Sumo Do, Sumo Don't

Man, I really enjoyed this series. A reboot of a 1992 movie of the same name (and including some of the same actors), it's about the trials and tribulations of a down-and-out university sumo club. It's about sumo, but it's also about friendship, perseverance, finding your place in the world, coming of age, and sportsmanship. It's laugh out loud funny, and it's really moving. You'll fall in love with the main characters, and probably their opponents, too (they're no cartoon villains). You'll definitely fall in love with Japanese culture. Perfectly cast and brilliantly acted. Hoping to see a second season.

A ten-episode series about a college-level Japanese sumo club, headlined by Rikka Ihara as Honoka Oba who plays a fascinating character as an introverted girl almost entirely focused on sumo. This is an entertaining, culturally, and educationally intriguing series providing insight into a mysterious Japanese sport mostly unknown in America. There is a great balance of humor and drama that is never overstated and provides an illuminating insight into the goodness of the Japanese character. With a relatively low-key but consistently captivating storyline, Sumo Do, Sumo Don't offers up a pleasant easy-to-watch (with subtitles) enjoyable experience worth seeing.

When I started watching the Strama, I thought it was going to actually feature traditional, looking sumo wrestlers. What I found was a young woman, a university student, who is very petite!

There were a lot of things in this drama that are commonly found in sports dramas and movies, but the subject matter itself is so original.

What I loved:

• strong female protagonist
• the variety of characters from different walks of life
• each of them break out of the stereotypes you would expect to see
• all the twists and turns
• the friendships
• not falling into a romance trope

I would recommend this for anyone who likes sports dramas and films, as well as anyone who wants to have their preconceived notions challenged.