Unhappiness in the Male Protagonists of Rumic Theater

Re: Unhappiness in the Male Protagonists of Rumic Theater

feeds@yuku.com (Yusaku Godai) — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 03:07:01 GMT

As the discussion of our salarymen seems to be divided into their work life and their sex live, I've divided my response into those topics as well.

Work

Revisiting your oh-so-depressing response Yoiko, about Akane and Ranma possibly turning out like Shinonome or the others. The reason I didn't originally make that analogy deals with the larger scheme of shonen manga versus seinen manga. Its almost as though Japan instills these shonen ideals of...

Re: Unhappiness in the Male Protagonists of Rumic Theater

feeds@yuku.com (Captain Hummingbird) — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 20:35:50 GMT

I was feeling grumpy and resentful of having to get up at six a.m. to get to work on time and was sitting on the bus stewing about this (of course, it's not like I have anything to complain about, in light of this thread). Two extra hours of unpaid overtime a day + five days a week = TEN HOURS of unpaid overtime a week!!! That's the equivilant of getting paid to come in and work all...

Re: Unhappiness in the Male Protagonists of Rumic Theater

feeds@yuku.com (tierum) — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 08:42:04 GMT

Just the fact that the problem was so prevalent that they needed a new term for it is an incredible fact. - thanks for the intersting link, CH.

I don't think anyone in the US would work 30 minutes overtime without being paid, let alone 2 hours - unless they were salaried. :P

Re: Unhappiness in the Male Protagonists of Rumic Theater

feeds@yuku.com (Captain Hummingbird) — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 01:38:20 GMT

Wow.

This conversation was reminding of my health psych class, and during the stress section we spent a whole period on karoshi (death by work). I looked it up to refresh my memory, and according to Wiki a recent study showed that on average, Japanese workers work an average of two hours unpaid overtime a day. Granted, this is just Wiki, so I can't verify its accuracy...but still! I imagine that it would be very difficult to have any sort of...

Re: Unhappiness in the Male Protagonists of Rumic Theater

feeds@yuku.com (GodaiMH) — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 07:25:45 GMT

Hmm, well I think it's more that they work to support their families rather than to get away from them. I think ideally most fathers (and we are talking pretty much exclusively about fathers as they are the primary breadwinners) wish they could come home and see their family more often. They feel pressure to provide the best for their families and that means working as hard as they can.

I agree with you Yoiko. Part of the pressure men feel is this...

Re: Unhappiness in the Male Protagonists of Rumic Theater

feeds@yuku.com (Yoiko Hibiki) — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 02:15:17 GMT

Commitment to family must be at least as great or moreso than commitment to work. One ought to see one's work as service to one's family, not the family as an inconvenience to one's work. Priorities.

Hmm, well I think it's more that they work to support their families rather than to get away from them. I think ideally most fathers (and we are talking pretty much exclusively about fathers as they are the primary breadwinners) wish they could...

Re: Unhappiness in the Male Protagonists of Rumic Theater

feeds@yuku.com (Hoshi Shouri) — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 21:46:18 GMT

It is interesting that Takahashi keeps 'revisiting' the idea of the salary man as sort of the one getting the short end of the stick, instead of his family who has to deal with him being away so often, in that they just keep on with their lives regardless if he's there or not. I wonder if maybe her family was like that growing up, not really seeing her father. I have a lot of students who I know don't see their fathers very often, it's just accepted as the way things are...

Re: Unhappiness in the Male Protagonists of Rumic Theater

feeds@yuku.com (tierum) — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 18:38:34 GMT

I guess I never really made this connection between the stories before, YG, but you're right. It's sad to think that any of the protagonists of our favorite stories may end up the same way, though it does seem to be a trend in Japanese society. Like GodaiMH pointed out, their work ethic is even more intense than ours (in America). Some people just live for their jobs to the detriment of their personal relationships and the lives of the members of their families.

I'd...

Re: Unhappiness in the Male Protagonists of Rumic Theater

feeds@yuku.com (GodaiMH) — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 13:03:08 GMT

Yusaku, this is a very interesting topic. It has inspired me to rewatch these stories in the "Anthology". I just recently bought the Rumic World Trilogy and the Rumic Theater, so I may first read those and then watch the anime stories again.

What you say, Yoiko, makes me think. I have read that the work ethic in Japan is as much or worse than it is in America. This work ethic can really work real damage on relationships. If someone, on account of work, doesn't see...

Re: Unhappiness in the Male Protagonists of Rumic Theater

feeds@yuku.com (Yusaku Godai) — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 01:12:27 GMT

Yoiko Hibiki wrote:
It's sad to think that Akane and Ranma or Lum and Ataru might wind up in Shinonome or Hayashi's shoes one day.

God, don't say that.....

Re: Unhappiness in the Male Protagonists of Rumic Theater

feeds@yuku.com (Yoiko Hibiki) — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 01:03:27 GMT

This is actually similar to the situation in "Grafitti Pop". Mr. Hayashi has returned home after seven years of being transferred away, and his family didn't move with him. His relationship with his son is pretty much in the toliet and hsi wife's dog hates him.

I don't necessarily think that this is a plot device that Takahashi uses, but simply an honest reflection of the way things are in modern Japan. I can remember many homestay students when I was in school...

Unhappiness in the Male Protagonists of Rumic Theater

feeds@yuku.com (Yusaku Godai) — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 00:53:30 GMT

A few weeks back I was re-watching the "One Day Dream" episode of Rumiko Takahashi Anthology and I got to thinking about Shinonome and his relationship with his family. I thought it was terribly sad that Shinonome's wife and son basically treat him like crap. Our first introduction to them has Shinonome happy to come home early and spend some time with his family for once only to have his wife brow-beat him for getting home early, because she didn't buy enough food to make...