Massan Episode 2

Episode 2: The Proposal

1. Our episode opens up where we left off. Masaharu is kneeling with Ellie, begging his mother to recognize his marriage. Interestingly, the conversation evolves into an argument between the two about the family business.

2.We learn that despite being the second son, Masaharu is the heir. However, he wants to make whiskey. In addition, we learn that his family did not pay for him to go to Scotland; it was the President of the Osaka company (of...sake?). He makes it clear to his mother that his dream is to make a new type of alcohol popular in Japan; his mother lectures him on tradition.

3.In a scene that made me laugh out loud, Ellie, who the narrator makes clear has no idea what they are talking about (presumably because they are talking very fast and using words she doesn't know) but understands his mother is furious, topples over because her legs have gone numb from kneeling.

4.Masaharu immediately tries to help her, his mother just stares at her as if it proves her point and tells him how could she recognize someone who can't even handle their traditions and cultural ways, and leaves, while Ellie is moaning in pain (I really, really like this actress)

5.In the next scene we see Sumire, who is increasingly delighted by Ellie, and Masaharu sitting with the priest . It seems that a ceremony to honor the ancestors is about to occur. Masahru hopes to trick his mother into acknowledging her since only family are allowed to intend (I think he thinks she will not make a scene because it might be rude It being such a big ceremony). They laugh because Ellie is so tall the robes don't fit her.

6.Sumire asks more questions about their relationship. Masaharu is incredibly uncomfortable and Ellie loves this, teasing him and telling him again and again that she loves him and hugs him--public displays of affection and talking about love are a no-no but she ignores him when he says this-Sumire seems to like the Western way of talking about feelings openly and expressing love.

7.She asks how they met, and ignoring Masaharu, Ellie tells a story and we are treated to a flashback. They met at a Christmas party two years ago, thrown by her sister Helen. She noticed him immediately, perhaps because he was a Japanese man in Scotland, who knows, and while eating cake he got a silver coin and she got a silver thimble. This is an old tradition, and it means that the two are fated to be together. She dismisses it immediately as a superstition but Masaharu stares at her very intensely and I interpreted this as him being hyperaware of her from day one.

8.The two spent a lot of time together and got to know each other because he would come by to teach her little brother Judo. During this time she learned a lot about his dreams to make whiskey and change Japan, since the only alcohol there is sake. She seems to admire his ambition,, passion, and honesty, especially when talking about his dreams.

9.Finally, they are sitting by a river one day (basically they spend all of their time together) and he shares with her that he has to return to Japan on Saturday (that is like a whammy). She is upset and cannot look at him, and begins to speak English and says how sad she is that he is leaving, but that she won't ever forget about him. It looks like she is crying but she won't look at him, and he is visibly upset. Masaharu proposes to her--in English--and she immediately says yes.

10.Back in the present, Sumire is like how I am when I watch a drama when people are in love--just gushing and waving her hands because it is so romantic--

Thoughts:
I thought it was hysterical when she fell over. I took a semester of Japanese once and I remember in one part they showed us some traditions and thinking how painful it was to kneel, even for a few minutes--and thinking that they must have steel knees or something--

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