Teppan (2010)

Even though Teppan seems ordinary, it still brings warmth.

Teppan is my 17th Asadora! Honestly, it’s one of the most ordinary Asadora and doesn’t have strong plot compared to others. However, even though it’s just about a young girl starting her life as part of society and finding her identity, Teppan is still worth watching.

♡ THINGS I LIKE:

1. The Murakami Family – They are the most harmonious Asadora heroine family and one of my favorites! I love their way of life, welcoming everyone with sincerity and warmth. Their family consists of various personalities: a hardworking father who is strict yet deeply loving, to the point of being unreasonable when it comes to Akari; a kind, sincere, and strong mother; Kin-nii, the most understanding, kind, and sweet older brother; Tetsu-nii, who may seem lazy but has a warm heart; and Akari, the bright light who fills the Murakami family with her cheerfulness.
2. The Music – Even though the opening song is an instrumental, there are many songs and background music throughout various scenes, adding depth to the story.
3. The Way It Handles Adoption – While I initially disliked how the narrator seemed to suggest that the Murakami family wasn’t Akari’s "real" family in the early episodes, I liked how the story developed. No matter what, Akari is a part of the Murakami family, and I loved how even Akari’s grandmother was considered family by them.
4. The residents of the boarding house – I love the dynamics among the boarders. While it’s not as deep as Churasan, I still enjoyed it. I like how they support Akari during tough times, how they always have breakfast together, and more. Oh, and let’s not forget the neighbors in Onomichi and Osaka too!
5. The realistic ending! – For me, Akari’s final decision was the best and most realistic choice. At just 20 years old, her strong determination to continue running her Okonomiyaki restaurant feels like a great beginning. There are still many opportunities for her in both life and love in the future. I’m glad to finally see a heroine who sticks to her choice, persisting until the end with her chosen career.
6. Learning new cultures – Asadora is my favorite type of drama because I get to learn about different cultures. For example, I love how Ozouni varies from city to city, with different broth and filling variations. Even Okonomiyaki is adapted to suit local tastes!
7. Akari’s journey in cooking Okonomiyaki – I love how she learns to cook Okonomiyaki step by step. Watching her being taught from the basics, how to select good ingredients, choose the right sauce to develop her own signature flavor, and so on.


♡ THINGS I DIDN'T LIKE:

1. The narrator’s narration in the early episodes – I didn’t like how the narrator seemed to imply that the Murakami family wasn’t Akari’s real family and how it felt like she had to choose between her adoptive family and her biological family.
2. Teppei (the heroine’s brother) – He could be a bit annoying at times. However, I still liked him because he meant well and was an important part of the heroine’s life.
3. Some draggy plots in the second half – the introduction of a new character who was pregnant (which took up many episodes), the sudden appearance of the heroine’s biological father, and how the romance only really developed in the final weeks.
4. The heroine herself – She doesn’t necessarily need to be on this list, but while I don’t dislike her, I can’t say I really like her either. Initially, I found her character likable, but in the second half, she started to frustrate me. She often found herself stuck in dilemmas, became a burden to others when she was confused, and struggled with indecisiveness. She also had a tendency to whine whenever she panicked.
5. The romance – Honestly, I was really sad that Akari didn’t end up with Takizawa. However, her final decision was the best and most realistic choice, as I can’t imagine her moving away just to follow the guy she likes and leaving behind her Okonomiyaki restaurant, which was her true passion.

Overall, I still like Teppan! It’s one of the lighter Asadora and doesn’t leave a bitter taste after finishing it. I highly recommend it because I’m sure you’ll love the Murakami family as much as I did!♡

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"One step at a time"

"Teppan" is the 33rd asadora that I've completed. It's another "modern" asadora, which means that it takes place around the time that it aired. [I guess contemporary is a better term, maybe?] I've watched a lot of modern asadoras lately and this is definitely one of the best ones so far. However, as with all modern asadoras, I have some complaints though they're are mostly nit-picks.

First, the premise of "Teppan" is the heroine Akari (played by Takimoto Miori) learning that she is adopted after meeting her biological grandmother Hatsune (Fuji Sumiko). The two are initially at odds, but eventually connect as grandmother and granddaughter over the course of the drama. Their relationship ended up being my favorite part of the asadora. Hatsune reminded me of my own grandmother. I ended up crying so much during the last episode after learning that they have the same age difference as me and my grandmother. I was kinda generous with my overall rating because of Akari's and Hatsune's relationship. I miss my grandma so much T_T

At the beginning of the asadora, I didn't like the attitude towards adoption, but I think it has more to do with cultural differences with thoughts and speech. For example, I didn't like how people kept saying things like Akari wasn't a daughter of the Murakami (her adoptive parents) family. I think saying things like this contributed to her major identity crisis that followed... Thankfully, the drama gets away from language like that for the most part. The other aspects of adoption felt really well acted and portrayed, such as Akari feeling that she should be "grateful" to her parents for choosing her and learning more about her biological parents. The way Akari processed every bit of new information also felt very true to her as a character. Someone who wants everyone to get along and is scared of hurting others or having things change drastically.

As for the side characters, Hatsune is obviously the most important. She's a very stubborn woman whom doesn't like to show her emotions, but gradually opens up to Akari. Hatsune is hands down the best character in the whole asadora and I couldn't praise her enough. I also really love Akari's adoptive family. They are all very supportive of her and want to protect her, though I don't always agree with their actions. Her father Jou (Endo Kenichi) and brother Teppei (Morita Naoyuki) have the tendency to overstep. [I was so annoyed when they almost destroyed Akari's birth mother's letter!!] Thankfully, they're balance out by Akari's mother Machiko (Yasuda Narumi) and older brother Kinya (Endo Kaname), whom are more level-headed. They each have their own emotions about Akari's adoption and it's interesting to see them process it as well.

The are many more characters that occupy the world of "Teppan." Despite being set in a big city like Osaka, the asadora does a good job at making it feel like a community through the characters. One of the notable characters is Nozomi (Kyono Kotomi), whose pregnancy becomes central to the storyline in the latter half. She comes off annoying at first, but her contrary personality grows on you. I thought it was funny that two men propose to her in her ninth month of pregnancy. [What about dating first? LOL] I won't say who she picks, but the ending was a little too 'happily ever after.' However, I did cry so I guess I'm also very contrary. Then there's the other residents of the boardinghouse that Hatsune runs. I really loved them all and I was so sad when they decided to leave. But, people sometimes have to leave in order to grow.

My biggest complaint about "Teppan" is the romance aspect. I felt that it was kinda rushed in towards the latter half of the asadora. Yes, Takizawa (Osada Seiya) feels like Akari's love interest from the episode he's introduced, but the drama doesn't show much between them until later on. Their relationship could've been better developed/defined. I was majorly disappointed at their ending. How come asadoras rarely show a compromise? They could've had a long-distance relationship or say let's meet again in five years. Something please. I also thought it was kinda creepy that Akari's former boss Hamano (Cho Tamiyasu) fell in love with her, especially after learning he's thirty-one... His love for a nineteen-year-old girl is supposedly pure so we should feel sorry for him. Ew, no. [I'm also so tired of immature men in asadoras, ugh.] At least, Hamano wasn't Akari's love interest and absolutely never stood a chance.

Though "Teppan" doesn't deliver in the romance department, I won't judge it harshly for that. That's not usually what I watch asadoras for anyway. What I loved about this asadora was the family and community aspects and it fully delivered there.

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