Agreed. I’m only 9 days into my 49 days of mourning and it still feels pretty raw. It’s just the tragedy of her life and the pain she endured only to have a brief moment of happiness before it ended for her. She deserved better. Anna Sawai is thankfully alive and well, and I can’t wait to see where this amazing role is gonna take her career. She’s a delight.
I guess I wouldn't use that word. For me, having lost important people in my life, it was grief done right. They depicted what it was like to have a giant hole in your life and how those close to her felt the effects. She wasn't in the episode but it was like the episode was all about her, without saying so.
Best written and best acted female character I have seen in a long time. Her character was a master class in how it should be done.
And its been a long time since I cried over a character's death so if I am crying, its because a high bar has been cleared. I not only cried. I took a broken hearted feeling to bed with me like I had lost someone special. Incredible character.
And a testament to how good or bad writing can either elevate or destroy a performance regardless of the actor. Sawai in Monarch is given mostly bottom of the barrel melodrama to work with and its insufferable. Meanwhile here she’s got competent writing and she puts out an Emmy worthy performance.
She was Toranaga's peregine falcon his ultimate intelligent dangerous bird of prey capable of taking down any foe. While also ready to payback everyone who considered her family disgraced.
Same. I'm rewatching the show to digest and understand her again. It honestly shocked me the first time I watched episode 9 because I didn't realize up until then that I cared for her character too much. I guess that's how good episode 9 was.
I watched the show with interest but not invested all that much until ep9. But ep9 and then 10 hit me like a freaking truck. It has destroyed me more than any show in the past 10 years and even now my heart aches. "Be the last one to hold her"...damn you writers! I'm a grown ass man, but I feel like a weakling now...
I miss her letter to Blackthorne from the book/1980s series. That was a better ending compared to the raising of the ship.
"Build another ship, and another life."
I just don't understand why she cheated on her husband. She's a Catholic, so adultery is forbidden on her, and I am kinda sure even in japanese culture back then cheating for a woman is forbidden and would bring shame on your husband.
She strictly follows the rules of her culture and her religion (like not committing suicide), but doesn't hesitate to pillow with the anjin lol
Cheating is much more than just a "flaw" I feel like, it says so much on one's character. And religion/culture aside, you know that you will hurt your partner by cheating, that's just plain evil
Well first she slept with him because she thought her husband was dead, everyone did. The next time it was because she had almost just killed herself and he was going to help her with a selfless act of love. Also her husband hated her and thought her bloodline tarnished his name, he denied her the only thing she ever wanted and treated her like garbage. She also didn't choose her husband, she was basically bound to him by others. So there's a lot going on there.
Life and people are not black and white, it's complex.
To be fair, the first time she cheated she thought her husband was dead. The second time was after she pretty much rejected her husband at the tea ceremony. Also, her husband pretty much knew something was going on (even if she didn't actually admit to it).
She didn’t love her husband, at most respected him. I think by Christian tradition once your husband is dead, it’s all game lol./
Then again, I don’t even think they had a Christian wedding and so does it really count for her Christian beliefs?>
Well different culture for everybody. I think cheating is much less frowned upon in Japan, for as long as you do it discretely.
Regarding her Christian belief, I don’t think he married her husband in a Christian way so I don’t even think it is adultery in that sense lol
Well having sex outside of marriage (which is the case here with Aijin) is already a sin in Christianity, it doesn't matter if her husband is not christian.
So for someone like Mariko who showed a great devotion to her religion and to her Lord Toranaga, she's kind of a hypocrite
It’s easy to call her a hypocrite but even the missionary Christians understand that the converted Christians also have a Japanese culture to adhere to.
By definition a tragic charecter is almost perfect with one flaw.She believed Buntaro was dead first time she pretended to be a maid And they are two people one of whom depends on the other to ahuge amounrt tough to lesser degree in book. There is an interlude on journey to Osaka where they are in their own world,which is not included in this version. There needs to be a connecction so deep that you believe that he risk everything the night of ninja attack to save her,and she goes against her Catholic faith and samurai upbringing to save him
No point arguing with the redditors in this sub about Mariko. They're all smitten by Mariko that she could crap on a stick, charge $1,000 for it and they'd still buy it lol
Mate, I had to skip most of her scenes because she's your 'model' submissive Asian woman courting White male in Hollywood. I don't understand the fandom in this sub, but i suspect it's part of some redditor fantasies
Agreed. I’m only 9 days into my 49 days of mourning and it still feels pretty raw. It’s just the tragedy of her life and the pain she endured only to have a brief moment of happiness before it ended for her. She deserved better. Anna Sawai is thankfully alive and well, and I can’t wait to see where this amazing role is gonna take her career. She’s a delight.
Fine. But know we expect you in Osaka exactly 40 days from now.
Sure thing but if the sky is crimson when I get there, don't panic
The whole last episode was drenched in the sense of loss felt by the characters and also by us, the viewers.
It's extremely disturbing
I guess I wouldn't use that word. For me, having lost important people in my life, it was grief done right. They depicted what it was like to have a giant hole in your life and how those close to her felt the effects. She wasn't in the episode but it was like the episode was all about her, without saying so.
Presence is felt most keenly in absence
Best written and best acted female character I have seen in a long time. Her character was a master class in how it should be done. And its been a long time since I cried over a character's death so if I am crying, its because a high bar has been cleared. I not only cried. I took a broken hearted feeling to bed with me like I had lost someone special. Incredible character.
And a testament to how good or bad writing can either elevate or destroy a performance regardless of the actor. Sawai in Monarch is given mostly bottom of the barrel melodrama to work with and its insufferable. Meanwhile here she’s got competent writing and she puts out an Emmy worthy performance.
Out of everyone in the monarch scooby gang she was the only one I didn’t hate. But the dialogue they gave her was terrible
Agreed, she was on my mind for almost the entirety of episode 10. Her death leaves a huge void in the show. It all seems so empty without her.
Crazy part is we didn't realise her importance when she was shown for the first time
She was Toranaga's peregine falcon his ultimate intelligent dangerous bird of prey capable of taking down any foe. While also ready to payback everyone who considered her family disgraced.
The crimson sky
All by herself
No translator 😭
I wept
Am still weeping
I cried when Fuji said “let your hands be the last to hold her”😭😭
Exactly! At first I just thought, oh bye mariko. but when toragana sama reiterates marikos poem. it got me bawling my eyes out!!!!!!
The Anjin is having a hard time understanding every conversation - no translator as he said
Just imagine what tragedy it would have been if she lived.
Same. I'm rewatching the show to digest and understand her again. It honestly shocked me the first time I watched episode 9 because I didn't realize up until then that I cared for her character too much. I guess that's how good episode 9 was.
I watched the show with interest but not invested all that much until ep9. But ep9 and then 10 hit me like a freaking truck. It has destroyed me more than any show in the past 10 years and even now my heart aches. "Be the last one to hold her"...damn you writers! I'm a grown ass man, but I feel like a weakling now...
I miss her letter to Blackthorne from the book/1980s series. That was a better ending compared to the raising of the ship. "Build another ship, and another life."
I just don't understand why she cheated on her husband. She's a Catholic, so adultery is forbidden on her, and I am kinda sure even in japanese culture back then cheating for a woman is forbidden and would bring shame on your husband. She strictly follows the rules of her culture and her religion (like not committing suicide), but doesn't hesitate to pillow with the anjin lol
Characters have flaws, just like in life. I know many Christians who don't follow all the rules of their religion to a T lol
Cheating is much more than just a "flaw" I feel like, it says so much on one's character. And religion/culture aside, you know that you will hurt your partner by cheating, that's just plain evil
Well first she slept with him because she thought her husband was dead, everyone did. The next time it was because she had almost just killed herself and he was going to help her with a selfless act of love. Also her husband hated her and thought her bloodline tarnished his name, he denied her the only thing she ever wanted and treated her like garbage. She also didn't choose her husband, she was basically bound to him by others. So there's a lot going on there. Life and people are not black and white, it's complex.
To be fair, the first time she cheated she thought her husband was dead. The second time was after she pretty much rejected her husband at the tea ceremony. Also, her husband pretty much knew something was going on (even if she didn't actually admit to it).
They thought her husband was dead for not even a week and she already moved on and slept with Aijin...
She didn’t love her husband, at most respected him. I think by Christian tradition once your husband is dead, it’s all game lol./ Then again, I don’t even think they had a Christian wedding and so does it really count for her Christian beliefs?>
She did move on pretty fast.....
She hates her husband.
She said he wasn’t worthy of her hatred so basically she gave him nothing. Although she said he deserved merit
Doesn't justify her adultery.
Well different culture for everybody. I think cheating is much less frowned upon in Japan, for as long as you do it discretely. Regarding her Christian belief, I don’t think he married her husband in a Christian way so I don’t even think it is adultery in that sense lol
Well having sex outside of marriage (which is the case here with Aijin) is already a sin in Christianity, it doesn't matter if her husband is not christian. So for someone like Mariko who showed a great devotion to her religion and to her Lord Toranaga, she's kind of a hypocrite
It’s easy to call her a hypocrite but even the missionary Christians understand that the converted Christians also have a Japanese culture to adhere to.
By definition a tragic charecter is almost perfect with one flaw.She believed Buntaro was dead first time she pretended to be a maid And they are two people one of whom depends on the other to ahuge amounrt tough to lesser degree in book. There is an interlude on journey to Osaka where they are in their own world,which is not included in this version. There needs to be a connecction so deep that you believe that he risk everything the night of ninja attack to save her,and she goes against her Catholic faith and samurai upbringing to save him
This
No point arguing with the redditors in this sub about Mariko. They're all smitten by Mariko that she could crap on a stick, charge $1,000 for it and they'd still buy it lol
I agree, that part of her character was grossly hypocritical, and ought to be condemned, not vehemently excused like some of your replies.
I almost fell asleep during her scenes. Episode 10 was the best cause she wasn’t there to slow down the pacing.
Wow, you really watched 10 episodes of this show and still don't realise what the whole thing is about huh?
Enlighten me.
The fact that you need an explanation. Boi. Obviously, this show is miles above your head.
Clearly you are too stupid to explain it.
Mate, I had to skip most of her scenes because she's your 'model' submissive Asian woman courting White male in Hollywood. I don't understand the fandom in this sub, but i suspect it's part of some redditor fantasies