Freeter, Ie wo Kau – Mid Series Thoughts

After Teppei’s accident on the job, Manami is filled with regret and fear because its similar to an accident that happened to her once before — a coworker injured his leg and can barely walk anymore — and avoids work for a few days, while Seiji begins to realize that maybe life as a construction worker isn’t so bad because of how close everyone is at his job. On the other hand, Seiji’s sister, Ayako, is forced to deal with her strict and daunting mother-in-law who is not pleased at the fact that she is not raising her son strongly enough to instill the dream of becoming a doctor like his father.

I don't care for none of these characters. At all.

I want to keep this relationship going but it seems as if Freeter doesn’t want to work things out.

That’s what it feels like every time I watch an episode of Freeter. I come in hoping that things will change, that some ounce of sensibility will weasel its way into these character’s lives but it never happens and by the end of the episode I’m left questioning myself, ” Why do I still watch this show? “. It feels like that if I don’t finish this show, I’m going to miss something. There’s this small desire to see where these pathetic people will end up even though its pretty much predictable where they will all end up at and with. But, I don’t care for none of the characters on the show. They’re not likeable; either you hate them or they’re too boring to even be worth a sympathy vote. Everyone in the show just exists, crying and moaning about their pathetic problems, and magically (with a convenient deus ex machina) triumph over whatever problems they had.

I seriously fucking hate this relationship.

This seems to be my biggest complaint of the show. None of the characters make sacrifices or show like they’re putting an effort in overcoming their odds. They just stand around, crying and moaning about how much their lives suck, and then by the time you’re sick of them crying about it — they get over it and go on with their pathetic lives. For instance, Teppei is injured in an accident and after regaining consciousness he’s now faced with the fact that he can’t go back to work because he has to go through physical therapy. So, instead of taking it like a man, he cries and moans about how much his life sucks because he can’t work and marry Akari and eventually pushes her away. Then, like, magically enough she says some cliche line and he’s like, ” Oh, okay. I have purpose in my life again! YAY! ”

You don’t even know why he has to go through physical therapy other than he has to. I mean, he’s just rolling around in a wheel chair with a broken leg — is that really necessary?

Meh

Then we have Manami who goes through some over the top guilt syndrome because of Teppei’s accident and disappears from her job without a word. Unrealistically, everyone worries and sends her text messages of comforting words that get her to “magically” deal with her guilt and come right back to work. There’s unrealistic reactions with unrealistic resolve and yet the whole drama takes itself so seriously that you just don’t understand how this would even work in the real world. Every single character has this personality that makes you wanna punch them in the face for being so lame.

There’s a major disconnect in this drama. The difference between this show and Ninomiya’s previous human drama, Haikei Chichiue-sama, is that everyone has this me-me-me mentality or this faux impression on life. There’s this false representation of the blue collar compared to the white collar, where life is so much better when you’re barely making enough money to eat at night – let alone support yourself. Haikei was realistic and the characters presented themselves with a strife that you yourself could relate to because, in some way, you’ve experienced it in one way or another.

Even if you experienced whatever issues the characters in this drama have went through, their ladidah boo-hoo approach to it makes watching them trying to resolve the issue all the more annoying.

The dystopia of the Freeter world, all seemingly perfect yet so flawed, and unattractive characterizations makes this drama less impressionable and more ridiculous as it tries to paint this serious story of family and over coming the odds. Freeter fell apart in episode 3, and I really don’t see this drama recovering any time soon.

I am just finding it hard to stop watching.