Taking the wacky factor of “Papa ga Moichido Koi o Shita” (where a girl’s Mother is reborn as a fat old man) and the creepy factor of “Himitsu” (where Sasaki Kuranosuke’s wife is reborn into his teenage daughter’s body) and you have “Tsuma, Shogakusei ni Naru”…Starring Tsutsumi Shinichi as the Husband Keisuke, and, given the unbelievable plot, I expected this drama to be a wacky laugh-riot in the tradition of his earlier family comedy “Super-Salaryman Saenae-shi”! Instead I got a touching, melancholy, and oftentimes tear-inducing little drama which immediately became a MUST SEE!
Keisuke Niijima (Tsutsumi Shinichi) is a good-natured man married to an outgoing, charismatic and caring wife named Takae (Yuriko Ishida) who are raising a young daughter named Mai. The three are content and happy with their lives, though both Husband and daughter agree that Mom is the motivating force in their lives. And so it is devastating for the family when Mom Takae is killed in an automobile collision. In an instant, the family becomes unmoored, and when we check back in on them 10 years after her passing, we see that both Keisuke and their daughter Mai (Aju Makita) have been morosely plodding on through life like zombies without aim. The future without Takae seems meaningless. Something needs to be done!Just then, at the exact 10 year anniversary of Takae’s death, a 10 year old elementary school student named Marika Shiraishi (Nono Maida) wakes up with all the thoughts and memories of the deceased Takae Niijima! At once it is clear to her that she, Takae, was reborn as this child Marika but given 10 years to “grow up” before revealing her true destiny as the Niijima’s Wife/Mother!Much like the other Mother/Wife reincarnation shows I mentioned earlier, the family doesn’t believe a word Marika says when she finally approaches them (waltzing into the house like she’d been there just the other day) claiming to be their departed loved one, and assumes she is part of a prank or, more diabolically, a part of a scam.
"Keisuke! It's Me, Takae! I've returned!"
"And Mai! How you've grown!"
? ? ? ?
In all the excitement she realizes the time and says "Oops, I've got to get home! But I'll be back! Take Care!" leaving the Father and Daughter with befuddled looks on their faces!
But return she does, and the more she interacts with them, the more they begin to see just how much this young girl is like their beloved Mother and Wife. The speech patterns, the memories, and knowledge of everything about them might convince anyone that this girl was indeed Takae.
But besides all that, the fact of the matter is, despite their skepticism,both Keisuke and daughter Mai have a hole in their hearts and deep down, they WANT to believe that in some miraculous way, their beloved Mother and wife has come back to them.In the end, they decide to believe that by some divine intervention this girl is Takae, and accept her into their lives. And for the first time in years, it feels like Takae is back with them and they are complete once more....It's not that there will be obstacles to hurdle! There is Yoshimi Moriyama, (Misato Morita) Keisuke’s new department supervisor who seems to be building up to become a romantic interest for him and of course as a foil for the reborn Takae!And we also have Marika’s biological mother Chika (played by Yo Yoshida in a particularly stern turn) who is very suspicious about what her 10 year old daughter has suddenly been getting into, disappearing for the better part of the days. She will likely become a problem for the family’s happiness.Adding to the bittersweet feel of the drama is the fact that no one knows how long Marika will even retain the memories of Takae. She implores Keisuke and Mai to remember that her being able to be with them again is a miracle and they must appreciate the time together while they can. Makes for a very sombre tone! 
Gotta say how IMPRESSED I am with that young girl Nono Maida playing the role of the reincarnated Yuriko Ishida. She is amazing channeling a grownup when she speaks to her “husband” and easily looks like she is wiser than her years. Looking up her stats, seems this is only her second role (after playing the young version of Hana Sugisaka in Ochoyan), it’s crazy how good she is here.Have a really good feeling about this drama!!!PS: In a bit of a coincidence, I just realized that the deceased Mom reincarnated into Mirai Shida’s body in “Himitsu” was played by Hikari Ishida, Yuriko’s sister! Those Ishida sisters, always being reincarnated as someone or other!
