Drama Digest
Kaze No Mukou He Kakenukero is the story of Mizuho (Hirate Yurina), a lively and determined young jockey who dreams of making it big in Oka Sho, a premier horse-racing event in Japan. But failure lurks on the horizon, and she soon becomes relegated to competing in local races. She meets the gruff Midorikawa (Nakamura Aoi) and mysterious Kazaki (Itagaki Rihito) at the local stables. They commit to helping her become faster. The stakes run high as Mizuho attempts to make it back to Oka Sho. But she faces caustic discrimination and misfortunes compound, threatening to end her career before it even begins. Can she make it?
The Feel-Good Part
The drama has a robust, pithy emotional core with intensely present childhood memories. These memories supply value to Mizuho’s cherished dream. There are several intriguing characters, like Kazaki — the horse-whisperer who can connect deeply with animals. Midorikawa, her coach, has deeply buried secrets and a sad history that plagues him. The supporting characters round things up impressively. There are multiple intense one-on-one scenes between the characters, serving to heighten the dramatic value. But the story is not only emotionally intense and dramatically charged. Many humorous scenes work to diffuse some of the tension before the big race, making the people in the story much livelier and relatable. The music changes mood often and is a treat.
The Disappointing Factor
The cinematography is ordinary for the most part, especially the daytime scenes, which suffer from overlighting. Some of the dialogue comes across as too dramatic. For a drama that hinges on discrimination faced by women in sports, there aren’t any other significant or interesting female characters which is a letdown. The only other woman with some lines is the horse owner, who comes across as a bare-bones character.
In-Depth Analysis
The use of symbolism is this drama’s main strength. It is a testament to its literary origins (novel by Furuuchi Kazue). Cherry blossoms that scatter to the wind but sprout a new plant wherever they land are a mirror to the ever-present optimistic mood and Mizuho’s spirit. Parallelism drawn between Mizuho and the abandoned horse deemed unfit for racing is beautiful. Both of them work together to prove the onlookers wrong, and their effort moves you, good sports drama should do that. Midorikawa’s past deals with complex matters in the world of sport, which can end one’s career. The dynamic between him and Mizuho is central to the narrative. Their will and competitiveness translate well into the hunger with which Mizuho wants to win. Through all of this, love for animals shines through. The shots inside the stables, especially at nighttime, are well composed and match the dramatic intensity of the scene.
Star Power
Itagaki Rihito is the standout as the aphonic horse-whisperer, Kazaki. Nakamura Aoi plays Midorikawa by the books. Hirate Yurina as the lead Mizuho is a mixed bag. Veterans Daichi Yasuo and Hitoshi Ozawa round the cast up nicely.
Overall Opinion
It’s a story often told, but how this drama tells it puts it on the better side of average. It does not shy away from being humorous yet intense and will be a treat to watch for comfort. Just do not expect to have your mind blown.
