Then You Try Making It!: Bravely Breaking the Chains of the Patriarchy

Rarely — very rarely — we stumble upon a series or a film that isn’t scared of telling the story it wants to tell. One that eschews the clichés and the need for the “traditional happy ending”, developing its characters so flawlessly that they are the ones to dictate where they want to end up. Such stories, so full of confidence in and care for their messages, are unique. Unforgettable. And they inevitably change you forever. One such tale is TBS’s extraordinary Then You Try Making It!, which came to a close in early December 2025.

Then You Try Making It! adapted Taniguchi Natsuko’s manga series of the same name into 10 marvellous episodes directed by Fukuda Ryosuke, Ito Yoshihiro and Omoto Katsuhiro. Ando Kei, Kato Noriko and Ueno Shiori skilfully penned the script, which not only offers a tight narrative but also some brilliant dialogue.

Exceptionally empathetic and charmingly clever, Then You Try Making It! is a “romantic comedy” that defies the expectations of its genre to convey a revolutionary and timely message about equality, self-confidence, and self-reliance.

This review contains very, very mild spoilers. Read it at your own risk! If you don’t want to risk it, why don’t you pin our spoiler-free summary at the bottom instead?

When the “Perfect” Life Is Just an Illusion

This is the story of Ebihara Katsuo (Takeuchi Ryoma), a 30-year-old man raised in an extremely patriarchal family. He’s proud of his “perfect” life: he has a good job, a good house, and an “ideal” girlfriend who prepares home-cooked meals for him every single day (as she’s “supposed” to, of course). The girlfriend in question is Yamagishi Ayumi (Kaho), a receptionist who dreams of marrying and having a stable life. Katsuo and Ayumi have been together since university days, and while Katsuo is very happy that Ayumi takes the initiative to do everything herself, she comes to realise that this relationship has made her lose her sense of identity and importance.

Katsuo isn’t embarrassed to pick on Ayumi’s food for being “too brown”, judge his male colleague for cooking his own meals, or belittle someone’s tastes and preferences. After all, Katsuo was raised to be a “proper man”: one who doesn’t cry, doesn’t need anyone else’s help — but always has a woman to cook and care for him — and always has the right to dictate what he believes to be the “correct” way of living.

Meanwhile, Ayumi smiles. She keeps quiet, believing that she needs to be cute, feminine, and restrained. She needs to shape herself into being likeable and desirable, because that’s how she’ll get a man to fall in love with her. Marriage is her ticket to a stable life, and she’ll do whatever it takes to be the “perfect” wife — even if that means forgoing her own identity as an individual.

When Katsuo decides to propose to Ayumi, he believes this is a done deal. After all, he’s the perfect boyfriend, Ayumi is the perfect girlfriend, and they surely have the perfect relationship… right? But, when Ayumi rejects his proposal without hesitation and leaves the apartment they have shared for years, Katsuo’s rose-coloured glasses suddenly shatter into a million pieces.

And so, we’re given a very clear question: Who are Ayumi and Katsuo as individuals outside their relationship?

From there, Then You Try Making It! becomes a compelling study on the patriarchy and its gender expectations, the dynamics of familial, platonic, and romantic relationships, the challenges of growing up and achieving personal independence, and our ability — and desire — to change.

If It’s All So Easy, Then You Try Making It!

Through a compassionate and rewarding story, Then You Try Making It! allows its characters to be flawed, but constantly pushes them to reflect on their actions and reassess their beliefs. Slowly but surely, they learn from their mistakes, come to understand what made them who they are, and are offered the choice to be different. This is a series that gives its characters agency, resulting in a narrative that is actively designed by the decisions they make, the internal and interpersonal conflicts they overcome, and the interactions they share.

Katsuo and Ayumi are complex individuals placed in a tale that bravely explores their inner worlds, investing every single scene into developing them, without ever letting them lose their own unique personalities. The Katsuo and Ayumi you see in the last episode are definitely not the same people you met in the first instalment, but they are still… well, themselves. They still have their own unique quirks and vices. In a less pronounced manner, the same applies to their friends and family. Then You Try Making It! is a flawlessly executed character-driven series, carefully paced and beautifully delivered.

These characters and the narrative they weave are built through a series of elements that come together to convey the story’s main message cohesively and effectively. Beyond dialogue and plot, Then You Try Making It! also uses its tone, motifs, metaphors, and production design to subtly put its theme across. For instance, cooking is one of the most important motifs, one that constantly represents a bridge not only between people, but one towards independence and greater self-perception.

Katsuo literally sells toilets for a living, another element that is meticulously used throughout. A lot of irony also comes to the surface with Katsuo’s favourite drama, which he’s constantly shown watching. This melodramatic, corny, old-fashioned, 90s-style series-within-a-series creates a clear contrast with his reality, the clichés and misconceptions of which quietly feed his delusions until he finally decides to turn the TV off. Ayumi’s appearance and style become almost chameleonic throughout Then You Try Making It!, representing the person she tries to be for Katsuo, then the person she believes she should be because of her friends, until she finally finds her own identity as who she wants to be.

All of these elements are bolstered by an incredibly clever and beautiful visual identity, whose compositions reflect much of the characters’ emotions but also allow the series to explore its comedic side. The cherry on top surely is the cast’s exceptional performances, with a special mention to the magnificent Takeuchi Ryoma. Takeuchi once again proves to be one of the greatest talents on Japanese television, delivering a nuanced, charismatic, and humane Katsuo.

The Patriarchy as a Hindrance to Both Men & Women

Actually, this story might have worked less had it not been for Takeuchi. Even though Ayumi’s journey of self-discovery is key to the narrative, you could easily say that Katsuo really is the heart of Then You Try Making It! It’s through him that the series slowly deconstructs the patriarchy, showing how its systems and beliefs can hinder not only women, but men themselves.

His antiquated, prejudiced mentality was fostered and imposed by his father, who told him that men were to be “strong”, “stoic”, and “heroic”. As a consequence, Katsuo struggles to make and maintain friendships, ask for help, and even care for himself. We observe as the patriarchy makes for lonely men who are incapable of honestly showing emotion, of sharing their burden with those who could offer them support, and of openly communicating with their loved ones in a way that would strengthen their relationships.

After Katsuo and Ayumi break up, Then You Try Making It! constantly places Katsuo in situations where he is on the receiving end of his own thoughtlessness, prejudice, and sexism. And what a cathartic process this journey turns out to be as we see Katsuo realise the pain he’s inflicted on Ayumi, the opportunities he’s missed, and the hypocrisy he’s been living under.

Katsuo then sees how his mother, his brothers, and his sisters-in-law have been affected by this suffocating patriarchy that is being passed down through generations. He comes to understand how their lives could be different with just a little change of perspective. Bit by bit, he starts to appreciate the people around him, genuinely listening to and caring for those who come to be his friends. He strives to become more independent and self-sufficient. He stops seeing women as mere potential romantic partners and starts seeing them as people — individuals beyond the stereotypes he’s been sold.

Meanwhile, Ayumi has also helped, in a way, perpetuate such a sexist society by not fighting for her own identity, not speaking up, and constantly caring for others — but not caring for herself. But how can you fight for your own identity if you were never encouraged to nurture one?

Ayumi has been taught to “endure” because women shouldn’t be assertive. She’s been conditioned to believe that being single is a flaw, that she needs to be chosen because a woman’s goal should be marriage. That’s so ingrained in her mind that she spends the first half of the series repeating the same mistakes, over and over again. But, soon, she realises that she doesn’t need to be chosen. She can choose her own path and prioritise herself. And she’s more than capable of standing on her own two feet and stepping outside her comfort zone on her own.

Deconstructing a Relationship

At its core, Then You Try Making It! is a story that reminds us that we’re all supposed to live our own lives as whoever we decide to be. We’re all bound to break away from our parents’ example, whether positive or negative, and question the society that surrounds us. As we grow older, we need to dismantle the prejudices and stereotypes we have been exposed to, acknowledging and respecting different realities and perspectives. We should rely on others and communicate openly, but we ought to be able to take care of ourselves as well. We should be okay on our own, in our own company, within our own means.

By the end of Then You Try Making It!, we realise that this isn’t just about deconstructing the patriarchy, but deconstructing a relationship. This is about deconstructing the belief that we need to be in love, that we need to be dating or married to be fulfilled. As Katsuo and Ayumi look back at their time together, they realise that, maybe, the person they were seeing wasn’t really the one they were looking at. By coming to terms with the fact that they perhaps never really got to know each other, they gain a deeper understanding of who they actually are and what they want. But, most importantly, they understand who they aren’t and what they don’t want for themselves.

With every episode, they untie a knot. And, as they reach their last moment together, they realise how far they’ve come. As two people who are now confident in their identity, they can decide whether or not to be together with conviction — because being in a relationship isn’t a need, but a choice. And regardless of what they choose, that decision will surely represent who they are sincerely and wholeheartedly.

Should You Watch Then You Try Making It!?

Then You Try Making It! is a kind, refreshing, and irresistible journey of self-discovery, carefully punctuated by sharp social commentary. This is a visually joyful and narratively courageous story that dares to believe in our ability to change and become more accepting, celebrating the traits that — regardless of gender or societal expectations — make us human.

You can watch Then You Try Making It! on: