This review may contain spoilers
Pioneering Spirit
"Natsuzora" is the 11th asadora that I have watched. It is the culmination of last five asadoras that I have watched. To explain: "Natsuzora" is the landmark 100th asadora to air. As such, NHK invited a bunch of past asadora heroines to make appearances from supporting to minor cameos. I watched "Oshin," "Dondo Hare," "Dandan," "Manpuku," and "Chiritotechin" specifically for this reason while I had already watched "Jun-chan no Ouenka." [I would've watched more but these are the only ones with English subs currently.] Watching these aren't really a prerequisite to watching "Natsuzora," especially since some of the actresses have a blink and you'll miss it cameos. Personally, I think fully immersing myself in the asadora format for the pass few months helped me really enjoy "Natsuzora" to the fullest.
Now that being said, I think "Natsuzora" is actually potentially the perfect first asadora for someone just beginning to watch. It has all of the elements that people like particularly in an asadora with great writing, characters, the lovely scenery of Hokkaido, and wonderful animation segments to boot. Just watching "Natsuzora" would give someone the perfect impression of what an asadora is supposed to be.
Hirose Suzu as Natsu is a great heroine and wonderfully nuanced. Natsu, I believe, is one of the few asadora heroines to be an orphan. This creates some great drama with her finding her birth siblings, which runs throughout the drama. "Natsuzora" also boasts a great supporting cast with Kusakari Masao as "Jii-chan," Natsu's adoptive grandfather, being the standout. I particularly loved seeing the former heroines Yamaguchi Tomoko (from "Jun-chan no Ouenka"), Higa Manami (from "Dondo Hare"), and Kanjiya Shihori (from "Chiritotechin") now in supporting roles. Then there were the actors I recognized from "Hana Yori Dango" productions, Nakagawa Taishi, Matsushima Nanako (also an asadora heroine from "Himawari"), and Fujiki Naohito. A quick glance at the cast list and I see a lot of people from previous asadoras. Honestly, NHK went all out with the casting.
Natsu has two love interests. Yoshizawa Ryo plays Tenyo, Natsu's childhood friend. Though neither expresses their feelings, I think it's clear how they feel for each other. However, since Natsu has to leave Hokkaido to pursue her dreams, their relationship never goes beyond friendship. Nakagawa Taishi plays her real love interest Kazuhisa, whom also works in animation. Their relationship is a very understated, simple kind of love. It's lovely to watch it develop.
"Natsuzora" carries the theme of the "pioneering spirit" shown with the dairy farmers of Hokkaido and later with Natsu entering into the new animation industry. Eventually both intersect when Natsu has the opportunity to work on an animated series reminiscent of the "World Masterpiece Theater" anime series (and specifically referencing "Heidi, Girl of the Alps"). Interestingly, Natsu is based on the animator Okuyama Reiko but I would say very loosely, particularly in regards to her early life. Taishi's character is based on Studio Ghibli director Takahata Isao and there's even a reference to his masterpiece "Grave of the Fireflies." There's a handful of others also based on real-life people, such Sometani Shota's character being analogous to Miyazaki Hayao.
Watching "Natsuzora" felt like receiving a warm hug. In many ways, it reminded me of my first asadora "Hanako to Anne." Both asadoras gave me the feeling of wanting to stay in that world full of characters that I love dearly. Somehow, it's harder to say things about a drama I really liked, so this review will be a little shorter than usual. I just really hope that more and more people watch this asadora as it's very close to being perfect.
My Asadora Ranking: https://kisskh.at/list/LAlqpp21
Now that being said, I think "Natsuzora" is actually potentially the perfect first asadora for someone just beginning to watch. It has all of the elements that people like particularly in an asadora with great writing, characters, the lovely scenery of Hokkaido, and wonderful animation segments to boot. Just watching "Natsuzora" would give someone the perfect impression of what an asadora is supposed to be.
Hirose Suzu as Natsu is a great heroine and wonderfully nuanced. Natsu, I believe, is one of the few asadora heroines to be an orphan. This creates some great drama with her finding her birth siblings, which runs throughout the drama. "Natsuzora" also boasts a great supporting cast with Kusakari Masao as "Jii-chan," Natsu's adoptive grandfather, being the standout. I particularly loved seeing the former heroines Yamaguchi Tomoko (from "Jun-chan no Ouenka"), Higa Manami (from "Dondo Hare"), and Kanjiya Shihori (from "Chiritotechin") now in supporting roles. Then there were the actors I recognized from "Hana Yori Dango" productions, Nakagawa Taishi, Matsushima Nanako (also an asadora heroine from "Himawari"), and Fujiki Naohito. A quick glance at the cast list and I see a lot of people from previous asadoras. Honestly, NHK went all out with the casting.
Natsu has two love interests. Yoshizawa Ryo plays Tenyo, Natsu's childhood friend. Though neither expresses their feelings, I think it's clear how they feel for each other. However, since Natsu has to leave Hokkaido to pursue her dreams, their relationship never goes beyond friendship. Nakagawa Taishi plays her real love interest Kazuhisa, whom also works in animation. Their relationship is a very understated, simple kind of love. It's lovely to watch it develop.
"Natsuzora" carries the theme of the "pioneering spirit" shown with the dairy farmers of Hokkaido and later with Natsu entering into the new animation industry. Eventually both intersect when Natsu has the opportunity to work on an animated series reminiscent of the "World Masterpiece Theater" anime series (and specifically referencing "Heidi, Girl of the Alps"). Interestingly, Natsu is based on the animator Okuyama Reiko but I would say very loosely, particularly in regards to her early life. Taishi's character is based on Studio Ghibli director Takahata Isao and there's even a reference to his masterpiece "Grave of the Fireflies." There's a handful of others also based on real-life people, such Sometani Shota's character being analogous to Miyazaki Hayao.
Watching "Natsuzora" felt like receiving a warm hug. In many ways, it reminded me of my first asadora "Hanako to Anne." Both asadoras gave me the feeling of wanting to stay in that world full of characters that I love dearly. Somehow, it's harder to say things about a drama I really liked, so this review will be a little shorter than usual. I just really hope that more and more people watch this asadora as it's very close to being perfect.
My Asadora Ranking: https://kisskh.at/list/LAlqpp21
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