No, not on a whole. That's just my perception of that particular scene. In large, however, we're a very spoilt society. I took it as a contrast between modern western civilization and the more humble and modest way of life prevalent in Japanese and Eastern cultures. But that may not have been Miyazaki's intention, and again, I'm referring only to the scene.
I don't think it was thrown in just so Kiki could meet a bad character, however. She was a selfless girl, and the granddaughter, as you said, was a typical selfish young girl. It was a way to develop Kiki's character, and shed light on a totally different way of life, wherein people are more concerned about themselves. It also led to her loss of faith in people, which in turn made her resentful towards the other children in the film (the boy and his friends. I forget his name).
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girl_on_wire
14 years ago
It is interesting that you bring this up. Miyazaki said in an interview that in "Spirited Away" he was commenting on young Japanese children today, particularly in larger cities, who are raised without being given any sense of responsibility (such as chores). In that movie the protagonist is an immature young girl who, once she enters this strange spirit world, begins to work, make a living, and learns to treat elders and guests with respect and hospitality (a Japanese custom Miyazaki was afraid is gradually being lost in Japan's youth), gradually resulting in her maturity. I am not sure if Miyazaki sees the West as more spoiled than Japan, or if it were precisely these materialistic values imported from the West that is leading to Japan's gradual loss of identity. He may not be necessarily thinking about these geopolitical themes in "Kiki's Delivery Service," which takes place in a fanciful early 20th-century European city. But I do see your point.
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charleswright805
13 years ago
And also because she's a girl, she wants to look cool in front of her friends. We were all like that, we got embarrassed by our parents' care, we rebelled against them, etc.
No we were not "all like that." I NEVER got embarrassed by my parents care or rebelled against them.
Sorry if I seem rude, but I resent anything along the lines of "oh all kids/teens/etc are like that." We are not a race of automatons. Every person is different and behaves differently.
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girl_on_wire
13 years ago
I resent anything along the lines of "oh all kids/teens/etc are like that." We are not a race of automatons. Every person is different and behaves differently.
As someone who until quite recently was a teenager herself I agree, 100%. Even more common than this so-called "teenage phase" where any behavior, good or bad, can be explained by the person's "stage in life," is this perception by an older generation that the younger generation is going downhill. As a teenager I resented how any idea I had wasn't taken seriously because of my age, and also didn't like how any bad behavior by my contemporaries was dismissed as something that teenagers simply did.
Manuscripts don't burn.
LMAOROFLMRIATRIANASIAMIO!!!!!!
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ColbertoReporto
13 years ago
Pretty much. I was never into the cliche teen rebellion thing when I was a teen, just a few years back.
What's strange is this thread kind of turned into beating up on city people. Just because urban citizens don't milk cows at 4 am doesn't make them lazy. Many city dwellers are in crushing poverty and work 3 jobs for mere survival, others are middle-class but hardcore working stiffs.
T: @RaysPoet
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holographica
12 years ago
also didn't like how any bad behavior by my contemporaries was dismissed as something that teenagers simply did.
Same. I mean, a person's youth can and should be considered somewhat due to lack of experience and even some biological considerations... but I really dislike it when I hear others completely dismiss the wrongness of something due to youth.
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