This review may contain spoilers
"Invisible, yet it exists"
"GeGeGe no Nyobo" is the 35th asadora that I've watched. I wisely kept this one to watch towards the end of my asadora journey, though I'm hopeful that more asadoras will receive subtitles in the coming years. I thoroughly enjoyed watching "GeGeGe no Nyobo" so I'm happy I watched this asadora when I did, instead of leaving only iffy asadoras to the end.
Firstly, "GeGeGe" is another "couple" asadora, meaning one that focuses on a couple equally instead of mostly on the heroine. This one feels like it the model for all the couple asadoras of the past decade. It particularly reminded me of 2018's "Manpuku", which also features Matsushita Nao and Matsuzaka Keiko. There were also some similarities with 2013's Gochisosan and 2020's Yell. One of the things most often complained about with couple asadoras is that there's not enough focus on the heroine or that she's just there to support her husband. "GeGeGe" definitely falls into this, but I don't really see this as a negative. This is more of a matter of taste, which differs per viewer.
Unlike most couple asadoras, Fumie (Matsushita) and Shigeru (Mukai Osamu) are a couple brought together through an arranged marriage. Because of that, a large part of the drama focuses on how a couple a) gets to know each other and b) learn to get along despite their contrasting personalities. For the most part, Fumie has a very laidback personality and above all she seems to be someone always striving for harmony. Shigeru is very strange in comparison as someone who is a workaholic with single-minded focus on manga. Sometimes he ignores Fumie's feelings but their conflicts ultimately lead to a better understanding of each other. I will say that the conflicts don't always end in the most satisfying way and Shigeru's tendency to act like a tyrant towards the end is annoying. However, this is my sole complaint for the entire asadora.
My favorite part of "GeGeGe no Nyobo" was learning more about manga and yokai. I had never heard of rental manga or kamishibai before, and I found it all very fascinating. As suggested by the title, the asadora is about the beginnings of famous manga artist Mizuki Shigeru whom created works such "GeGeGe no Kitaro," "Akuma-kun," and "Kappa no Sanpei." Many of his manga are about yokai, which are featured heavily throughout the asadora. My favorite being "Betobeto-san." Other than that, the asadora is full of the usual things I love. The wonderful supporting cast, particularly the family members of Fumie and Shigeru, the cozy vibes, and a lovely theme song. There's also some pretty animation of characters from "Kitaro" and Mizuki's other works.
I'm cutting this review a bit short, mostly because I find it hard to describe dramas I love. Just know that I had a lot of fun with this asadora. My only complaint really is Shigeru's occasional tyrant behavior. I thought Fumie was a lovely heroine and I kind of love that she's a homemaker. Not every woman's dream is to have a career. And, above all, I truly believe Shigeru wouldn't have made it as far in his career had Fumie not been there to support him. So while not the most romantic couple, they are one of the sweetest I've seen in an asadora. (And, for once, I really loved their children and I didn't think they were annoying at all unlike most asadora children haha.)
Firstly, "GeGeGe" is another "couple" asadora, meaning one that focuses on a couple equally instead of mostly on the heroine. This one feels like it the model for all the couple asadoras of the past decade. It particularly reminded me of 2018's "Manpuku", which also features Matsushita Nao and Matsuzaka Keiko. There were also some similarities with 2013's Gochisosan and 2020's Yell. One of the things most often complained about with couple asadoras is that there's not enough focus on the heroine or that she's just there to support her husband. "GeGeGe" definitely falls into this, but I don't really see this as a negative. This is more of a matter of taste, which differs per viewer.
Unlike most couple asadoras, Fumie (Matsushita) and Shigeru (Mukai Osamu) are a couple brought together through an arranged marriage. Because of that, a large part of the drama focuses on how a couple a) gets to know each other and b) learn to get along despite their contrasting personalities. For the most part, Fumie has a very laidback personality and above all she seems to be someone always striving for harmony. Shigeru is very strange in comparison as someone who is a workaholic with single-minded focus on manga. Sometimes he ignores Fumie's feelings but their conflicts ultimately lead to a better understanding of each other. I will say that the conflicts don't always end in the most satisfying way and Shigeru's tendency to act like a tyrant towards the end is annoying. However, this is my sole complaint for the entire asadora.
My favorite part of "GeGeGe no Nyobo" was learning more about manga and yokai. I had never heard of rental manga or kamishibai before, and I found it all very fascinating. As suggested by the title, the asadora is about the beginnings of famous manga artist Mizuki Shigeru whom created works such "GeGeGe no Kitaro," "Akuma-kun," and "Kappa no Sanpei." Many of his manga are about yokai, which are featured heavily throughout the asadora. My favorite being "Betobeto-san." Other than that, the asadora is full of the usual things I love. The wonderful supporting cast, particularly the family members of Fumie and Shigeru, the cozy vibes, and a lovely theme song. There's also some pretty animation of characters from "Kitaro" and Mizuki's other works.
I'm cutting this review a bit short, mostly because I find it hard to describe dramas I love. Just know that I had a lot of fun with this asadora. My only complaint really is Shigeru's occasional tyrant behavior. I thought Fumie was a lovely heroine and I kind of love that she's a homemaker. Not every woman's dream is to have a career. And, above all, I truly believe Shigeru wouldn't have made it as far in his career had Fumie not been there to support him. So while not the most romantic couple, they are one of the sweetest I've seen in an asadora. (And, for once, I really loved their children and I didn't think they were annoying at all unlike most asadora children haha.)
Was this review helpful to you?
