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Jan 31, 2015 7:11 AM
#1

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Jul 2013
488
Okay, I've seen this show about 3 times now (Funimation's dub) and I don't totally "get" the happiness energy concept. (I have not read the manga yet, but I would like to.)

Ichiko has too much happiness energy and also sucks it away from people close to her. But in spite of all this, she doesn't actually seem very happy. She's usually alone, and the only times she seems happy are when she's caught up in superficial things like her looks or her wealth.

So she has to learn to trust people and make friends. Ichiko makes friends with Ranmaru and tries to help Tsuwabuki and his family, and starts to be a little less selfish, but she's still sucking up their happiness energy and will end up making them miserable.

How is Ichiko supposed to get rid of her excess happiness energy if making friends and helping people ends up hurting them? It seems like that would be the answer. Does she need to do some sort of dramatic penance or something? Does she just need to be even less selfish?

Any help or thoughts would be appreciated.
towelgirl21Jan 31, 2015 11:45 AM
Feb 11, 2015 12:27 AM
#2

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Dec 2014
354
In the manga, Momiji(or poop god) once said to Sakura "You're just making people closer to you and by sucking out their energy they become more unlucky, then you come out as a 'hero', saving them in the process." Although that is true, I don't think that is what she truly wants. I haven't read finish the manga yet, still halfway through, buut I think a viable way for her to keep making friends whilst not getting them into trouble or unfortunate circumstances, is to let the Misfortune God keep sucking out the energy using the syringe and breaking it, thus allowing her friends to absorb it. Rinse and repeat I guess, although this is purely just my speculation. I haven't read finish the manga yet so i don't know how it will end.
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Feb 11, 2015 5:25 PM
#3

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Jul 2013
488
Thanks for your speculation, _kevin. If Momiji is around all the time, she can probably keep Ichiko in check.

Would Momiji have to stay at her house all the time as a roommate? I thought Momiji had to complete her mission to make Ichiko miserable in order to go back to the realm of the gods.

Still seems like a "damned if you do, damned if you don't" situation.

She can't learn to be a good person by being alone, living her superficial life, but if she befriends or helps people she (accidentally) makes them miserable.

If Ichiko does something selfless at a personal cost to herself, then people still might say "Wow, Ichiko is hero" even if she didn't brag about it.

I wonder if what counts is where her heart is: If she did something without thinking of any reward, does that make a difference?

Would anonymous acts of kindness burn up more happiness energy?

When Ichiko is alone, she seems pretty sad. Letting her butler (Suwano was his name, I think) leave made her sad, but it was better for him. So she gave her friend happiness energy, and then made him go away and that worked?

I guess any way you look at it, Ichiko is just cursed with good luck.

And if good luck is a curse, is it really "good"?

Maybe something was lost in translation from Japanese to English, or they have a different concept of fortune and misfortune.

EDIT: I looked up the Wikipedia article "Binbogami" and the gist of the stories was that the poverty god will leave after the household experiences enough misery. The anime just seems to explain that in a roundabout way. Maybe Momiji is trying to do a rush job?
towelgirl21Feb 11, 2015 5:42 PM

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