Nagatan to Ao to: Ichika no Ryourijou | Review

A gourmet (marriage-first) love story set in 1951 where she's 34 and he's 19.

Notable Actors/Actresses

Sakuma Ryuto: Yamaguchi Amane

Kadowaki Mugi: Kuwanoki Ichika

Japanese Title

ながたんと青と -いちかの料理帖-

Kitchen Knife and Green Chilies Pepper: Ichika's Restaurant

Genres: Era, Romcom, OWYM, Era Romcom

Year: 2023
Episodes: 10

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Cast

Sakuma Ryuto:     Yamaguchi Amane

Kadowaki Mugi:     Kuwanoki Ichika

Romcom/Romance Checklist

How much of the plot is angst/romance?

0.5 / 1 / 2 .5 / 3 / 4 / 5

The ML: 

Cold–Lukewarm–Warm / Timid / Falls in Love First / Noble Idiot / CEO / General

The FL: 

Bold / Cute / Cool & Independent / Falls in Love First / Better than ML / Noble Idiot

Describe the Relationship (the tropes):

Annoying Love (F/M) Rivals +++ / Bickering Start / Childhood Connection / Cohabitation / Contract Marriage or Fake Couple / Enemies to Lovers / Hidden Identity / School to Adulthood / Love Triangle / Married Couple (Real) / Secretly in Love (ML) / Star-Crossed Lovers 

Relationship Progress (officially together; first (official) kiss; breakup*):

Ep 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / "7" / 8 / "9" / 10

# of CPs (including main CP):
0 / 1 / 2 / 3

Ending:

Happy / Sad / Open Happy / Open Sad / Bad

Review

by cynlynn

Age gap. My brain hosted a scream-a-thon when they were supposed to consummate in Ep2, which they didn't, and then the next morning he says he has to go to school!! It's university at least, phew.

I'm so into the setup. It's a marriage-first-love-second (MFLS) older-woman-younger-man (OWYM) romcom set in post-war. 

• Just look at the wedding photo! This is set in 1951, Kyoto. I've never watched a Jdrama not set in the 2000s. I love seeing the kimonos. There's also Western influence and so they'll wear suits and dresses too. The changing times and cultural clash is also reflected in FL's career. She's a traditional chef but she's learning western culinary as well. However, don't expect realism! The drama doesn't have the budget to make me believe it's 1951, but I'm willing to see from their lens that they are people from this era.
• ML is timid and repressed ~ He's serious and innocent too. He's got these shifty eyes of a teenager in love with a mature FL. 
• FL was also a widow. FL's ex-husband of 2 months died in war. ML also had a crush. I really like that Show doesn't diminish their first loves.

Oh no, the setup is the best part. Not that the rest of the show is bad, but it's very tame. Maybe I wanted it a little naughty between a 19yo and 34yo?! Haha. It is the first time I had a serious urge to read the original (manga) and "hear" their inner thoughts better. There's a lot of repressed emotions, in particular from the ML, that has me yearning for more. 

Food. Unpopular opinion: It's not as good as I thought it would be. There's maybe one dish I want to make that was also thoughtful to the plot (Ep2's delicious eel patty because she noticed he doesn't like eel). However, I think most of this show is to introduce their traditional cuisine (e.g. fruit daifuku), as well as "fusion" food (madeleines, and even a wedding sushi cake). 

Tidbits (Scroll)

• Their names translate to One Day (Ichika) and One Week (Amane).
• The title Kitchen Knife and Green Chilies Peppe" is a description of FL's favourite sound: the kitchen knife cleanly slicing down the vegetables. She also calls ML an unripe pepper in the first episode.
• You would think it's the other way around that in order to save the restaurant, a 19yo should be marrying a 34yo, but no, it's the reverse.
• The ML's family is a serial son-seller. They marry their sons into the women's family to take over the business....lol.
• [Ep3] The funniest scene is when ML would burn himself by touching the scorching corn again and again. It's because he wants to make dinner for her, and corn is the only thing he knows how to roast. What to expect from a 19yo boy! xD
• [Ep4] The scariest scene: ML swinging a knife down on an egg to crack it.
• [Ep8] It's pretty whack that the person ML loved is his sister-in-law (who wasn't his SIL at the time he loved her).
• [Ep10] Show is so tame, guys. It's only a hug at the end, and ML interrupts it by asking if she's hungry!! Dude! Food is their love language, though, lol. It is actually their type of sweetness. I complain, but I like it. 
• The last ending credit is different. It isn't just standing around cooking. It's their type of romance – very simple, very pleasant.

Overall. The setting is unique. Despite the uncertain times, this is a pleasant watch with no high or low drama. It's all about food, and a simple romance (+ feminism).

Recommendations

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