Preview of "Tora ni tsubasa" (NHK 2024 Morning Drama)

Title: Tora ni tsubasa 虎に翼

Official website: here

Official Instagram: here

Official X: here

O.A. Start Date: 1 April 2024

Timeslot: Mondays to Saturdays at 8am

Broadcast by: NHK

Theme Song: "Sayoonara mata itsuka!" by Yonezu Kenshi

Narrator: Ono Machiko

Cast: Ito Sairi, Ishida Yuriko, Okabe Takashi, Nakano Taiga, Morita Misato, Kamikawa Shusaku, Doi Shiori, Sakurai Yuki, Hiraiwa Kami, Ha Yeon-soo, Iwata Takanori, Tozuka Junki, Matsuyama Kenichi, Kobayashi Kaoru etc.

The 118th Drama Academy Awards (Autumn 2023) - Best Drama

Overall Ranking Top 3

1) Kotatsu ga nai ie
2) Gekokujou Kyuuji
3) Ichiban suki na hana

Voters Ranking Top 5

1) My Second Aoharu

2) Tatoe anata wo wasuretemo

3) Kyou kara hitman

4) Dousuru Ieyasu

5) Ichiban suki na hana

TV Reporters Ranking Top 5
1) Gekokujou Kyuuji
2) Kotatsu ga nai ie
3) Ichiban suki na hana
4) Oooku Season 2

5) Kinou nani tabeta? season 2

Judges Ranking Top 5
1) Sexy Tanaka-san

2) Kotatsu ga nai ie

3) Ichiban suki na hana

4) Paripi Koumei

5) Uchi no bengoshi wa te ga kakaru

Source: The Television

The 118th Drama Academy Awards (Autumn 2023) - Best Leading Actor

Overall Ranking Top 3

1) Suzuki Ryohei - Gekokujou Kyuuji

2) Matsushita Kouhei - Ichiban suki na hana

3) Mukai Osamu - Paripi Koumei

Voters Ranking Top 5
1) Matsumoto Jun - Dousuru Ieyasu
2) Matsuoka Masahiro - Kaseifu no Mitazono Season 6
3) Suzuki Ryohei - Gekokujou Kyuuji
4) Aiba Masaki - Kyou kara hitman
5) Muro Tsuyoshi - Uchi no bengoshi wa te ga kakaru

TV Reporters Ranking Top 5
1) Suzuki Ryohei - Gekokujou Kyuuji
2) Matsushita Kouhei - Ichiban suki na hana
3) Uchino Seiyou - Kinou nani tabeta? Season 2
4) Matsumoto Jun - Dousuru Ieyasu

5) Takahashi Fumiya - Ferumaa no ryouri

Judges Ranking Top 5
1) Suzuki Ryohei - Gekokujou Kyuuji
2) Mukai Osamu - Paripi Koumei

3) Matsushita Kouhei - Ichiban suki na hana

4) Muro Tsuyoshi - Uchi no bengoshi wa te ga kakaru

5) Nishijima Hidetoshi - Kinou nani tabeta? Season 2

Source: The Television

The 118th Drama Academy Awards (Autumn 2023) - Best Leading Actress

Overall Ranking Top 3

1) Kinami Haruka - Sexy Tanaka-san
2) Koike Eiko - Kotatsu ga nai ie
3) Tabe Mikako - Ichiban suki na hana

Voters Ranking Top 5
1) Hirose Arisu - My Second Aoharu
2) Kinami Haruka - Sexy Tanaka-san

3) Koike Eiko - Kotatsu ga nai ie

4) Nakama Yukie - Oooku Season 2

5) Tabe Mikako - Ichiban suki na hana

TV Reporters Ranking Top 5
1) Koike Eiko - Kotatsu ga nai ie
2) Kinami Haruka - Sexy Tanaka-san
3) Hirose Arisu - My Second Aoharu

4) Imada Mio - Ichiban suki na hana

5) Kanno Miho - Yuria-sensei no akai ito

Judges Ranking Top 5
1) Kinami Haruka - Sexy Tanaka-san

2) Koike Eiko - Kotatsu ga nai ie

3) Tabe Mikako - Ichiban suki na hana

4) Nakama Yukie - Oooku Season 2

5) Matsumoto Honoka - Miwa-san narisumasu

Source: The Television

The 118th Drama Academy Awards (Autumn 2023) - Best Supporting Actor

Overall Ranking Top 3

1) Maiguma Katsuya - Sexy Tanaka-san

2) Yoshioka Hidetaka - Kotatsu ga nai ie

3) Maeda Gouki - Sexy Tanaka-san

Voters Ranking Top 5
1) Michieda Shunsuke - My Second Aoharu
2) Hagiwara Riku - Tatoe anata wo wasuretemo 
3) Fukazawa Tatsuya - Kyou kara hitman
4) Yamada Yuuki - Dousuru Ieyasu
5) Ukisho Hidaka - Gifted Season 1

TV Reporters Ranking Top 5
1) Maiguma Katsuya - Sexy Tanaka-san
2) Sakuma Ryuuto - Kotatsu ga nai ie
3) Kohinata Fumiyo - Gekokujou Kyuuji
4) Yoshioka Hidetaka - Kotatsu ga nai ie
5) Nakano Taiga - Ichiban suki na hana

Judges Ranking Top 5
1) Maeda Gouki - Sexy Tanaka-san
2) Maiguma Katsuya - Sexy Tanaka-san

3) Moriyama Mirai - Paripi Koumei

4) Yoshioka Hidetaka - Kotatsu ga nai ie

5) Kobayashi Kaoru - Kotatsu ga nai ie

Source: The Television

The 118th Drama Academy Awards (Autumn 2023) - Best Supporting Actress

Overall Ranking Top 3

1) Nukumi Meru - Sexy Tanaka-san

2) Kitagawa Keiko - Dousuru Ieyasu
3) Kuroki Haru - Gekokujou Kyuuji

Voters Ranking Top 5
1) Kitagawa Keiko - Dousuru Ieyasu
2) Okada Yui - Tatoe anata wo wasuretemo
3) Nukumi Meru - Sexy Tanaka-san
4) Hirate Yurina - Uchi no bengoshi wa te ga kakaru
5) Yamamoto Maika - Kyou kara hitman

TV Reporters Ranking Top 5
1) Kitagawa Keiko - Dousuru Ieyasu
2) Nukumi Meru - Sexy Tanaka-san

3) Kuroki Haru - Gekokujou Kyuuji
4) Hirate Yurina - Uchi no bengoshi wa te ga kakaru
5) Kamishiraishi Moka - Paripi Koumei

Judges Ranking Top 5
1) Nukumi Meru - Sexy Tanaka-san
2) Kitagawa Keiko - Dousuru Ieyasu

3) Kuroki Haru - Gekokujou Kyuuji

4) Hirate Yurina - Uchi no bengoshi wa te ga kakaru

5) Hara Nanoka - Nukarumi no shokutaku

Source: The Television

The 118th Drama Academy Awards (Autumn 2023) - Best Theme Song

Overall Ranking Top 3

1) Hana by Fujii Kaze (Ichiban suki na hana)

2) Dameotoko kazoeuta by Ishikawa Sayuri (Kotatsu ga nai ie)

3) Ashes by Superfly (Gekokujou Kyuuji)

Voters Ranking Top 5
1) I Wish by Naniwa Danshi (My Second Aoharu)
2) Crystals by Yuuka (Tatoe anata wo wasuretemo)
3) Hana by Fujii Kaze (Ichiban suki na hana)
4) MAGIC WORD by King & Prince (Kyou kara hitman)
5) Gifted by NEWS (Gifted Season 1)

TV Reporters Ranking Top 5
1) Hana by Fujii Kaze (Ichiban suki na hana)

2) Ashes by Superfly (Gekokujou Kyuuji)

3) Dameotoko kazoeuta by Ishikawa Sayuri (Kotatsu ga nai ie)
4) Shiroiro kagerou by Aimer (Ooku Season 2)
5) I Wish by Naniwa Danshi (My Second Aoharu)

Judges Ranking Top 5
1) Hana by Fujii Kaze (Ichiban suki na hana)

2) Dameotoko kazoeuta by Ishikawa Sayuri (Kotatsu ga nai ie)

3) Angry by The Rolling Stones (Uchi no bengoshi wa te ga kakaru)

4) DREAMER Acoustic ver. by EIKO i.e. Kamishiraishi Moka (Paripi Koumei)

5) My Muchuu by Hanaregumi (Miwa-san narisumasu)

Source: The Television

Quick Review #27: Parade

Title: Parade パレード

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

Rating: 6 /10

Recommended for: 

Those who like fantasy stories with a light touch on the meaning of life and death

Liked:

- Compared to the past Fujii Michihito films/dramas like "Village" or "Avalanche" which I watched before, this film had a warm and fuzzy vibe despite the theme being quite serious i.e. the afterlife and the regrets or things which the deceased cannot let go of which lead them to linger in the mortal world. Visuals of those in the afterlife zone had a fantastical touch with warm tones which contrasted with the greyish tone in the mortal world of human beings. The story flowed smoothly like a gentle river so it wasn't really emotional or dramatic.

- The acting from the star ensemble - all of them at the leading actor/actress level. They all got their moments to shine so the distribution of air time was relatively even as each character's background story was featured. If you are a fan of any of the cast members, this might not be satisfying enough for you though.

Disliked: 

- The discrepancies and loopholes in the story. For example, the dead aren't supposed to be able to touch anything and anyone in the mortal world. However, there were some developments which defied this rule and there was no plausible explanation for these exceptions so it really got on my nerves. If you can ignore these illogical parts, the story might be more palatable for you.

- The overall vibe of the film was relaxing but at the same time, it also lacked "high points" to leave an impression on me. It felt like nothing was addressed and answered and that it was purposely done in this way for the viewers to derive their own conclusions on the meaning of life and death. Not that this is a bad way of handling the material but I had the feeling that I ended up being none the wiser about what the director was trying to convey. Or maybe he didn't have any specific message to convey to begin with.