Review: 傘寿まり子 1 [Sanju Mariko 1]

傘寿まり子 1 [Sanju Mariko 1] by Yuki Ozawa
My rating: 5 of 5 stars



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Getting old sucks, not that I've much experience in that department, although at times, I do feel like I'm ancient. But having eyes, you can see a lot of things which happen around you. There is an elderly woman in our neighborhood, part of a big family, children, grand-children, and recently a great grand child.


She is 80-ish, and too weak to even get out of her bed. Her family takes good care of her, but for most days, the household just comprises of the younger generations, while she is relegated to her room. Like a piece of furniture, that is brought out only during special occasions. Nothing can be done of it, just how things are.


Most people are barely capable to taking care of themselves, let alone a family, or the elderly, who, is we're honest require quite a lot of attention. In many ways, it's have having a 80 year old baby at home, whom you have to feed, care for and be at their beck and all. Can't be easy I Imagine.


The reason for the long winded excerpt being, Kudo Marika is a veteran novelist, 80 years of old, getting on in years, and living in their ever more congested house, with her children, their children, and their children. She is still active writing, but the advancing years have forced her to cut down on her endeavors, and even her publishing company keeps her on as respect for their long relationship, rather than demands of new works.


She has seen a lot of her friends and acquaintances pass on, and feels increasingly alone, largely relegated to the background, and often a hindrance to her family. Worse, she realizes the trouble burden she puts on the family, and sincerely wishes that it weren't the case. So, she makes a conscious decision to move out of their house, and live alone, against the wishes of her family. 

Sanju Mariko follows the journey of the octogenarian who has to once again figure out life, and write a new chapter for it, while dealing with the challenges afforded by her age and problems which come with. She has to rediscover herself at this age, and also find a reason and inspiration to keep writing.

 


This story is perhaps more relevant to its nation nation Japan. Having one of the longest lifespan of any population, the Japanese regularly live for long ages, and this, coupled with late age of marriage and declining birth rates, mean that Japan is as the years roll out, becoming more and more an OLD nation. With it comes the challenges, largely focused on needing to take care of the elderly, with a dwindling work force. It also puts burden on the typical nuclear family system.
A more, serious version of this, brought about by government interference can be seen in china, where the youth who've grown up under the 'One child policy' find themselves in a position of needing to care for parents, grandparents, and even in-laws, without the support of any siblings to share the responsibilities.


But I digress, read Sanju Mariko, for the reason that, this is the type of story that Miyazaki wants Manga to tell. Not of aliens, superheroes, or world ending apocalypse, but the reality of our own world, in a beautiful black and white canvas.


This story makes you feel things; when you see Mariko taking the difficult decision of leaving the support of her family and make it on her own, her being treated with pity or derision by the world in general, because of her age, realtors refusing to show her any apartments because, they can't find renters who are willing to rent to an elder women who might just drop dead one morning. Sometimes you want to be there for her, to be a friend and someone to listen to her worries. That level of empathy and connection, I suppose is something most stories would kill to achieve. So, give it a try, you won't regret it.