Blues da Madrasta e da Filha (2018)

Heartwarming Family Drama

The drama with the highest rating of the season. And it deserved it. Not only because Ayase Haruka is and will be forever Japan's favorite girl, but because this was funny and sweet and with zero drama and a real representative of a Japanese Slice of Life Drama.

The story is divided in two parts, so it was like Season 1 and Season 2 together. From ep01 to ep05 is one timeline, and from ep06 to 10 is another, 9 years later (that was a total surprise for me!). I adored "Season 1" and it was my favorite. Akiko-san trying, first, to be accepted as a stepmom to Miyuki, and then, her first duties as a mother. I love the little girl who played Miyuki (Yokomizo Naho), awesome actress! She behaved like a little girl behaves, not like a smart-ass girl who talks like an adult. My favorite episodes were 2 and 3: ep2 because I loved the little "game" Akiko-san and Miyuki played at the supermarket, and ep3, because of the "battle" of Akiko against the Parents Association.

Ep 06 was a total shock to me because of the time-slip and because of... well, change of actors. Still, the actress who played older Miyuki was really good and likeable (Hiroki-kun too. Both boy and older boy are so cute!), and some of her expressions resembled her younger-self (both girls have big eyes). I liked how Akiko-san starts working again; her role in the bakery was amazing, totally plausible. I love how everything she does, it is because she is thinking in her daughter. And everything Miyuki does, she always has her stepmom in mind. They may not be blood-related, but their love for each other was as strong as a blood-related mother and daughter have.

If there has to be a minus it would be that Akiko-san looks the same after the time-slip. Same as Shimoyama-san (even the highlights in her hair...)

In spite of the many comedic scenes, there were also some touching scenes :( I am still not sure of the ending, only because I did not fully understand it. I know that it was a "miracle" too, but why? What does the train ticket mean??

All actors were excellent, except for Takeru Sato. I think goofy roles don't suit him. I noticed that some "cool" actors, like him, do wonderfully in action and cool roles, but when it comes to goofy roles... nah. And too bad he had to go and fall in love. I mean, it provided many funny scenes XD but Akiko-san and Ryuchi forever <3 And I was disappointed since I truly thought he was going to be some kind of angel, the one who was going to bring a miracle into Akiko-san's and Miyuki's lives. I guess he sort of did, but not the way I wanted. And at the end, it was really Akiko who was like a miracle to him.

The little touches, like the miracles (I thought it was going to have a bigger role, like **coughcoughthefathercoughcough**), and minor characters, like Taguchi-kun, were very nice. I actually laughed out loud several times with Taguchi-kun, he was a silly sweetheart :)

The OST was excellent, I want it. And the funny one made the scene even funnier XD I did not pay attention to the ED song tbh.

So overall, first part is a 10 and second part is a 9 for me. I love this kind of "non-drama" drama :D

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There's so much meaning we can get from this drama about family relationship. Interesting stories with conflicts that usually occur in families make this drama really look very realistic. In addition, the main role's excellent acting ability can bring the characters to each role so that the storyline is very interesting in each episode, especially how the stepmother's true love takes part in her daughter's life even though they have no blood ties.
I like how the supporting roles play their roles with no less good role than the main roles, although some of them don't appear frequently in every episode but each character has a role and gives the impression of a distinctive character.
The background music seemed to describe each story so that we seemed to be taken to feel the feelings of happiness, sadness, despair, and hope of the cast.
Therefore, if you want to watch this drama again, then I will say that this drama is worth watching again. Maybe when viewed from the title of the drama you will think that this drama has a general storyline about family relationships, but in it you will be entertained by the character of each cast that makes this drama have a different story element.

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This drama shouldn't work. Truthfully, I'm not even sure if it does. It's odd, strange, confusing, sweet, humorous, light-hearted, quirky, illogical, satisfying, perplexing; a real head-scratcher. There are lots of really great messages about life and love and loss and purpose. There are sad events that really pull at your heartstrings and make you feel all the emotions associated with them. The leads are all Intensely likable and precious and wonderful. The dad wins dad of the year for Life.

There is also a lot of odd.

Akiko is like a block of wood 90% of the time with her expressions and mannerisms. Which is 100% intentional but you also never get used to it. They kill Miyuki's father off halfway through the story, which I knew was going to happen because spoilers, but it still was jarring (and devastating) to experience for myself. Once married, Akiko quits her extremely high paying job in order to be a stepmom then instead of going to back to her job after the father dies, she......stays home and does day trading. Then later on starts working at a bakery??? (I really don't understand her career trajectory.) They set up a potential romantic pairing for Akiko in the second half only for them to cut it off at the knees, lol. (And just when I was coming around to it!) Miyuki is like a completely different character as a teen compared to her child version, and it sticks out the entire time, but both versions are extremely likable, so I don't know what to do with that.

The story switches track multiple times, and every time on purpose, and I don't even know if I can criticize it for it because they clearly had a vision and went for it with all cylinders firing and even in the midst of my confusion, I was feeling all the feelings.

This drama's just an odd experience, and it does it in a way that only a Japanese drama can.

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One of the my favorites!

Okay, this being one of my favorites could have something to do with the fact that this was the drama that introduced me to Takenouchi Yutaka.

But in any way, it was also one of the rarest drama that made me actually cry – not once, but twice! The main story revolves around the stepmother and her daughter. Their development throughout the whole series was so heartwarming to watch. I probably cried a lot because it made me think of my mother who gave up her years for me.

[Spoiler?]

I didn't really like the time jump at first but the story needed it to continue I guess, so I'm just nitpicking. And just when Ryoichi and Akiko were getting closer, they sent him straight to heaven :( And it was hard for me to cheer for Manager Mugita after seeing them and warming up to them so much! Nevertheless, Mugita's character was entertaining to watch ^^

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Beautiful, emotional, funny

It's a beautiful story of a child adapting her life to her new stepmother who is a workaholic.
The story unfolds with a child Miyuki reluctantly trying to accept her new mother, Akiko.
Akiko's journey to motherhood of a workaholic career woman was a fun watch. I found it beautiful, how this woman gave up everything she was, to raise a child that was not her own. Her relations with her husband Ryoichi, who she had a contract with, bloomed into something so beautiful, that I bawled my eyes out when it ended :"(
And Ryoichi! I cannot stop praising his character! Such a ray of sunshine! Always smiling and trying to make everyone happy! People like him are a gem. I feel like his character will stay with me for a long time. <3
The story has a leap where the child grows into a young woman, entering adulthood. It is interesting to see her relationship with her stepmother who at this point is more dear to her than anyone else in the world.
This drama is a must-watch if you are looking for a light family drama that will stir your emotions. It's a beautiful mix of comedy, family love, a bit of romance and also deals with the loss of loved ones. Do give it a watch, you'll love it to the end!

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