Oishinbo - Vol. 27 Ch. 249 - A Father's Croquettes

[MangaDex]

 

[BippidiBoppetyBoob]

Tomorrow (February 11th) is my 38th birthday, and Thursday is my busy day, so I may not get the next chapter up until Friday, so just a heads up!

 

[TakesatoKeita]

I actually read into the rakugo story that Black talked about (keyword is "Ko wa kasugai", can be found here, and from other sources), and I was somewhat grateful that the husband genuinely repented for his mistakes when he met his son again.

However, I can't exactly blame Black when he says that there's a non-zero chance that things can sour again, although that's probably because of the way the story is described in this chapter, where there's no mention of the husband regretting his actions.

Which can result in non-Japanese readers interpreting the wife as having to put up with her abusive husband, who never regrets his actions at all, once more, perpetuating the whole cycle again.

 

[d_a_renoir]

Definitely mindset difference there on Black's part, like I know acquaintances in situations where the parents had a rocky relationship but stayed together for the kids.

 

[TakesatoKeita]

Definitely mindset difference there on Black's part, like I know acquaintances in situations where the parents had a rocky relationship but stayed together for the kids.

Yeah, sadly it's actually quite common out there, can't blame Black for him thinking that way.

 

[d_a_renoir]

Yeah, sadly it's actually quite common out there, can't blame Black for him thinking that way.

Honestly, I feel like the author just made him say that because the impression of how Western countries tend to be more open and accepting about divorces than Japan, especially back in the day.
Like it might just be the translation but it sounds like he was saying "if the parents are no longer in love, they shouldn't be together", which can sound flimsy and selfish. That's why they're saying it's a cultural difference.
It's different than if he had said "the parents staying together is bad for the kids because so and so reasons".

 

[Diabeetiz]

My countrie has a saying about human nature is hard to change. I mean black is right to be suspicious. How many times have i seen bastards saying they are "incrediblely regretful" and how they will change only to do it again and again. Coupled with a woman whose heart is soft and easy to be swayed, like with a potatoe croquette.

 

[BippidiBoppetyBoob]

So, I chose not to do any TL notes on this chapter, because I felt like it wasn't worth getting into the weeds on what may have been a genuine cultural difference (I'm not really sure how divorce is viewed in Japan), but my own personal feelings, having witnessed my own parents stay in a loveless marriage, I feel that it would be better for parents that no longer love each other to just divorce. It's not helping anyone, least of all the children, for them to stay together.