Osusume Ep.1: The J-Drama watchlist
Sharing the love with Japanese film and TV
Osusume ( おすすめ）means 'recommendation' or 'recommended'.
Fun fact: If you’re ever stuck about what to order at a restaurant in Japan, just say this word + ‘wa’ and you're almost always guaranteed to enjoy a delicious meal.
With this ‘Osusume’ series, I'm keen to share some short (and mochi-sweet) content around various topics I’ve been enjoying lately.
And this week's theme is: J-Dramas. I mean who doesn’t secretly appreciate a romcom.
For me, there was no better love story than when you step onto the train from Haneda or Narita airport bound for the big city. With each mile of track that goes by, the landscape shoots skywards as you see glimpses of the adventure that awaits. You step off the carriage and navigate the subway bustle. The heart races as you step outside and your eyes finally meet. Japan - it's love at first sight.
However, that might now be eclipsed by the following 3 pieces of TV and film. Interestingly, whilst J-dramas aren’t quite hitting the heights of their neighbours, I still think each of these are a great insight into the language, culture and environment in Japan and above all else, for anyone who digs Japan, they are just fun to watch.
The Last 10 Years2
Would watch if: you are ready for an emotional rollercoaster. It follows the story of Matsuri who has been given 10 years to live and the sparked romance she encounters at a high school reunion. Plus with music by Radwimps safe to say I was thoroughly invested in this one. Potential sobfest. I’m not crying, you’re crying. (╥﹏╥)
Dependence (生きててごめんなさい)3
Would watch if: you want to see a film that deep dives on career ambitions and relationship dependence in current day Japan. I watched this in an empty Kyoto cinema and despite lacking in some vocabulary, the challenges that both these themes produce really hit home. Being based around an aspiring novelist also made it a great match. ٩(^ᴗ^)۶
First Love4
Would watch if: you want to invest time in a dedicated 9-part series set in Hokkaido that follows a taxi driver who ends up crossing paths with her first love. Fun fact: this series was created based on the hit song in Japan by Hikaru Utada. All round feel-good watch. (っಠ‿ಠ)っ<3
P.s. Japanese TV and film has so much more to offer beyond romcoms, so I’ll make sure to swing back around on this topic to revisit some of the more critically acclaimed stuff and other cool genres.
Thanks for reading,
Kaizen Writer (^-^)
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