Impression:

We all make mistakes in life. Unfortunately, some mistakes are bigger than others. Most people can forgive something like dropping a pencil because that wouldn’t cost thousands of dollars to replace. I know that they say to not cry over spilled milk, but there is a difference between a single gallon being lost and five hundred liters of the stuff going down the drain.

That was not good.

What is something that was bound to happen? Hachiken was going to fuck up. What happens when you fuck up at your job? Bad things can happen. Things appeared to be going very well here. Hachiken was working hard and even Aki’s dad has been forced to recognize the kind of worker that Hachiken is. The kids are even returning to school the day after tomorrow. What could happen during your last day on the job? You lose five hundred liters of milk. Hachiken forgot to attach the pump to the container before they started milking. That is a ridiculous amount of money that literally went down the drain. Hachiken wanted to deny his pay, but the Mikages insisted that he keep it. Mistakes happen, but the work you put in should be rewarded. That was the philosophy taken here. On a different note, Hachiken’s older brother showed up. He is the true ace of the family, but he decided to drop out of Tokyo University. Why is that? His parents forced him into a life that he did not want. Both Hachiken and his brother are going against their parents by doing what they are right now. Hachiken is going to an unconventional high school and his brother is bouncing around between various part-time jobs. Forcing people into something that they don’t want will rarely work out.

At least they don’t remind me of The Shining.

Current Opinion of the Show:

I was expecting something like this, but it was still fairly hard to watch. I don’t like watching rough things like that in anime. I understand the purpose and it was a pretty important part of the episode, but losing that much milk is not a good thing. Five hundred liters is a lot of product. We all knew that it would end the way it did though. The Mikages still paid Hachiken and they reminded the young guy that people do actually care about others. We are only human and mistakes will happen. The important thing is how we conduct ourselves. Did Hachiken mess up? Yes, but he put in a lot of hard work along the way. Forgetting to attach that hose is not the thing that defined his contribution to the farm. That is what he was supposed to take from his experience. Also, he must learn how to spend his money properly. If he were to spend that money frivolously, then it would definitely be a waste. Hard earned money should be used to purchase things that better one’s life. That is at least the philosophy that will be passed down through the Mikages.

That must have been a lot of crap.

The other thing that I would like to take away from this is the attention that has been put on Hachiken’s family. It seems like the source of the dysfunction is the father. Hachiken’s mom seemed to be genuinely concerned about her son. However, is father decided that he should call his sons failures for not pursuing the lives that he desired for them. In some ways, his father is like the various farming families. They do have a path set up for their children. The difference here is the family element. Even though the kids may not all want to be farmers, they definitely aren’t actively against it. Even though their lives would be tough, there is value there. The ability to sample the food in its purest state, the rewarding feeling that comes with hard work, and the bonds that are formed when you work on a farm with your family. Hachiken’s dad is simply being a tyrant. Grades are important, but there is a lot of opportunity out there for his kids. I wonder if we will see Hachiken rebelling like his brother is.

Progress has been made.