Preview of "Saihate kara, toho 5 hun" - Autumn 2022

Title: Saihate kara, toho 5 hun 最果てから、徒歩5分 (5 minutes on foot from the farthest land)

Official website: here

Official Instagram: here

Official Twitter: here

O.A. Start Date: 1 Oct 2022

Timeslot: Sundays at 9pm

Broadcast by: TV Tokyo

Original manga by: Itoi Nozo

Cast: Okada Yui, Yanagi Shuntaro, Takezai Terunosuke & Uchiyama Rina

Quick Review #15: Mahou no rinobe (Summer 2022)

Title: Mahou no rinobe 魔法のリノベ

Season: Summer 2022

Broadcast by: Kansai TV

Rating: 8.5/10

Recommended for: those who like to watch renovation shows and slice-of-life romantic comedies as well as fans of Haru & Mamiya Shotaro

Liked:

- The better-than-expected story: although the format of each episode is the same i.e. solving the problems faced by customers through renovation, the underlying story of Koume, Gennosuke and the people at Marufuku "renovating" their lives and solving the issues they had was presented in a very heartwarming manner that made these characters really endearing and easy to empathise with. I found myself rooting for Koume and Gennosuke in particular which is surprisingly rare for me of late because there were many love stories I watched where I couldn't care less whether the main couple got together or not.

- The acting from the cast especially Haru and Mamiya Shotaro - to be honest, I have not really taken to Haru's acting in love stories so far because I always had a nagging feeling that she hadn't fully immersed herself in these roles and it felt so much like forcing herself to "love" someone on screen. Maybe it has to do with her cool demeanour which can come off as icy at times and somewhat emotionless even though the stories may require her to show the excitement and dizziness of someone in love. However, her collaboration with Mamiya this time felt really natural and the interactions between them flowed so smoothly that it was easy to picture them as a couple in the drama. Mamiya also managed to show the adorable and somewhat pitiful sides of Gennosuke so well that it was hard not to like him despite his "not-so brilliant" track record in his love life.

- The amount of effort put in to showcase the before-and-after changes - usually for such shows, I wouldn't be surprised if the "after" scenes would be presented in drawings or 3D simulations. However, to see the proposed designs come to life and how the customers could improve their lives through renovation (sometimes, they were just minor tweaks only) was very interesting and made the ending credits a must-see in every episode. I wonder how much money they had to spend to make these for every episode?

Disliked: 

- The slight hiccup before the last episode where Koume had to leave Marufuku for a while in order to protect the people there - I felt that it wasn't that much of an issue in the first place and could have been ironed out by talking things through and dealing with the problem directly. Of course, in dramaland, such things don't happen since there must be a conflict to lead to a resolution and ultimately the climax.

- The so-called conflict between Kuranosuke and Arikawa was rather underwhelming. I was expecting something major but it turned out to be quite meh? I get it that Arikawa felt betrayed by Kuranosuke quitting from the company and leaving him to face the music when they screwed up but then, instead of wallowing in self pity and wasting energy on trying to snatch business from Marufuku, there could have been other things Arikawa could do. However, I guess the kind of atmosphere that this drama created didn't allow for overly dramatic or extreme developments so this would have to do given the constraints.

Quick Review #14: Kyousou no bannin (Summer 2022)

Title: Kyousou no bannin 競争の番人

Season: Summer 2022

Broadcast by: FujiTV

Rating: 3/10

Recommended for: those who like David vs. Goliath stories where the underdog does not give up when faced with a more powerful enemy or want to know more about the Fair Trade Commission 

Liked:

- The cast although it was such a waste that they didn't get to perform to their full potential

Disliked: 

- David vs. Goliath stories are interesting to watch only if the underdog manages to overcome the odds to topple the giant. However, the biggest limitation of FTC is that they do not have the right to arrest anyone and any form of judicial action taken on a case they have investigated has to be conducted by the police and prosecutors. As such, the drama was already "handicapped" in the first place because the members of Dairoku cannot exact justice on their own and always had to let others take credit for their work. In addition, those being investigated actually can refuse to have their premises searched which further cripples Dairoku's power to seize evidence for their investigations. Without such a "climax scene" in this drama, you can imagine that there was effectively no "climax" for viewers to look forward to in each episode.

Despite these limitations, the drama didn't try very hard to show a way out of this dire situation and simply kept emphasizing that Dairoku was powerless and so weak that they could be bullied, belittled and ostracized. Compared to "Ishiko to Haneo" which tried to offer alternatives and got creative in seeking justice for the weak who suffered injustices, I thought that the way how the drama portrayed the FTC was extremely unflattering and it was really difficult to root for them as "heroes" to take out those who engage in anti-competition behaviour.

 

- As I've not read the original novel, I cannot ascertain if the bland developments/cases in this drama were due to the novel or the script. However, considering that they took 3 episodes to work on 1 case and everything else after that was rather standard and predictable (even the one against the big baddie), it felt as if not much effort was put into the story. That last episode was truly redundant too and could have been a standalone SP instead.

Seriously, it can't be a coincidence that FujiTV "messed" up 2 novels from the same author in 2 consecutive seasons (the other being "Motokare no yuigonjou" in spring) so I can't help but wonder what happened this time. Is it because the novels concerned are not so suited to be dramatised or is it that the method to dramatise these novels was somewhat lacking? 

- Due to the inherent problems with the story, the cast were severely handicapped in developing their characters. Other than Koshobu (Sakaguchi Kentaro) and Shirokuma (An) who had slightly more airtime showcasing their lives outside of Dairoku, not much is know about the others. As such, the key members felt rather flat and one-dimensional and it was difficult to relate to them or feel for them. It was such a great pity though because these actors definitely could deliver more than this.

Quick Review #13: Subarashiki Sekai (movie)

Title: Subarashiki Sekai すばらしき世界 (Under the open sky)

Currently available for viewing on: Netflix (subject to geographical location)

Rating: 5 /10

Recommended for: 

- Those who are interested in stories about former inmates who face challenges in starting a new life after their release from prison

- Fans of Yakusho Koji

Liked:

- The acting of Yakusho Koji. If not for his acting, I think I might not have finished watching this film. Yakusho balanced the contrasting aspects of his character i.e. the hot-tempered and rash personality when he was still a gangster vs. the toned-down and comparatively mellow side after his long stint in prison and switched between both seamlessly. 

- Nakano Taiga & Nagasawa Masami - Nakano's acting as a director who progressed from someone who didn't think too well of former inmates to one who truly supported the lead character's journey to start a new life was memorable. Nagasawa Masami may not have appeared much but she left a strong impression as a feisty go-getter who didn't mince her words.

Disliked: 

The story being the biggest issue here - frankly speaking, the theme of former inmates' struggles to be accepted by society again is not new. As such, the developments were predictable and left very little to imagination. If only there was a different way of presenting this theme or if there was a different perspective to the issue, it would have made the movie more engaging and interesting. And since the movie was pretty long, I found the pace to be really draggy at some points and couldn't wait for the film to end.

Preview of "Hitotsubashi Kiriko no hanzai nikki" - Autumn 2022

Title: Hitotsubashi Kiriko no hanzai nikki 一橋桐子の犯罪日記 (The criminal diary of Hitotsubashi Kiriko)

Official website: here

O.A. Start Date: 8 Oct 2022

Timeslot: Saturdays at 10pm

Broadcast by: NHK

Total number of episodes: 5

Original novel by: Harada Hika

Cast: Matsuzaka Keiko, Iwata Takanori, Nagasawa Itsuki, Katagiri Hairi, Uzaki Ryudo, Kimura Tae, Yuki Saori & Kusakari Masao

Preview of "Maiagare!" - NHK 2022 morning drama

Title: Maiagare! 舞いあがれ！

Official website: here

Official Instagram: here

Official Twitter: here

O.A. Start Date: 3 Oct 2022

Timeslot: Mondays to Saturdays at 8am

Broadcast by: NHK

Theme Song: "I love you" by back number

Narrator: Sada Masashi

Cast: Fukuhara Haruka, Yokoyama Yu, Takahashi Katsunori, Nagasaku Hiromi, Akaso Eiji, Yamashita Mizuki, Kuwabata Rie, Yamaguchi Tomomitsu, Matsuo Satoru, Matayoshi Naoki, Takuma Seiko, Furutachi Kanji, Aikawa Sho, Takahata Atsuko, Suzuki Kosuke & Nagahama Neru etc.

Quick Review #12: Ishiko to Haneo - Sonna koto de utaemasu? - (Summer 2022)

Title: Ishiko to Haneo - Sonna koto de utaemasu? - 石子と羽男―そんなコトで訴えます？―

Season: Summer 2022

Broadcast by: TBS

Rating: 8/10

Recommended for: those who are interested in legal/investigative stories and/or those where the weak fight against the rich & those with power

Liked:

- The chemistry between Arimura Kasumi & Nakamura Tomoya as their characters progressed from bickering foes to soulmates who could support each other in all areas except for the romantic aspect. Although I thought it would be nice to have them end up as a couple, this current state of being soulmates actually turned out to be better than expected. It was good that Haneo managed to stand up against his father by proving his abilities instead of arguing. I also liked the final scene when Haneo gave Ishiko a gentle nudge in the back and "offered an umbrella" to her so as to get over her emotional trauma. However, rather than having Haneo supporting her throughout, it was great that Ishiko could walk the final leg of her journey to become a lawyer on her own. 

- The legal topics covered in each episode not only provided lots of useful information in an easy-to-understand manner but also offered food for thought on what may be true justice. I also liked it that the story didn't try to push through with just one or the standard perspective but rather showed that the truth or what's considered justice can be viewed differently depending on your position in the issue.

- The scenes where Ishiko and Haneo were eating mega-sized dishes together - those always made me hungry after watching!

Disliked: 

- The romance between Ishiko and Oba was just too awkward to watch and I didn't get any romantic vibes from them at all. Moreover, I was rooting for Ishiko and Haneo to become an item so it was very disappointing to see her end up with Oba. Nothing against Oba though.

- Dangling potential twists but to find that they amounted to nothing. For example, the explanation of how Oba was the president of a company despite supposedly being of a modest background and having difficulty in finding a permanent job - I struggle to believe how gullible and dumb he might have been. This was really unfathomable especially after he went through so much in his previous job. I would have assumed that he would become more street-smart after that unpleasant experience but clearly, he hadn't. And how he chose to keep quiet in order to protect his younger brother in the arson case - I just cannot understand why he had to do that. I would have thought his stint at the law firm could have given him a bit of legal knowledge but apparently not. Likewise, the part hinting that Wataro had something to do with Mikogami - it also ended up with nothing much to add value to the story. As such, these anti-climatic developments in the last few episodes turned out to be so bland that it contrasted greatly with how the drama began with a bang initially.

- The way how Mikogami's case concluded - this is where it can be viewed differently. The fact that his involvement in the fraud scheme wasn't proven meant that Ishiko and Haneo had to take an alternative route to get him punished in another way for a different crime. I could accept that because in real life, there are times when it's impossible to have things go your way all the time and that there are people who can exploit loopholes in the law to get away with things. On the other hand, the crime that he was held accountable for may seem comparatively trivial compared to fraud so it leaves a lingering sense of regret and dissatisfaction that Mikogami didn't really get what he deserved. I would be OK with this way of ending the case if it wasn't the finale. To end the drama with a big baddie being treated in this way just felt as if everything fizzled out without a trace.

Preview of "Shylock no kodomotachi" - Autumn 2022

Title: Shylock no kodomotachi シャイロックの子供たち (Shylock's Children)

Official website: here

O.A. Start Date: 9 Oct 2022 

Timeslot: Sundays 10pm

Broadcast by: WOWOW

Total number of episodes: 5 + episode 0

Original novel by: Ikeido Jun

Cast: Inohara Yoshihiko, Tamayama Tetsuji, Nishino Nanase, Kato Shigeaki, Hagiwara Masato, Miura Takahiro, Maekawa Yasuyuki, Hashimoto Jun, Mizuhashi Kenji, Hayami Akari, Yano Masato, Morinaga Yuuki, Mizuta Shinji, Miyakawa Ichirota, Emi Kurara & Kubozuka Shunsuke

Preview of "DORONJO" - Autumn 2022

Title: DORONJO ドロンジョ

Official website: here

O.A. Start Date: 7 Oct 2022

Timeslot: Fridays at 11pm

Broadcast by: WOWOW

Total number of episodes: 11

Cast: Ikeda Elaiza, Yamazaki Hirona, Yamoto Yuuma, Kaneko Daichi, Ichinose Wataru, Tanaka Shunsuke, Hirayama Yusuke, Kirishima Reika, Kondo Yoshimasa, Takahashi Kazuya & Furuta Arata

Preview of "Zoku Harukanaru yama no yobigoe" (Drama SP)

Title: Zoku Harukanaru yama no yobigoe 続遙かなる山の呼び声

Official website: here

O.A. Date: 17 Sep 2022 at 9pm

Broadcast by: NHK BS Premium / BS4K

Cast: Abe Hiroshi, Tokiwa Takako, Fujii Takashi, Matobu Sei, Sato Yutaro, Takahata Atsuko & Kakei Toshio

Quick Review #11: Unicorn ni notte (Summer 2022)

Title: Unicorn ni notte (ユニコーンに乗って)

Season: Summer 2022

Broadcast by: TBS

Rating: 5 / 10

Recommended for: fans of the cast or those who want to have a basic understanding of IT start-ups

Liked:

- Kotorin & President Haneda i.e. Nishijima Hidetoshi & Hirosue Ryoko. It was just a pity though that their subplot wasn't explored in greater detail but the ending suggested that they have the potential to become an item.

- Hirosue Ryoko's weekly show - except for one outfit which I thought looked quite odd for a CEO, the others were very nice to look at. She certainly looked the part as a charismatic CEO but her airtime was really limited.

Disliked: 

- A story which doesn't really fit the title. To begin with, there wasn't a lot of emphasis nor indication that Dream Pony was to become a unicorn company or was actually working towards this goal. Coupled with the fact that its status at the end of the drama was a subsidiary of a listed/major company, that sort of deviated from the title's essence. However, if the title was meant to show that people with nothing to their name due to their backgrounds and lack of resources are very unlikely to achieve success like how elusive the unicorn is, Sana's state at the end of the drama would mean that she had defied the odds to become successful in both her career and love life.

- The lacklustre romance. Although it was implied that there might be a love triangle, it didn't really happen except for a brief period when Sana wondered if she liked Kotori romantically. And Kotori certainly didn't see Sana in the romantic sense other than being kind towards her. On the other hand, things between Sana and Kou were so bland and hardly engaging for viewers unlike some of the more successful love stories shown in this particular timeslot. A love story that doesn't make the viewers excited nor squeal in delight or wish for the couple to be together certainly cannot be considered as one which qualifies as a good romance story. I must say, I couldn't care less for what happened between Sana and Kou but I certainly was rooting for something to happen between Kotori and Haneda.

- In the early stages of watching this drama, I felt that it was quite similar to the Korean drama "Start Up" in terms of its vibe (youngsters trying to realise their dream against the odds with romance on the sidelines) but somehow, the passion and enthusiasm about starting one's business and working hard to make it in the industry was lost on me in this drama. And it certainly didn't help that the story sort of simplified many things in business and adopted a touch-and-go approach when it came to depicting challenges faced by Dream Pony. It was as if, a problem cropped up, they were troubled about it for a brief moment and someone came to save them like a fairy godmother without them actually doing much to save themselves. For example, the patent filing by a rival company was settled so easily through external help that it seemed nothing more like a slight dent to Dream Pony's journey. However, that certainly could have become a major issue which could cripple the company and I felt that Dream Pony didn't really learn from that episode. Likewise, until Kotori joined the company, it felt as if the company operated on a system of "do-it-as-you-like" to foster creativity and promote freedom etc. but basic business decorum (sending Oseibo and Ochuugen gifts to your associates and clients) and dressing appropriately for a business meeting (tattered jeans and a T-shirt, seriously?) were clearly not on their minds. Makes me wonder how the company could survive in the Japanese corporate world for 3 years? I know people tend to be a bit more lenient towards start-ups but they aren't in the creative field to begin with.

Quick Review #10: Old Rookie (Summer 2022)

Title: Old Rookie (オールドルーキー)

Season: Summer 2022

Broadcast by: TBS

Rating: 7.5 / 10

Recommended for: sports fans who know a lot of Japanese athletes, those who are interested to find out more about sports management and keen on stories about people moving on to second careers

Liked:

- Some of the TBS Sunday 9pm dramas can be a bit overboard in terms of acting and story especially if there is an emphasis of how passion, enthusiasm and perseverance can overcome almost all the obstacles in life. This drama was fairly toned-down in terms of its messaging so it didn't come across as hard-sell and was comparatively easier to watch. Coupled with the heartwarming interpersonal relationships among the characters, there were quite a number of touching parts which made me smile and cry along with them.

- The acting of the cast was pretty good on the whole and most of the characters were presented in a multi-dimensional manner which made them easier to relate to and like. Ayano Go stood out for his subtle emotional acting and I have to admit, his portrayal of Shinmachi was much better than I expected initially. I also liked the fact that the scriptwriter chose to make Kanako somewhat different from the other wives in the Sunday 9pm dramas to date. Usually, the wives play a supporting role to the husbands and hardly have much airtime in the dramas. However, Kanako was hardly someone who stayed in the background and was definitely not passive at all. She could take charge of the situation, give her husband a good shake-up when he was in denial and self-doubting himself, offer him comfort and support at the right time and not wait around for solutions but took the initiative to solve problems. As such, I really like the relationship dynamics between this couple which came across as both cool and very heartwarming. Likewise, I also thought that Umeyashiki and Fukazawa were quite a cute couple although it was too late for them to develop their relationship further in the drama.

- The sports management aspect of the story was interesting at times. Prior to watching this drama, I thought that it was just about managing the athlete's career, both in the sporting arena and outside e.g. CM and sponsorship deals, TV appearances, media engagements. However, there was more to that because the manager has to take care of things such as arranging for training venues, training partners, resources, equipment, negotiate for transfers to other teams, medical care, physiotherapy, mental care. As such, the parts when Shinmachi was still trying to learn the ropes were an eye-opener because a lot of time was spent on explaining the workflow. It would have been good if this continued in the second arc but I guess building up to the conflict of ideals vs. reality demanded more airtime so it couldn't be helped.

Disliked: 

- Compared to the first arc which took great pains to illustrate the internal turmoil that Shinmachi was experiencing after his professional career as a soccer player was ended prematurely, the second arc of the drama seemed to be wrapped up in a great hurry. Just when the conflict between Takayanagi and Shinmachi in the second last episode marked a climax which could be explored a bit longer and in depth, the resolution felt like a rollercoaster ride heading downwards. I thought that was a bit wasted so the pacing of the story could be improved in this aspect.

- For sports fans familiar with Japanese sports stars, this drama would probably make them quite excited to see these athletes make guest appearances. However, for the viewers who don't know them well, the excitement would be lost on them. I have to admit, I could only recognise a handful of them. This is more of a personal problem but for the benefit of viewers like me, it might be good to have a line or two to "introduce" these stars as seen in a couple of episodes when the athletes' names were mentioned.

- The part about how Igaki managed to overcome his nerves and deliver a stellar performance on the pitch was a tad too unrealistic. In fact, this was a common issue as seen in some of the featured athletes' stories which were wrapped up in a similar fashion. While the overall storyline was largely believable and realistic, the same level of detail and attention probably wasn't extended evenly to these subplots.

The 112nd Drama Academy Awards (Spring 2022) - Best Drama

Overall Ranking Top 3

1) My Family
2) Nanba MG5
3) Kindaichi Shonen no Jikenbo

Voters Ranking Top 5

1) Kindaichi Shonen no Jikenbo

2) Nanba MG5

3) My Family

4) Shoujiki Fudousan

5) Uketsuke no Jou

TV Reporters Ranking Top 5
1) My Family
2) Shoujiki Fudousan
3) Yangotonaki Ichizoku
4) Ashita, watashi wa dare ka no kanojo

5) Nanba MG5

Judges Ranking Top 5
1) My Family

2) Nanba MG5

3) Mirai e no 10 count

4) 17-sai no Teikoku

5) Waru ~ Hataraku no ga kakkowarui nante dare ga itta? ~

Source: The Television

The 112nd Drama Academy Awards (Spring 2022) - Best Leading Actor

Overall Ranking Top 3

1) Ninomiya Kazunari - My Family

2) Mamiya Shotaro - Nanba MG5
3) Michieda Shunsuke - Kindaichi Shonen no Jikenbo

Voters Ranking Top 5
1) Michieda Shunsuke - Kindaichi Shonen no Jikenbo
2) Mamiya Shotaro - Nanba MG5
3) Ninomiya Kazunari - My Family
4) Yamashita Tomohisa - Shoujiki Fudousan
5) Jinguuji Yuuta - Uketsuke no Jou

TV Reporters Ranking Top 5
1) Ninomiya Kazunari - My Family
2) Mamiya Shotaro - Nanba MG5
3) Yamashita Tomohisa - Shoujiki Fudousan
4) Yamada Ryosuke - Ore no kawai wa mou sugu shouhi kigen!?

5) Takahashi Issei - Invisible

Judges Ranking Top 5
1) Ninomiya Kazunari - My Family
Mamiya Shotaro - Nanba MG5

3) Kimura Takuya - Mirai e no 10 count

4) Kamio Fuuju - 17-sai no Teikoku
5) Yamashita Tomohisa - Shoujiki Fudousan

Source: The Television

The 112nd Drama Academy Awards (Spring 2022) - Best Leading Actress

Overall Ranking Top 3

1) Imada Mio - Waru ~ Hataraku no ga kakkowarui nante dare ga itta ~
2) Tsuchiya Tao - Yangotonaki Ichizoku
3) Ayase Haruka - Motokare no yuigonjou

Voters Ranking Top 5
1) Ueno Juri - Jizoku kanou na koi desuka?
2) Imada Mio - Waru ~ Hataraku no ga kakkowarui nante dare ga itta ~

3) Ayase Haruka - Motokare no yuigonjou
4) Hirose Arisu - Koi nante, honki de yatte dousuru no?

5) Tsuchiya Tao - Yangotonaki Ichizoku

TV Reporters Ranking Top 5
1) Tsuchiya Tao - Yangotonaki Ichizoku
2) Imada Mio - Waru ~ Hataraku no ga kakkowarui nante dare ga itta ~
3) Ayase Haruka - Motokare no yuigonjou

4) Hirose Arisu - Koi nante, honki de yatte dousuru no?

5) Yoshikawa Ai - Ashita, watashi wa dare ka no kanojo

Judges Ranking Top 5
1) Imada Mio - Waru ~ Hataraku no ga kakkowarui nante dare ga itta ~

2) Ayase Haruka - Motokare no yuigonjou

3) Tsuchiya Tao - Yangotonaki Ichizoku

4) Koshiba Fuuka - Youkai Sharehouse - Kattekitan kai -

Ueno Juri - Jizoku kanou na koi desuka?

Source: The Television

The 112nd Drama Academy Awards (Spring 2022) - Best Supporting Actor

Overall Ranking Top 3

1) Hamada Gaku - My Family

2) Matsushita Kouhei - Yangotonaki Ichizoku

3) Morimoto Shintaro - Nanba MG5

Voters Ranking Top 5
1) Morimoto Shintaro - Nanba MG5
2) Matsumura Hokuto - Koi nante, honki de yatte dousuru no?
3) Sawamura Ikki - Kindaichi Shonen no Jikenbo
4) Hamada Gaku - My Family
5) Iwasaki Taisho - Kindaichi Shonen no Jikenbo

TV Reporters Ranking Top 5
1) Hamada Gaku - My Family
2) Matsushita Kouhei - Yangotonaki Ichizoku
3) Matsumura Hokuto - Koi nante, honki de yatte dousuru no?
4) Matsushige Yutaka - Jizoku kanou na koi desuka? ~ Chichi to musume no kekkon shinkoukyoku ~
5) Ooizumi Yo - Motokare no yuigonjou

Judges Ranking Top 5
1) Hamada Gaku - My Family
2) Murakami Nijirou - Mirai e no 10 count

3) Ichihara Hayato - Shoujiki Fudousan

Tamaki Hiroshi - My Family

Matsushita Kouhei - Yangotonaki Ichizoku

Source: The Television

The 112nd Drama Academy Awards (Spring 2022) - Best Supporting Actress

Overall Ranking Top 3

1) Matsumoto Wakana - Yangotonaki Ichizoku

2) Tabe Mikako - My Family
3) Mitsushima Hikari - Mirai e no 10 count

Voters Ranking Top 5
1) Kamishiraishi Moka - Kindaichi Shonen no Jikenbo
2) Tabe Mikako - My Family
3) Fukuhara Haruka - Shoujiki Fudousan
4) Eguchi Noriko - Waru ~ Hataraku no ga kakkowarui nante dare ga itta ~
5) Morikawa Aoi - Nanba MG5

TV Reporters Ranking Top 5
1) Matsumoto Wakana - Yangotonaki Ichizoku
2) Tabe Mikako - My Family
3) Shibasaki Kou - Invisible
4) Fukuhara Haruka - Shoujiki Fudousan
Yoshine Kyoko - Ore no kawai wa mou sugu shouhi kigen!?

Judges Ranking Top 5
1) Mitsushima Hikari - Mirai e no 10 count
2) Matsumoto Wakana - Yangotonaki Ichizoku

3) Eguchi Noriko - Waru ~ Hataraku no ga kakkowarui nante dare ga itta ~

Tabe Mikako - My Family

5) Kato Yuzuna - Kanakana

Source: The Television