When the smiles of the common people take center stage - 1977, the era of sympathy illuminated by Masako Kyotsuka (late 1970s)

When the smiles of the common people take center stage - 1977, the era of sympathy illuminated by Masako Kyotsuka (late 1970s)

In the late 1970s, Japan's postwar high-growth period came to an end with the first oil shock in 1973, which caused prices to skyrocket. The consumer price inflation rate reached double digits in 1973 and exceeded 20% in 1974, and economic growth turned negative. People's preferences shifted from "dreams of looking up" to "life-size peace of mind," and the entertainment industry shifted from glittering idolatry to a more sympathetic approach to the needs of the people.

This atmosphere was embodied in TV home dramas. TBS's signature productions such as "It's Time" and "Thank You," both set in public bathhouses, brought to the forefront the touch of family and neighborhood community, depicting laughter and tears in connection with the viewers' daily lives. In the fourth series of "Arigato", Masako Kyotsuka was cast as the main character, and her maternal and unpretentious presence became firmly established as the "commoner's heroine".

Meanwhile, star symbols diverged in contrast. While Kenji Sawada, with his neutral and avant-garde image, was at the top of the charts from the late 1960s through the 1970s, bringing a glamorous flair to popular songs, the rugged and honest "earthly heroes" like the sumo wrestler Kurohimeyama also gained popularity during the same period. The irony of the essay, "Kurohimeyama is better than Julie," reflects the tug-of-war between pretense and naivete, adoration and sympathy.

Masako Kyotsuka's career also confirms this turn of values. Kyotsuka's wide range of stage, film, and television roles earned her more credibility for her "voice of life" than for her extravagant star power. This figure, who renewed the image of the mother in home dramas, established the "heroine next door" of the TV era, running parallel to the sophistication of the silver screen, which had been carried by Ruriko Asaoka and her colleagues.

In general, the period around 1977 was a phase in which the reorganization of values brought about by the cooling economy brought about a "change in the leading role of sympathy" in the entertainment industry. From heavy makeup to natural makeup, from idealistic images to the warmth of daily life. The satire woven into the laughter, while coexisting with shining idols and life-size humanity, softly announces the "turning point of the times," when the center of gravity shifts to the latter.