The Story of Yamada Taro (2007)

Taro Yamada is a scholarship student at Ichinomiya High School. He’s smart, athletic, and handsome—so everyone assumes he’s wealthy. In reality, he lives in poverty with his mother and six younger siblings in one small room, and his father Kazuo is an absent wandering artist. Taro works part-time to support the family. Together with his best friend Takuya Mimura and classmates, Taro navigates comedic and touching moments. Through friendship, romance, and family bonds, the series asks what true happiness really means. It’s a heartwarming coming-of-age story.