Haikara-san: Here Comes Miss Modern

📖 SYNOPSIS

Benio Hanamura is a sake-drinking, kendo-practicing seventeen-year-old who couldn't care less about acting like a proper lady in 1918 Japan. Raised by her military father after her mother's death, she's loud, scrappy, and absolutely against the idea of an arranged marriage. So naturally, her dad announces she's engaged to Shinobu Ijuin, a handsome army lieutenant who's basically everything she should want but didn't ask for. The tension between Benio's fierce independence and the pull of genuine romantic connection is the heart of this movie, and it handles both the comedy and the feelings with a really nice touch. Her friend group adds a lot too — Tamaki shares her progressive streak, and Ranmaru is a kabuki actor trained in female roles, which leads to some genuinely funny moments. What makes this work is the Taisho era setting. Japan is caught between tradition and modernization, and Benio's personal rebellion mirrors that larger cultural shift without ever getting preachy about it. The updated character designs from Nippon Animation look great while still nodding to the original 1970s manga aesthetic. If you liked the historical romance of Emma: A Victorian Romance or the strong-willed heroines in The Rose of Versailles, this hits a similar spot but with more laughs and a lighter tone. It's a shoujo movie that respects its protagonist's convictions while putting them to the test in ways that feel earned.