Bhavna

Unhealthy Obsession with marriage, family, relationships

Though I have normally enjoyed J dramas, something about this one didn’t sit right with me. I think it was rather poorly done. I get it that traditional societies value marriage and family etc, but seriously this series borders on obsession with marriage and finding a relationship that feels almost suffocating. It’s just obsessive and not healthy. Every conversation is about marriage and how can I get more married and get into a better relationship? It tends to define one’s self worth based on one’s ability to get married. It just made me sick to be honest. I didn’t like this series at all, but watched until the end out of obligation.

Pros:
- Scenery is nice and beautiful
- I like the yoga angle- as a yoga teacher, I liked that she brought in philosophies of self care into her classes. However, the yoga she teaches it highly westernized “white people yoga” which is divorced from real yoga.
- Shots and cinematography are nice and clean just like any Japanese series- beautiful colors
- Hayate was cool

Cons:
- The male and female lead have no chemistry and are generally unlikeable (actually I find most of the characters in this series to be rather unlikeable, lifeless, or meh)- the single dad looks old and constipated throughout the series. He can’t even express himself properly and for a grown a$$ man, that’s pathetic. If people are this repressed/constipated with their emotions, how on earth can they possibly carry on a healthy relationship that they obsess so much about? At least Hayate is open and honest with his emotions (of course it was totally one sided but anyways).
-After two meetings, the characters say these stock lines like “let’s date for marriage!” And then start holding hands, doing the statue kiss, and acting like a couple. It just feels so scripted like they’re playing a role. “Now we’re dating so we have to act like this…” it doesn’t feel organic, natural, or genuine. Just like playing rigid roles. The old guy (female lead’s dad) says to Hinata “Let’s date!” Then they start holding hands and going through the motions. It’s so robotic and unnatural to me. And the “sumimasens” were starting to get a little excessive. Seriously? Politeness is fine but can’t people just act a little more natural? The single dad main lead acts like every scene is a job interview, including the “romantic” scenes. It’s suffocating to watch.
- You have the nice older single woman trope who keeps griping about her age, menopause, and not being married, alluding to this idea that she’s a high achieving career woman, but ultimately has no value because she’s not married. I have seen this in another series- Full Time Wife Escapist- the older unmarried aunt who’s whole identity is that she’s an older career woman who’s single and unmarried and constantly complaining because she believes she is worthless. What a backward belief system that trains women to think this way.
- Hayate was young handsome, caring, loving, a great cook, and caretaker of the house, and successful but the female lead treated him as a joke the entire series. That was sad to see him literally trashed and taken advantage of. Poor guy.
- The English used throughout the series (especially by the fat yoga instructor) was soooo cringe, inappropriate, and awful. She’d just come out and say some random weird catchphrase and I couldn’t make out what she was saying until I read the subtitles.

So in summary, I didn’t like this series at all but finished the whole thing. I have an affinity for Japan, J-Dramas, anime, and Japanese culture, but this one was just excessive and annoying. Might be the first series that I’ve actually disliked. I think they should just rename the series to “Sumimasen!”

Read More

Sakurako is a miracle woman!

You might call this a cliche drama- showing that there is something more important than money and that is love. Well it’s true. And there are many things about Yamato Nadeshiko that is refreshing and new. First of all, it’s the heroine Sakurako who’s obsession with finding a rich man and richer man borders on sociopathy when it comes to her behaviors in “relationships.” She really doesn’t get into any real relationships, but more like arrangements with rich men who just fall for her based on her looks and don’t see or want anything deeper than that. Because love is not part of the equation, she has no moral issues with jumping from one arrangement to another, like trying to find a better deal at a store, or more brand name person. She reduces people down to rich or poor, and this harsh judgment is a reflection of how she sees and judges herself. She grew up poor and thinks that is the reason for all her misery. So there’s a wounded inner child that mistakenly seeks out this one thing- money- in order to feel worthy on the inside. Sakurako doesn’t seem to even have an inner life as she just acts through a painted mask that smiles just like an air hostess (literally her job in the movie), so she initially has no awareness of this hurting inner child. She acts like a programmed robot, and I have known people like this in my own life (my own sister) who act like money, brand names, and status is the true measure of a person’s worth. It’s terribly sad to see, but the mask starts to crack as she keeps bumping into Oasuke, the poor man who she initially mistakenly thought was rich, and whom she hates for most of the movie. But instead of just glossing over things and saying “They’re in love,” the series touches on what made Sakurako in an money hungry cartoon character, going to one mixer after another, on the prowl for a richer man.

Sakurako’s obsessive pursuit of wealth isn’t about greed—it’s about survival. It’s the strategy of a deeply wounded inner child who was told, directly or indirectly, “You are ugly. You are poor. You are not worthy.” So she builds a mask to counter that narrative. And the tragedy, is that the mask becomes her identity. She doesn’t even know she’s wearing it anymore. She thinks she is the smile, the brand, the perfect image. It’s interesting to see the mask she puts on when she feels the pain of rejection, and uses this impressive beautiful mask throughout her “dating life” (if you want to call that kind of manipulation dating) as a kind of armor and shield. It’s not explicitly explained through the series- the wounded and vulnerable inner child vs her fake mask and how even the rich fiancé she got to become infatuated with her mask never knew the real her, the vulnerable true self that she hides from the world. It seems like only Oasuke has been able to touch that part of her, the vulnerable inner child that is wounded. I wish they had gone deeper into that and about her emotional healing and maturing process that happens in this relationship with Oasuke. That would have made the series much better in my opinion. It just glossed over that part, but that is crucial in giving the heroine a reason to change- because someone who is that manipulative and narcissistic in relationships to the point where she continues going to mixers to find a richer man even while engaged, and right up to the wedding, such a person would need an enormous reason to change. A true breakdown in their life where all of that illusion falls apart. And to be honest, such a person normally doesn’t change. It just so happened that this woman was a manipulator with a wounded inner child and a heart of gold so she ended up going for the “genuine poor man” in the end, acknowledging that any motives for dating the rich fiancé were false and the foundation was built wrong so there’s no hope in continuing that. But in this world, such people would continue manipulating and destroying people’s lives. So caution to viewers here- this isn’t exactly realistic. My sister hasn’t changed one bit in the decades I’ve known her, and unless a catastrophe happens that dramatically brings down the illusions she follows, her “rich people are better” programming will stay with her till the end. That is the sad truth. Someone like this doesn’t just change because of a nice man. A whole identity collapse has to happen. The ego’s scaffolding has to crumble. There has to be despair, not just discomfort. There has to be a total breakdown before a breakthrough is even possible. And in real life, most don’t reach that point. But I’m glad to see even one example, even if it’s on a show of a person who can change so dramatically like Sakurako. If God wills it, then it may happen.

One thing I didn’t like about the series (and many other J dramas) is that the characters don’t say what they came to say when they meet each other. Instead, they fly halfway across the world, put in so much effort, and then at one sign of doubt, they say “Ok goodbye then!” Without saying what they want to say. Is that pride? Is it fear? It’s so annoying! Sakurako flies all the way from Japan to NYC to meet Oasuke in the end, and says to him that she wants to be with him, and Oasuke’s like “I’m confused right now…” so she puts on her mask and is like, “Ok… goodbye then…” Like wtf? You just flew all that way and packed your suitcase and your whole life just for him and now you say goodbye and toss the conversation into the garbage so easily? Do these people not know how to communicate at all? It’s so frustrating to watch. And then I wonder at the end when they’re married, why Sakurako is not working- she could still be a flight attendant, why does she need to end her professional life that she was so good at just to be with him? It’s like now her whole existence revolves around Oasuke (after living such a different life before.. is that even possible unless you had a lobotomy?) and she’s not working. Wouldn’t her default mode go back to going to mixers since that’s what she’s been doing since forever? How does that programming collapse completely I ask? Or maybe the love with Oasuke is so powerful that it collapsed all that? I don’t know, I kind of don’t buy it, but if Sakurako was such a go getter, why not work to support herself and her husband so she can buy all her Fendi stuff? As for Sakurako dropping her job and changing her life instantly—that part strains credibility for me. Unless… something profound happened. Something offscreen. A total shift in identity, not just behavior. That’s where a slower burn romance can help and some of the newer J dramas do this better. And even then, the conditioning doesn’t vanish. You don’t change overnight. The old conditioning has to be faced, again and again. The desire to put the mask back on doesn’t just disappear. But now there’s something else present: awareness. I cannot imagine someone like Sakurako the way she’s been existing since childhood till now could pull a 180 like that and just live normally with Oasuke. Nobody even knows who she really is. She’s been fake since she was a child so how can she just switch to “being real?” Even she doesn’t know who that is. So I don’t buy that part at all. And even till close to the end, she’s still attending mixers, which shows that she’s still going back to old habits. Unless landing in a new country, she completely has to abandon her old self and live like a totally new person…

Read More

One of the best shows I have ever seen

This is the first Japanese drama I have watched, and I must say it is one of the most thought provoking shows I’ve ever seen. I don’t speak fluent Japanese but I can understand some of the dialogues. I am watching it now for the 4th time and every time it goes deeper and more thought provoking than the previous time. I notice things that I missed the previous time. It is very philosophical, introspective. I just love it and I’ve never seen a show like this before. I am so thankful to Japanese creators for having such sophisticated thought and a high mindset to come up with such amazing content. I feel it’s because of their mindful culture that is based on Zen and Shintoism, that there is so much wisdom baked into even their entertainment. I just loved all of the characters, especially the leads, Mukai-kun and Sakaido-san. They were all so lovable in their imperfections, trying to live in a rigid structure and system where things are changing. I find it interesting how women are the driving force behind the changing dynamics of these relationships - they tend to leave things more open ended, question the societal structure and systems, and propose to throw the whole thing out the window and live in the moment. I feel that this show is much deeper than just dating and romance. It is deeply philosophical, spiritual, and you get to hear the inner thoughts of the main character and how he feels like he’s failing as a human being because he doesn’t fit into society’s expectations. But just because some people fit into a certain mold doesn’t mean they are happy. They might just be trapped. So his journey is very relatable even to an American woman halfway around the world! I applaud the director, writers, and creators of this show/manga. It is incredible and I will probably watch it another 5 times just to squeeze every ounce of enjoyment out of these wonderful moments. I feel like I am living with the characters. And by the way the music is amazing too, very suitable for the vibe. Perfect 10 out of 10!

Read More

Incredible story and satisfying ending

Just finished watching Marry My Husband Japan, and it was an incredible story. Takeru Satoh (as Suzuki Wataru) is incredible. I love his soft, protecting, loving energy throughout the series. He is a male lead with true integrity and remains faithful in his love and will to protect Misa. I love how the old timelines of evil, manipulation, sacrifice, and ego winning was flipped into the new timeline of innocence, love, and sacredness protected. Sometimes Misa’s naive behavior was annoying as she would walk into the lion’s den completely unarmed and inviting trouble and danger to follow her. That’s where Wataru’s protection was sorely needed.

The characters were believable and I have experienced people like Reina, and Tomoya, although I have not met a Director Suzuki Wataru before. I would love to meet him. As for Misa, I can personally relate to her- being the scapegoat and victim of being the sacrificial lamb. I was very happy for her when she was able to make friends with Miko (Suzuki’s younger sister), Tanabe (her high school crush), and Samiyoshi (her direct manager). The five of them in the new timeline really built up a solid friendship together and it made me happy that Misa was able to find people who cared about her and protected her. Something that really touched me about Misa and Wataru’s university life was how they described it as “a lonely school life.” I can relate to that too. Misa said how she never made any friends in university and Wataru had the same experience. Well I too had the same experience. The lone, inward life, introspection. With the innocent baby turtle Kamekichi as Misa’s only friend, and the silent protection of Wataru watching over her. Even though it would have been painful and lonely back then, the silent introspective life created a kind of sacredness in the atmosphere, even when they revisited it again. I know the feeling. It all paid off in the end. I loved how the series sprinkled in many moments of intimacy, a beautiful relationship, forming between Misa and Wataru instead of just clumsily plopping them together at the end. It made absolute sense that they would end up together, and it was only natural considering that their relationship had been blossoming since the beginning of the new timeline. Their relationship was truly golden, and I would’ve been heartbroken if anything had come to sabotage it in the end. But it was as if the spirits of their own parents bless the connection and allowed it to move forward into a fruitful and beautiful new beginning while saying, farewell to the horrors of the past..

Reina was truly twisted and evil and it just shows that some people when they are traumatized, they can end up being the worst evil on the planet. Instead of seeking healing through introspection, they seek revenge and Reina just callously murders and attempts to kill off anyone in her way. She didn’t really truly know what she wanted because all she seemed to pursue was what Misa had and she didn’t really know what she herself wanted out of life, except to destroy the happiness of others. Such people exist- with a kind of pathological envy for the innocent and sacred ones, and a desire to steal what they have. It was truly sad how the ego causes devastation and misery and suffering all around it- to make sure that everyone else is just as miserable as they are. So I am glad that those characters were eliminated in the new timeline. Thank God that true love was given a chance to survive and blossom in the end. As Wataru said, new life and greenery will bloom in the desert.

I have no interest in the Korean version because for some reason the K drama remakes or originals are usually such poor quality compared to the Japanese versions- I find them to be tacky and missing the reverent and sacred quality that I see in the J dramas. I have even tried to watch a remake or original K drama version after finishing the Japanese one and they are always so bad that I have to stop after a few minutes. If J dramas are a Michelin star restaurant, K dramas would be Arby’s.

Read More

Daimon Michiko is a national treasure! A Diamond! Protect her at all costs!

I’m back for the 3rd season of Doctor X, and Michiko’s back at it again- the stakes are higher than ever. She saves lives like nobody’s business, and is even personally requested by Hiruma, the previous hospital president, as he is dying of some stage 4 cancer (seriously everyone and their mom has cancer in this series!). He doesn’t even trust his own doctors that he raised him like Ebina, Haru, and Kaji- he’s like I want Daimon Michiko. When it comes to saving his life, he knows that she is the only one he can trust who will not fail him as a doctor. Other doctors have ulterior motives and their mind is not so pure. But Michiko is so pure- a pure hearted soul who doesn’t desire other worldly things that the corrupt doctors do, and so in the operating room, Hiruma is like “oh you are all like my sons, but I want my daughter Michiko, where is she??!” After all the image making and corruption, he knew that only she could save him. And she does not fail!

In this season, the issue of “Where is all her money going?” really started to bother me, as it did Michiko herself. It causes a rift (not quite a falling out) with Akira San, but when she finds out at the end of the season that he has some incurable brain cancer (everyone is just floating around with stage 4 cancers in this show geez!), a very touching finale ensues. Akira makes himself unavailable to Michiko and gives up on his own life, prohibiting Michiko to see him, but she perseveres. It’s heartbreaking to see her going to her usual spots like the bathhouse, or table tennis place or their eatery spots alone without her favorite teacher, friend, manager, and guardian, Akira San. She misses him dearly and cannot give up on his life.

Akira isn’t just her manager — he is her last link to family, to a sense of home, to being cared for outside the operating room. His betrayal (or what she thinks is betrayal) is devastating because he is the only one she fully trusts. When she confronts him about the money, it isn’t greed that’s driving her — it’s pain. She feels as if the one person she’s allowed herself to depend on has failed her. That’s why her leaving is so powerful: she isn’t walking away from money, she’s testing what she has left without him. Outside the OR, Michiko is almost childlike — awkward, impulsive, sometimes naive. That’s what makes Akira’s role so essential. He’s the one who holds her life together so she can pour her entire being into surgery. When he collapses, it’s not just a medical emergency — it’s like the ground is ripped out from under her. The show turns the tables: now she is the one begging to save him, refusing to give up even when he tells her to let him go. His refusal is a test — not out of cruelty, but because love that can’t withstand separation isn’t yet whole. Michiko’s choice to decline Tendo’s lucrative offer is a pivotal moment. She could have chosen prestige, money, and her own “brand,” but she chooses the one patient who matters to her most. That moment is her true declaration of who she is — not just a surgeon, but a fiercely loyal soul who refuses to abandon the one who believed in her first.

Finally when the colleagues Ebina, Haru, and Kaji and the head nurse bring Michiko to the operating room when Akira collapses, Daimon is there to save the day- but unlike other surgeries, she is in tears as she operates, and she is reminded of her own training by Akira himself, teaching her to never give up on her patient. She leaves a very lucrative position and job offer from Tendo as the president of the chairman of the health ministry of whatever.. it doesn’t matter to Michiko in that moment. She declines the offer, overturns the desk and says in effect, “What good is all of this if I cannot even save the one I love?” That was so deeply touching. Because until then, we see Dr. Daimon as this hard shelled person with a childlike quirky personality with Akira San after work, but to see her heart bared open like that was truly touching and I was crying through the whole thing. The surgery itself was almost liturgical — Michiko crying while she operates, remembering the lessons Akira drilled into her: “Never give up on the patient.” It’s like the entire series brought her to this moment where her skills and her heart meet. She saves him not just with her technique, but with her devotion. It’s almost a prayerful act — her tears are part of the healing. This final surgery scene of Akira was truly heart wrenching to watch and I was praying that he would live. He didn’t want Michiko to fail but she never gave up on him. Akira says something important to Ebina, “Do you know why Michiko says these careless things like I never fail? It’s because of her determination. She will never give up on the patient.” And to see that Akira San didn’t swindle her money, but rather invested in her own future to build her a hospital in her own name where she can be free to do surgeries and save lives was truly honorable. Forgive me Akira San- you are a saint. And yes he was right to protect Michiko from her own money, because in the end she ends up saving Akira’s life but blowing all the money by going to outer space.

But the ending with her spending the money on space travel is so fitting — because Michiko is free. She doesn’t hoard, she doesn’t cling. She’s already received what she really wanted: Akira’s trust, his life, and the proof that she could save him. The space trip is almost her way of saying, “I won’t be tied down by this world.” She laughs, she returns to her silly self, but she’s been transformed.

This whole season is a parable -it’s not about money, status, or getting credit — it’s about staying faithful to the one thing that matters even when every ego system tells you to look away. It’s about never abandoning what you love, even when it seems impossible.

Read More

I watched this for Kamiki!

Ok I watched this special just for Kamiki- he has stolen my heart since season 2 of The Honest Realtor. Not only is he incredibly handsome, with a beautiful smile, and such precise beautiful body language, he shows a kind of sensitivity that builds on the ending of season 2 where he breaks down from the loss of his late wife and son and is taught a new way of living and working by Nagase who says “What’s more important than being #1 is bringing joy to others and it makes me happy.” Nagase says he believes Kamiki can change. Of course no one can change overnight, but here is a turning point where Kamiki’s biggest wound is being exposed to the light and has the chance to change him. His memories are frozen in pain, and he is unable to let go. He refuses to sell this old house from his late wife Kaori which has memories of her and his son Shota when they used to visit the grandparents. His story, and seeing that sensitivity change his hardened mask just brings tears to my eyes. Seeing how it ended- where the house was sold to build a community center for children, was very heartwarming, and to see how it healed something in Kamiki’s heart was healing for me too. He was tap dancing quite a lot in this episode lol! He’s quite good, and it has the vibe of a cocky, cooky anime villain, but he’s so endearing too. Like the bank manager lady was so smitten with him, I too am smitten with Kamiki, played by Dean Fujioka. He could do a Kamiki tap dancing special and I’d watch that too.

Read More

Love Prevails Above All

I was disappointed to see the ending of Hirugao the series (2014) to see that Yuichiro just went back to his prison warden wife Noriko as if nothing happened, and Rikako went back to her psycho controller husband like it was no big deal. Only Sawa stood by her choice for love with conviction. She got a divorce from her clown husband and moved to a new town. She lived a pure lifestyle for 3 years and then fate brings Yuichiro back to her once again. She chooses to attend his lecture and the love story is rekindled once again. Noriko’s psychopathic nature gets turned to new heights as her jealousy makes her do very bizarre things like asking them to perform their “union” in front of her in a hotel room. She is truly so weird and disgusting. She thinks that an affair is just lust and bodies in friction. But what Sawa and Yuichiro have together is pure. They actually spend time with each other in a silent bond in the forest and the creek and that lifts their love to sacred heights. It’s something that Noriko could never imagine. She simply doesn’t understand their love because she is not capable of reaching that frequency. So she just resorts to her evil and manipulative ways like throwing herself off a balcony to manipulate Yuichiro into coming back to help her. Well that short time that Sawa was with Yuichiro was so precious and beautiful- when they were living together. And even though Noriko’s evil and vengeful nature made her kill Yuichiro in the end, the last thing that came out of his mouth was “I love Sawa” and the ring he bought was passed on in love between innocent children- their love was innocent, although it was dressed up in “adultery” by the world’s definition. Love won in the end. Even though Noriko killed the form of her husband, and lied to Sawa saying that “he apologized and came back to me in the end” as she tries to control the narrative, Yuichiro’s heart was with Sawa, and God blessed Sawa with Yuichiro’s child as she says in the end the little life that is growing in her womb gave her a new meaning in life. Noriko was using pregnancy and motherhood as a form of control and manipulation (saying things like “I want that baby” like it’s an agenda item on her to do list), but the baby was born only to the one who held love as sacred. Sawa and Yuichiro’s bond was so beautiful- I wanted them to be together so much. Noriko’s anger and vengeance carried on even after killing her husband and her hatred continued even after his death as she tells Sawa that she will hate her forever, but Sawa didn’t hold any hatred in her heart towards Noriko for what she did. That shows the purity of Sawa’s heart and the evil inside the wife’s heart. That’s why a pure soul like Yuichiro left his evil wife. She was nothing but a controller and manipulator. It was a tragic ending in form, but truly it was triumphant for love. Even though adultery is seen as just s*x, this love story showed the innocence of love preserved as Yuichiro’s ring was passed on to innocent children as they shared their love.

Read More

Incredible story

Wow… I haven’t watched a tv series like this in the west. From beginning to end its story is so gripping with suspense and the music really helps to create this kind of creepy suspense. Instead of the usual “who done it?” trope, it explores more complexity behind each of the characters, not painting anyone as purely good or evil, but rather complex characters with weaknesses and fears, who make mistakes.
Sadly some get punished while others seem to go free. But ultimately guilt and the belief in guilt is its own punishment.
The pristine quality of the shots and sets are just a treat to watch. I love seeing how all the different characters are unveiled throughout the series in layers and complexity. It’s hard to even give a review of this series with words as it creates more of a feeling within me and it’s something that I still need to process. This is one that has some rewatch value for sure

Read More

The “Diamond” Michiko is back!

Daimon Michiko, the greatest surgeon of all time is back and working at Totei University Hospital- it sounds all fancy with bloated titles and rankings, but there is so much corruption and dirt under the surface. Leading the corrupted organization at this time is none other than Director Hiruma who remember had surgery done by Michiko in the last season and she saved his life, but his memory is short and his corrupted heart is stronger than his gratitude towards her so he continues to treat her like a pest that needs to be exterminated or exiled rather than the top surgeon that saves their entire reputation and does all the actual work. Everyone else is practically useless except for her. It’s like she’s the main character and all the others are NPCs with no real skills of their own, just self centered scripts to blow up their reputation.

This time the season starts with Michiko in NYC as she waltzes into a random hospital and starts doing surgery on some patient that falls down in the middle of a restaurant- I don’t get how there are all these stage 4 cancer patients just writhing in pain randomly like that, but hey it makes for good drama when they collapse and “need to have emergency surgery right now or they will die!” So Michiko saves this lady and catches the attention of this lady who stole her Gyoza dumplings- like seriously who steals food from Michiko when she’s hungry? Good food is one of the only real rewards she gets for all her genius work! Anyway this lady is the head of that hospital or something and she ends up going to Japan to Totei Hospital and bringing along with her this “Americanized” Japanese doctor Kitano who speaks both English and Japanese with a weird show off kind of accent, and hiring Michiko into her team. Turns out she’s the sister of the previous director of the hospital who has now conceded the position to Hiruma. So Akira San calls Michiko and tells her to come back home or “she’ll be fired,” so she starts/resumes her position at this hospital under Hiruma.

Michiko deals with new scandals and patients- famous patients, celebrities that are so famous that the whole country is dying to know about his surgery, etc. and of course most of them collapse in pain of course and need emergency surgery or else they will die lol. The most touching story was of the anesthesiologist Jonouchi who has life threatening cancer like everyone else and Michiko for the first time seems like she might fail and she even thinks that she has failed in the first round of surgery. But turns out it was a necessary failure to shrink the tumor and turn it back a stage to be able to be removed completely with another surgery. The scenes where her surgery was finished and her daughter Mai and Akira San go to the church to pray for her life was very touching and beautiful. It made me cry.

So another great season, and I’m here for Michiko. When I saw her tearing up at her bond and determination to save her friend and anesthesiologist colleague Jonouchi, it was very sweet. She has come a lot way since the first season - back then she didn’t give a crap about anyone and only handled the patient. But now it’s like her heart is softening and her colleagues Kaji, Haru, and even Kitano are there to help, all on Christmas Day. It’s very touching to see the collaboration and energy she brings around her. Even though at first she might seem hard to get along with, any genuine person knows that Daimon Michiko is full of compassion and love for those around her that she has dedicated her life to serving people all the time.

Read More

Michiko deserves better!

After being fired from the first hospital in season 1 (for saving people’s lives) by Busujima and his panel of hi-fi steak eating aficionados, Michiko starts a new job as surgeon at Teito university hospital first hired under the internal medicine chief (the woman horse race lady whose name I forgot), and then hired under Hiruma, the surgery director. It’s astounding how corrupt these organizations and power structures are, which Michiko’s honesty and integrity cutting through the whole system like a knife (no pun intended). She literally saves everyone’s life, like the internal medicine chief lady for example, and they have zero gratitude and just turn around and stab her in the back. The young handsome dude who was being groomed to be the next director by Hiruma (forgot the guy’s name) ends up publishing a case study for a surgery that Michiko proposes and carries out all on her own which involves a simultaneous transplant from two patients - wives of internal medicine and surgery doctors. It becomes a hit and the said handsome dude takes the credit and fame from what should belong to Michiko. Oftentimes Michiko is performing 2 surgeries simultaneously or back to back because of the incompetent surgical staff, but others take credit for her divine work- it’s infuriating! Reminds me of a corporation where the boss or CEO takes credit for all your hard work just to make their image look good. Then there’s the Locum agency director who is in charge of Michiko- he bills the hospital for Michiko’s work, gives them a melon, takes the money, and leaves Michiko with nothing but maybe a sushi dinner and a crappy place to stay. Where is all that money going I wonder? Michiko doesn’t seem to get a single penny of it. He keeps saying that she’s paying off her father’s debt which I suspect is a lie. I think that the guy is simply pocketing the money and exploiting Michiko’s genius but she is too naive to notice what’s going on. She simply wants to do surgery and save lives- that in itself is her purpose and reward. She doesn’t even desire money, fame, or status. Outside of surgery and the hospital, she becomes like a little child- dependent on the Locum agency director Mahjong guy, Akira San like he’s a father figure to her. But she needs more agency with the gifts she has. She deserves better with her divine gift! The whole world just exploits and takes from her and gives nothing but criticism and attacks to her. One guy Dr. Kaji..? Actually calls her a demon! What on earth. Because she isn’t fake polite for manipulative reasons and speaks her mind openly and honestly they call her a demon? When she’s the one saving lives and the other doctors are just cashing in on her accomplishments- taking the credit or money.. it’s so unfair. Michiko is being exploited! Please protect or save Michiko! She deserves better! But this series also shows how fickle all the authority and status and power is, as people get fired and dismissed left and right and even those who seem to profit off of Michiko’s surgical accomplishments eventually topple. The medical Pharisees strike again… and Akira San swindles all her money… But the Christ figure resurrects and strikes back! With that said, this series is seriously addicting.

Read More

Dr. X is the Sailor Moon of doctors!

There I said it- a typical day in the life of Michiko Damion goes like this: she gets hired as a freelance surgeon in some fancy hospital, run by stuffy bureaucracy and hierarchy, with some old shriveled dude with a swollen ego doing his “rounds” with his doctors while getting favors and gratuities from patients. The surgery case often starts with a conference or meeting among the surgeons and the chief where they discuss some patient with a crazy cancer that’s spreading like wildfire. Then they ask “Who can take on this case?” Michiko’s hand shoots straight up and she says she can do it, plus she never fails- her signature line: “Watashi.. shippai shinai no de.” Her confidence is through the roof. Daimon’s confidence doesn’t come from titles, status, or hierarchical power handed down by humans. She carries divine authority straight from God, and works like a thousand handed Goddess, as cited by the chiefs themselves. Unfortunately because of her straight shooting and honest manner, Daimon is not welcome at these conferences and is often thrown out. They pick another incompetent surgeon to do the job. Someone who will inevitably fail so that our heroine Michiko can save the day. Somewhere between then and operating day, Michiko bumps into the patient- she always meets the patient beforehand and talks with them. Then on surgery day, the incompetent surgeon chosen for the job starts sweating and Michiko says “Move!” And then asks for the scalpel and monopolar and all her cool gadgets. She is “like a pit bull” in the operating room, as told by her own Locum agency coordinator, who essentially charged insane prices for her surgeries, but never really shows her the money (more on that later). So Michiko does some serious magic in the operating room, puts her hand over the patient’s heart or arm after completing, to transmit her healing powers to the patient, and the patient’s life is saved! The administration and powers that be are so threatened by Michiko’s surgery genius that they try to suppress her existence, and cover up her work with someone else’s name, or sometimes straight up fire her. These worldly authorities are jealous of her divine surgical and healing powers.

Reminds me of the Pharisees in the Jesus story- they carry the worldly power and authority but are hypocrites and only concerned with image, status, and reputation. So when a true healer comes along with Christlike powers, they seek to squash it and diminish her. I see so many similarities between Michiko and the biblical story. In fact Michiko is an archetypal Christ figure- the one who heals with divine authority, who never fails in healing and saving lives, who is ostracized, with no real friends in the world, who is constantly scapegoated and smeared and gaslit by the system. But in her compassion and will to serve, she continues to do surgery after surgery and she can’t help but save lives and heal. It’s what she’s built for.

Though her hobbies say surgery, she loves playing Mahjong with her Locum agency director who I suspect is basically swindling all the money she is making from surgeries and barely giving her food to eat. She begs him to buy sushi and shrimp tempura when she should be swimming in a sea of money. Where does all that money go? She lives in a dump with that agency director and other doctors in that agency and it looks so ghetto. But when she arrives at the hospital, Michiko looks like she stepped onto the runway in 6 inch high heels and mini skirts. She’s an all star, Doctor X- the Sailor Moon of doctors!

Read More

Kuwano San is my role model! But this Show is Fear Propaganda for Marriage

This show was subsidized by METI- Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan- for a reason- to encourage population growth and to promote marriage in a society that has a declining birth rate. It says this in the subtitles at the end of each episode. So the agenda is clear, that it is a government sponsored propaganda to promote marriage which informed the entire script.

He Who Can’t Marry- reduces human beings down to a marriage status- that’s what their entire identity and worth is based on. The show introduces Kuwano Shinsuke, a successful middle-aged architect in Japan. He’s single, lives alone, and cherishes his independence. He cooks gourmet meals for himself, listens to classical music, drinks his milk, cleans his apartment, builds Titanic replicas, and enjoys meticulously controlling his space. He doesn’t “need” anyone for happiness, and that’s exactly the problem the series sets out to “fix.” Turns out Kuwano San (played amazingly well by Hiroshi Abe) is the most lovable character in the whole show, with the women and others around him only serving to shame and criticize his blissful singledom and mindful lifestyle.

From the first episodes, the show treats his contentment as an eccentric flaw. He is a problem to fix. His solitude isn’t framed as valid. It’s framed as an obstacle the plot must overcome. In Japan’s cultural context, the proverb “The nail that sticks out will be hammered down” is at work here. Kuwano is that nail, and the entire season is a slow attempt to hammer him into a socially acceptable mold: married man.

To make the hammering seem necessary, the writers try to make Kuwano intentionally unlikeable. He’s blunt, sarcastic, and often says the quiet part loud. This is not accidental. it’s propaganda framing. The subliminal message is: “See? If you stay single too long, you’ll become mean and bitter like this.” Actually the opposite is true- people become incredibly bitter and trapped in marriage and families. The guy doesn’t need to get married to learn basic manners. The fact that Kuwano san stays true to himself from beginning to end shows how strong he is to face the collectivist group think, image obsessed culture and to walk alone in the truth.

The character is designed to provoke the audience into rooting for his transformation, not because marriage would improve his life, but because the format demands he be “redeemed” through romance.

Kuwano’s opening stomach-ache subplot is the show’s oldest planted seed of propaganda introduced in the very first episode and trotted out as proof that living alone is a health hazard. Kawano’s diagnosis of “acute gastroenteritis from fatigue and poor nutrition from living alone” is framed like a cautionary tale, as if independence inevitably erodes the body. The guy eats too much meat- fine, eat vegetables alone- big deal! But the script never turns that same scrutiny on the married characters, whose lives are a slow bleed of chronic sleep deprivation, stress, and neglect of their own needs. In the show’s moral math, family-induced burnout is “normal” while a single man’s stomach ache is a red flag: a neat little warning to fall back in line and get married!

Enter the Doctor: Hayasaka Natsumi. The main female lead in Season 1 is Dr. Hayasaka, an unmarried woman who is almost 40. From the moment they meet (after Kuwano collapses and ends up in her care), their interactions are a mix of hostility and reluctant tolerance.

Kuwano regularly insults her life choices:
• Suggesting she should have given up her career years ago for a “better married life.”
• Scoffing at her for being single and often alone, despite being single himself and going everywhere alone.

Here’s the hypocrisy: he’s projecting his own socially shamed status onto her, while doing nothing to “fix” it for himself. Yet the women around him rarely call him out on it, because the script needs him to remain unchallenged until the “big confession.”

The Propaganda Romance Arc:
The core romance between Kuwano and the doctor is built on antagonism. He keeps showing up at her office for some stupid reason, maybe because unconsciously he’s drawn to fighting with her. They spar, they bicker, and the show wants you to interpret this as chemistry. The subtext is: “Even if you’re incompatible and constantly bullying and insulting each other, it’s still better than being alone.” By the finale, Kuwano has a moment of “growth” where he tells Hayasaka he loves her. It is so bizarre and awkward, because that line comes out of the blue from a sea of barbs and insults, and it’s not believable at all. If anything, it is the first time in their relationship, he speaks to her without an insult. This is not love at all, but she is in tears, less from deep love than from the relief of finally not being attacked. The audience is expected to interpret this as a romantic breakthrough, but it’s an utter joke. In reality, it’s not love, it’s projection. It’s two people constantly insulting each other, mistaking a moment of relief or recognition for a lasting bond. Season 1 isn’t about personal transformation, it’s about getting a trophy for the societal scoreboard. Kuwano represents the “hard case,” the man who swears he’ll never marry. The show’s payoff is the fantasy that even he can be softened, conquered, and assimilated into the marriage machine.

There are other side female characters that reinforce the same pattern of mistaking projection or convenience for love. Michiru, the young neighbor, spends most of the series wrapped in romantic daydreams and petty social dramas, often as the target of Kuwano’s rudeness and emotional coldness. Her own preoccupation with finding a man makes her susceptible to misreading events. By the end, when Kuwano helps protect her from a stalker, the relief and gratitude flood her into briefly believing she’s in love with him. It’s not love; it’s a trauma bond born from rescue. Then there’s Sawazaki, the quietly competent assistant who’s worked with Kuwano for eight years. She probably understands him better than anyone else in the show. Her familiarity with his rhythms and quirks is the closest thing the series has to a stable, grounded connection. But it’s one-sided. Kuwano bluntly labels her as “convenient” because she handles client issues and clears his path to focus purely on architecture. In the show’s logic, even this long-standing, functional rapport isn’t framed as “love” because it lacks the romantic script. Instead, it’s treated as disposable, just another support role in service to the male lead’s journey toward the state-approved ending. The only decent bonding moments in the series come from Ken, the neighbor’s dog, which suggests that Kuwano is far better off which a dog for company rather than seeking women and insulting them constantly.

Even in Season 1, the cracks in the marriage ideal are visible if you’re paying attention. Kuwano’s married acquaintances don’t radiate joy (aka his brother in law who tries to buy a hostess an expensive purse instead of using the money for his family) They display boredom, escapism, or thinly veiled resentment. The show doesn’t dwell on these details—but they’re there. This undermines the stated goal while still pushing the script: “Marriage might be flawed, but singlehood is worse.”

By the end of Season 1, Kuwano’s confession of “love” to the doctor doesn’t lead to marriage. They’ve barely ever had a decent loving conversation. In fact, when Season 2 opens, we learn he and Hayasaka didn’t work out. She goes on to marry someone else. This confirms the hollow nature of the Season 1 arc: it was never about a lasting relationship. It was about manufacturing the moment when the nail “bows” to the hammer, even temporarily.

What this show really does:
1. Demonizes singleness by making the single protagonist grumpy and socially abrasive.
2. Equates marriage with redemption even when there’s no evidence it would make him happier.
3. Uses antagonism as romance bait, training viewers to see sparring as love.
4. Skips the results test, never showing a marriage that actually delivers sustained joy.
5. Lays the foundation for Season 2’s propaganda by planting the idea that independence is secretly loneliness.

This show is essentially the recruitment poster for the state-sponsored marriage drive. It introduces the “problem” (content single person), sets up the “solution” (romantic confession), and glosses over the fact that the solution doesn’t work long-term. Most reviewers celebrate the lighthearted comedy and high production values, completely glossing over the shaming undercurrent and the agenda telegraphed in the opening statistics about unmarried adults being a “problem.” This is exactly how the propaganda stays hidden: dress it up as “funny” and “cute” so the audience laughs along while internalizing the message that a single, self-possessed life is defective until it’s merged into the state-sanctioned family unit.

This show lacks any sort of wisdom about true love. It’s not about love at all. It’s about conversion and compliance with the system to keep society going. “Get married and pop out babies so we can keep the society going! We don’t care about your happiness, just do as you’re told. And if you’re happy, free, and single, we will call you lonely and constantly attack you for it.” And the show’s own sequel proves it: even after the “conversion,” marriage doesn’t last, and the marital happiness they’re all chasing is elusive.

In the show’s logic, Kuwano and Hayasaka aren’t just “quirky singles,” They’re glitches in the social program. They’ve slipped the net. They’re not generating children for the system, not tethering themselves into the cycles of marriage, mortgage, and consumption that keep the machine running. That’s why the tone is so condescending. The script treats them like broken gadgets—malfunctioning units in need of repair. The shaming, the subtle digs, the endless setups and matchmaking attempts—all of it is the matrix trying to drag them back into conformity. They’re the ones who unplugged, even if they don’t know the full scope of it. And in the eyes of the system, that’s dangerous. An anomaly living peacefully outside the script makes others question why they’re still trapped inside it. The fools around him see a grumpy grinch, but in truth he is a genuine, enlightened presence that is totally misunderstood.

Read More

More seasons! I love it

This show really opened my eyes. On the surface, it’s a funny, comedic series about this real estate agent, formerly known as “Liar Nagase” and how an incident causes him to be blessed (although he says cursed) with the Spirit that blows through him whenever he is tempted to lie, and forces the truth out of him. He starts off as a lying, manipulative realtor that will do or say anything to get a contract, including all of its bells and whistles. Turns out he learned this from a former employee Kamiki, who taught him all the manipulative techniques to become number 1 at any cost. Tosaka Real Estate where Nagase works, along with its rival Minerva use this ranking system that pits salespeople against each other for some competition where the #1 salesperson for the month gets serious perks. Minerva is all around scammy and will go to any level to get money and contracts, but meanwhile Tosaka has a little more ethic- especially since Nagase’s Spirit blessing of honesty started, he starts to inspire others such as Tsukishita who is his younger female coworker who is open hearted, polite, people pleasing, and earnest. The series shows how this spirit of honesty and inner alignment with truth changes Nagase’s perspective on life, where he used to live for money, the flashy high rise life, hooking up with random women, and the number 1 sales spot, but now sees something more important than the number 1 spot, which is bringing joy to others, which makes him happy. He starts to feel for the first time a sense of happiness and meaning in his job, whereas before it was just a cold, hard game. His approach even softens the heart of Kamiki, his number 1 rival when Kamiki starts working for Minerva and becomes a villainous rival of sorts for Nagase. It’s like Nagase is battling his own former self or shadow, and sheds light on Kamiki’s obsession with #1 being an armor of protection and a way coping for immense grief and pain he hides inside. Kamiki was a fascinating character, and when his backstory was explained, I was in tears. All villains are hiding great pain, and if it was only allowed to process instead of the ego taking over and creating a mask where they felt powerless, there could be healing and restoration of the soul. But if it is given to the ego, then it creates this hardened, insensitive, manipulative mask, a false self and a shell in place of the suffering victim which becomes a dangerous force. In fact, all the unprocessed pain in the world creates this callous, harsh world and atmosphere that you see in the series. And Nagase along with Tsukishita become like beacons of light in such a world. Once you get past the grief inside, you find the joy of Spirit deep within, that radiates throughout the world. The title song “So far so good” by Kazumasa Oda that plays at the end of every episode is so touching and heartwarming. It really speaks to the healing and joy of Spirit that is brought to everyone at the end of the day when honesty and genuine intentions are extended to all.

As far as performances go, I grew to really love the guy who played Nagase (Tomoshima Yamashita)- at first I wasn’t used to his face, and he just looked like a total a-hole, but then as he went through this honest transformation by the spirit, I found him to be more and more attractive. Then I looked him up and I realized he was the naked dude in Alice in Boderland! Ohhh it makes sense now! In the second season they changed his haircut and he gained weight, so he was definitely not as attractive as the first season. He had more of a dad look in the second season lol. But his character was solid. I loved Tsukishita- she was so sweet and innocent, and when I would go out into the world and encounter mean and horrible people, I would remember her and her smile and it would make me feel better- like there is some light and kindness in this world. Kamiki was my other favorite- his charisma was off the charts, even though his tap dancing was strange and comical- it was very “anime” like for a villain so I thought that was cool too. His backstory was so sad and it gave him more depth as a character especially when seeing his grief and his transformation towards the end, where he questions everything- his philosophy and so even the unbeatable villain has this soft spot where he is humbled and brought to his knees. It was sweet to see the end where it showed that he could change too.

Read More

To be honest and open hearted in a cruel and callous world

This show really opened my eyes. On the surface, it’s a funny, comedic series about this real estate agent, formerly known as “Liar Nagase” and how an incident causes him to be blessed (although he says cursed) with the Spirit that blows through him whenever he is tempted to lie, and forces the truth out of him. He starts off as a lying, manipulative realtor that will do or say anything to get a contract, including all of its bells and whistles. Turns out he learned this from a former employee Kamiki, who taught him all the manipulative techniques to become number 1 at any cost. Tosaka Real Estate where Nagase works, along with its rival Minerva use this ranking system that pits salespeople against each other for some competition where the #1 salesperson for the month gets serious perks. Minerva is all around scammy and will go to any level to get money and contracts, but meanwhile Tosaka has a little more ethic- especially since Nagase’s Spirit blessing of honesty started, he starts to inspire others such as Tsukishita who is his younger female coworker who is open hearted, polite, people pleasing, and earnest. The series shows how this spirit of honesty and inner alignment with truth changes Nagase’s perspective on life, where he used to live for money, the flashy high rise life, hooking up with random women, and the number 1 sales spot, but now sees something more important than the number 1 spot, which is bringing joy to others, which makes him happy. He starts to feel for the first time a sense of happiness and meaning in his job, whereas before it was just a cold, hard game. His approach even softens the heart of Kamiki, his number 1 rival when Kamiki starts working for Minerva and becomes a villainous rival of sorts for Nagase. It’s like Nagase is battling his own former self or shadow, and sheds light on Kamiki’s obsession with #1 being an armor of protection and a way coping for immense grief and pain he hides inside. Kamiki was a fascinating character, and when his backstory was explained, I was in tears. All villains are hiding great pain, and if it was only allowed to process instead of the ego taking over and creating a mask where they felt powerless, there could be healing and restoration of the soul. But if it is given to the ego, then it creates this hardened, insensitive, manipulative mask, a false self and a shell in place of the suffering victim which becomes a dangerous force. In fact, all the unprocessed pain in the world creates this callous, harsh world and atmosphere that you see in the series. And Nagase along with Tsukishita become like beacons of light in such a world. Once you get past the grief inside, you find the joy of Spirit deep within, that radiates throughout the world. The title song “So far so good” by Kazumasa Oda that plays at the end of every episode is so touching and heartwarming. It really speaks to the healing and joy of Spirit that is brought to everyone at the end of the day when honesty and genuine intentions are extended to all.

As far as performances go, I grew to really love the guy who played Nagase (Tomoshima Yamashita)- at first I wasn’t used to his face, and he just looked like a total a-hole, but then as he went through this honest transformation by the spirit, I found him to be more and more attractive. Then I looked him up and I realized he was the naked dude in Alice in Boderland! Ohhh it makes sense now! In the second season they changed his haircut and he gained weight, so he was definitely not as attractive as the first season. He had more of a dad look in the second season lol. But his character was solid. I loved Tsukishita- she was so sweet and innocent, and when I would go out into the world and encounter mean and horrible people, I would remember her and her smile and it would make me feel better- like there is some light and kindness in this world. Kamiki was my other favorite- his charisma was off the charts, even though his tap dancing was strange and comical- it was very “anime” like for a villain so I thought that was cool too. His backstory was so sad and it gave him more depth as a character especially when seeing his grief and his transformation towards the end, where he questions everything- his philosophy and so even the unbeatable villain has this soft spot where he is humbled and brought to his knees. It was sweet to see the end where it showed that he could change too.

Read More

This story is about more than just an affair

Why do people have affairs? Because something in them wants to escape the system of control, ego, manipulation, fake performance, and imprisonment that their current relationship or situation poses. That was the case with all the relationships in this show that involved affairs. Rikako’s husband was a crazy tyrant who looked down on Rikako and only saw her as a pretty face and nothing more than someone who should smile and play a role. Meanwhile, Kato the artist actually SAW her, deeply and loved her. But he didn’t have the status, the looks, the money, the fame- all the things that the world calls security.

Then there was Sawa- her husband was a weirdo, avoiding any sort of passion or love in the relationship and acting like they were gay best friends. Meanwhile, Yuichir’s wife was a psycho narcissist and acted more like a prison warden than a wife. The love that blossomed with Kato and Rikako was pure. And the love that grew between Sawa and Yuichiro was even purer (see the Hirugao move 2017). The series explores how the whole world can be against true love, but only rewards performance- marriage is a performance, simply acting and selling a fake image that you’re happy to create the facade of an enviable lifestyle. Meanwhile all the married couples are dying on the inside. Yuichiro looks like a hollowed out shell as Noriko bosses him around and drags him by a short leash. She literally tries to control everyone around her. Marriage is revealed as a system of control and performance to sell a particular image, and not about love. That’s what the affair is about. An affair is an awakening out of the fake curated life from hell. The marriage is the actual fantasy, and the affair that is usually called an escape or fantasy is actually the portal into something real, true love without performing for others. But the system cannot allow such love- it always uses control, manipulation, and domination to keep true love separated. And that was how the series ended. It was disappointing to see how the Rikako-Kato story ended- with him paralyzed and homeless, and Rikako going back to her fake curated life once again. Fortunately the movie had more to show on the story between Sawa and Yuichiro. That ended on a tragic note, but love prevails in the end.

Read More