Chiharu is a "normal young lady" who comes to prominence by unhappy accident but succeeds on the strength of her own intellect. Chiharu's father is the mayor of the city, but when he dies suddenly, she is persuaded by his backers to run for his vacant seat. She wins, but to the surprise and consternation of political insiders who expect her to be a rubber stamp in high heels, Chiharu turns out to have a mind of her own. Though her ways and means are amateurish, her ideas are anything but, and she manages to break down years of entrenched political and bureaucratic interests that have since rendered the municipal government impenetrable.