Sugao no Mama de (1992)

An interesting yuri-esque drama from the early 90s, bordering on GL

Sugao no Mama de is a story about two girls from very different walks of life. They cross paths and unexpectedly become involved with each other; this event ends up being one of the most significant encounters of their lives. Yumiko is from an upper class family, and she acts the part of a prim and proper young lady. She dresses in blouses and skirts, she listens to classical music, and works at a library. She's not entirely unhappy with her life; her days pass peacefully and without trouble. But she isn't connected with her true self and her most earnest desires. She hasn't felt fully in control of her life for a long time, after facing some troubles earlier in life that scared her back into her shell, so to speak.

Kanna is just the opposite. She's a confident, aggressive woman who is trying to make it as a dancer. She's a bit rough around the edges - she smokes and dresses like a bohemian. But something about her entrances Yumiko, and she can't ignore her admiration for the woman. When Yumiko sees her dance for the first time, her heart swoons like it hasn't in years, and its like she falls in love. The two become increasingly involved from then on.

I have seen quite a few older JDrama, and I have to say that this one goes pretty far towards a sort of lesbian relationship. It's not explicit, and the characters don't actually become intimate with one another. But so many scenes of them together are framed with strong romantic overtones. They rely on each other and think of each other constantly. The girls are far more important to each other than anyone else in their lives. There's a conversation part way through where they pledge to be together forever - even when they grow old and their children are gone. Even the opening to the show is all about the two of them - it ends with them holding hands and laughing in front of the sunset while the English lyrics say "true lovvveeee". That doesn't even touch the most romantic bits between them in the show, but I want to avoid spoilers. Really. It's kinda crazy that this exists.

There are male love interests though, to be clear. Thankfully, they're all fairly decent actors. The back half of the show focuses a bit more on them, and the drama is raised significantly. I think I didn't quite enjoy that part as much as the first half, but it was still quite good. The writing is consistent and compelling, adult and believable. I found that the drama between the characters didn't feel contrived like it does in other shows, and at the same time the characters behaved realistically in those situations instead of having overblown reactions. I think I'll really treasure this show. 8/10

Recommended if you like 90s Jdrama, GL, or stories about deep friendships between women.

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