Memories of Famous Scenes (Part 2)
Hi my friends, as always, I enjoy the recent discussions very much, and I’d like to take this opportunity to quote Michelle’s brilliant comment about Terry and the famous love triangle:
Thank you, Ms Puddle.
Those who believe that Terry had no feelings for Susanna are simply delusional and slow on the uptake.
It’s a complete waste of time to try to compare or “juggle” Terry’s feelings for Candy and Susanna-both of which are equivalently intense albeit different in nature. It’s like comparing apples with oranges. There’s no point..
Some of those fans fail to comprehend that human-beings are complex and even more so are their thoughts, feelings and emotions.
Apparently, no one is contending that Terry “loved” Candy more than Susanna or the other way around; that would be such a futile and infantile attempt suitable for naïve gossip columns and not serious discussions. Instead, Terry’s feelings and most importantly, attraction, is of a different nature when having to do with Candy or Susanna. It’s beyond any shadow of a doubt that Terry is attracted to both women and this had been clearly stated in the manga and anime. In the novel, however, we simply don’t know because Terry stops being a significant character with his own “narrative voice” (as in Section 2) from Section 3 onward and thus the reader can only know about Terry from outside sources which are not particularly reliable and objective.
Nonetheless, actions speak louder than words and Terry’s decision to throw Candy under the bus and spend his life with Susanna reveals-no matter how unpalatable this is to the Terryfans-that Terry had very strong feelings for Susanna. Perhaps the two of them had begun to develop some form of relationship or even affair but all that was put to a standstill when Terry discovered that Candy returned to the US.
The bottom line is that Terry was stuck in between two women he cared about and was attracted to. This is not outlandish at all since it constitutes a most common and familiar phenomenon within and amongst individuals.
We are only human and humans are known to be inherently fallible and prone to flaws and weaknesses. Terry is no exception to this indisputable fact and neither is anyone else.
I couldn’t agree more. Terry is just human after all, and no doubt he has a soft spot for Susanna. Even though he might not want to admit, actions speak louder than words.
Also, I’ve decided to continue translating the other page that belongs to the same appendix I showed in my previous post (thanks again, Candy Albert, for sharing with us all). The title is ♥️♥️ Nakayoshi ♥️♥️ Manga News” (the white words with red background, top left corner).
The small prints right under these big white words mean “Nakayoshi Appendix for the October edition”. The other small prints at the top right corner basically repeat that but with more details about the publisher (established in December 1958) and the date this appendix was published (November 1, 1976).
The green words on the yellow filmstrip are “Candy Special Issue” and the red words right under that say “Big News! Candy finally appears on TV!” The yellow bubble on the right tells the readers that the anime series, started on October 1, are showing on Friday evenings from 7 to 7:30 PM.
Under that shows the Candy Candy theme song, using the poem written by the author herself, Keiko Nagita. For more details about this theme song, please check out this Facebook post on Candy y Albert, el Príncipe de la Colina.
The highlight of the page, at least to me, is Candy — the pink bubble above her head says “Ahem! Self-introduction first!” ♥️ Hair: Blond, Eyes: dark-green color, Freckles: about 100 ♦️ Height: 152 cm Weight: 39 kg Bust: 75 cm Waist: 54 cm Hip: 75 cm ★ Birthdate: May 7, 1898 born in America (real date unknown) ♣️ Property: none Treasure: the badge of Prince on the Hill, Miss Pony’s crucifix necklace ♠️ Special skill: tree climbing, lassoing
I figure Candy grew a bit taller later in the story. What do you think?
The rest (bottom right quarter) of this page is about the talented ladies who created the story of Candy Candy, which I won’t translate every single word but paraphrase instead. The one above is Yumiko Igarashi, born on Aug 26 in Sapporo, Hokkaido. Since her debut in her second year of high school, she published works one after one. Unable to bear the loneliness of being single, she recently started taking care of a turtle and a baby cockatiel. Igarashi is in bad mood because the turtle only eats banana and the cockatiel does not call her mama. (A note from me: she named her turtle like Patty’s turtle, Hughley, but with a minor difference.)
About Kyoko Mizuki (real name Keiko Nagita), born on Nov 28 in Tokyo. She won the rookie award at a junior writer contest and since that debut she has actively published various novels and poems. She loves her Maltese dog, Beth-chan, dearly and is also eager to make her duck, Frederick, fashionable by putting on necktie and shoes.
In addition, I found something quite interesting on Twitter. A Candy Candy fan is working on a project by combining all data from Nakayoshi Manga News, the manga version, the anime series, and the novels, as shown in the embedded Tweet. She said that if there is any conflicting data, the manga illustration she has included in the same Tweet takes priority.
The beautiful illustration by Igarashi shows the main characters whom Candy met in the beginning of the story. There are some brief descriptions for each of them:
(1) Archibald, 16 and Alistair 17 – The elder brother Stear, a machine fanatic, and Archie, a playboy*, are Anthony’s cousin. They are fond of Candy. (2) Anthony, 16 – the Ardlay’s boy who resembles Candy’s prince very much. He loves Candy. (3) Candy, 13 – the heroine of the story, who grew up in an orphanage. Taken into possession by the Lagan’s family, she was trained to be a maid. (Not long) after taking care of the stable, she was fired. (4) Candy’s prince – the boy whom Candy’s longed for since she met him on the hill as a six-year-old girl. (5) Eliza, 13 and Neal, 14 – the nasty siblings in the Lagan’s family. They bullied Candy and finally kicked her out.
You might be surprised that Archie is described as a “playboy”, but it doesn’t necessarily mean he’s a man who has casual sexual affairs with women. In Japanese it may also refer to a man whose favourite hobby is to idle his time away. That being said, Candy also used the same term after Terry forced a kiss on her. She slapped him and out of anger called him a delinquent and a playboy.
Back to the Tweet, if you click on the link you will see two spreadsheets that this Candy Candy fan is working on. She’s asking for inputs and contributions, and the words in black are official and those in red are unofficial. The blue text means lack of data. On one hand, I was taken aback when I read in her Tweet that Rosemary were five years older than Georges and twelve years older than Albert (I wonder where the fan had found this information). On the other hand, I was a little disappointed this CC fan has missed the significant fact that is quite consistent in all Candy Candy publications — Anthony was like a replica of teenager Albert. In the first spreadsheet she used Albert and in the other she used Granduncle; the two right most columns are Granduncle and Georges respectively, and both columns show lots of NO DATA. The fan put the eye color for Anthony “dark blue” and the hair ” blond”, but she is unsure about Albert’s features, including his eye and hair colors. Hmmmm… 😕
In this last spreadsheet, the first few columns (from the left) are Candy, Terry and Anthony. To my surprise Terry is only one year older than Candy, which means he was younger than Archie and Anthony (if he had been alive). I’ve always assumed Terry was at least as old as Archie, if not older. Anyway, for Terry his eye color is greenish blue, and Archie’s eyes are light blue whereas Annie’s eyes are simply blue. If any of you is interested to know about these spreadsheet(s), please feel free to ask me by leaving a comment. I won’t go into many details at this point mainly because her data is different from the ones provided in Candy Candy Final Story (CCFS) and partly because this is still “work in progress”. Not to mention another CC fan replied to her Tweet by posting a contradicting picture collage from past Nakayoshi Manga News. Nonetheless, I highly doubt this one from the magazine manga news was accurate, because it said that Archie and Anthony were born in the same year as Candy, and Terry and Stear were the same age. Since Archie was born in October and Anthony in September, that means Candy was older?!?
If you’re confused, don’t worry, because I would just disregard this inaccurate information if I were you. On the other hand, I’d like to share the timeline (top left corner of the picture collage from the magazine manga news) with you. Yet, please use your own discernment and read this with a pinch of salt (because this timeline is not the same as described in the novel CCFS):
- May 7, 1898 – Candy was born. She and Annie were abandoned on the same day at Pony’s Home.
- 1904 (aged 6) – Candy met her Prince on Pony’s Hill
- 1910 (aged 12) – Candy was taken to Lagan’s family and became a maid trainee
- 1911 (aged 13) – Candy was adopted by the Ardlays and spent her happy days with Anthony and others
- 1912 (aged 14) – Candy started studying at St. Paul’s Academy in London
- 1913 (aged 15) – Candy decided to leave the college to follow Terry
- 1914 (aged 16) – Candy’s returned to America. She’s currently under training to be a nurse.
Apparently, this timeline was published when Candy was being trained in the nursing school. You probably notice the page about Terry in the same picture collage. It’s an introduction to his character, his background, parents, etc., which I bet most of you already know. Nevertheless, if you’re interested, please write your question(s) in the comments section.
Thanks for reading this post. I hope you don’t find it terribly confusing. If any of you spot any mistake or typo, you’re more than welcome to let me know. Thanks in advance!
Hi, I hope you are all doing fine. Thanks again for providing another interesting post about the older material of Candy White.
I hope you’re fine too, @Irana93 🤗 Thanks for reading!
Hello @Ms Puddle,
It’s always a pleasure coming across various and often obscure illustrations by Yumiko Igarashi. Thank you for taking the time to research into this and share your findings with all of us. Also a special thanks to the person from whom you have retrieved this information on Twitter.
With regards to @Michelle’s comment, I agree 100% with her. I would take is as read that most readers of the CCFS would agree that neither Terry nor Albert would or could ever be manipulated by anyone. Both of these guys are known for being free-willed and often head-strong. Therefore, any argument contending that Terry had fallen easy prey to Susanna is just bogus and downright silly.
The bottom line is that Terry had chosen to be with Susanna because he wanted it that way and not because anyone influenced or manipulated him. The same applies for Albert; his decision to leave everything behind and seek a new life in Africa was based on his choice alone. In a similar fashion, Albert took the initiative to protect Candy and subsequently clear her name in the presence of all the prominent Ardlay family members based on his own determination and freedom of the will.
I wish you and everyone in this community good health and hopefully the vaccination will be accessible to all irrespective of age, gender or ethnicity.
Hello @Halcyon Days, as I mentioned before, I actually don’t know these CC fans on Twitter but they are very active and often share interesting materials, so I decided to follow them. Some other CC fans have also kindly shared various resources with me on Facebook, for that I’m grateful 🙏
Well said about Terry and Albert, especially Terry’s decision to stick with Susanna and Albert’s actions concerning Candy. Glad you like Michelle’s remarks as much as I do. 👍
Please take good care of yourself too. The number of confirmed cases still continue to rise everywhere around the world, which is somewhat disheartening 🙁
There is recent scientific research which considers that there is a link between pollen and the rise in confirmed cases. Scientists consider pollen to be the main “culprit” because it tends to compromise the immune system concerning respiratory issues. This is alarming if accurate.
Indeed it’s alarming, not only about this scientific research but also the rapid spread of variants around the world, @Halcyon Days. At any rate, in spite of vaccinations the pandemic is still far from over. What we can do is to continue taking precautionary measures to protect ourselves. 🙏
It’ll take more than precautionary measures. The vaccine is not only necessary but absolutely essential and vital. My parents have received the first shot (Pfizer) and they should receive the second one in about 2-3 weeks. So far, they haven’t experienced any side-effects.
That’s good to know. My grandparents have also got vaccinated. Initially, they didn’t want to because they had been reading some online fake news but eventually logic prevailed and they got the vaccine.
Indeed, it’s fortunate that they listened to reason because conspiracy theories and other inaccuracies are rampant online but also within our society.
That’s right. Apart from this pandemic, there’s also the dissemination of fake news which spreads like a virus.
Yes, @Irana93 and @Halycon Days. The rampant spread of fake news and conspiracy theories, even amongst educated people, is beyond comprehension. So glad to hear your grandparents decided to be vaccinated at last, @Irana93.
My family and I are relieved that our grandparents finally got vaccinated in spite of their initial objections. Thank you very much for your concern, Ms Puddle.
How are you, Ms Puddle?
Glad to read more of your reviews and analysis. I had only heard of this edition of the manga thanks to you and your forum. And of-course thanks to your friend on Twitter who has provided all this interesting data.
For my part, I’m not surprised that the bio for Albert is much more “Spartan” than the other characters. Let’s not forget that he is the most mysterious and intricate of all the characters of this story and it’s not until the end of the manga where his identity as WAA is disclosed.
Nevertheless, I could only imagine how upset Nagita would have been when finding out that Igarashi had modified her story and revealing Albert’s true identity mid-way through the plot.
That’s completely messed up..
Hi @Leda, glad you like this too. I don’t personally know these Japanese CC fans but they are very active on Twitter so I follow them.
Yes you’re absolutely right about how Igarashi’s intervention messed up the plot. Nagita sensei being out of town was not helping either.
I’ve read about the two of them being friends and not colleagues or professional partners alone. That said, it must have been a severe disappointment for Nagita to discover the ways in which Igarashi had betrayed their friendship when she was abroad.
Thank you very much for quoting my comment in your new article, Ms Puddle. I’m pleased that you consider it worthy of note.
Kind Regards!
You’re more than welcome, @Michelle. I should thank you for your contributions too!! 🤗
It’s always a pleasure contributing for your blog, @Ms Puddle.
Thank you again!
Your comment was awesome @Michelle. Thanks for sharing your viewpoints.
Thank you @Halcyon Days. It’s always a pleasure reading your comments too.
Hello again!
If only all this material was available in other languages too. I admire those of you who have taken the time and effort to retrieve all this wealth of sources and share it with us.
We’re all really grateful @Ms Puddle!🙏🏻
Thank you @Christine, and you’re welcome. Some CC fans have a decent collection of precious goodies or magazines and generously share them on their Facebook pages or Twitter. You should check them out too. 🤗
I’ll check them out for sure. Thanks for the information!
Hi @Ms Puddle!
I’ll have to agree with @Michelle’s comment about the complex relationship between Terry and Susanna. For my part, I am not buying the theory that nothing was going on between them. Even the tabloids and their colleagues had caught wind of something going on between them. What’s even more intriguing is that Terry never made the slightest effort to dispel or refute those rumours circulating about him and Susanna having an affair. He didn’t have to get into much detail or give any info about his personal life to the press. All he had to do was make a statement that there’s nothing going on between him and Susanna. There’s a saying that silence may also mean agreement or acceptance. Perhaps Terry’s silence meant that there was some truth in those rumours..
As for the Nakayoshi Appendix, thank you so much for sharing all that interesting info with us!
@Myra, you’re right about Terry’s silence. I totally agree that it speaks volumes indeed! If he didn’t have any special feelings for Susanna, then he had (unintentionally??) misled her.
I have a feeling that if Candy had not returned to Chicago, Terry and Susanna would had begun a relationship. After all, she was a very talented actress, having obtained such a coveted role in King Lear at a young age.
I don’t think Terry had any intention of deceiving Susanna or Candy or anyone else.. However, he had probably underestimated his feelings and how they could easily get the better (or worse) of him. The situation turned out to be a complete mess because nobody involved in this “triangle” had ever fathomed that they would go down such a jagged rabbit hole.
In one of her recent interviews, Nagita had mentioned that she wanted to write more about Susanna. Perhaps she had intended to shed more light into the nature of the alleged Terry-Susanna affair but publishers had put too tight a strain on the limit of her writing.
That’s an excellent point @Anita. It is, nonetheless, ironic that the author continues to be restricted within editorial policies even though she had intended to break free from such confines. Whether it’s the anime, manga or novel, Keiko Nagita still has to abide by what others in admin have to say rather than what she really wants to do herself. However, I do find her explanation rather odd because very few writers make such complaints. Perhaps the publishers she’s working with are less open-minded.
Agree with you both, @Anita and @Myra. It seems Nagita sensei hasn’t fully achieved what she had originally wanted to do in this final story.
Presumably, all those long-term legal battles had worn her down and she just wanted to provide a closure to this story albeit an incomplete and vague one.
That appears to be the case and if I correctly recall, Keiko Nagita had mentioned something along the lines regarding her emotional fatigue and how she simply wanted to be over and done with the tale of Candy Candy.
If my memory isn’t failing me, I think Nagita did mention sth along the lines that she wasn’t even planning on writing about Candy again but the fans prompted her to do so.
Such relevant information is included in the author’s note as found in her revised novel published in 2010.
Yes, I agree with you both, @Myra and @Anita. It’s unfortunate a popular and successful manga was somewhat tainted by their prolonged legal battle. As much as I admire Igarashi’s talents, I tend to think she had wronged the author.
I couldn’t agree with you more-Ms Puddle. Irrespective of Yumiko Igarashi’s indisputable talent as an illustrator, her moral ethos was below par and her treatment of Keiko Nagita was unfair.
You’re right, @Myra, and I agree. I don’t think Terry was intentional either, but he should be smart enough to sense Susanna’s feelings for him. Remember she said before the trip to Chicago she had felt so happy with Terry? They even appeared like a couple in front of the fans.
I wonder if it had ever crossed his mind that he might stumble across Candy again in America.
I don’t think Terry had expected to see Candy again in the States, at least not so soon. Besides, he didn’t seem to want to maintain contact with Candy either, otherwise, he would have left his contact details at Ms Pony’s or send a letter to Candy (or to the orphanage address) once he had sorted himself out and settled down in New York.
That’s exactly the case. If Terry wanted to keep ties with Candy, it would have been far easier for him than it would have been for Albert who was in Africa. Even though Albert was in such a far away land-and even more so during the early 1900s, he still managed to establish contact with Candy. In such situations, when there’s a will there’s a way.
Well said, @Myra and @Anita. As I said, actions speak louder than words, so it doesn’t seem Terry was planning to keep in touch with Candy then. He had moved on and left her behind for good. Candy, on the other hand, was desperate to reunite with him.
Candy felt vulnerable without Terry and Albert, both of whom had taken their own path in life. The anime had an interesting perspective by changing the narrative a bit and showing Candy staying albeit for a very short while at St Paul’s. However, Eliza and Neal made life so unbearable for her and since Terry and Albert weren’t around to protect her, Candy had no other choice but to return to the US and seek refuge at Ms Pony’s home.
Hi @Anita, concerning this part I think the novel is closer to the manga version, where Candy left the college almost right away. However, unlike the manga, Candy didn’t leave solely because she wanted to chase after Terry. In the novel she also wanted to find her own path like Albert and Terry.
He cared about her for sure but she wasn’t his top priority…
Exactly, @Myra. If I remember the manga correctly, Terry thought about Candy only when he heard of the unsettling events in Europe… That was months after his brief visit to the orphanage, was it?
Don’t expect to retrieve any significant information from that vague novel. Terry ceases to be an important character with a voice of his own after the end of section 2.
So true, @Myra. It’s rather odd if Terry is supposed to be a potential suitor like Albert, who played far more significant role in Candy’s adult life in section 3. I figure Nagita sensei’s deliberate decision speaks volumes of who Anohito is. 😉
Based on the manga and anime, however, you’re probably accurate when it comes to the time-frame; it seems as if several months had gone by after Candy had returned to the US and the outbreak of WWI.
Thank you @Myra. Indeed several months had elapsed because Candy returned to Pony’s Home in winter ❄️❄️
Hello Ms Puddle,
I’m glad you have included the second part to this review of the Nakayoshi edition. It is such a pity that this material is not available online. I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if this was collectors’ items and have a very high cost.
I also find it rather odd that this appendix does not include more detailed information about Albert. The anime, manga and novel are on the same plane when it comes to Albert’s physical features-very tall, athletic built, blonde and blue-eyed.
Hi @Lynn, back then Albert had always remained mysterious until the very end. Nobody knew his birthday or age. However, you’re absolutely right. Even then, Albert was known to have blond hair and blue eyes; he was also very tall (perhaps the tallest) with athletic build.
You have a point-Ms Puddle. I hadn’t thought about that. It makes sense, therefore, the veil of mystery surrounding Albert’s appearance, character and identity would remain until the very end of the story.
Yes, @Lynn! 🙂 So now you can imagine why Nagita sensei was so mad about the incident of “Two badges” back then. Igarashi essentially ruined the mystery.
Did this Nakayoshi edition have a large clientele and renowned? From what I have read about it, it seems to have been a limited edition. Is this the case?
Pardon, but an entire phrase of my comment was cropped for some bizarre reason..
I meant to ask if this Nakayoshi edition had a large clientele and if this edition was as renowned as the official one circulating about.
I’m a bit confused here and pardon again but how many editions were there regarding this 1970s-1980s manga? Based on the translated manga collection which I’ve got hoarded in my loft, none of them include this “incident of the two badges”. Was this Nakayoshi deviation only in the original Japanese language?
Thanks for your time and my apologies for bothering you with all these pedantic questions.
The readers of Nakayoshi magazine (only Japanese AFAIK) have to wait a month between episodes, so to answer your questions, @Lynn, back when the CC manga was still being serialized, Nagita went traveling for her other projects and the editor allowed Igarashi to alter the plot as I have explained in my posts concerning the incident of two badges. When Nagita returned, she was so mad that she forced Igarashi to redraw different parts. The official manga books only contain the redrawn scenes that had been approved by Nagita. Does it make sense to you?
Hi @Lynn, Nakayoshi magazine has a long history and various mangas are often serialized first (I think it’s a monthly magazine) before they are bound later as books for sale.
Thank you for taking the time and answering all my questions. Your explanations are perfectly clear!
You bet @Lynn. These are rare collectors’ items now and very hard to find even in online auctions. That’s why they are not cheap. I follow a Japanese CC fan on Twitter, who owns a CC museum where one can find a variety of CC merchandise!
After having searched about this vintage material, I’ve noticed that most of these sites are fraudulent.
searched for..
It would be advisable for potential buyers to be extra cautious when purchasing this stuff online because far too many of those sites seem to be run by scammers. I’ve noticed that whenever I request for more information regarding the authenticity of the product or for secure online payment methods, the sellers (or scammers) avoid answering my questions and keep insisting on the payment. Well, they shouldn’t be holding their breath on that.😉
I agree with you totally, @Lynn. The only transactions I’ve made so far in these online sites were the purchase of used CC mangas, and even then, one of the sets were not official copies but fortunately the other set is complete and official.
It’s frustrating, isn’t it? There’s really no quality control or transparency when it comes to such online purchases. It’s a pity that all this CC vintage merch isn’t available on accredited platforms such as Amazon.
Hi @Lynn, it’s unfortunate because these vintage materials are often pre-owned and more likely found in online auctions. Therefore, I’m lucky to know some CC fans who have started a collection of precious goodies over the years, like some Facebook page owners whom I have mentioned in various posts.
At least you’ve managed to find some people you can trust when it comes to these transactions. Tbh, I think it’s the only way because the majority of sites online don’t seem credible.
@Dear Ms Puddle , I don’t know how to thank you for the wonderful post! Btw I think Candy gainned some height as she grew up.
I think you’re right about that @Hope. Albeit remaining petite, Candy would have surely got taller by a couple of inches.
@Lynn Yes,sure ! 🙂
Yes @Hope I agree with you. Candy on this particular page was still 13 after all. Glad to hear you like this post 🤗
Awesome post! Is this source material from Nakayoshi available for purchase?
Thank you @Sarah! I think these published materials can be found on eBay or any similar online auctions. They are quite costly AFAIK 😅
I did a bit of digging myself and you’re right about the expensive prices. Needless to mention that some of those sites are a bit dodgy when it comes to credible payment methods.
Yes, @Sarah. That’s true, unfortunately.
Hi Ms Puddle!
Thank you for this additional information even though the “Nakayoshi Appendix” is rather confusing. It doesn’t really matter though because the 2010 novel doesn’t appear to align with it anyway.
As for Michelle’s comment, it is brilliant which I am not surprised because her comments are always well thought of and reinforced with excellent argumentation.
Thanks again and take care!
Agreed. Michelle nailed it with her very astute comment!
Yumiko Igarashi had made some marvelous illustrations of the “chemistry” between Terry and Susanna, especially that scene where Terry hovers his arm around Susanna in an attempt to shield her from the raging fans. That scene is from their performance in Chicago. Terry looks much different and I would say far better than that idiotic spoilt brat wasting his father’s money at that religious boarding school in London.
Yes, I remember that scene as well as that other one when the two of the first met. Terry’s expression was unprecedented (for him) as he looked stunned with Susanna’s beauty. In the anime though it was different and more mutual.
***two of them
Yes, @Sarah. I remember their first encounter very well. I think the two were both stunned by each other’s attractive appearance. For Susanna, it must be love at first sight. 😉
I have the impression that Susanna was more infatuated than genuinely in love with Terry. This may appear as cynical-and maybe it actually is-but after the dust set in, Susanna probably deeply regretted ever having plunged to her doom in order to save some random dude. Even Candy admits that she wouldn’t have sacrificed her life for Terry and that she’s stunned that Susanna had taken such an initiative.
@Sarah, you might be right about Susanna’s feelings or regrets. Nobody knew what was going to happen after all, and at that very moment perhaps she genuinely cared about Terry enough to push him away from the falling spotlights.
About Candy’s words, I thought she only said that so as to make Terry feel less bad about “abandoning her”. 🤔🙄
Doubt it. If Susanna was in the right mind and had the chance to relive that tragic event, there’s a great chance that she wouldn’t have sprung to save Terry. It’s not worth being a paraplegic for anyone, especially not a toxic male character like Terry.
As for Candy, she probably meant it when she said that she would and could never make such a sacrifice. Candy may be very kind and caring but she’s not a fool.
Your comment is to-the-point when it comes to Candy’s character. I agree with you that Candy’s common sense and survival instinct are superior and stronger to any form of reckless and self-destructive acts. This would make sense given the fact that Candy was nowhere near as privileged like Terry and Susanna and she always had to rely on her own means and resources in order to survive. Altruism is great but it certainly has its limits and that’s how it should be, tbh.
You’ve raised valid points, @Sarah and @Michelle. 👍 Even though Susanna said in her letter to Candy that Terry was very important to her, I’m sure deep down she had some regrets.
In fact, Candy is likely physically stronger so even if she had been the one to push Terry out of the way she probably wouldn’t have collapsed onto the floor… 🙄
Candy and Susanna are probably just as frail with the difference of perhaps Candy being a bit sturdier albeit much shorter and Susanna being significantly taller but of a more slender and slight frame.
As for Susanna having regrets, she wouldn’t be upfront about it to Terry as so much damage has been done anyway. My theory is that Susanna also decided to remain silent about the alleged affair between her and Terry before her accident because it would have been completely classless if she told Candy otherwise. Susanna has many flaws but she’s not Eliza nor Neal.
I think you have a point @Sarah. Your theory seems valid based on the already available textual evidence of the CCFS.
Thanks, Michelle. I’m just trying to focus on what’s in the novel without using any snippets of information from the anime or manga. It is difficult, however, because the novel on it’s own doesn’t make much sense and it reads more like a rushed and sloppily written summary instead of a serious novel intended for publication. The only way to really know what’s going on in this story is to have already watched the anime and read the manga.
Hi @Sarah, I agree the novel is heavily dependent on the manga (not so much on the anime IMHO). Indeed, plenty of the significant episodes were unfortunately summarized or “glossed over”, especially the events between Candy’s departure from the college in London to her return to the orphanage as a helper.
You’re right about that, Ms Puddle.
Typo: “wrong”
Apologies, Ms Puddle, but I meant to specify a typo for another comment of mine and not for this thread. Just to clarify, I consider your explanation to be right and not wrong.
I keep on making such typos myself, Sarah. LOL
Yeah, spell-checkers aren’t too useful after all. 😂
Oh yes @Anita!! In those illustrations by Igarashi sensei, Terry appeared chivalrous. Not only that, he was polite with her and never belittled her 😅
His behaviour was distinctly different and it indicates how much respect Terry had for Susanna-and this was prior to her tragic accident.
My sentiments exactly, @Anita. Terry might be blunt with his other co-workers but with Susanna he was cordial 😉
What’s even more bizarre is that Terry continued to be cordial and tender to Susanna even after she confessed keeping Candy’s letters from him.
That’s an excellent point @Anita. If a colleague of mine had pulled such a stunt as Susanna did, I would have cut all ties with that person on a social and personal level. Terry, on the other hand, seemed to have softened his stance and even further became more amiable in Susanna’s presence. His cordial manner towards Susanna was an overt insult against Candy because what Susanna had done was offensive to both Terry and Candy.
My sentiments exactly, @Anita and @Lynn. You both raised excellent points and I couldn’t agree with @Lynn more that Terry’s reaction was an insult to Candy no matter how one looks at it. He had definitely taken her for granted.
Whilst not explicit in the novel, Terry does confess to himself that he is also attracted to Susanna. In the anime, he goes as far as to admit that his feelings for Susanna were brewing for quite a while but he didn’t want to accept it because of his affection for Candy. It’s quite obvious that Terry was attracted to both women, otherwise, he wouldn’t have so easily brushed off Susanna’s wrong-doings. Let’s not forget that this is a guy who would fly off the handle with unsettling ease and threaten to beat Candy up simply because she had accidently stumbled upon an old photograph of his mother in his dorm at St Paul’s. His double-standards behaviour towards these two women speaks volumes of how he takes Candy for granted but bestows so much respect and consideration for Susanna.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Terry and Albert had relationships with other women prior to Candy and there’s nothing wring with that. However, what makes Albert a superior character to Terry with regards to ethos and personal integrity is that he treats all women with respect and thus never abusing them physically or psychologically as Terry did at Candy’s expense many a time.
Agree with you, @Sarah. First, no worries about the typo and your subsequent correction at all. 😉
About Terry and Albert, their good-looking faces must have attracted some ladies in their midst. There are fanfics about either of them having other relationships prior to meeting Candy as well.
You’re absolutely right, Terry’s constant teasing of Candy’s appearance or behavior is borderline verbal abuse. Candy was likely too young or inexperienced to know.
Typo: “there’s nothing wrong with that..”
I agree with you-Anita and Sarah. Irrespective of the controversy surrounding the identity of “anohito”, Albert is the clear winner regarding the type of friend and partner a modern independent woman who respects herself wants.😉
Thanks @Lynn. Fortunately, toxic male characters such as Terry are no longer popular but completely ridiculed by the younger generations of women. This explains the rise in appeal regarding Albert’s character because he constitutes a modernized version of men who acknowledge empowered women. The same goes for male characters including Stear and George. That said, toxic male characters are outdated and passé whereas feminist men are respected and relevant, nowadays.
That’s true, Anita. It’s interesting that Keiko Nagita focuses on the transformation of Candy’s character and how from a vulnerable teenager who was victimized by toxic dudes grew to become an independent career woman with higher and better standards, hence, choosing a man like Albert as her partner. It is most certain that anohito is either Albert or another character (not necessarily mentioned in the novel) who bears those fine traits similar to those of Albert’s awesome character.
Yes @Lynn and @Anita. I totally agree. In fact, I figure Nagita sensei had higher standards for men than her peers when she set Albert as Candy’s destined love. Don’t forget that back in the 70s toxic males were widely accepted as “normal” or even “attractive/manly” in Asian cultures. The author did not cave in to the tremendous pressure or threats from the crazy fans by reuniting Candy with Terry, and instead, she kept her ideals, sticking to her original plot by leading Candy back to the mysterious but gentle Prince on the Hill.
Well said @Ms Puddle! Candy eventually grew to become an independent woman who focused on her career and also respecting herself. This is the reason why she wanted Albert all to herself, as she had said to him in their correspondence. Candy had obviously improved her standards and put toxic men such as Terry in the distant past where they belong.
You’re right, @Anita! Candy had clearly made peace with her past and focused on helping at the orphanage as well as working as a nurse. In her unsent letter to Terry she talked so much about Albert and there was no hint of sadness or bitterness whatsoever when she mentioned Susanna and Terry’s decision. 👍
Candy simply made the decision that all mentally strong and psychologically healthy individuals follow as a motto and that is refusing to loiter in the past, enjoying the present and anticipating a productive future with a partner who respects and not abuses you.
Well said, @Lynn! In fact, as Nagita sensei mentioned in an interview, she designed from the beginning that Candy would remain optimistic and hope for the future despite hardships. Those who insist that she would wait for Terry to return had totally missed the point. 😉
Yes @Anita. Glad you like Michelle’s remark like I do❣️
I also want to show that these published materials can be contradicting one another. I was surprised too when I found out. However, the novel should take priority when there are conflicts, don’t you think?
You take care too 🤗
Yes, it’s beyond any shadow of a doubt that the author has the first and final word since this story belongs to hers. All these other sources are very interesting and noteworthy, however, the priority always goes to Keiko Nagita.
That’s what I think too, @Anita. The author also reserves the rights to make changes or amendments to her story, thus making Candy’s birthdate a day in May rather than a specific date and Anthony and Cornwell brothers slightly younger, etc. etc.
You’re right and I wonder how copyright laws apply in Japan. Back in the 1970s, it would have been difficult for Nagita’s intellectual property to be vindicated but, presumably, the material circumstances have changed given the fact that the verdict was ruled in her favour even after so many years.
I think you’re right, @Anita. At least back then Nagita had the authority to make Igarashi redraw some manga scenes (the ones she had deviated from the manuscripts on purpose).
I had read about this situation where Keiko Nagita, in retrospect, had wished that she was far more dynamic in asserting herself and defending her intellectual property but she was young and inexperienced at the time.
Yet, she continues to compromise her intellectual property by succumbing to the restraints of her publisher…
Hi @Sarah, I guess it has something to do with their culture or contract. Just a wild guess though. 🙄
I ought to admit that I find it rather odd myself. Publishers are known to be a bit finicky with regards to the structure and word limit of a book but the restrictions imposed on Nagita are over the top.