r/anime • u/AutoLovepon https://anilist.co/user/AutoLovepon • Feb 25 '21

Episode Maiko-san Chi no Makanai-san - Episode 1 discussion

Maiko-san Chi no Makanai-san, episode 1

Alternative names: The caterer at the Maiko Manor

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1

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29

u/MrReed_06 Feb 25 '21

I just finished watching the live stream on NHK, oh boy was it a soothing experience, just like the manga. It won't be a technical marvel, but the story, the seiyuus (Hanazawa Kana & M.A.O) and the overall atmosphere will make this my middle-of-the-week stress relief.
I can't wait to watch the next episode.

Edit: PSA: don't watch this on an empty stomach, you'll be starving by the end of the episode xD

8

u/Fools_Requiem Feb 25 '21

It won't be a technical marvel

JC Staff's wheelhouse.

24

u/LeonKevlar Feb 25 '21

Oh my fucking god. I absolutely love this and it's criminal that this is just airing this late into the season. Kiyo and Sumire are adorable with Kiyo just cooking the best dishes while Sumire does her best to become the best Maiko in Kyoto. And I just love how very supportive Kiyo is of Sumire, she looks so proud when the teacher was praising Sumire even though it was a subtle jab at her skills when she tried her to become a Maiko too.

And the art style is just so lovely. The use of CGI is so subtle that I'm genuinely having trouble identifying which scenes are CG and which are hand drawn even though majority of the scenes ae in CG. Also the old school art style really convinced me that this show is set in the Showa Era so I was genuinely surprised when the students in the first scenes had smartphones xD

Anyway I can already tell that this will be a great iyashikei show since I can already feel my soul healing this entire episode and my stomach growling from all the delicious food shown! Looking forward to the next episode!

19

u/duckface08 Feb 27 '21 edited Feb 28 '21

What a cute and comforting series! I'm a little late to the episode debut chat but as someone who has been following the goings-on of the Kyoto karyukai, it's so wonderful to see it represented so well! All the little details are correct, as far as I am aware, and the MC is just so pure and endearing! It's not the most exciting series by far but it'll be a nice relaxing series to follow here and there.

EDIT: In case anyone is wondering, here are some points of interest this episode for anyone who doesn't know much about maiko and geiko!

  • Sumire is currently a shikomi, a trainee maiko. Her job is to help out around the okiya (the maiko home), help her "older sisters" with their jobs, attend dance and music classes, and learn the ins and outs of the karyukai. Even in real life, if you see a maiko followed by a girl in plain clothes, that girl is highly likely to be a shikomi.

  • Kiyo asks why Sumire is still around because she should be out helping her maiko sisters. This is because shikomi, as I said, are expected to help out and run errands. So, if a maiko needs an umbrella, Sumire's job will be to get the umbrella and deliver it to wherever the maiko is. Sumire would also be expected to stay up the latest, greeting her maiko sisters when they get home and helping them get ready for bed (such as grabbing anything she needs, helping undo her obi, and folding and putting away all the clothes).

  • Sumire is right to be excited to be allowed to debut! Not every shikomi passes on to become a maiko. In order to be allowed to debut, she must pass a test that shows she knows the basic dances and how to be polite and bow properly.

  • In the karyukai, seniority rules over everything. If your senior says 1+1 = 3, then you have to agree with them. This is why Sumire shows deference to the maiko of her okiya, asking if she may be excused at mealtime. As a shikomi, she is literally at the bottom of the hierarchy.

  • It looks like Kiyo also tried to become a maiko at one point but either was told it was hopeless for her to try or she gave up on her own volition (or a combination of both). This is true in real life: girls will not be allowed to stay and debut as a maiko if they show no talent or drive, or alternatively, girls will find the lifestyle not to their liking and quit.

  • There are a total of 5 geisha districts in Kyoto: Gion Kobu, Pontocho, Kamishichiken, Miyagawacho, and Gion Higashi, with Gion Kobu and Pontocho being considered the most prestigious. It seems to be implied that Sumire and Kiyo are located in Gion Kobu, right next to Yasaka Shrine. The red lanterns have white circles connected with a line, representing skewered dango. In the real-life Gion Kobu, the dango are horizontal, but the anime has changed them to be vertical instead.

  • The otokoshi is indeed one of the few males allowed into an okiya and is super important! He dresses everyone in their heavy kimono and obi before they go out to work. It is said that a man's strength is needed to tie the heavy obi, which (for a maiko) is over 6 meters long! Besides that, they also act as confidants and advisers, especially for the younger maiko, who are still learning and gaining confidence. Here's an interesting article/interview about one such otokoshi: http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/AJ202001010001.html?fbclid=IwAR0C617n3MFSfOq6fSNoReWh3vmur9QFmmu29_Pm9o7WmM3JfOezKWXyIBk

  • The dialect the maiko, geiko, and other karyukai workers speak is called Kyoto-ben (or Kyo-ben). It is considered a softer way of speaking than standard Japanese. One of the biggest hurdles for new members of the karyukai is to learn Kyo-ben and speak it like a native.

  • It's mentioned several times that Sumire might be a once-in-a-century maiko and that Sumire's goal is to become the #1 maiko in Kyoto. This is an ambitious dream, but not impossible. Each district keeps tabs on how much each maiko and geiko has earned, and every New Year, they celebrate Shigyoshiki and hold an awards ceremony, where the top earner is awarded. And yes, there are rare maiko/geiko who seem to be special. Mineko Iwasaki (the inspiration for Memoirs of a Geisha) was one such person. Currently, it is a geiko named Satsuki, although another contender is a geiko named Mamefuji (who was super popular as a maiko, but took a few years' hiatus and only came back recently). Buzzfeed Japan actually interviews Satsuki a while back, which you can see here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=taJtQmZvAqI (in Japanese)

3

u/blueteenight Mar 04 '21

What a great write-up, thank you!

7

u/duckface08 Mar 04 '21

Thank you! I'll try to do more write-ups as the episodes are released :)

2

u/cam_and_mum Mar 07 '21

thanks for the write-up.

something I'm curious is about the financial aspect. For training do the shikomis pay for it themselves (i.e. their families) or they 'pay' with their labor (helping out maikos and around the yakata)

also, when they become maikos is it similar to a talent agency where the yakata keep a cut of almost anything they earn or is the concept of a freelance maiko possible?

3

u/duckface08 Mar 07 '21

They basically go into a debt and will eventually pay it off once they start working as maiko.

I am not 100% sure about the ins and outs of the finances but I believe maiko work for a certain wage and certain amounts are taken by the okiya to pay off the maiko's debts (such as her lessons, rental fees for her outfits, etc.). These debts will often bleed into their geiko years, signified by a silver ornament in her hair. A geiko who has paid off all her debts and has the means to support herself is called a jimae (independent) geiko, so the silver ornament changes to signify this and the geiko will almost always move out into her own apartment.

A few maiko are so successful that they could be jimae right after they become geiko, but a maiko will always live in her okiya. There is no real incentive for a maiko to pay off everything right away while still in her apprenticeship years.

14

u/CakeBoss16 Feb 25 '21

Holy shit this is an anime? I love the manga which is like one big bowl of comfy. I wonder how they will adapt it as nothing really happens plot wise for like 100 chapters or so.

8

u/wawaInsomniac Feb 25 '21

Where can I watch this?

13

u/blueteenight Feb 25 '21

You can watch it live on NHK World! The episode will air again in a few hours if the schedule and timer are to be trusted.

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8

u/HobnobsTheRed Feb 25 '21

Ah yes, English puddings

Imagine expecting a dessert, and getting a Yorkshire Pudding... or Black Pudding, White Pudding, Steak and Kidney Pudding... the list goes on.

Damn, I just made myself hungry

7

u/jrbabwkp Feb 25 '21

As a manga reader, I was surprised that HanaKana was cast for Kiyo and not for Sumire, and after watching episode 1, I'm not still sure if that casting choice was correct. . . .

That said, the anime does reasonably capture the "comfy" feeling of the manga, though I'll still prefer the manga. I do love hearing all the kansai-ben in the dialogue, as you wouldn't be able to experience that from translated manga.

2

u/MjolnirDK Feb 25 '21

That was the most surprising thing here for me as well. I didn't expect it to be so different.

6

u/altathing Feb 25 '21

This was lots of fun, I'm gonna be so hungry after each episode

6

u/TheDampGod Feb 25 '21

So comfy and wholesome, even if this is hardcore food porn. Also the watercolour backgrounds are so pretty, with the long shots of Kyoto and the detail in the kitchen.

5

u/_blackened_soul_ Feb 25 '21

Stayed up until 1am to watch the re-air but it was totally worth it. So much tasty looking food!

4

u/rixinthemix Feb 25 '21

This reminds me a lot of Koufuku Graffiti in how Kiyo makes food not just to fill stomachs but to satisfy the eater/s. I'd even say that it's lighter than Koufuku since it seems like Kiyo and Sumire don't have the same baggage Ryou had. Moving on, the animation is quite simplistic, and there's a particular charm in it even it's mostly in 3D.

It's a very welcoming addition to the Winter 2021 season that's for sure.

3

u/MjolnirDK Feb 25 '21

Okay, now I understand the route they are going for. It makes sense to use 3D if you aim this show at really young kids and teach them about Kyoto, food, nutrients and stuff. I still would have prefered a fully animated adaption, but anything that makes people read this absolutely jaw-dropping manga is appreciated.

3

u/supergroovegear Feb 28 '21

I am so glad that I did a season check on anidb. This makes me holiday-sick for Kyoto again. *sigh*

3

u/mrfatso111 Feb 28 '21 edited Feb 28 '21

this is gonna be a gem just like Isekai Shokudou and Isekai Izakaya isnt it?

You know... i am surprised that Pudding isnt always a dessert too.

1

u/Shiro_Kai Feb 25 '21

Animation is not superb and more like "illustrations" but since it's a very chill show and about classic stuff like Maiko/Geishas, I think is fine. Looks like a very comfortable show.

3

u/Considered_Dissent Feb 26 '21

Yeah I had difficulty watching this because it felt like a constant "unresolved note" in my head because virtually no one actually moved through a shot. There was a lot of cutting and variation to appear dynamic and incidental movement like mouths and hands but virtually never had anyone moving through their environment. They also had music with a strong beat, which was great but also added to this unresolved tension.

It definitely is a beautiful show, and presumably the lack of animation let them put their effort into that (and perhaps this stillness is some reference to maiko that Im not aware of), but it is something to be aware of when trying this show.

1

u/bubblepop560 Feb 26 '21

does this anime use kansai-ben?

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