“Count What You Have Now. Don't Count What You Don't Have”: The Japanese Television DramaAround 40and the Politics of Women's Happiness

Ohitorisama, Singlehood and Agency in Japan

“…The drama depicts the tensions of the ohitorisama's life, when the couple becomes engaged and Satomi is required to choose between her job and her relationship with her colleague. This dilemma is ultimately resolved by a plot line that sees Shin'ichi transferred to Okinawa for work (Dales, forthcoming;Collins, 2011;Freedman and Iwata-Weickgenannt, 2011).…”

Reader-Response Study on Characteristics of Arafo Women in Nodeko’s Web Manga Dokushin OL No Tatemae To Honne

“…Amami Yuki as the main character in a drama Around 40 became the representative to receive the award (Japan Today, 2008). In the context of hyper-aged society (a society in which 21% of its population consists of the people at the age of over 65 years old), the life of Arafo women reflects the social problem that is faced by Japanese society in the twentyfirst century (Freedman & Iwata-Weickgenannt, 2011). The dynamic and problems in the life of Arafo women become themes in the works of fiction and movies.…”