Smart-san (1978): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 1978, Smart-san is an animation, drama and comedy series.

What it’s about. Benio Hanamura is a 17-year-old schoolgirl in Tokyo during the Taisho era. Benio lost her mother when she was very young and has been raised by her father, a high-ranking official in the Japanese army. As a result, she has grown into a tomboy—contrary to traditional Japanese notions of femininity, she studies kendo, drinks sake, dresses in often outlandish-looking Western fashions, and isn't as interested in housewife duties as she is in literature. She also rejects the idea of arranged marriages and believes in a woman's right to a career and to marry for love. Benio's best friends are the beautiful Tamaki, who is much more feminine than Benio but equally interested in women's rights, and Ranmaru, a young man who was raised to play female roles in the kabuki theater and as a result has acquired very effeminate mannerisms.

Who’s in it. Smart-san stars Reiko Suzuki as ばあや, Atsuko Mine as 伊集院夫人, Katsuji Mori as 伊集院忍 and Ichiro Nagai as 花村少佐, among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 7.8/10, Smart-san has been warmly received by audiences.

Where to watch. Streaming options change often. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Smart-san page.

If you liked it. Fans of Smart-san tend to enjoy Rick and Morty, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, Attack on Titan and Attack on Titan: No Regrets.