Politeness
I notice that everyone uses formal and respectful language, nearly all the time. Even little sister calls elder brother 'Ni-ni-sama'. How very polite.
shareIt's part of Japanese culture. It's part of how I was raised, and I'm not even Japanese. It's actually how part of America used to be as well, although the Japanese were a touch more formal than middle class America prior to the 60s.
I wish the US could get back to that again.
Well, yes, but what I meant is that people in this film are noticeably using a higher level of polite speech than the families in other films of the same era - Grave of the Fireflies, for example, exactly the same period.
Since I posted the comment I've mentioned the point to my sensei, as we were discussing the film in class, and she said that it indicates a family of very high social standing. Interesting.
I'm British, not American, so I can't comment on your thoughts on manners. I suppose you might say the same of Britain, but I think it's just that habits and language evolve - where my grandfather, on meeting an acquaintance, might have raised his hat and said "Good afternoon", my son would shake hands briefly and say "Hi, how's it going? Awright?" But he would mean the same thing.
I see what you're getting at. The truth about that is that I don't know, but it would make sense.
shareThe politest film ever is The Sun, dir. Alexander Sokurov, because they're all talking to the Emperor Hirohito the whole time. Super-polite mode, comes right at the end of the textbook we use.
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