Aki-chan's Life
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A visit to the Grandparents - "This is where Mama came from?" - 197
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While the step-mom's feelings towards Asuka might be arguable, I actually feel quite comfortable with the interpretation to say: Asuka likes her step-mom and probably would have sought out a better relationship with her, if she hadn't been... well, herself.
Three major points for this:
- She straight up says that she "doesn't dislike her" after the phone call
- The monkey. Little Asuka is constantly seen with it, hugging it close, especially as she cries - and it's a present from her step-mom. Why tearing it up then? Sure, could have been an intended act of rebellion (though could have also been something happening during her throwing a fit), but I'm not sure if the main intend was to push away her step-mom - at least not more than anyone else. The context of that part (with teen Asuka even coming in to step on it) is that she doesn't want to be seen as child anymore already then, and as such wouldn't need such toys.
- The scene that I mentioned last time that I stumbled over thanks to it starting with that unfortunate line? The reason I checked that scene again when I did that stumbling was that I wanted to re-check Asuka's reaction to it, which surely was still as I recalled: Step-mom and Langely discussing how by becoming his wife, she became Asuka's mother, ending on Step-mom saying how he can't stop being her father while she could stop being her mother any time (ie. if they were to divorce, I guess).
Asuka's reaction: "Please don't stop being my Mama!"
And yes, you could argue that this is towards Kyoko (since she comes up next and is a line that was already used earlier for her as well), and of course it's unlikely she actually said it to her, and it's already during the mishmash of instrumentality, and whatnot... But given the context, being a direct answer to the previous statement, I find it very hard not to see it as "Asuka wants her step-mom to remain her Mama".
On the technical side of things, there's been quite a few (more or less) "last-minute" decisions for this one. I originally hadn't planned for this to be such a direct mirror to the previous (only the first meeting and the ripped monkey were intended like that). But then I realized, the shot at night I had planned of Asuka hugging the monkey to her fit quite well as counterpart to the bedtime shot of the previous (might have even already been influenced by it when I was struggling to come up with something for that one). Only problem was the study-help; had I fully thought of mirroring things then, I probably would have had Anja putting her hand on Asuka's shoulder or something to have more than just a look there.
Didn't forget Asuka's ring for a change (actually only because I had to fix a bit there anyway :P)
Actual last minute change; originally (and still, kinda) obviously wanted to channel the actual scene with the last panel, which would have included lighter shadows... but I felt the larger ones (which I do rarely enough) fit pretty well.
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