If last week I shared some lesser-known Japanese movies that I love, this time I'd like to share some Japanese series of the same nature. Series take a lot more commitment, as my friend Uli once said, but sometimes it is really worth it. I try to search for those titles that aren't available in other forms and has little to no gimmicks within—i.e., fanservice of any kind. They tend to be down-to-earth stories that are mostly plausible to happen in the real world, so if you're not an otaku, it shouldn't be hard for you to swallow. Some of the stories can be quite dark and/or less pleasant, while others are sweet and serene, but I will make sure to let you know in each synopsis if there is any red flag to watch out for. Well, hope you'll enjoy them!
Inside Mari
「僕はマリの中」
Isao Komori is a college dropout shut-in who spends his days gaming and jacking off, after three years of failure in making friends and creating a new life in Tokyo. One morning, when he wakes up, Komori finds himself in the body of a beautiful high school girl who he often sees at the local convenience store, Mari Yoshizaki. At school, pretending to be Mari, Komori is caught by her classmate Yori, who notices that something is off about Mari. Together they go to Komori's old apartment, only to find that another "Komori" inhabits his old body and the real Mari is nowhere to be found. It is a really intriguing story filled with numerous plot twists and shocking turn-of-events, dealing mainly in the search for identity, friendship and the concept of 'home.' However, if you are uncomfortable with the subject matter of sex and pornography—not in any romanticised way—you may want to steer clear of this one.
Princess Maison
「プリンセスメゾン」
Now this one is a unique drama series, with a down-to-earth cinematography and realistic storyline. It tells the story of a 26-year-old woman who is looking to buy an apartment of her own. She frequents the marketing gallery of an upcoming apartment complex. Helped by the marketing employees, she is figuring out the bits and bobs of buying property and the best option for her current financial situation. This series is rather slow-paced with barely any dramatisation, acting so good it almost feels semi-documentary and quirky characters to boot. Numa-chan, the main character, is so adorable. I love her pigtails! The story also highlights the rising demand for owning property among single women in Japan, giving us a peek at what real estate looks like in the city today. A good change of pace from the more action-/drama-packed of other series.
School Counselor
「明日の約束」
While bullying is infamous in Japan, it apparently doesn't only happen in schools and/or workplace—it can also occur at home. With parents demanding the impossible of their children, no wonder many of them fall into depression—or worse. This series looks into that whole thing. Hinata Aizawa works as a high school counsellor and often finds herself face-to-face with children in troubling conditions. Among these students, Keigo Yoshioka stands out as he has refused to come back to school after summer holiday. One day, he commits suicide. Some believe that the bullying he receives in his class and basketball club may be the cause of his death. Some others point to his mother as the cause. It is Aizawa's mission to find out the truth. It is a chilling look at what school life in Japan is actually like. The most interesting point here is Aizawa's own issues with her mother—probably the most despicable woman I've ever seen.
Caution, Hazardous Wife
「奥様は取り扱い注意」
A terrific dramedy of the life of Japanese housewives, mixed with numerous fighting scenes and impressive martial arts. Nami Isayama is a normal housewife, but she hasn't always been one. Before she met her husband, she was working as a special agent, fighting bad guys and accomplishing missions. She falls in love at first sight and moves to a new house with her husband. In the new neighbourhood, she becomes friends with Yuri and Kyoko, her fellow housewives. She thought she was going to have a peaceful life, taking classes and drinking tea with her friends. However, whenever she smells trouble in her neighbourhood, her old instinct to fight re-awakens. It's a really great story on female friendship and empowerment, on love and marriage and the small world of Japanese housewives. Very, very awed by Haruka Ayase's amazing stunts! Someone says this is like "Japanese Desperate Housewives" and I couldn't agree more—a little more badass though.
Kantarou: The Sweet Tooth Salaryman
「さぼリーマン甘太朗」
When you're passionate about something, wouldn't you want to find any way to pursue it? Even if it's just in the little things that give nothing but happiness as a reward? That's what Kantarou is doing in this hilarious collaboration between TV Tokyo and Netflix. You see, Kantarou is greatly passionate about sweets. It is his goal to try each and every sweet shop in Tokyo. Unfortunately, he now works as the sales rep in a publishing company, which will most likely take up the majority of his time. He doesn't want to just eat sweets on the weekends, so he comes up with a plan. Being a sales rep, Kantarou spends plenty of his working hours going from bookstore to bookstore to promote the company's latest published works. This gives him time to visit a sweet shop of his choice every time. Between the effort for Kantarou not to get caught and his exaggerated foodgasm, this series is just too funny to miss! Little warning, though: you might want everything he eats afterwards.
Recovery of an MMO Junkie
「ネト充のススメ」
Japan is an extremely workaholic country. The work hours there are crazy and the seniority complex can be rather distressing. When 30-year-old Moriko quits her job of 11 years and turns to online game to pass the time, it is no surprise that she feels happier than ever. Signing into the MMORPG Fruits de Mer as a male hero 'Hayashi,' Moriko often hunts for monsters and explores dungeons with her friends, including the lovely healer Lily. Turning into a total recluse, Moriko's only venture to the outdoors tend to be her trips to the convenience store nearby, where she bumps into Yuuta. Although sure to never see each other again, it turns out Yuuta and Moriko have more in common than they know. The story is very sweet, simple and rather slow-paced. With very few characters and no branching storyline, it is a breath of fresh air to watch amidst the action-packed variety of titles usually being offered.
Red Data Girl
「ＲＤＧレッドデータガール」
It is hard to talk about Japan, without diving into the spiritual, especially in the animated world. There are countless Japanese animated series that deal with the spiritual world—BLEACH and Yu Yu Hakusho, to name a few. Red Data Girl is one such series. The story revolves around the life of Izumiko, a 15-year-old girl who was raised in a shrine in the mountains and tend to break any electrical appliance she touches. Although said to be a goddess and overflowing with spiritual powers, her bodyguard Miyuki doesn't think very highly of her. Miyuki's father—Izumiko's guardian—enrols both of them at Hojo High School, a special school filled with exorcists from prestigious families, in order to protect Izumiko from everyone who wants to get at her power. Set in rural-looking areas, the story takes on a subtly action-packed adventure of exorcism and spiritual battles, with romance and friendship thrown into the mix.
Kids on the Slope
「坂道のアポロン」
When we think of the music scene in Japan, very rarely would we probably think of jazz. Well, me, anyway—as I'm not a huge fan of jazz anyway. But, apparently, it is a historical part of the Japanese music scene. Recommended to me by my brother, this is a story about jazz in the 1940s. The story centres around Kaoru, a high school student who just recently moves to Kyushu. At first being unable to make friends, he meets the school's delinquent Sentarou and they quickly bonded over their love for jazz. They start having jam sessions after school, using the basement of a record shop owned by their classmate, Ritsuko. It's a heartbreaking story of love and friendship, where three very different people bond over their love for music. My favourite piece from this anime is the jazz rendition of A Few of My Favourite Things. It really gives the song a twist and character different from the Julie Andrews version.
School-Live!
「がっこうぐらし」
WARNING: reading this will spoil at least the first episode for you, but unless you can take my word that this series will be the most heartbreaking one you'll ever watch, I'd suggest you read it. The story starts off with four high school girls who, together, form the School Living Club. Along with their supervising teacher, these girls make the most of their school life by actually staying at school 24/7. However, it turns out, the shocking reason behind this club is that they are in the middle of a zombie apocalypse and they have to barricade themselves at the school to survive. Mixing the genre of science fiction, drama and comedy—injected with a lot of moe goodness—this series will attack you with twists and turns all the way to the end. It is filled with many hilarious moments, but also with many tearjerking moments, serving the dystopian genre in the most heartfelt manner.
Hanasaku Iroha: Blossoms for Tomorrow
「花咲くいろは」
One of the most heartwarming, down-to-earth and quintessentially Japanese animated series that I've ever watched. With a rather simple storyline, it manages to lure the audience by creating loveable and relatable characters with a touch of thick Japanese culture. Ohana has always been told to 'fend for herself' by her single mother, but when the latter runs away with her boyfriend and stuck her with the debt, Ohana has no choice but to work for her estranged grandmother at her inn. Although at first clueless and incapable of much, Ohana learns to love the job, her colleagues/friends and the inn itself—ultimately, her cold grandmother as well. It is a story about hard work, integrity, friendship and growing up. Peppered with peeks into the traditional inn industry in rural Japan, the series brings the story and visuals to life magnificently.
What other Japanese series should I watch? Let me know!
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