My Asadora History

• Aired: Apr 4, 1983
• Completed: Jul 18, 2023

(This review may contain spoilers)

Content Advisory and Trigger Warning: Domestic Violence

Few dramas have stressed me as much as Oshin, and it's all because the female lead's life can only be described as: struggled and conquered. In every corner there was an issue for her to overcome, and in every corner I was right there with her, anxious and stressed over what she was about to suffer.

So while I absolutely see its merit and understand why people loved and continue to love this story so much, I can't help but rate it based on my enjoyment, and sadly I barely enjoyed this. The level of vitriol and abuse that Oshin suffers from so many people in her life (her father, her brother, her husband, her mother-in-law), made this so very tiresome to watch, and almost impossible to finish, I had to keep stopping constantly to the point where I lost count how many times I put this "on hold".

And yes, it is 100% a product of its time, but I'm a 21st century woman and I can't help but judge it based on my 21st century values, and to watch her husband beat her multiple times, once to the point where she was left disabled, was unbearable. Even more so because this is an 80s story set in the Meiji era, so his behavior was not only never criticized, but all in all their relationship was portrayed as prosperous, where she says many times that she was happy and proud to have been his wife. So it's safe to say that this did not make an exciting watch for me.

I'm sad that this is how I feel about such a beloved classic, but I'm not someone to lie and say I liked something just because of its status. It is what it is.

• Aired: Apr 1, 1985
• Completed: Aug 4, 2025

(This review may contain spoilers)

Content Advisory and Trigger Warning: Domestic Violence, Antisemitism, Rising Sun Flag.

Words can't express how my heart broke into a million pieces when the male lead hit the female lead. I adored them so much I was about to put them in my top asadora couples list, but he ruined everything! I still managed to enjoy the story overall, particularly because of the twist near the end and how things unfolded romantically for the female lead, but still ['damn! damn! damn!' meme.gif].

Besides the romance, the WWII plot made me feel like the "they had us in the first half, not gonna lie" meme. They clearly state that Japan occupied other countries (or at least that's how the subber translated what the narrator said), and they mention Japan's connection with Nazi Germany, to the point where we see soldiers replicate antisemitic talk points (which can be triggering to audiences), but as the asadora goes into some of Japan's battle wins, we see the rising sun flag being waved on screen in a nationalistic manner that is a very clear message of pride over the Empire's actions during the war. I'm still hoping one day I'll come across a drama or movie where Japan is fully honest about its past, much like Germany and Italy are, but until I get there, as a history buff, I'm once again left disappointed, which is why my rating isn't higher.

• Aired: Oct 3, 1988

Content Advisory and Trigger Warning: Attempted Sexual Assault, Violence Against Children, Blackface/Anti-Black Racism

• Aired: Oct 7, 1996

Content Advisory and Trigger Warning: Domestic Violence

• Aired: Oct 4, 1999

Content Advisory and Trigger Warning: Domestic Violence/Violence Against Children

• Aired: Apr 2, 2001
• Completed: Aug 10, 2025

(This review may contain spoilers)

What an interesting asadora. It was popular to the point where it got multiple sequels and it's adored to the point its FL is considered one of the best asadora heroines by Oricon, and don't get me wrong, it was definitely heartwarming: it had a hardworking FL, a lovely couple (though I think they missed some development beyond the "childhood soulmates" aspect to the love story) and sweet supporting characters, but none of that is particularly unique. I can think of other FL's who are just as hardworking, other couples who are just as lovely (and are better developed), and other supporting characters who are just as sweet. So even though it is a good drama, I was disappointed because the fanfare around it made me expect something greater.

The one thing that I thought was going to set it apart was the discussion of mental health near the end, but instead we get a very odd conclusion that not only didn't include anything resembling therapy, but in fact would've probably left the lead couple's child more traumatized than he was before, and made me feel that the FL was not as smart and as thoughtful as I thought she was. I guess, considering the time period, they get a point for trying, but I hope no parent saw this while airing and thought the best way to deal with a mentally hurt child was to take them on vacation and traumatize them with a near death experience.

• Aired: Apr 1, 2002

Content Advisory and Trigger Warning: Domestic Violence/Violence Against Children

• Aired: Oct 3, 2005

• Aired: Apr 3, 2006
• Completed: Aug 11, 2025

(This review may contain spoilers)

Content Advisory and Trigger Warning: Rising Sun Flag, Domestic Violence

I sadly felt that it was all very by the books, the challenges that the female experienced to accomplish her dreams were predictable, the mother-in-law was a typical "monster-in-law" and the male lead didn't do enough to step up and create boundaries, and the portrayal of Japan's position in WWII was the same as always.

So I was very disinterested in the story, until the very end. Near the end we see a PTSD plot come to light that I was very excited to dive in, because while I watched dramas that touch on the ramifications of war, it's usually don't in a digestible way, here we see the male lead completely close off in a way that felt natural considering his experience with violence and death. The problem is how fast they wrapped this plot, especially considering how they took more time to develop the past predictable plots. I appreciate the conversation of disability and how it ended with the understanding that parents should make sure their children with disabilities can be independent, and despite being a sucker for happy endings, I liked the female lead's tragic life, because it went against the by the book aspect the asadora had from the beginning to me.

Overall, it was an average watching experience, which is why my rating is a 5.

• Aired: Apr 2, 2007

• Aired: Oct 1, 2007 
• Completed: Sep 14, 2024

An infuriating and pathetic female lead meets an equally infuriating and pathetic male lead, creating an unbelievably lackluster romance that only matured way past episode 100. Tiresome and annoying, really the only aspect of the story I liked was that I learned what rakugo was thanks to it, and of course, as an asadora, the fact that it challenged the male dominated area of the art.

• Aired: Mar 31, 2008

• Aired: Sep 29, 2008

• Aired: Mar 30, 2009

• Aired: Sep 28, 2009

• Aired: Mar 29, 2010

• Aired: Sep 27, 2010

• Aired: Apr 4, 2011
• Completed: Unknown

My first asadora, sadly I don't remember when I finished or really anything about it to write a review because it's been so long since I watched it. I gave it a 7, though, which means I enjoyed it.

• Aired: Oct 3, 2011

• Aired: Apr 2, 2012

• Aired: Apr 1, 2013
• Completed: Aug 18, 2024

I understand that trying different things is part of the coming of age story, because it all goes back to figuring out who you are and what life path you want to follow, but that didn't change the fact that I was very frustrated with the female lead's constant change of plans, which the asadora was very much aware of, since her mother pointed it out.

All in all, I have to disagree with Oricon, I don't think Aki is the best Asadora heroine. If you ask me, we should take Aki from the Top 10 and put Kaworu from Mio Tsukushi in her place.

• Aired: Sep 30, 2013
• Completed: Unknown

Yet another drama I watched a long time ago and sadly don't remember much about it. What I do remember is loving the lead couple and thinking their love story both in and out of the drama was adorable, so it's truly sad that Masahiro Higashide did what he did, but life goes on and I wish nothing but the best for Watanabe Anne and her children.

• Aired: Mar 31, 2014
• Completed: Unknown

An okay story that never picked up steam for me.

• Aired: Sep 29, 2014
• Completed: Unknown

A slow start and a strong ending. As a biracial Afro-Latina it was lovely to see an interracial relationship being portrayed with so much care, and I quite appreciate the casting of the FL, usually non-Asian actors in dramas are terrible, but Charlotte did a wonderful job as the focus point of the story.

• Aired: Mar 30, 2015
• Completed: Unknown

Tao and Kento were born to play husband and wife on screen, it's their fate and I hope they keep blessing us with their chemistry.

• Aired: Sep 28, 2015
• Completed: Unknown

The romance was definitely the issue for me, mainly because I never bought the male lead, he was too much of a bum for me, and the actors didn't have enough chemistry to make up for it. On the other hand, the female lead and her tenacity made the drama, she was the highlight.

A great drama about an amazing and tenacious woman, where it fails is with the romance. Despite the female lead only getting married once she comes of age, the fact that she was engaged to the male lead since childhood made for an uncomfortable start that never changed because of how much of a disrespectful bum he was. Add that to the lack of chemistry between the actors, and there was nothing to root for except the hope that the female lead would get a divorce.

• Aired: Apr 4, 2016
• Completed: Jun 13, 2022

(This review may contain spoilers)

Content Advisory and Trigger Warning: Rising Sun Flag

Here's where my hopeless romantic way of thinking ruins dramas for me, because by all means the story is nice enough, the type I'd give a 6 rating (which isn't bad for me), but the way the love story unfolded made me annoyed enough to lower the rating. Don't tell me you're gonna give me chocolate, then take the chocolate away from my hands!

• Aired: Oct 3, 2016
• Completed: Aug 10, 2025

(This review may contain spoilers)

Content Advisory and Trigger Warning: Domestic Violence

My interest in the story diminished after the male lead was physically violent with the female lead, and never picked up again because what came after was their daughter's rebellious phase (which I thought was quite boring) and the worst thing a romance can do: cast Furukawa Yuki as the love interest, if you ask me I prefer actors who can show some emotion, which he cant do.

Overall, I don't think I agree with Oricon that Sumire is one of the best asadora heroines of all time, but she was a good character to follow nonetheless.

• Aired: Apr 3, 2017
• Completed: Apr 29, 2022

The highlight of the story was the mystery surrounding the female lead's father, the issue is that I don't think the resolution was all that interesting.

• Aired: Apr 2, 2018
• Completed: Jun 15, 2022

The lead couple was the main issue of this drama, there was no chemistry and the romance was poorly written. And I do like Satoh Takeru, but he can't portray teenagers, he is not one of those adults who look youthful enough to pass as a high schooler, that in itself, combined with the age gap between him and Nagano Mei, took the fantasy out of the story for me.

• Aired: Oct 1, 2018

• Aired: Mar 25, 2019
• Completed: Apr 29, 2022

Cute, but unnecessary.

• Aired: Apr 1, 2019
• Completed: Dec 13, 2023

It felt like the romance was very rushed, both the lead couple and the female lead's little sister's marriage happened in a sudden way, and while I enjoyed them, especially the lead couple, I can't help but think how much more I'd have liked them if they had taken their time to establish these relationships. With 156 episodes, for the romance to start 100 episodes into the story, and for it to happen quite out of the blue, feels like a writing mistake to me.

• Aired: Mar 30, 2020
• Completed: May 29, 2025

The beginning was very compelling, my rating was a 8 as I loved the romantic storyline between the leads, but somehow it all lost its spark once they were together, which is the complete opposite of what I felt watching Okaeri Mone, Mare and Gochisosan, which only got better as the relationships got serious. Still, a pretty nice asadora.

• Aired: Nov 30, 2020

• Aired: May 17, 2021
• Completed: Feb 2, 2022

I know and understand that the entire point of the drama was to show how distance could not destroy the lead couple's relationship, but when the chemistry is this good, the lack of more romance becomes an issue. Or maybe I just like SakaKen so much that I wanted to see more of him, either way I loved it, but not enough to give it a 10.

• Aired: Oct 3, 2022

• Aired: Apr 1, 2024