Egao no Hosoku (2003)

Egao no Hosoku is a slice of life drama that bobs along merrily like a boat on a stream. The heroine (Takeuchi Yuko) Yumi starts out in an unpleasant but fairly safe berth as a temporary worker while the hero (Abe Hiroshi) Sakurai Reijiro is a successful but unfulfilled comic book writer/illustrator. Both think they might want more out of life but it isn't until they team up to produce Sakurai's latest comic offering that they start to figure out their futures.

Along the way, they interact with the staff and management of the small town hot springs inn where they are staying. Conflicts and misunderstandings occur to make the journey difficult but eventually, all the main characters come to decision points in their lives. The series doesn't have a conventual happy ending but it is truthful and hopeful. The humorous side characters (and potential romantic partners) help them steady their boat along the journey.

As a television series, the show is beautifully shot and is not just a 'travel drama." Its soundtrack is nothing special but perfectly suitable - after all, you wouldn't want something to interrupt your peaceful mood. All in all, Egao no Hosoku isn't a gripping or gritty drama but it is funny, uplifting and entertaining and I'm sure you'll go on to look for the main actors in their other dramas. Just enjoy it and drift along for the ride.

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