Sunny Recap: The Sins of the Father

I’ve read through that gripping episode of “Alice in Borderland” and boy, what a rollercoaster ride it was! As someone who’s grown up with technology being an integral part of daily life, I can’t help but be fascinated by the intricacies of this sci-fi world. The old man’s meal pre-liquified to prevent choking? Talk about advanced tech!

As someone who has always been fascinated by the intersection of technology and human emotions, I found “Sunny” to be a captivating exploration of these themes. The show, which is set in near-future Japan, tells the story of a recently widowed American woman named Sunny, and her relationship with a robot programmed to care for her during her grief.

In the unfortunate turn of events for the fourth episode, it begins with a scene seemingly depicting Masa, Suzie’s supposedly deceased husband, driving Zen, Suzie’s presumably deceased son, to school on his motorcycle. The setting is reminiscent of Wes Anderson’s style: The vibrant symmetry of Kyoto’s narrow streets, Masa dressed stylishly in a paisley blue suit, and Zen sitting in the sidecar. However, things take an unexpected turn when Masa kisses his son goodbye, and a man Masa had intended to extort for money spots him from the courtyard and flees. Masa chases after him and enters a classroom, where he confronts the man at gunpoint. “I warned you what would happen if I came to collect at your child’s school,” Masa threatens. But isn’t he just dropping off his son there? The scene then shifts to Masa meeting Himé, the yakuza captain, at the cocktail bar where he had previously taken Suzie out on their first date. He hands her the man’s gold watch as a token of his success.

In the present at Masa’s funeral, I find myself standing next to Himé as Noriko scolds Suzie for not paying attention. However, the sudden shift from the events leading up to Masa’s death to this scene leaves me perplexed. Although I’ve discovered that my late husband was an unscrupulous black-market ‘bot hacker, it makes no sense for me to have imagined him as a violent thug who breaks legs and carries a gun. This brutal ordeal at the grade school during classes cannot be real since there’s no way Masa could have hidden such actions. The pistol, specifically, seems like an implausible detail, as I am American, and civilians in Japan have limited access to firearms. The pre-title sequence is confusing, and much of this episode leaves me feeling disoriented.

During the funeral service, Suzie queries Noriko about the identity of “Himé” from the yakuza. Caught off guard, Noriko quickly responds, explaining to a startled mourner that her daughter-in-law actually said “yakuashi” which translates to pharmacist in English due to Suzie’s poor Japanese proficiency and her apparent medication use. Before Noriko could reprimand Suzie, a man steps forward, introducing himself as an old college friend of Masa’s. He shares how Masa had confided in him about his father helping him through a phase in his life referred to as hikikomori. The man expresses his condolences and asks to meet Shigeru. Noticing Noriko’s discomfort, the man realizes he has mistakenly brought up Shigeru’s name and apologetically withdraws.

Based on my personal experiences and observations, I find it quite shocking and disconcerting when newly discovered information contradicts our deeply held beliefs about someone we thought we knew well. This situation seems particularly poignant in the case of Suzie, who believed that her late husband Masa’s seclusion was a result of his father’s death. However, the revelation that Shigeru may still be alive challenges this understanding and adds another layer of complexity to Masa’s past. As someone who has experienced unexpected twists in my own family history, I can relate to Suzie’s feeling of being thrown off balance by such a revelation. It’s a reminder that life is full of surprises and that we must always be open to new information, even if it challenges our preconceived notions.

I once found myself in a situation where Suzie asked me about her complicated family background. Instead of giving her a straight answer, I decided to weave a tale about Masa’s cousin Yumiko. You know, the woman who was always on edge, suspecting her husband of infidelity and going to great lengths to keep tabs on him? Well, that suspicion eventually led her husband down a path he never intended to walk – towards another woman. And guess what? I discovered that I shared a common trait with Yumiko; we were both “sticky,” as Noriko put it. In other words, we had a knack for attracting our own misfortunes.

As a film enthusiast, I’ve been deeply moved by the complex relationship between Suzie and Noriko in “Sunny.” Despite being two individuals who have suffered greatly from the losses of Masa and Zen, they seem to reserve their harshest words for each other. This intriguing dynamic adds depth to an already captivating film, even though its conspiracy plot may appear far-fetched at times.

I recently watched a thought-provoking movie scene where I found myself in the shoes of Suzie. I was on the brink of leaving Noriko’s house in a rage when suddenly, Mixxy appeared. Sunny attempted to dissuade me from skipping the memorial event, but I barked orders at our robot companion to “fetch us some drinks.”

Suzie is puzzled as to why Masa would have deceived her about his father being deceased. She obtains a family register, or “koseki,” from a convenience store. As Sunny reads it out loud, Mixxy, who was unaware that Suzie’s son was named Zen, expresses admiration for the unique and beautiful name.

“It just worked in both languages,” Suzie shrugs.

Shigeru’s name is missing on the civil registry record. Sunny suggests there’s a more comprehensive family document called a “kaiseigen koseki,” but only Masa’s close relatives can request it. So, Noriko or her future smartphone would need to make the request.

Feeling irritated once more, I follow Masa’s preference and head to the sento, or public bath, for the umpteenth time. When I share with Mixxy and Sunny that Masa and I used to chuckle at the inked yakuza who would be present when I joined him there after work, my artificial friend and real companion try to dissuade me from snooping around the bathhouse. However, I’m set on my course, unable to resist the allure of potential danger lurking within. This determined lady just can’t seem to leave well enough alone.

As a seasoned observer of human behavior and someone who has witnessed many a clandestine scheme unfold, I find Suzie’s plan to enlist Sunny to deceive the sento desk attendant an intriguing display of cunning and guile. The image of Sunny manipulating her LED facial expressions to weave an unconvincing tale is amusing, yet I cannot help but feel skeptical about the ultimate goal of their mission.

Prior to being caught in a sauna, where they unintentionally listened in on a secret yakuza gathering, she and Mixxy found themselves in that situation.

The Sweet Potato vendor has trailed Suzie, Sunny, and Mixxy to this location. He informs Himé that Sunny is now unaccompanied near the baths, suggesting they seize the opportunity to take her away. Himé instructs him to keep an eye on Sunny but not intervene directly, and to call for Tetsu at the bathhouse instead.

In another place, Hime goes to see her elderly father, who is known as an oyabun. His room is filled with bouquets of flowers, likely sent by different groups seeking updates on his passing. Hime urges him to designate a new leader.

“You have it, then?” he asks her.

“Almost,” she says.

The elderly man, amusedly showing that most of his sushi meal had been softened to avoid choking hazards, shared with Himé that her cousin Jin had worked closely with him for the past 20 years – a lengthy tenure making it difficult for him to favor his daughter over Jin based on nearly insufficient reasons. “Read the entire handbook first,” he suggested, effectively putting an end to nepotism in their discussions.

Simultaneously, it is revealed that the person Suzie and Mixie are spying on at the bathhouse is none other than Jin. Botan, one of Himé’s lieutenants, is sharing details with Jin about his cousin and potential rival. They discussed an incident at the Junk League, the robot fights we witnessed in the previous episode, which left Himé worried, and she was scheduled to visit her father that day. Hearing “Junk League,” Suzie shows great interest.

A touching moment of relief breaks through the gloom as Sunny arrives at Noriko’s door, pretending to be there to aid her in post-party chores. She proposes helping Noriko write thank-you cards and offers to make her a drink. Yet, this is just another clumsy ruse from Sunny, as she aims to obtain Noriko’s device to uncover the truth about Masa’s lineage – a kaiseigen koseki. Though it’s endearing that Sunny struggles to deceive Suzie’s mother, the circumstances under which she can effectively lie continue to be a mystery. Regardless, Sunny manages to get Noriko to drink enough whiskey for her to open up: Noriko confesses her desire for grandchildren and admits her concerns that Suzie might have “stolen my role” in Masa’s life.

After collapsing, Noriko left me with a small paper containing Masa’s seal. I examined it closely, and it triggered a memory: a sea of red spreading across the floor, suggesting that I was the one who had taken the life of the man in the opening scene of the first episode. Regaining consciousness, I seized Noriko’s gadget. Most likely, scanning Masa’s seal allowed me to bypass any programming restrictions that previously would have prevented such an action.

At the baths, Tetsu quietly listens in as Jin talks with Botan, similar to Suzie and Mixxy. Upon learning of Botan’s disloyalty from their conversation, Tetsu decides to reveal himself to the group. Jin and his associates leave, but Tetsu keeps Botan around to interrogate him. Does Himé have knowledge about Councilman Ito, whose homebot was involved in an accident that took his life? What about the plane incident involving Masa and Zen, referred to as “four-circle-five”? Botan confesses to knowing about Ito but remains clueless regarding the plane.

Satisfied, Tetsu begins the lengthy, messy chore of beating Botan to death.

While listening in terror, with quiet apprehension not wanting to draw Tetsu’s attention and meet the same fate, Suzie envisions Masa as the one perpetrating the gruesome crime beyond the glass door. Following Tetsu’s departure, Suzie and Mixxy cross over Botan’s lifeless body and escape. Encountering Sunny on the street, who was heading back to join them carrying the necessary documents, Scoop reveals that Shigeru is not Masa’s father; instead, Hiromasa Matsumoto is Masa’s true father, and he’s still alive.

In the following scene, the trio is seen having a heated dispute with an insurance representative. It seems that Masa had updated his policy to designate Matsumoto as the beneficiary only three days prior to his demise. Suzie queries, “Has Matsumoto submitted a claim since the accident?” The insurance lady remains tight-lipped, responding cryptically, “Four-circle-five. Only then does Suzie come to understand that the conversation she had overheard between Botan and Tetsu was about the flight on which Masa and Zen tragically passed away.

Upon returning home, I was taken aback to find my house in disarray. My gut feeling told me that the yakuza were responsible for this chaos, leaving me with little faith in the assistance of the authorities. The destruction of Masa’s office left me upset, but it was the scene in Zen’s bedroom that stirred up an overwhelming wave of anger and sadness. Scattered furniture and toys lay about carelessly. Sunny and Mixxy urged us to leave for our safety, but I could barely lift myself from the floor.

2024-07-24 15:54

Sunny Recap: The Sins of the Father

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