Now, this is something I just CANNOT WAIT.
Can a parent really hate their own child? Is Maria really hated by her own father for her only action of childish plea in her meager years? The conclusion of the training arc will reveal the truth!
Summary
Maria was worried over the difficult challenge, as Kyoko was clearly a novice at acting. Lory said that applicants for the class always required an entrance test to qualify for acting classes, so this was killing two birds in one stone. It seemed that Lory was quietly anticipating a good act from Kyoko. It is clear that Maria liked Kyoko due to her evilness, and Maria was surprised at the blatant truth from Kyoko previously. We saw a flashback how Maria overheard a conversation that Kouki (her father) blamed Maria for Lina’s death (her mother). Lory told her that it’s not Maria’s fault for requesting Lina to come home for her birthday.
Kyoko was wondering how to do this. She wondered if she had the right to be acting due to her impure motives to learn acting. Even though her motives were impure, she really wanted to do well. Moko was worried because Kyoko had to use the older sister to convince the younger sister. It was different from the plot, and was hard because the older sister hated the younger sister. To relax, Kyoko decided to make a doll. After reading the script, Kyoko found a plan. Kyoko was going to act, but she was taunted. They said that she must be lucky to have a free ride and her parents must have loved her a lot.
The aura around Kyoko immediately changed. Lory realized that all great actresses would have a different aura when they were about to act. Maria wondered why Lory is still smiling, and he simply said that he was excited for Kyoko’s performance. The act started with people convincing the younger sister that it was not her fault. Maria remembered how people were trying to appease her when they were in fact blaming her behind her back. Kyoko started laughing and apologized for her laughter with an extremely malicious look.
Kyoko told Angela that she should know the answer. Kyoko told him that father is only human, and he would unconsciously deliberately say something terrible. Kyoko reminded the girl that even parents could hate their children. Moko realized she changed the script. Kyoko then affirmed to the girl that father hated her. Maria remembered how everyone did not want to hurt a pure child anymore, and she could not trust any adult because they were lying. Even Ren, who tried to rationalize that her father did not know how to talk to her. Due to the truthful words of Kyoko, Maria was touched and started crying. Maria said that she would no longer be hurt even if she was thrown with the truth.
After pressing on with Angela, Angela suddenly blurted out “LIAR”. Kyoko smiled and knew she was on the right track. Angela tried to convince Kyoko that father loved her through the actions he did for her. Kyoko dismissed them completely, only for Maria to step in when Kyoko said that her father’s mails were repetitive and fake. Kyoko managed to improvise brilliantly, stating that it was merely an act of cutting and pasting since his father did not care. Maria said that her father always sent two emails everyday, and sent it during his midnight hours. That took effort, but Kyoko said someone else might have sent it for him Maria eventually said that her father always remembered to write “I love you”.
Maria admitted that she just did not want to confirm that she was being hated. She feared replying, because she knew she would be hated by her father if she got no reply. Kyoko smiled and said that Maria finally found the answer for herself. Maria realized that the wall was constructed by her. After the acting test, Moko was pissed off because Kyoko had it all planned, and she was surprised at Kyoko’s ability. Lory drove the group back, and Kyoko had to pay by installments. It seemed that the class felt that Maria’s interruption invalidated their bet. Kyoko asked if Maria emailed her father, and Maria said she had no clue. Lory thought about it, and was impressed by Kyoko’s perfomance.
Thoughts
You know, I have forgotten just how bratty Maria was at the start of the show. However, it really showed that fear in children after a catastrophe. Children really know nothing about the world, and it really cast a very dark cloud on Maria’s psyche. Despite all her pranks, the truth is that she really just wanted to release all the painful memories she had. She knew that her father truly loved her a lot, and she just needed someone who is unpretentious about it. Kyoko proved once again that her frankness is perhaps the easiest way to a hurt soul’s heart.
I actually feel that the anime rendition of this episode feels more powerful than the manga. Yes, it seems like blasphemy and the constant flashbacks of what Maria felt previously gave it a heavier feel to the show. It makes sympathizing for Maria much easier because it is clear that the girl really just wanted someone to save her. I also feel that the flashback with Kouki blaming Maria for calling his wife back is a very powerful scene. It’s little wonder why Maria felt that way, even if the words were not meant seriously at all.
I really wonder whether parents can truly hate their own child. To Kyoko, she seems to agree that it is actually possible. I really wonder about her mother sometimes, and feel strange that she actually gave birth to a child that she gave little love to. That feels like a really irresponsible mother, and she should never have Kyoko if that is the treatment she is going to give. She seems to be a career woman of sorts, and may I be the first to say that she’s an absolute bitch for making Kyoko have such a scarred childhood. I am honestly wondering if she is really hating on Kyoko, or simply have a misguided love for perfection. We know too little of her sadly.
Also, sI did not have the chance to scream at the trainees in the class in the manga. However, we finally finish the episode on this arc, and I have the perfect chance to do so. I will now proclaim my rage against those incompetent actresses who dared to mock my Kyoko-sama. I am so glad that they are rendered speechless by the greatness of Kyoko, even though her acting itself seems to be influenced by the taunts of the actresses themselves. I bet the remainder about how “she is so loved by her parents” triggered that painful memory to resurface and energize her acting to a higher degree of excellence.
As a parting shot, do you think parents can truly hate their child?
17 Comments
@The first pic
Mission to eliminate worthless playboy begin.
@As a parting shot, do you think parents can truly hate their child?
Yes they can. And you have no idea how cruel they can be too. One true story is that I have a friend whom her parents left her to die at the hospital after birth just because she’s a girl. She was lucky to survive because a stranger (her foster mom now) decided to keep her.
We don’t know much about her mother, we’ve seen her image… and we know that she abandoned Kyoko, but that’s pretty much what we know… I think she is a businesswoman, but I just guess.
Woot
Awesome Ep 9 and reading the manga counter-part make the need of subs unnecessary
Kyoko is uber powerful just that you don’t know it yet.
No one is a match for her except Ren.
Next Ep : Chicken Dicktaro party.
I do believe parents can hate their children actually. It’s just like how someone can love a child who’s adopted. Just because they are related to them by blood doesn’t guarantee love.
I can’t wait till next episode! Ren looks awesome
I think all parents hate their children a little bit. They have lots of reasons: take spouses’s attention away, cause incredible amounts of hard work, don’t do what you want them to, embody your own faults, etc., etc. Fortunately, the love usually outweighs the hatred a thousand-fold.
I have known such people whose relationships with parents are so bad to the point that you can rightfully say they are hateful strangers who happen to be blood-related to each other. Actually, it would be better if they aren’t related at all. Sometimes, life is just like that.
I don’t know what is the case with Kyoko’s mother because we know very little information about her. She might be really a cold heart bitch, or she may be just a perfectionist who shows her love in such a cold way. There are characters in this mangaka’s last manga (Tokyo Crazy Paradise) whom aren’t even the main villains, but they are evil without redemption. I think the mangaka once said that she personal believed that not all bad people need to have some little nice things about them, and it is possible to find bad people with nothing redeeming.
This is the chapter that made me totally fallen in love with the manga. I am really glad to hear that the anime retells the scene powerfully.
Ooh that was an awesome ep! One of my favourite arcs (wait… that doesn’t mean much since I like all of them lol)
But yeah… I remember saying this before but I don’t believe in unconditional love, meaning I do believe that parents can hate their children. Just because you have a genetic relation doesn’t really mean that you have to love each other. You may feel some sort of connection, but that’s not necessarily love. I feel like this whole notion is just a naive thought of a perfect happy family, which I also believe does not exist. Everyone has problems. Some bigger than others. And even if parents did at one point love their child, feelings can change. Death can change a lot of things.
omg… I may be a pessimist but that sounded absolutely horrible…
need to end with a happier thought… haha the creepy Ren eyes in the first pic were priceless!
I always believe that love and hate are two sides of the same coin.He hates her becuz he actually cares about her. The opposite of love is indifference, not hate, and parents are humans with emotions and emotions do things one can never think he would do.
But personally i believe that even if a parent hated his/her child, it will not be absolute, to the point of no return. It is afterall encoded within as part of ensuring the survival of the species,if I remember correctly :p but i don’t remember where i read that ^^;;
that said, this eps was excellent and managed to moist my eyes :_: looking forward to next eps with Bo..:3
That’s my favorite line from the manga, ever. It is totally true, and for the record, of the over 500 child homicides last year in the United States, more than half of them were committed by one or both of the child’s parents. It’s a tragedy, plain and simple. Kyoko’s mother is hardly homicidal, but there are lots of parents that do hate their children. This chapter started my real love for the series, so I’m excited to hear that you liked the anime version.
BTW, does anybody else feel that the quality of the anime really improve from the first few episodes? Usually, the first episode looks the best, then the quality declines. This doesn’t quite seem to be the case here.
@SoSo: Why the hate on Ren X_X?
@Milkberry: I don’t know. I just feel that if a woman is not ready to have a child, she should just not have it in the first place. However, that is a very controversial view on pro-life and pro-choice that I do not want to go into as yet.
@Max: That’s very true. We really know little about Kyoko’s mother and we only have the one-sided fear of Kyoko. However, considering the irrational fear of Ren by Kyoko, it might be an extremely exaggerated reaction from Kyoko. However, I do believe a more realistic answer is that her mother is extremely strict with her, and makes it feel that her mother did not love her at all.
@Kreb: Hmmm, even Ren loses to her at times too. Ren always goes like T_T whenever his attempt to flirt just gets hit down faster than an airplane in Baghdad.
@Jenna: I do not know. There must be some form of love to endure all the pain to have that child. I am surprised how any parent can hate their child.
Yes, evil Ren is always very good. In fact, I was hoping for something even more malicious.
@Hashi: I do not think that any parent who can love the child will have any hate of the child at all. That feels just too strange.
@Kaitune: I actually started falling in love with the manga at this time too (particularly the scene immediately after this arc) because it makes for a very different kind of shoujo that is much deeper than the “I love you, you love me” story plot. Aint’ saying that is bad though, since I love that for swooning purposes.
That is an interesting insight about the mangaka, even though I feel that even bad guys have a weak spot in some part of his heart. I do not know but I feel that no one can be truly malicious. Even an evil man will love his child if he cares enough. So, I find that it is a bit sad.
@Twilight: Hah, I strangely frequent between total pessimism to complete optimism. I don’t think that it is a naive thought of a perfect family, but one that is willing to forgive after the storm has gone down. I do not think any family will always have a feud because that is depressing, but I come from a rather traditional family. So, that might be why I am somewhat biased.
@Danie: Awww. Well, the scene that always moists my eyes is way ahead in the manga, and I doubt it will ever be animated. I bet I will cry buckets if they ever animate to chapter 119.
I can’t wait for the kickass Bo trying to mess up the show! Go BO BO BO BO BO BO BO BO!
@Kylara: X_X I love the anime version because I never try to compare it with the manga. I don’t deny that I am annoyed how Ren looks so much less bishie in the anime than in the manga, but the anime does so much more in terms of creating comedy and hilarity that I forgive them for that.
In addition, this arc is done well with more flashbacks that are fleshed out in more detail than the manga. It increases the emotional impact.
@Kaitune: Definitely. It got better lately. Can’t complain.
@Impz
Had Ren kissed Kyoko that night (Dark Moon Arc), Kyoko would have melted down.
Well its a bit depressing but do think that its possible for some parents to hate their kids. Going through the experience of pregnancy is certainly a good point. Though they may not go through it due to any love or affection. Could do it based on ethics and principles. Maybe for whatever reason you don’t believe in abortion then you have no choice but to have the child. Obviously I have no real clue about it but wouldn’t deny it being possible. In the end parents are humans who can hate with the best of them.
Anyways thought this was a really great episode. Did a nice job both showing Kyoko’s skill and the experiences of Maria. Honestly felt for her since there was so much going on that could hurt a child. Feeling responsible on some level for calling your mother back. Also hearing the rude words from fans and coworkers and probably damaging of all what her father said. Sure it was out of grief, but it was still a terrible thing for Maria to hear him say.
Flashbacks did a nice job showing just what it was like for her. Kyoko did a great job acting and helping Maria get to the truth of the situation. Part of the issue was her not opening up. If she doesn’t say anything then its going to make it tough for her father to say anything meaningful in email. Besides if you have never gotten a reply it’d be tough to keep writing at all.
I thought that was Light.
I do think parents can hate their children but you have to remember hate is an emotion and like any emotion, the reason why we don’t let ourselves get governed by this, is that it is fleeting. Our emotions don’t necessarily stay the way they are and we can get over them and think ahead, something that perhaps Maria didn’t understand with her father’s attempt to reconnect with her.
I think it is possible (answer to your question). This episode was fun to watch. xD