Worst mother ever?


Let me first start by saying I thought the movie was amazing. But Sosuke might just have the least responsible mother ever. Rather than staying in a relatively safe nursing home to wait out a violent storm, she figures it would be much safer to bring her 5 year old back to their little home that's surrounded by the ocean. On her way there, she ignores warnings of a huge wave that would easily wash her and her son away, and drives like a maniac through waist deep water. Then, when she finally reaches the "safety" of home, she decides that a bunch of seniors who are already being cared for need her more than her 5 year old son, who she leaves alone to watch a 5 year old girl (I know she's a magical fish girl, but still). This all happens in about a 15 minute span, and it doesn't even cover all of the irresponsible things she did.

Again, I absolutely loved the movie, but I have to wonder if it was Miyazaki's intention to show her as such an irresponsible mother, and if so, why?

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I have to wonder what the intention here was, too. Not every mother is a good mother. I guess it's realistic to show someone with plenty of faults?

Of course, everyone in the village decided it was fine to let a pair of five-year-olds go off in a little boat on their own. And the first couple they met up with totally took the kids' food without even thinking about it. (Who eats a five-year-old's food and then let's them go off on his/her own in the middle of a horrible flood?) So, it's nearly all of the adults in the film that come off as irresponsible.

I agree with you, though. Her decisions made no sense and were very irresponsible. Plus, every time the mom drove the kid anywhere, I was like-- NOOOOO. Watch the road! WATCH THE ROAD!

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I guess that's a good point about all of the adults in that movie being pretty irresponsible. What's wrong with these people?! :D

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It's a fairy tale.

I'm sure fish like creatures don't evolve into 5 year old human girls in real life either.

No one Gives it to you...you have to take it

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Rather than staying in a relatively safe nursing home to wait out a violent storm, she figures it would be much safer to bring her 5 year old back to their little home that's surrounded by the ocean.


You mean the nursing home that was completely flooded and the home that's on a high cliff?

but I have to wonder if it was Miyazaki's intention to show her as such an irresponsible mother, and if so, why?


No.

You're thinking this is a serious drama. Miyazaki intended this to be a kid's movie. A fun little romp. Nothing to be taken too seriously.

Can't stop the signal.

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The nursing home wasn't flooded at any point. And the home "on a high cliff" obviously wasn't as high as you're remembering either, because the water ends up rising right to the door after the storm.

https://frommilkitchen.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/ponyo2a.jpg

I know it's not a serious drama, but the adults in other Miyazaki movies aren't nearly as irresponsible as the mother is in this one, so I think there's a very good reason to believe there might be something behind it.

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The nursing home wasn't flooded at any point.


Did you miss the ending where they were all underwater?

And the home "on a high cliff" obviously wasn't as high as you're remembering either, because the water ends up rising right to the door after the storm.


In other words, it was the only house not underwater.

so I think there's a very good reason to believe there might be something behind it.


There isn't. The movie's just a fun kid's movie.

Can't stop the signal.

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What I meant was the nursing home wasn't underwater when the mother decided to abandon her 5 year old child in a house surrounded by the ocean during a violent storm. When she left the nursing home, there was no flooding to speak of. Unless I missed something about her psychic abilities, I don't know how she would've known that it ever would be.

And Miyazaki doesn't just write "fun kids movies". There's always a deeper meaning behind everything he does. If you watch Studio Ghibli movies thinking they're just fun cartoons for kids, then you're missing out on a lot. It may not be as serious as something like Princess Mononoke, but there's a lot you're obviously not seeing.

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Unless I missed something about her psychic abilities, I don't know how she would've known that it ever would be.


You don't need to be psychic to know that during a horrendous storm (remember, she knew the waves were crashing high up on the mountains) that the safest place for children is on the highest ground, where her house was, not in a valley, where the seniors' home was.

She didn't "abandon" her children. She left them in the safest place in the entire area. It was the only place not underwater after all.

You're confused by Japanese culture. Children in Japan are taught to be mature much sooner than American children. They walk to school on their own, take the trains on their own, cook food for the family, etc.

And Miyazaki doesn't just write "fun kids movies".


Except this one, which he's specifically stated was meant to be a kids movie. And yes, there is a deeper meaning. It still doesn't change that it was designed as a children's movie.

If you watch Studio Ghibli movies thinking they're just fun cartoons for kids, then you're missing out on a lot.


I don't, except when he specifically said it was.

but there's a lot you're obviously not seeing.


You're trying to see something that's not there at all.

Can't stop the signal.

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