Sometimes I wonder who is behind the limited reach of Japanese dramas outside their own country. Perhaps Japanese TV channels are not interested in exporting their stories, or they fail to reach agreements with streaming platforms. This website hardly ever promotes Japanese dramas, yet you can find news about the marriage of two Korean actors or the imprisonment of a third one, neither of which is intrinsically related to films or series. Sites like Kissasian and its various counterparts don't help, as they often steal the altruistic work of fansubbers without crediting them, who then have to upload their work to overly protected websites like Drama-Otaku (thanks to fatemasubs for subbing this drama). However, I believe many people simply consume a lot of mediocre stories and then complain about Japanese works in general, calling them amateurish or saying 'Japanese dramas are always like that,' neglecting stories like Kazoku Dakara Aishitan Janakute, Aishita no ga Kazoku Datta, which fall into oblivion on MDL. The result is 387 viewers and 70 ratings in one year. It’s an absolute shame considering the quality and deep impact this drama has on the viewer. This impression grows stronger knowing that it is a true story about Nami Kishida and her family, although the series slightly changes the names. Nami, portrayed by Yuumi Kawai, is changed to Nanami, and the Kishida family becomes the Kishimoto family.

The story follows the daily adventures and misadventures of the Kishimoto family, led by Nanami Kishimoto, the older sister who looks after her mother, Hitomi, who is depressed after a life-or-death surgery that leaves her in a wheelchair, her brother Sota, diagnosed with Down’s Syndrome, and their grandmother Yoshiko, who will face age-related problems later in the series. Her father, Kosuke, died of a heart attack a few years ago. Under this pretext, it becomes clear that anyone’s life can change completely. At first, Nanami, driven by the innocence or naivety of a child, tries in the most honest and positive way to return to days that are unlikely to return. By the end of the fourth episode, she achieves her goal and brings new hope to her family, but life moves on and sometimes catches up with us in the worst way. When Nanami realises that there are no end credits for her story and unleashes the pain she’s been holding in for so long, she breaks down completely. The end of childhood gives way to a more realistic narrative, with its ups and downs, smiles and tears, exploring family dynamics, the limits and boundaries of each character, and mental health. The structure may be difficult to follow if you expect a more linear story, but like life itself, we move forward and backward in equal measure. Nanami’s emotional journey involves many returns to the beginning with all her problems.

In the end, all the family members come to accept their situation, gradually move on, and become independent, masters of their own lives. They are happy in their own way, because, as Nanami confesses to the illusion of her deceased father: 'Sota’s fine, Grandma’s fine, Mum’s not fine, and I’m not fine.' The story ends with the hope of forging a new path, perhaps reaching for the stars and beyond. The credits roll, but the life of the Kishimoto family continues, just as the Kishida family does in our reality.

I hope to see Yuumi Kawai more often in new productions because she is possibly one of the most promising actresses today.