User reviews

Tokyo Girl is a mini series that has a runtime of less than 5 hours with 11 episodes, each ranging from 20 to 30 minutes. It is an excellent show and worth the short period of attention it demands. It has been on Amazon for almost 3 years now, and I stumbled upon it while I was looking for something else.

Because of how short it is, every minute of on screen time has significance. There are no filler episodes or moments when I felt like I was bored. It has amazing cinematography and subtle but effective music with a very nice use of silence. The dialogues are well written and the actors are pretty great too. It has a unique style to it too, wherein characters break the third wall and talk to you in monologs. Our lead actress' narration coupled with these varied monologs further add personal layer to it, as they talk to you and explain you aspects of their lives. But what is this show really about? And what makes it so extraordinary aside from the usual technical 'great' show characteristics?

Its about a girl from a small town in Akita Prefecture who doesn't want to live the small town life and dreams of the high end life in Tokyo. In case you didn't guess, she does manage that in her early 20s and with every episode, we see her growing older, as she starts fulfilling her dream. Accustomed to Western shows, you might already be forming a blurry idea of the progression of the show, but no it doesn't tread into the darker corners of city life. Quite the contrary, the struggles are very synonymous and normal, something all of us can recognize and appreciate, if not exactly relate to. As the show progresses, she moves from one area of Tokyo to other, some representing the "young people area" and the latter ones much more upscale and high class. By the time the show ends, about 25 years have passed.

The show has a strong focus on (Asian) feminism, especially on the working-women vs stay-at-home women conflict. And because it is our protagonist who keeps finding herself facing this conflict head on, it explores the topic excellently. I added 'Asian' since the show is so largely ingrained into the Japanese culture that it may not even suit Western audiences and their perspectives. But as an Indian, I could draw many lines from here into my country's very own culture of how women and work are viewed. This could be one of the reasons why it wasn't promoted at all by Amazon outside Japan. It explores themes of a successful career versus a successful family, the meaning and interplay between satisfaction and happiness, changing ideologies with age and so on. And it is exploration of these themes in a beautiful and subtle way what makes this show so great. It never once puts down women for choosing "this kind of life over that", not even when it has countless chances to do so for the dramatic flare, and that's just wholesome.

Since we are talking about life in Tokyo and its about an ambitious girl trying to find a place through this rich and glamorous city, the show is heavily materialistic throughout. The importance given to making money, being rich/coming from a rich family, wearing expensive clothes/going to expensive restaurants, and being 'high born' are some of the recurring themes which further add to culture shock but as I said, they do resonate with the culture we know of way, for me to complain. But the relentless consumerist ideas may not suit everyone.

All in all, I stumbled upon this show, loved it and felt like everyone should watch it. The only reason its not popular is probably because its most appropriate for the Japanese since their way of doing things are so different and unmatched even today, despite of globalization. The show doesn't sugarcoat or is overly protective of its characters, and is just great piece of art with profound messages on life scattered throughout. For me its a solid 9/10.

I thought this might be a ditsy view of a young Japanese woman, but as usual a high IMDB score means it is worthwhile watching. As an American male I found more insight into a woman's life than I would have imagined, some of which was uncomfortable. Very entertaining and informative

I'm not usually a big fan of Japanese drama, finding many silly and cliche. The plots are cookie-cutter. But this series was good. The storylines were realistic and not at all hackneyed and boring. I liked seeing the lead character moving from neighborhood to neighborhood, climbing up an admittedly limited social ladder. It is an adult series that demonstrates that urban angst and loneliness can be seen in any big city, no matter what the culture, East or West. Maybe it helps that the characters are physically attractive and they all dress nicely. And for some reason I find the theme song really catchy.

I was sorry when this intelligent, humorous series was over. We binge watched on Amazon (titled Tokyo Girl) and after initially being annoyed with the shallow 20-something characters, a few episodes in I realized I was annoyed because when you're twenty, you're annoying and shallow. At 40, I read my 20-something diary and did not even recognize myself. I got better. So does the series.

We see a young woman in Japan with aspirations of a career, a handsome boyfriend, nice clothes, and wanting nothing more than to be the envy of others. Throughout the series she ages 20 years and during that time holds various jobs and relationships, and moves to differing Tokyo neighborhoods, each one signifying a particular lifestyle and perceived status, and she slowly develops self awareness on a deeper level. The series is a statement against the shallow judgments used as a base for evaluating one's worth and a loving criticism of those that fall prey to that system. Yet viewers get relief from the harshness from the many comedic moments, mostly stemming from the universal awkwardness and ridiculousness of the interactions of life. Stunning cinematography, insightful writing, excellent acting and a non formulaic story. It was a complete winner in my eyes.

Loved this beautiful series.

Thought it was going to be a chick flick, but instead it was a unique insight into a culture we rarely see. Fortunately each episode was only 20 to 245 minutes long so it was not arduous viewing. It was good to see how people interact with each other. Very interesting.

You gotta stay until the end as the main character in the beginning is very annoying as she is in her 20s. However, it gets better and pointing out the comtemporary lifestyle of Japanese female in this society. Love it!

6 stars. This is the first IMDb review, and is essentially the same as my review on Amazon Prime, which currently offers Tokyo Girl for streaming in the USA. You can read many reviews there, all of which but mine assign four or five stars out of five, with many positive comments.

I looked forward to Tokyo Girl as a TV series that shows a slice of life I haven't seen before or personally experienced. It is entertaining enough, but what put me off was the shallow, materialistic pursuit of prestige and wealth over those values that give dignity to the human soul such as compassion, integrity, sacrificial love, patience, kindness, honesty, and courage. The actors portrayed their characters well enough, but I just couldn't relate to them. Their lives and struggles are a pale shadow compared to those in the great Japanese cinema from the late 1940s to early 1960s from directors such as Yasujiro Ozu, Akira Kurosawa, Mikio Naruse, Keisuke Kinoshita, and Masahiro Shinoda.

Outstanding! Compelling. Intelligent. Touching. Profound. I found myself rooting for Aya at every turn in finding her true self. If she really existed I would surely want to know her and root for her in my heartfelt hopes for the eventual outcome that made me, a grown American man of 54, choke up a little at the end and then smile. Bravo! Bravo! Bravo! Bravo Japan! Pure class! Just beautiful.

I highly recommend this show for men and women. It was so interesting to see the pull for women in a very materialistic world with so much pressure on them. Loved watching the main character develop into a strong and complex person. The show surprised me in many ways. It's worth sticking it out.

If you've ever seen Emily in Paris, Sex and the City, etc. You'll find this is somewhat familiar and yet so drastically different at the same time. The series follows Aya from teenage years all the way up to her 40's and we follow her journey as a woman, as a human, as a Tokyoite from the country, and as a spectacle in the eyes of her peers. If you've an affinity for Japanese culture, this series is an amazing starter guide to what to expect from real life in Tokyo, it almost had a documentary feel to it and the fourth wall breaking element of shows like Fleabag. I loved it, and would definitely recommend.

This show was a beautiful insight into the societal pressures and the existential dread of what it means to be a modern woman living in Tokyo. It's essentially 'Sex and the City' and 'Emily in Paris' if those shows were more self aware and had the gall to critique the nuances and tolls of placing so much value on symbols of wealth and success. The great thing about it is that it never judges its women for being part of the game but rather lets them literally speak for themselves.

that 6 star review completely misses the point of the show and compares it to old acclaimed japanese cinema as if the entire culture was some sort of never-changing monolith. He's basically just another old white man yelling that a show doesn't fit his view of how japanese women ought to be.

Subtle, smart, refreshing, emotional, most of all silently hilarious. Tokyo Girl's cinematography and narrative style provide it with an air of simultaneous composure and playfulness.

Aya's character is artfully employed as both lens (to observe the vast range of people, places, and emotions encountered) and crucible (to constantly reforge the shape and feel of her pursuit of happiness / understanding of life). And an exceptional performance from Asami Mizukawa, despite her character being more of a vehicle for the show than the other way around.

The camera's perspective is a fairly objective one that captures a lot in a short amount of time. It might have you smiling, frowning, laughing, crying at moments where you can't say why it's evoking that particular response.

Banger electronic closing song.

Tokyo Girl blindsided me with its profound exploration of the competing pressures placed upon women in post-1980s Japan.

The life of Aya, a small-town girl, is charted from her teens to her early 40s. Aya decides early on that she needs to swap what she finds to be a stifling provincial environment for the bright lights of Tokyo.

As Aya moves from one neighbourhood of Tokyo to the next in the years that follow, her motivations, dreams and desires evolve. Two main questions emerge concerning her survival: her professional life and her love life.

We witness her commence her professional career, initially naive but eventually recognising her worth and value, as well as taking pride in who she is as a woman in the world of work. Aya's story raises questions about the struggles overcome by previous generations of women to participate in work, and how far professional accomplishments can fulfil women.

From group dates to registering with a marriage consultancy, Aya seeks a partner, variably disappointed, used, forced to compromise and discarded by the men she meets. Tokyo Girl asks what makes a woman happy and whether a woman can be fulfilled without children, exploring the "violent societal pressure" placed on women to do it all and have it all: to excel in their professional life whilst also securing the perfect husband and being the perfect wife and mother.

It is a story of our often thwarted attempts to build and live our dreams and the eternal, futile hunt for better, bigger, more successful: in life and in love.

Ultimately, there is no utopian option. The folly of her youth gives way to acceptance of reality and the need to accept life lived "as an extra", rather than in the starring role we imagined. Aya reminds us of the many roads not taken in all our lives, and the need to find "small happiness" wherever we can.

It felt like she was talking directly to me throughout the show.... Id only wish more ppl to see this amazing masterpiece

It follows the daily life of a mordem women and her struggles highly recommend..

This series ROCKS. Flat-out. The acting, the character development, the emotional content. Everything. I try to tell everyone about it.

Here's the deal. It's advertised as a series women will enjoy but it's highly educational as a man to watch. I'll tell you why:

It starts with Aya, coming from small-town Akita, dreaming of a lifestyle of material wealth. She meets this guy almost immediately after moving to Tokyo in her 20s who is basically THE guy. She ends up dumping him because the relationship is too perfect and comfortable. So she spends all of her 20s moving up in her career, having a revolving door of increasing MATERIAL quality of her romantic prospects (hypergamy), and trying to one-up other women with how high-class of a lifestyle she can project. She also develops a nasty spending spending habit. All of this goes on for years, only to find out some really important things when she hits her 30s--all the successful men she kept trying to have relationships with will only commit to young, low-maintenance women, and that she spent all this time trying to be a part of a high-class society she'll never be accepted as a one of, because deep down, she knows she's still the girl from Akita. She ends up running across THE guy she met when she first moved to Tokyo at the end of the series.... I wont spoil it, but it's pretty brutal.

So basically, the story is a cautionary tale of the "modern woman", and a lot of people completely miss the real message the series. She could have had it all, right away, but rejected it because she was obsessed with having more.

Very well written, great acting, touches many things in our lives that one would think that don't exist in a far country such as Japan

Very deep and overall entertaining.

Very well written, great acting, touches many things in our lives that one would think that don't exist in a far country such as Japan

Very deep and overall entertaining.

Very well written, great acting, touches many things in our lives that one would think that don't exist in a far country such as Japan

Very deep and overall entertaining.

Very well written, great acting, touches many things in our lives that one would think that don't exist in a far country such as Japan

Very deep and overall entertaining.

Very well written, great acting, touches many things in our lives that one would think that don't exist in a far country such as Japan

Very deep and overall entertaining.