TV Drama Review #272 - Guilty: Akuma to Keiyakushita Onna 和恶魔契约的女人

No.of Eps: 11
Yr/TV Stn: 2010/Fuji TV & KTV
Cast:
Kanno Miho ~ Nogami Meiko
Tamaki Hiroshi ~ Mashima Takuro
Kichise Michiko ~ Enomoto Mari
Karasawa Toshiaki ~ Dojima Kiichi
Synopsis: (edited from Dramawiki)
A pet groomer at a salon in Shirogane, Nogami Meiko has a lot of celebrity dog-lovers as customers. She cheerfully serves customers with care, and her skills are tried and tested. The salon's owner, Kotomi, has a strong faith in her, and she is admired by her colleagues. Meiko leads a quiet and fulfilling life… but there is another side to her. She has a plan for revenge that she must accomplish. When she was 19, she was imprisoned for murder but she was framed. Just as she's about to execute her plan, she meets a man named Mashima Takuro. She acts mysteriously around him and for some reason, he makes her feel better. Is he the only miscalculation to her? Or a reckoning?
Slacker's review:
Guilty took me by surprise. I thought it's another dark-themed drama, but actually romance was a big factor in it, and Guilty has the best ending of the year ok? Until now I cld still feel a tinch of sorrow whenever I recall the last scene. The storyline is actually predictable. We got a female lead who "covered" herself as a pet groomer, and she's planning to take revenge on all those who had caused her to be jailed. But what's different from other revenge plot was how Mashima came into the female lead's life. Though he cld nt change the situation, he changed himself and protected the woman he loved. His love for her was so powerful that he's willing to give up his life as well. Somehow, I thought this is a romance story packaged in another way. I am truly impressed with the scriptwriter...haha!
Kanno has been acting in dramas focusing on women, and Guilty is no exception. Luckily, Meiko is not some weirdo with some odd personality. Meiko is just a simply woman who was framed and nobody believed her. The drama's storyline is already pretty interesting, and Meiko had lots of developments. Kanno gave a solid and convincing performance, and I did not expect that she hit off with Tamaki so well. (Weird sizzling chemistry~)
Tamaki's image was a big change for him. I think he's gg for manly roles in the future. Kanno had portrayed in many different characters before, so I nv doubt her acting. Tamaki, on the other hand, was rather "new" in dark-themed dramas and characters. As much as I loved my Chiaki senpai, I did not expect him to perform too well in Guilty. So, I was quite impressed with Tamaki's performance, and he got a good role. Mashima's character developments were equally eventful. Lots of ups & downs for him. He tried to get close to Meiko for his work, but soon he cld not separate what's work and what's personal. In the end, he gave up on his beliefs and did all he can to protect Meiko. You cld feel that Mashima loved Meiko a lot more than we expected, and his love was like a bonus to Meiko.
I really heart this couple.
Karasawa returned as a "small" role here. I don't know why he accepted this support role, but Dojima was an impt character in this drama. He was one of the culprits whom Meiko shld have killed, but he helped Meiko with all the info she needed. He's doing this to redeem himself. Meiko must be a fortunate woman, coz' there are 2 guys who sacrificed themselves in order to protect her.
Theme song is "Kono Yoru wo Tomete yo" by JUJU. This song really suits the drama...the lyrics described the love b/w Mashima & Meiko really well. Sorrowful & emotional...
Whenever I listen to this song, I wld recall the very last scene of the drama.
May they continue their love in another world....

TV Drama Review #271 - Nagareboshi 流星

No.of Eps: 10
Yr/TV Stn: 2010/Fuji TV
Cast:
Takenouchi Yutaka ~ Okada Kengo
Ueto Aya ~ Makihara Risa
Matsuda Shota ~ Kamiya Ryo
Kitano Kii ~ Okada Maria
Inagaki Goro ~ Makihara Shuichi
Synopsis: (edited from Dramawiki)
Kengo is an aquarium employee, who seems ordinary at first glance but actually possesses a secret that he would sacrifice everything in order to protect. Meanwhile, Risa, who works in the sex trade to pay off her brother's debt, tried to commit suicide. Both Kengo and Risa are full of despair. They meet each other and end up entering a contract marriage. As they overcome various troubles, their relationship begins to turn into true love.
Slacker's review:
This season has 2 great dramas for me, and one of them is Nagareboshi. I missed the 90s Japanese romance drama, and after a long wait, this drama appeared before my eyes. The plot might seem to be a little cliche and boring, but the development b/w Kengo and Risa just made me want to see them more. I really loved their chemistry!!
Takenouchi might seem to age quite a bit here, but I guess it's because he didn't apply make up. Kengo shld not be someone who looks very glam. He's a down-to-earth guy. Takenouchi's acting was just nice to the dot.
But the person who steal the show is Ueto. I bet those ppl who watched her acting as Risa wld change their opinion about her. No kawaii posture, no exaggerating or act cute actions. Ueto gave a solid performance for portraying Risa, who is very different from normal Japanese lead roles. Loved her chemistry with Takenouchi, though the age gap b/w them was a little big. I liked how Kengo sacrificed himself for the sake of protecting Risa, who was always "haunted" by her cmi brother; I liked how both of them influenced each other through small little things; I liked how they struggled with their feelings and finally decided to follow their heart.
There's another guy who steal the limelight in a different way. SMAP's Inagaki always had this super gd guy image, but he was so gd in his new role as Shuichi. Man, this guy was like a pervert. I bet everybody hoped he was dead for good, who knows he actually survived and still faked an injury...lol! Inagaki's expressions and the way he spoke as Shuichi really made me feel like hitting him a thousand times. How cld Shuichi made Risa suffered, and still wanted to hold on to her??!!
Matsuda Shota's performance was not too bad. No "neither gd nor bad" role for him this time, as Dr. Kamiya was one nice guy.
Hardly watch Kitano's drama, but I thought her acting was great as well.
Theme song is "Ryusei" by Kobukuro, and it's a super touching song.

TV Drama Review #260 - Natsu no Koi wa Nijiiro ni Kagayaku 虹色夏恋

No.of Epis: 10
Yr/TV Stn: 2010/Fuji TV
Cast:
Matsumoto Jun ~ Kusunoki Taiga
Takeuchi Yuko ~ Kitamura Shiori
Sawamura Ikki ~ Kusunoki Daiki
Kobayashi Seiran ~ Kitamura Umi
Synopsis: (edited from Dramawiki)
Taiga is a struggling second-generation actor who has developed a complex due to his father, a famous actor in his time. Taiga only get to appear in variety shows most of the time. One day, Taiga's friend brings him out for skydiving and he got stuck in a tree. A beautiful woman, Shiori, comes to his rescue. Shiori is a cheerful woman who laughs away all worries she has. She's exactly the opposite of Taiga. As Taiga falls for Shiori, he also learns about Shiori's past....
Slacker's review:
A simple love story. Nothing exaggerating & fanciful. Plot was a little plain to me, but it's still eventful, with lots of development unfolding b/w Taiga & Shiori. I thought the story was more about Taiga's summer, how he struggled to work his way up, how he met a beautiful and kind-hearted woman who raised a child alone....
Drama started out with Taiga narrating about his romance during summer. I nearly thought we were to expect a sad ending. Hahaha!
It's nice to see Takeuchi's comeback, and the actress was still in gd shape & executed great acting. Loved her scenes with child actress Kobayashi.
I'm nv a fan of Matsumoto, and I don't know why his acting never convinced me that he cld act. Well, to be fair, Matsumoto's acting was not that bad in "Natsu". Taiga is a character with depth. He struggled to prove to others that he cld act, and it was a difficult journey. I rmbed the scenes where Taiga learnt to pronounce Japanese words, and when he got trained for his stage performance. Scenes b/w Matsumoto and Takeuchi were quite touching too. Nice chemistry. But but but, there's still something lacking somewhere.....
Sawamura acted as the funny Daiki. He's quite an irritating fella ne~
Theme song "Love Rainbow" by Arashi....another standard sugar pop song from them, and the song lacks a punch.
Insert song is "Please Stay With Me" by YUI, and it's a much nicer song.

TV Drama Review #259 - Hotaru no Hikari 2 萤之光2

No.of Epis: 11
Year/TV Stn: 2010/NTV
Cast:
Ayase Haruka ~ Amemiya Hotaru
Fujiki Naohito ~ Takano Seiichi
Itaya Yuka ~ Yamada Sachiko
Yasuda Ken ~ Futatsugi Shouji
Mukai Osamu ~ Seno Kazuma
Kimura Tae ~ Asada Konatsu
Synopsis: (edited from Jdrama Weblog)
Three years ago, the heart of Amemiya Hotaru, had settled on ‘Buchou’ (Takano). However, Hotaru was posted as a project team member to far-away Hong Kong. She was cut off from ‘Buchou’ and devoted herself to work. Three years later, Hotaru returns to Japan after finishing the project. She returns to First Planning Department, where ‘Buchou’ is the head. Both the staff as well as the mood in the company have changed a great deal. The planner, Seno, who seems to be a frivolous guy, leaves work precisely at 5.00 p.m. because he is on a ’9 to 5 contract’. Another colleague, Sakuragi also quickly goes back once she has “finished her own work”. Meanwhile, ‘Buchou’ and Hotaru work as mere superior and subordinate. Big Sister Yamada and Futatsugi, who are aware of the development between the two of them, whisper to each other as they watch Takano and Hotaru, “Once a man and woman are separated for three years, they will no longer be like they used to...”
“A person will change after three years. I am different from the person I was at that time. You’re the only one who hasn’t changed.” ‘Buchou’ leaves Hotaru and goes to meet the lovely Konatsu.
“What have I done these three years?” A depressed Hotaru spends the night together with Seno...
Slacker's review:
My favourite Hotaru returned! I simply can't get enough of Buchou & Hotaru. So happy~~!!! The sequel was about how the r/s b/w the 2 progressed, and finally led to marriage. Of course, there were Konatsu and Seno in the picture, but the purpose of them appearing in the big picture was to make the couple jealous of each other. Ha! I anticipated every episode, as I hoped the couple cld get closer. Well, the screenwriter did not disappoint me. Hehe!
I can't get bored watching Fujiki, though his image is always the same throughout the years. "Buchou" was one of my fav characters from the actor. He seemed to be a rigid middle-aged man, but he wld surprised us with his funny behaviour at times. Haha! Chemistry with Ayase was perfect. Finally, after a long long wait, Buchou and Hotaru shared kisses!! Well, their kissing scenes were nothing near "hot", but the simple kisses made my day~
Ayase was really great in her role, and finally we got to see Hotaru growing up, thinking not just for herself but also for Buchou. It was not an easy job for her, but she's willing and sincere about it. (That's why Buchou was quite touched la..lol!) Ayase was expressive, and there was lots of development revolving Hotaru.
Mukai Osamu seems to be the next "big thing" in Jdrama world. Kept seeing his name popping out in various dramas. Mukai's performance was alright, and Seno was a nice fella. He really understand Hotaru very well, maybe because they were rather similar...ha!
Kimura Tae returned as a yasahii (gentle) woman in the drama. I really loved her voice - classy & gentle.
Itaya & Yasuda were another funny couple in the drama, and it was another touching side plot b/w them. Itaya was willing to give up her work and be a full time housewife. Well, I think she's better off working. Haha!
Theme song is Kimi ga iru by Ikimono Gakari.

TV Drama Review #253 - Tsuki no Koibito ~Moon Lovers~ 月之恋人

No.of Epis: 8
Yr/TV Stn: 2010/Fuji TV
Cast:
Kimura Takuya ~ Hazuki Rensuke
Shinohara Ryoko ~ Ninomiya Maemi
Lin Chi Ling ~ Liu Xiu Mei
Matsuda Shota ~ Sai Kazami/Cai Feng Jian
Kitagawa Keiko ~ Onuki Yuzuki
Synopsis: (edited from Jdrama Weblog)
Hazuki Rensuke started his furniture store with the strong desire to ‘give good furniture to many people’ and has built the interior design boutique, ‘Regolith’, with the momentum to be the number one in the industry in one generation. Rensuke’s next target is Shanghai, China. He heads to Shanghai just before the opening of ‘Regolith’s’ first store in the city. In Shanghai, the Chinese working at the factory, which is being forced to shutdown because of ‘Regolith’s’ store, stage a sit-in. Meanwhile, interior designer Ninomiya Maemi, who has known Rensuke since school days, is in the final stages of decorating the store. Maemi, whom Rensuke trusts, is the only person who can give him opinions. Rensuke comes for a preliminary inspection, and orders Maemi to redo the interior design. He wishes to change the image of the interior in order to quell the opposition of the Chinese, which has been greater than expected. Rensuke visits the factory, which is in an uproar, and notices Liu Xiu Mei there. This encounter greatly jolts the lives of both Xiu Mei and him. There is a man who quickly and unfailingly handles the unexpected situations facing ‘Regolith’. He is Cai Feng Jian, Rensuke’s capable subordinate. Rensuke proposes to make Xiu Mei the model for ‘Regolith’s’ first Shanghai store. So Cai immediately begins to do a thorough investigation of Xiu Mei’s background. Onuki Yuzuki, a charismatic model who has pursued Rensuke from Japan, comes to Shanghai. She and Rensuke actually had their picture taken by an illustrated weekly magazine when they were together. The media have jumped at this sensational material on ‘Regolith’s’ president and the daughter of ‘Mastpole’, the number one in the interior design industry, and continues to keep track of both of them.
Slacker's review:
Very disappointed. The highly anticipated drama must be Kimura's worst-rated project in his career. I cld nt believe the well-known scriptwriter actually wrote "Tsuki", which was based on an original novel. The plot really did not make sense, and the drama was too short. Developments did not flow well, and the characters were not developed properly. (Don't even mention about having depth, on surface also got problem.) Ending was rushed, and pretty crappy. I bet most ppl did not see how in love Ren was with Maemi. They looked more like very gd pals, and that's it. Xiu Mei & Ren got so much more chemistry, in terms of romance. WTH!
I always like Kimura's dramas & his characters. Not this time. I knew Kimura shld nt be blamed for such a bad performance, because his role plus the storyline already cmi. How cld he performed well? But then, he's Kimura, so everybody started to blame on him. I guessed expectations were too high la. Kimura did not seemed to be very fit in the drama too....and he looked tired :( Chemistry with his 3 ladies were average, though I did see sparks b/w him & Chi Ling. It's a pity that they didn't end up together.
Shinohara was rightfully the female lead, but her scenes were reduced greatly because of Chi Ling, and Chi Ling's Xiu Mei was a very impt character for more than half of the drama. I thought Maemi was quite dull & boring, but she's a nice person, who had been very supportive for Ren & Xiu Mei.
A lot of ppl criticised LCL for her voice & weird Japanese accent. I definitely believed they made Xiu Mei spoke broken Japanese as she's a Chinese who has not stayed in Japan before. Speaking fluent Japanese wld nt make any sense. If you notice further, Xiu Mei's Japanese improved and she cld speak in complete sentence. I thought they shld criticised Matsuda more for his cmi Mandarin, and his character was supposed to be a JBC who cld speak Mandarin fluently! Anyway, LCL's acting was alright, though I still find her emotional scenes a little unnatural. The lady was really stunning in the drama, and her Japanese counterparts paled in comparison.
Matsuda's character appeared to be mysterious from the start, and we saw his motive towards the end of the drama. Well, though he appeared to be scheming, there's more to it, but too bad the drama did not developed this part further. Romance scene with Shinohara was alright, as Maemi did not like Kazami at all.
Not much comments on Kitagawa's Yuzuki, but the girl matured a lot and let go her feelings for Ren. She chose to be his "sister", and I thought the "bear hug" was a nice gesture of their friendship. She was also very nice to support Ren and stayed by his side when the guy left his company and started everything from zero.
I guessed the best thing about this drama is the theme song "Love Rain ~Koi no Ame~" by Kubota Toshinobu. OST instrumentals were nice too.

TV Drama Review #250 - Team Batista 2: General Rouge no Gaisen 染血将军的凯旋

No.of Epis: 12
Year/TV Stn: 2010/KTV & Fuji TV
Cast:
Ito Atsushi ~ Taguchi Kohei
Nakamura Toru ~ Shiratori Keisuke
Nishijima Hidetoshi ~ Hayami Koichi
Kato Ai ~ Izumi Haruka
Shiraishi Miho ~ Hanabusa Miwa
Synopsis: (from Jdrama Weblog)
Sugiyama Saki, a cabin attendant who collapsed at the airport, is brought to Tojo University Hospital’s emergency centre. At first, the ambulance’s admission is rejected but a person shoves his way in. It is the head of the emergency centre, Hayami Koichi. Before long, Taguchi Kohei is summoned in order to locate Sugiyama’s outpatient consultation records two years ago. Then, Shiratori Keisuke from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare suddenly appears and announces, “My snap inspection begins today!”
Slacker's review:
Team Batista 2's storyline was totally different from the first one. Nothing to do with Team Batista, but revolved around the individual cases & medical malpractice. My main reason for watching the drama was because of Nishijima!! Hehe~Back to the plot itself, it was another standard medical drama, and not as interesting as the first one. If not for Nishijima, I wld have stopped watching. Lolz~
Ito & Nakamura were back, and they proved to be the best partners again. Loved their chemistry, as Shiratori was witty as usual, while Taguchi was still very righteous.
What's interesting was the storyline b/w Shiratori and Hayami. They knew each other back in sch days, and they were old rivals. But then, they knew each other so well. The actors chemistry was good as well. Smart guy vs smart guy was interesting at times. What's more? Nakamura & Nishijima are charismatic actors...hehe!
Nishijima acted very well in his neither good nor bad character, Hayami. There's one funny thing about Hayami, and that was his love for lollipops. He shld be the first Japanese doctor in dramas who kept eating lollipops. It's hard to decipher Hayami too, as he appeared to be with the black sheep from the start.
Nice to see Kato Ai, though her character was pretty typical. At one moment, I wished there's something going on b/w Izumi & Hayami, but well, as expected, nothing happened. Haha!
Shiraishi's Hanabusa is another character who appeared to be scheming. Good performance from the actress.
Theme song is "Ikutsu no Yoake wo Kazoetara" by Matsuda Seiko.

TV Drama Review #249 - Sunao ni Narenakute 无法坦诚相对

No.of Epis: 11
Year/TV Stn: 2010/Fuji TV
Cast:
Eita ~ Nakajima Keisuke/"Nakaji"
Ueno Juri ~ Mizuno Tsukiko/"Haru"
Seki Megumi ~ Nishimura Hikari/"Peach"
Tamayama Tetsuji ~ Ichihara Kaoru/"Linda"
Hero JaeJoong ~ Park Seonsu/"Doctor"
Synopsis: (edited from Dramawiki)
Nakajima looks up to his father, who was a war photographer, but can only get a job as an assistant for gravure magazines. Mizuno is a provisional high school teacher and currently on probation. Nishimura is Mizuno's best friend, and her boyfriend has been avoiding her since she discovered that she was pregnant. Ichihara works at a magazine where he sexually harassed by his chief editor. Park, on Twitter, takes on the persona of a doctor, but he is actually a medical equipment salesperson. The five become good friends, supporting each other, but they struggle to pour out their true feelings.
Slacker's review:
One reason why I watched the drama is because of the scriptwriter, Kitagawa Eriko, who wrote many of my favourite Japanese dramas. The next reason is because of the cast. However, I'm quite disappointed with "Sunao", in terms of plot developments. I just felt that the storyline was rather stagnant, and some of the characters were quite unconvincing. What a waste! Ending was expected, but this time round, I'm not even rooting for the main couple. They just lacked the chemistry. The only side plot I really liked was b/w Linda & Nakaji. The development b/w the two was filled with mixed emotions, contradictions and sacrifices. Very touching & delicate, and the interesting thing is, this side plot was b/w 2 guys. Haha!
Glad to see Eita & Ueno again. However, their performances in "Sunao" were really a far-cry from their previous drama, "Last Friends". I did not like Nakaji, not that I disapprove him loving a married woman. I thought he cld handle his r/s a lot more better. The storyline b/w Nakaji and Haru was really boring, and moving too slow. Even when they ended up together, it's just not convincing to me. I cld not tell how in love they were with each other. Where's the chemistry they had in "Last Friends"??
I liked Ueno trying different roles. She's back with a feminine role, but I did not like Haru. Haru loved Nakaji, but chose Doctor. Why? Coz' Doctor appeared at the right time. However, it was very clear that she was forcing herself to be with a guy she was thankful with, and I disliked her giving Doctor hopes.
Seki's Peach was my least fav. character. She's not a good friend. Why? Coz' she knew Haru liked Nakaji but still kept her distance close to the guy. Was she jealous of Haru? Maybe. She needs someone to accompany her. She's lonely, but she did not know how to love.
Tamayama's story was the most touching and saddening one. First of all, his boss kept asking for "extra service". Next, he fell for Nakaji. However, it's forbidden love and he cld only cry by himself. He's so helpful to his friends and willing to sacrifice himself for them. He chose the ending himself, but I knew he was really in pain. That...cld be the best option and easiest way out. (Though I wld not agree to that method at all). I'm glad to see Tamayama controlling his emotions well in the drama. Perhaps, Kitagawa only developed this character well enough.
Finally, Jae Joong. Maybe he shld stick to singing? Ok, that might be an unfair comment, since he's acting in a Japanese drama. Doctor was a yasahii (gentle) guy, but he had the courage to fight for his love & dreams. He knew how to let go and when to confess his feelings. While he seemed to be imperfect in many ways, he also had something which others lacked. It's a little pity that Jae Joong's acting was still quite green to me. Nevertheless, it's nice to see Jae Joong uttering some Korean throughout the drama.
Theme song is "Hard to say I love you ~Ii Dasenakute~" by WEAVER & insert song is "Sunao ni Narenakute" by Sugawara Sayuri.

TV Drama Review #237 - Code Blue Season 2

No.of Epis: 11
Year/TV Stn: 2010/Fuji TV
Cast:
Yamashita Tomohisa ~ Aizawa Kosaku
Aragaki Yui ~ Shiraishi Megumi
Toda Erika ~ Hiyama Mihoko
Higa Manami ~ Saejima Haruka
Asari Yosuke ~ Fujikawa Kazuo
Ryo ~ Mitsui Kanna
Shiina Kippei ~ Tachibana Keisuke
Synopsis: (from Dramawiki)
It has been one and a half years since Aizawa Kosaku, Shiraishi Megumi, Hiyama Mihoko and Fujikawa Kazuo were assigned to Shoyo University’s North Hospital. They have only three months left of their fellowship programme to be flight doctors and each of them have come to the crossroads where they have to think of their lives after graduation. Aizawa, who has only one relative – a grandmother currently in a nursing home, starts having doubts about his duties and cannot find a clear direction for his future. Meanwhile, Shiraishi Megumi is unable to forget the past. She had caused their former teacher, Kuroda Shuji, to have his right arm amputated. Then Tachibana Keisuke, a veteran flight doctor, takes up a new post. He has been put in charge of certifying the fellowship programme which will decide their future
Slacker's review:
"Code Blue" returns with 2nd season. Personally, I thought season 2 was more engaging and touching. Saejima's story was filled with sadness & emotions. Her long-time bf finally passed away after lying in bed for so long. Another touching story was b/w Shiraishi & her dad, who survived cancer. As for Aizawa, he finally found out more abt his dad & mum. Also, the story b/w the divorced couple - Tachibana & Mitsui. They still cared for each other even though they have separated. Their story was a little sad as well, as they used to have a child. Thanks to these stories, season 2's plot thickens & I was not left with the impression that season 2 is another std medical drama.
Acting wise, Yamapi was alright. I was rather impressed with him in season 1, but there was not much improvement from him in season 2. Aizawa was less woody, but he's still expressionless and stiff somehow. Ending was a little surprising, as Aizawa did not stayed in E.R. He went to cardiac surgery, but wld assist E.R when needed.
The actresses's performances were way better. Aragaki looked more matured and she handled her scenes well. Toda's acting has improved quite alot, and her story was linked to an investigation case, for allowing a patient to pass away without formal approval from the family. Hiyama had to delay graduation, but I guessed the outcome was good enough.
Higa's performance was great. I was glad that the scriptwriter did focus on Saejima. Higa's emotional scenes were really good, and I cld feel how heartbroken Saejima was after her bf died. There were quite a few scenes where Saejima wld listen to his last voice msg by herself, and finally at the last epi, she deleted the msg. The lady missed her bf so much, but decided it's time to move on.
Shiina Kippei is the new addition to the cast. I liked Tachibana. He's not those rigid & stringent docs. In fact, he's quite playful. It's obivous he still cared for his ex-wife Mitsui, but they did not reconcile.
Theme song is "HANABI" by Mr.Children from season 1.

TV Drama Review #236 - Shukumei 1969~2010 宿命1969~2010

No.of Epis: 8
Year/TV Stn: 2010/TV Asahi
Cast:
Kitamura Kazuki ~ Arikawa Takashi
Koike Eiko ~ Sasayama Nobuko
Uehara Misa ~ Shirai Naoko
Maya Kyoko ~ Arikawa Mina
Synopsis: (from Jdrama Weblog)
Arikawa Takashi, the son of the distinguished Arikawa family which has fifty hospitals across the country and an elite Finance Ministry bureaucrat, is secretly bidding his time to go into politics, following the destiny that his mother, Mina, has mapped out for him. One day, Takashi receives a marriage offer. The other party is Shirai Naoko, the eldest daughter of Shirai Shinichiro, the Policy Research Council Chairman of the Democratic Liberal Party. The general construction firm, Shirai Construction, actually supports the Shirai family’s economic base but it is on the brink of collapse as a result of the economic downturn. Takashi instantly senses that Shinichiro’s target is the Arikawa family’s financial muscle but he takes his mother’s counsel not to compromise Shinichiro’s political base and reputation as the Policy Research Council Chairman, and decides to meet Naoko. Takashi has been having a relationship with Sasayama Nobuko, who desires marriage with him, but charmed by Naoko’s beauty and graciousness as the daughter of a politician when he meets her in person, he makes up his mind to marry her. However, this marriage, which joins wealth and power together, carries an unexpected, hidden pitfall …
Slacker's review:
"Shukumei" is not in my drama list, but I decided to give it a try, as Kitamura is leading it. Ha! Well, the drama's pace was fast, and the storyline was rather intense. Plus, the drama was short & sweet, with only 8 epis. Haha! The storyline focused on Takashi, and how his mum tried to cancel his wedding with Naoko. Why? That's the secret of the drama, though the scriptwriters did not make us guess for too long.
Kitamura's performance was not bad, plus it's rare to see him lead a drama. Sometimes I thought Takashi seemed to be controlled by his mum and the situation ard him, and he's pretty helpless. Nonetheless, I liked the ending for Takashi. The man decided to work his way out, and that means he's gg to work against Shinichiro. Ending was an open one, and I'm wondering if there wld be a sequel.
Koike's performance was rather impressive. Most of her previous roles were pretty ordinary, but I like her portrayal of Nobuko. This woman was ditched by a man whom she loved for 10 yrs. She struggled, and was sacrificed for other ppl's benefit. However, she got control of the situation and left holding her head high.
Have to comment Maya Kyoko, who acted as Takashi's mum. This lady was actually the most impt person in the drama, because she's the one who mapped out Takashi's life. I wld not say she's a scheming woman, but this woman got brains la. Even the tough & confident Mina literally collapsed after Takashi was "given up" by Shinichiro, so after all, she's just a woman....
Theme song is "Hitomi no Oku wo Nozokasete" by Porno Graffitti.

TV Drama Review #235 - Yamato Nadeshiko Shichi Henge 完美小姐进化论

No.of Epis: 10
Year/TV Stn: 2010/TBS
Cast:
Kamenashi Kazuya ~ Takano Kyohei
Tegoshi Yuya ~ Toyama Yukinojo
Oomasa Aya ~ Nakahara Sunako
Uchi Hiroki ~ Oda Takenaga
Miyao Shuntaro ~ Morii Ranmaru
Kato Seishiro ~ Nakahara Takeru
Synopsis: (edited from Dramawiki)
Blessed with good looks, Takano Kyohei, a college student, is always suffering from the unreasonable behaviour of customers who want him and the sexual harassment of his store manager. Because of his hot temper, he loses his head on this occasion and is fired from his part-time job. One day, the glamorous owner, Ms Nakahara proposes, “I’ll give you free board-and-lodging if you can turn my niece, Sunako, into a lady!” Kyohei, together with Toyama Yukinojo, Oda Takenaga and Morii Ranmaru, live in the same boarding house. The four guys are enthusiastic, but the person who appears before them is a spooky girl whose hair covers her face and who loves horror,vampires & skeletons. And so, their tumultuous communal life begins...
Slacker's review:
I'm amazed with myself. I actually finished watching this drama. Haha! "Yamato" is the usual manga-turned-live action starring the Johnny's guys...and the storyline was actually not that interesting. I would not say I like it, but it's still watchable. I guessed I was waiting for Kyohei to confess his liking for Sunako la, so I continued watching. Lolz~
I have not seen Oomasa's previous works, but her portrayal of Sunako was great. Sunako was really eccentric, probably the weirdest character I have ever seen. Oomasa's chemistry with Kame is alright though. I thought the guys had better chemistry...hahaha!
I have never been impressed by Kame's acting. I guessed he's still stuck with his idol image la. However, I thought his performance in "Yamato" was not too bad. Maybe his character had more development and Kame was given chances to showcase his emotional scenes.
The other guys were alright, and each of them had their side stories in the drama, so you would not be too bored. Hahaha!
Theme song is "Love yourself ~Kimi ga Kirai na Kimi ga Suki~ " by KAT-TUN. The song is not the usual KAT-TUN rock songs, it's more of a dance track. Not too bad~

TV Drama Review #234 - Magerarenai Onna 不能曲的女人

No.of Epis: 10
Year/TV Stn: 2010/NTV
Cast:
Kanno Miho ~ Ogiwara Saki
Nagasaku Hiromi ~ Hasumi Riko
Tanihara Shosuke ~ Aida Mitsuteru
Tsukamoto Takashi ~ Sakamoto Masato
Synopsis: (edited from Dramawiki)
Ogiwara Saki, 33, is a woman who does not go with the flow of society but forges her own path. She hates flattering men and tries to be nice to people of the same sex. She has failed the bar exam ten times in a row but persists in her dream of being a lawyer while working as a clerk at a law firm. Saki’s good friend, Hasumi Riko, who is a mother of two children, was high school classmates with Saki, but is in fact 35, because she had deliberately declared herself to be two years younger. She has no qualms of lying for the sake of female happiness, pretending to be married to a man of wealth and blessed with children. Because her personality is the exact opposite, this accentuates Saki’s uncompromising way of life.
Slacker's review:
After "Hataraki Man" & "Kiina", Kanno is back with her 3rd NTV drama in 3 yrs time. "Magerarenai" is another character-driven drama, with a storyline revolving ard the female lead, Ogiwara. To be honest, I did not like Ogiwara, as I found her personality to be kinda extreme, and thus, I did not really enjoy "Magerarenai". Nonetheless, the drama's pace & developments were pretty good. As the drama progressed, we got to know Ogiwara better; she learnt to appreciate her friends and mum, and later on, she decided to be a single-mum, though Masato proposed to her many times. I must really kowtow to Ogiwara, as she persevered and finally passed her bar exam! Haha! Ending was a little surprising, as I did not expect Aida to end up with Hasumi! As for Ogiwara, she's still single while her daughter still meets Masoto often. Perhaps NTV followed a similar format for Kanno's dramas. Like her previous roles in "HM" & "Kiina", Ogiwara likes to eat cheese, and she loves Michael Jackson! (It was so funny to see her friends & her danced like MJ...Her personality was really weird. At one hand she was a dead serious person, who always corrected others when they pronounced her surname wrongly. On the other hand, she cld do funny things like dancing MJ's moves.)
It's hard to fault Kanno's acting, as she's really good in such eccentric roles. Ogiwara was quite an emotional woman, and when she cld no longer control her emotions, she wld just let it out by screaming. I thought Kanno did well in expressing her emotional scenes.
I think it's the n time Kanno works with Tanihara in the same drama. These 2 fellas got nice chemistry, but it's a pity that they were not paired up as a couple here. I really liked Tanihara's image here - a stylish short haircut, dressed up in fashionable clothes; and he seemed to look so much younger than his previous roles. Aida seemed to be a happy-go-lucky fella, but that's pretty much on surface. Every character in the drama had their own story to tell. Aida finally found his path and worked as a cook in a hospital or maybe an old folks' home. What's more? He had Hasumi now. (and i'm puzzled...haha!)
Nagasaku's performance was great as well. Hasumi was really a poor woman who was looked down by her mother-in-law, and was forced to divorce her husband. Hasumi had been a great support for Ogiwara, and I cld really feel their friendship here. Together with Aida, the trio were more like a family to me.
Tsukamoto's acting was alright, and I did not really like Masato , though I still hope Ogiwara wld end up with him. Lolz~
Theme song is "Modorenai Ashita" by aiko.

TV Drama Review #233 - Naka nai to Kimeta Hi 决定不哭的日子

No.of Epis: 8 + 1 special
Year/TV Stn: 2010/FujiTV
Cast:
Eikura Nana ~ Tsunoda Miki
Fujiki Naohito ~ Kirino Seiji
Kaname Jun ~ Nakahara Shota
Anne ~ Tachibana Marika
Kimura Yoshino ~ Sano Yukiko
Synopsis: (edited from Dramawiki)
Tsunoda Miki is a second-rate university graduate who manages to find a job at a top-notch company. After committing a small mistake, she becomes the subject of serious bullying by her superiors and colleagues. Tsunoda befriends Nakahara, and they become a couple. However, Tsunoda's best buddy, Tachibana, is also in love with Nakahara. In order to snatch away Nakahara, Tachibana sabotages Tsunoda behind her back. Luckily, Tsunoda's boss, Kirino is there to support her. Tsunoda decides to endure all the bullying and proves her capabilities at work.
Slacker's review:
"Naka nai" has a storyline which seems to be very real in today's world. However, I still think it's a little exaggerated, in terms of how the colleagues ganged up to bully Tsunoda etc. Initially I thought this drama was kinda plain, but luckily the plot unfolded with more interesting development. I have to say "Naka nai" is one of the best winter dramas for this season.
I don't have much impression of Eikura, since I did not watch her previous dramas. Eikura is not a pretty actress, but her acting was not too bad. Tsunoda was quite desperate with the situation ard her and the character provided Eikura many chances to express her frustrated & depressed emotions.
The guys are clearly support roles here, and I thought Kaname's role was slightly more focused throughout the drama. He seemed to be the cause of Tsunoda's misery, as the person who turned Tsunoda's world upside down was Tachibana, who later succeeded in separating the couple. Nakahara was not a weak guy to me, but I found him quite dumb. How cld he just believed that Tachibana carried his child? Even she lied that it was a false alarm, Nakahara did not seemed to find things amiss. Ridiculous la! I was so angry lo~ Haha! I thought many ppl wld nt expect the ending for Nakahara & Tachibana. This woman did not deserve to have such a gd ending! Why our poor Tsunoda is still left alone while she got Nakahara?!!!
One big draw for this drama was Fujiki, one of my fav. J drama actor. Sadly, his role was really minor here. Kirino is one expressionless guy, cold & nonchalant. So, our Fujiki seemed so "dead" in the drama. Total waste la! Towards the end of the drama, we finally got to see Kirino in action with Nakahara. I am a little disappointed that there was no hint of romance b/w Kirino & Tsunoda, though we cld see that Kirino liked the lady (but I guessed he liked her for her personality and he thought she got the potential to excel).
Anne was really good with her portrayal of Tachibana, though I hated this woman! Haha! Tachibana's sly smile just sent shivers down my spine.
Kimura is back with Fujiki in a new drama! This time round, they were not lovers but rivals, if you're looking from Sano's pt of view. Sano was looked down by her superior, and thus, she was rather strict with her co-workers, who talked bad behind her. Sano changed for the better after an attempt suicide as she realised her mistakes. Kimura's acting was convincing, and she's good in such roles.
Theme song is "Don't Cry Anymore" by miwa.

--02/07/10 Zettai Nakanai to Kimeta Hi ~ Kinkyuu SP--
Synopsis: (from Jdrama Weblog)
Miki, who has clawed her way up from the bullying, enthusiastically throws herself into work as a member of a new project team led by Kirino. One day, Kirino and Miki receive news of the collapse of Aoi Corporation’s Chairman and Representative Director. The Chairman had been the person who had been blocking the movements of the faction belonging to the company president and Anzai Makoto, who was acting on self-interest to promote a merger between Aoi Corporation and a major foreign company. However, with the Chairman’s collapse, the merger is about to go ahead. In order to stop the merger, Kirino gets down to business and send his trusted Miki to the corporate secretariat, which is the heart of the company, to advice Vice President Chiba, who belongs to the anti-merger faction. Miki is quickly assigned to the corporate secretariat. The head of the secretariat, Tatsumi Erina pays thorough attention to Miki, because Kirino is anti-merger, and imposes unreasonable demands beyond Miki’s wildest imagination …
Slacker's review: Did not expect to see a SP, but it was surprisingly interesting. Miki was thrown into a new dept and struggled to survive again. Well, the main storyline was not how Miki survived her ordeal, but how Kirino tried to save the company with Nakahara. Side plot includes how Tachibana was bullied by a grp of tai-tais when she is staying in the US. I guessed she finally understood how Miki felt last time. Nice to see Fujiki again, and I was glad he was leading the special episode. Eikura was great as well, and good chemistry with Fujiki.