December 15, 2014
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Massan Plot Summary - Week 12
#67 Massan is stunned upon learning that Ellie cannot bear children. Ellie keeps apologizing to Massan for loosing the baby, even in her sleep. Massan debates whether it is best to tell Ellie the truth, especially when Katherine is cheering her up by telling her that she can always try for another baby. Katherine wonders why Massan and Eiichiro are so touchy and asks Eiichiro why Ellie is being kept in the hospital. Ellie is ready to try again. Massan pretends to go to the bathroom, but his eyes are doing the leaking. Sniff.
#68 Ellie comes home. A week has gone by but Massan still hasn't told her the truth. Massan covers the cradle that he made with a blanket so they don't have to look at it. Massan hasn't got the heart to tell Ellie the truth yet, but Eiichiro says that Katherine squeezed the truth out of him. Eiichiro has decided to come down and eat with M & E and finds out it is rather pleasant. He is also starting to project his dead mother onto Ellie. Meanwhile, according to Eiichiro, things are not going well at the brewery in Yamasaki during Massan's absence. Eiichiro thinks that Massan should take Ellie for a trip to Scotland, but Massan says that he can't take that much time off. An altercation occurs when Eiichiro insists that family is more important than the work that is not going well. (is someone not making a lot of sense here?) Eiichiro talks to Kamoi and asks him to postpone the brewery's Grand Opening Tour in Massan's absence because family is more important than work. Another altercation occurs as Kamoi orders the tour to proceed on schedule. Oh, Dad, that is how you killed my mother by working all the time!! I think Eiichiro needs counseling.
#69 Things not going well without Massan at the brewery in Yamasaki. Katherine calls Massan out for a talk at the Only Restaurant. How much longer is he going to hide the truth from Ellie? She is going to find out anyway. Katherine encourages him that love conquers all and that he and Ellie can get through this. He comes home and finds Ellie writing a letter to her mother. She talks about going to Hokkaido when their next child is born, and Massan tells her that they can't have children because she is anemic and might die from a pregnancy. (Huh? Didn't they have second opinions in the 1920s?) "Why didn't you tell me?" sez Ellie. The rest of the program is spent breaking toys and sitting in the yard crying. Miraculously the neighbors don't show up. What a way to start my morning.
#70 Ellie is still sitting in the yard. Massan reminds Ellie that the baby probably saved her life by dying itself, and that they should live in thanks for what the child did. Kamoi comes over and tells Eiichiro to tell Massan that the Grand Opening Tour is upon them and can't he please come to work. Eiichiro is still in family over work mode. Kamoi asks him if he is remembering his mother, and leaves without going in. Ellie tells both Massan and Eiichiro that she is looking forward to the tour and says she will personally chase them out the door. Later, the neighbors (who don't know the situation) bring over food to encourage Ellie to get her strength back for another pregnancy. That goes over like a lead balloon. Katherine privately tells Ellie that she can't have children either and was divorced by her first Japanese husband.
#71 Tonight is the scene of a happy meal. Eiichiro, thriving under the strict teaching of Toshio and Massan, is finding out that there is more to know than what can be learned from books. He has even decided that he would like to go to Scotland to study as Massan did. Next day Kamoi comes over and says that he is sorry to be making Massan work at a time such as this, but Ellie says that if Massan is happy she can be happy with him. Kamoi says that Ellie's words remind him of his late wife. Ellie says that he needs to talk to Eiichiro about his mother. Later, Ellie drags Eiichiro in to see his father, and Eiichiro tells Kamoi of his sincere interest in whiskey manufacture. Kamoi says that his mother would be happy to hear that. In fact, the Grand Opening Tour is scheduled for the anniversary of her death. She was the one who encouraged Kamoi to work hard to fulfill THEIR dreams. On her deathbed she told Kamoi that he was destined for bigger things than just Taiyo Wine, and that she knew that one day he would surprise all of Japan! Kamoi and Eiichiro hug and pledge to support the mother's dream together.
#72 Katherine approaches Ellie with the possibility of adoption, but Ellie turns it down saying that she would not be a good mother. The day of the brewery Grand Opening Tour arrives and all the reporters are there. Eiichiro makes a speech about how the whiskey has been produced with blood, sweat, tears and love. He has finally gained approval in the eyes of his father Kamoi. Ellie changes her mind about adoption and a little girl, Ema arrives on the scene. They write home to Hiroshima about it, and MIL comments on how the name reminds her of the God of Hell, Emma-sama. I agree that they could have chosen a better name.
