Sawako Decides review

Taking over her sick father's business works wonders for this Tokyo singleton

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After five years, five jobs and five boyfriends in Tokyo, Sawako (Hikari Mitsushima) is unhappy.

Working at a toy company cleaning up kids’ wee, she’s convinced herself she’s a “sub-middling woman” (biggest self-esteem issue? Her lack of “melonshaped” boobs).

Life throws her a curveball when her father falls ill and she returns to her home town to help run his clam-processing business.

Totally oddball, this Japanese comedy’s jokes occasionally get lost in translation, yet it moves effortlessly from colonic irrigation to crowd-pleasing, clam-packing sing-alongs with quirky verve.