Fukujadó honpo: Kyoto Love Story

The story is based on the manga of the same name that was published in 1995-2000, so it does feel a bit like the source material is older, but honestly with a story like this it doesn't really matter. It's set in Kyoto, full of the delightful Kyoto dialect, and takes place in a family that has been running a wagashi, or traditional Japanese candy shop, for over 400 years. We have three daughters, and each is living out their romance in their own way. It's full of clichés, but it doesn't really matter because they’re not too distracting. It all moves along nicely, no one spends too long in the misunderstandings that occur. This is mostly due to the relatively straightforward nature of the second daughter and Kenji, a young employee who is about to join the family to help continue the family tradition. Each of the sisters has a different starting point, partner and age, so fans of love at first sight, relationships between friends since childhood, and relationships between school children will be in for a treat. Quirky, enjoyable, neither character needs to be beaten to death with a metal bar; throw in a beautiful set and you have a fine girl/woman series for an afternoon. A weaker 4 stars. (29.02.2020)