NHK Morning Drama “The Scent of the Wind” Ends After a Struggle; Lack of “Buddy Chemistry” Pales in Comparison to the Movie “Look Back”

They first met in Episode 9, but

the first half of 2026 morning drama “The Scent of the Wind” (NHK) aired its final episode on September 25.The two heroines—”Rin,” played by Ai Mikami (25), who became a train nurse, and “Naomi,” played by Juri Uesaka (21)—grew into the “ultimate buddy duo” as they interacted with patients and doctors.

In morning dramas, stories featuring dual heroines—such as *Futari no Ko* (1996)—have occasionally garnered attention. Unfortunately, however, this series has received mixed reviews.

“This series has introduced a new approach to morning dramas by not making marriage the ultimate goal and by depicting new forms of family. However, in Episode 9, when the two meet for the first time,Rin, who has fled her in-laws’ home with her daughter Tamaki and is at a loss, and Naomi, who has vanished from the church, are led by a twist of fate to meet by chance. Because the scene itself lacks dramatic tension, I couldn’t sense a strong bond or that ‘buddy vibe’ between the two. That was very disappointing,” said a producer from the production company.

“The Scent of the Wind” was conceived about six years ago, in the midst of the global COVID-19 pandemic, inspired by the courage of nurses who stood by patients and fought against an unknown infectious disease. In an interview for the official program guidebook published by NHK, Executive Producer Takehiro Matsuzono stated,

“That experience sparked my interest in the history of nursing, and I learned about Kazu Ozeki and Masashi Suzuki—pioneering nurses who studied Western-style nursing during the Meiji period.The two studied at the same nursing school and worked at the same university hospital. Ms. Suzuki later founded a nursing organization and, upon retiring as its president, entrusted the role to Ms. Ozeki. I believe there were challenges they could only overcome together. Inspired by that thought, I wanted to create a ‘buddy drama’ centered on these two women. That was the starting point for this series.〉

she explains.

However, because the drama surrounding their initial meeting is so thin in this work, the “buddy” relationship between Rin and Naomi never quite managed to shake off that sense of “discomfort” until the very end.

The Moon and Sun’s Buddy Chemistry

Meanwhile, the live-action film *Look Back*, currently in theaters, is based on a story by manga artist Tatsuki Fujimoto—whose film *Chainsaw Man: Reze* has garnered high praise both domestically and internationally—and directed, written, and edited by Hirokazu Kore-eda. This film also features a “female buddy” duo serving as its dual heroines.

“Fujino (Natsuki Deguchi, 24), who has absolute confidence in her manga skills, and Kyomoto (Ayazu Makita, 24), who looks up to her while harboring her own overwhelming artistic talent.*Look Back* delicately and vividly depicts the 13-year journey—beginning in elementary school—of these two women, united by their single-minded passion for manga, as they form a “buddy” partnership. Director Kore-eda, who happened to pick up this work at a bookstore during the COVID-19 crisis, says he was deeply moved by the story’s portrayal of the resolve required of an artist.

“That’s not the only thing that makes the original work so brilliant. It creates an inseparable dynamic where Fujino handles the story and characters, while Kyomoto handles the backgrounds. That’s precisely why their bond is so strong. Compared to the dual heroines in *The Wind Rises*, there’s no denying there’s an overwhelming difference in their ‘buddy chemistry,’” said a director at the production company.

Furthermore, the personalities of the two characters portrayed in *Look Back*—Fujino, the “yang,” and Kyomoto, the “yin”—are polar opposites. Mr. Fujimoto said,

“Both Fujino and Kyomoto are me. I’m depicting the two sides that lie dormant within myself,”

revealed this behind-the-scenes insight in the film’s program. That is precisely why, even after Kyomoto’s death, Fujino is able to continue living while carrying Kyomoto’s legacy as her burden.

“The symbolic scene is the final shot where he rubs his hands together and listens to the sound of the ocean. By mimicking the gesture Kyomoto taught him, Fujino conveys that he is living on alongside Kyomoto. Including this original scene deepens their relationship even further. It showcases the vivid direction that is so characteristic of Director Kore-eda,” (the director mentioned earlier)

The “buddy vibe” in the film *Look Back* is that

“When one is the moon, the other becomes the sun and shines upon them”—

—the “buddy vibe” from *The Scent of the Wind*—but the pull between them is undeniably different.

“Female buddy” stories have become a trend in the world of TV dramas. We look forward to seeing dual heroines—who were destined to meet and are bound by a strong bond—in future morning dramas.