Yeah.. I am quite good at rhyming. Mothers’ words can pierce our heart sometimes, but her sacrifice has taken us far in our lives. This is almost the same with the anime characters in their story world, where different types of moms can influence them in different ways. In a way, all moms are unique because of their diverse personalities and unparalled approach in parenting. They could be..
.. strong and badass. Like Satoru’s mom who does her best to raise and protect him, despite being cold and strict on the outside. She stood up against abusive parents, and was revealed to have spent 13 years taking care of him when he was comatose. Days by days, years by years, waiting for him to open his eyes. And yet, she never shows a hint of tiredness on her face, and in her heart.
..kind and earnest. Like Yuki and Ame’s mom who nurtures and shelters them, dedicating herself to learn more on parenting and providing the best environment for them to grow. She accepts them as who they are, and who they want to be. Even if it’s bitter, she knows eventually she’ll have to let go of them, and she has prepared them for it.
.. supportive and caring. Like Deku’s mom with has a fragile heart, yet chooses to care for and support him as a hero. But seeing that he always comes back with a broken arms and/or legs every time, she just couldn’t let him risk his life anymore. Despite knowing that it might be a selfish request, she just couldn’t take it. And this pain, this love resonates and shows how deep the bond is between her and Deku.
.. gentle and humble. Like Natsume’s adoptive mom who strives to create a warm and comfortable home for him. A place that he belongs to, for him to smile to his heart’s content and will never need to see the stars by himself again. Her gentleness melts Natsume’s frozen heart and saved him, so that he wouldn’t need to bear the burden alone anymore. Her casual words and warm dinner become the remedy for all the past emotional wounds he has.
..loving and sensible. Like Anne’s mother who wrote letters for her birthdays, knowing that she couldn’t be with her for the next fifty years when she grows up from a girl to a grown woman, a wife and a mother. Even though she couldn’t stay by Anne’s side, her letters did. In every changing moments of Anne’s life, she was there. Wishing Anne the best, caring, crying and smiling for her.
With the examples from these five anime, I want to express that, no mom is perfect. Each and every mom has a flaw, but they can be a great mom in a million ways. Even though there are moments when we, the sons/daughters find them annoying more than caring, we still would not let each other go. Because we know we’ll miss her annoying rants, her endless complaints and her words that hit us like no one else’s does. Deep inside our heart, we know that mothers’ quirks are what make them ‘mother’.
A mother might be imperfect at the core, but she will still love her children unconditionally. And as a child, we will, too. So, cheers to all the great moms in anime and to the special her who we think of every time we hear the word ‘mother’.
Happy Mother’s Day.
Anime as a Cup of Tea 