Notable Actors/Actresses
Arimura Kasumi: Adachi Momoko
Hayashi Kento: Yoshioka Manato
English Title
Our Sister's Soulmate
[Ep2] I love how Momoko has a very simple dream she confides in Manato. Momoko wants a date in a simple red car. Her boyfriend would have two types of coffee for her to choose from and it would be ready in the car's cupholder. That's it. That's her little happiness. At the end of the episode, they're both somewhere at work and spot the same red car passing by the highway.
[Ep4] Momoko directly asks Manato out! She sincerely believes he’s better with her. Go girl!
[Ep5] Momoko finds out Manato's dark past. He was arrested for assault. She read it from a news article when she searched for his name online. That's Manato's reason for not accepting her. He tells her he was convicted and served two years in jail. Those eyes of Arimura Kasumi are lovely. It's like you can tell her anything and she'd understand you. The story he tells her is the one the police officer told him, not the one we see in the flashback. He was protecting his girlfriend, it was self defense but he only tells Momoko it was aggravated assault on his end after he drank too much alcohol. Because of that jail sentence, he couldn't see his father's last moment.
English Title
Our Sister's Soulmate
Network: Fuji TV
Recap Grade: C
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[Ep1] Our FL, Adachi Momoko is quite the hard-worker. Ever since her parents died in a car accident she has been supporting her three younger brothers. Now that her life has settled down, she want a soulmate. Someone who truly understands her. She works at a craft and home store and there's a meeting between the employees of different divisions to plan for the Christmas storefront decoration. There's a guy at the meeting who's shy and stutters his idea. He wants a big fir tree, a real one. He wants a Christmas that's not flashy so that those who are lonely can also be comforted. He is Yoshioka Manato. Momoko is surprised. That’s her idea too! And that's it. She has found her soulmate. Sometimes it just takes a small thing like that to feel connected to another person. And perhaps they're both lonely souls waiting to be warmed up too. Also, the way Manato talked in circles made me laugh.
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Mini Recaps
Momoko and Manato meet again. She comments that a personality like his (fluffy and squishy) should date someone with a stronger personality; she continues "Like me. For example. You know." xD. It's not everyday you come by a soulmate. Gottta act!
[Ep2] I love how Momoko has a very simple dream she confides in Manato. Momoko wants a date in a simple red car. Her boyfriend would have two types of coffee for her to choose from and it would be ready in the car's cupholder. That's it. That's her little happiness. At the end of the episode, they're both somewhere at work and spot the same red car passing by the highway.
This car dream of hers has another meaning. Once she can ride a car, she would have overcome the trauma of losing her parents to a car accident.
[Ep3] Manato injures his hand. The bandages remind him of his past, a very dark past. However, those thoughts are brushed away with Momoko's texts where she asks him to join her on a double date. She gives him answers to choose from: Yes or Yes. He laughs at his non-choices and replies with a Yes! She made him happy without her knowing it.
[Ep4] Momoko directly asks Manato out! She sincerely believes he’s better with her. Go girl!
[Ep5] Momoko finds out Manato's dark past. He was arrested for assault. She read it from a news article when she searched for his name online. That's Manato's reason for not accepting her. He tells her he was convicted and served two years in jail. Those eyes of Arimura Kasumi are lovely. It's like you can tell her anything and she'd understand you. The story he tells her is the one the police officer told him, not the one we see in the flashback. He was protecting his girlfriend, it was self defense but he only tells Momoko it was aggravated assault on his end after he drank too much alcohol. Because of that jail sentence, he couldn't see his father's last moment.
What is Momoko's reaction after hearing this? She hugs him.
[Ep6] Momoko doesn't want to let go of Manato, not after she finally met someone she loves but he pushes her away!
The brothers are cupids! The three of them bump into Manato at the park. This was the park where Momoko told him he should date someone with a stronger personality like hers. He's here because he was thinking of her. The brothers directly ask him what he likes the most about their sister. Momoko overhears this question. She's curious to know too but she accidentally interrupts by almost crashing into him.
Manato's mother meets the abandoned-chair fetish guy! Is there going to be romance here? Mom also feels bad for the banged up chair and asks Manato to fix it up.
Momoko invites Manato to a Ferris Wheel ride. She understands why he can't be her boyfriend but she wants to know the full truth to his conviction at the very least. She doesn't believe Manato is that kind of person.
The truth to Manato’s past: His girlfriend (fiancée) had lied that she wasn't assaulted to protect her reputation. Wow. I don't even. She's his fiancée?? That's selfish. Thus, he thought that by accepting the chargs, he was protecting his girlfriend but he had regretted it. He felt bad for his parents. He didn't know what to do. He was afraid. But he did what he did already. This man has such a sweet crying face.
After hearing his story, Momoko takes back her words. She's not going to understand why he can't be her boyfriend. She's going to fall in love with him more and more.
Momoko: Let's cry together and then let's laugh together. Okay? Please be my boyfriend.
Momoko's brother's voiceover: It's not just about living, it's about living strong and caring for someone. If you care for someone, they will care for you too. Having someone like that in this world will make you stronger because it makes you want to live for that person.
The Ferris Wheel ride has come to an end.
Manato: Let's do another lap.Manato clasps onto Momoko's hand.
The next scene: the chair that's all fixed up! And this is how the chair is brought back to importance; the chair is fixed, Manato’s soul is mended.
Kazuki (Momoko's brother) visits Manato to ask him to take care of his sister. When Manato promises he'll never hurt Momoko, Kazuki breaks into happy sweat (if that's a thing).
The funny and touching thing is Momoko does the same thing too for his brother’s relationship. Momoko finds out Kazuki likes Hamano Miyuki (Momoko's best friend) but she threatens Kazuki to take care of Miyuki instead of the other way around. Lol.
[Ep8] Manato and Momoko meet Takebe (the ex-fiancee) by chance. She wants to apologize but Manato begs her not to because that would mean everything he did was meaningless. Oof. I on the other hand cannot forgive this woman. Never. He even wishes her happiness. Manato had asked Momoko to sit next to him to give him the support his heart needed. The only time Momoko said something was to wish Takebe a Merry Christmas. Such kind souls.
Manato’s mother is in simple bliss her son can be finally happy with Momoko.
Thugs attack Momoko and his immediate reaction is to apologize. He’s too traumatic to fight back. However, those violent thugs won’t stop. Does Manato fight back? No. Manato defends Momoko with his body until they stop punching him. After the thugs are gone, Manato hugs Momoko tightly. He overcame his trauma with Momoko.
[Ep9] It's Christmas Eve. Takada Satoshi becomes the president! He was an undercover employee all along. Once he becomes the president of the craft and home chain, he proposes to Ichihara Hinako (manager). She only has one request: to continue working here. He accepts. And she accepts his proposal. And! That chubby security guard was our president's secretary, haha.
Manato invites Momoko alone to admire the big fir Christmas tree that started their fate. He notes that it's always been her who made the move. He asks her if he can kiss her in front of this tree. She approves of it and they kiss. The kiss again (and it's more natural this time).
Christmas is over. It's time to say goodbye to the tree. The storefront has a new decoration for 2021. It's our planet Earth.
Manato and Momoko are on a date. They walk the rest of the way to the beach. Red cars pass by. Manato tells her it's okay if she can't overcome her car trauma. She can still be happy as is. He offers her two thermos: one is coffee and the other is latte. It's everything in her dream minus the red car but even then, it's perfect.
Brother's voice-over: Maybe living is all about having an unrequited love for happiness. But unrequited love is both sad and fun, isn't it? It's true that the planet we live on now may be wounded and weak but as long as all of us who live in the present are happy and in love with each other we will be fine. This planet is unbreakable. Isn't that right, Neechan?
A little girl falls (from the store). Momoko's uncle helps her up and she checks on her planet Earth keychain. It's still okay after that fall. A very beautiful scene to follow up the voiceover with.
Back to Manato and Momoko.
Manato: For someone like Momoko, it would be nice to marry a man who is what you call fluffy or squishy. Like me, for example. LOL Awwwww.
Now that her red car dream is checked off, Momoko has a new dream: his family and her family having dinner together and smiling. I love how simple and beautiful her dreams are.
Remarks
[Ending] Happy! (Reading the ending remark below won't be that big of a spoiler)
There is a COVID-19 message in the ending. Personally, I'm not keen on watching anything COVID-19 related. There's enough of that in the real world that I don't need it in my drama world. However, this drama included it beautifully. Firstly, there's no propaganda! Ahem. That's really not the important part of why its beautiful. Neechan no Koibito melded COVID-19 into it's ending without reminding me of how horrible the pandemic was. Instead it was a hopeful message.
The drama started with a simple synopsis of finding a soulmate in a broken man – finding bliss in imperfection. Our male lead is imperfect and wounded. He's healed by meeting our female lead who has an unrequited love for him. She's a regular girl but strong and resilient. She changed him and healed him. Our planet Earth is imperfect and wounded too. And if all of us, regular people, remain strong and resilient, we can mend our planet too. The beauty of this message is that it's not in your face. It's sitting there waiting to be admired.
[Review] I have a soft spot for Arimua Kasumi ever since Love That Makes You Cry (which is a slow burn drama moving at a snail pace that I absolutely adore but recognize that not everyone can appreciate). Her character, Adachi Momoko, is similarly pure but much more optimistic here. I love it that Momoko is so straightforward. Once she locked in on her soulmate she made her bold move. She’s simultaneously shy, and bubbly, and strong. Love her.
I do find this a little plain but it's also very simple and sweet. This is perfect when you don't want a super sweet or flashy dessert and just something natural and healing. It helps that this drama is full of smiling people. Everyone is just so happy in such a simple environment that it makes me feel warm and fuzzy.
P.S. I can always count on J-doramas to introduce something weird and heartfelt: "Abandoned Chair Sitting Series" saving souls around the world.
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