×
  • remind me tomorrow
  • remind me next week
  • never remind me
Subscribe to the ANN Newsletter • Wake up every Sunday to a curated list of ANN's most interesting posts of the week. read more

Forum - View topic
Answerman - Why Do Japanese School Kids Carry Randoseru?


Goto page 1, 2  Next

Note: this is the discussion thread for this article

Anime News Network Forum Index -> Site-related -> Talkback
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
mgosdin



Joined: 17 Jul 2011
Posts: 1302
Location: Kissimmee, Florida, USA
PostPosted: Mon Feb 06, 2017 2:16 pm Reply with quote
In the 60's & 70's public schools in my home town you ALWAYS carried your books / notebooks in the open. This exposed the books to all manner of environmental pitfalls, so the school district was always out money for many new books each year regardless of new editions. I got tired of struggling with my books and bought a valise with my own money in Middle School. Was the only kid with one for several years.

Mark Gosdin
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
amagee



Joined: 08 Nov 2010
Posts: 333
Location: Orlando, FL
PostPosted: Mon Feb 06, 2017 2:24 pm Reply with quote
As an extra little bit of cool information, these backpacks actually descend from the design of European military infantry packs from the middle of the 19th century. I'm unable to double check but I think the particular design comes from the Dutch.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Dandylion



Joined: 18 Dec 2016
Posts: 68
PostPosted: Mon Feb 06, 2017 2:37 pm Reply with quote
Watching this week Kobayashi-san episode, I was surprised to learn how much these "Randoseru" cost !!!
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
epicwizard



Joined: 03 Jul 2014
Posts: 420
Location: Ashburn, VA
PostPosted: Mon Feb 06, 2017 3:33 pm Reply with quote
I remember seeing randoseru in Doraemon and Ojarumaru. While I was interested in how different they looked from Western backpacks, I never knew that they were called "randoseru" until now. Thanks for the question, Samuel, and thanks for answering it, Answerman! Smile
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Afezeria



Joined: 20 Aug 2015
Posts: 817
Location: Malaysia, Kuantan.
PostPosted: Mon Feb 06, 2017 7:27 pm Reply with quote
I'd always thought that randoseru meant recorder or something because it sounded kinda the same, but since watching the 4th episode of Miss Kobayashi, I learnt that it was not the case. As for it being expensive, I don't really mind that because its better than changing backpack all the time due to the usual stock being too delicate. Had been forced to purchased a bag for my little sister last Saturday because the old one got damaged, and that was bought last December.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
DerekL1963
Subscriber



Joined: 14 Jan 2015
Posts: 1113
Location: Puget Sound
PostPosted: Mon Feb 06, 2017 7:58 pm Reply with quote
Most traditional schools require black? Usually, in anime, they're red.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Paiprince



Joined: 21 Dec 2013
Posts: 593
PostPosted: Mon Feb 06, 2017 8:37 pm Reply with quote
DerekL1963 wrote:
Most traditional schools require black? Usually, in anime, they're red.


Randoserus are gender coded in real life. Black is for boys while red is for girls. Not sure why anime makes both wear red.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
FMPhoenixHawk



Joined: 21 Dec 2007
Posts: 66
Location: Formerly MI, now IN.
PostPosted: Mon Feb 06, 2017 9:09 pm Reply with quote
Why not just make them out of aluminum, with modules that can be inserted to make the backpack larger for larger/older students? If you're spending that much money, better use it for the entire school experience.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message AIM Address
peno



Joined: 06 Jul 2016
Posts: 349
PostPosted: Mon Feb 06, 2017 10:19 pm Reply with quote
Because it's for kids? Can you imagine how heavy it would be if it was made from aluminum? Poor little boys and girls that would be forced to wear such thing Rolling Eyes
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
leafy sea dragon



Joined: 27 Oct 2009
Posts: 7163
Location: Another Kingdom
PostPosted: Tue Feb 07, 2017 12:58 am Reply with quote
I didn't even know that was anything other than a regular backpack. This is the first time I've seen the word "randoseru," for that matter. Besides being expensive because they're handmade, what are the distinguishing characteristics of a randoseru?

mgosdin wrote:
In the 60's & 70's public schools in my home town you ALWAYS carried your books / notebooks in the open. This exposed the books to all manner of environmental pitfalls, so the school district was always out money for many new books each year regardless of new editions. I got tired of struggling with my books and bought a valise with my own money in Middle School. Was the only kid with one for several years.

Mark Gosdin


Sounds like you would've had problems with free hands too. I can't imagine my school life if we didn't have backpacks, between how they'd free up my hands and how my shoulders were much better suited to carry the roughly 20 pounds around for miles than my arms would've been.

Paiprince wrote:
DerekL1963 wrote:
Most traditional schools require black? Usually, in anime, they're red.


Randoserus are gender coded in real life. Black is for boys while red is for girls. Not sure why anime makes both wear red.


Maybe they stand out more, artistically, or that it's hard to see black outlines on already black objects.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
DerekL1963
Subscriber



Joined: 14 Jan 2015
Posts: 1113
Location: Puget Sound
PostPosted: Tue Feb 07, 2017 1:07 am Reply with quote
FMPhoenixHawk wrote:
If you're spending that much money, better use it for the entire school experience.


My understanding is that there's a healthy used market, and they're handed down within families as well. (Not between generations, but between siblings and cousins.)
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
computerandy9



Joined: 08 Sep 2011
Posts: 12
PostPosted: Tue Feb 07, 2017 3:29 am Reply with quote
In Australia school bags are mandated by each school and will generally match the uniforms colours and have the logo on it. As far as I can remember all throughout school including primary school (elementary school) and secondary school (junior and senior high school) it was always backpacks. Backpacks were way more comfortable when travelling with heavy textbooks. I can't imagine using a satchel/ messenger bag for school.

Because of that it makes the bags used in Japan seem so interesting and unique from my perspective.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Zin5ki



Joined: 06 Jan 2008
Posts: 6680
Location: London, UK
PostPosted: Tue Feb 07, 2017 4:15 am Reply with quote
Justin wrote:
Randoseru are mandated for use throughout elementary school, and are so expensive that it's expected that one will last a kid for his entire time there.

Curious. From my own experiences, school bags would be replaced on a near-annual basis, mainly due to wear and tear along with the material consequences of bullying. That a child can typically use the same rucksack for many years is a testimony to schoolyard decorum.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website My Anime My Manga
jymmy



Joined: 11 Nov 2011
Posts: 1244
PostPosted: Tue Feb 07, 2017 9:05 am Reply with quote
computerandy9 wrote:
In Australia school bags are mandated by each school and will generally match the uniforms colours and have the logo on it.

Not in the schools I attended. We brought whatever bags we wanted in primary school and high school. The Catholic high school over the road did have bags that were part of the uniform, though.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message My Manga
Suena



Joined: 27 May 2012
Posts: 289
PostPosted: Tue Feb 07, 2017 7:52 pm Reply with quote
Afezeria wrote:
I'd always thought that randoseru meant recorder or something because it sounded kinda the same, but since watching the 4th episode of Miss Kobayashi, I learnt that it was not the case.

I thought you were going to make a "Recorder and Randsell" joke. Laughing
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Display posts from previous:   
Reply to topic    Anime News Network Forum Index -> Site-related -> Talkback All times are GMT - 5 Hours
Goto page 1, 2  Next
Page 1 of 2

 


Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group