Sometimes you have to look under rocks.

Sometimes it can be tough to find certain dramas that, due to the lack of votes, don't make it to the top-rated lists. This can cause many exceptional stories to go completely unnoticed. My personal way of discovering them is by recalling the names of my most beloved actors or actresses from certain dramas and exploring their filmography. I really enjoyed watching 'In This Corner of the World,' and I was particularly impressed by Machiko Ono's portrayal of Keiko, Suzu's sister-in-law. Despite her numerous awards and contributions to the Japanese film industry, Ono has often been overshadowed by her peers.

One of the most unnoticed Japanese dramas of the past year is starred by one of the most overlooked actresses in the industry and one of the most overlooked actors as well (Kenichi Takito). I'm referring, obviously, to 'Grace no Rireki' or Grace’s Tracks.

What was supposed to be a farewell trip from Kikuo to his wife Minako tragically ends in a road accident in the French Provence, leaving Kikuo coping with the loss of his beloved wife. In about fifteen minutes, we witness the protagonist's final moments. Devastated by what has happened, Kikuo receives an unexpected visit from a probate attorney who claims to be the representative of his late wife. This attorney, in addition to conveying certain sensitive information about Minako, unknown to Kikuo, also delivers her last will: her treasured Honda S-Hachi. Kikuo doesn’t know how to drive, so he invests his time after work to get a driving license.

With the license in hand and holidays ahead, Kikuo decides to visit his in-laws and spend a few days with them. Checking the GPS navigation history, Kikuo is surprised to see tracks corresponding to dates when his wife was supposed to be in France. The woman of his life, whose image was clear, becomes a mystery. Changing his plans, Kikuo decides to follow the same route his wife took two months earlier.

But, 'spoiler', the possible infidelity mentioned in the first two episodes is not the leitmotif of the plot, and it is necessary to make it clear (the series itself does it). Otherwise, the plot would be misunderstood, and I don't want to confuse you: Grace no Rireki is the life journey of Kikuo and Minako. The story interweaves Kikuo's present moment with Minako's past to slowly merge both stories into one. While for Kikuo it is the duel for the woman who won't be coming back for Minako is the gift of a life that is fading away. But again, don't confuse about this: Grace no Rireki is a heartwarming, mature and well-written story.

As Kikuo drives from one destination to another, he encounters his past and the people who are a part of it, and at the same time he makes friends with others who accompany him on part of the journey and who tell him things about his wife, her car and himself. The very slow-paced episodes help to create a rhythm of silences and conversations, allowing us to enjoy the rice fields of Nagano, the canals of Omihachiman or the vastness of Lake Biwa. The love between Kikuo and Minako transcends life and death, it is a solemn feeling that belongs only to the two of them and is remarkably realised.

Grace no Rireki, directed by the same author as the adapted novel, is a masterpiece and a story that I will return to whenever I need to. It is the gift that Kikuo and Minako have given me, and it will last forever.

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In This Corner of MyDramaList

A few months ago, I watched the animated adaptation of the manga 'In This Corner of the World,' and I was certainly impressed. I didn't expect much more than another film about WWII in Japan, but it turned out to be quite different. I enjoyed it so much that I ended up buying a double volume of the original work by Fumiyo Kouno. I also checked out the voices behind each character. The protagonist, Suzu, was voiced by Rena Nōnen, who also voiced Haru in the stop-motion series 'Pokemon Concierge.' This girl, who also participates in dubbing sporadically, is an actress; in fact, she starred in one of the most successful asadoras of the past decade: ‘Amachan’ (2013). Amachan was a total discovery, and in less than a couple of weeks, I had already said goodbye to Aki Amano. Depressed by the existential void that drama caused in me, I was checking this website’s lists until I stumbled upon the live-action adaptation of In This Corner of the World. The circle had closed.

The story of In This Corner of the World, in its nine episodes, takes us to Hiroshima, yet not the Hiroshima from 1945, but to the prefecture nowadays. This is one of the main differences regarding the original work, as the footage has been extended and new scenes have been added that fit perfectly with what has already been told. Kayo, a young girl tired of her current life, decides to move to the coastal city of Kure, where previously she had met up with an elderly woman who had helped her dispel the doubts and fears that usually tormented her. This woman, Setsuko, stokes Kayo’s inner flame through stories from her mother, Suzu-san. In the house at the top of the slope, where Suzu did her daily chores, Kayo fantasizes about the life during that time. In this way, memories of that period are evoked—some heartwarming, while others are of deep pain.

The life of Suzu-san, throughout the episodes, is divided into a first stage which covers her childhood and first days of her arranged marriage with her husband, Shusaku, in Hojo’s residence, until the end of war roughest events, including, obviously, the devastation and consequences caused by atomic bombs. But the main difference, not only comparingly with Western war-themed cinema, but also in relation with other films that narrate the experience from the perspective of the weaker, which is the case in ‘Firefly Graveyard’ (1988), is the idea of family bond and emotional values joined in the most absolute daily life, something that is inherently Japanese. So, the calmly days and sugar caramels will give way to grayer days and meager meals. But, independently of the events, the series reinforce the day-to-day idea of Suzu, her friends and family, in the most humble and human possible way. They were, after all, ignorant of the dimensions of what was coming in their way. Suzu is the representative of that innocence, kindness and naivety, values that little by little will crumble in the face of the cruelty to which the innocent and unaware people are subjected.

The adaptation, regard the source material, is a 1:1 copy, but adds the real component that only real people can convey. Honoka Matsumoto as Suzu is in a similar level to Non’s animated Suzu. I consider this the definitive and most satisfying version of this story, as well as featuring the music of young and unknown composer… Yeah, Joe Hisaishi.

Artifice and spectacularity are not needed to touch the heart, and this story demonstrates with great subtlety, respect, and care how to reach that corner of the world we call home.

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JAPAN'S SCHOOL OF ROCK

Japanese films of the 90s and early 2000s are very underrated, at least in my choices, as I keep jumping back and forth between the 50s and... 2010. While the classics are directed by the well-known and acclaimed Kurosawa, Ozu or Kobayashi, whose stories focus on the human condition in countless ways, at the end of the 90s a few names like Iwai, Nakashima or Sono began to appear. These filmmakers created new ‘experimental’ stories, drawing on the many influences imported from the West and others born in Japan itself, such as kawaii culture, animanga and video games. For a certain group of people, these films became cult classics. There was constant feedback of influences and interests between Japan and the West noticeable on the Japanese films from this period.

One of these films, Swing Girls, has become not only my favourite Japanese film, but one of my favourite films ever.

During the summer holidays, while a group of girls are wasting their time in tutored classes, Tomoko, one of these girls, watches through the window as the high school band goes to support the baseball team (perhaps for Koshien?). But just as they leave, the caterer arrives. Tomoko, who wants skip classes, suggests to the teacher that the rest of the class join her in taking lunch to them. After a rather eventful train journey, they deliver the food, which they had previously soiled and exposed to the heat of the Japanese summer. The whole group is food poisoned, and the only member who doesn't get sick because he hadn't eaten, blames them and forces them to take the place of his classmates. Tomoko and the girls take advantage of the situation to continue avoiding lessons, but gradually the music finds its way into their rebellious little hearts.

Swing Girls is literally a live-action adaptation of a school slice-of-life anime, but it's not as cringe-worthy as other films. It is a story of how students with no future, ostracized by their peers and teachers, prove that all it takes to succeed is a goal and enough confidence to achieve it. Moreover, these school stories emphasise living in the moment, because the last years of school life are also the last days of childhood. Entering university means the beginning of adulthood and, as we know, by Japanese standards this means absolute devotion to work and family.

The students stumble upon their passion in unexpected ways, and in almost two hours of footage we follow these girls as they go from teasing their classmates to devoting themselves entirely to music, ending up with a jazz orchestra that Damian Shazeru would have wanted for Wipurasshu. The film is always entertaining and fun, with a cheesy and cheeky humour. I loved this innocence and kindness that subtly surrounds the plot and the characters.

Swing Girls is simple, unassuming, and watching it makes me happy and puts a smile on my face from ear to ear.

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(─‿‿─)

I can say without fear of being mistaken that almost all Japanese dramas revolve around two main themes: family abandonment (in all its forms) and food. In films, it's common for someone to be dying of an incurable disease. While the first theme implies separation or abandonment towards a person, a group, or the family nucleus itself, the second implies the opposite: the birth of new bonds or the strengthening of existing ones.

For a country as rich in gastronomy as Japan, food serves as a second mother tongue—more native and deeply rooted in the essence of the Japanese people. Trying to replicate Japanese curry with tablets sold in supermarkets won't bring you any closer to understanding their culinary culture, unfortunately. There are tons of dramas and films centred around food: from classics like ‘Tampopo’ to more recent shows like ‘Shinya Shokudo’. These stories, even though they consider food as the main point of the narrative and character development, vary completely in genres: While 'Tampopo' defines itself as a 'noodle western', films like 'Little Forest' take a more contemplative approach. Food also jumps back and forth between media; a few months ago, I read the novel 'The Kamogawa Food Detectives', which is set in a restaurant/detective agency that recreates dishes from the past through the testimony of customers.

Is it possible to fall in love through food? Well, according to otaku knowledge, Japanese women give chocolate to the men they love on Valentine's Day, and if the men reciprocate their feelings, they return the gesture on White Day a month later. Technically, the answer is yes. ‘Tsukuritai Onna to Tabetai Onna’ (She Loves to Cook and She Loves to Eat) picks up the gastronomic baton to tackle current and vital issues such as love, the way we feel and express it, sexuality, and gender roles.

If you watched the first season, you will have tasted the broth of this soup. Yuki Nomoto loves to cook, but she eats little and has no one to cook for. Coming home one night, she meets her neighbour, Kasuga-san, who will later become the main spectator of her passion for cooking. Thus, a close ‘friendship’ blossoms between Nomoto-san, who cooks and observes, and Kasuga-san, who tastes and devours. As the story unfolds, we discover that Nomoto is feeling drowned by the family and social pressures she is under to meet and marry a man, while Kasuga is dealing with a family past that is directly linked to her relationship with food. Eventually, Nomoto starts to have feelings for Kasuga and the first season ends. However, its short duration and that cliffhanger make you feel like you want to repeat it, like a good plate of food. Fortunately, earlier this year NHK delivered a double portion of episodes about this story.

The second season is not only longer but also better, expanding on what has already been explained with the introduction of two new characters: Naguno Sena, a new tenant in the building who suffers from deipnophobia (irrational fear of eating in public) to such an extent that it affects his daily life, and Miss Yako, a social network mutual of Nomoto, an Aroace, who helps Nomoto to find herself in search of her true identity. The social spectrum has expanded compared to the previous season.

She Loves to Cook and She Loves to Eat is so special to me, not only because of its courage to address sensitive issues in Japan, basically because of sexism, homophobia, xenophobia, and all sorts of phobias fostered by poor sexual education and the culture of homogeneity, but also because it's about women. Empowered women who decide about themselves and their destiny, while supporting each other to move forward. It is an open story that never falls into the queerbaiting to which the Japanese are so accustomed, and one that connects women of different backgrounds through food in a subtle and respectful way.

She Loves to Cook and She Loves to Eat has become my refuge and comfort zone over the past few months. Whether it's the warmth of Nomoto's apartment, the preparation of the food, the way she watches Kasuga while she eats, or that little music that relaxes the body and mind. I'm looking forward to the third season.

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