Ai Otsuka

A young girl named Ruka, who had been living a wandering life in Osaka, is taken in by Fumi, an elementary school teacher. Later, Ruka spends time in Obihiro, Hokkaido, with Natsuhiko, who was her sister's lover, and forms a friendship with a high school girl named Maori. However, the fate that awaits her is always harsh. After arriving in Tokyo, Ruka becomes a musician and begins singing on the streets under the name Kyrie. There, she reunites with Maori, who now goes by the name Ikko and survives in Tokyo through her ever-changing cosplay and relationships with men. From Ishinomaki, Osaka, and Obihiro to Tokyo—Ruka, while being tossed about by fate, weaves a grand lyrical poem through her determined life.

Tokyo Friends is a Japanese television drama released on June 3, 2005. Unlike many other dramas, it was never aired on TV but released as a set of 3 DVDs. Volumes one and two contain the first 4 episodes while volume three contains the last episode. Each episode is approximately 70 minutes. The Tokyo Friends Premium Box was also released which includes all 5 episodes, a bonus DVD, and 12 postcards. Although this is a very typical Tokyo-story and was never aired on TV, it was quite successful probably because it was Ai Otsuka's debut as an actress.