Push Play: Something Old, Something New(ish)

This weekend did not find me with a lot of free time for anime viewing.  OK, that isn't accurate.  I got sucked into the Murder, She Wrote marathon on the Hallmark Channel.  Inexcusable for a dedicated anime otaku, but there it is.  Despite the inscrutable wiles of Mrs. Jessica Fletcher, I did manage to squeeze in an old classic as well as catch up on some additional episodes of a newer show.  Be warned, THERE BE (MILD) SPOILERS HERE!

After knocking out most of my errands and chores on Sunday (and having wrestled my attention away from the mysterious goings on in Cabot Cove, Maine) I managed to push play on not only my DVD player, but also my iPad.  One of the bonuses to Crunchyroll viewing of subbed titles is that sound becomes more atmospheric and less necessary for clear understanding.  This means it is the idea tool for use while under a hairdryer on my weekly task of washing and straightening my hair.

So Sunday found me with my hair rolled, sitting on a stool in my kitchen, my ears slowing heating up to unbearable warmness, cradling my iPad on my lap.  My Crunchyroll app opened and two more episodes of Chihayafuru streaming into my greedy hands.

Episode 10 of Chihayafuru ("Exchange Hellos and Goodbyes") finds the Mizusawa karuta club at the Tokyo regionals.  Though they are a club, they have not really gelled into a team yet.  In the lead up episodes, Chihaya has recruited enough players to create the requisite five-person team.  We have seen her shortcomings as a leader, but also her passion and knack for inspiring others.  We have also gotten to know Taichi (part of the rather unequal romantic triangle) better and seen his natural insight into others and inherent leadership abilities come to the fore.  Though there aren't really any surprises in the episode, this doesn't mean the episode is disappointing or rote.  Instead, the prior episodes have begun the process of sketching out the characters in realistic detail.  And that detail means that we can begin to anticipate some of the interactions and find a satisfaction as the characters conform to and sometimes upset our expectations.

Episode 10 and Episode 11 ("The Sky is the Road Home") are really companions, telling the story of the the Mizusawa karuta club forging itself into a team.  It also reveals that Chihaya has been constantly texting/emailing Arata, reaching out to him with details of their karuta progress and hopes to make it to finals.  The episodes do a lovely job of highlighting her feelings for Arata (which Taichi appears to understand better than she does herself). 

Arata also makes a brief (and fairly silent) appearance in the 11th episode.  Though his lines are few and inconsequential, his actions speak volumes.  With just a small gasp, anxious glances at a clock, and the cocking of his head to the side to look at a picture Chihaya has sent of her (of course) victorious karuta team, we get a feeling for Arata's loneliness and continued affection for the friends he left behind and for karuta.  The episode is beautifully done and the emotions all feel genuine.  Even the antagonists of the episode (the Hokuo Academy's experienced and aggressive karuta team) are not left as one-dimensional foes.  Though one opposing team member does play mind games with Chihaya, the show nonetheless fleshes him out and shows his motivation.  And that motivation is not mean-spirited, but comes from a purer place.

Having had my dose of sincerity and competitive karuta, you might think I'd be ready for some sterner, darker, more cynical fare.  If those adjectives can be applied to a "children's" film that, then I did partake in a

more serious tale (albeit wrapped in family friendly, Studio Ghibli trappings). 

Porco Rosso tells the tale of an Italian airmen who happens to be a pig.  No really ... a man-sized pig.  He is the victim of a curse (which is only tangentially mentioned and never fully explained).  The tale takes place post-World War I and, though mostly a light-hearted children's tale, does not shy away from mentioning the fascist government of Italy and touching upon the unpleasantness of war.  It also addresses sexism and, like many of Hayao Miyazaki's works, features a strong, smart and spunky heroine.  That heroine, Fio, is a young aircraft engineer.  Her introduction to Porco lets Miyazaki highlight a strong argument that one not be judged by gender or youth, but by one's abilities.  And as Fio completes a design for fixing and even rebuilding Porco's crippled plane, Miyazaki underlines his point by having the plane assembled by women from the village (young, old and ancient).  Though Porco initially protests, Fio's grandfather points out that with all the men away there is not a choice and, besides, they do good work. 

It is hard to explain why this movie works so well.  It is most definitely appropriate for children, but has enough serious subject matter to interest adults.  With a male protagonist in the body of an anthropomorphized pig, it almost feels like a fable.  The story is simple and does not have many narrative demands, which allows it to unfurl unhurriedly while sketching out the political realities of the fictional world.  Maybe I just enjoyed having serious topics considered, without having politics shoved down my throat or having to feel like the topics were dumbed down.  Everything felt natural - from the content geared toward children to the refusal to ignore the realities of the world.  All in all, not a bad way to spend a Sunday evening.