Ge-ge-ge no nyobou 4/5

aka setting expectations...

Today's episode started with a short bit from last week where Toshi (grandmother) tells Fumie (the girl who will be the wife) that "we all rely on you. You've got power. You can't see it, but it's there." Then we saw the family listening to an old radio, as the Emperor announced the end of the war. And an old couple at a train bringing returning soldiers met a one-armed soldier with glasses, calling out his name "Shigeru." (Who will be the artist).
( Twenty one? )

Fumie told her friend that she will "yatte mio" (try it and see) the arranged wedding to this boy.

The voice over told us that even though Fumie thinks it is okay, there is a problem...

And that was the end of the episode.

Ge-ge-ge no nyobou 4/6

aka Don't count your chickens before they hatch

Fumie was daydreaming in sewing class about getting married, and we saw a little clip of her at the cake shop with the handsome boy calling her... which turned into her friend trying to get her attention, because the teacher wanted to talk to her. Then Fumie explained to the teacher that she can't take the teaching position, and the teacher said it's too bad but of course if she's getting married... They'll look for someone else, but if her situation changes, please let the teacher know. Fumie went back to the small group of girls and they all congratulated her on the wedding interview. The teacher ordered them to be quiet.
( What happened then? )

And Fumie was sitting with her sewing machine, with her dreams broken. Grandma interrupted, and took Fumie into her room. Grandma got out a hairpin. She said she was going to give this to Fumie for her miai, but she wanted to give it to her now for her marriage. Fumie said there probably won't ever be one, no one wants a tall girl. Grandma reassured her that someone is out there. And she said that her mother gave her the hairpin for her marriage, and now...

I have to admit, these are nice slice-of-life episodes, good background, but I feel as if I haven't yet gotten engaged with the basic story. Somehow they're building a character, but I'm missing the underlying story. That may be because it's based on a biography, but I wish they would have spent a little more time building up a story to hang the characters and background on. 15 minute episodes... I think they need a really strong hook, and I haven't seen one yet.