* I've always found the title page to chapter 80 amusing and kinda creepy (he's 14, Obata-san!), but I'd forgotten that Hikaru isn't actually in the chapter. It's just Akira talking about Hikaru, which makes it x20 more hilarious.
* I love you, Isumi, and I'm glad Obata-san's no longer drawing your hair like a bowl.
* I wish we were getting more 'Sai and Hikaru at home' scenes.
I had forgotten the whole Isumi-did-he-or-didn't-he-remove-his-fingers-bit. Inspired! And the way it gets not only Isume & Hikaru off balance but Ochi as well. Brilliant. Some sriously good writing that!
[nods] That's why this is one of my favorite arcs - it should be as dull as dirt, but they've made the emotions these people are going through so real and vivid that you can't help getting caught up.
They did pages on the did-he-didn't-he moment and it flowed wonderfully. Good job, team!
Its clear he does. But when they rerun it from Hikaru's viewpoint its less clear - clever.
And that way of holding the stones - I suppose its all about being able to place them in amongst the others without pushing everything as you might with a finger and thumb. Or is it an elegance thing? (sorry dumb question ^_^)
* It is, it is. But you know, what with Ogata and Kuwabara, you kind of have to wonder about this manga anyhow.
*When the pro exam participants were talking about the strain put on them by work, and school/university, and travel etc., I had to think that I'm not sure that I would do well in that general environment of stress. I'm fairly certain that I would have had difficulties focusing myself enough to deal with getting into university without sliding into the lack of concern that is Hikaru's natural state of being. I would have had anxiety issues en masse.
* I used to absolutely loathe Ochi, but with greater understanding of psychology (and kids in general), I just sort of want to give him a hug and tell him to simmer down. He's so intense and takes everything very personally, a sure sign of immaturity. Akira provides a great contrast to that, and I *do* think he's quite mature in a way, but a big part of his tolerance is his almost exclusive focus on igo and on Hikaru.
I used to know someone a lot like Ochi, and in a competitive environment I've unfortunately displayed some of his less charming traits myself. SIGH. I was a kid, but still.
Psyching Isumi out was pretty evil though. I'm not even sure he fully understood what he was doing, he's so focused on himself.
* AAAAAH ISUMI. *pulls at hair*
* Oh the psychology of this is so interesting from both sides, aaaaah ... [I'm live commenting, can you tell? ^^]
* I'm probably reading too much into it, but I find Hikaru's relationship to his parents a bit troubling.
* Nope, Ochi definitely doesn't see the effect he's having. Boy needs some sensitivity training. Or training to hone that skill to psych people out, depending on the direction he wants to go.
* Whoo, an angry Isumi is an AWESOME Isumi.
* Ochi's family environment is clearly responsible for his attitude and the pressure he puts on himself. Brings back memories.
* NAAASEEE, YOU'RE MY FAVOURITE. (Sometimes. ^^)
*Aaaand now, one of my top favourite scenes in the entire series. *beams* *deep sigh* OH AKIRA. WE ALL WANT TO KNOW.
* [nods] Japanese schools are already so stressful, especially for those studying for high school/college entrance exams. I can't imagine being an insei on top of it. Truly, Hikaru's couldn't-give-a-fuck attitude is the way to go.
* I want to give Ochi some cookies and maybe a trip to the spa - the poor kid is so intense and so self-focused. Hanging out with Hikaru would probably be good for him, if it didn't break his brain first.
* Isuuuuuuumiiiiiiiii
* We talked about Hikaru and his parents a post or so ago... he's so detached and uncommunicative and, I mean. Sometimes that happens! But they seem like decent people and he's 14, it makes me uneasy.
Hikaru's family is frankly an *issue* to me. His parents don't know anything about what he does, what he likes, what he worries about. And they exhibit only very cursory efforts to find out. Certainly his dad never shows up, and his mom - I'm not a fan of hers. She has shown a total lack of confidence in Hikaru, she doesn't know him *at all*. It's like to her, he's an adult with a young adult's rights and the simplicity of thought and the emotional needs of a four-year-old, if that.
Hikaru grows up a lot in the course of the series, and it looks like his parents missed that happening.
It's like the idea that every teenager has, that their parents don't understand them, is explicitly true for Hikaru.
Hikaru's Dad is perpetually absent. I have a feeling that this is deliberate; not just because many families are like this, but it contrast with Sai who is continually present.
Its very understated but I don't think its an accident. This said, Sai's parenting skills are unlikely to be well developed or relevant to the 21st century.
Mmm. There is definitely a disconnect there, but I've always seen it as going both ways - Hikaru has very little respect for his mother (a little more for his grandfather, but not much) and rarely tells her anything (even/specially Very Important things, like the pro exam). His mother assumes that he's doing nothing special and does not closely monitor his activities (or show much interest in his life, really. Unless there are multiple scenes off page where she asks him how his day was and he brushes her off - we see so little of his home life, it's hard to know if she's genuinely disinterested or just giving him space).
It leaves me with a million questions:
* What does his dad do? What's he like?
* What does his mom do all day?
* Is this behavior new or was it in place before Hikaru started playing go?
* What came first, Hikaru's disinterest in his home life or his parents' hands-off approach to parenting?
We don't know much about Hikaru before he meets Sai - he's out of pocket money (allowance was cut off? I need to go back and check), he doesn't have many friends (he doesn't like Akari much, but she's the only one he spends any time with), he doesn't have any real drive or desires.
My first thought is that his Dad's a real asshole (but we don't get any concern from his grandfather?). My second is that Hotta wasn't interested in talking about his family life so we don't see much of it (but that kind of shoddy storytelling isn't like her). My third is that he's like someone I know, eternally punishing his mother for a past transgression (real or imagined) and resentful of his absent father.
Hmm, Ive pondered this a lot. Ochi is 12 and Isumi is 18. It seems unlikely that Ochi would be attempt to undermine Isumi psychologically. At least to start with, its kind of an accident after a remark he makes about Touya and all that's already in Isumi's head.
Then when he sees the result he starts to rub it in, which looks really evil.
I think it's because he's so self-focused. He wonders aloud to Isumi and doesn't really consider what he's doing there.
When it comes to psychological strength in a competition, the difference between 12 and 18 is not very big. Frankly I was more stable at 12 than at 16, though it went back up around 17 to 18. I've seen two 13-year-olds completely psych out the entire rest of the competition, even though in that instance they weren't even in competition with those of a different age.
He's being his normal insensitive unthinking self. The psych-out is an unexpected bonus. Isumi very easily unbalanced Ochi by telling him to shut up in that tone.
Akira makes it to the cover of vol 8, albeit with in rather less provokative pose, in which he appears only briefly, and scarily, in Hikaru's imagination as he explains his wish to become a pro to his mother.
Yes, if theres one good thing about the misplaced stone incident its that Isumi's hair is a lot better for it.
It sure looks like it, a small one for drinks or something. Is that normal for a Japanese middle schooler, I wonder? How much time does he spend in that room?
All his time. He is a Japanese boy. They sleep, go to school & after school classes and they study, nothing else. It really suchs to be a Japanese kid.
Manga & anime make kids's lives look fun; they're not.
So he has a fridge in his bedroom, 'cause material things are easy enough to get (if your dad's a 'saleryman'). Time you don't have, because if you don't do well in school, you won't get into a good collage, and if you don't get into a good collage you won't get a decent job. And then we're will you be?
One of the reason that some of the 'outsiders' want to be pro players is job security. If you're a pro you can teach and the Go institute will get you customers. You are payed to play. Even if you never win a title or even ever rise a Dan-level; you have job security.
Wow... So yeah, that title page disturbed me a bit too, but I hadn't noticed the bit about the chapter mainly being about Akira talking about Hikaru. So yeah, hilarity indeed. As for Isumi... I guess Obata decided we only needed one bowl-haired character?
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2010-07-14 07:55 pm (UTC)* I love you, Isumi, and I'm glad Obata-san's no longer drawing your hair like a bowl.
* I wish we were getting more 'Sai and Hikaru at home' scenes.
no subject
Date: 2010-07-14 08:01 pm (UTC)Obata-san is good at odd hair do's....
I had forgotten the whole Isumi-did-he-or-didn't-he-remove-his-fingers-bit. Inspired!
And the way it gets not only Isume & Hikaru off balance but Ochi as well. Brilliant. Some sriously good writing that!
no subject
Date: 2010-07-14 08:09 pm (UTC)They did pages on the did-he-didn't-he moment and it flowed wonderfully. Good job, team!
no subject
Date: 2010-07-14 08:32 pm (UTC)But when they rerun it from Hikaru's viewpoint its less clear - clever.
And that way of holding the stones - I suppose its all about being able to place them in amongst the others without pushing everything as you might with a finger and thumb. Or is it an elegance thing? (sorry dumb question ^_^)
no subject
Date: 2010-07-14 08:32 pm (UTC)*When the pro exam participants were talking about the strain put on them by work, and school/university, and travel etc., I had to think that I'm not sure that I would do well in that general environment of stress.
I'm fairly certain that I would have had difficulties focusing myself enough to deal with getting into university without sliding into the lack of concern that is Hikaru's natural state of being.
I would have had anxiety issues en masse.
* I used to absolutely loathe Ochi, but with greater understanding of psychology (and kids in general), I just sort of want to give him a hug and tell him to simmer down.
He's so intense and takes everything very personally, a sure sign of immaturity.
Akira provides a great contrast to that, and I *do* think he's quite mature in a way, but a big part of his tolerance is his almost exclusive focus on igo and on Hikaru.
I used to know someone a lot like Ochi, and in a competitive environment I've unfortunately displayed some of his less charming traits myself. SIGH.
I was a kid, but still.
Psyching Isumi out was pretty evil though. I'm not even sure he fully understood what he was doing, he's so focused on himself.
* AAAAAH ISUMI. *pulls at hair*
* Oh the psychology of this is so interesting from both sides, aaaaah ... [I'm live commenting, can you tell? ^^]
* I'm probably reading too much into it, but I find Hikaru's relationship to his parents a bit troubling.
* Nope, Ochi definitely doesn't see the effect he's having. Boy needs some sensitivity training. Or training to hone that skill to psych people out, depending on the direction he wants to go.
* Whoo, an angry Isumi is an AWESOME Isumi.
* Ochi's family environment is clearly responsible for his attitude and the pressure he puts on himself. Brings back memories.
* NAAASEEE, YOU'RE MY FAVOURITE. (Sometimes. ^^)
*Aaaand now, one of my top favourite scenes in the entire series. *beams*
*deep sigh* OH AKIRA. WE ALL WANT TO KNOW.
no subject
Date: 2010-07-14 08:41 pm (UTC)* [nods] Japanese schools are already so stressful, especially for those studying for high school/college entrance exams. I can't imagine being an insei on top of it. Truly, Hikaru's couldn't-give-a-fuck attitude is the way to go.
* I want to give Ochi some cookies and maybe a trip to the spa - the poor kid is so intense and so self-focused. Hanging out with Hikaru would probably be good for him, if it didn't break his brain first.
* Isuuuuuuumiiiiiiiii
* We talked about Hikaru and his parents a post or so ago... he's so detached and uncommunicative and, I mean. Sometimes that happens! But they seem like decent people and he's 14, it makes me uneasy.
* Akira <3
no subject
Date: 2010-07-14 09:14 pm (UTC)And they exhibit only very cursory efforts to find out. Certainly his dad never shows up, and his mom - I'm not a fan of hers.
She has shown a total lack of confidence in Hikaru, she doesn't know him *at all*.
It's like to her, he's an adult with a young adult's rights and the simplicity of thought and the emotional needs of a four-year-old, if that.
Hikaru grows up a lot in the course of the series, and it looks like his parents missed that happening.
It's like the idea that every teenager has, that their parents don't understand them, is explicitly true for Hikaru.
no subject
Date: 2010-07-14 09:32 pm (UTC)Its very understated but I don't think its an accident. This said, Sai's parenting skills are unlikely to be well developed or relevant to the 21st century.
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From:I'm working this out as I type, don't mind me
Date: 2010-07-14 09:38 pm (UTC)It leaves me with a million questions:
* What does his dad do? What's he like?
* What does his mom do all day?
* Is this behavior new or was it in place before Hikaru started playing go?
* What came first, Hikaru's disinterest in his home life or his parents' hands-off approach to parenting?
We don't know much about Hikaru before he meets Sai - he's out of pocket money (allowance was cut off? I need to go back and check), he doesn't have many friends (he doesn't like Akari much, but she's the only one he spends any time with), he doesn't have any real drive or desires.
My first thought is that his Dad's a real asshole (but we don't get any concern from his grandfather?). My second is that Hotta wasn't interested in talking about his family life so we don't see much of it (but that kind of shoddy storytelling isn't like her). My third is that he's like someone I know, eternally punishing his mother for a past transgression (real or imagined) and resentful of his absent father.
I wish we had more to work with.
Re: I'm working this out as I type, don't mind me
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From:Re: I'm working this out as I type, don't mind me
From:Re: I'm working this out as I type, don't mind me
From:(no subject)
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Date: 2010-07-14 09:05 pm (UTC)At least to start with, its kind of an accident after a remark he makes about Touya and all that's already in Isumi's head.
Then when he sees the result he starts to rub it in, which looks really evil.
Or is it just his proud self?
no subject
Date: 2010-07-14 09:22 pm (UTC)When it comes to psychological strength in a competition, the difference between 12 and 18 is not very big. Frankly I was more stable at 12 than at 16, though it went back up around 17 to 18.
I've seen two 13-year-olds completely psych out the entire rest of the competition, even though in that instance they weren't even in competition with those of a different age.
(no subject)
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Date: 2010-07-14 09:54 pm (UTC)The psych-out is an unexpected bonus.
Isumi very easily unbalanced Ochi by telling him to shut up in that tone.
no subject
Date: 2010-07-14 09:11 pm (UTC)It was good to have some perspective on the insei by seeing the adults that were hoping to become pros. They seem pretty sheltered.
no subject
Date: 2010-07-14 09:24 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-07-14 09:47 pm (UTC)Of course Ochi suffer from his own deficienties sometimes; hence the wall tapping in the toilets.
Akira is just a littlebetter adjusted than Ochi,..
no subject
Date: 2010-07-14 08:46 pm (UTC)Yes, if theres one good thing about the misplaced stone incident its that Isumi's hair is a lot better for it.
Is that really a fridge in Hikaru's bedroom.
no subject
Date: 2010-07-14 08:56 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-07-14 10:05 pm (UTC)He is a Japanese boy. They sleep, go to school & after school classes and they study, nothing else.
It really suchs to be a Japanese kid.
Manga & anime make kids's lives look fun; they're not.
So he has a fridge in his bedroom, 'cause material things are easy enough to get (if your dad's a 'saleryman').
Time you don't have, because if you don't do well in school, you won't get into a good collage, and if you don't get into a good collage you won't get a decent job. And then we're will you be?
One of the reason that some of the 'outsiders' want to be pro players is job security.
If you're a pro you can teach and the Go institute will get you customers. You are payed to play.
Even if you never win a title or even ever rise a Dan-level; you have job security.
no subject
Date: 2010-07-23 08:02 pm (UTC)As for Isumi... I guess Obata decided we only needed one bowl-haired character?
Grabs!
Date: 2010-07-14 07:56 pm (UTC)Volume 10
38-1
http://onkoona.livejournal.com/26485.html
38-2
http://onkoona.livejournal.com/26878.html
39-1
http://onkoona.livejournal.com/27017.html
39-2
http://onkoona.livejournal.com/27174.html
39-3
http://onkoona.livejournal.com/27632.html
40-1
http://onkoona.livejournal.com/27675.html
40-2
http://onkoona.livejournal.com/28077.html
40-3
http://onkoona.livejournal.com/28275.html
41-1
http://onkoona.livejournal.com/28424.html
41-2
http://onkoona.livejournal.com/28891.html
42-1
http://onkoona.livejournal.com/29160.html
Re: Grabs!
Date: 2010-07-14 08:00 pm (UTC)Re: Grabs!
Date: 2010-07-14 08:04 pm (UTC)Loved the way Tsubaki passed on his ambitions to Hikaru.
Re: Grabs!
Date: 2010-07-14 08:18 pm (UTC)Re: Grabs!
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Date: 2010-07-23 08:21 pm (UTC)Biased much? ;)
Re: Grabs!
Date: 2010-07-24 04:47 am (UTC)