Hanekonma (はね駒) is a 1986 Japanese television serial, the 36th NHK asadora drama. Written by Koharu Terauchi, it was inspired by the life of Haruko Isomura (1877-1918), a pioneer female newspaper reporter of the Meiji and Taishō eras.

Hanekonma
Also known asはね駒 or Rin (English language title)
GenreAsadora drama
Starring
Narrated byToshiyuki Hosokawa
Theme music composerShigeaki Saegusa
Country of originJapan
Original languageJapanese
No. of episodes156
Production
Running time15 minutes (per episode)
Production companyNHK
Original release
NetworkNHK
ReleaseApril 7 (1986-04-07) –
October 4, 1986 (1986-10-04)

Like its predecessor, Oshin, an English-subtitled version of the serial, described as a "high-class soapie", was broadcast in Australia on SBS, under the title Rin, in 1988.[1]

Plot

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Tachibana Rin, nicknamed "Hanekonma" (filly), grows up in Sōma, Fukushima. Together she and her mother scrape up enough money for her to attend a Christian girls' school in Sendai, Miyagi. Though disowned by her father, she studies English and, after some early struggles, becomes a teacher. Later she marries and moves to Tokyo. After her husband's business fails, and while juggling raising a family, she succeeds in becoming Japan's first female newspaper reporter.

Development

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Like a previous asadora early morning drama Oshin (1983), and a subsequent taiga evening drama Inochi (1988), Hanekonma reflected women’s history and was developed by NHK to appeal to female audiences.[2]

Cast

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References

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  1. ^ Clark, Lucy (1987-12-27). "What's on the Menu for 1988 – A Big Bang, A Whimper then a Roar into Ratings". Sun Herald. Sydney. p. 99.
  2. ^ Harvey, Paul A. S. (1995). "Interpreting Oshin – war, history and women in modern Japan". In Skove, Lise; Moeran, Brian (eds.). Women and Media Consumption in Japan. Routledge. p. 89.