S01E01 A Cursed Birth
The birth of Yuriko's first daughter, Rika, should have been a joyous occasion, but it wasn't. When Yuriko looks at Rika, all she sees is an iguana. Not long after, Yuriko gives birth to another...
Iguana Girl
S01E09: A Right to Happiness
Rika is convinced Nobuko's death is her fault, and shuts herself up in her room. A worried Mami tries to get Rika to come to school, but as soon as Rika sees Nobuko's empty seat, she runs out of the school. As she listlessly walks down the street, Nobuko's boyfriend calls out to her. He hands Rika a letter Nobuko had sent him earlier. In the letter, Nobuko writes, "I want to help heal Rika's heart. She has a right to be happy." Overwhelmed by Nobuko's kindness, all Rika can do is cry...
Overview
Iguana Girl is a manga by Moto Hagio published in Petit Flower. It was adapted into a television drama in 1996.
It is about a young girl, Rika, whose mother views her as being ugly, and favours her other daughter, Mami. Rika thinks of herself as ugly and as an iguana, but after her mother's death, realises that her mother was also an ugly iguana.
Iguana Girl reflects Hagio's own relationship with her mother, and it took her "years to write this story". Hagio saw an iguana in a documentary on television and identified with it, feeling it was "lamenting its failure to become a human, just like me".
Episodes
S01E02 I Want to Die
Rika drops the form that says which college she wants to attend. Kaori picks it up by accident, and sees that Rika is applying to the same college as Noboru. Kaori gets extremely jealous, and...
S01E03 A Night at the High Plains, My First...
Yuriko is dead-set against Rika continuing on to college, but with some persuasion eventually allows it. An elated Rika informs Nobuko of the news. Nobuko is very happy for Rika, and invites her to go...
S01E04 Mom's Secret
In biology class, Rika passes out from the shock of seeing a slide of an iguana. Worried, Noboru decides to visit Rika's house to see how she's doing. However, Yuriko tells him not to get...
S01E05 My Birthday... The Present Mom Threw Away
Rika's birthday is approaching. Nobuko asks Rika what her birthday wish is, and Rika replies that she wants to go to an amusement park with a person she loves. Since Yuriko has forbidden Rika to...
S01E06 Ripples - Mom Hired a Private Tutor
After Mami finds out she's in danger of failing a course, her mother enlists a private tutor to help her study. Since Mami is busy studying, Rika takes over Mami's part-time job at a restaurant....
S01E07 A Mother's Confession... I Want to Kill You!
At the amusement park, Noboru tells Rika, "To be honest, I don't like the person you've become. I want you to go back to being the cheerful person you were when we were 8." Hearing...
S01E08 A Friend for Eternity, Death, and Another Mother
Yuriko tells Rika that a long time ago she had wanted to kill Rika, and herself. Shocked, Rika runs from the house. Nobuko hears of Rika's disappearance, and desperately searches the city for her. When...
S01E09 A Right to Happiness
Rika is convinced Nobuko's death is her fault, and shuts herself up in her room. A worried Mami tries to get Rika to come to school, but as soon as Rika sees Nobuko's empty seat,...
S01E10 Sad Family Trip
Rika has decided she will become happy, and against Yuriko's protests, moves into her own apartment. She also starts a new part time job, and appears more cheerful to Noboru. However, Yuriko is convinced she...
S01E11 Mom! Mom... Mom!
Prepared to die, Rika asks Yuriko for one last favor, but Yuriko refuses. It seems as if Yuriko would rather die than hug Rika. The day of Rika's departure is approaching, and Yuriko won't even...
Cast
Miho Kanno
Aoshima Rika
Naomi Kawashima
Aoshima Yuriko
Yoshinori Okada
Okazaki Noboru
Rena Komine
Hashimoto
Kanako Enomoto
Aoshima Mami
Masao Kusakari
Aoshima Masanori
Hitomi Sato
Mikami Nobuko
Koji Yamamoto
Miyuki Komatsu
Takano Haruko
