Recently, the opportunity to watch Japanese dramas on Netflix has significantly increased. For fans of J-dramas, the current environment is ideal, as it's not just past masterpieces but also the latest series airing in Japan that are being updated, often in real-time. Upon closer inspection, you'll notice that a majority of these productions are dramas produced by TBS (Tokyo Broadcasting System), one of Japan's major broadcasters. This leads to speculation about a close partnership between TBS and Netflix, much like the one between Korea's SBS and the streaming giant, which makes nearly all of its content available. It was within this trend that I stumbled upon a 2017 drama titled 'Anata no Koto wa Sorehodo.'
When I first started watching 'Anata no Koto wa Sorehodo,' it felt both unfamiliar and yet strangely familiar. The reason for this lies in its origin: the drama is based on a wildly popular manga of the same name, which became a massive hit in Japan with over 760,000 copies sold. Capitalizing on the manga's popularity, it was adapted into a TBS Tuesday drama in 2017 and garnered significant attention during its run.
The drama's overall plot deals with the provocative themes of "adultery" and "love," reminiscent of what one might find in a Korean morning or evening daily soap opera (a "makjang" drama). However, the fact that such a story originated as a mainstream manga in Japan and gained widespread popularity feels somewhat novel. The series asks viewers to temporarily set aside their moral compass and delves boldly and honestly into the tangled emotional threads of four men and women.
The story begins with the wedding of the protagonist, Mitsu Watanabe (played by Haru). She wholeheartedly believes a fortune teller's advice that "you'll find happiness by marrying the person you like second-best." Based on this, she decides to marry Ryota Watanabe, a man who loves her passionately. For Mitsu, Ryota isn't her unforgettable first love, but she is drawn in by his kindness and active courtship and agrees to start a family with him.
Their married life is peaceful on the surface, but it lacks any real passion. Her husband, Ryota, is always polite and devoted to Mitsu, but his actions feel calculated, as if he never crosses a certain emotional line. Mitsu, too, feels no deep love for her husband and, in the midst of her tedious life, finds herself thinking of her first love from her school days, Koki Arishima. Then, one day, she has a chance reunion with Arishima, and the suppressed embers of her feelings are reignited.
Mitsu, who had always believed that Arishima had rejected her in high school, grows close to him at a startling pace after their reunion. They immediately bond over fond memories, and she finds herself unable to resist his advances, following him to a hotel and crossing a line that should never have been crossed. Although plagued by guilt over being a married woman, the thrilling secret rendezvous with her first love becomes an unstoppable addiction, consuming her life.
However, this relationship soon collides with a shocking truth. While the two are away on a hot spring trip together, Arishima's wife, Reika, goes into labor. The fact that Arishima was also a married man is revealed, and the story enters a new phase. In a normal scenario, the relationship would end here, but this drama pushes beyond convention. Rather than despairing, Mitsu, who had been wracked with guilt, sees this as an opportunity. She reveals that she is also married and shockingly proposes they continue their affair, now as "equals."
'Anata no Koto wa Sorehodo' was a major success in Japan, recording an average viewership rating of 11.2% and peaking at 14.8% for its final episode. The actress Haru, who delicately portrayed the complex and selfish inner world of the protagonist Mitsu, won the Best Actress award at The Television Drama Academy Awards for her performance.
One of the drama's distinct features is that while it deals with provocative subject matter, it refrains from overusing the kind of dramatic background music or editing common in Korean dramas to maximize tension. Instead, its relatively calm and dry direction allows the viewer to focus more intently on the subtle psychological shifts of the characters. The series consists of a total of 10 episodes, making for a relatively concise watch. The original manga concluded with six volumes, leaving viewers curious about its potentially different ending. 'Anata no Koto wa Sorehodo' is a compelling yet dangerous work that offers a chance to reflect on love, marriage, and human selfishness.
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