It's easy to take what we do for granted. One never truly appreciates the influence something has on us until that influence is gone. In Mr. and Mrs. Turn Young Again episode 4, this seems to be the main point of the episode.
A Different Time
The further we go, the more divided the different generations seem to be, and there's good reason for that. Progress is not linear or incremental. It can happen with wide gaps and crazy dives. What is beyond the imagination of one generation may be mundane common ground for their children and grandchildren. Because of this, it is easy for new generations to be unaware of how challenging things are before them.
After criticizing her grandfather for offering to tutor her even though he hadn't finished school yet. Shiori was feeling quite apologetic about her insensitive comment. After all, his lack of education was not a personal choice but a fact of life back then. Previously, education was not a guarantee. If a person belongs to a poor family or belongs to a family that needs to work in the fields. That often takes priority over personal and grandfathered interests. This is no different.
Because of this, grandpa and grandma don't have fond memories of their school days together. There's no romance in the hallways, no cultural festivals, no flushing oranges down the toilet so that bathrooms overflow and classes are cut short. So when the opportunity to enjoy a cultural festival comes along. Hesitant at first, but in the end they were nothing but happy.
Day by day
However, when she arrived at the cultural festival, excited students spilled juice on her, forcing her to change into her sailor uniform, which seemed to cause her mental state to return. younger version of yourself. It was interesting, to say the least. Up to now, all influence on their age has come from the golden apple they ate and the dreams that created it. Some things can be powerful memory triggers, especially tactile and olfactory sensations. But it's too early to say that's what's happening here.
And as Mr. and Mrs. Young Again episode 4 continues, Mr. and Mrs.'s education, or rather lack of it, is reawakened. This time it was because Grandma made a somewhat insensitive comment, but Grandpa took that comment like a champ.
In economics, there is a concept called “opportunity cost”. Stupidly, this concept basically says that for every action you take, you miss out on the potential reward of the action you didn't take. The opposite is also true. Grandpa does not lament that he did not complete his education because it was the absence of it that led to the life he has now.
Mr. and Mrs. Turn Young Again Episode 4 Wrap-Up
As this week's episode ends, she crashes into her hourglass as she prepares to turn it over and she ends up becoming her younger self. Her hair color has returned to normal, her memories match her age, and she seems to be the same person she was before. And while one can speculate why, there is a larger issue here that remains unresolved.
The fact that grandparents can control their age is what makes their situation even more invaluable. Let's say you're 75 years old and have one year left before you cancel your life subscription. Your body doesn't move like it should, things hurt more often, and you know it's almost time. However, just before the end, you dream of the hourglass, turning it and gaining a few more years of life. If you are skilled enough, in that situation you can avoid death for decades. As long as you're really careful with your switches.
Screenshot via Crunchyroll
©Kagiri Araido, KADOKAWA/Grandparent Rejuvenation Production Committee