pompomchihuahua

[pompomchihuahua]

#I am specifically talking about the new wave of Puritanism that a woman with a curvy body or large breasts is inherently sexualized for#looking like that#when that’s not always the case and sometimes she just fucking looks like that You left this in the tags bestie!!

Expanding on this specifically, I find it so grating that women seem to either be infantilized or made into sexual objects depending on their body type.

Short woman with smaller breasts? "Child coded". But god forbid you have an actual child who happens to have big breasts and a curvy figure. Shout out to the grown ass teacher who called me and my best friend "whores" for having breasts in front of an entire class of other children at the tender age of 15. Or when I was told I was trying too hard to attract older men at the age of 12 because I wasn't used to wearing bras yet.

Yes, Mitsuri is intended to be fanservice, but she is also shown to be confident in her body without it being inherently sexual. (Ie the way she gladly greets strangers in the hot spring or when her "breasts are spilling out," notably it's Tanjirou that freaks out and not her.)

Mitsuri is actively choosing to continue to wear that outfit and I feel like people somehow manage to infantilize her (imply she has no control over her own wardrobe) while also sexualizing her (it's PERVERTED that she has HUGE BOOBS that are SEEN). As someone with large breasts, it is not fun to have yourself reduced to them. Anything that even hints at them existing is suddenly sexual, no matter what age you are.

The infantilization of Giyuu is a whole other can of worms though that has to deal with how people view and treat mental health and OH BOY.

Perhaps this is a controversial take but every time someone does a character redesign and covers up Mitsuri’s chest, and all the comments are “an angel gained its wings” or etc I find myself becoming annoyed.

I’m not saying her design isn’t meant to be fan service, fan service is inescapable for every single fandom out there and naturally the hyper femme woman who is literally titled the love hashira, would naturally be the character designed for this. But I wish people would realize that it’s quite literally stated Mitsuri has… the option to change her uniform if she wishes to.

Shinobu offers her matches, Mitsuri is a grown woman who can speak for herself and say “hey, give me the standard uniform” in the exact same way Shinobu did when she got the uniform initially, the perverted Kakushi is a problem, yes. But his antics aren’t celebrated or normalized within the manga, and clearly, Mitsuri must enjoy the uniform after some consideration or else I’m sure the character, whose entire arc and purpose is self acceptance and confidence, would stand up for herself and say she feels uncomfortable in these clothes.

So, women are allowed to like their bodies, to wear more revealing things. It’s not like she’s a sixteen year old child who has her tits on display, she wears a short skirt and has her cleavage out because clearly SHE wants to. That’s not to say you cannot personally dislike her uniform, but it is not the worst thing to ever grace KNY, and to be frank the outcry over it reminds me a lot about the baby-ifcation of Giyuu and how everyone bullies him and he can’t stand up for himself, when that is in fact not true.

[pompomchihuahua]

GUESS WHO'S BACK AND WORKING ON MORE POSTS!!!

Hi guys, I know it's been awhile but I'm back and eager to get back to working on analysis posts<3 Starting with one about my favorite baby boy Genya!!! I do have some coming up featuring Sanemi and another with Tanjirou and I do plan on still answering my old asks!!

I'm glad to be back though! I just needed a break from constant posting for awhile so while my posts will be more sparse than they were before, I do plan on trying to at least get one analysis out a month.

And for those of you here from my fics--I've got some treats and goodies coming up for you guys as well, including the next chapter of Song in Every Breath and Sunlit Scales!!!

[pompomchihuahua]

[pompomchihuahua]

Brothers Sanemi and Genya at a festival 🎋

[pompomchihuahua]

MY NEW NECKLACE CAME IN

It’s Sanemi’s mark!!! IM SO HAPPY WITH IT!!

[pompomchihuahua]

Something i still dont understand is if Genya became a full demon after eating Kokushibo's blood, being the closest to Muzan would have made him gain a lot of his cells and we see that he gained a BDA, but in a scenario were he survives, would he be able to return to his human form or drinking so much of Kokushibo/Muzan's blood would have made his half demon powers to a full one?

See! That's one of the aspects I wish had been explored more about Genya! What are his limits on demon blood he can consume? How close to a demon does he become? We know he gets their healing ability plus their strength and we see that Nezuko's fire (which only burns demons) affects him! How does he react to sunlight in that state? What about wisteria? And why introduce that he can hear Muzan with enough cells if they weren't going to do anything with it?

However, I think it is important to note that Genya is acknowledged as still being human when he died; Kokushibou specifically says "That human used a blood demon art."

Not to mention that there are only three ways to kill an actual demon: sunlight, cutting the vital point with a Nichirin blade, or Muzan killing them. (I say vital point because while the vital point is usually the neck, beheading doesn't always do the trick!) Kokushibou uses a demonic blade and still manages to kill Genya by cutting him in half down the middle. So while Genya is obviously not fully human, he's also still not a full demon, even with such a high amount of Muzan's cells!

So, I do think that given enough time he would have reverted back to human (though it would definitely be interesting to see lingering traits! We know the demonic healing sticks around even when he hasn't recently consumed a demon!)

Considering that demons like Muzan and Akaza were able to get rid of their vital point weakness altogether through sheer will, I think it was entirely possible and even plausible for Genya to survive getting split in half if they had tried. Like, why not try giving him some readily available super special marechi blood from Sanemi? Or try to get another peice of Kokushibou to feed him before he faded completely away?

Granted, I do know that Genya's death was an important part of Sanemi's story but as a Genya stan there's always a part of me that wishes he had lived!!

Also, I'd like to apologize for being so quiet! I've been busy at work and also got really into Pokemon again plus I'll be starting physical therapy next week. But hey! I also started crocheting!! I'm crocheting a fox plushy to give my Sanemi bean plus a friend!

[pompomchihuahua]

Fic so jaw-dropping amd gut wrenching you gotta make a dumbass(/aff) comic of it

(Gotta draw Sanemi comforting bebey Genya I have to otherwise I will CRY and SOB........ /hj)

JAJFKFJKFODO!!!! 🥺🥺🥺 OMG!!! IM SO EXCITED!!!

YOU ARE SO SWEET!!!! I CANT WAIT TO SEE WHAT YOU CREATE!!! I’m so honored you like my fic!!! And I adore your art!!!

And there’s just something so cathartic about sanemi and the Babey hehe!!

[pompomchihuahua]

Little uh Sanemi and Giyuu doodle for you

OMG THEY ARE SO CUTE!!! I'm sorry I took so long to answer this but I love your art so much<3 its always such a treat to see you in my inbox!! Thank you for sharing :D!! I'm still reeling over you drawing something for Song I get so happy everytime I see it!!

[pompomchihuahua]

Despite Genya looking like his other siblings, I did always like how he had the same eyes as Sanemi showing that him and Sanemi do look the same despite Hiroshi looking like an exact copy of Genya just with different eyes. I always thought it was interesting because it made me wonder if Hiroshi looked up to Genya or if his hair grew out like Genya’s

YES!!! SAME! any connection Genya has with Sanemi I EAT UP they are such BROTHERS!!!! I think it's also implied they have the same face shape too!

Now, you may be thinking: "Maple, it's an anime, of course they have the same face shape" but hear me out!!

One thing I always notice with Genya is his forehead: specifically, those little creases on either side of his forehead! As far as I can see, he's the only one who has these little creases.

None of his other siblings have them!! All except for...

THAT'S RIGHT!!! SANEMI!!! Granted they're only visible in flashbacks but follow my delusions here!!

I choose to believe that this supports my headcanon that Sanemi and Genya actually look very similar, except for a difference in hair and build.

They've got similar little battle smiles, too<3 (even down to the cupid's bow) They've both got thick lashes as well (though Sanemi's got him beat there!)

As for Hiroshi! This is where I insert a few more of my headcanons!

For example: why does Genya shave the sides of his head? While I understand why they chose this detail from a design standpoint, I'm talking about in canon reasons. AND I actually adopted this headcanon from a tumblr post: this one! The headcanon being that Genya has curly hair and that's why he shaves it off<3

As for what they're saying about the databook, I have searched high and low, through every version of the databook I can find, and have yet to find this tidbit to be confirmed canon. HOWEVER, I adore it so much that it's canon in my heart!! We deserve curly-haired characters, and Genya would be SO CUTE with little ringlets as a baby!! As far as I can tell, that Tumblr post is the oldest source on it, as it was posted in 2019, while the other posts I've seen on it were from about a year ago.

As for the boys all having close-cropped hair (except for Sanemi) this may just be to keep their hair from getting matted and to prevent disease, something poorer families used to do. (there's also the wives' tale that shaving a baby's head will cause hair to grow back thicker and fuller) It was common to shave babies' heads until they reached three years old. Though Hiroshi and Genya definitely look to be older than three, it was probably just easier to keep their heads shaved than to have to deal with hair maintenance. BUT, keeping that one little bit of hair definitely feels deliberate and Hiroshi could definitely be trying to imitate his big brother Genya!!

Hehe I will definitely be thinking of little baby Hiroshi waddling along behind Genya wherever he goes.

Thank you so much for the ask!!

[pompomchihuahua]

shinazugawa brothers my beloveds 🫶

[pompomchihuahua]

I seriously hope you're doing alright and if you do need the surgery, that it goes perfectly fine with no trouble!!

Aww Thank you so much I really appreciate it!! I actually have great news!! I had an MRI to assess the damage yesterday, and it's non-surgical!! They're gonna put me in physical therapy but I am genuinely relieved and so so thankful for the support I've gotten<3

I will get back to doing analysis starting with the asks you guys have sent me!! I just needed a little break while I got my situation figured out.

Ya'll are genuinely so sweet, though!!

First up on the agenda is answering the asks regarding the Sanemi afterlife scene hehe

[pompomchihuahua]

Why do you think Muiruchiro was able to reincarnate with his brother as his brother, considering his brother did push him away. Whilst Sanemi was not given that chance with Genya?

If I had to guess, I would say it's because both of the twins died before the epilogue. The ones who died are cut-and-dry reincarnations, while the descendants are a little more blurry. I think it was less to punish Sanemi and more to distinguish that Sanemi survived while Genya did not. I still think it would have been better to have Genya also be a descendant of Sanemi; after all, Rengoku got to be the exception of a clear-cut reincarnation and a descendant.

[pompomchihuahua]

how does being punched in the face feel like

[pompomchihuahua]

Hi all!! Some of you have probably noticed that I've been quiet recently. And to everyone who's sent in an ask, I promise I'll get to them!! Please know that I read each and every one of them! Some of them take me more time to respond to than others but I will get to them! I had a bit of a health scare, though, and haven't really felt up to working on fics or analysis the past couple of days!

A few days ago, I twisted my knee and had to be taken to the ER. As of right now, they believe I may need surgery in my knee to repair a tear in my meniscus. I haven't been able to walk and it's been very scary all around.

However! There is good news! I was finally able to walk again today, so there is hope at the end of the tunnel! I plan to start working on asks again soon, so expect more posts!

Thank you to everyone who has been reading my analysis. I appreciate all of you<3 Hopefully, I'll be able to get back into it soon, and maybe I'll even be able to walk without a cane!

[pompomchihuahua]

Drew a couple things during class in appreciation for your fic! (I cannot remember the exact title name I am SO sorryryyyy)

I love your writing!! :3 (Sorry if this comes off as weird or awkwardr...)

OH MY GOD OH MY GOD THEYRE SO CUTE!! The one where they’re cuddling?? OH YOU DRAW GENYA SO PRECIOUS!!! I love this so much I could cry! He’s so tiny even next to shinobu!! Hehehehe and you captured Sanemi’s animal anger so well!!

It’s not weird or awkward at all I’m honored!! I’ve been having a really rough week actually and this seriously brightened my day! I love this so so much!!

Your art style is soooo cute! I appreciate this more than you think<3

Do you mind if I link it in my fic? So others can see? If you’re not comfy with that I totally understand but the art is very good!!

[pompomchihuahua]

Oh goodness! This analysis wasn’t directed at anyone in particular, all of it is stuff I’ve seen, both in private and in public! I know you’re not attacking me<3 you’ve been nothing but respectful! I apologize if this came off as aggressive in any way shape or form! I promise you’re not the only one who’s said that! Like I’ve mentioned, shizu reminds me a lot of my late grandmother so I might be a smidge attached!

Shizu Shinazugawa: What Makes a Good Mother?

We know very little about Shizu as a character; what little information we are given about her is through the lens of her children, who adore her. We are, however, able to infer a lot about how her life may have been based on time period and location and the few snippets from the light novels and show that we are given.

The question of what makes a good mother is a topic that's been debated both philosophically and scientifically. A good mother is wise and firm but soft; they are future-oriented, but they cannot prioritize the future over the now. They are present, but they are working; they must be in control without being controlling, and they must teach responsibility without putting pressure. It is a tightrope of expectations, a dichotomy, a job where the rules are changing constantly as society changes and we continue to evolve.

Everyone has a different answer when asked what makes a good mother. However, I feel that saying Shizu was a good or bad mother neglects the nuance of her situation. I have seen multiple people assert whether Shizu falls into the good mother or bad mother category, and I wanted to explore that topic in this essay and explain why the answer is much more complicated than "good" or "bad" or yes or no.

It is important to remember that, at the end of the day, our mothers are human and are prone to mistakes, and sometimes, circumstances can force our hands to make choices we otherwise wouldn't make.

One major circumstance would be her economic position in society; there is much evidence to suggest that the Shinazugawas were considered hinmin or, simply put, extremely poor. From the descriptions and depictions of their home to the light novels outright calling them poor to Genya's comment about sleeping when he gets hungry, Gotouge does not shy away from their economic situation.

Not only that, but as I've discussed before, she functioned as essentially a single mother. Kyogo is repeatedly referred to as "unreliable" and is described as "this man who walked around, breath stinking of alcohol from morning until night, who hit Mom whenever he got the chance." From that line, we can infer that he was also an alcoholic. Now, this is speculation, but it is unlikely he was able to hold down a job, and he probably blew through any money he did bring in on buying alcohol. The beatings, judging by what little we're shown, look to be particularly brutal.

Divorce wasn't entirely uncommon in the Meiji and Taisho eras of Japan however, it often was in the husband's favor. Shizu had few options for recourse that wouldn't completely abandon her children.

Now, we know that Kyogo was a contemptible man who beat his wife and children, hated not just by his family but the people around him. The wiki (I can't find the exact source) states he was stabbed to death in the street due to other people's resentment of him.

We also know that Kyogo died while Sanemi was very young, mid-teens at the latest. While this would bring relief from the beatings, Shizu would still have to face the challenges of being a single mother in Japan with seven children.

(I highly recommend watching this documentary)

The Meiji period is often considered the low point in Japan's history of women's rights. It saw the institutionalization of the patriarchal family system (ie seido) and a sharp uptick in the mistreatment of women.

In Japan (and indeed, in many nations), women are expected to manage the household. This is perhaps best exemplified by a common saying in post-World War I Japan: "Good wife; Wise mother." Many women of the time internalized this saying. With it came strict expectations of what defined womanhood for Meiji-era Japan and beyond.

This one phrase shifted the entire division of labor amongst the sexes: women became entirely responsible for domestic labor, and with it came societal expectations. It was the woman's job to uphold the household, please her husband, and raise the children. Thus, any failure of the above would mark her as a failure as a woman.

Single mothers are often viewed through this highly critical lens. Even if they are the ones to initiate the divorce, the blame for the marriage not working is often laid at their feet.

"But Shizu didn't divorce Kyogo!"

Setting aside the fact that society at large wouldn't have the full context of Shizu's situation, widows also did not receive much sympathy. The late Meiji saw the rise of the term Mibojin (Or "the not-yet-dead-one"). The intended connotation of this word is that the woman should have died with her husband and that it is somehow shameful that she didn't.

There was a high level of discrimination against widows and very little in the way of safety nets for them. While I'm unable to find the exact wage gap between women and men in Taisho Japan, the modern wage gap is about 30.2%, so for every 100 yen a man makes, women make about 70 yen.

Not only that, but single mothers are often forced to take part-time or low-paying jobs. The poverty rate of single-parent homes in Japan is 56%, which is staggering. (For reference, America, another country with poor social safety nets for struggling mothers, has a single-parent poverty rate of 33.5%.) Now, while these are modern statistics, it is important to note that many of the societal issues that caused these numbers arose during the Meiji and Taisho eras—when Shizu would have been alive.

This is to say that Shizu faced many societal pressures at the time, which led to her most likely having little to no support networks or reliable income. Genya himself says this: "My mother was always working, from morning until night. Not once did I ever see her sleeping."

One of the main criticisms I've seen of Shizu is that she is overly reliant on Sanemi (and, to some extent, Genya, but mostly Sanemi) to the point that he was parentified. Now, for those that may not have heard this term before, parentification is a term that was coined in 1967 and is used to describe a sort of role reversal where a child or adolescent (teen) is made to support the family in ways that are developmentally inappropriate.

Think of this example: Your mother asks you to help her cook and gives you small, age-appropriate tasks, versus you are expected to cook and provide a meal for the family by yourself. The second example is parentification.

There are two types of parentification: instrumental and emotional. Instrumental parentification encompasses the physical tasks of cleaning, cooking, and working, whereas emotional parentification occurs when a child is made to be a confidant or mediator.

For Sanemi (and, to a lesser extent, Genya), we can surmise that he was at least instrumentally parentified as he worked to put food on the table. It is highly likely he was emotionally parentified, as he was described as Shizu's 'right-hand' and as taking care of his siblings as well. This role would have been incredibly burdensome for a child.

However, it's unlikely that Shizu has any other choice.

On a personal note, Shizu's situation reminds me of my Abuelita. While obviously not an exact one-to-one, I will admit to feeling a bit of a connection with her. A single mother living in poverty with too many children to possibly keep them all fed.

She often relied on my dad and his older brother to care for their little sisters, but only because she had to. She had to work day and night so they would have a roof over their heads and some food—so they could survive, first and foremost. If she had had a choice, she would have never placed that burden on them, and I see that reflected in how I personally view Shizu. From what little we are shown from the boy's POV, it paints the picture of a kind and caring woman who would lay down her life for her children.

It doesn't necessarily make it right or fair that Sanemi had to take on those burdens at such a young age; breadwinner, child-rearer, confidant. But, to lay the blame entirely at Shizu's feet is to imply that she had control.

Another criticism I've seen is that she neglected Sanemi and Genya. This likely comes from Genya's line: "I was the second oldest after Sanemi, and Mom was always too busy taking care of our little brothers and sisters, so she never really babied me."

We can guess from this that if she didn't baby Genya as the second eldest, she was unlikely to baby Sanemi, especially since Genya himself asks, "Who on earth was there to baby him?"

As tragic as it is, this is relatively common for parentified older siblings in large families. They are overlooked in favor of the youngest, who can't care for themselves as well as the older children can.

However, from the way Genya and Sanemi talk about her, it is undeniable that they adored her. Something my dad told me about my grandmother stuck out to me: "In all the years she raised us, she never told us she loved us. But we knew because she worked day and night for us. We didn't need her to tell us constantly."

It is clear that Shizu loved her children in her actions—the way she throws herself between them and Kyogo, the way she works day and night, and the overflowing affection Sanemi describes feeling from her.

While this doesn't change that she didn't give them the attention they needed, it wasn't from a lack of caring.

A third criticism I've seen is that Shizu should not have had so many children if she couldn't support them. Putting aside that this lays all of the blame for conception at the woman's feet, it also ignores other factors, like the anti-abortion laws of the Meiji period and with the popularized fukoku kyohei slogan of the time, contraceptives were heavily discouraged. And considering Kyogo's controlling and abusive disposition, abstinence may not have been an option.

The final criticism I have seen is that Shizu allowed her self-sacrificial nature to rub off on her children. To this, I ask, what would you have her do? Yes, she sacrificed everything for her children out of love, however, giving anything less could have meant the difference between life and death for her children.

Based on what little we see of her, I think it can be concluded that Shizu did the best she could with the few resources and graces afforded to her. While she certainly made mistakes, I do not think this qualifies her as a good or bad mother.

TLDR: Shizu's situation is very complicated, and she did the best that she could. She was certainly a flawed mother, but not necessarily an outright bad mother. Societal and economic pressures forced her to be overly reliant on her eldest children, but there is evidence that she truly loved and cared for them. While there are certainly valid criticisms to be made, it is important to consider all the circumstances that led her to make those decisions in the first place.

And now for some sources I didn't link in the above analysis: Here. Here. Here. Here. Here. Here. Here. Here. Here. Here. Here. Here. Here.

[pompomchihuahua]

Shizu Shinazugawa: What Makes a Good Mother?

We know very little about Shizu as a character; what little information we are given about her is through the lens of her children, who adore her. We are, however, able to infer a lot about how her life may have been based on time period and location and the few snippets from the light novels and show that we are given.

The question of what makes a good mother is a topic that's been debated both philosophically and scientifically. A good mother is wise and firm but soft; they are future-oriented, but they cannot prioritize the future over the now. They are present, but they are working; they must be in control without being controlling, and they must teach responsibility without putting pressure. It is a tightrope of expectations, a dichotomy, a job where the rules are changing constantly as society changes and we continue to evolve.

Everyone has a different answer when asked what makes a good mother. However, I feel that saying Shizu was a good or bad mother neglects the nuance of her situation. I have seen multiple people assert whether Shizu falls into the good mother or bad mother category, and I wanted to explore that topic in this essay and explain why the answer is much more complicated than "good" or "bad" or yes or no.

It is important to remember that, at the end of the day, our mothers are human and are prone to mistakes, and sometimes, circumstances can force our hands to make choices we otherwise wouldn't make.

One major circumstance would be her economic position in society; there is much evidence to suggest that the Shinazugawas were considered hinmin or, simply put, extremely poor. From the descriptions and depictions of their home to the light novels outright calling them poor to Genya's comment about sleeping when he gets hungry, Gotouge does not shy away from their economic situation.

Not only that, but as I've discussed before, she functioned as essentially a single mother. Kyogo is repeatedly referred to as "unreliable" and is described as "this man who walked around, breath stinking of alcohol from morning until night, who hit Mom whenever he got the chance." From that line, we can infer that he was also an alcoholic. Now, this is speculation, but it is unlikely he was able to hold down a job, and he probably blew through any money he did bring in on buying alcohol. The beatings, judging by what little we're shown, look to be particularly brutal.

Divorce wasn't entirely uncommon in the Meiji and Taisho eras of Japan however, it often was in the husband's favor. Shizu had few options for recourse that wouldn't completely abandon her children.

Now, we know that Kyogo was a contemptible man who beat his wife and children, hated not just by his family but the people around him. The wiki (I can't find the exact source) states he was stabbed to death in the street due to other people's resentment of him.

We also know that Kyogo died while Sanemi was very young, mid-teens at the latest. While this would bring relief from the beatings, Shizu would still have to face the challenges of being a single mother in Japan with seven children.

(I highly recommend watching this documentary)

The Meiji period is often considered the low point in Japan's history of women's rights. It saw the institutionalization of the patriarchal family system (ie seido) and a sharp uptick in the mistreatment of women.

In Japan (and indeed, in many nations), women are expected to manage the household. This is perhaps best exemplified by a common saying in post-World War I Japan: "Good wife; Wise mother." Many women of the time internalized this saying. With it came strict expectations of what defined womanhood for Meiji-era Japan and beyond.

This one phrase shifted the entire division of labor amongst the sexes: women became entirely responsible for domestic labor, and with it came societal expectations. It was the woman's job to uphold the household, please her husband, and raise the children. Thus, any failure of the above would mark her as a failure as a woman.

Single mothers are often viewed through this highly critical lens. Even if they are the ones to initiate the divorce, the blame for the marriage not working is often laid at their feet.

"But Shizu didn't divorce Kyogo!"

Setting aside the fact that society at large wouldn't have the full context of Shizu's situation, widows also did not receive much sympathy. The late Meiji saw the rise of the term Mibojin (Or "the not-yet-dead-one"). The intended connotation of this word is that the woman should have died with her husband and that it is somehow shameful that she didn't.

There was a high level of discrimination against widows and very little in the way of safety nets for them. While I'm unable to find the exact wage gap between women and men in Taisho Japan, the modern wage gap is about 30.2%, so for every 100 yen a man makes, women make about 70 yen.

Not only that, but single mothers are often forced to take part-time or low-paying jobs. The poverty rate of single-parent homes in Japan is 56%, which is staggering. (For reference, America, another country with poor social safety nets for struggling mothers, has a single-parent poverty rate of 33.5%.) Now, while these are modern statistics, it is important to note that many of the societal issues that caused these numbers arose during the Meiji and Taisho eras—when Shizu would have been alive.

This is to say that Shizu faced many societal pressures at the time, which led to her most likely having little to no support networks or reliable income. Genya himself says this: "My mother was always working, from morning until night. Not once did I ever see her sleeping."

One of the main criticisms I've seen of Shizu is that she is overly reliant on Sanemi (and, to some extent, Genya, but mostly Sanemi) to the point that he was parentified. Now, for those that may not have heard this term before, parentification is a term that was coined in 1967 and is used to describe a sort of role reversal where a child or adolescent (teen) is made to support the family in ways that are developmentally inappropriate.

Think of this example: Your mother asks you to help her cook and gives you small, age-appropriate tasks, versus you are expected to cook and provide a meal for the family by yourself. The second example is parentification.

There are two types of parentification: instrumental and emotional. Instrumental parentification encompasses the physical tasks of cleaning, cooking, and working, whereas emotional parentification occurs when a child is made to be a confidant or mediator.

For Sanemi (and, to a lesser extent, Genya), we can surmise that he was at least instrumentally parentified as he worked to put food on the table. It is highly likely he was emotionally parentified, as he was described as Shizu's 'right-hand' and as taking care of his siblings as well. This role would have been incredibly burdensome for a child.

However, it's unlikely that Shizu has any other choice.

On a personal note, Shizu's situation reminds me of my Abuelita. While obviously not an exact one-to-one, I will admit to feeling a bit of a connection with her. A single mother living in poverty with too many children to possibly keep them all fed.

She often relied on my dad and his older brother to care for their little sisters, but only because she had to. She had to work day and night so they would have a roof over their heads and some food—so they could survive, first and foremost. If she had had a choice, she would have never placed that burden on them, and I see that reflected in how I personally view Shizu. From what little we are shown from the boy's POV, it paints the picture of a kind and caring woman who would lay down her life for her children.

It doesn't necessarily make it right or fair that Sanemi had to take on those burdens at such a young age; breadwinner, child-rearer, confidant. But, to lay the blame entirely at Shizu's feet is to imply that she had control.

Another criticism I've seen is that she neglected Sanemi and Genya. This likely comes from Genya's line: "I was the second oldest after Sanemi, and Mom was always too busy taking care of our little brothers and sisters, so she never really babied me."

We can guess from this that if she didn't baby Genya as the second eldest, she was unlikely to baby Sanemi, especially since Genya himself asks, "Who on earth was there to baby him?"

As tragic as it is, this is relatively common for parentified older siblings in large families. They are overlooked in favor of the youngest, who can't care for themselves as well as the older children can.

However, from the way Genya and Sanemi talk about her, it is undeniable that they adored her. Something my dad told me about my grandmother stuck out to me: "In all the years she raised us, she never told us she loved us. But we knew because she worked day and night for us. We didn't need her to tell us constantly."

It is clear that Shizu loved her children in her actions—the way she throws herself between them and Kyogo, the way she works day and night, and the overflowing affection Sanemi describes feeling from her.

While this doesn't change that she didn't give them the attention they needed, it wasn't from a lack of caring.

A third criticism I've seen is that Shizu should not have had so many children if she couldn't support them. Putting aside that this lays all of the blame for conception at the woman's feet, it also ignores other factors, like the anti-abortion laws of the Meiji period and with the popularized fukoku kyohei slogan of the time, contraceptives were heavily discouraged. And considering Kyogo's controlling and abusive disposition, abstinence may not have been an option.

The final criticism I have seen is that Shizu allowed her self-sacrificial nature to rub off on her children. To this, I ask, what would you have her do? Yes, she sacrificed everything for her children out of love, however, giving anything less could have meant the difference between life and death for her children.

Based on what little we see of her, I think it can be concluded that Shizu did the best she could with the few resources and graces afforded to her. While she certainly made mistakes, I do not think this qualifies her as a good or bad mother.

TLDR: Shizu's situation is very complicated, and she did the best that she could. She was certainly a flawed mother, but not necessarily an outright bad mother. Societal and economic pressures forced her to be overly reliant on her eldest children, but there is evidence that she truly loved and cared for them. While there are certainly valid criticisms to be made, it is important to consider all the circumstances that led her to make those decisions in the first place.

And now for some sources I didn't link in the above analysis: Here. Here. Here. Here. Here. Here. Here. Here. Here. Here. Here. Here. Here.