Tenchi's father fails to provide a wholesome role in Tenchi's life, too. The Anime father is either inattentive or very attentive, but for all the wrong reasons. These poor father figures play the part of presenting the Underdog as an unlucky individual. It's possible that these poor father figures create such underdogs, who can achieve great goals like getting the girl, defeating the enemy, and surviving with chastity intact. The Japanese identify with having poor father figures.
Parents try to push children to do extremely well in school and work.
Maybe, Underdogs serve as an ideal, a dream where the underachiever, the nerd, and the pitiful can rise and get the girl, or win the fight. Maybe, Anime fathers serve as another ideal, where a less attentive father begets the Underdog. Page accessed times, column accessed times since October 16, 2000. Rodney Romasanta for Cal-Animage Alpha. All artwork, copyrights and trademarks remain the property of their respective owners.