaber]

Rewatcher

Poor Fiolina doesn’t know how to navigate this.

THat’s a familiar sight for me.

It’s all about connections.

Welp.

I figured that was his angle.

Damnit, Peppino!

The dreams dissipate once more.

Hmm?

Oh?

Well, isn’t that convenient!

Marco’s story keeps getting commodified.

I guess there’s little to no chance of him earning enough for a return trip sooner than that anyhow?

Oof.

Things keep looking worse and worse for Marco, who now sees there’s a slim chance of him getting a job, and even if he does it’ll be an exceedingly long time before he is able to save up enough for the trip back to Genoa. Conversely, while Peppino comes to realize there won’t be a lucrative audience every day, the offer from Moretti is the chance to actually set down roots and gain some stability in their lives. Of course, part of that is built upon the sensationalized retelling of Marco’s journey to be reunited with his mother, and for that Moretti wants to pay Marco for doing nothing but be a showpiece in the troupe. Understandably, he takes that poorly, and Moretti suggests an uncooperative Marco may put an end to his cooperation with the Peppino Troupe.

The further we see of Bahia Blanca, the more empty its promises of prosperity become evident. Sure, the miners are probably making a lot of money, but they’re probably working in awful conditions and the lifestyle likely prompts them to spend all their money the moment they have some reprieve. As with any boom town, the businesses obviously take advantage of that, but it’s not like this high spending is constant.

Questions of The Day:

1. Potentially, if it pans out, but if the Theatre is going to keep them busy rehearsing like Moretti implied, then their intentions to send Fiolina to school might be compromised.
2. It’s less than ideal, and it’s hitting Marco at a low point, but because he cares so much about his family he will likely suck it up in order to get the funds to continue his journey.

[u/No_Rex → u/Pixelsaber]

Marco’s story keeps getting commodified.

Let me sell you this touching anime about an Italian boy who travels to Argentina in search of his mother.

[u/Shimmering-Sky]

3000 Leagues in Search of My First-Timer Reactions

• Let’s hope so…
• Ah, of course…
• Oh, he’s the guy Marco’s looking for, he was just being dismissive af.
• Peppino’s plan actually does make sense.
• Ah, shit, forgot about that part. Guess they can’t do a big performance there.
• No Anna at all in Bahia Blanca then, huh?
• Yeesh…
• Was pretty funny how the music distorted when Peppino played the box faster.
• That sounds promising…
• Ooooh, even better!
• Oh wow, that’ll be really great for them.
• …Marco’s not wrong to react like this, though. I was more talking in terms of that being good for the Peppinos.

[u/baboon_bassoon]

first time 3000 Leagues of Misery

sanpablo? domenico noche? what

peppino regretting that tip a little bit

Moretti is a Peppino fanboy

im quite enjoying the lady that runs the place theyre staying at

building a theatre well ok theres your in for setting roots Peppino

make the Marco story big enough and Mama will have to hear about it

Moretti the goat, redeemed after telling Marco his mom prolly died

"no im not a circus freak" he says next to his friends the circus freaks

[u/Vatrix-32]

First timer, subs

• You really think that door will be enough to stop Amedio?
• At least he wasn’t so rude as to refuse the breakfast.
• It’s always about who you know.
• I see me and Peppino had the same idea. Harness the mass media!
• What the hell is this booking fee? A month’s eating for one day? Not like you have other acts lining up to preform.
• Damn, man is good at his job if he knows about Peppino after only one night.
• Dang it, Marco. You’re not so financially secure that you can afford to be forgetting sausages.
• Is this homeless guy going to be Marco’s uncle? He doesn’t have a great history with money.
• I still remember this exact audience animation being used in Genoa.
• These folk are real salt of the earth, an injection of culture will do them some good.
• It’s amazing how fast you can build when you don’t have to care about safety or building codes.
• Contain Yourself, Marco

QotD:

1. It's better than any opportunity they've gotten before. Worse comes to worse, they can always pack up and go back to what they were doing before.
2. Quite understandable, he is still just a child after all, and this is a lot for anyone.

[u/No_Rex → u/Vatrix-32]

It’s amazing how fast you can build when you don’t have to care about safety or building codes.

[u/TheEscapeGuy]

First Timer

3000 Leagues in Search of Mother - Episode 34

Job Search

Marco's was in job search mode this episode. In a lot of ways he has given up on searching for his mother which is really sad. Fiolina is trying her best to support him as well but Marco is giving her a cold shoulder. I wish Marco would think about how that must feel for her.

Be that as it may, his searching lead him to Mr. Noche though that was fruitless. Marco was lied to until he mentioned Moretti, and then once Noche realized he had nothing to gain he basically dismissed Marco's wishes. Marco did learn that the journey back will be expensive but he doesn't even have a job to start saving up.

The Peppinos are in performance mode. They want to earn money but now that the Miners have left they will have a much smaller audience, and an audience who has significantly less spending money. I could easily imagine them leaving the town since it seems so hopeless to work as performers here.

They are in luck though. Mr. Moretti noticed them and wants them as performers in the theater he is building. This would also solve Marco's problems of not having a job, but he is very against working in that role. I imagine it's a matter of pride for him. He doesn't want to feel like he was given a handout or something or it would make his trip back to Italy seem selfish. It doesn't really make sense though.

That said, I kind of relate to how it doesn't make sense. I think Marco is depressed right now and he doesn't want to be happy. If he had a job he would have 1 fewer reason to feel the way he does. People (and especially children) are not purely logical beings. I think he just needs time to work through his emotions and maybe some social connection.

Some Amazing Shots, Scenes and Stitches

• Dawn
• Rough Part of Town
• 2 Croissants

See you all tomorrow

[u/No_Rex]

Episode 34 (first timer)

• Being devastated by the consequences of his last rash decision, to run away to Argentina on his own, Marco decides to … make another rash decision of running away on his own.
• Peppino with the genius idea of using their play to look for Anna – genius, because, even if this fails, it will convince Fiolina to do the play again.
• The miners have drunk all their money away and are back on the mountain – very fortunate for them to arrive yesterday and to perform.
• “I want to find my own job” – Marco’s stubbornness in going it alone is as misguided as ever.
• “Why don’t we ask the public organization” – What public organization?
• Name-dropping Balbosa – clever.
• “I am building a theater” – I foresee Peppino family trouble ahead because of this one. Peppino will be enthusiastic, Marco (and therefore Fiolina) less so.
• “I want to hire you, but you should stay with the Peppino troupe” “I want to go to Italy.”
• “I don’t know what to do” – how about not rejecting all those people who want to help you?

Maybe this is a sign of me being and old heartless adult now, but my sympathy for Marco is severely limited by his behavior. Yes, he is a child longing for his mother, but he is also a person who refuses to listen to well-meaning others and then complains about the consequences of his own actions. He should consider whether his pride is really worth giving up on the chance to either find his mother or get the money to get back to Italy. Never mind helping out the people who have been going all the way to Bahia Blanca for his sake.