The long-awaited anime adaptation of "Grandpa and Grandma Rejuvenate" is set to arrive in 2024. Its most distinctive setting is that an elderly couple who have been together for many years suddenly rejuvenate. While anything goes in today's animations, from reincarnation into another world to returning from death, the concept of an elderly person rejuvenating into a young person is perhaps rare. Furthermore, this work stands out for its many different story progressions and settings, making it a very unique piece. The hourglass setting, which is the mechanism by which the grandparents rejuvenate in this work, is particularly interesting, as it makes use of the unique property of an hourglass—it can be flipped upside down. It's undoubtedly a crucial item in this work, so be sure to pay attention to the hourglass that appears in the film. This time, we'll provide a brief introduction to the hourglass, the setting that supports this work's unique character.
Two People Rejuvenated
As mentioned at the beginning, the concept of this work is about an elderly grandfather and grandmother who suddenly become younger and relive their youth. Originally a manga posted on pixiv, it gained popularity through social media. Even among social media works, which tend to be short stories, its overwhelming popularity has earned it a long-term following.
Popular with the Family
The grandparents are incredibly handsome, a sight hard to imagine from their original appearances, and even their family members are captivated by their looks. The most interesting aspect of this film is the contrast between the scruffy grandparents and their incredibly beautiful looks after rejuvenating.
Enjoying a Second Youth
The couple were extremely busy raising their children and caring for their parents during their newlywed years, which meant they had little time to enjoy themselves when they were younger. As a result, the couple, suddenly rejuvenated, will once again enjoy the bittersweet moments of youth they never had before, in their later years.
A Promise Never Kept
Shozo, who had always regretted not being able to fulfill the honeymoon they promised when they were newlyweds, is inspired by his rejuvenation to go on a honeymoon with Ine. This film also depicts Shozo's tireless efforts to ensure that their honeymoon, an important promise for the couple, is fulfilled, so this is definitely something to keep an eye on.
The cause was an hourglass!?
So far, we've seen how the two characters have become younger and how they work hard to recapture their youth. The cause of their rejuvenation is the hourglass, the subject of this article. The hourglass appears fairly early in the story, hinting at its role as the cause of the two characters' rejuvenation. Therefore, it's safe to say that the existence of this hourglass will be revealed relatively early in the anime.
Hourglasses in Dreams
In this work, hourglasses always appear in the two characters' dreams. Essentially, hourglasses exist in their subconscious, always appearing unannounced in their dreams. One day, the two suddenly encounter the hourglass in a dream and are suddenly rejuvenated. The hourglass thus appears in various scenes throughout the work. It is not a one-off; it appears multiple times, making it an important item that holds the key to the story's progression.
Does flipping it upside down make you younger? ?
The operation of this hourglass is extremely simple: when you flip it over, the direction of the falling sand changes, and by the time you wake up, you'll be rejuvenated. Although it has a very simple structure, it seems that sometimes people use it incorrectly, which can lead to incidents.
What is the true nature of the hourglass? ?
Because Shozo and Ine were so busy during their married years, they didn't have much time to play together in their younger years. So why did the hourglass suddenly appear when they finally had some free time? While the reason for this has not yet been explained in the story, it is an important element related to the theme of this work, so the true nature of the hourglass may become clear as the story progresses.
Helpful Hourglass Features
The hourglass can return you to your younger self by flipping it over, but it actually has even more useful features. From here, I'd like to introduce some of the hourglass's hidden abilities. As the story progresses, Shozo and Ine gradually come to understand the hourglass's properties and expand their range of action, so keep an eye out for its hidden abilities.
It can also revert to old age
The hourglass' hidden ability is that by turning it over again, they can revert to old age. Many problems arise throughout the story that can only be solved by the elderly, so when such problems arise, the two are surprisingly adept at using it, reverting to old age and solving them. However, as they are still elderly, their physical strength reverts to that of old age, which can lead to frequent dozing, which can be a drawback.
There's also the unusual pairing of a grandfather and a beautiful girl!?
Though the title of this work is "Grandpa and Grandma Rejuvenate," the story surprisingly depicts not only rejuvenation but also rapid aging. The ages of the two characters change quite often, so one is often old while the other is young. This allows for pairings like a grandfather and a beautiful girl that are completely unseen in other works.
Making the Most of Their Own Forms
In this work, we see the grandfather and grandmother skillfully switching between their old and young guises. Not only the young characters, but the old characters also feature many common old-person tropes, making them surprisingly entertaining. While the film is often focused on romantic depictions, the comedic exchanges in the old-person parts and the serious story progression that depicts the depopulation issues in rural Japan are also very entertaining, so be sure to check it out.
Even a minor accident!?
Though the two characters make fairly convenient use of the hourglass, there are several instances in the story where they misuse it and cause accidents. In particular, misusing an hourglass can be life-threatening, so it's important to be aware of the dangers of hourglasses.
Ine's Unexpected Headbutt
One of the most serious accidents depicted in the story was when Ine accidentally headbutted the hourglass while trying to turn it, shattering it. The hourglass represents the couple's lifespan, and it's no exaggeration to say that the sand inside represents their very lives. Therefore, pushing the sand out of the hourglass was a dangerous accident that could have resulted in death.
Loss of Memory
Fortunately, Ine's life was spared when she broke the hourglass, but when she woke up one morning, she had lost all of her memories. She had lost memories of her marriage to her grandfather, as well as memories of when they first met, and Shozo was left bewildered by this sudden turn of events.
Will Shozo be able to restore Ine's memories?
Will Shozo be able to recover Ine's lost memories after an unexpected accident that shatters the hourglass? Be sure to tune in to the animated series airing this year to find out. This episode not only reveals the secret of the hourglass in detail, but also reveals Ine's past personality and upbringing, so be sure to tune in.
The Function of an Impermanent Hourglass
Also, because the sand in an hourglass never falls out if you keep turning it over, some fans may have thought that the grandfather and grandmother could live forever. However, the film clearly states the grandfather and grandmother's lifespans and explains that they cannot live forever.
In fact, the sand was overflowing.
While an hourglass itself will never run out of sand if you keep turning it, the two men's hourglasses are designed to leak sand, meaning that they will eventually run out of sand. The old man himself says, "There's no such thing as eternity, after all," but given the theme of depicting the elderly, this work does not shy away from the subject of human death.
How will they live the rest of their lives?
Though the lives of these two people appear infinite at first glance, their end is clearly indicated, making it clear that they don't have much time left. Therefore, the grandfather and grandmother, who have been rejuvenated, spend their days thinking about how they will live out the rest of their lives.
A plot not seen in other romance anime
Though this work is centered around romance, it also features many episodes that deal with the theme of "death," something not often seen in other romance works. In addition to death, it explores a variety of themes, including dementia and rural depopulation, from a unique perspective unique to a work featuring elderly protagonists. Be sure to pay attention to the story beyond the romance.
How will Rice deal with her lifespan?
In this work, Ine's lifespan is portrayed rather harshly, and her lifespan is a crucial factor in the progression of the story. Ine is a particularly popular character in the series, so many fans will be saddened by the mere thought of her possible death. However, since the story centers around an elderly person, it is an unavoidable theme.
Ine's Weak Health
As mentioned at the beginning, Ine was naturally sickly, and as she grew older, she became especially prone to illness. Before her rejuvenation, she was clearly in a very serious condition, with the announcement that she would be "admitted to a university hospital next week."
She manages to hang on thanks to her rejuvenation, but...
Even in such a situation, Ine's rejuvenation has helped her regain her health and allow her to remain somewhat active even after reverting to an old age. One likely contributing factor to this is that her rejuvenation has given her more opportunities to exercise outdoors, which has increased her stamina. As a result, she appears quite energetic for a while in the story, leading many fans to speculate that she will continue to play an active role in this healthy state.
Ine's Sand Is Clearly Low
However, Ine's lifespan was coming to an end sooner than Shozo's. Her remaining lifespan is clearly evident from the fact that the sand in the hourglass that appears in the story is running low. While it would be a spoiler to say whether Ine will die and lose all of her sand, this is a very important element in the story, so if you're curious about Ine's future, be sure to check out the story.
Summary
Did you enjoy this? This time, we've introduced the hourglass that appears in "Grandpa and Grandma Rejuvenate." If used properly, an hourglass can be a very useful tool, capable of rejuvenating or aging. However, as you can see, if used incorrectly, the hourglass can lead to memory loss and other rather troublesome events. For better or worse, the hourglass is an item that often serves as a catalyst for major progress in the story of this work. If you're a fan who's become interested in the story after reading this article, be sure to pay attention to the hourglass as you enjoy the work.
