CAA: Christian Anime Alliance

I was watching Kodomo no Omocha, reading too much into things, when something occured to me. What if the Babbit is actually a subtle stab at traditional conservative values? If you've got as much time on your hands as I do, take a moment to consider the facts:

The primary purpose of the Babbit is narrative. That is, he exists to tell things about the story that would be too awkward or tedious to relate through conventional exposition (or that the writers were too lazy to work into the plot). The Babbit is also the show's moral compass, reminding children everywhere to wash their hands, brush their teeth, and most importantly, especially in a show with so many croquet-related mishaps, not to try this at home.

This is all well and good, but consider now how the other characters treat the Babbit. The Babbit is so thoroughly ignored that new fans of the series are often led to believe that he is invisible. Despite his constant attempts to become involved in the lives of the other characters and improve their personal hygiene, he invariably fades into the background, becoming the nagging voice of your mom, your teacher, and your school librarian all rolled into one. In short, he is the definition of irrelevant. Could this be what the author is trying to say about all who hold these values and would share them with others?

You're reading way too much into that.

He's not supposed to be some character who interacts a lot with the other characters. He's there for comic relief, reminders, and what not.

I haven't seen Kodoncha, but I wouldn't past any author to throw something like that in there. I can't remember exactly what it was, but there was this moment when I sudenly said "They're just attack middle class morals. I can't believe I didn't see that before. . ."

Honestly, those types of messages are diffused in most every facet of entertainment that is aimed at teenagers. "Your parents are evil demons sent from Hell to make your life terrible." "The one thing that you're not allowed to have is one thing that will make you happy," ect. ect.

True or not, that's a very interesting observation, Cap'n.

I was joking about the Babbit. If he is part of any kind of message, it's that actions are louder than words, especially when it comes to doing good. Kodocha is full of contrast between people who take action and make a difference and people who say nice things but stand on the sidelines. Of course he demonstrates this only coincidentally, but he fits into that chorus nonetheless.

And, I totally know what you're talking about when it comes to entertainment, teenage or otherwise. I hate it how so many producers will mock my God and my values and think that I'll be too stupid to notice or too lazy to care. What's worse is, I know plenty of "good Christians" that are.

A joke OK? More realistically though it probably has more to do with the fact that kids, being kids generally grumble about (to them) inconsequential things like cleaning their rooms, washing their hands, not being allowed to slide down a hill while in their Sunday best and so forth. Obviously, they're going to enjoy something that shoots back a bit at the authority figures in their lives. A lot of children's entertainment is at least a little bit subversive.

Or we could follow your original train of thought and not only decree that the Babbit is a creation of anti-family liberals, but that Tony the Tiger is a shill for the Communists, Captain Crunch is a representative of colonialist oppression. And I'm not even going to talk about Rice Krispies.

Oh yeah, gotta watch that Cap'n Crunch, what with his neo-imperialist overtones and wanton subjugation of indiginous Crunchberry peoples.

Cap'n Crack wrote:Oh yeah, gotta watch that Cap'n Crunch, what with his neo-imperialist overtones and wanton subjugation of indiginous Crunchberry peoples.

Not to mention the neo-Darwinist propaganda that is so blantantly espoused by. . .

*snaps out of her trance* Wow, I almost lost it there for a second.