If you happen to catch me grinning today, it’s only because last night the second season of live-action drama of Tsukuritai Onna to Tabetai Onna wrapped up. Goodness, this is such a wholesome series. It makes me want to hug everybody in it.
As with Season 1, Higa Manami as Nomoto Yuki and Nishino Emi as Kasuga Totoko, are outstanding. They just play those parts so perfectly that it seems like they have always been those people. Nomoto wears her emotions openly, and Kasuga has little affect, which makes her occasional smile just that much more precious.
In this season we also get Sakurazaka 46 member Fujiyoshi Natsuzu as Nagumo Sena, the young woman who moves into the apartment between Kasuga and Nomoto. Her low-energy character ends up changing the older women’s lives, and they change hers. Also added to the cast is Tomosaka Rie, who is, I think, the very first actress whose name I became familiar with years ago, when she starred in Kimi ga Oshietekureta-koto, about a woman with autism. She plays Yakko, Nomoto’s net friend with whome she discusses topics of sexuality and queer life.
The live action drama remixes some of the manga, so that by the end of this series, we are all but caught up on the 5th volume of the manga (which I reviewed yesterday here on Okazu.) Nagumo begins to address her illness, Kasuga and Nomoto move forward a little with physical intimacy. The finale of this series even includes a kiss which was less bad than most other kisses in Japanese dramas. (Please, J-Drama people, hire someone to teach people to kiss on TV.) The usual slow painfulness of the kiss scene worked for this particular couple as they negotiate consent and intimacy.
There are a few departures from the manga worth noting, because they are very good. At work, Nomoto is offered a project that takes her out of the data entry pool into a team environment. It’s a subtle touch and isn’t presented as “zOMG,” just as, well, a professional development opportunity. I love how that becomes part of the story, and we can see that she and her colleague Sayama really grab on to it. Which leads me to Sayama. In the manga, Nomoto does talk honestly with Sayama, but we don’t see that much more of her. Here, she becomes a regular confidant and work friend to Nomoto. They share dating stories and, crucially, when Sayama goes on rant about how marriage shouldn’t have to be a life goal, she comes back to Nomoto to apologize for not thinking about how Nomoto can’t get married. I want to offer my undying appreciation to screenplay writer Yamada Yuri, who had Sayama say something like, “And why not? It’s ridiculous that gay people can’t get married in Japan.” in that moment. Bless you.
Equally, Kasuga gets an outside character to interact with, Fujita, a middle-aged woman who works at one of the stores Kasuga delivers to. Fujita is divorcing her husband and it gives Kasuga pause to think about how relationships end sometimes. Given her own relationship with her family, it’s an excellent release valve for her to see that it doesn’t have to be the way it was for her mother. And again, the screenplay absolute NAILS the moment when Fujita says she’s read to start her second, no, third life.” I though that a fantastic line.
In the manga, these interactions are less important, but here, they give Nomoto and Kasuga a richer depth to their “society,” the circle of people with whom one has regular contact and conversation. I’ve talked at length about how important this is for the ideation of female leads, when so many are relegated to speaking only with the romantic partner of the story. These women, like the characters of Amayo no Tsuki, have society. This is the final criterium that sets an amazing story apart from a very good one. And when it is missing, I feel it keenly. This series takes such pains to make sure we understand that the characters’ lives are full and real.
Ultimately, this evening drama has probably put real LGBTQ+ issues in front of more Japanese people than any efforts in activism, or literature. And it’s done so with sensitivity, kindness and a genuine love of food that not only makes me hungry, has actually inspired my wife and I to make several Japanese meals recently. ^_^ The first episode opens with oyakodon, a chicken and egg over rice dish that we had the same night we watched that first episode. Nomoto and Kasuga made cream stew look so appealing that we ran out a few weeks later to get some rue blocks for a cream stew of our own. With carrots, onion, broccoli and chicken it ended up much like the filling for a pot pie. Very warm and tasty. ^_^ Oh, and let’s not forget anko butter toast. That was really fun, as well.
As live-action adaptations of manga go, Tsukuritai Onna to Tabetai Onna is one of the best I’ve ever seen. It does not change or shy away from uncomfortable issues. When it takes a slightly reductive tack on things like systemic homophobia, or Nagumo’s eating disorder, the series is not dismissive, it’s focusing on the power of having allies, and support. After all, this is a feel-good evening drama, not an exposé. And, let me tell, you, feel-good is something this series does well. People acknowledge each other’s trials without victim blaming, they support each other and they make gigantic cream crab croquettes. It’s quite wonderful.
I’m very thankful to everyone who has worked on this series, staff and actors and to the advisor to the series on LGBTQ+ issues. And to NHK for making it available both on their main channel and on NHK Plus, which is still the most annoying system, but I get to watch it, so yay! And to whichever genius thought to add the recipes for each episode to the website. Kudos to you, my friend.
Ratings:
Overall – 10
What a terrific series. I sincerely hope someone will license this for an EN release, because the world needs a series about women loving themselves, loving each other and loving food.
