It's been a while since I made a post about a Japanese drama, and this time I want to share my thoughts about I'm Mita, Your Housekeeper, or Kaseifu no Mita in Japanese. This is one of the messiest and most frustrating dramas I've watched, and the male lead, Keiichi Masuda, annoyed me to the very last episode. He's the "wimpiest" character I've seen since Yusaku Godai from Maison Ikkoku.
Although I couldn't stand the male lead character, I absolutely love Hiroki Hasegawa's performance as Keiichi Masuda. He was remarkable in Suzuki Sensei and outstanding as Akechi Mitsuhide in Awaiting Kirin, but he embodied the character so well; it's hands down one of his best performances. The best performance in this drama definitely goes to Nanako Matsushima as Akari Mita, the cold and emotionless housekeeper.
I loved her as Azusa Fuyutsuki in the 1998 drama GTO: Great Teacher Onizuka; her acting has improved since, and she delivered in this role. Something about the character felt relatable to me even though she was emotionless. I'm Mita, Your Housekeeper is a 2011 Japanese drama that touches on sensitive subjects such as abuse, cheating, suicide, grief, and loss. It's available for streaming on Netflix.
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| Kii, Mita & Yui |
When Love Breaks Down
I'm Mita, Your Housekeeper follows the Asuda family: the father, Keiichi and his 4 children who are still coming to terms with the death of their mother. Keiichi told his children that their mother died in an accident, but it turned out to be a lie; Nagiko took her own life when Keiichi asked for a divorce so he could be with his mistress. The truth will come out after Akari Mita starts working for the family as a housekeeper.
She's a cold, emotionless lady who doesn't step outside her role as a housekeeper and is willing to do whatever her employer asks of her, as long as it is within her capabilities. Although she's only about work and doesn't seem to care about the family, she'll help them come to terms with the mother's death. Akari is also fighting her own demons, and being with the Asuda family will help her overcome her trauma. Akari used to be a happy woman who smiled all the time but turned cold after experiencing loss.
This drama made me think that the Asuda couple is a good example of what happens when 2 selfish people get together. Spoiler Alert: When Keiichi was still dating Nagiko, he told her he didn't want any children; then she got pregnant, and he had no choice but to propose. And she went on to have 3 more children, completely ignoring the fact that her husband didn't want any.
When the truth about her death was revealed, I couldn't help but wonder if she truly loved her children, or if she had them only to secure her marriage. As a mother, the idea of taking my own life because my marriage is falling apart wouldn't cross my mind when I have children to look after. I understand that she felt like all the time and effort she put into her marriage were wasted, but having and raising her children shouldn't have felt like a waste of time since she chose to have them.
I heard that contraception isn't easy to come by in Japan, but I'm pretty sure there are other ways to avoid an unwanted pregnancy. Did she even love her children? It is a valid question to ask since she chose her husband and ended her life instead of living for them. As for Keiichi, why did he keep having kids when he didn't want them?!
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| Keiichi's affair is revealed. |
A Man Won't Change For You
Most men put themselves first and won't change for a woman or anyone; men change for themselves. You might have an amazing story about how you saved or changed a man, but it doesn't happen often. So when a man says he doesn't want children, don't stick around hoping to change his mind. He'll become a dad only if he really wants to, and it won't be for you. No one wants to hear it, but it is what it is, and some women would spare themselves a lot of pain if they weren't so bent on trying to change a man.Keiichi was willing to walk away from his wife and children because he didn't want children to begin with and became one only due to circumstances. He was a hardworking man who provided and cared for his family but was unable to love his children the way most fathers do. I'm not trying to excuse his affair, but his wishes were completely ignored.
He explicitly said that he didn't want any children at the beginning of their relationship and ended up with 4 kids, and when he asked for a divorce, his wife would rather die than give him up. The saddest part is that he was still in love with his mistress even after Nagiko's death; she did all that, and he still wanted to be with his mistress.
If a child was enough to keep a man, there wouldn't be so many stories of men walking away from their family to be with another woman. Don't try to trap a man with a baby; it won't end well. People make poor judgments when they're in love, but still listen to the other person if they say, "I don't want any children" It's better to be with someone who thinks alike than to convince or expect them to change. I'm not trying to be preachy, but I genuinely think Keiichi and Nagiko were too selfish.
Nagiko seemed to love her husband more than her children, and Keiichi was willing to walk away from his marriage without thought for his wife and children because he was in love and his mistress wasn't even interested in becoming a mother to his children. So Nagiko would've been the only one taking care of the kids if they got a divorce. I feel so bad for the children; where does it leave them?!
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| Saki Aibu as Urara |
Healing And Overcoming Trauma
I like Nagiko's younger sister, Urara, played by Saki Aibu. I'm silly and clumsy just like her, so she was relatable. And I thought the Asuda children were unnecessarily mean to her, especially Yui; I can't stand her. She's so annoying; then again, they were grieving. I don't know if I'm the only one bothered by Urara's feelings for Keiichi. From all the men she could fall for, why her sister's husband, and how long has she been in love with him?!
I'm not naive, and I heard stories about men having affairs with their wives' siblings, but still, it didn't sit well with me. This man was going to leave her sister for another woman, and she was in love with him?! How is a wimp like Keiichi able to pull such beautiful women? He's so selfish and indecisive. Things might have turned out differently if he stood his ground when he first got married to Nagiko.
If he said, I didn't want any children, but it's fine having one and no more. He let things get out of control and tried to run away by asking for a divorce. He was willing to move heaven and earth for his mistress but was indecisive about his own children. It's been a while since a character pissed me off so much, and Urara thought he was the one for her.
This drama is messy and beautiful. It might not be for everyone due to the sensitive topics, but I recommend watching it, especially if you're grieving or trying to overcome trauma. It shows the impact some decisions can have on children's lives, dealing with grief and loss, overcoming trauma and how a stranger can help you on your healing journey.
Thank you for reading!
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