Oshin

is a Japanese serialized morning television drama (asadora), which originally aired on NHK from 4 April 1983 to 31 March 1984; it is the 31st asadora overall to be produced. The 297 15-minute episodes follow the life of during the Meiji period up to the early 1980s. In the work, Shin is called Oshin, an archaic Japanese cognomen. It was one of the country's most watched serials of all time and has aired in 68 other countries, with subtitles ranging from English to Arabic. In 1984, the earlier episodes of the drama (focused on young Oshin) were made into an animated movie by Sanrio. The movie reused Sugako Hashida's scripts, and Ayako Kobayashi, who played young Oshin, did Oshin's voiceover. Background Oshin is based on the fictional biography of a Japanese woman, modeled after Katsu Wada (和田加津), who co-founded the supermarket chain Yaohan with her husband Ryohei Wada. The structure of the story was developed through a collection of anonymous letters assembled by Sugako Hashida. "It is the untellable past of a woman of the Meiji period, composed right on her deathbed," Hashida said. "I felt that the telling of her hardships while serving as an apprentice and being sold at a brothel was an obligation our generation needed to honor. However, the themes were so harsh and dark that the show was rejected by every [Japanese] television network. Even NHK opposed it." Hashida said she was told "We can't confront Meiji issues." It was settled when then-station director gave his approval. Plot