Asunaro Hakusho Blu-ray Box

The celebrated 1993 youth drama makes its Blu-ray debut in its thirtieth-anniversary year. Based on Fumi Saimon’s story, it follows the love and friendship of five university students brought together through the Asunaro group. The original broadcast achieved an average audience rating of 27.0% and a peak of 31.9% in the Kanto region, according to Video Research.

After gaining admission to the university she has always wanted to attend, Narumi forms the Asunaro group with Kakei, who lent her a mechanical pencil during the entrance examination, and their friends Toride, Seika and Matsuoka. Narumi finds herself increasingly drawn to Kakei after he kisses her during a fireworks display. But when she brings a packed meal to his part-time workplace one night, she discovers Tokie, the woman who has come to meet him.

Even though Kakei has a girlfriend, Narumi openly declares her feelings and refuses to give in to Tokie’s harassment. Having grown up in a family with little affection, Kakei has learned to suppress his own feelings; Narumi’s honesty is something new to him. At last he ends his relationship with Tokie and goes straight to Narumi. The two finally come together and enjoy days filled with happiness.

Yet Narumi’s wholehearted devotion sometimes feels restrictive to Kakei, and cracks begin to appear between them. A misunderstanding on Christmas Eve leads Narumi into a relationship with Toride, making the separation decisive. Then Matsuoka dies in a traffic accident, and the friends begin to leave.

Kakei goes to Kyoto to sit the Kyoto University entrance examination again, Toride travels overseas, and Seika returns to her family home in Kobe, pregnant with Matsuoka’s child. The Asunaro group falls apart, and four years pass.