Poor Sisters Story: A realistic portrayal of life filled with laughter and tears

A comprehensive review and recommendation of "Binboushimai Monogatari"

■Overview of the work

"Poor Sisters Story" is a TV anime series based on the original manga by Kazuto Izumi, which aired on TV Asahi from June 30 to September 15, 2006. This 10-episode work is a heartwarming story about the daily lives of two sisters who live cheerfully even under difficult circumstances. Kyo and Asu, the older sister and younger sister, live alone after their father disappears due to gambling debts and their mother dies. They spend their days working together in a 40-year-old one-room apartment without a bath, with Kyo, a junior high school student, doing jobs such as delivering newspapers and tutoring, and Asu taking care of all the housework.

■ Story

Kyo Yamada and Asu Yamada are the only two sisters, still in junior high school and elementary school. Their father ran off after getting into debt through gambling, and their mother passed away. Despite these difficulties, they never get depressed and spend their days cheerfully and energetically. Thanks to a change in the law a few years ago, Kyo is now able to work, and while attending junior high school, she delivers newspapers, is a private tutor, and occasionally does part-time work to support the family. Asu cooks meals at home, cleans, and takes care of all the housework. She also manages the money well and helps out her older sister. They are also surrounded by many people who look after them, including their landlord, the novelist next door, Saegusa-san, the auntie at the public bath, and the people in the shopping district. Although there are many hardships and problems, for them, having their "younger sister" and "older sister" by their side is what makes them happiest. This is a heartwarming story that follows the seasons as it depicts the various events that occur in the daily lives of two sisters, Kyo and Asu, who live in a 40-year-old, one-room apartment with no bath and a rent of 26,000 yen. Perhaps these two sisters will teach us about the important things that we tend to overlook in our daily lives.

■Explanation

Yamada Kyo and Yamada Asu are sisters, a junior high school student and an elementary school student, living alone together. Their father ran off after getting into debt through gambling, and their mother passed away, but despite the difficulties they face, they never become depressed and live their lives cheerfully. While attending junior high school, Kyo delivers newspapers, works as a private tutor, and occasionally does part-time work to support the family. Asu supports her older sister by cooking meals, cleaning, and taking care of all the household chores at home. They are also surrounded by people who watch over them. There are many hardships and problems, but as long as they are by each other's side, they will surely be okay. This is the beginning of a gentle story about sisters living in a 40-year-old one-room apartment without a bath, with rent of 26,000 yen.

■Cast

・Yamada Kyo/Sakamoto Maaya/Yamada Asu/Kaneda Tomoko/Yamada Yoshiko/Hisakawa Aya/Hayashi Genzo/Mugihito/Saeeda Ranko/Hiramatsu Akiko/Ichinokura Masao/Kishio Daisuke/Echigoya Kaneko/Shindo Naomi/Echigoya Ginko/Kozakura Etsuko/Oshiro Shima/Sakai Kanako/Ano Kanae/Shiraishi Ryoko/Kosaka Sensei/Kosaka Akiko

■ Main staff

・Original work by Kazuto Izumi・Conceptual support by Shinichiro Tsuzuki, Shigeo Kubota, Tokie Komuro, Akinobu Natsume・Series director by Yukio Kaizawa・Series composition, script by Tsuru Izumi・Character design by Kazuhiro Takamura・Chief animation director by Ken Ueno・Art design by Yuri Sanami・Color design by Tomoko Kohiki, Kunio Tsujita・Editing by Yoshihiro Aso・Sound by Kimihiro Kawasaki・Music by Akiko Kosaka・Programming and production by Munehisa Higuchi・Production manager by Kazumitsu Matsuzaka・Producers by Kenji Ota, Yosuke Asama, Masanori Goto, Hiroshi Sato・Animation production by Toei Animation・Production by Poor Sisters Project (TV Asahi, Toei Animation, Avex Entertainment, Frontier Works)

■ Main Characters

・Yamada Kyo
15 years old. 3rd year middle school student. Hard worker. Her favorite food is the fried chicken that Tomorrow will make for her.
・Yamada Asu
9 years old. 3rd grade elementary school student. A reliable girl. Looking forward to going to the public bath with her older sister.
・Genzo Hayashi (landlord)
The landlord of the apartment they live in is a little scary.
A novelist who lives in the room next to the Saegusa sisters. His schedule is irregular, and he rarely sees Kyo and Asu.
Echigoya Kaneko: Heir to the Echigoya Concern. He is rich, but his biggest hobby is saving money.
Echigoya Ginko is Kaneko's younger sister and a classmate of Asu. She tries her best to implement her sister's strict (but strange?) money saving techniques.
- Masao Ichinokura: A young man who aspires to be a singer and lives next door to the sisters' room opposite Saegusa.

■Subtitle

Episode 1: Yukata, Fireworks, and Candy Apple Day (2006/06/29)
Episode 2: The Landlord, the Watermelon, and the Visiting Day (2006/07/06)
Episode 3: Carrots, Lies, and the Echigoya Sisters' Day (2006/07/13)
Episode 4: Perfume and Tomorrow's School Open Day (2006/07/27)
Episode 5: The Apartment, the Cherry Blossoms, and the Day of the Move (2006/08/10)
Episode 6: Loneliness, Ginko, and Sister's Day (2006/08/17)
Episode 7: Jealousy, Chocolate, and Valentine's Day (2006/08/24)
Episode 8: Guitar, Dreams and Singing Teacher's Day (2006/08/31)
Episode 9: Thoughts, Anxieties, and Cell Phone Day (2006/09/07)
Episode 10: A Cold, a Promise, and Mother's Day (2006/09/14)

■ Theme songs and music

・OP1
・Deep Breath・Lyrics by Babee
・Composer: Franken
・Song: Splash Candy

・ED1
・Soft Breeze Life・Lyrics by Kumano Kiyomi・Composition by Sakurai Shinichi・Arrangement by Sakurai Shinichi・Singer by Sakai Kanako

■ Evaluation

"Poor Sisters" is a work that depicts the daily lives of sisters who live cheerfully even under difficult circumstances, and its warmth and realism resonate deeply with viewers. Below, we will review this work in detail from various perspectives, including the story, characters, music, and production.

story

The story of "Poor Sisters" depicts the two sisters, Kyo and Asu, living bright and cheerful lives while overcoming the difficulties of their father's disappearance and their mother's death. Although it is a short series of 10 episodes, each episode deals with a different theme and carefully depicts the sisters' growth and interactions with the people around them. Particularly impressive is the way the sisters support each other, and it is touching to see them never forgetting to smile even in difficult situations. In addition, the subtitles of each episode give a sense of the seasons, and the sisters' lives are depicted alongside the scenery of the four seasons, allowing viewers to deeply empathize with their daily lives.

character

The main characters, Yamada Kyo and Yamada Asu, are charming in the way they live cheerfully even in difficult situations. Kyo is a responsible character who supports the family by doing jobs such as delivering newspapers and being a private tutor, even though she is only a junior high school student. Meanwhile, Asu is an elementary school student who is in charge of all household chores and is a reliable person who supports her older sister. The way the two care for each other is touching to viewers. The characters around them are also unique and play important roles in coloring the sisters' lives, such as the landlord Hayashi Genzo, the novelist Saegusa Ranko, and the Echigoya sisters. These characters add depth to the sisters' lives and enrich the story as a whole.

music

The music for "Poor Sisters" is written by Akiko Kosaka, and her gentle melodies bring out the warmth of the story. The opening theme "Deep Breath" features Splash Candy's cheerful singing voice, symbolizing the sisters' energetic lives, and invigorating the viewer. The ending theme "Gentle Life" features Kanako Sakai's gentle singing voice, expressing the warmth of the sisters' daily lives, leaving a lingering impression of the story. These pieces of music support the entire story, making it a work that resonates deeply in the hearts of viewers.

Production

"Poor Sisters" is a production by Toei Animation, and has been praised for its high quality. The character designs are by Takamura Kazuhiro, who carefully captures the cuteness of the sisters and the personalities of the characters around them. The art design is by Sanami Yuri, who realistically depicts the 40-year-old one-room apartment without a bath and the scenery throughout the seasons. Thanks to the efforts of these production staff, viewers can deeply empathize with the sisters' lives.

■Recommendation

"Poor Sisters" is a heartwarming story about two sisters who live cheerfully even under difficult circumstances, and is a work that will warm and move viewers. It is especially recommended for those who want to feel the importance of family ties and friendship, and those who want to notice the small joys of everyday life. Although it is a short series, it deals with deep themes, making it a work that can be enjoyed by viewers of all ages. Please enjoy this work and experience the warm daily lives of the sisters.

■ Additional Information

The original manga for "Poor Sisters Story" is currently being serialized in Shogakukan's "Monthly Sunday GX", and there are many fans of the original work. DVDs and Blu-rays have also been released, and the work is gaining popularity among viewers. In addition, related goods and events are being held, and there is a lot of interaction with fans. Please use this information to enjoy the world of "Poor Sisters Story".