Welcome to The Avocado’s weekly discussion of Japanese pop culture! I haven’t featured a J-drama in the header recently, so today I’m going to share the Life in Smokey Blue (Smoke Blue no Ame Nochi Hare スモークブルーの雨のち晴れ). Based on the manga by Hamada Kamome (波真田かもめ) the show is currently airing, and while we don’t have an official English source you can find it on TVer (ask for help in the comments if you need it) and other places like GagaOOLala (thanks for the assist Boredatwork!). It’s definitely worth finding a way to watch because right now it’s my favorite show this year. There are few things I love more than an adult slice-of-life romance, and this one is just delivering in every way possible so far.

At the start of the series the main character is a bit lost, having quit his job he is now living with his sister while he tries to find a new path. By chance, he meets an old colleague at a bar, who is also a little stuck in his own way, and they reconnect. So far the story has dealt with things like feeling left behind, caring for elderly parents, complicated sibling dynamics, changing careers, grief, etc. It’s also about translation work, which is always interesting to me. So yeah, I recommend you check it out!

And, as always…

What have you been watching/reading/playing/eating/listening to lately?

Happy Wednesday! 🐺