Stepmom and Daughter Blues (2018) 義母と娘のブルース
Directed by Hirakawa Yuichiro and Nakamae Yuji, starring Ayase Haruka as Iwaki Akiko / Miyamoto Akiko, Takenouchi Yutaka as Miyamoto Ryoichi, Yokomizo Naho as Miyamoto Miyuki (young), Kamishiraishi Moka as Miyamoto Miyuki, Satoh Takeru as Mugita Akira, and Inowaki Kai as Kuroda Hiroki.
Watched 14 - 26 June 2026 — 10 episodes (NETFLIX)
*The show's premise of a successful businesswoman marrying a single dad and becoming a stepmum to his spirited 8-year-old daughter sounded promising. I liked episode 1 and the three main characters well enough, and it made me curious about the reason behind the marriage.
*As a romantic at heart, I was looking forward to a possible romance between Akiko and Ryoichi because it was clear it was a contract marriage. And I liked them together. Yet at the end of episode 2, with the scene of Ryoichi getting a dizzy spell at the office and falling to the floor, the voice-over (older Miyuki) says: "Back then, I had no idea that time was running out for my father." What??!! Is he ill and dying? I had to look it up online immediately. And yes, shockingly so, he is going to die!
*I knew beforehand that the show is divided into two parts. The first part is with Miyuki as a child, and the second part with Miyuki in high school. But the father disappearing in the second part on account of being dead ... that's a detail I hadn't anticipated. And I loved Ryoichi. He was such a sweet character.
*I was glad it was shown that Akiko and Ryoichi had developed feelings for each other ultimately. Too bad that the moment Ryoichi was about to kiss Akiko was sabotaged by Miyuki.
*I kept watching because there were only 5 episodes left after the father's death, and the drama had a feel-good vibe with some heartwarming moments.
*The show's second part saw the inclusion of Mugita Akira as a main character (in the first episodes he's a side character who is shown doing different side jobs), and he's a potential love interest for Akiko. He's a weird character, for sure. Well, he falls in love with Akiko but she's not interested, and there are no romantic sparks flying at all. Glad they didn't force the romance.
*The second part mostly revolves around the attempt of making Akira's bakery a success and Akiko becoming part of the bakery staff and using her smart business skills. Futhermore, it shows more of Akiko's relationship with her stepdaughter, and Miyuki trying to find her direction in life, being intimidated by the skills of her mother. I like Hiroki, by the way. Already liked him as the chubby kid who initially bullies Miyuki before they become friends. But I like Hiroki even more as the high school version. I would have loved to get a time lapse and see Hiroki and Miyuki a couple of years later, watching their friendship blossom into romance.
*I thought Ayase Haruka was good in her role as Akiko, and she looked pretty with her glasses and bangs. Her wooden and robot-like demeanour was funny but also became a bit tiresome. I liked her best in the scenes where her guard is down, and she shows her emotions and vulnerability. Unfortunately, there's not enough of that.
*Funny interaction between Mugita Akira and Miyuki in episode 9: "You're really okay with me as your dad? I mean, I am cool. But you're really sure?" "I think I'm used to having weird family members more than most people." Haha, so true.
*Akiko and Akira's best scene is their date scene in episode 9, with Akiko misunderstanding Miyuki's interest in Akira and thinking that Akira would be dating Miyuki. Akira looks good in that scene. (Still have to watch Satoh Takeru in First Love.)
*OST is ocassionally pleasant but I also thought it sounded cheesy at times.
*All in all, I did enjoy the second half of the show. But honestly, why did they kill off the father? Akiko and Miyuki had grown closer together by the time the father died so there was no need for his elimination from the show in order to achieve a bond. Maybe to give Akiko another romantic interest? Well, the angle with Akira didn't amount to anything. So I think they could have let the father live, and still keep the bakery subplot. As it is now, the show feels disjointed, clearly having two halves, with the first part being the better one.
*I felt a bit sad with stepmother and daughter parting ways in the last episode but it wasn't going to happen like they had intended. The last scene was quite funny. It was remarkable how an organised person like Akiko had booked a journey from Tokyo to Tokyo (and not Osaka), and this made me laugh out loud.
NOTE: After writing these review notes, I discovered that three feature-length TV specials had been released as direct sequels to the series (in 2020 & 2022 and the finale in 2024). It was strange to see Takenouchi Yutaka (Miyamoto Ryoichi in the series) on a poster of one of these specials. As it turns out, he plays a character, a vulture capitalist, who looks identical to Akiko's deceased husband. Would be nice to be able to watch these specials too. See if I can hunt them down.