About The Many Faces of Ito
The Many Faces of Ito (known in Japan as Ito-kun A to E) is a 2017 Japanese romantic comedy series that premiered on Netflix. Adapted from the novel by author Asako Yuzuki, the show centers on Rio Yazaki, a once-celebrated television screenwriter in her thirties whose career has stalled since her early hit. Searching for fresh material and creative inspiration, Rio begins listening to the love stories of four very different women, each navigating her own complicated relationship with a man named Ito.
Through the women labeled A through E, the series builds a layered look at modern romance in Japan, weaving each confession into Rio's struggle to write again. As Rio collects their experiences under the pretense of offering relationship advice, she gradually confronts her own loneliness, ambition, and uncertainty about love. The structure lets the show shift in tone from comic to tender, treating its female characters as full people rather than punchlines.
Directed in part by Ryuichi Hiroki and produced as one of Netflix's early Japanese original dramas, the eight-episode series leans on character study and dialogue over spectacle. It pairs warm humor with reflective drama, exploring how the stories people tell about love can reveal as much about the listener as the speaker.
