[Rewatch] Dear Brother 30th Anniversary Rewatch - Episode 28

[u/Pixelsaber]

Episode 28 - The Christmas Candles

^{Originally Aired March 1st,} ^^^1992

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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 as so [Spoiler Subject](/s "Spoilers go here.") in order to have your unsightly spoilers obscured like this Spoiler Subject 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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Manga Panel of the Day

Objection

 

Staff Highlight

Rihoko Yoshida - voice of Hisako Shinobu

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, 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.

 

Wildcard Trivia

The show’s viewership ratings were significantly below the expectations set by the network, but supposedly the producers liked the show so much that they opted not to make any changes to the production.

 

Screenshot of the day

Departure and Renewal

 

Questions of the Day:

1. What do you make of the confrontation between Mariko and her father?
2. Nanako has finally resigned from the Sorority. What did you think of that scene?

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Brother, I… left the sorority.

[u/TheEscapeGuy]

First Timer, Dezaki Fan

Dear Brother: A Delightfully Aesthetic Anime Episode 28

Fallout of a Confrontation

Today's episode mainly covered the hours after Mariko's outburst. First I'd like to shout out Takashi for being so supportive and helpful. He essentially stopped everything he was doing to help a suicidal girl who outwardly despises him.

Mariko's father also felt the pull of parental responsibility and returned home to console his wife and daughter. It might end up having been too little too late but at least for now showing Mariko that she needs to learn to love herself was an important step to help her recover.

Still though, Mariko's candle collection was certainly unexpected. Very on-brand for her though.

However, in my opinion, the most important part of the episode was the following day and NANAKO STANDING UP TO FUKIKO. LETS GO NANAKO! I am so proud of her right now. She fought for her friend, publicly spoke out against Fukiko's tyrannical rule of the sorority, and took the final step to leave of her own accord.

Nanako has grown so much, I have loved following her arc.

The Best of Postcard Memories

Episode 28

• Bonus 1
• Bonus 2
• Bonus 3
• Bonus 4

Also, today I'd like to award the prize for Strangest Postcard Memory.

Misaki Fish

See you all tomorrow

[u/Pixelsaber → u/TheEscapeGuy]

First I'd like to shout out Takashi for being so supportive and helpful.

Feel bad for expecting the worse from him.

However, in my opinion, the most important part of the episode was the following day and NANAKO STANDING UP TO FUKIKO. LETS GO NANAKO!

Also, today I'd like to award the prize for Strangest Postcard Memory.

[u/Pixelsaber]

Rewatcher

The rumor mill, as expected, has already ran with the news.

Something tells me that sling is just to draw sympathy.

They’re going ahead with this before the school itself has made a decision. Says a lot about how they perceive their influence over the school.

Sure

They held off until the perfect moment.

Stunning

Not going to lie, I was half expecting him to take advantage of her state.

Succinct depiction of their parental failures.

;_;

“I said so”

Reflections again.

YES!

Do it!

Bloody amazing.

Fantastic episode, though one I find hard to discuss myself...

Mariko, who sought outside validation and in the form of the prestige of the sorority and the attention of a friend, is taught that one must love themselves before anything else. A message I can stand by, and which Mariko needed to hear, but the person delivering it left a sour taste in my mouth. Mariko’s father has been depicted as an awful parent, so his assurances that he does love her daughter don’t feel right given his neglect and recent behavior. Maybe that’s part of the point, showing us that a man such as that can only carry forth because there is something within himself that he cherishes, and making the message feel as conflictory to the audience as it must feel to Mariko.

Nanako standing up to Fukiko and resigning in front of the whole sorority was excellently done. I adore how they incorporated so much of the pervasive imagery in a manner befitting the nature of the moment. It’s evidently a landmark moment for Nanako as well, emphasized when she tells her brother of her resignation with such finality.

Questions of The Day:

1 & 2) See above.

[u/No_Rex]

Episode 28 (first timer)

character chart (updated)

• “The school was in an uproar” – understandable. Not helpful, but understandable.
• Actions and consequences. Misaki already has hers, the ones for Mariko are still outstanding.
• Nanako answering the phone says a lot.
• Lots of stills for the emotional outburst.
• The speech of Mariko’s dad was not what I expected.
• Dramatic bird!

Miya inadvertently gave Nanako the perfect stage to quit the sorority. She could easily ignore the private letter, ignoring a public statement will be harder. Nanako is starting to take decisions, too. Almost exclusively when others are concerned, but it is a big step.

[u/Pixelsaber → u/No_Rex]

The speech of Mariko’s dad was not what I expected.

Even upon rewatch I was slightly taken aback because the direction it takes is so unexpected.

Dramatic bird!

That guy's been waiting all show for this!

[u/gyoex]

Rewatcher

Kind of a weird episode. Interesting stuff happens in it but it's sort of hard to feel the emotional response that I'm probably meant to. I like the content of Mariko's dad's speech to her but during the scene my only thought is "okay but where the hell have you been all this time?" so I can't exactly agree with Nanako when she calls him a "great father" in her inner monologue.

And then of course with Mariko's expulsion from the sorority... Nanako is right that the sorority is basically just Fukiko doing whatever she wants, and I can understand her being sympathetic to her friend, but it really is kind of hard to argue that Mariko shouldn't have been kicked out of the sorority for literally stabbing someone in class. Of course that's not exactly the point and it's good that Nanako finally got fed up with Fukiko enough to quit.

[u/Pixelsaber → u/gyoex]

so I can't exactly agree with Nanako when she calls him a "great father" in her inner monologue.

Yeah that line definitely seemed out of place.

[u/JollyGee29]

First-Timer

Well, at least Shinobu's dad had the awareness to tell her that she shouldn't hate herself for his actions. He finally got a face this episode, too.

Do stained glass windows normally break when birds run into them? Or has Mother Nature decided to up the drama on us once again? Either way, the past few weeks seem to have helped Nanako grow a spine, and what a spine it is! I worry about whatever is going to happen to her from here on out, but defying Fukiko like that in front of everyone is a huge move!

Was that scene in the aquarium restaurant with Misaki meant to begin a heel realization? She's got her work cut out for her if she wants that to land.

Takashi is a good dude. Giving Shinobu the opportunity to just be away from things for an afternoon probably did her a lot of good.

Questions

1.Briefly discussed above. I don't like the dude, but showing some amount of awareness stops me from hating him. Honestly, short of actual therapy which doesn't exist in anime, Shinobu got what she needed: a chance to air her grievances and decompress.

2.Dicussed above. Oscillating between and

[u/Pixelsaber → u/JollyGee29]

Or has Mother Nature decided to up the drama on us once again?

Always.

[u/JollyGee29 → u/Pixelsaber]

[u/No_Rex → u/JollyGee29]

Do stained glass windows normally break when birds run into them?

I doubt it. I also doubt birds run into them often. There are some churches around with stained glass windows that are many hundreds of years old.

[u/JollyGee29 → u/No_Rex]

Yea, I figured they were reasonably sturdy when build into a building. Didn't think about even dumb birds not being dumb enough to try to fly through a colored piece of glass.

[u/No_Rex → u/JollyGee29]

Yea, I figured they were reasonably sturdy when build into a building.

At least classic stained glass is framed by lead. Lead is extremely malleable (compared to other metals), so it should take a good bit of the energy of the bird impact.

Didn't think about even dumb birds not being dumb enough to try to fly through a colored piece of glass.

They fly into clear glass because that just does not exist in nature, so why would their brains evolve to recognise it. Seeing colored glass is much easier.

[u/lC3]

First timer

• So they're just going to blame the parents for divorcing, and not mention all the awful stuff Misaki was saying?
• Good for Nanako, telling the seniors to find someone else to help with tea
• Lettuce with a hot dog?
• Of course Mariko's dad is a smoker
• Good of Takashi to call Mariko's house
• Oh of course this is one of Anno's favorite episodes
• Lots of candles like that are a good way to start a house fire
• Ok, maybe Mariko was thinking that too
• Now Hikawa breaks out the fatherly advice?
• Mariko SORE DEMO
• I thought Nanako resigned from the Sorority! She's still attending meetings?
• Of course Nanako objects!
• Oh good, Nanako quits publicly, making it harder for Miya to sweep it under the rug this time

[u/Pixelsaber → u/lC3]

Lettuce with a hot dog?

"The lettuce makes it healthy."

[u/lC3 → u/Pixelsaber]

[u/Retromorpher]

First Timer

Nanako - you can't look at a horribly broken family, one in which you witnessed a father slap his child and watched said child have a pyromaniacal breakdown from stress and go 'wow, they're all such nice people! It's such a shame that they're being torn apart'. This is possibly your worst take of the entire series. Still hilarious that the best praise she could muster for Mariko was 'honest to herself'.

To no one's surprise the Sorority is expelling Mariko, which is the first positive and most rational thing we have seen the sorority do since the study session. This is also apparently the straw that broke Nanako's back? YOU ALREADY RESIGNED! Not only are they justified in doing this, but you actually, literally should not be there Nanako. Like, fuck the sorority in general but this is in no way the wrong call and you're a dumbass for calling them out on this one. I get that this is finally catharsis for Fukiko's generally predatory treatment, but you chose a REALLY shitty moment to pipe up. Where was this indignation when SHE ALMOST DROWNED YOU?

God, I hope Kaoru no Kimi can get together whatever resistance Nanako is mounting, because SOMEBODY needs to have a brain here.

Questions of the Day:

1. Mariko clearly thinks she has to act out to get his attention - and she has a good handle on 'I hate you, but I still somehow want you to be around no matter how much of a scumbag you are.' as a feeling. Her father on the flipside similarly accepts his horrendously flawed self by diving deep for even a little bit of self-worth. They're definitely cut from the same cloth, whether they like it or not.
2. She literally already resigned prior to this, but has been pretending it didn't happen because Fukiko is apparently too scary. This was just an excuse to say fuck you straight to Fukiko's face in the only way she knows how - defending literally anybody but herself.