After 2 Years, This 94%-Rated TV Gem Is Still the Best J-Drama Ever Released on Netflix
If you are tired of intense romance series and multi-layered complex sci-fi projects, then this leisurely but very cozy story about friendship and the search for a vocation is definitely for you.
In 2023, Netflix released a J-drama with the long title The Makanai: Cooking for the Maiko House. But don't let the complicated name scare you off – it's still the best J-drama on the platform, with a 93% from critics and 94% from viewers on Rotten Tomatoes.
Let us explain: Makanai is a cook who works for the staff of the establishment. Maiko is a student, a future geiko (as geishas are called in Kyoto). The story is dedicated to both the intricacies of Japanese cuisine and the teaching of the unique art of geiko to young girls.
What Is The Makanai: Cooking for the Maiko House About?
Two friends, Kiyo and Sumire, come to Kyoto to become geiko apprentices. During their training, the girls begin to discover their true purpose.
Kiyo realizes that her calling is to cook, and Sumire becomes a graceful performer of the ritual prayer dance. Each episode describes one of the stages of becoming a full-fledged geisha.
Kiyo and Sumire share not only childhood memories, but also a dream that can be easily realized when they feel the unconditional love and support of a loved one.
The Makanai: Cooking for the Maiko House Is a Contemplative and Positive Show
The project allows you to get to know the traditions of Japanese culture and the way of life of its inhabitants. The Makanai looks so realistic that if you didn't know anything about the series in advance, you might think it was a reality show.
Young contestants who dream of becoming a maiko have gathered in a house. One of them, Kiyo, dropped out of the project and became a makanai.
To be a reality show, the series lacks squabbles and fights. The Makanai has a deliberately conflict-free, Japanese-style contemplative narrative. The show does not even have villains or simply negative characters.
Behind the Seemingly Simple Plot There Is an Unusual Dramatic Structure
The simplicity of the plot conceals an unusual dramatic structure. First, instead of one success story, there are two. Second, the main character is an apparent loser.
The friends move to Kyoto to become maiko, but instead of Sumire, Kiyo, who seems to have failed, comes to the fore. However, makanai is an important and honorable position, for delicious food brings joy to life.
After rehearsals, the students wonder what the ever-smiling and optimistic Kiyo has cooked, and each time they thank the chef for another masterpiece. The Japanese series teaches you to respect the work of others and to notice everyone's successes.
