Churasan Season 2

Part of the appeal of the original drama was the way it made its leisurely pace through the lives and characters of an exotic Hokkaido family. Well, the characters are all back, but fitting everything into a six-part sequel involved some serious editing. Churasan 2 concentrates on the new careers of the major characters, who grow accustomed to new roles and responsibilities.

The main appeal of this series never with the slight, predictable plot, but rather with fully-fleshed out characters. Some, like Miho Konno, are left in uninteresting supporting roles; others, like Ryoko Kunnisake, has become an embodiment of the cuteness this drama aims for.

There was no real story for Churasan 2. It just seemed to be an extension of the first season. However, for Churasan fans (like myself), the sequel was very enjoyable.

First off, I love the fact that right away the sequel delved into the family/relationship aspect of the characters. In the later Churasan episodes the dynamic between characters diminished slightly and focused only on Eri and Kazuya. With the sequel, however, they put an importance on each characterfs relation to others, which I had greatly missed and really appreciated.

Second, I was VERY pleased to see that EVERY actor/actress returned to play their roles. No character was replaced (even the smaller, less important characters returned!) and even the setting/locations remained consistent.

Third, although there was no real story, the overall storyline/plot revolving Eri and her peers progressed. We got a taste of what Eri was up to and the new additions to her life. This was great. It really makes me feel like wefre watching her grow and mature further and further in life.

The one bad point of the sequel is that it was too short (only 6 episodes!). But there is a third sequel, so I wonft fret too much. :D