Transit Girls 2015 Drama Review

『The Moment When Family Became Love』

🎥 Drama Overview

🎬 Title: Transit Girls (トランジットガールズ, 2015)
🌍 Country: 🇯🇵 Japan
🎞️ Genre: Romance / Drama / Queer / Youth
🗓️ Production: Fuji TV, Terrace House production team, total of 8 episodes
⏳ Runtime: Approximately 25 minutes per episode
📢 Director: Yoshihiro Fukagawa (深川栄洋) and others

👩‍💼 Cast: Itō Sairi (伊藤沙莉) – Sayuri Hayama (葉山小百合)
Sakuma Yui (佐久間由衣) – Yui Shimamura (志田唯)

🧩 Deep Dive into the Story (Spoilers)

🏠 Living Together as a New Family, A Story Beginning with Conflict

Due to their parents’ remarriage, Sayuri and Yui end up living under the same roof, revealing an immediate emotional distance. The awkwardness of being “new family” and the weight of their personal pains push them apart, but as their daily lives intertwine, they begin to sense each other’s voids. When Yui reaches out to Sayuri in her moments of hurt, their relationship gradually surpasses the conventional definition of ‘family’.

🌱 Feelings Growing from Unexpected Comfort

When Sayuri falls ill, Yui takes care of her with sincerity that goes beyond duty, rooted in deep empathy and shared vulnerability. From that night on, the guarded gazes between them are replaced by gentle warmth. The hesitant kiss as Yui offers slippers to Sayuri becomes a pivotal moment that naturally shows their emotions evolving from ‘family’ into ‘love.’

💔 Love Against Social Taboos

When their relationship is discovered by family, Sayuri pushes Yui away and is consumed by guilt. Yet the emptiness left by Yui gradually breaks her down. Eventually, Sayuri seeks out Yui at her photo shoot, asking for forgiveness and choosing love again. Their reunion becomes a confirmation that love is a feeling that cannot be declared wrong.

📷 Yui’s Love Expressed through Gazes

Yui, with her quiet and mysterious presence, reveals her deep and one-sided affection for Sayuri subtly yet powerfully. Her active approach both intensifies Sayuri’s confusion and fuels the romance. More than words, Yui’s gaze and patience become a safe space for Sayuri, while her willingness to let Sayuri take the lead in their relationship builds profound trust.

🦋 Emotional Resonance and the Meaning of the Work

✨ A Historic Attempt in Mainstream Media

《Transit Girls》, an 8-episode late-night drama aired on Fuji TV in 2015, is recorded as the first mainstream Japanese TV drama to center a lesbian couple’s romance. Despite its short length and the somewhat controversial premise of “stepsisters in love,” the drama left a strong impression through its symbolism and delicate direction. Its greatest significance lies in being the first GL drama attempted on Japanese terrestrial TV. Airing at a time when LGBT rights were gaining attention in Japan, it drew considerable public interest.

🎬 The Cliché of “Forbidden Love”

《Transit Girls》 bears the weaknesses of the ethical controversy surrounding the “stepsister” premise and a somewhat rushed progression due to its short length. Particularly in the later episodes, after their relationship is exposed to their parents, the conflict resolution process feels abrupt.

🌍 A New Horizon for Japanese Queer Drama

Nevertheless, the drama holds significant meaning in its attempt to prove that the love of youth is a universal emotion, regardless of gender, through stylish visuals and delicate emotional storytelling. It marked a historic first step in broadening the realm of Japanese mainstream TV dramas, and remains highly valued among GL drama fans.

🎯 Personal Rating (Based on Taste)

💕 Love Scene Intensity: ♥♥
⭐ Rating: ★★★★★