Title: アスコーマーチ! Asukō Māchi (March)!
English Title: Asuko March!
Country: Japan
Language: Japanese
Year: 2011
Episode: 09
Cast:
- 武井咲 Takei Emi
- 松坂桃李 Matsuzaka Tori
- 賀来賢人 Kaku Kento
- 永山絢斗 Nagayama Kento
- 南圭介 Minami Keisuke
- 石田卓也 Ishida Takuya
- 古川雄輝 Furukawa Yuki
- 金井勇太 Kanai Yuta
- 西洋亮 Nishi Yosuke
- 新井裕介 Arai Yosuke
- 剛力彩芽 Gōriki Ayame
SYNOPSIS
ファンキー・モンキー・ベイビーズ (Funky Monkey Babys) - それでも信じてる Sore Demo Shinjiteru (Still, I Believe)Yoshino Nao made a mistake when she was taking the entrance exam at her target high school and she failed to get in. Her grandfather suggested that she instead attend the Kenritsu Asuka Kōgyō Kōkō, a technical high school also known as Asuko.
Asuko does not really have high academic requirements and as a result, it does not really attract the brightest and academically competitive students. The school is more concerned that its students get jobs after high school instead of getting into good colleges.
There are only three female students who are attending Asuko, including Nao. She had to adjust to a decidedly masculine environment where the two female bathrooms are always locked and the female locker room is a makeshift broom closet.
Nao is obviously unhappy with the way her life turned out and she couldn't wait to transfer to another school.
REVIEW
Asuko March! presents stereotypes about men and women, and how these stereotypes are perpetuated by society and institutions. Most women do not go to technical high schools so accordingly, technical high schools don't have any facilities for women such as bathrooms and changing rooms. But if it is a known fact that some institutions do not accommodate women, it may be more difficult for women to even consider going to said institutions as one of their options.
However, Yoshino Nao went to Kenritsu Asuka Kōgyō Kōkō or Asuko not because she wanted to but because she had no other choice. To be honest, I think the fact that Nao and other female students went to Asuko not because they wanted to but because they had to only reinforces stereotypes about men and women. I think if the drama is supposed to break stereotypes, the characterization of Nao and other female characters undermines the production's intention.
I initially liked Nao because she is different from the typical female characters in dramas; she has goals and she is determined to achieve these goals. However, Nao is too focused on herself that she neglects to be considerate of other people and I didn't like that. I understand her frustration for not being where she wanted to be but she's too vocal about it and she fails to notice how her insensitivity affects people around her.
I think Nao's friends and classmates are commendable because they were able to look past her selfishness and really tried to get to know her as a person. They even supported her wholeheartedly when she wanted to transfer to a 'better' school, or rather a school ranked higher academically.
In Asuko March!, Nao grew a lot as a person. She learned a lot about herself, and also about the world at large. She realized her limitations as a young adult, but she also discovered her unlimited potential in many ways.
Yoshino Nao: It makes me realize I can only do this much. I know we're going through painful times, and we can't do anything about it. If only we can help change things by just doing our best... but even so, maybe by doing something like this, it could make someone feel better.
Yoshino Nao: Creating precious memories can help inspire or encourage someone. Even if such a chance to make a change is small, it won't happen unless someone tries to do it.
Based on the plot's development, I really thought Nao will be together with Takeuchi Kazuya in the end. Kazuya was the one who called attention to Nao's insensitivity and made her a better person overall. Kazuya also became Nao's best friend in Asuko and paved the way for her to become one with their classmates. It was also evident from Kazuya's actions that he has fallen in love with Nao and he always helped her whenever she's in trouble in, sometimes even in ways that she is not even aware of.
It was quite a shock for me that Nao ended up with her crush Yokoyama Aruto in the end because it seemed as if Nao was just harboring a one-sided attraction to Aruto throughout most of the drama. They did not really have a lot of scenes together for their relationship to develop so they honestly felt as if they were just classmates really, it didn't even seem as if they were close friends.
I don't really construct different endings for productions I am unsatisfied with because really, what's the point?! But this drama's ending is so awful for me so I have my own version of how things turned out. In a nutshell, Nao and Kazuya ended up together and they lived happily ever after.
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アスコーマーチ! Asuko March!
