The title literally means A shining tomorrow. This Asahi TV programme was aired in 2006. It is based on Kana Tomoko's two novels. The story revolves around two abandoned young women whose lives meet in the town of Sasara. Sasara is a rare place where the supernatural tends to be more natural. More so in the boarding house where the two women stay. Ghosts reanimate out of the woodwork, enter living bodies and speak through them. Even old memories manifest themselves and take over inanimate objects.
The two leading women are very likeable. The first one is a spoilt brat whose parents abandon her with a distant relative when they find themselves unable to pay debts of ¥1,000,000. This relative is a retired school principal. She is very strict and practices tough love. The young girl finds it difficult at first but preserves on as she has no other choice.
The second lead is a recent widow with a young kid to take care of. The deceased husband's brother wants to adopt the kid as he does not have one of his own to take over his business empire. The widow escapes to Sasara as she is afraid her brother-in-law may take her kid away by crooked means.
The two women try to rebuild their lives in Sasara. How the town of Sasara including its ghosts accept the two newcomers form the 11 episodes. There is plenty of tears to keep women glued to the TV set. There is adequate humour and horror for men to be interested too.
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Teruyo, the brat — Tomoka Kurokawa
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Saya, the widow — Tae Kimura
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One of the ghosts
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The haunted boarding house
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Quite fittingly, there is a haunting opening theme. It was created by the Hayashi brothers whose personal life story had a strange similarity.
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More stills — The guy in the last still played the half-crazy father of Riko in Kyou Kare Ore Wa. Yes, the guy with staccato-style of speaking.
Much of the cast in Teru Teru Ashita were involved in another drama Ame To Yume No Ato Ni from 2005.
Recommended age rating: 16+