Tribute to all frontline workers
For Candy’s upcoming birthday, I’d like to present my new fanart as a tribute to all the frontline healthcare workers, who have been courageously fighting the COVID-19 pandemic for many weeks!
After Candy’s discovery of Albert’s true identity, she’d rather return to the orphanage and work as a nurse, leading a rural life, until one day her Prince on the Hill came to make an important confession to her. What a beautiful love story! ❤️
This is the first time I drew Albert with long hair. I was inspired by a particular scene in the manga. Do you know which scene? 😉
Hello Ms Puddle,
Merci de nous faire partager ce magnifique dessinMs Puddle. J’adore. 😍😍😍
Albert est très beau avec les cheveux longs bien que je le préfère avec les cheveux courts. Et que dire de l’expression qui se lit sur leurs visages. Je rejoins les propos de notre amie Candy Bert. 😉
Un grand merci à vous Ms Puddle 😙 et à toutes les personnes qui travaillent en première ligne. 👏 👏 👏
Prenez bien soin de vous tous.
Merci beaucoup Antlay!! 💕😘 I’m very happy to hear you like my new drawing and my version of long-haired Albert 😍
Thank you for your encouraging feedback, and you take good care of yourself too 🤗
Hello Ms Puddle,
Merci de nous faire partager ce magnifique dessin Ms Puddle. 😍😍😍 Albert est très beau avec les cheveux longs bien que je le préfère avec les cheveux courts. Et que dire de l’expression qui se lit sur leurs visages. Je rejoins les propos de notre amie Candy Bert. 😉 Un grand merci à vous Ms Puddle et à toutes les personnes en première ligne. 👏👏👏 Prenez bien soin de vous tous.
Hello Ms Puddle,
I’ve finally managed to find some time to read your awesome new post and illustration. You’re very talented and your attention to detail is astute.
Due to the pandemic, my workload has increased even more. I guess that’s the “bane”of working in the biochemical/pharmaceutical field. Lol
How are you getting on? Are you still working from home? Fortunately, Canada hasn’t been hit by this virus as hard as the United States. The sociopolitical landscape in the United States is also severe as many people are revolting against their state governors urging them to re-open the economy. Some protests are civil but others are extreme, especially the ones from the far-right. The nation is divided and it ought to be called “Disunited” instead of United States.
Looking forward to reading more of your posts in the near future.
Regards,
Interstellar
In response to your questions about the YouTube video interviewing the editor (Arechi Manga) of the Spanish version of the CCFS, Carles Miralles, here’s the link:
youtube.com/watch?v=50J1F3TY8VE
As the sound quality leaves a lot to be desired, it would be sensible to click onto “Open Transcript” and if your pc doesn’t support it, you could download an app or extension via “Chrome Web Store” (or Opera or Firefox-whatever you prefer).
When I eventually get some free-time from work, I’ll provide my feedback on this interview. For now, I’ll just say that I was “impressed” by the ways in which the editor kept on stressing the financial aspects of this novel. Tbh, I thought that perhaps I was a bit too cynical underpinning the marketing and monetary ramifications of this novel bit it turns out that the editor is acutely concerned about the profit he will make and I don’t blame him for that. On the contrary, his concerns are downright realistic and pragmatic. He’s a fan of the CC story but, above all, he’s a businessman and he wants to make an extra buck. I’ve also noticed that he made some mistakes about the CCFS such as claiming that the blank pages in the original Japanese CCFS mean nothing. Yet, Keiko Nagita had already specified in one of her previous interviews that those blank pages signified her intention of providing further information to the plot but for various reasons, she could not do so.
Putting this interview aside and changing topic, I’ve got a question which I would appreciate an answer, provided that there’s one to begin with. Does the reader have any indication when Susanna died in the CCFS? Presumably, it was after the end of World War I in November 1918. Right?
Regards,
Interstellar
Typo: …”ramifications of this novel but it turns out..” and not “bit”..
Hi Interstellar! I don’t think you were being cynical at all. In reality, you were indicating the obvious and, indeed, Miralles placed a lot of emphasis on the sales of this book. He’s not too hopeful that it will sell much in Spain as it will in Latin America and that makes sense since the largest CC fandom is situated in the Spanish-speaking countries of Latin America.
Your question about Susanna’s death is interesting. I don’t recall any specific year mentioned in the novel, however. The way the story flows, it seems that she died shortly after Terry’s acclaimed role as Hamlet which was post-WWI but not after 1920. Let’s see what Ms Puddle also has to say.
Take Care!
Thank you for your response, Myra.
As I mentioned before, there’s nothing wrong about focusing on profit. At the end of the day, Miralles-as every single person-has to pay his bills and sustain himself. that said, I think he’s doing a fine job marketing the book and it will definitely be a success among the Spanish speaking CC fans.
He’s also dropped some hints that Keiko Nagita will add some more details to her story. Arechi Manga has recently published a few pages from this new book; Nagita has added that Candy was born in May 5 and not May 7 as in the manga. Apparently, this isn’t much but I’m sure the Spanish fans will receive a nice treat from their beloved writer in due time.
You take care as well and stay safe.
Interstellar
Here’s a correction and typo albeit this time by the Arechi Manga publishers and not from me. Lol
It turns out that their three translators made a mistake and incorrectly translated the word “May” for “5th of May”, hence, causing a bit of inadvertent confusion among the CC community. Nonetheless, these publishers have been prompt enough to rectify the situation and specify that Nagita has not added any specific date. Instead, it was the translators’ mistake and nothing more than that. Case closed.
You’ll find the link to the Facebook/Arechi Manga page below:
facebook.com/ArechiManga
facebook.com/ArechiManga/photos/a.118368183066107/145690797000512/?type=3&theater
For those interested, Arechi Manga also has an official online page comprising information of their various projects, including the CCFS:
arechimanga.com
Regards,
Interstellar
LOL… Thanks for sharing, Interstellar 👏 So Candy’s birthday is in May but no specific date?
Exactly. Arechi Manga publishers have announced and apologized for this error. I’ve provided the links to this minor issue above. I’m never going to castigate someone for typos because I’m just as much of a culprit myself. Lol
However, I find it rather odd that all three translators got it wrong. It’s not just a typo from their part but an error in translation.
Anyway, that minor issue is resolved and kudos to Arechi Manga for being considerate enough to inform their clientele.
Regards,
Interstellar
Hello Interstellar and Myra! Sorry I can’t leave any long comment for the time being, but I will quickly address the question re Susanna’s death.
Based on my own interpretation of the novel, I have written a post that explained why I think she didn’t die soon after Terry’s success as Hamlet. In short, she had worked as a playwright, and several of her works got shown on stages. Considering that a play lasted a month or more, and it took time to write one, it’s safe to guess that she had at least been healthy for few years? Her health wasn’t great as she suffered from some chronic disease, on and off.
Let me try to find my old post about this. I’m convinced that when Candy wrote her letter to Little Bert and returned her diary, Susanna was still alive and kicking.
By all means, take your time, Ms Puddle.
Our professional and personal priorities are far more important than the CCFS. I was simply asking a “technical” question concerning this novel. I’ll explain later on why I asked this question because I’ve got some further data of my own. I’m just wondering why Nagita hasn’t “paired” Albert with anyone else or provided any further information about him as she’s done with all the other characters in the CCFS. The only two characters the readers are left in the dark with regards to their future and whereabouts are Terry and Albert. All we know is that they’re both “happy”. Some deranged Terry-fans believe that Albert is dead or just a secondary character but that’s not the case. If Nagita really didn’t want to provide equal leverage to both Terry and Albert regarding the identity of “Anohito”, she wouldn’t be clinging so much onto Albert and not letting him go to find his own happiness. For example, she could have informed her readers that Albert had found a beautiful and intelligent woman with whom he wanted to share his life with. I’m sure we could all agree -Terry-fans and Albert-fans alike-that neither Terry nor Albert would ever have a hard time finding a beautiful and intelligent partner. Nagita provides full info about Archie and Annie getting engaged and married but we have no such information for either Terry or Albert-at least we have no such information so far..
Regards,
Interstellar
Hello Ms Puddle and Interstellar!
First off, thanks again for sharing your magnificent fanart with us @Ms Puddle. Like you, I also prefer Albert with short hair but he’s just as handsome with long hair.
Secondly, well said @Interstellar. As you’ve eloquently explained, Keiko Nagita could have easily dispelled any possibility that Albert is ‘anohito’ simply by providing subtle hints that Albert was not alive or he had gone away. Why not mention that Albert is seeing another woman? What’s the problem with that? I’m sure the Terry fans would have been ecstatic to know that Albert has developed a relationship with another woman and the Albert fans would have been elated that Albert is happy with another woman. Nagita could have just given us readers these snippets of information as she’s done with all the other characters.
Similarly, Nagita isn’t providing any hints about Terry’s life either. Just like Albert, we don’t know where he’s residing or whether he’s married or single or in a relationship following Susanna’s demise.
Unless the forthcoming Spanish translation provides more details about the identity of ‘anohito’ in tandem with more information surrounding Terry and Albert, this long-term debate about who Candy loves during the Interbellum will continue to remain a mystery.
Thank you Avon for your continued support and encouraging words! 🤗
I agree with you and Interstellar concerning the author’s silence for both Albert and Terry. No doubt this was intentional, and I wonder if the Spanish version would shed some light on this mystery 🤔
I agree with your comments – Ms Puddle, Interstellar and Avon.
I find Nagita’s reticence about Terry and Albert problematic. Either she wanted to stop writing about Candy’s story and decided to cut the narrative short, or she wants both Terry and Albert to be equivalently considered as a possible lover or spouse for Candy. Maybe she wants an ambiguous ending for her story by leaving the reader’s imagination to decide who’s the one for Candy.
Maybe the Spanish translation will favor one of those two male characters as the French one did. I think that the Italian one was the most objective translation to date. Wait and see what the Spanish one also has to say. Nagita is said to have provided a brief message to her readers as she had done for the Italian and French translations. It’ll be interesting to see if she has anything new to declare. Until now, Nagita has approved of the liberties the French translators had taken and, presumably, she has also approved of the liberties the Spanish translators have taken. She doesn’t seem to be too preoccupied with nitpicking and other pedantic ramblings.
Hi @Interstella and @Myra, I finally found my old post that I mentioned Susanna, her career and chronic disease.
FYI, http://mspuddleshaven.com/2015/07/15/susanna-and-candy-part-2/
Thank you, Ms Puddle. I wonder why I had missed this article of yours.. Can’t wait to read it!
Thank you Interstellar for your positive feedback! Despite your hectic schedule, you still take the time to catch up. My honour indeed 🤗
Yes I’m still working from home, and I like it so far. No more daily commute, at least for now! How about you?
Yes I read the news and some protested being “house arrested”… Sigh. Guess these people don’t see the real danger, and sometimes I can’t help but agree with Darwin’s “natural selection theory”.
Both the honor and the pleasure are mine, Ms Puddle, and I thank you for including me in your CC community and welcoming my comments in your fascinating blog even though I’m neither an ardent Terry-fan nor Albert-fan. My intention is to be as objective as possible and keeping a healthy distance from any form of fanaticism and narrow-mindedness. That said, I enjoy the CC and the CCFS as a whole and respect what the author wants, whether I agree with her or not.
I’ll just ask you to pardon me if I delay in providing a response or a comment in due time but my schedule is hectic as you have accurately described. But then again, your schedule is just as hectic and your job position just as significant. The CC community is grateful for your creative contributions and insightful commentary. It’s not surprising that your blog is one of the best ones in relation to the CC and CCFS. The highly active interaction and involvement of so many contributors constitute confirmation of your successful blog. I’m glad that I’ve subscribed to your blog and I’m always delighted to receive notifications via email when you’ve updated your blog with new posts.
Resuming to our discussion about the pandemic, my partner and I drive to work anyway since our workplace is of considerable distance from our home an public transport is rather inconvenient and time-consuming. Apparently, we don’t drive to work on a daily basis due to the lockdown but we’ll probably resume to normality in about a month’s time if all runs smoothly.
As for your final comment about “natural selection theory”, I couldn’t agree with you more. Some people are so imbecilic that it’s difficult to decide where the “Darwin Awards” should go to. Very few awards for too many morons. Lol
I’m glad that you and the CC community are safe and in good health.
Regards,
Interstellar
Typo: “and public transport” not “an”..
Of course you’re more than welcome, Interstellar, and I think many readers enjoy reading your witty comments and insights just as much as I do. Thank you so much for your continued support and encouragement 🤗
Driving to and from work is tiring, and I did that for a month and gave up. I’d rather take public transit because at least I can do other things to entertain myself or let my brain rest lol…
Too many morons but not enough Darwin Awards? So true… Sigh!
Hello Ms Puddle !
There is a very long time since I was on your amazing blog, but you know why…
Today I decided to visit it, I have no time enough to catch up all I’ve missed, but I am not disappointed at all with your beautiful drawing, splendid as always! Bravo! 👍 I love it 😍
A great tribute to all these courageous people who work in frontline. Many thanks to them and to you!
In this drawing, Albert seems thoughtful and Candy so sad, completely in agreement with the scene where Candy was looking for Albert in the park of Chicago after he had left the “room 0” of the hospital. Their eyes are so expressive, you’re very talented. “Eyes are the windows to the soul” after all, or a french variant: “Les yeux sont le miroir de l’âme (The eyes are the mirror of the soul). “They don’t lie. They show the truth, no matter what face you put on”.
I take the chance to salute all your followers.
I hope you are all fine.
Take care
I’m speechless, Candy Bert my friend!!!! Yes I know why… J’espère que tu vas bien aussi 🤗
Thank you so much for dropping by, and your encouraging feedback means a lot to me 😘
Take care, mon amie. Best wishes to you and your loved ones!
You’re very welcome! Thank you my friend, I’m feeling better now despite the confinement.
My best wishes for you and your loved ones too!
So glad to hear from you, Candy Bert, and that you’re feeling better! 😍😘🤗
You never cease to surprise us with your cool fan-art, Ms Puddle.👍
I like the attention to detail-in particular, the facial expressions in your drawings.
Just to second what other contributors are also requesting from you, I would also like to see your drawings of other CC characters including specific scenes from the story-whenever you find the time, of-course, cause I know you’re also very busy with your job like the rest of us.😉
Thank you Lakewood for your kind and encouraging words! So glad to hear that you like my new fanart. Yes, this year I do plan to draw one or two other character(s), but I need inspiration to start one. I thought of drawing Archie but not so sure anymore. 😛
Whichever character you choose to draw, I’m sure you’ll do a fine job. Your fan-art is one of the best in the CC community.
Wow!! I don’t know, but many thanks to you, Lakewood, for your compliment and encouraging message 💖
It’s not a compliment but a fact. Even some of the most dogmatic Terry-fans admit that your artwork is magnificent.
I’m speechless… Thank you Lakewood 🤗
We’re the ones who should thank you, Ms Puddle. Your blog attracts such engagement even though it’s in English. Most of Nagita’s readers are Spanish. Nagita has expressed in her latest interview that she wants her novel to be translated in English but she doubts that would ever happen because very few people know about Candy in the English-speaking world.
Lakewood, this is my honour indeed, and I must say you all have contributed with your insights and intelligent comments. 🤗 I enjoy tremendously talking to different people from disparate fields and academics, which fuels me to keep going 💪
Hi Ms Puddle,
Really appreciate the fact that you’ve taken the time to offer the CC community such a plethora of beautiful fanart and CC-related information in a well-balanced and cool-minded way. This is the reason why I’m not particularly involved in any of the other CC fan pages apart from this one (and 2-3 other ones). Most CC fan pages (Terry-fan and Albert-fan included) are too narrow-minded and they resemble echo chambers heavily reliant on confirmation bias and conjecture. They seem more focused in repeating their own dogmas rather than exploring the textual evidence provided by the CCFS itself. Apparently, we have all got our own favorite CC character(s) but that doesn’t mean that we should impose our preferences onto others. For example, I admire Albert’s character because he always respects women and he constantly supports Candy in becoming an independent and autonomous individual. Had Terry also demonstrated such laudable attributes, I would have admired him as well as I do Albert. However, Terry does not respect women and his behavior towards Candy is that of a possessive and acutely abusive toxic male. Whilst Albert encouraged Candy to pursue her career in nursing and discover her own path in life, Terry always tried to dominate and suppress Candy’s individuality.
Whether Terry or Albert is “ano hito” in the CCFS, the true winner of the CCFS is Albert because he’s the one who represents the modern man who isn’t afraid of empowered women. Terry, on the other hand, is too outdated and that’s why young and educated women, nowadays, find him unappealing, damaged and intellectually inferior.
Well said, Myra! 👍👍
Bravo Myra! I can’t agree with you more that Albert is the real winner in CCFS because he’s the one who truly appreciated Candy as a person and her desire to find her calling in life. He was also the one who wanted to make her happy, whichever path she would take. Terry had only wished her happiness, once when he left London and the other time when he agreed with her decision to break up (if there had been a real relationship).
Terry might be emotional unstable or abusive in his youth, but Candy might have softened his behaviour towards his mother. Yet, ultimately, it was Susanna who had tamed him, IMHO. Otherwise, he could not have taken care of her when she had been suffering from some kind of a chronic disease.
Thank you so much for your encouraging words, Myra, and I will try my best to keep up. Blogging and drawing act as a stress reliever for me, and I enjoy doing this in my spare time.
Hello Ms Puddle – This fanart of yours have been one of my favourite so far. I reckon you’ve nailed it with this specific shade of blue for Albert’s eyes which also matches the background. I was wondering what Keiko Nagita meant when she was describing Albert’s eyes as “clear as the morning sky”. The morning sky does not have the harsh and aggressive sunlight as it is during noon or early afternoon.
What colour do you reckon Terry’s eyes are? Nagita never provides any description about the colour of his eyes. Have you ever considered doing some Terry-related fanart?
Your positive feedback is much appreciated, Lynn. 💕 You have eagle eyes, because you noticed the shade of blue of Albert’s eyes matches the background! 👏
I also wonder what Keiko Nagita sensei meant by “clear as the morning sky or lake”. One time I happened to read another novel, where a man praised the heroine for her amazing eye color. He used a similar description, that her eyes reminded him of the new morning sky. Interesting, right?
I’m not an ophthalmologist, but I came across this article, which said that “blue eyes don’t actually have a set colour – it all depends on the amount of light available when you look at them”:
https://www.sciencealert.com/science-how-blue-eyes-get-their-colour
Not sure if it’s true though, but for sure Albert’s eyes must have been captivating, so much so that Candy could never forget her Prince on the Hill, and later she could befriend Mr. Pirate after seeing his eyes behind the sunglasses.
Terry? I might. I’m still trying to draw Archie though. Who knows? I might actually draw Terry instead 😁
That’s an interesting article, Ms Puddle. Thanks for sharing. Come to think of it, hazel eyes also tend to look different in colour depending on the light and sometimes even on the colour of clothes someone wears.
Albert’s eyes had charmed Candy for sure but so did his gentle voice. In turn, Terry’s smile had charmed Candy. And there goes Nagita confusing her readers again by describing Candy’s lover in the mid-1930s as a man whose gentle voice (Albert) and beautiful smile (Terry) excited her..
Speaking of the final story, I’ve heard that the Spanish version will provide some further information. Have you heard anything about this? Didn’t the French version also have some added information because it seemed a bit different from the Italian translation?
Yes, Lynn, Candy mentioned Anohito’s smile and voice at the end of the epilogue, but she didn’t use any adjective that means “beautiful” to describe his smile. Only that it is a smile she loves. 😉 It’s different from the verb POTH used when he said Candy was prettier when she smiled though. That word can mean smile or laugh, depending on the context. But Anohito was definitely smiling, not laughing.
I’m also interested to know if there’s anything new in the Spanish version. Let’s wait till it gets published 🙂
Apologies, Ms Puddle, I realized I’ve made a mistake. Having read Section 1 of the CCFS again, I noticed that Candy describes the smile of POTH as having a “light of its own”:
“By observing his smiling face, which seemed to shed a light of its own, the bright blonde hair falling lightly on his forehead, and those tender blue eyes, which were almost the same as the clear sky of that day, Candy thought that she could tell him anything.” (Section 1, Chapter 2)
It turns out that I was wrong thinking that Candy only mentioned Terry’s smile and not Albert’s. To round this all up, Candy admires Albert’s clear blue eyes, Albert’s gentle voice, and both Terry and Albert’s smile. There are loads of online arguments that Terry’s voice is gentle too but that’s not the case. In fact, Terry’s voice is described by Candy as “deep:
“His deep voice, neither too sharp nor too low, his audacity and his smile, so tender and sweet, capable of shaking any heart.” (Section 3, Brief Narrative after Letter Letter 14).
Therefore, in the end of the CCFS, Candy describes the man she loves as someone who has a lovely smile and voice-both of which apply to Terry and Albert and not one attribute for each man as I had originally thought:
“I hear that gentle voice, which is always capable of making my heart beat hard. He is here, at the door, looking at me with that smile I love so much. (Epilogue, Conclusion)
As for laughing, both Terry and Albert are described laughing in the CCFS.
I agree with you that it’s futile arguing whether Terry or Albert is the one with the smile and voice Candy loves so much because she had already mentioned in the story that she finds both men’s smile and voice intriguing. Some fans claim that Candy only finds Terry’s voice and smile exciting but she clearly says that she finds Albert’s voice and smile just as much exciting. Some fans also claim that only Terry agitates Candy but she had also described Albert as a man who drives her crazy.
As we can see, for every argument, there’s always a counter-argument..
My sentiments exactly, Anita. But thankfully, there are more hints in the novel about Anohito in addition to his smile and voice 😉
Speaking of driving Candy crazy, it’s like an interjection of exasperation between close friends, in such a way that implies Albert has the upper hand or something along this line. But she wasn’t truly mad… You know what I mean?
There’s a very brief moment during the May Festival where Candy describes Terry’s voice as being unexpectedly gentle after he told her to wait while preparing to ride the horse and place her by force on it. Yet, she describes his voice as deep during their break-up in New York. The adjective ‘deep’ seems to be the one used the most to describe Terry’s voice, nevertheless.
On the other hand, Candy describes Albert’s voice as unexpectedly deep and low when he handed back the diary to Candy. She was also taken by surprise with the anguish and pain in Albert’s voice when the two of them were locked in a warm embrace at Lakewood. His voice was unexpectedly emotional but the adjective ‘gentle’ seems to be the one used the most to describe Albert’s voice.
I’m not in the position to say whether Terry or Albert have a ‘signature voice’-deep for Terry and gentle for Albert-but the author seems to offer similar descriptions to both characters’ voices and most importantly, specify that both Terry and Albert are complex characters surprising Candy with the various unseen layers to their personality.
Interesting comparisons, Irana93! Let me check the original text, because sometimes different words can be translated to the same adjective in English. However, I do agree with you that both men are complex characters 😊
Hi Irana93, thank you for bringing up different scenes in which Candy described Terry and Albert’s voices.
First of all, about Anohito, Candy said his gentle/tender voice could always make her heart beat faster (with excitement):
いつもときめかすやさしいその声
About Terry’s unexpectedly gentle/tender voice before forcing her to go horse-riding with him:
テリィは思いのほかやさしく声
So Candy used the same adjective.
About Terry’s voice during their break-up in New York, Candy said she liked it very much; literally she said “his voice having the depth she liked very much”:
わたしの大好きな深みのあるテリィの声
About Albert’s voice when returning her diary, Candy said he murmured and his voice was extremely quiet
つぶやくようにそう言いました。とても静かな声で
In the forest, when Albert took Candy in his arms he revealed to her about the fox hunting in an anguished voice, which penetrated her heart.
苦しそうなアルバートさんの声が心にしみていきました。
See you around. 🙂
Hi Lynn, about the smiling face of Prince on the Hill, in Japanese it literally means “like light spills over (escapes) it”. It’s not easy to translate to English though… 😛
About Terry’s voice, the English translation is a little off. You might want to read my post where I explained this passage with details:
http://mspuddleshaven.com/2018/10/25/lost-in-translation-part-9/
About laughing, I didn’t mean it as a hint of Anohito’s idenity. 😉 I just wanted to point out here at the end of the epilogue he was smiling, not laughing. 🙂
Translations are always a bit off, aren’t they? I’ll take a look at the link you’ve added. Thank you.
Of-course she wasn’t angry at Albert but there’s a lot of tension between those two main characters. Candy probably feels insecure that Albert has a much higher social status than she does. Do you remember how she felt when she observed Terry playing the piano years ago at St Paul’s school? For the first time, she felt embarrassed to approach him and ashamed that he appeared socially superior to her due to his father’s title. It’s not her fault.. Many people have insulted and disparaged Candy for her being an orphan and in poverty. It wouldn’t be surprising that all those insults had affected her to an enormous degree even though she did her utmost to conceal her pain. It’s significant to point out that Terry and Albert had gone out of their way to prove to Candy that they don’t care about her background and that they love her for who she is as a person.
Well said, Anita! Little did Albert and Terry care about her origin, and the same applied to the other male characters except Neal, who had later changed.
In fact, Terry was an illegitimate child, and I was surprised Candy felt inferior to him in CCFS (not in the manga, if I remember correctly).
Yet, I’d like to point out that in this particular passage from CCFS, Candy primarily used past tense except the last sentence (her exasperating remark). Isn’t that interesting?
The same applies for Anthony, Archie and Stear-all of whom adored Candy for her kind soul.
Even though Terry was born out of wedlock, he was still the biological son of a duke albeit not in legal terms. Apparently, Terry’s decision to leave the UK and abandon any ties to his father’s name were actions he had wanted to take for quite some time. Had his mother accepted him when he had taken flight the first time from the UK, he would have never bothered going back to his father. Living with his father and stepmother was a nightmare for him. He didn’t have to renounce his father’s name because the duke had never given him his name or title to begin with. There was no love or communication between them and the CCFS does not provide a single indication that Terry and his father had any form of interaction whatsoever. He even kept his mother at a distance and, as Candy explains, Terry relied entirely on his own means in the USA.
Some of the Terry-fans want to believe that Terry was living with Candy in his father’s house int he UK but that’s complete rubbish because Terry had severed all ties with his father. I also find it rather odd that Terry would return to the UK in the mid 1930s after being so successful and well-established as a thespian in the USA. History has confirmed that not a single highly acclaimed actor in the USA had ever returned to the UK during the Great Depression unless they were self-destructive and had already lost their appeal in the USA. It was only after World War II that the UK somewhat managed to provide a respectable income for actors. Until then, all actors would flock to the USA or remain in the UK and starve. Candy and ano hito seem to be living a comfortable life and it would be impossible for Terry to be in a financial position to provide such an affluent life for Candy in mid 1930s England with the meager income of a thespian. In the CCFS, it seems that Candy is unemployed and relies on ano hito to provide for her. The only thing a British 1930s actor could ever provide for her is a sordid cesspool somewhere in a slum on the outskirts of London or a cubicle in a dodgy area in London.
Regarding your comment about the present tense Candy uses when describing how Albert drives her crazy, it’s proof that she continues to see Albert and that their communication is strong. Needless to mention that her longing to see him is even stronger. Her tone suggests that she’s exasperated that Albert is not an open book to her like Anthony and Terry were. She know those two boys or at least she believed that she did. When it comes to Albert, however, Candy feels like she’s treading into unknown territory which fascinates but also aggravates her. What matters is that she appears to want to further her relationship with Albert. The question lies whether Albert wants to follow suit.
Couldn’t agree with you more @Ms Puddle and @Anita. An actor would never be able to provide a wealthy lifestyle for his partner during the Interbellum in Britain. The only places which offered a lucrative income for actors after the 1929 Wall Street Crash was California (Hollywood) and New York (Broadway). Broadway had sustained some financial damaged after the 1929 stock market crash but it still managed to accrue profit. Whichever way you see it, an actor was better off living in the US than suffering in poverty in the UK. Period.
Mind you, there are a few team-Terry folk who know that the chances of Terry being an active career-actor in England during the 1930s are very slim. It just doesn’t add up. That’s why a handful of them have concocted a bizarre theory that Albert died from a heart-attack and left his fortune to Candy. She then gave the reins to Terry to manage Albert’s fortune and live from the deceased man’s wealth. Gotta love the imagination of those team-Terry folk.😂
Well said, @Anita and @Lakewood! @Sarah, yes they should have used their imagination or speculations to write more fanfics for their beloved hero. 😉
As much as Nagita sensei tried to keep her mouth shut re Anohito’s identity, I don’t see Terry and Albert as equal contenders at all. Even if we ignore the historical facts, Terry did not stand a chance of inheriting an expensive family heirloom. Not to mention he wasn’t that familiar with what Pony’s Home looked like, etc., etc.
Thank you @Ms Puddle!
It’s good to know what exact words were used in the original text.
Did Candy use the words “gentle” and “sweet” when she described anohito’s voice and smile, respectively? She said that she loved his smile and his voice excited her in the final scene when anohito came home.
I’m just wondering if she used the words “gentle” and “sweet” in the original text too.
Thank you again!
You’re welcome @Irana93 🙂
Candy used the adjective やさしい ( Kanji equivalent: 優しい) to describe Anohito’s voice, which means differently depending on context.
For example, check this dictionary entry:
https://ejje.weblio.jp/content/%E5%84%AA%E3%81%97%E3%81%84
That being said, this adjective always has positive nuance, which is often associated with gentleness, tenderness, kindness, affection, elegance, etc.
Thank you again for bearing with my questions. I just want to get the facts straight and the only way to achieve that is to verify what the original Japanese text said about anohito in that final section.
I did a bit of digging myself and noticed that Candy loved Terry’s deep voice and she loved Albert’s gentle voice. I think that’s crystal clear from the original text and the translations so far.
As far as anohito’s smile is concerned, I’ll kindly ask from you to provide the exact Japanese word or words. The translations I’ve looked into don’t provide any adjective to anohito’s smile but only that Candy loved that smile so much. In other words, we know that anohito’s voice is gentle which excites Candy. However, anohito’s smile is left without an adjective to describe it and we only know that Candy loves that smile. Both Terry and Albert are described to have smiles which Candy is fond of. Candy mentions that Terry’s smile could shake any heart and she described Albert’s smile as having a light of its own which shines so bright. OK, we get it.. Candy loves both Terry’s and Albert’s smile. Apparently, Albert’s voice and smile are beautiful and that’s why Candy keeps on calling him her prince over and over again.
Yes @Irana93, Candy loved both Terry and Albert’s voices and smiles.
About Anohito’s smile, no adjective is used but we know Candy loved his smile very much. Yet, as I mentioned before, he was smiling, not laughing, so in Japanese Candy used both the verb and the noun for his smile:
He stood at the door, smiling at her (verb): ほほ笑んでいる
She loved his smile (noun): 微笑
They both mean he was smiling.
Thank you @Ms Puddle and my apologies again for bothering you with so many questions. It’s just that I trust your insight because you’re always so cool-headed and you try to be fair to all the characters in Candy’s story regardless of your own preferences.
Some fans claim that Candy didn’t find Albert’s voice and smile beautiful and exciting but they’re wrong. In all encounters Candy has with Albert in the UK and the US, she’s excited to hear Albert’s voice and she loves his smile which she finds radiant. In a similar biased way, some fans believe that Albert was capable of smiling but not laughing. Apparently, this belief is ludicrous. The text provides ample evidence that both Terry and Albert have beautiful voices and smiles which excite Candy. This text also proves that both Terry and Albert are capable of smiling and laughing. Everything else is just in the distorted imagination and confirmation bias of some fans.
Yet, the final section of the Epilogue shows that anohito doesn’t laugh but smiles at Candy. This is what the Italian and French translations have indicated and it appears that the original Japanese text makes the same description. Thank you for making that clear.
No worries @Irana93 😉
Well said! As I said, Candy loved both men, just at different stages in her life.
Those fans who claim Candy not finding Albert’s voice or smile beautiful should reread the chapter of their first encounter on the hill again. He was so charming that she called him a prince 😍
Glad to hear the Italian and French translations are accurate about Anohito’s smile 👏
You’re right about that @Ms Puddle!
I’ll just add that I’ve scanned my Italian and French CCFS books into pdf and when I ran a search for the word “prince” in the Epilogue section, it gave me 17 entries. It appears that Candy calls Albert her prince 17 times in the Epilogue alone. We all know that the Epilogue is not in the narrative past tense as Section 1 and Section 2 centering on Anthony and Terry, respectively. As Keiko Nagita explains at the 2019 Paris interview, the Epilogue consists of letters exchanged between Candy and Albert in their present time. The author was asked why she decided to provide a separate section for those letters between Candy and Albert and she explained that she wanted those letters to be the last ones of the CCFS so as to provide a greater impact.
Interesting explanation provided by the author.
Yes indeed, @Irana93. Nagita sensei did not try to hide her intention to emphasize the correspondence between Candy and Albert. I was actually surprised she was this honest about that.
In Japanese original version, Candy mentioned or addressed Albert as her prince 17 times in her long letter to her Prince on the Hill alone. I did carefully count twice to make sure I got that right 😉
Hi Ms Puddle,
I have the impression that your drawing has been inspired from the manga where Candy is frantically looking for Albert in the middle of the night after he had escaped from the hospital. The only difference is that she wasn’t wearing her nurse outfit but her dress and overcoat. It’s in the anime where she’s wearing her nursing uniform in her search for him.
You nailed it, Irana93. 👏👏 Yes, in the manga Candy did change first, but since I wanted to present her as a nurse, I took the idea from the anime version this time. 😆
I really like this new fan artwork of yours-Ms Puddle. Both Candy and Albert look awesome. You should present more fan artwork of Albert with long hair. There’s a hipster style to him which is cool.
Thank you Sarah 😘 Glad you like both Candy and Albert in my new fanart, and in fact, I was a bit nervous drawing him with long hair, but after this I might try again. 😉
Heartfelt tribute to all our front-line workers and first-responders! It’s times like these when we appreciate the truly meaningful aspects of life and those who fight day and night for our right to quality healthcare and well-being.
Thank you, Ms Puddle, for keeping us posed with your thought-provoking messages.
May we all have the best of health and the quality of life our world deserves.
P.S. I think it’s safe to assume that we all know where that intriguing scene comes from. Albert looks amazing whether his hair is long or short. You’ve done a fine job depicting his pensive expression in tandem with Candy’s anguished gaze.
Thank you Michelle for your encouraging feedback! As I mentioned before, I prefer men with short hair, but Igarashi’s Albert is different lol. In the manga he looks amazing ever since he appeared as a patient suffering from amnesia 😍
Hello Michelle! Thank you for your prompt response. That’s very encouraging 🤗
Besides healthcare workers and first responders, the people providing essential services deserve our appreciation and cheers too 💪
Yes, may we all have the best of health! Stay home and stay safe 😉
You’re absolutely right about the people providing essential services and how they’re risking their health for the common good.
It seems that many countries are beginning to ease on the lockdown restrictions because of the detrimental effect it has had on the economy. It is such a severe dilemma because both sides are correct in their own way. On the one hand, there are the scientists who urge everyone to stay at home for several more months, and on the other hand, there is the economy which is collapsing and millions of people out of work.
I agree, Michelle. It’s not an easy decision for any country, especially those that are struck hard on both sides. I understand the lockdown restrictions can’t go on forever, because many people have lost their jobs or businesses, but we are also concerned that they are lifted too soon. Last Friday I got a survey from the human resources, asking us for our inputs and feedback. I honestly wrote that I preferred working from home still.
Presumably, we can all agree that life isn’t going to be the same after this global pandemic. For those of us who are a bit more “computer savvy” (aka “we’ve learnt how to code”), this crisis hasn’t really affected our line of work since we can easily complete all our professional tasks and obligations via our own home. The same goes for teachers, professors, academic researchers-all of whom can easily provide their services via online teaching (which has been popular amongst postgraduate students for over a decade) and online/group Skype meetings. Those who get the shaft are the ones in more traditional and manual jobs. Unless one is a doctor, lawyer, driver, goods supplier, or a customer service provider at a supermarket or tech store, most of those traditional jobs will soon become defunct. This global pandemic is just the starting point for what’s coming ahead. It goes beyond saying that human contact and interaction the way we know it has already changed dramatically following this global crisis.