Recap - Massan Week 2, Ep 8

Massan

Week 2: "Bad luck often brings good luck"

Episode 8 (10/7/2014)

Massan and Ellie arrived in Osaka in high spirits last episode but today they hit a couple of bumps in the road and find that their marriage is not much more embraced here as it was back in Hiroshima. They also meet a man that will shape the fate of their future. 

RECAP:

We open with a welcoming party for Massan's return and Massan tries to introduce his whisky from Scotland. Everyone is more interested in Ellie and ask her to give a speech. After she introduces herself, one woman asks what "Massan" means. Massan explains that it is his nickname since "Masaharu san" is difficult to say. Another guy ask if he can call him "Massan," to which he replies "Aho!" which is kind of like saying "You idiot!" Ellie asks the meaning of this new word and Massan stumbles over his explanation and ends up telling her it is like a greeting here in Osaka. 

The president of another liquor company pays a visit to welcome Massan back (it looks like they might be a rival company?) and the president, Kinjiro Kamoi (actor: Shinichi Tsutsumi), sees Ellie and immediately approaches her. He asks "How do you do?" and Ellie responds with "Aho," her newly learned word from earlier. Mr. Kamoi is shocked at first but quickly forgives her. He then proceeds to hug Ellie, which makes Massan crazy jealous! Finally Massan separates the two and immediately grabs Ellie into a hug. (Haha!) As Mr. Kamoi leaves, we are told through narration that his character will play a very important role in the future of Massan and Ellie. 

Later Mr. Tanaka's wife calls Massan aside to speak with him. She asks for an explanation regarding his marriage to a foreign woman and bringing her back here. What is he going to do about his marriage to Yuko? This throws him off guard as he knows nothing about marrying Yuko. 

Meanwhile, Ellie hears all of this as she was listening from outside, and bursts into the house with her shoes still on asking Massan what the meaning of all this is? Massan asks Mr. Tanaka the same questions and Mr. Tanaka explains as we go back in time to the night that Mr. Tanaka asked Massan to go to Scotland to study whisky. He tells Massan that when he returns from Scotland, he will leave "everything" to Massan to take care of. What Massan didn't realize until now was that "everything" included his daughter, Yuko. 

Ellie has a hard time accepting this aspect of Japanese culture where marriages are arranged to benefit the families and doesn't understand why Massan must apologize to the Tanaka family for the misunderstanding.