TOKYO GIRL
Amazon Prime’s hidden diamond
Mainstream international television is mostly derived from the haloed gates of the Hollywood Hills. Today’s millenials love to dabble between sitcoms like FRIENDS, How I Met Your Mother, Two and A Half Men, The Office etc etc for their dose of laughter. Then there are the more serious shows for the more serious audiences.
Though I have never been intrigued to explore international cultures, a Japanese TV series struck me on a more emotional level recently. I discovered my love for culture, philosophy, and understanding the diaspora of human attitudes and tendencies. Maybe I got saturated with the standard American content- nevertheless I was glad to watch this show.
‘TOKYO GIRL’ follows the story of a small town girl from Akita, Japan. Starting from Aya’s high school years till her late forties, the show revolves around her life experiences in the form of short anecdotes and references to events. As a young teenager, Aya was awestruck with the glittering lights and life of the big city (Tokyo). She was pretty much fed up of the simple and slow lifestyle of her hometown Akita. Population was sparse, things to do were not much and the days passed by slow as ever.
Aya spent her teenage days poring over glamorous lifestyle magazines at the local book store. She envied the lives of the cityfolk, and even cherished a deep desire to move to the big city and be envied by someone else later. Aya even daydreamed of being ‘discovered’ by modeling and talent hunters of Tokyo; so she could enjoy a fast flash into the city life she so wanted to be a part of.
Soon enough, Aya manages to get a job at an ad agency in Tokyo. It was ‘Sayonara (Goodbye) Akita, and Konichiwa (Hello) Tokyo!’ Thrilled at this opportunity, Aya happily moves into an affordable neighborhood in the city. She even begins dating a simple and easygoing guy- Naoki, who hailed coincidentally from her hometown Akita. Aya meets different kinds of people at work, gets a taste of office politics as well. However, life is great with a good job, and a good boyfriend.
Soon enough, Aya begins feeling a sense of stagnancy in the seemingly good life. She wonders if she is really her happiest with a simple boy and a simple career life. She even thinks that all this is easily achievable in small towns such as Akita. What is the point of moving to the big city then? Inner overthinking and self created unhappiness leads her to breaking her relationship and moving on to meet other eligible bachelors.
After attending some ‘dating parties’ with colleagues, Aya finds herself in a relationship with a young, rich and handsome man; with a much more glamorous background. Takayuki was educated in the USA, and was at a high point in his career in mainstream finance. It goes all happy and glorious for a while, and Aya finally thinks that this is exactly the city life she dreamed of since her adolescence.
However, her happiness was not meant to last, she was replaced rather harshly by the boy. And she had to bear the brunt of feeling inadequate, lesser than her peers, and a general failure in terms of love and life. What followed was a lonely void, which was attempted to be filled by Aya by focusing on her career. She realized that success and money are the most important tools for happiness in the big city.
Aya shifts to a more high profile job role at a leading American fashion brand. She quickly learns the ropes, and adjusts to life with a very strict female boss. Her career begins to skyrocket, and Aya even gets interviewed by the print media. Her happiness knows no bounds- she has toiled night and day for this kind of success. She deserves this!
Aya decides to meet her old colleagues from work. She dresses smartly- designer outfit and bag which she can now afford. She also carries a copy of the magazine with her interview, eager to share/ boast to her friends, and win their awe. What follows is a complete surprise- one of my favorite moments from the show…
Aya meets her friends- they are all in their 30s. She notices that a lot has changed since their olden days together. Almost nobody drank, and everyone had conversation only for their happy marriages and baby photos. It was as if no one was interested to even know about Aya’s high flying career and glamorous new life. Aya sits blank; unable to know how to react to this change. She feels like an outsider in the group, for she was not married, and did not have any children or plans for a baby.
An important lesson emerged from this incident- no one really cares for your ‘success’ or ‘happiness’. Trying to validate yourself for others is a very futile process, for everyone is wrapped in their own little world.
After this meeting, Aya makes a resolve to settle down and get married. She was not getting any younger after all. This was again an attempt to find inner happiness. Having failed in relationships many times, Aya decides to seek professional help in finding a groom. After getting enlisted at a matchmaking service, Aya begins seeing men and evaluating her options.
Matchmaking is revealed to be even tougher for Aya, because of her high flying career, her general standard of living had risen. Something weird comes to pass, this struck me personally. Aya gets advised to shun her designer clothing and jewellery, for her appearance seemed formidable and ‘high maintenance’ to the eligible bachelors. This could affect her chance to meet someone interested for marriage!
This resonated a lot with Indian matchmaking, and made me realize how we all are the same. Whether it is Japan, or China or India. Do one thing, and the world will expect you to do the other. Aya worked hard to excel in her career goals, she left her hometown for a better life in the city at a young age. But she never got to enjoy her success, whether in front of her colleagues or before the eligible bachelors!
Aya gets married soon after to an average looking guy, but stable financially. They move to Roppongi Hills, an elite residential township in the heart of Tokyo. Aya had it all. SEEMINGLY. A rich husband, a big house in a famous neighbourhood, a great career, and a glamorous life in the city. Everything she ever dreamed of as a child growing up in Akita.
Sadly, her marriage doesn’t last for long, as she realized they had compatibility and trust issues. She becomes single again in her forties, comes into short lived relationships. Casual and meaningless. She tries to find comfort in where she is, but doesn’t feel complete.
One day, while idling in the streets, Aya has a chance encounter with the very first boy she ever dated in Tokyo. Naoki was sitting right there, a few steps away from her. The simple and charming boy from Akita, with an easy smile and a golden heart. The boy she let go of deliberately, because it seemed a very simple and unambitious kind of happiness. The kind she could get even in a small town. He smiled to her from a distance, there was a moment between them. She could see her memories of them together in a flash, how good it was, and also that maybe just maybe there was a chance for her to start over with him.
But the show dramatically shows how Life really is. The boy is soon joined by his wife and a seven year old daughter. They leave in the opposite direction, and he never even looked back at Aya. She feels a thud of disappointment, of lost chances of happiness. A beautiful depiction played wonderfully by Mizukawa Asami. I fell in love with the relatable scenarios and the natural acting.
TOKYO GIRL ends on an introspective note by Aya.We always look around, draw comparisons and try to compete with everyone. We forget who we are in the mad rush to be number one. To be successful, to be envied by others. And yet we are always left hollow with not being able to reach expectations, whether self created or thrust by circumstances. We always end up envying others, we always self deprecate. No matter what the situation is!
Aya smiles at the camera in this beautiful closing shot and says-
“Let’s do our best, shall we? What we want to obtain in life just keeps increasing anyway.”
TOKYO GIRL made me explore Japanese TV and earned my respect, for thought provoking and meaningful content. Thumbs up all the way!
