Hello again! Finally I have a chance to respond in full. It's so great to finally get to talk to a fellow fan of this anime.
I actually found out about this series after watching Shokugeki no Soma. That one really inspired me to start cooking! It's something I've always been interested in, but I loved watching and learning about all the different types of cuisine and techniques. I looked around for another show similar to this one and that's how I found Mister Ajikko.
My experience with it was..really something. Especially near the end of the series (I'll get to that in a bit.) This really had a positive effect on me- in terms of how I try and approach my own work, or craft. I'm an animator and just finished an MFA program- and there were times throughout school when I lost confidence in myself and my work...watching this series was one of the things that helped reignite a passion in me to do the best I can at what I love to do.
What I absolutely love about this series: the storytelling and character development. There is an incredible wealth of character development here and it's an absolute delight to watch. I LOVE shows that do this and do it well. In particular, I found Ajiou and Kazuma really intriguing.
(Some SPOILERS ahead for people who haven't seen the whole series).
The story progression is really interesting. The first part (third) of the series follows the manga somewhat closely, but with those new characters (Shigeru, Mitsuko) and Marui's interest in Youichi's mom..later in the series it starts to differ and have a more serious tone. I haven't read the complete manga, but I looked at the last chapter/scans in Japanese and it is wholly different from the anime ending.
Several questions I still wonder about: what the heck happened to Kazuma after he left? It was such a cliffhanger..(I'm guessing we don't know for sure, but that perhaps something was lost in the sub translation that provided some context). And what was the significance of the "Medoin?" Since Ajiou would disguise himself as this character occasionally, I looked up whether this was something specific to Japanese culture but had little luck finding anything.
And the final question I've been wondering about has to do with the ending itself. From episode...90? onward, the show's tone becomes dark (at least relative to the rest of the series). I think it started at episode 70-something, where we learn of Ajiou's backstory.
Now, this show has themes and philosophies that were truly engaging...I felt I could relate to a lot of the lessons the characters learn as well as apply some of them to my own life! In general I felt really moved by some of these stories. I mean- the main "villain" is literally a dracula-looking man who lives in a creepy castle...but beneath all the somewhat exaggerated/cartoony elements, the emotions feel so real. This is probably why I reacted the way I did to the ending.
I found "Mister Ajikko's" last 3-4 episodes to be absolutely heart-rending. What a harrowing experience...Youchi finds his long-lost mentor and grandfather-figure, but he has lost his memories. His mom is suddenly getting married to the man he considered both a mentor and father-figure. The Ajiou Company is hiring a new, younger person to replace said grandfather/mentor. Everyone he knew, who supported Ajiou, is leaving. And on top of that, his best friend's little brother gets hit by a car. That is a BIG dollop of emotional upheaval for a kid at 14-15 years old..and it's all squished into a short period of time.
I won't lie, I was shedding a huge amount of tears while I watched these. I've had emotional reactions to plenty of stories- books, comics, tv shows, movies, animated or non-animated- but this, I think, touched on a couple things that I tend to respond very strongly to. The grand-mentor and mentee relationship, check...different types of loss, check...and just one thing after another, happening so quickly in succession. It was like a "perfect storm" of animated sadness. I'd love to have more insight as to the development of the show and why the creators decided to take the series in a specific direction. In fact, I would love to read more about it in general- but everything I've found is in Japanese and unfortunately google translate can only get you so far :')
My personal opinion: I wish the last story had been spread out for more episodes. There were a couple earlier ones (episode 80-something) that I felt were good, but could be considered "filler" and could have been devoted to the Ajiou-memory plotline. And I wish we had more room to really exhale after all that build up- Youchi's moment where he helps Ajiou regain his memory is great, but it's so short..! And then afterward Youichi jumps in triumph, and it's over. I guess it's the common response of "No, the show is over, I want mooooore!" xD Like, for example...Youichi and Ajiou go find Kazuma... Ajiou explains why he never told Kazuma about his true identity and why he couldn't adopt him (both are questions I'd like to know too)! The manga sequel to Mister Ajikko, "Mister Ajikko II," follows up on these characters- but from what I've heard, Kazuma in the anime is quite different from Kazuma in the manga (different backstory, etc.)
So I guess I'm wondering what your opinion on these things is...your experience and how you felt about the show and characters, differing opinions, and just any thoughts you might have! I absolutely love Mister Ajikko and would love to find more anime that feels similar, in terms of story and character development.
Thanks for reading! |
