Massan
Week 13: "Haste makes waste"
Episode 73 - 78 (12/22/2014 - 12/27/2014)
In an attempt to catch up on recapping, recaps for week 12 and week 13 will be done in two weekly posts rather than single episode posts. Thanks! :)
RECAP:
It's November 1928 and four years have passed since the official opening of the Yamazaki Distillery. Emma has turned 4 years old and has quite the personality. She fights with Ellie and Massan about eating carrots, which she hates. One day, while Ellie is talking with her friends about Emma's eating habits, Emma comes up and asks to eat some candy but Ellie says that it is too close to dinner time, causing Emma to get upset and storm off. That night at dinner, Massan tells Ellie that he will get Emma to eat her carrots but instead he secretly offers to eat her carrots for her and is eventually caught by Ellie.
At the distillery, there are growing worries about money as Taiyo Wine is not selling as good as they had hoped due to the poor economy and it is threatening the production of whisky. Mr. Kamoi doesn't want to stop making whisky though and tosses around the idea of purchasing a beer brewery in Yokohama, which has recently gone bankrupt, to make a new product, "Taiyo Beer". He also pushes Massan to blend the whisky at its current condition but Massan tells him that it is too soon but eventually complies. The next day, Massan opens one of the barrels to check the whisky and is pleased at the color and aroma but the flavor is not quite ready yet.
Back at home, Sanae suddenly shows up, surprising Ellie and her friends. She has a present for Emma and when she gives it to her, Emma responds with "Thank you very much!" in English, which does not make Sanae very happy. During her stay at the house she continuously spoils Emma by allowing her to eat candy and snacks whenever she wants while criticizing Ellie's parenting and cooking, irritating Ellie.
Massan attempts to blend the current whisky but finds that it is difficult to blend a whisky good enough to be sold. He suggests they wait another 10 years for the whisky to age but Mr. Kamoi asks that he make it work within a year. Later, Mr. Kamoi has someone he would like him to meet, the director of the Nagakoshi Department Store, Mr. Sawada. He has invited him as he has been to Europe several times and he would like him to try the first domestically made whisky. Once he tastes it though, he tells them that it is unsatisfactory and tells them that it is impossible to make real whisky in Japan. He then tells them it is better to make an imitation whisky to meet the tastes of Japanese people as Kamoi shop always does, which offends Mr. Kamoi and everyone else.
Meanwhile, back at the house, Sanae is trying to convince Ellie to persuade Massan into coming back to Hiroshima and tells her that she shouldn't talk to Massan about his work issues but Ellie tells her that they have always talked through their problems with each other and that as a couple they are equal so if she has an opinion, there is nothing wrong with her sharing it with her husband. Sanae responds by saying that she has become strong after becoming a mother.
At the distillery, Massan is busy blending whisky to make the best product they can while Mr. Kamoi is busy working on his new endeavor of brewing beer. Massan spends countless days at the distillery without returning home and spring is now around the corner. He finally completes his blending and has Mr. Kamoi taste the whisky. Mr. Kamoi says that the smoke flavor is still strong but decides to sell it as it is. Massan informs everyone in the distillery of the good news and they all cheer. Back at home, Massan celebrates with Ellie and Emma, and even sends some whisky back to his family in Hiroshima. Everyone except for Sanae (of course!) enjoyed it. Kohinobori also celebrated the release of Kamoi Whisky and as everyone goes to drink the whisky, they all give a strange face and Haru asks if Western people really find this to be delicious. Massan later finds out that many people feel the same way, which means sales are not doing well, and it's even effecting their beer business. Mr. Kamoi asks him to try blending again to make a whisky that better suits Japanese tastes, giving them an ultimatum that they try selling their beer and whisky again next spring and if that doesn't work, then Kamoi Shop will be finished.
As Massan hesitates making the next whisky blend but Toshio encourages him to do what he thinks is best. He tells Massan that he is on his side no matter what and the rest of the workers from the distillery tell him the same thing. Massan regains his courage and tells Mr. Kamoi that he refuses to make whisky that is not true whisky. Mr. Kamoi replies asking him who he is making whisky for. Is making the customer happy not his number one priority? Massan responds that it's fine if only people who understand whisky drink it, blowing the conversation into a big argument.
A few days later, they have a guest visit the distillery, Mr. Kuwayama from Kyoto Imperial University. He has been asked to come help Massan with blending and Massan is not happy about it in the least. Later, even the workers in the distillery refuse to let Mr. Kamoi and his guests into the storehouse and even Toshio joins in to help baricade them from entering. Since they won't budge, Mr. Kamoi declares that they are all fired. The next day, Toshio goes to Mr. Kamoi and takes the blame for everyone's behavior yesterday but Massan shows up and tries to stop him. It's too late, however, as he has made his decision to leave and asks that Massan remains and stays strong. Mr. Kamoi then asks Massan what he plans to do. If he wishes to stay with Kamoi Shop, then he will be in charge of sales while Eichiro will be in charge of making the whisky.
It's November 1928 and four years have passed since the official opening of the Yamazaki Distillery. Emma has turned 4 years old and has quite the personality. She fights with Ellie and Massan about eating carrots, which she hates. One day, while Ellie is talking with her friends about Emma's eating habits, Emma comes up and asks to eat some candy but Ellie says that it is too close to dinner time, causing Emma to get upset and storm off. That night at dinner, Massan tells Ellie that he will get Emma to eat her carrots but instead he secretly offers to eat her carrots for her and is eventually caught by Ellie.
At the distillery, there are growing worries about money as Taiyo Wine is not selling as good as they had hoped due to the poor economy and it is threatening the production of whisky. Mr. Kamoi doesn't want to stop making whisky though and tosses around the idea of purchasing a beer brewery in Yokohama, which has recently gone bankrupt, to make a new product, "Taiyo Beer". He also pushes Massan to blend the whisky at its current condition but Massan tells him that it is too soon but eventually complies. The next day, Massan opens one of the barrels to check the whisky and is pleased at the color and aroma but the flavor is not quite ready yet.
Back at home, Sanae suddenly shows up, surprising Ellie and her friends. She has a present for Emma and when she gives it to her, Emma responds with "Thank you very much!" in English, which does not make Sanae very happy. During her stay at the house she continuously spoils Emma by allowing her to eat candy and snacks whenever she wants while criticizing Ellie's parenting and cooking, irritating Ellie.
Massan attempts to blend the current whisky but finds that it is difficult to blend a whisky good enough to be sold. He suggests they wait another 10 years for the whisky to age but Mr. Kamoi asks that he make it work within a year. Later, Mr. Kamoi has someone he would like him to meet, the director of the Nagakoshi Department Store, Mr. Sawada. He has invited him as he has been to Europe several times and he would like him to try the first domestically made whisky. Once he tastes it though, he tells them that it is unsatisfactory and tells them that it is impossible to make real whisky in Japan. He then tells them it is better to make an imitation whisky to meet the tastes of Japanese people as Kamoi shop always does, which offends Mr. Kamoi and everyone else.
Meanwhile, back at the house, Sanae is trying to convince Ellie to persuade Massan into coming back to Hiroshima and tells her that she shouldn't talk to Massan about his work issues but Ellie tells her that they have always talked through their problems with each other and that as a couple they are equal so if she has an opinion, there is nothing wrong with her sharing it with her husband. Sanae responds by saying that she has become strong after becoming a mother.
At the distillery, Massan is busy blending whisky to make the best product they can while Mr. Kamoi is busy working on his new endeavor of brewing beer. Massan spends countless days at the distillery without returning home and spring is now around the corner. He finally completes his blending and has Mr. Kamoi taste the whisky. Mr. Kamoi says that the smoke flavor is still strong but decides to sell it as it is. Massan informs everyone in the distillery of the good news and they all cheer. Back at home, Massan celebrates with Ellie and Emma, and even sends some whisky back to his family in Hiroshima. Everyone except for Sanae (of course!) enjoyed it. Kohinobori also celebrated the release of Kamoi Whisky and as everyone goes to drink the whisky, they all give a strange face and Haru asks if Western people really find this to be delicious. Massan later finds out that many people feel the same way, which means sales are not doing well, and it's even effecting their beer business. Mr. Kamoi asks him to try blending again to make a whisky that better suits Japanese tastes, giving them an ultimatum that they try selling their beer and whisky again next spring and if that doesn't work, then Kamoi Shop will be finished.
As Massan hesitates making the next whisky blend but Toshio encourages him to do what he thinks is best. He tells Massan that he is on his side no matter what and the rest of the workers from the distillery tell him the same thing. Massan regains his courage and tells Mr. Kamoi that he refuses to make whisky that is not true whisky. Mr. Kamoi replies asking him who he is making whisky for. Is making the customer happy not his number one priority? Massan responds that it's fine if only people who understand whisky drink it, blowing the conversation into a big argument.
A few days later, they have a guest visit the distillery, Mr. Kuwayama from Kyoto Imperial University. He has been asked to come help Massan with blending and Massan is not happy about it in the least. Later, even the workers in the distillery refuse to let Mr. Kamoi and his guests into the storehouse and even Toshio joins in to help baricade them from entering. Since they won't budge, Mr. Kamoi declares that they are all fired. The next day, Toshio goes to Mr. Kamoi and takes the blame for everyone's behavior yesterday but Massan shows up and tries to stop him. It's too late, however, as he has made his decision to leave and asks that Massan remains and stays strong. Mr. Kamoi then asks Massan what he plans to do. If he wishes to stay with Kamoi Shop, then he will be in charge of sales while Eichiro will be in charge of making the whisky.
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