Review of Yaou SP Episode 0

O.A. 11 May 05 (TBS)
Ratings: 12.4%

Cast: Matsuoka Masahiro, Kitamura Kazuki, Mannaka Hitomi, Kaname Jun, Ogura Koji, Sakai Toshiya, Naitou Takeshi, Katase Rino

This drama SP was adapted from a popular manga series of the same title where it depicts how a guy from Hokkaido came to Tokyo and became a popular host (in the nightclub).

Well, I must say that I wasn't expecting a lot from this so I wasn't very disappointed. Why wasn't I hopeful of this in the first place?

If you had watched another drama SP No.1, just by comparing the cast of these two similar themed drama SPs would show you why I wasn't too satisfied with Yaou.

No.1 has Kubozuka Yosuke, Yusuke Santa Maria, Sakaguchi Kenji, Kawamura Ryuichi, Sorimachi Takashi.
Yaou has Matsuoka Masahiro, Kitamura Kazuki and Kaname Jun.

See the difference? No.1 had so many A-list guys around while for Yaou, the cast is far too weak. Matsuoka can't possibly be the sole attraction for a drama based on hosts. Shouldn't there be more eye candy in the cast? Excuse me for saying this, getting Kitamura to play the No.1 host in the club is a terrible mistake. I hate to say this but he really looks like a werewolf to me with his blond hair and he looks bigger (not in the muscular and macho sense, OK? ) with those unflattering suits. Kaname looks better than in Magari Kado no Kanojo (in my opinion) but he appears too little and he's not my type.

I must say that No.1 is indeed number one for its choice of guys to play the hosts. Even the No.1 played by Kawamura Ryuichi is so convincing rather than Kitamura whom I won't believe is favoured by the female customers in that club. Is it a budget problem? Even the female guests are not A-list either except for Katase Rino.

Next, the story is making me sleep. Somehow, I don't like what I see in Yaou although its script has something to be based on and should be more focused. However, there is little insight into the world of hosts and how their system works. Of course, I can't be so hard on them since it's just a 2 hr SP and after deducting the CMs, the actual drama is only 1 hr 35 mins plus. However, considering the fact that No.1 is also a drama SP and that it has far more characters than Yaou, I can't help but feel that not enough effort has been put into Yaou.

On the whole, I won't say that Yaou is a terrible drama to watch but looking at the unfinished state of this SP, I won't be surprised if TBS suddenly announces that this is making a comeback as a full length drama. Moreoever, the manga is still being serialised so there should be more room for development. I might be interested to search for the manga to read though since it does seem more interesting than what's on TV. Out of 10, I'll just give 5 as a passing mark. Nothing more, nothing less.