Original subtitles

1901... Meiji 34.

This is Tokyo over 110 years ago.

TOKYO HINODE WOMEN'S UNIVERSITY

She's here.

It's her.

She's beautiful.

This woman is the heroine of the story we're about to begin...

Her name is Asa Shirooka.

Congratulations on your entrance to the first women's university

in our country, Hinode Women's University.

ASA SHIROOKA

Making a speech like this seems a little pompous...

Learning isn't anything special.

So please learn to your heart's content.

In order to build a world where everyone can

laugh and live, we need the soft power of women.

Asa started a coal mining company, a bank and insurance company

during the tumultuous period in Japan from the end of

the Edo period to the Meiji era.

I'd like to say that...

She's a great woman who devoted her life to the establishment of

Japan's first women's university

1857 (ANSEI 4)

Actually Asa was...

a unbelievably difficult young girl.

ASA IMAI

That hurts.

Asa ga Kita

Week 1 "The Little Fiancée" Episode 1

Original Story: Chieko FURUKAWA

Screenwriter: Mika OMORI

Music by: Yuuki HAYASHI

Theme Song: "365 Nichi no Kamihikouki" Sung by: AKB48

Narrator: Keiko SUGIURA

Asa Shirooka: Haru

Asa Imai (Young Asa): Rio SUZUKI

Shintaro Shirooka: Hiroshi TAMAKI

Rie Imai: Shinobu TERAJIMA

Tadaoki Imai: Takeshi MASU

Ume: TOMOCHIKA

Shokichi Shirooka: Masaomi KONDO

KYOTO

ASA'S FAMILY HOME IMAI FAMILY

20 years before the Meiji era toward the ending of the

Edo period, Asa was born as the second daughter of a wealthy merchant family in Kyoto.

No... This isn't Asa.

This is Hatsu, Asa's sister who is 2 years older.

ASA'S OLDER SISTER HATSU

So where's Asa?

MAID UME / ASA'S MOTHER RIE

Where did Asa go?

Sis!

Mom! Asa's... Asa's hurt!

Asa!

What are you doing?

Mom! Sis! Why?

Why can't I fly like a kite even if I put this on?

Why?

Never mind that!

ASA'S FATHER HEAD OF THE FAMILY TADAOKI

You! You're a girl! Why are you, always getting into mischief?

I wonder why.

I'm sorry Dad.

Why are you laughing?

You!

Hatsu was a kind young girl who was good at playing the koto

while her younger sister, Asa, was a real tomboy.

1861 (FIRST YEAR OF BUNKYU)

It's Asa! It's Asa!

Asa's here.

Why are you running away?

Come back here!

You'd better not be holding back just because I'm a girl.

I won't hold back.

Asa wins again!

I did it!

Miss Asa!

Darn! It's Ume.

How many times have I told you that you can't sumo wrestle?

I'm sorry, but I don't understand it...

You don't get scolded if you sumo wrestle, do you, Kyutaro?

ASA'S YOUNGER BROTHER KYUTARO

No, I don't get scolded.

Master Kyutaro is a boy.

You're a girl.

But I'm strong.

That's right! Asa's strong.

Being strong is no good.

Why?

There you go again...

You're always asking why.

Why can't a girl sumo wrestle?

Because that's just how it is.

What do you mean?

That's right. That's how it's always been from long ago.

Is that it?

If you hurt your precious face, what will do if your fiancé dislikes you.

Fiancé?

Then you won't have to get married.

Master Kyutaro! Don't say things like that.

It's bad luck!

Why was it already decided who Sis and I will marry.

from the time we were born?

There are too many things that I don't understand.

The Imai family was the biggest money changers in Kyoto,

so their daughters already had fiancés from when they were little.

Her older sister, Hatsu was engaged to the son of

Sanoji-ya, the biggest money changer in Osaka...

While Asa was engaged to the son of Kano-ya

another big money changer in Osaka.

For generations, the women born to the Imai family in

Kyoto were married to Osaka money changers for the sake of the family.

Money changers were the predecessors to the banks of today.

The samurai were at the top of society back then,

but the merchants held a lot of power because of

their ability to develop commerce and the economy.

I wonder what our fiancés are like.

I wonder... But Dad chose them, so they must be good men.

Even if he is, I don't want to marry someone from Osaka.

I want to always live here with you.

There you go again.

A woman has the important job of being a good wife.

But why...?

If you keep asking why, Dad will scold you!

That's right. Dad gets really angry when I ask why, doesn't he?

That's right.

We can't sumo wrestle, but it's okay to get married... Is that how it is?

That's right. That's just how it is.

But what will you do if your fiancé looks like this?

Or like this?

What about this?

That looks like Dad.

What's this? Are you talking about me?

No... We didn't say anything.

That's right.

Asa!

Your knee!

As the daughters of the Imai family, they both had a strict upbringing.

They were taught etiquette, sewing tea ceremony,

flower arrangement, and playing the koto...

While Kyutaro, as the eldest son and heir to the Imai family had to study hard.

Speak up!

Excuse me...

Tadaoki...

Are they here?

Where's Asa?

She was in her room until a little while ago, but...

Asa, Asa!

So this is what he was reading today.

It's the thing that goes click-click...

It's heavy! This is so cool.

That's awesome.

This slides really nicely.

What a nice sound.

What a surprise.

Is she dancing?

What are you doing, Shinjiro?

You fool! What are you doing?

I'm sorry, Dad.

But this makes a really great sound.

It's not a great sound. Come over here!

You!

You're a merchant's daughter.

How could you use our precious abacus like that?

I'm sorry!

What a terrible young girl.

Is that any way to talk? She's your future bride.

That's right. I forgot.

ASA FIANCE SHINJIRO SHIROOKA

Is he my fiancé?

I'm sorry you had to see that.

She's going to marry into our family, so

SHINJIRO'S FATHER OWNER OF KANO-YA SHOKICHI SHIROOKA

it's better for us to see her in her true form.

Say something, Asa.

I like the click-click thing better than the koto.

The click-click thing makes a nice sound, too.

It doesn't just go click-click, it...

That's enough!

Just be quiet.

Asa.

Yes?

How's your butt?

Asa! Where are you going?

What a rude person!

Asa...

Isn't your fiancé good-looking?

Not at all!

How dare he talk about my butt!

Butt...?

I hate him.

To Asa, this was the worst encounter,

so what's going to happen with these two?