Japanese TV Trendy Dramas and the Impact on Feminism:

An Analysis of Three Programs

By: Morgan Fedor

Role of Advertisers• The show must be accessible to multiple

audiences, so as to propagate within the globalized market.

• Due to time constraints related to filming and editing, producers must predict new social trends, including the movement of gender roles, and portray them within the series.

• For success of marketability, they are required to remain ‘on top’ of trends and social movements and beyond.

The ‘New Women’ Brand: A Character Comparison

Tokyo Love Story• Rika (main): Active, strong-

willed, determined, self-confident…pursuer.

• Kanchi (boyfriend): Weak, immature…dependant.

• Satomi (support): Extremely passive, relies on male assistance…traditional.

• Mikami (support): Strong, forceful, almost a man, moments of femininity…bad contemporary?

Long Vacation• Minami (main): Wears

trousers (tomboy), free, male speech patterns…contemporary.

• Sena (romantic interest): Kind, naiive, unsuccessful… weaker version of “manhood”.

Tradition versus Modernity• Often the ‘new women’ role is contrasted with

supporting characters in traditional gender roles. • These roles conform to simple stereotypes for

emphasis and accessibility, as well as providing entertainment with extreme personalities.

• Both shows end with the modern character seeking reversion to typical gender roles:– Minami acts ‘girly’ around Sena and gives up her job

to join him in the U.S.– Rika makes declarations demonstrating her

dependence on men… ‘If Kanchi tells me not to go, I wouldn’t go’.

‘The Ideal Japanese Woman’• The show is presented as a comedy drama-

encouraging laughter at and with the characters, to be both entertaining and self-reflexive.

• IJW mirrored both the character types and plot of Tokyo Love Story and Long Vacation concerning gender roles and perspective on social issues.

• Despite the comedic approach, IJW dealt with shifts in culture and cultural change: What is the ‘ideal woman?’ and how does she fit into a modernizing society?

• Gender roles were secured as the show focused on the ‘love’ story between the female lead, Sakurako, and male romantic interest, Nakahara.

Character Development: Sakurako versus Nakahara

Sakurako•Works as a flight attendant, offering power, travel, and prestige.•She often uses her attractive appearance to lure men and ‘twist’ them around her finger, for total power and control over the male sex.•Considered a self-centered individual, not necessarily seen with positive connotations.

Nakahara•Presented as a failed mathematician who is powerless without his job.•Has a complete lack of confidence due to a previous relationship: A woman ‘broke his heart’. •Seen under the idea that all power belongs to women: He is a weak man made so by a strong woman (negative portrayal of women).

Is Kanno Sakurako the Ideal Woman?

• Despite her independence, she is viewed in a totally negative light, seen as selfish, controlling, ‘bad, deviant, and twisted’.

• Her motives place emphasis on money over love, encouraging her to play promiscuous games.

• The double standard: her character traits are positively ascribed when associated with men, but here they are seen as highly negative.

• Eventually she returns to the traditional lifestyle and abandons her autonomy to wed Nakahara and follow his dreams instead.

The Major Differences between the Shows:

• Sakurako’s deviation from societal norms is considered ‘bad’ and ‘troublesome’ compared to TLS and LV where strong female leads are seen as something positive, modern, and attainable for all women.

• IJW reveals a stronger attempt to connote negativity when women oppose the traditional patriarchal hierarchy.

• Despite these differences, all three shows end with the advised acceptance of socially constructed gender roles (marriage, acceptance of love) and are understood as the appropriate conclusion for all contemporary females.

Effectiveness of Style in Practical Application to the Masses

• 1. Two shows with strong, independent, ‘modern’ women are shown in positive light as ‘role models’ who eventually follow tradition and marry.

• 2. IJW instead presents the ‘modern’ woman as too strong, too forceful: These are negatively viewed. Nonetheless, it still ends with acceptance of tradition.

• Are women more likely to follow role models, or warning signs? Perhaps the reason for the variety of shows is to be able to communicate with and reach both types of female audiences, securing traditional gender roles.

‘Trendy’ TV Dramas

• The style emerged when producers began focusing on audience desires for entertainment.

• They followed the theme of ‘unrequited love’ stories, evolving to give tension between characters as well as something to ‘cheer’ for (the love story).

• The main focus is often on ‘modern women’ based on the ideals of a female audience: women are negatively hypersensitive to male dependence, provoking the shift to greater female autonomy.

• A fine line between realism and fantasy is navigated, creating a powerful, entertaining, and effective method of social control.

What is the Future for Women in Television?

• Ota Toru, TV producer of Tokyo Love Story and the father of ‘trendy dramas’, predicts a downward trend in television feminism, viewing the progression as something to be overplayed and abused for ratings.

• Instead, Toru predicts a move towards anti-’trendies’ to more theme-oriented shows with a strong structure.

• The power television has over social orders is an exceptional force, but one that must be exercised with great care to prevent abuse.