Ask John: Is Potpourri Smarter than Tsukasa and Osaka?

Question:
Do you think Potpourri has more or less intelligence than Tsukasa and Osaka?

Answer:
In many cases, comparisons between characters are arbitrary and offer little more than justification for fans to praise or criticize favored characters. However, in a case such as this one, a comparison may enlighten our own perspectives on anime characters and the way viewers relate to anime. I’ll do my best to answer this question, but my ability will be limited by the extent of my knowledge. I’m taking for granted that “Potpourri” refers to the protagonist of the 1998 anime Fushigi Mahou Fun Fun Pharmacy, “Tsukasa” refers to the character from the 2007 series Lucky Star, and “Osaka” comes from 2002’s Azumanga Daioh. While I’ve watched all of Lucky Star and “AzuDai,” I’ve only watched the first half-dozen episodes of Fan Fan Pharmacy.

Directly comparing Potpourri’s intelligence with Tsukasa Hiiragi and Ayumu “Osaka” Kasuga may be slightly unfair because Potpourri clearly appears to be several years younger than either Tsukasa and Osaka. But all three characters fall into the category of simple-minded, well-intentioned, moe-inducing little sister type characters. Within the episodes of Fun Fun Pharmacy that I’ve watched, I wouldn’t say that Potpourri is unintelligent. Rather, she appears to act like a typical pre-adolescent anime girl. She accepts magical things and events with minimal surprise because she’s still young enough to believe that magic does actually exist. She occasionally makes rash decisions because she’s still a child who hasn’t developed a complete grasp of the principle of consequence. Her actions aren’t specially dumb; they’re motivated by her childish sense of wonder and curiosity, and a selfishness that comes from having not yet mentally matured enough to understand the abstract concepts of consequence and responsibility.

Tsukasa may not be especially academic, and she lacks a sense of practical efficiency, but she is capable of functioning adequately within society without harming or disturbing anyone (apart from her twin sister). Tsukasa understands the concepts of social responsibility, efficiency, and common sense. She’s just not especially adept at these particular skills.

I adore Osaka, but I must admit that she may be the least intelligent of the trio. In a favorable light, Osaka simply has a “unique” perspective on the world. From an objective perspective, she seems to be incapable of comprehending complex, abstract concepts, seems easily prone to distraction, and frequently makes decisions or performs actions that may inconvenience others without realizing that her actions are disturbing. Of the three young girls in question, Osaka is the one who most often does literally dumb things. She’s also a member of the “bonkuras” trio, illustrating that she’s academically weak as well. However, on a relative scale of “dumbness,” none of these three girls come close to rivaling the stupidity of characters like Himeko Tsubaki of Himesama Goyojin or Yuuna Konnyaku from Kagekara Mamoru.

At least personally, I find it engaging to analyze exactly how viewers perceive certain characters. I think it’s also revealing about the literary and artistic quality of Fun Fun Pharmacy, Lucky Star, and Azumanga Daioh that each series includes a character that’s seemingly similar to the others, but, in fact, has unique personality characteristics. It’s also revealing that these shows can make seemingly unintelligent characters so attractive and beloved. Viewers don’t feel dragged down or frustrated by these characters because these characters may not be bright, but they’re also not especially stupid. They are characters whose appeal lies precisely in their capacity to exude an aura of innocence and whimsical vulnerability. So, as a result, it’s precisely their lack of academic and abstract intelligence that make them adorable.