Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)
Japanese series ‘Chosen Home’ follows Genichi Hatano, a lonely 50-year-old hopeless romantic, as he is evicted from his flat for keeping abandoned pets despite a strict ‘no animals’ rule in his apartment complex. He moves into a new property with multiple units, although apart from the landlord, a troubled teen is the only inhabitant. Things get twisty when Hotaru Kusunoki, the teen neighbor makes Genichi sign a contract to play her fake father so she can continue living unsupervised. Thus begins this tale of ‘found family’ and romance, with Genichi falling in love with Kusunoki’s homeless teacher Saku Sakuta.
Spanning ten episodes, ‘Chosen Home’ is a quirky slice-of-life drama, and is quite entertaining in the first half. Mitsuhiro Oikawa as protagonist Genichi Hatano is a comical weirdo, who doesn’t think twice before helping those in need, although he can also be uncomfortably nosy. In-fact, Saku Sakuta (Yuya Tegoshi) is grossed out (he actually uses the word ‘gross’ to describe Hatano) when Hatano goes out of his ways to try and patch things between Sakuta and his ex-boyfriend Yoshida (Inowaki Kai). Why even? Just because he wants to see a gay couple get their ‘happily ever after’, so that he can hope for one too. Of course Hatano doesn’t hope for the same when he himself develops a crush on Sakuta.
Tamaki Shiratori plays the no-nonsense teenager Hotaru Kusunoki, but she quickly warms up to Hatano, peppering him with curious questions about being gay and what life is like for him. Before he knows it, he’s playing Kusunoki’s fake dad, with the blessing of their landlord, Ms. Inokashira (Sakai Maki). In a comical twist, Kusunoki offers Hatano millions to play the role, but of course he doesn’t want the money, even though he is curious about its source!
Unknown to the duo, a clumsy cop is keeping an eye on them, not only because Kusunoki’s mother is wanted for a scam, but also to make sure her “father” is truly taking care of her. Mitsuishi Ken plays Ichigaya Jin, Kusunoki’s real father, who reappears in her life with one goal in mind: her money. His schemes and antics quickly become a headache for everyone involved, especially in the second half of ‘Chosen Home’, but the character also provides a lot of comic relief.
And where does romance enter the picture in Chosen Home’s fake-family comedy? Well, Genichi’s crush, Saku is shown to have recently broken up with his boyfriend Yoshida and living out of his car, so he eventually moves into the same apartment complex, giving the pair plenty of chances to interact and grow closer. Although thanks to Genichi’s own meddling, Saku’s ex wants to try being together again.
One of the biggest weakness in Chosen Home is the lack of chemistry between Mitsuhiro Oikawa and Yuya Tegoshi. Their characters might have been far more convincing as close friends rather than romantic partners. It feels like Saku gives Genichi a chance out of sympathy, despite the narrative insisting he is ‘madly’ in love with him. Granted Genichi is kind, but his overly enthusiastic and sometimes irritating behavior makes Saku’s earlier aversion completely understandable. Because of that, the shift into romance feels awkward and hard to believe, especially when Saku’s ex appears to be a nice guy. Although there aren’t any scenes or moments to establish much connection between Saku and Yoshida either.
But well, despite its flaws, Chosen Home stays engaging through its many side stories. The show peppers the narrative with smaller threads, like Kusunoki’s uncertainty about her future career, the possibility of Genichi and Saku dating for real, and the lingering mystery of whether Kusunoki’s mother will ever return. There is also a nostalgic subplot involving Genichi’s first love, along with a fun cameo from a celebrity who appeared in the first season of the Japanese gay dating reality show The Boyfriend.
By episode eight, the story already feels ready to conclude, yet the series stretches itself further than necessary. A tighter runtime would have worked better. Still, Chosen Home ultimately succeeds where it matters most: portraying how family can be found among neighbors and friends. Kusunoki gradually learns to trust Genichi more than her own father, while the show also addresses the realities faced by gay couples in Japan with warmth and the right amount of humor.
Watch ‘Chosen Home’ on Netflix.
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