1 Loid Forger. A spy who grew up as an orphan, Loid's calm demeanour hides the trauma of his past. The efficient, smooth, calculating hero of Spy x Family (2022) is so committed, he even marries a woman he just met, and adopts a daughter, just so he can infiltrate her school and spy on a politician whose son studies there. Streaming on Netflix.
2 Hori Kyouko. Horichan, the heroine in Horimiya (2021), is a typical teacher's pet, obsessed with academics and being the popular girl at school. In reality, she's secretly dealing with an absent mother and struggling with adult household responsibilities. When she forges a friendship with the outcast Izumi Miyamura, she learns that being responsible isn't a bad thing. Streaming on Netflix.
3 Tohru Honda. The 16-year-old orphan girl at the heart of Fruits Basket (2019) is the kind of tirelessly cheerful Pollyanna that can grate on an audience's nerves. But there are bitter ingredients in the sweet mix. The story starts when she moves in with the Sohma family after losing her mother in an accident. That optimism is merely a shield against a magic secret she's struggling with. Streaming on Netflix.
This story is from the April 20, 2024 edition of Brunch.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the April 20, 2024 edition of Brunch.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Hitting the wrong note
Even hitmakers can have epic fails. Here are 10 bands that named themselves in haste, only to repent at leisure
Before the tea gets cold
Sudhir Patwardhan's paintings show a Mumbai that viewers may find familiar. But look closer. The details tell new tales, trigger universal questions
Who's the third world now?
There was a time when Egypt or Lagos were considered lawless lands. Now one has to be on guard in London and Paris
Spice routes and detours
More and more countries are discovering that packaged Indian spices are contaminated. Back home, they're so convenient and trusted, we didn't think to look closer. It's time to rework this recipe
A walk to remember
As India celebrates 25 years of Fashion Week, here's your front-row seat to the first edition, in 2000. The models, the designs, the gossip, the backstage drama, and those after-parties!
Murder, she rewrote
What's better than a woman detective? A team of two. New shows and films are making the most of the partnership, giving crime drama and comedy an edge
What broth this on?
Hopeless ramentic? Slurp up this guide and order the best bowl, every time
Unconventional habits
There's so much more to nuns and convent education than what shows up on screen. Why do the cliches persist?
Photos or pulp fictions?
Gauri Gill's portraits showcase ordinary folks, doing ordinary things, but wearing extraordinary masks. See why the quirky series offers more than what meets the eye
Hear it from a reliable sauce
Kikkoman launched a dark soya sauce for the Indian market after realising that Indians expect Chinese and pan-Asian dishes to have a rich, dark colour. It mimics the taste profile of the flagship Kikkoman soya but has a different colour.