Jun-chan no Ouen-ka (1988)

'Nice Play'

"Jun-chan no Ouen-ka" is my 4th asadora. I chose the drama since the fansubber had just finished subbing it at the time. You can find the subtitles over at d-addicts. "Jun-chan" was different from the previous asadoras I watched. The key difference being that Junko (played by Yamaguchi Tomoko) is an unambitious heroine. This is not bad, but it does mean that the series does not necessarily have a goal it's working towards. [Edit: This seems typical of '80s asadoras.] Junko instead focuses on taking care of her family through various ways. The drama therefore feels like more of a family/slice-of-life drama. I liked this kind-of easy-going pace, but I wasn't exactly on the edge of my seat after each episode to find out more.

Besides family, "Jun-chan" has a secondary focus of baseball. It links to several of the series major characters and is also the source of the more emotional moments. I'm sure the third to the last episode will get to you. I cried so much lol. Junko's brothers, Akira and Yuta, are the main ballplayers of the series. They are also two of my favorite characters in this asadora. There is a slightly awkward transition from where they are played by child actors to adult actors. However, I thought the adults were stronger actors so that makes up for it. I particularly liked the adult Yuta (played by Karasawa Toshiaki). Akira has a particularly pivotal moment that I won't spoil, but it sets the tone for the rest of the asadora.

The main storyline in "Jun-chan" is perhaps the romance between Junko and the Japanese-American, Shuhei (played by Takashima Masahiro). I thought these two had strong chemistry and they manage to stay interesting even after getting married. Some might find their back-and-forth a tad grating, but I liked it. It was really the only source of tension for much of the asadora. And the "Will you marry me?" scene was the best. Much of the latter half of the drama is about the couple working through their marital and childrearing problems. Considering their strong, stubborn personalities, I liked that the writers didn't opt for an immediate "happily ever after"-type marriage. Their relationship feels very realistic as a result.

Now addressing Junko. She's a very low-key heroine in some ways. Junko gets most of her satisfaction out of life by helping others whether it's doing the housework or supporting her family by working at a diner and later an inn. However, she is not portrayed as being perfect. Junko actually has a bit of a martyr complex and is often stubborn. Her family and loved ones appreciate what she does, but aren't afraid to call her out every now and again. And I absolutely loved these moments lol. As a heroine, I found Junko very enjoyable to watch and never annoying. I'll remember her for her bright and never-ending perseverance.

To close out, I chose to title this review "Nice Play" after a pivotal moment in the series. It's used in baseball to indicate "good game" basically. However, one character points out that this could apply to life itself. Junko, her family, and friends each had a "nice play." I enjoyed nearly every minute of the series and I liked that the ending indicates that their lives will go on even after the story.

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