12 Days of Anime Intro
Today’s episode: Tribe Cool Crew episode 20
I reviewed this show a while ago but figured revisiting it a bit wouldn’t hurt.
In all of the larger plot in Tribe Cool Crew about Jey-El and the Dance Road, some of the more poignant moments are hidden in the cracks between. This episode – sandwiched with some other one-off episodes between important Jey-El ones – is a perfect example of such a story.
It begins with Kanon and a friend walking together when they are approached by a talent agent who manages to call her out as the masked internet sensation, Rhythm. This is a pretty big blow to Kanon, who used her secret identity to have fun and express herself without the “shame” involved. Hiding your face to do internet videos is actually pretty common in real life, since creative outlets are often seen as a “waste of time” and it could hurt your social standing if your public image isn’t squeaky clean. Tribe Cool Crew explores this through Kanon, who has a very immediate reason for wanting to hide her hobby – her family is pretty important and well known. Specifically, her father is a Diet member, a life-long politician. Her mother, we come to find out, also used to be a popular idol in her 20s.
This turns out to be the biggest point of contention for Kanon’s mother. She is embarrassed of her past for many of the same reasons Kanon would hide her identity on the internet. In particular, Kanon’s mother had a surprising romance with a politician, the man who would be Kanon’s dad. However, her history as an idol made people view their relationship as unacceptable, and she was harassed for having the audacity to go above her presumed place on the social ladder.
She persevered, but swore to do her best to keep her children from going through the same things. From this perspective, her reaction to Kanon’s dancing makes sense and comes from a place of love, even if it is misguided. Though she had the strength to stay with her husband through all the problems, her view on what is right for her children was still affected by her social climate. Of course, in the end she realizes this thanks to Tribe Cool Crew and her husband’s support (makes sense – he did marry an idol, after all!) and Kanon is allowed to dance like she wants to.
This episode speaks to the ways Tribe Cool Crew is a successful children’s show. Kanon’s desire to express herself through dance is validated, a common theme in kid’s stories, but her issues are framed in a much more mature and socially conscious way than most shows are smart enough to do.
Far Greater Value 