This review may contain spoilers
"Wonderful everyday moments"
"Bakebake" is my 39th asadora watched. I've been highly anticipating this asadora since it was announced due to my love for "Massan" which has a similar cross cultural romance. In my anticipation, I decided to read a biography on Lafcadio Hearn (renamed Lefkada Heavin for this asadora) titled "The Outsider: The Life and Work of Lafcadio Hearn." This way I was able to relive my first asadora experience with "Hanako to Anne," for which I read the biography on which it was based. Of course, "Bakebake" is more based on the life of Lafcadio's wife Koizumi Setsuko (renamed Matsuno Toki) so I consider the biography to be background reading since a majority of it focuses on Lafcadio's life before Japan.
As an asadora, "Bakebake" is unique in many aspects. Firstly, it is set roughly from 1875 to 1905. Very few asadoras are set entirely pre-WWII. [The majority of the storyline also takes place in 1890-91.] Secondly, "Bakebake" is able to maintain a light-hearted vibe despite also dealing with heavy topics like poverty, death, and sickness. Sad episodes are often punctuated with a joke or two, causing me to laugh through my tears. Thirdly, the asadora is more of a slice of life story in the same vein as "Hiyokko." Simple day to day life and the residents of Matsue are given the focus instead of a goal/career like in other asadoras.
"Bakebake" is also what I call a "couple asadora," meaning that it focuses on a couple as the leads. Though this isn't unique, it's been since 2014's "Massan" that a non-Japanese person was the co-lead. And really we were truly blessed with Toki (Takaishi Akari) and Heavin-san (Tommy Bastow). Their easygoing chemistry makes for one of the best asadora couples put to screen. Personally I'd put "Bakebake" slightly above the other best couple asadoras, "Massan" and "Yell," while also having the romance on par with my favorite in "Asa ga Kita." Toki and Heavin's romance is the ultimate slow burn romance full of anticipation and sweet, heartwarming moments. Several moments made my heart flutter.
Toki is an endearing heroine because of her loyalty towards her family and her love for ghost stories. Unlike other heroines, she is not pursuing a career instead being motivated to work to pay off her family's debt. Despite her circumstances, Toki finds the joy in little things like eating dinner with her family or sleep paralysis(?). It's truly a joy to just watch Toki smile. As for Heavin, Tommy Bastow plays him wonderfully but I feel the writers do him a disservice. I wish the story had shown more of Heavin before Japan instead of just the brief snippets. His personality and motivations could've been explained and fleshed out more. (Fun fact: Lafcadio's volatile personality is heavily sanitized for this asadora.) I wanted more scenes like the ones with the maid Ume (Nouchi Maru), in which he was insistent on going to the eye doctor since he was self-conscious of his.
A few more grips with the story. I feel like the flashback with his first wife, Martha (Meisha Brooks), could've been handled differently. Something about it didn't set well with me. Also, I was highly disappointed with the character of Eliza Belsland, played by my beloved Charlotte Kate Fox from "Massan." I wasn't a fan of her dialogue most of the time nor that she was in love with Heavin. However, the clincher was her yelling at Toki in the final episodes. It was completely unnecessary. For those curious, Eliza was based on Lafcadio's real-life friend journalist Elizabeth Bisland, whom doesn't appear to have had any romantic feelings towards him.
Now for the section where I praise all of the side characters. My personal favorite was Sawa (Marui Wan), Toki's best friend whom wants to lift her family out of poverty on her own. Her romance with Shoda (Hama Shogo) was sweet. Nami (Sato Honami), a prostitute in the red light district, also had a cute friendship with Toki and Sawa. As for Toki's family, they're all lovable even Toki's father Tsukasanosuke (Okabe Takashi) and grandfather Kaneimon (Kohinata Fumiyo) who cause her troubles while they hold on to a bygone way of life. Kitagawa Keiko plays Toki's aunt/birth mother Ushimizu Tae with an understated gracefulness. Lastly, I can't move on from this section without mentioning Nishikori-san (Yoshizawa Ryo), the unofficial third main character for much of the story. Yoshizawa is truly a great actor because his characters always leave a lasting impact. I still remember him so clearly as Tenyo in "Natsuzora."
Lafcadio's best known book "Kwaidan" was written shortly before he died, a fact I had forgotten as I waited in anticipation for it to be covered. The homage paid to the book was very much worth it. I particularly loved the reference to "Hoichi the Earless." I'd highly recommend watching the 1964 film "Kwaidan" if you're curious about Lafcadio's stories.
In the last episode of the asadora, Toki's mother Fumi (Ikewaki Chizuru) uses this phrase "Simple truly simple, wonderful everyday moments" while talking about Toki and Heavin's life together. For me, this phrase perfectly encapsulates this asadora. It is made up entirely of the simple moments in life that make it worth living. I'll miss "Bakebake" so much though I'll continue to hold it in my heart.
My Asadora Ranking: https://kisskh.at/list/LAlqpp21
As an asadora, "Bakebake" is unique in many aspects. Firstly, it is set roughly from 1875 to 1905. Very few asadoras are set entirely pre-WWII. [The majority of the storyline also takes place in 1890-91.] Secondly, "Bakebake" is able to maintain a light-hearted vibe despite also dealing with heavy topics like poverty, death, and sickness. Sad episodes are often punctuated with a joke or two, causing me to laugh through my tears. Thirdly, the asadora is more of a slice of life story in the same vein as "Hiyokko." Simple day to day life and the residents of Matsue are given the focus instead of a goal/career like in other asadoras.
"Bakebake" is also what I call a "couple asadora," meaning that it focuses on a couple as the leads. Though this isn't unique, it's been since 2014's "Massan" that a non-Japanese person was the co-lead. And really we were truly blessed with Toki (Takaishi Akari) and Heavin-san (Tommy Bastow). Their easygoing chemistry makes for one of the best asadora couples put to screen. Personally I'd put "Bakebake" slightly above the other best couple asadoras, "Massan" and "Yell," while also having the romance on par with my favorite in "Asa ga Kita." Toki and Heavin's romance is the ultimate slow burn romance full of anticipation and sweet, heartwarming moments. Several moments made my heart flutter.
Toki is an endearing heroine because of her loyalty towards her family and her love for ghost stories. Unlike other heroines, she is not pursuing a career instead being motivated to work to pay off her family's debt. Despite her circumstances, Toki finds the joy in little things like eating dinner with her family or sleep paralysis(?). It's truly a joy to just watch Toki smile. As for Heavin, Tommy Bastow plays him wonderfully but I feel the writers do him a disservice. I wish the story had shown more of Heavin before Japan instead of just the brief snippets. His personality and motivations could've been explained and fleshed out more. (Fun fact: Lafcadio's volatile personality is heavily sanitized for this asadora.) I wanted more scenes like the ones with the maid Ume (Nouchi Maru), in which he was insistent on going to the eye doctor since he was self-conscious of his.
A few more grips with the story. I feel like the flashback with his first wife, Martha (Meisha Brooks), could've been handled differently. Something about it didn't set well with me. Also, I was highly disappointed with the character of Eliza Belsland, played by my beloved Charlotte Kate Fox from "Massan." I wasn't a fan of her dialogue most of the time nor that she was in love with Heavin. However, the clincher was her yelling at Toki in the final episodes. It was completely unnecessary. For those curious, Eliza was based on Lafcadio's real-life friend journalist Elizabeth Bisland, whom doesn't appear to have had any romantic feelings towards him.
Now for the section where I praise all of the side characters. My personal favorite was Sawa (Marui Wan), Toki's best friend whom wants to lift her family out of poverty on her own. Her romance with Shoda (Hama Shogo) was sweet. Nami (Sato Honami), a prostitute in the red light district, also had a cute friendship with Toki and Sawa. As for Toki's family, they're all lovable even Toki's father Tsukasanosuke (Okabe Takashi) and grandfather Kaneimon (Kohinata Fumiyo) who cause her troubles while they hold on to a bygone way of life. Kitagawa Keiko plays Toki's aunt/birth mother Ushimizu Tae with an understated gracefulness. Lastly, I can't move on from this section without mentioning Nishikori-san (Yoshizawa Ryo), the unofficial third main character for much of the story. Yoshizawa is truly a great actor because his characters always leave a lasting impact. I still remember him so clearly as Tenyo in "Natsuzora."
Lafcadio's best known book "Kwaidan" was written shortly before he died, a fact I had forgotten as I waited in anticipation for it to be covered. The homage paid to the book was very much worth it. I particularly loved the reference to "Hoichi the Earless." I'd highly recommend watching the 1964 film "Kwaidan" if you're curious about Lafcadio's stories.
In the last episode of the asadora, Toki's mother Fumi (Ikewaki Chizuru) uses this phrase "Simple truly simple, wonderful everyday moments" while talking about Toki and Heavin's life together. For me, this phrase perfectly encapsulates this asadora. It is made up entirely of the simple moments in life that make it worth living. I'll miss "Bakebake" so much though I'll continue to hold it in my heart.
My Asadora Ranking: https://kisskh.at/list/LAlqpp21
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