Lest we forget
It’s that time of the year again. World War I ended on Monday, November 11, 1918, exactly 100 years ago! Here let me present one Igarashi’s drawing of Stear and Patty. They are my second favourite couple other than Candy and Albert. In Candy Candy Final Story, it seems to me that Candy in her thirties thought about Stear a lot. Do you think so too?
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Dear Ms. Puddle,
Thanks for sharing with us the drawing. I always regret that Mizuki chose to “kill” Stear in this series. He was the most entertaining character that makes the story even more alive.
Anyway, as much as I hate Stear being dead, but in my opinion Mizuki had succeeded to deliver the moral lessons through Stear’s character. The tragic ending of Stear’s character trully makes the reader adore and respect him even more (in my opinion).
Thanks for giving happy ending for Stear in your fanfic Love Never Fails. To be honest, I never get bored of re-reading your fanfics. 😄They have been written so well and detail that we could picture them perfectly in our mind. You’re such a talented writer. Hope to read your new story of Candy and Albert in near future.
Best wishes,
Ingrid
Hello Ingrid, nice to meet you 😊
I was told that the author Mizuki (Nagita) was inspired to kill Stear because the son of Anne and Gilbert, (Walter, I believe, from Anne of Green Gables?) enlisted and died in WWI too. 😥
Many thanks for your compliments to my long fanfic Love Never Fails. 🤗 I still blush these days remembering what I have written and in some parts I admit I could have done better. Your support and encouraging words are much appreciated nonetheless. Hope to see you around, Ingrid 😘
Hello Ms Puddle,
Nagita appears to have been significantly influenced by Anne of Green Gables, so I wouldn’t be surprised if Stear’s death was also a product of that influence.
There are also loads of rumours going about in various forums that Albert’s character is in reality a clear representation of her husband’s character. Whilst this is simply a rumour, it’s noteworthy that Nagita always speaks highly of her husband in all her interviews in terms of his character, parenthood and education. I saw a pic of them together and he’s tall with a serious demeanour just like Albert. I could be tempted to say that he’s the Japanese version of Albert in terms of lofty height and demeanour.
As for Stear, my thoughts about him are that he was neither attached to Candy nor to Patty, in spite of having profound feelings for both of them. Stear was an intellectual, idealist and a visionary, placing his sublime goals on a far higher plane than anything (and anyone) else. The phrase he had uttered that he “wanted to invent a peace virus and disseminate it all over the world” by flying his plane. speaks volumes of his character and what he wanted his purpose to be in life.
The interesting aspect is that Stear and Albert are alike in many aspects, especially with regards to their intellectual and idealist nature. Albert is also a visionary, and like Stear, it appears that he had intended to fight in WWI as well. However, Nagita had other plans for him by “shipping” him back to Candy via his amnesia.
Looking forward to your further posts and stories,
Avon
Oh yes, Avon, I read that other than Daddy-long-legs, Nagita was inspired by Anne of Green Gables too.
About Nagita’s husband, I’m not surprised he’s the Japanese version of her own character Albert. Have you heard that Albert had been her imaginary character since she was a young teenager?
As for Stear, I think you’re right. He had strong feelings for Patty and Candy, but he wasn’t attached. It’s rather interesting you compared Stear to Albert, and someone else has mentioned to me their similarities some time ago too.
About Albert’s intention to enlist himself, I think that could be an oversight from the author herself. Albert should know better than anyone that he was the sole heir, and by volunteering he was risking his life. You know what I mean?
Thanks again for taking your time to catch up my posts, Avon! 🤗
There’s a lot to answer here to your informative comment, Ms Puddle, but I’ll be brief.
About Nagita’s childhood and early adulthood, I’ve read that the Ardlays (Anthony, Stear and Archie) were perceived as a means to cope with her mother’s death when she was in her teens. In other words, the Ardlays were a bit like her “imaginary friends” when she was a child. I didn’t know that Albert was her imaginary character though. All I know is that she wanted to write more about him but her legal conflicts with Igarashi prevented her from embarking on her further CC-related literary projects.
What I have read, however, is that Nagita and her husband have a cottage at Prince Edward Island which is in Canada and it’s the main setting for Anne of Green Gables. Her best friend (who is called Terry but is a female, LOL), owns a picturesque coffee shop at that island and they’re also neighbours.
As for Stear, I’ll simply reiterate that I found him far more aloof when it came to romance; his tunnel vision was science and military-related. About Albert’s intention to enlist in the army, I do not find it odd at all; on the contrary, Albert was so angry and frustrated against his domineering aunt and Ardlay elders that his innate rebellious spirit would have propelled him into making such a drastic move. I’m not saying that he did enlist in the army, however, I wouldn’t be surprised if he did. During his youth, Albert wanted nothing to do with the Ardlays nor be the “grand patriarch” of that family. Instead, he wanted to make his own living via his own independent means and personal freedom. That’s why he had decided to abandon everything and head off to Africa. Albert was always on the go and in a constant urge to flee from being enslaved by the Ardlays.
Before I head off to work, I would like to provide this link regarding a renowned chef/YouTuber by the alias “Jun’s Kitchen”. The reason why I would like to add this link is because Jun reminds me so much of a “modern day” Albert (tall, lean, calm and intelligent). Even though Nagita and Igarashi portrayed Albert as a Northern or “Nordic” sort of guy, his calm and sagacious demeanour urges me to paint him more within a Japanese “zen” framework and within a mentality different to a Western or Northern one. This is simply my take on this and nothing more than that. Here’s the link (you could also check out his joint channel with his American wife-Rachel. The two of them are an adorable couple and they remind me so much of Candy and Albert. Check it out and you’ll see why.): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bF9zOykErJ4
Guess this comment turned out rather long, anyway..
Avon
Hello Avon
I was told that Nagita was inspired by Eight Cousins, published by Louisa May Alcott. You can find similarities right away, especially how Uncle Alec affected Rose. Albert should also be Nagita’s imaginary friend, I think. 🙂 About Nagita and her husband, I remember reading that too.
About why Albert might have enlisted himself, I see your points. My reason is mainly that this action is contradicting to the enlightenment during his runaway, when he was up on Pony’s Hill before Candy’s arrival.
I’ll definitely check your link, Avon. Sounds very interesting indeed! 😊
Hello Ms Puddle and Avon,
Jun’s Kitchen is massively popular on YouTube and rightfully so. It’s one of the few quality vids out there. As for Jun, he sure does have those Albert-like vibes. He’s adept at cooking, he’s respectful to women, he takes care of wounded animals, and he’s got such a wonderfully elegant composure just like Albert.
Myra
Oh wow! Indeed 🙂 I like his voice and his cats 😍
Since we’re discussing YouTubers and “modern day” CC characters, I think Paul Joseph Watson would suit best as Terry due to his snarky, acutely sarcastic and controversial attitude. Face-wise, he looks similar to the manga version of Terry (blue eyes, pale skin, dark hair). I’m posting a link but I’ll just specify that I don’t condone and I definitely don;t agree with his conspiracy theory inanities. He is handsome though and like Terry, he often gets away with his appalling attitude. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jv8fI6MuWMQ
Myra
Oh yes Myra I do see why you find similarities between Paul Joseph Watson and Terry, especially the rebel in St Paul Academy. I’m not sure if I’m the only one who thinks Terry had changed when he worked at Stratford. Yes he was aloof and didn’t get along well with coworkers, but he was no longer a rebel, and he even appeared teachable when he was with Robert Hathaway…
So much for “remaining unchanged”… 🙄
Of-course, you’re not alone in the perception that Terry did not remain unchanged after all these years. Terry-as all the CC characters (apart from Eliza)-underwent massive changes, especially due to WWI. However, Terry and Candy no longer shared their transformations and development of character. Everything between them stopped back at St Paul’s in London when they were teens.
Now some Terry fans could argue that Terry and Candy continued with their correspondence, but that’s not a real relationship. The two of them had taken completely different paths. It just wasn’t meant to be..
Yet, when Candy had that “golden opportunity” to reunite with Terry at Rockstown, she decided to abandon him. I think we should all also consider Candy’s decisive action in leaving Terry back then in New York. Nagita’s clever enough to include that snippet of information coming from Annie’s letter where she “interrogates” Candy for having let go of Terry so easily in New York. It’s interesting that Candy would stubbornly (if not obsessively) refuse to let go of Albert but she kept a steady composure when leaving Terry. Sometimes I think that Candy had already been in love with Albert but she hadn’t realised (or admitted) it to herself yet.
It goes beyond saying that Candy did not want to continue with Terry. She had evolved into a mature person who refused to tolerate Terry’s self-destructive and self-absorbent narcissistic disposition. My theory is that Nagita inserted that controversial letter sent by “T.G.” to prove that Susanna’s death was not the main cause but only a contributing factor to the separation of Terry and Candy. Terry had already begun developing feelings for Susanna prior to her accident and it was only a matter of time until those two would have become a couple and a most suitable one.
But that’s just my impression.
Myra
Hello Myra, I mostly agree with what you said, except that Candy didn’t really “abandon” Terry at Rockstown. She still cried and felt bad for him (even angry in CCFS), but she did stay for a while. I honestly don’t know what would have happened if he had approached her. Would she have reunited with him? Or would she keep her resolve and promise to Susanna?
I’m not entirely sure if Candy saw Terry as narcissistic though… You know, love is blind 😅 However, Candy might later realize she felt so much at ease with Albert and could not live without him after his disappearance.
But I can’t agree more with you about Terry’s subtle feelings for Susanna. To me, the accident acted as a catalyst in the process.
Hello Ms Puddle, I think you may have misinterpreted the word “abandoned”, so I’ll clarify it a bit. By “abandon”, I meant that Candy simply left him; she didn’t stay to either help him in his pathetic state of drunkenness and she’s didn’t speak to him afterwards. If Terry “felt” her presence at some point and decided to pull himself together, Candy really had no idea about that during the Rockstown incident. It’s Eleonora Baker who specified it to her in her correspondence to Candy but that was years later. By abandoning or leaving someone, anger is not the only feeling one may feel or resentment. I never said that, anyway. One can abandon or leave someone because they’re disappointed-not necessarily angry. However, Candy does mention in the CCFS that she was furious at Terry when she saw him in his wretched state and she wanted to punch him repeatedly in the chest. As for his conceited character, arrogance and narcissism, Candy had admitted this many a time in the anime, manga as well as the CCFS. She would also consider him obnoxious but she claimed that she still “knew his heart”. Perhaps I could agree with you here that Candy had regaded Terry’s egocentric and narcissistic disposition as some form of defence mechanism or a facade to conceal his innermost insecurities and angst. The dude had severe issues and Candy had simply come to the point where she couldn’t and wouldn’t take Terry’s BS any longer, even though she still had intense feelings for him. As she got older and more mature though, Candy began to wise up and place far greater weight on her own personal integrity rather than succumbing to Terry’s toxicity. I’m sure that there was some form of residual sexual attraction for him, however, Candy had clearly made up her mind and focused on aspiring to be with a top-quality partner such as Albert. That’s what upgrades are all about. 😎
Glad more of your fascinating fan-fic stories are getting translated. “A Man in Love” is one of my favourite stories as well.
Myra
Myra, I see what you mean now. Yes, I still remember the shock when I first read the Rockstown incident in the manga. I found it nearly unbelievable Candy just walked away without a problem. 😅
I like what you said about “upgrades”, LOL! Indeed Candy had changed over time, especially her feelings for Terry. The way she mentioned him in her mental letter to Anthony speaks volumes.
Thank you Myra for your kind words. I didn’t know you like “A Man in Love” too. 🤗 Ευχαριστώ πολύ 😊
Παρακαλώ (You’re welcome), Ms Puddle. 😊
However, we should all be the ones thanking you for your exciting blog and beautifully-written fan-fic. Most CC blogs are in Spanish or French, so it’s really refreshing to have the opportunity to read your amazing analysis in English.
Myra
Thank you so much for your kind and encouraging words, Myra. 😍😘
Hello Ms Puddle,
This particular illustration of Stear and Patty is one of my favourite ones. There’s so much tenderness as well as humour in Stear’s smile to Patty. I prefer Stear’s character in the novel and the manga where he’s clearly committed to Patty and not romantically considering Candy as he’s shown in the anime.Apparently, he had feelings for Candy but he had moved on with Patty. Unfortunately, everything is about Candy in the anime and that’s so cheesy and annoying. While the anime shows Stear thinking about Candy and Patty before perishing during battle, in the manga he’s clearly thinking about Patty and no one else. In the novel, Archie is wondering whether Stear had left for the battlefront because his feelings for Patty were not strong enough. Archie is proven wrong, however, when we as readers find out that Stear had painted Patty’s eyes (and her specs) on his aircraft as well as constantly talking about her to his peers at the battlefront. This was a tender touch from his part proving that his heart belonged to Patty and not Candy. The author-Keiko Nagita-provides the clarification needed through this minute albeit significant detail.
That said, I’m glad you’ve mentioned Stear because he’s also another clear indication of what Keiko Nagita wanted to state in her novel. This is a novel about moving on and not obsessing about the past. The CCFS is not a naive Terry-Candy cheap romance but a story about dealing with adversities and pain in life by leaving them behind and moving on endeavouring to be a better person. If you check out Nagita’s novels apart from CCFS, you’ll see a common theme and it has to do with the effects of war, death and suffering on human lives. The CCFS centres on the profound effects of WWI on the lives of all the characters involved; it’s more than a silly romance novel.
Thank you again for your contribution and for providing this heart-warming memorial of WWI via the tenderness demonstrated between two young people in a meaningful relationship. My great-grandfather and many other family members of mine had fought in WWI and this event speaks very close to home.
See you later,
Myra
Hello Myra, I can’t agree with you more with regard to Stear’s feelings for Candy and Patty. I was upset with the change in the anime too, precisely for the same reasons.
Some people said the fact he chose to see Candy last (at the train station) proved that he still loved her. To me it was actually the opposite. His music box was to wish Candy happiness with Terry from now on, which essentially means Stear had got past Candy already (unlike Archie, at least according to Annie’s letter to Candy after the breakup).
Thank you Myra for sharing the other works by Nagita. Indeed WWI was mentioned again and again throughout the latter half of CCFS, so yes it’s more than a romance novel. Most important characters had been affected by the great war.
Glad you like my short post, Myra. I didn’t know quite a few of your family members were closely involved. In fact I live very close to a veteran hospital, and I sometimes see patients being wheeled outside for fresh air. They have my respect. 🙏
See you around 😊
Hello Ms Puddle,
I agree with you 100% about the aforementioned train scene. Candy was really the only person Stear could bid his farewell to under the guise of simply offering her a gift for her trip to New York; it would be impossible for him to provide any other excuse to his brother and to Patty. Besides, it’s most certain that he had chosen not to see Patty before heading off to war because he knew he couldn’t bear to leave Patty-needless to mention that he knew how she would have reacted to his decision. He simply had to maintain his resolve which was far easier for him to achieve through Candy than Patty. While I do consider that he had certain feelings for Candy, they were clearly superimposed by his affection and respect for Patty. It would have been grand if Nagita had given a bit more leverage and character development for Patty. She’s such an underrated character int he CCFS even though she’s by far the most erudite and intelligent of the entire lot.
Thanks again,
Myra
Well said, Myra! I totally agree with you. While Stear loved Patty and his brother Archie, his resolve and “calling” were stronger. He had made up his mind and had to leave them in secret. Sigh…
To me, Stear’s feelings for Candy had transformed into a kind of brotherly love. He genuinely wished her happiness with another man.
Yes too bad the character Patty is underdeveloped. She deserved more attention from Nagita. 😉