MovieChat Forums > HĂ´hokekyo tonari no Yamada-kun (2000) Discussion > I think one of the stories is out of pla...

I think one of the stories is out of place (possible spoiler)...


I just saw this movie a couple of days before and I love it in general. I have quite a few good laughs and this family is surley cute. However, there is a story about the grandma visiting her friend in the hospital, and unless I am mistaken, her friend actually has some sort of life-theathening disease. I am not objecting the subject of death in a comedy, but this one just seems a little bit out of place to me. I see this movie as a light-hearted comedy and the tones of the other parts are surley coherently light-hearted. And all of a sudden, we have to deal with the otherwise optimistic friend of the grandma who seems will die soon. I don't know how you react, but when I saw this part, my smile suddenly froze and didn't know whether I should feel funny or sad. Having experience my own grandparents' passing away, I find myself become quite sensitive to this subject, especially at times that is most unexpected (such as in this movie). I may be over-reacting, but I would prefer this little story not to be included in this movie.

BTW, I have a similar experience with another animation "My life as McDull", although I don't think too many people will have seen it here, because that is a Hong Kong animation and if you don't know Cantonese, I doubt that you will understand the jokes. The English subtitle doesn't help.

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Life's there for living which is exactly what the old biddy was doing even in hospital. I found it very optimistic. Death's a given so why be sad if you can't avoid it? Some lives are sad, but that's not the biddy's case.

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My daughter teaches animation students, and she shows this episode to every new class, as being the opposite of a joke - a very interesting concept.

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Despite its somber tone compared to the majority of My Neighbours the Yamadas, it has relevance. As others have said death is a part of life.

"I'd rather be hated for who I am, than loved for who I am not".

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