Life Lessons With Uramichi Oniisan

On the much beloved children’s show “Together with Maman”, it is all smiles! The gymnast Oniisan, Uramichi Omota, dispenses important advice and helps keep the kids polite and respectful. That is, until his depressed, jaded side comes out. You see, this is not his first, second, or dare we say 28th choice for a job. But, here he is, and life is just unending pain at this point, so what are you going to do? Joined by his costars, singing Oniisan Iketeru Daga (a musical theater washout, who despite his pretty boy looks, can’t stop laughing at dirty jokes), singing Oneesan Utano Tadano (a failed singer, who is living with her boyfriend, who after 6 years STILL WON’T PROPOSE!!!), and Mascots of the show, bunny Usao and bear Kumao (two of Uramichi’s old roommates: Tobikichi Usahara, who can’t help himself but badmouth Uramichi, which earns him a whippin’ from Uramichi, and Mitsuo Kumatani, the lowkey one of the group, respectively), all 5 of these guys are just barely hanging on. They are not fine, despite what they have to show on camera. But sometimes it just leaks out, you know? Better the kids learn not to dream, because you can’t crush what isn’t there in the first place, right? Life Lessons With Uramichi Oniisan is the very definition of laughing through the pain, simultaneously hilarious and depressing. Uramichi himself is the standout, as his happy smiling face while dispensing cynical takes on life, gives you a good look at what this guy is going through. It also is a good (exaggerated) look into the entertainment business, as often times the directors, producers or the higher ups themselves will ask outlandish, frankly moronic decrees and the performers just have to go along with it. Like shooting a summer section in the dead of winter. Outside. On the beach. In swim trunks. But at the end of the day, no matter how jaded Uramichi gets, how many how many headlocks he puts Usahara in, or how many child’s hopes he dashes right before their eyes, we just want to see his life get a little better. But, if it weren’t for the pain, we wouldn’t have these excellent life lessons. So let’s get Together with Maman, and let’s all sing and play! After all, it’s not like you’ll have either the time or the money to have any fun when you’re an adult…