Sunday, June 30, 2024

Preview of "Black Jack" (Drama SP)


Title: Black Jack / ブラック・ジャック
Official website: here
Official Instagram: here
Official X: here
O.A. Date: 30 June 2024 at 9pm
Broadcast by: TV Asahi
Original manga by: Tezuka Osamu
Theme Song: "Hitoyo" by Takehara Pistol
Cast: Takahashi Issei, Ishibashi Shizuka, Inowaki Kai, Nagao Yuno, Yamanaka Takashi, Yamauchi Takaya, Mikata Ryosuke, Saotome Taichi, Chiba Tetsuya, Tamaki Takamasa, Uno Shohei, Matsumoto Marika, Takehara Pistol, Okuda Eiji & Hashizume Isao

Saturday, June 29, 2024

Preview of "Saionji-san wa kaji wo shinai" - Summer 2024


Title: Saionji-san wa kaji wo shinai / 西園寺さんは家事をしない
Official website: here
Official Instagram: here
Official TikTok: here
Official X: here
O.A. Start Date: 9 July 2024
Timeslot: Tuesdays at 10pm
Broadcast by: TBS
Original manga by: Hiura Satoru
Cast: Matsumoto Wakana, Matsumura Hokuto, Tsuda Kenjiro, Noro Kayo, Yokota Mayu, Murakawa Eri, Mizusawa Shingo, Uraji Nuno, Otsuki Takehiro, Kurata Ema, Fujii Takashi, Hamada Mari, Tsukamoto Takashi & Asano Kazuyuki

Friday, June 28, 2024

Preview of "Billion x School" - Summer 2024


Title: Billion x School / ビリオン x スクール
Official website: here
Official Instagram: here
Official TikTok: here
Official X: here
O.A. Start Date: 5 July 2024
Timeslot: Fridays at 9pm
Broadcast by: FujiTV
Theme Song: "Ruru" by Ado
Cast: Yamada Ryosuke, Kinami Haruka, Mizusawa Rintaro, Matsuda Genta, Ohara Azusa, Yamashita Koki, Okuno Sou, Kashiwagi Haru, Kosaka Juri, Kurasawa Anna, Shida Mirai, Sakaguchi Ryotaro, Nagano Munenori, MEGUMI, Adachi Yumi, Mizuno Miki & Ichimura Masachika

Thursday, June 27, 2024

Preview of "Watashi wo moratte ~ Tsuioku-hen ~" - Summer 2024


Title: Watashi wo moratte ~ Tsuiokuhen ~ / 私をもらって~追憶編~
Official website: here
Official X: here
O.A. Start Date: 5 July 2024
Timeslot: Fridays at 12.30am
Broadcast by: NTV
Original manga by: Rose Bean & One Punch Rabbit
Cast: Maeda Gouki, Kubota Sayu, Kurihara Rui, K (&TEAM), Masaki Reiya, Tezuka Mai, Yamaguchi Daichi & Tajima Ryo

Wednesday, June 26, 2024

Preview of "Geeks ~ Keisatsusho no henjintachi ~'" - Summer 2024


Title: Geeks ~ Keisatsusho no henjintachi ~ / ギークス~警察署の変人たち~
Official website: here
Official Instagram: here
Official TikTok: here
Official X: here
O.A. Start Date: 4 July 2024
Timeslot: Thursdays at 10pm
Broadcast by: FujiTV
Theme Song: "Jibun Jishin" by Sambomaster
Cast: Matsuoka Mayu, Tanaka Minami, Takizawa Karen, Shirasu Jin, Izumisawa Yuki, Ano, Wakabayashi Jiei, Abe Ryohei, Tokui Yu, Maggy & Nakamura Aoi

Tuesday, June 25, 2024

Preview of "Shinjuku Yasen Byouin" - Summer 2024


Title: Shinjuku Yasen Byouin / 新宿野戦病院
Official website: here
Official Instagram: here
Official TikTok: here
Official X: here
O.A. Start Date: 3 July 2024
Timeslot: Wednesdays at 10pm
Broadcast by: FujiTV
Cast: Koike Eiko, Nakano Taiga, Hashimoto Ai, Hiraiwa Kami, Okabe Takashi, Baba Tooru, Tsukaji Muga, Nakai Chisato, Ishikawa Moka, Hagiwara Mamoru, Hamada Gaku, Yo Kimiko, Takahata Atsuko, Namase Katsuhisa & Emoto Akira

Monday, June 24, 2024

Preview of "Umi no hajimari" - Summer 2024


Title: Umi no hajimari / 海のはじまり
Official website: here
Official Instagram: here
Official TikTok: here
Official X: here
O.A. Start Date: 1 July 2024
Timeslot: Mondays at 9pm
Broadcast by: FujiTV
Theme Song: "Atarashii koibitotachi" by back number
Cast: Meguro Ren, Arimura Kasumi, Izutani Rana, Kido Taisei, Furukawa Kotone, Ikematsu Sousuke & Ootake Shinobu

Sunday, June 23, 2024

Preview of "Warau Matoryoushika" - Summer 2024


Title: Warau Matoryoushika / 笑うマトリョーシカ
Official website: here
Official Instagram: here
Official TikTok: here
Official X: here
O.A. Start Date: 28 June 2024
Timeslot: Fridays at 10pm
Broadcast by: TBS
Original novel by: Hayami Kazumasa
Theme Song: "Sunshade" by YU-KA
Cast: Mizukawa Asami, Tamayama Tetsuji, Maruyama Tomomi, Wada Masato, Watanabe Dai, Sota Ryousuke, Aoki Yuzu, Nishiyama Jun, Hamao Noritaka, Nakayama Masei, Sakuya, Watanabe Ikkei, Otaka Akira, Yajima Kenichi, Kunihiro Tomiyuki, Tonesaku Toshihide, Ogi Shigemitsu, Kato Masaya, Tsutsui Mariko, Takaoka Saki & Sakurai Sho

Saturday, June 22, 2024

Quick Review #51: Samayou Yaiba - Spring 2021


Title: Samayou Yaiba / さまよう刃

Rating: 8.5 /10 

Recommended for
For those who have read the novel and didn't find the movie version satisfactory, those who haven't read the novel but want to watch stories about the injustices suffered by victims of crime and their families and fans of Takenouchi Yutaka

Please refer here for my review of the 2009 movie version.

Liked:
- As you would have seen from my review of the movie back in 2011, I didn't really enjoy it. The biggest issue I had was the story structure which didn't flow very well and that was partly due to the challenge of fitting in the entire novel into a 2-hr movie. This WOWOW drama adaptation had the luxury and advantage of using 6 episodes (some even longer than the usual 45 minutes) to tell the story in a very sequential and logical manner without cutting out critical parts thus allowed the build-up of emotions from start to finish at the right pace with the right amount of intensity. 
While the first episode was filled with shocking and very uncomfortable scenes to watch and some viewers may question the necessity of going to that extent, I felt that it was necessary because that was exactly how the novel was like - very raw and painful to read even if it was just words. To have the scenes brought to life was terribly excruciating to watch but the pain and humiliation suffered by the victim had to be conveyed in the most accurate manner so that viewers could understand and empathise with Nagamine's (Takenouchi) anguish, anger and helplessness. 
There were some changes in the settings vs. what was in the novel but on the whole, it didn't really affect the overall vibe of the drama. The ending, while not something which would satisfy everyone given that the theme was so controversial, was true to what the novel had and left this feeling of helplessness, self-doubt and self-questioning for the viewers about the what-ifs if they were in the same situation.

- Takenouchi had appeared in the movie but to be honest, his role as Oribe back then didn't really strike a chord with me (partly also because I really didn't like the movie and the attention was more on Terao Akira who played Nagamine so he didn't get much of a chance to shine). However, by becoming Nagamine in this drama version, it felt as if Takenouchi had come full circle and really nailed the role so well with such depth in his acting.
Kawai Yumi was phenomenal. Truly great acting in such difficult scenes and made such a deep impression even though she technically only appeared for less than one episode.
As for Ishida Yuriko, I think she had more chemistry with Takenouchi than what Terao had with Sakai Miki in the movie and her back story was described in greater detail here. Compared to the movie which showed Wakako struggling with whether to help or report Nagamine to the police, the Wakako in the drama going all out to help Nagamine would not have been believable if her past was not depicted properly to show why she sympathised with him to this extent and understood how he felt.

Disliked: 
- I don't recall seeing the media angle from the movie and novel but to see that there were no repercussions for the reporter Odagiri played by Takiuchi Kumi who made use of people and had no regard nor respect for the victims and their families, I thought that was simply infuriating. Perhaps more so than seeing the criminal get away with such a light sentence for his heinous crime. Of course, she did a good job playing such an obnoxious character but still, I wondered if there was a need to spend so much time on featuring her fanning the flames of revenge at other people's expense. And not to mention that she had a chance at redemption by changing the article's caption but still decided to go with sensationalising the news to get the maximum impact. In this sense, this reporter is probably the worst scumbag of all the baddies in this story.

- This is not something against the drama but more of like, since I already knew the story because of the novel and the movie, there wasn't a surprise element for me while watching the drama. I felt that episode 5 was a tad draggy so the drama could have been wrapped up in a more succinct manner if it was one episode shorter.

Friday, June 21, 2024

Preview of "Mountain Doctor" - Summer 2024


Title: Mountain Doctor / マウンテンドクター
Official website: here
Official Instagram: here
Official TikTok: here
Official X: here
O.A. Start Date: 8 July 2024
Timeslot: Mondays at 10pm
Broadcast by: Kansai TV / FujiTV
Theme song: "Sharon" by Official Hige Dandism
Cast: Sugino Yosuke, Okazaki Sae, Miyazawa Ema, Mukai Koji, Kondo Koen, Trauden Naomi, Kudo Mio, Yoshida Kengo, Yashima Norito, Hirayama Yusuke, Ishino Mako, Ishimaru Kenjiro, Dan Rei & Oomori Nao

Thursday, June 20, 2024

Quick Review #50: Brush Up Life - Winter 2023


Title: Brush Up Life / ブラッシュアップライブ

Rating: 7 /10 

Recommended for
For those who like quirky stories about the what-ifs in life if different choices are made, fans of Baka Rhythm's storytelling style or are fans of the cast especially Ando Sakura

Liked:
- Stories about people making different life choices when given a second chance to redo their lives after dying suddenly or in unexpected circumstances are aplenty. What made this different from the offerings to date is probably Baka Rhythm's unique quirky, sometimes cynical and yet meaningful storytelling style. The thing is, the repeating of the lead character's life wasn't just to "improve" the quality or outcome of her life but also consciously affect or change the same for the people around her. As such, compared to other stories which may be wary of the ripple effect on other people when the lead character's life is changed in any way, the different choices in this drama were done on purpose with specific aims.

- A very interesting cast line-up with Ando Sakura leading the pack with her natural acting that makes her look and feel as if she is Asami herself. Her interactions and chemistry with her co-stars are also something to keep a lookout for.

Disliked: 
- Much as this drama had won so many accolades and praise, my biggest issue with this was the repetition. By the time Asami was in her third lifetime, I was a bit bored with the process and almost wanted to drop off. Not that the story was boring or that the developments that came out differently due to her new choices were bad, it's just that too much of a thing (even if it may be good) will be too overwhelming. If the story was a tad shorter or some parts could be glossed over more quickly and the attention focused more on the more critical parts, I might have enjoyed this better. As such, I do feel that this is a good drama but maybe not to the extent of being a top-notch classic for me.

Wednesday, June 19, 2024

Preview of "Ano ko no kodomo" - Summer 2024


Title: Ano ko no kodomo / あの子の子ども
Official website: here
Official Instagram: here
Official TikTok: here
Official X: here
O.A. Start Date: 25 Jun 2024
Timeslot: Tuesdays at 11pm
Broadcast by: Kansai TV / FujiTV
Original manga by: Aoi Mamoru
Theme song: "Watashi" by THE BEAT GARDEN
Opening theme song: "Nee, chanto kiiteru?" by Riria.
Cast: Sakurada Hiyori, Hosoda Kanata, Kayashima Mizuki, Kouno Junki, Nomura Kouta, Maeda Oushiro, Hashimoto Jun, Nomaguchi Tooru, Mimura Rie & Ishida Hikari

Tuesday, June 18, 2024

Quick Review #49: Hayabusa Shouboudan - Summer 2023


Title: Hayabusa Shouboudan / ハヤブサ消防団

Rating: 7 /10 

Recommended for
For those who like suspense dramas that start slow but turn up the pace from the midpoint and are fans of the cast especially Nakamura Tomoya and Kawaguchi Haruna

*Do not read further if you do not want to see the spoilers!

Liked:
- While the first three episodes of this drama was slow-burn (at least to me) and I almost felt like dropping it, the tide turned, thankfully in time to keep me engaged enough to last till the end. If you can be patient enough to last through the lull at first, what happened from Ep 4 onwards should be considered fairly rewarding. 
Suspense stories set in a fairly enclosed and secluded local community are not rare but there is a reason for such a location to be chosen as the stage of this case. I think that the horror of what happened actually lies not in who killed who but rather what prompted these people to do what they did and the potential effect of the evil plot if it had been successful. I personally don't quite like cult-themed stories but the build-up to what resulted in the state of affairs and the careful planning to seize an enclosed community for the cult's selfish goal were really chilling to watch.
I haven't read the original novel by Ikeido Jun but after doing some research, it looks like the settings were slightly tweaked here and there although the general direction and key elements of the story should be largely the same. As such, for those who may have read the novel before, the drama should hopefully give you some surprises here and there and still make it worthful for you to sit through.

- For fans of Nakamura Tomoya, it should be very satisfying for you to see him as the lead and the narrator. From a struggling author who was quite helpless about his life to becoming a local hero to save the community from the "mental invasion" by a cult, I think he managed to portray this transition pretty convincingly. Kawaguchi Haruna's character started off as pretty mild but when the big reveal happened at mid-point, that was when it got way more interesting. A very nice deviation from her usual image and style although I was hoping that Aya could be an even more extreme or evil person. 

Disliked: 
- As I mentioned above, the slow-start style of handling suspense dramas is always a bugbear these days because for people who don't have the patience to stay on or are not convinced that things could get better (and if so, when will that happen), they would most likely not hang around to watch the whole drama. That is why there is a need to keep the interest going even if it takes as many as 3 to 5 episodes to get the engine up to full speed. Perhaps a more palatable method would be to limit the background setting and build up to be contained within 2 episodes or drop more hooks right from the start to lure the viewers to hang on longer for the next episode.

Monday, June 17, 2024

Quick Review #48: Anti Hero - Spring 2024


Title: Anti Hero / アンチヒーロー
Rating: 8.5 /10 

Recommended for
For those who like legal/courtroom dramas with a strong humanity angle and are fans of the cast

*Do not read on if you do not wish to know the spoilers!

Liked:
- While the first couple of episodes felt like the overall direction was shrouded in mist and it was not easy to see where the story was heading towards, the pace of the developments sped up considerably from then. I have to admit though, I stopped watching for a while after Ep 3 because I felt that it was yet another legal/courtroom drama like others and there was no hook factor for me to go on watching. As the revelations after that came fast and furious with numerous twists and turns along with equally unexpected cameos - the most talked-about probably being Fukiishi Kazue who has not acted ever since she got married to Fukuyama Masaharu and she played a pivotal role this time, not a guest star who only appeared for a few inconsequential scenes. As such, I would rate this drama very highly in terms of it being engaging and compelling to watch but you do have to be patient in the beginning before the good stuff is served.

- This drama is quite unlike other legal/courtroom dramas where the protagonist is usually a hero figure who saves the weak and bullied to overcome unfairness created by wealth, status, power and position in society. This made it quite refreshing to watch and would set viewers thinking about many questions, sometimes very difficult to have a definitive answer to. The central figure in this drama i.e. Akizumi can be said to be controversial and uses questionable tactics at times to achieve his aims. While he would be considered to be more on the good side, it is indeed difficult to classify him as a true-blue hero. Besides him, even the other characters may not be considered as fully good or bad just as how life is like when black and white isn't so clear-cut too. Even though many dramas would emphasize the message that the law is supposed to treat everyone fairly and that it metes out appropriate punishment to those who are guilty, I think that many stories also do not say it as it is happening in real-life i.e. that the world is not always a better place especially when there are injustices caused by the application of law in a wrong way. It is an uncomfortable fact that is sometimes glossed over or merely hinted at so for this drama to point it out so frankly and not be politically correct about praising the legal system, I thought that this was a very unusual take on this topic and enhanced the uniqueness of this drama.

- The acting was really impressive across the board this time. While there were some who really didn't get to shine until the very end because of the way the story was designed e.g. Kimura Yoshino, there were some surprises and noteworthy performances such as Kitamura Takumi and Hotta Mayu whose acting had a newfound level of maturity (perhaps because their characters were lawyers who had a little bit of experience and they were thrown into the deep end early into the game to "grow up" quickly) or Ogata Naoto who only appeared in small pockets of airtime here and there but was able to show a full spectrum of emotions especially when his character Shimizu's story was revealed. Hasegawa Hiroki managed to carry the show well with his portrayal of Akizumi and the cross-exchanges with his co-stars especially Nomura Mansai and Kitamura were actually quite interesting to watch.

Disliked: 
- While I was generally satisfied with the story, the only issue which I had was how "obvious" or rather how stupid the baddies in the story always had to bring about their own downfalls by being too complacent and wanting to rub salt into injury for their enemies/rivals just when they thought that they had the upperhand. It happened so many times that it was becoming predictable and as the viewer, that was a sure sign that the tables would be overturned soon. Well, it is not difficult to see that such stories would probably try to make sure that the evil will have their due punishments but to have a blatant hint or pre-warning that it's coming, that just kind of spoils the fun. Not to mention how it always irritated the hell out of me to see the baddies gloating for that fleeting moment of "I think I already won" and suffer a crushing defeat later. The gratification of beating the bad guys shouldn't be diminished by an obvious warning - I know it's coming and I don't need to be told about that beforehand in such a way.

- This may be just me but whenever I see Nomura Mansai in a drama or movie, his acting style as a Kyogen stage actor seems a bit of a mismatch with TV. While I understood that Datehara was a not-so-typical prosecutor and that he was a narcistic person who only thought of his own interests but still masked his self-love and selfish actions as for the sake of his loved ones, I thought that Nomura's acting was still a bit over-the-top at times. I have to say though, I do think he acts well but somehow it's a bit too "big" for TV dramas in terms of expressiveness and scale of emotion projection.
I've read before that stage actors tend to have different ways of projecting their voices and are "bigger" or more expressive in their body languages as compared to those who appear more on TV and in movies. This is so that the audience can see their performances well regardless of where they sit in the performing venue. As such, when you put that expanded way of performing on stage within the constraints of TV dramas and movies where cameras can do close-ups and "expand" these actions and expressions to look even bigger, the stage play style of acting then looks exaggerated as a result. For those who may find stage actors like Nomura acting in a way quite different from their peers who mainly appear in TV dramas and movies, this could be the reason. 
Some actors do manage to tone down or adjust their approaches depending on the genre e.g. Nakamura Shido does a pretty good job at this. Fujiwara Tatsuya who had a lot of stage play experience in his younger days, did come across as pretty overwhelming to me back then but has also toned down quite a bit to make his acting less "in-your-face" in dramas and movies. As such, if the characters in question call for a more exaggerated or dramatic way of acting, this difference in scale of expression might not be so much of an issue. However, in Datehara's case, he was always animated and exaggerated so there wasn't any tone-down moment that could offer some respite.

Sunday, June 16, 2024

Quick Review #47: Tsukuyomi-kun no kindan oyashoku - Spring 2023



Title: Tsukuyomi-kun no kindan oyashoku / 月読くんの禁断お夜食

Rating: 7 /10 

Recommended for
For those who like food-themed dramas with a romance element and are fans of Hagiwara Riku, Triendl Reina and Asaka Koudai

Liked:
- While the title suggests a "forbidden" element, there was nothing racy although there were some scenes which were a tad suggestive to get viewers excited about the romance developing between Yuuga (Hagiwara) and Soyogi (Triendl). You can interpret the "forbidden-ness" in a couple of ways i.e. Soyogi not supposed to eat anything late at night because she needs to maintain her figure as a personal trainer, Soyogi allowing Yuuga to come to her apartment at night to make supper for her even though the circumstances that led to this arrangement did seem quite unlikely in real life or that Yuuga wasn't supposed to develop romantic feelings for Soyogi because he had a motive in getting close to her. 
If you can get past the settings not being so realistic especially the part about letting a male stranger enter your house just like that, the drama offers a nice blend of the delicious-looking yet seemingly healthy dishes along with the doki-doki romance aspect. Nothing too heavy and angsty even till the end and Hagiwara and Triendl looked pretty good together on screen so I thought it was more palatable than I initially expected. 

- My impression of Hagiwara has been quite vague to date since I've only watched him in supporting roles. This is the first time that I have seen him in a meatier role and it was a pleasant surprise to see how he could handle the various emotions of Tsukuyomi-kun quite well. Looks like a pretty promising actor in the making. Likewise for Triendl, I thought that her performance as Soyogi was credible and she definitely looked the part as a popular personal trainer. My impression of Asaka was still very much rooted in when he appeared in "Anata no ban desu" so it was a refreshing change to see him as the charming yet somewhat mysterious Taiga here. I also liked the brotherly interactions between Hagiwara and Asaka which sometimes bordered on a tad suggestive.

Disliked: 
- I wouldn't say that this is something which I dislike but probably a bit lacking if you want something that's more of a complete package. As I mentioned above, the drama was perhaps meant to be something which can tantalise slightly but not overly excite the viewer. Just like how Tsukuyomi-kun's dishes aren't meant to overwhelm Soyogi's body in terms of quantity or flavours, the drama can come across as bland and somewhat predictable for viewers who are looking for a bit more excitement or surprise. So while it is on average decent on all fronts, I would struggle to say that there is anything which stands out significantly over the competition.

Saturday, June 15, 2024

Quick Review #46: Nami yo kiitekure - Spring 2023


Title: Nami yo kiitekure / 波よ聞いてくれ

Rating: 6 /10 

Recommended for
For those who like a strong and unconventional female lead character in stories or are fans of Koshiba Fuuka

Liked:
- Koshiba Fuuka really carried this drama well despite my pre-season concern over whether she would be able to pull this off. I have no doubt that she can act well but my image of her till the point I watched this drama was more on the demure, clean and not very unconventional side i.e. totally different from Minare who dresses in a strong personal style, has a very hard-to-miss image and can be foul-mouthed at times. As such, it was such a pleasant surprise to see how she managed to play the character Minare so seamlessly. Those scenes when she rattled off lines sounding like tongue twisters on radio to lecture people and speak out on things were especially impressive. Her interactions with Matou (Kitamura Kazuki) were also interesting to watch - it felt like two skillful players engaged in a never-ending ping pong rally.

- The first three episodes of the drama - while bordering on slight craziness at some junctures - helped the story to begin with a bang and successfully maintain the viewers' interest in finding out how far Minare could go on radio (in terms of what she would say) and what kind of unusual things or deeds she would do.

Disliked: 
- Due to the fact that the drama began quite promisingly, I was expecting more but from the mid-point onwards, the spark somewhat fizzled out almost instantaneously. While there were highlights here and there, the moment when the limelight was spread out from Minare alone to the people around her, it felt like the razor-sharp appeal of the drama which pulled me in at first was quickly diluted. Usually, I am supportive of the idea of seeing more of the supporting characters (if they have interesting stories to offer) but what was presented didn't really keep me engaged or interested. As such, while I had a strong desire to drop off by Ep 5, I still pressed on till the end for the sake of closure and to see Koshiba in action. Coincidentally, I had mentioned in my review of Ep 1 that I felt that I might not stick with this till the end. Turns out my gut feel or first impression at that time was right after all.
Note that I have not read the original manga before so I have no idea whether the drama follows the source material quite closely or had deviated greatly in terms of storytelling style. As such, I can't tell what might be the problem especially the ending which made me feel a bit "meh". Considering that the manga is still being serialised, I can only guess that the drama's ending could have nothing to do with the manga.

Friday, June 14, 2024

Quick Review #45: Watashitachi wa douka shiteiru - Summer 2020


Title: Watashitachi wa douka shiteiru / 私たちはどうかしている

Rating: 6 /10 

Recommended for
For those who like a visually-pleasing drama or a story about star-crossed lovers

Liked:
- The biggest highlight of this drama for me would definitely be the visuals. This was partly due to the fact that the story was set in a family which owns a longtime Japanese wagashi business so there was no lack of beautiful and delicious-looking wagashi featured. In addition, the set as well as the traditional clothes worn by the cast tend to be have an array of often bright colours so it definitely spiced up the visual appeal on screen. Not to mention that the leading couple was a sight to behold and definitely looked quite good together.

- Although I am not too keen on stories about star-crossed lovers, I thought that the evolution of the relationship between the leads played by Hamabe Minami and Yokohama Ryuusei was quite engaging to watch. This was partly due to the fact that they did put up compelling and immersive performances to convince me as if they were indeed the characters themselves.

- The acting from veteran supporting actors like Mizuki Arisa and Sano Shiro is definitely worth keeping a lookout for.

Disliked: 
- The title of the drama which literally means "something is wrong with us", is a good reflection of how much madness there was in the story. Everyone was crazy about something or someone thus it felt like a showdown to see who was more extreme in their obsession. I haven't read the original manga so I can't compare if the drama reflected accurately what was depicted in the source material or was heavily altered to project this level of madness. What I can say is though, some viewers may roll eyes at some of the developments which felt somewhat ridiculous to me at least so it might not be easy to sit through the entire drama even though the visual fest was a huge factor which made me finish this drama. If the drama was a bit more grounded in reality and shifted more of the focus to the lovers rather than the mess from the older generation, it might go down a lot more easier for most viewers.

Thursday, June 13, 2024

Quick Review #44: Subete wasurete shimau kara - Summer 2022



Title: Subete wasurete shimau kara / すべて忘れてしまうから

Rating: 3 /10 

Recommended for
NA (I think this drama will be quite polarising in terms of viewer response - either you love it or cannot stand it. That is why I struggle to find a reason as a recommendation.)

Liked:
- Personally, Ep 9 was the highlight of the entire series. I liked how it illustrated the message of how time and tide wait for none through the relationship of M and F changing in the 6 months they were apart and how F had changed as a result of her desire to change her life. While things may look like they are still the same, nothing actually remains as a constant and shouldn't be taken for granted.

- Abe Hiroshi and Ono Machiko along with some of the supporting cast members did well in their own ways but it would have been much better if the story turned out to be more compelling. There are also some unexpected cameos to look out for.

Disliked: 
- I actually dropped this once after watching 4 episodes and only resumed finishing the rest of the episodes recently (albeit at a faster speed). There were two reasons for my lack of enthusiasm - the pace was so slow and I wasn't seeing where the story was heading. The title seemed to suggest that the journey of M trying to find out where F had gone and why she had disappeared would be a process of helping him to remember the things he forgot in life. However, it was till the end that I felt - actually, M's discoveries about F hardly filled in the pieces as to why she took off suddenly without a word. As such, it would probably take a lot of patience for viewers to sit through this if they want to find answers about the relationship between M and F or know more about M and his past. And because things were so draggy (if you want to put it nicely, it's relaxing and laidback), I think you need to be in a certain mood or state of mind to be able to enjoy this. I guess I wasn't so I felt quite annoyed at the drama.
Since the drama is based on an essay series, perhaps the less-structured way of storytelling could be the reason why I felt that the drama was going on a wild goose chase. Just like how M really didn't seem to know his girlfriend well at all.

*Now available on Disney+

Wednesday, June 12, 2024

Review of "Shiyakusho" (Death Office) - Autumn 2019


I have been very keen about watching this drama primarily because of two reasons i.e. the story and Matsuoka Masahiro. Being a longtime fan of TOKIO and Mabo in particular, I try to watch his dramas as much as possible but sometimes due to time constraints or lack of access to certain titles, it hasn't always been easy. You can then imagine my surprise and excitement when I suddenly saw this title on my Netflix landing page one day without prior warning especially since it wasn't in my list of suggested upcoming titles after all. Given that there are only 10 episodes which last about 30+ minutes each (shorter than the norm of 45 mins), it was a breeze to sit through and I managed to finish everything in 2 days. As for the story, I like plots which are thought-provoking so this is right up my alley.

Before you proceed further, just a gentle reminder that if you don't want to read any spoilers, you may wish to skip this review and come back when you have finished this drama. 


For a start, the premise of the story is very simple and straightforward. Between the mortal world where we human beings live in and the afterlife for the departed, there is this place called Shiyakusho i.e. directly translated as Death Public Office. For the sake of clarity, I believe that the English title was abbreviated to remove the word "public" in case people wonder what "public office" meant. To put it simply, the name "shiyakusho" refers to this "in-between" or "transit station" for the dead before they move on to the afterlife and can also be considered as a pun on the real life term 市役所 (pronounced as shiyakusho too) but this means city public office where people conduct various government transactions such as registering births, marriage and change of addresses. Going forward, the mention of shiyakusho in this review will be with reference to the version for the dead as featured in this drama.

In the shiyakusho, people who passed away due to various reasons are supposed to fill in some forms for the paperwork required to move on to the afterlife at designated departments depending on how they died. False declarations or misrepresentations don't work here as the staff can see information of the deceased's lives on their systems and won't be able to proceed with the paperwork if the declaration does not match the facts. Once this is done, the deceased will then be ushered to the gate of Nirvana where they can be reborn if they are sent to Heaven. Conversely, if they are sent to Hell, they will be punished for their sins and if these are serious enough, they will be sent to the purgatory where there will be no chance of being reborn and the soul must wander in darkness forever. Failure to complete this process within 49 days will also result in the deceased's soul being sent to the purgatory. Up to this point, it's quite clear that the system is largely based on Buddhism and its ideas of the afterlife. 

From Eps 1 to 4, you will be able to see different cases of the deceased coming to this shiyakusho and how they come to terms with their lives and deaths before moving on to the afterlife. Through the eyes of a deceased university student Miki Michiru (Kuroshima Yuina), the whole system is explained as various deceased move through the process. 

From Ep 5 onwards, that is where you begin to find out more about the staff there and the stories when they were still alive. Much as I would like to go into details here, that would probably spoil the fun for you especially if you haven't read the manga before just like me. What I can say though, prepare some tissues from the second half of the drama.

As of the point when the drama was shown and even up till now, the manga series is still being serialised. This can usually pose a problem for the adaptations because the ending either has to be at some point in the manga i.e. inconclusive or the story will head in a different direction from the manga so that the drama/movie can be "finished" in a sense. What I liked about this drama adaptation is that the story wasn't not put to a forced end and the presence of still unanswered questions and unexplored parts wasn't a big issue since the drama had a pretty open ending (room for future sequels?). And I was also thankful that the story didn't try to steer the story towards a direction totally different from the manga just to have a proper conclusion. As such, while some may be concerned that the drama may lead to nowhere by the end or that the story will head to an undesired direction, you can rest assured that it won't be the case.

I may be biased but I really liked Matsuoka's performance as Shimura especially towards the end when his background story was revealed. Of course, most of the drama showed him as a monotonous, somewhat cynical despite his polite demeanour and at times, creepy person but when you find out what happened to him, his behaviour and mannerisms then made sense. As such, viewers may not take to his character so readily at first but he should grow on you over time. Denden and Kiyohara Sho were fantastic as well especially in their respective episodes but it was a pity that Matsumoto Marika's character Nishikawa didn't get her background story featured this time. As for Kuroshima Yuina's character, she didn't leave much of an impression on me since I felt that she was like a "guide" to help viewers find out how the shiyakusho functions.

Considering that the manga had 14 volumes of material by the time this drama was aired in 2019, the time is about right for a sequel since the manga is already at volume 25 as of April this year. However, given that the series hasn't concluded, I feel that it might not be the best timing since the biggest question of what happened to Shimura's family (if still unrevealed in the manga) doesn't have an answer. As such, while I'm hopeful for a sequel to have a proper ending to the drama, perhaps it will take a bit more time to materialise.

Tuesday, June 11, 2024

Quick Review #43: Giver Taker - Winter 2023


Title: Giver Taker / ギバーテイカー

Rating: 8.5 /10 

Recommended for
Those who like psychological suspense stories with a humanity theme and are fans of the cast especially Nakatani Miki, Kikuchi Fuuma and Ikeuchi Hiroyuki

Liked:
- The length of the drama was just right at 5 episodes so the pacing of the story was never draggy and had an adequate amount of tension balanced with the emotional scenes. As for the suspense element, it was never a question of who did it but rather why did he do what he did but I didn't think that it was much of an issue. While the story shuttled between the past i.e. 12 years ago and the present day, the transition between the timelines was smooth and provided some nice and subtle comparisons between the key characters for the viewers to observe and notice. For example, the colours of the clothes worn by Itsuki (Nakatani) when she was still a school teacher and leading a happy life were largely warm pastel tones while she was largely in black by the time she became a police detective and after her daughter was murdered. On the other hand, Ruoto's (Kikuchi) clothes back when he was a kid had comparatively brighter colours than when he returned as an adult and always wore white shirts - I assume that this is supposedly with reference to the assumption that his dirty past had been "washed away" after being locked up and undergoing psychiatric treatment for years.

- The acting from Nakatani, Kikuchi and Ikeuchi were simply fantastic. Although the current timeline showed Itsuki mired largely in angsty, distrusting and sad moods due to the tragedy, Nakatani was able to show the "before" stage so well that the contrast from having fallen from heaven to hell came across more convincingly. And her emotional struggle caused by her multiple identities as a police officer, a mother, former teacher and family of a crime victim was compelling to watch. 
As for Kikuchi, he really gave me the shivers as Ruoto even when he was putting on an angelic face. To be honest, my image of Kikuchi is largely influenced by what I've seen in variety shows or on Yonino Channel so I've always wondered if I can take him seriously as an actor. If "Tonari no otoko yoku taberu" made me sit up and take notice of him as an actor for the first time, this is definitely his signature work which I suppose his fans wouldn't want to miss.
I haven't watched Ikeuchi in action for so many years so it was such a surprise to see how he managed to nail the role of Imai and exude so much masculine charm. I'm glad that the story didn't try to introduce a romantic angle between Imai and Itsuki and think that they really fit each other well as work partners. Would be nice to see Ikeuchi and Nakatani in action again.

Disliked: 
- Despite the title, the "giver" part of the story was not so obvious compared to the "taker" aspect. Most of the episodes focused on Ruoto's murderous nature and it was quite late in the story before the "giver" element was described, albeit a bit in a light touch-and-go format. As such, it might have been better if there was a bit more time devoted to contrast between both elements of the title and make the theme of the drama more memorable as a result.

- The thing about stories like this where a psychopath like Ruoto is featured, there is always a "redeeming factor" or rather justification as to why he had turned out like this. I personally would have preferred Ruoto to be a more hardcore psychopath who was born like this rather than changing his character artificially due to external influences. And because the explanation came so late in the story, it felt like the development was shoved right into my face. I didn't really see the logic nor could accept how the story tried to change my opinion of Ruoto by making him look like a tragic baddie. One plausible reason for this late timing though could be to emphasize how Ruoto's mother's final action was simply too little and too late to help him change his fate.

Monday, June 10, 2024

Quick Review #42: 100 mankai ieba yokatta - Winter 2023


Title: 100 mankai ieba yokatta / 100万回言えばよかった

Rating: 4 /10 

Recommended for
Those who like love stories between human beings and ghosts which are destined for a tragic end.

You may refer here for my detailed review of Episode 1. 

Liked:
- If you look at this drama purely as a love story destined for a sad ending, I think it did achieve its purpose as there were so much tears and sadness across the board. While some stories could try to do a sharp twist just to please the viewers with a happy ending, I'm glad that this drama stayed its course and went all the way to the logical while not necessarily sad conclusion.

- The acting from the three leads was on par with their usual standards. Of course, my personal bias would be for Matsuyama Kenichi who managed to make the somewhat clumsy but very kind Yuzuru extremely endearing and someone to root for although everyone knew that he wouldn't have a chance with the female lead. I felt that Inoue Mao's spot-on portrayal of Yui who remained steadfast in her love for Naoki (Sato Takeru) and her juggling of the variety of emotions Yui had throughout the course of the story made this one of her memorable performances to date. Not to mention that she looked good with both male leads (the living and dead ones). As for Sato, I thought that the parts when Naoki's family story and the circumstances leading to Naoki's death stood out a bit more for me compared to the romance aspect.

Disliked: 
- One of the concerns I raised in my Ep 1 review was the story hinting at a possibility that Naoki might not be dead after all. I thought that it took too long for his "status" to be confirmed so it was getting a tad draggy at that point. I would have preferred that they took no more than 2 episodes to certify his death and then move on to the rest of the story. Time is precious.

- I also didn't like the reason why Naoki died. Of course, the dark truth was not a trivial thing nor something to be seen as unimportant but at least for me, I felt that he had died in vain somehow and wasted the potentially happy rest of his life with the woman he loved. And to make it worse, it was so easy to guess who the culprit was because dramaland logic always tells you that the least suspicious-looking one or the supposedly kindest or most unlikely one would be the one. As such, I think things could have been wrapped up with lesser episodes or that more airtime could have been devoted to the stories of the three leads rather than have the case investigation meander through the season in such a slow pace.

Sunday, June 09, 2024

Quick Review #41: Saiai - Autumn 2021


Title: Saiai / 最愛

Rating: 8.5 /10 

Recommended for
Those who like suspense dramas with humanity themes and are fans of the cast

Liked:
- The story was on the whole, very well-crafted with a nice balance between the suspense and love elements. While it was not too difficult to guess the who-did-it part, the motive behind the characters' actions and how things happened were comparatively not so straightforward so it should satisfy viewers who want a bit of difficulty in the suspense department. To bring out the theme of "dearest" and "most-loved" in the story, the love elements (not just romantic) were designed in such a way that made me ponder over the different forms in which love could take and how the love could change in terms of intensity and what it could make people do in different situations.

- The acting was high-level across the board so that was probably one key reason why the drama was so successful in terms of critical reviews and the accolades it won. It may not have been that "big" in terms of real-time ratings but it definitely did deserve all the praise it got. In particular, I would like to highlight Tanaka Minami's performance here. To be honest, her strong, outspoken and daredevil image in variety shows do get into the way when she assumes her other identity as an actress. However, how she displayed the vulnerabilities in her character along with the strong pretense the character showed to the world despite the tragedy that happened left a very deep impression on me. I must say, this drama changed my opinion of Tanaka as an actress.

Disliked: 
- Perhaps due to the fact that this drama was written and produced by the same people as those who made "N no tame ni", I couldn't shake off the similarities between both dramas and kept making comparisons between them. Both were about stories of how people made sacrifices and did things out of the ordinary or illegal or morally unacceptable for the sake of the people they loved. Both were suspense stories of trying to figure out who did what and why they did it. The only difference was that "N no tame ni" was adapted from Minato Kanae's novel while "Saiai" was an original story. Frankly speaking, both pieces of work were great in their own ways. However, in terms of suspense, I thought that "Saiai" was a tad lacking because if you know the theme of the drama, you could probably guess who was the culprit and see where things were headed. In that sense, "N no tame ni" was comparatively more difficult to guess. If the complexity of "Saiai" was higher, I think I would have given it a perfect score.

- The romance between the leads was somewhat lacking. Not to mean that the actors had no chemistry but the way the story was crafted put a lot of emphasis on the regretful and sad part of how they had to go their separate ways because of what happened. However, when they got back together even after the dust settled, the romance just didn't come across as compelling or in other words, didn't convince me that they did love each that much. I guess this was a bit disappointing. On the contrary, the culprit's love for the female lead really shone through a lot more.

Saturday, June 08, 2024

Quick Review #40: "Kaibutsu no kikori"


Title: Kaibutsu no kikori / 怪物の木こり

Rating: 3 /10 

Recommended for
Those who like Miike Takashi's works and are fans of the cast

Liked:
- The very last part of the movie where the viewers were posed this question: is evil by nature or can be induced/nurtured? and how the key baddies struggled with the realisation and weight of their actions.

Disliked: 
- Personally, I feel that the best part of the movie was unfortunately the part that didn't get its deserved attention and airtime. It would have been best if Kamenashi Kazuya's character had enough time to show the emotional struggle of realising the weight of his psychopathic behaviour. Too little, too late because the ending was just too sloppy and expected. It was so disappointing because the movie could have turned the tables with a much better conclusion.

- I've always had an issue with Director Miike's works - too much unnecessary gore but doesn't really serve much of a purpose in enhancing the story. Sad to say, this movie is yet another example of this issue.

- Honestly speaking, the ladies in this movie really didn't get a chance to shine. Yoshioka Riho's role was just too boring and annoying to watch while Nanao's portrayal of a criminal profiler was so awkward and not what she could be capable of delivering based on some of her past works which I had watched. In contrast, the guys did much better especially Sometani Shota, Nakamura Shido and Shibukawa Kiyohiko even though they were supporting characters. Wonder if it's a common issue which I tend to observe in the Miike's films I've watched so far - somehow more "masculine" in terms of vibe and hardly gives any spotlight to the female characters?

Friday, June 07, 2024

Preview of "Yo ni mo kimyou na monogatari Summer 2024 SP" (Drama SP)


Title: Yo ni mo kimyou na monogatari Summer 2024 SP / 世にも奇妙な物語’24夏の特別編
Official website: here
Official X: here
O.A. Date: 8 June 2024 at 9pm
Broadcast by: FujiTV
Narrator: Tamori
Cast: 
"Tomobikimura" - Hara Nanoka, Mizusawa Rintaro & Joutaro
"Jinrui no takara" - Takasugi Mahiro, Niiro Shinya & Tsunematsu Yuri
"Shuukan Motokoibito wo tsukuru" - Takahashi Hikaru, Takezai Terunosuke & Tomita Suzuka
"Tsuiyoku no youkan" - Wakamura Mayumi, Jesse, Yamada Mekiyo, Yamano Umi & Ikeda Akana

Thursday, June 06, 2024

Quick Review #39: "Yomei 10-nen"


Title: Yomei 10-nen / 余命10年

Rating: 8 /10 

Recommended for
Those who like a bittersweet love story without being too overwhelming and are fans of the cast

Liked:
- To be honest, love stories like this headed for an inevitable tragic end are aplenty and pretty predictable in terms of how the story would develop. I haven't read the original novel so my opinion is solely based on this movie. While there were no surprise or unexpected twists in this story, I thought that the way how the developments were laid out without going too overboard on the drama or emotions. There was a fine balance between the sad, happy, romantic and heartwarming elements in this story so it made this movie more palatable than I expected.

- This movie really stood out for its fine visuals such as the aesthetically pleasing sakura scenes, at the ski resort during winter and summer at the beach. To top it off, the cast pairings looked good with each other especially the lead couple played by Sakaguchi Kentaro & Komatsu Nana. I was a bit concerned previously because of their age gap in real life but surprisingly, they still looked quite compatible as a same-age former-classmates couple. Nao and Yamada Yuuki were also very nice to watch - just too bad that the movie never explained clearly what happened between their characters towards the end.

- The acting from the cast as a whole was simply great. While the story lacked novelty and surprises, the acting covered up the gaps with compelling yet not overwhelming portrayals of the characters. Even the supporting cast like Kuroki Haru and Matsushige Yutaka had their moments to shine. I especially liked Komatsu's performance - she really nailed the conflicting emotions in Matsuri very well especially how she underwent changes in her mindset after reuniting and falling in love with Kazuto (Sakaguchi).

Disliked: 
- While the film as a whole was a fine piece of work, I think that those looking for this to be different from the numerous love stories out there might be a bit disappointed. Then again, such stories are somewhat bound by a standard formula where they can't deviate too much and put in a lot of unnatural or unexpected twists to spice up the story. As such, while I don't think there are any major flaws in the movie, I would still find it difficult to say that it can be considered as a top-notch classic in this genre. Perhaps the lack of a strong theme song or BGM to accentuate the atmosphere or vibe of the scene was what could have made this different e.g. what Hirai Ken's "Hitomi wo tojite" did for "Sekai no chuushin de ai wo sakebu".

Wednesday, June 05, 2024

The 119th Drama Academy Awards (Winter 2024) - Best Drama


Overall Ranking Top 3
1) Futekisetsu nimo hodo ga aru!
2) Bugiugi
3) Ossan no pantsu ga nandatte ii janai ka!

Voters Ranking Top 5
1) Eye Love You
2) Chuubou no Arisu
3) Ossans Love - Returns -
4) Bugiugi
5) Marusu - Zero no kakumei -

TV Reporters Ranking Top 5
1) Futekisetsu nimo hodo ga aru!
2) Haru ni nattara
3) Ossans Love - Returns -
4) Eye Love You
5) Bugiugi

Judges Ranking Top 5
1) Futekisetsu nimo hodo ga aru!
2) Bugiugi
3) Ossan no pantsu ga nandatte ii janai ka!
4) SHUT UP
5) Haru ni nattara

Source: The Television

Tuesday, June 04, 2024

The 119th Drama Academy Awards (Winter 2024) - Best Leading Actor


Overall Ranking Top 3
1) Abe Sadao - Futekisetsu nimo hodo ga aru!
2) Kinashi Noritake - Haru ni nattara
3) Harada Taizo - Ossan no pantsu ga nandatte ii janai ka!

Voters Ranking Top 5
1) Abe Sadao - Futekisetsu nimo hodo ga aru!
2) Yamashita Tomohisa - Shoujiki Fudousan 2
3) Tanaka Kei - Ossans Love - Returns -
4) Sakurai Sho - Shin Kuukou Senkyo
5) Michieda Shunsuke - Marusu - Zero no kakumei -

TV Reporters Ranking Top 5
1) Abe Sadao - Futekisetsu nimo hodo ga aru!
2) Kinashi Noritake - Haru ni nattara
3) Tanaka Kei - Ossans Love - Returns -
4) Harada Taizo - Ossan no pantsu ga nandatte ii janai ka!
5) Suzuka Ouji - Yamibaito Kazoku

Judges Ranking Top 5
1) Abe Sadao - Futekisetsu nimo hodo ga aru!
2) Nishijima Hidetoshi - Sayonara Maestro
Harada Taizo - Ossan no pantsu ga nandatte ii janai ka!
Kinashi Noritake - Haru ni nattara
5) Tanaka Kei - Ossans Love - Returns -

Monday, June 03, 2024

The 119th Drama Academy Awards (Winter 2024) - Best Leading Actress


Overall Ranking Top 3
1) Shuri - Bugiugi
2) Nao - Haru ni nattara
3) Kadowaki Mugi - Chuubou no Arisu

Voters Ranking Top 5
1) Nikaidou Fumi - Eye Love You
2) Kadowaki Mugi - Chuubou no Arisu
3) Shuri - Bugiugi
4) Higa Minami - Tsukuritai onna to tabetai onna Season 2
5) Nao - Haru ni nattara

TV Reporters Ranking Top 5
1) Nao - Haru ni nattara
2) Shuri - Bugiugi
3) Nagano Mei - Kimi ga kokoro wo kuretara
4) Kadowaki Mugi - Chuubou no Arisu
5) Nikaidou Fumi - Eye Love You

Judges Ranking Top 5
1) Shuri - Bugiugi
2) Nao - Haru ni nattara
3) Kadowaki Mugi - Chuubou no Arisu
4) Nikaidou Fumi - Eye Love You
5) Nagano Mei - Kimi ga kokoro wo kuretara

Sunday, June 02, 2024

The 119th Drama Academy Awards (Winter 2024) - Best Supporting Actor


Overall Ranking Top 3
1) Kusanagi Tsuyoshi - Bugiugi
2) Chae Jong Hyeop - Eye Love You
3) Isomura Hayato - Futekisetsu nimo hodo ga aru!

Voters Ranking Top 5
1) Chae Jong Hyeop - Eye Love You
2) Nagase Ren - Chuubou no Arisu
3) Kusanagi Tsuyoshi - Bugiugi
4) Hayashi Kento - Ossans Love - Returns -
5) Yagi Yuusei - Konkatsu 100 bon nokku

TV Reporters Ranking Top 5
1) Chae Jong Hyeop - Eye Love You
2) Kusanagi Tsuyoshi - Bugiugi
Isomura Hayato - Futekisetsu nimo hodo ga aru!
4) Koike Teppei - Rikon shinai otoko
5) Yoshida Kotaro - Ossans Love - Returns -

Judges Ranking Top 5
1) Kusanagi Tsuyoshi - Bugiugi
2) Koike Teppei - Rikon shinai otoko
Isomura Hayato - Futekisetsu nimo hodo ga aru!
4) Takasugi Mahiro - Tonari no nurse aid
Chae Jong Hyeop - Eye Love You

Saturday, June 01, 2024

Quick Review #38: "Motto chouetsu shita tokoro e"


Title: Motto chouetsu shita tokoro e / もっと超越したところへ

Rating: 8 /10 

Recommended for
Those who like a well-crafted unconventional love story and are fans of the cast

Liked:
- At first, I thought that this was just another typical story about how women fall for good-for-nothing and flawed guys and cannot bring themselves to end such toxic relationships. However, things started to improve dramatically from the mid-point when it was revealed that the four couples featured here actually had their fates intertwined some time back in the past. The twist was well-engineered and gave an inkling into why these women were still stuck in such hopeless relationships with equally, if not worse men compared to their exes. 

- The acting from the 4 female leads especially Maeda Atsuko and Shuri was simply impressive. I really liked how they all managed to show the strong and vulnerable sides of their characters which made them endearing and incomprehensible at the same time. At some points, I thought that these women deserved to get these guys in their lives but on the other hand, it was hard not to empathise with their plights. When these women were lashing out at these rotten guys in their lives, that was so gratifying and very engaging to watch. The actors who played these hopeless boyfriends (especially Kikuchi Fuuma, Chiba Yuudai and Miura Takahiro) also managed to deliver such a convincing performance because I was so annoyed at them and kept rolling eyes at their behaviours.

Disliked: 
- While the story was balanced by not laying the blame of the toxic relationships entirely on the men or the women, I think that the ending would make the audience divided. Either you would think that it is the icing on the cake or that it spoiled everything that was built up till that point. Unfortunately for me, I really didn't like the final twist and the delivery of it was just so silly. While I get that this movie was adapted from a stage play and could need that part to "liven up the mood and show the joyous side of the so-called happy ending", I couldn't help but wonder if these women really benefited from the entire experience. It just seemed as if the women's short-lived awakening and self-realisation went down the drain in a split second and all that drama was for nothing.

* Note: Stay till the credits section for some behind-the-scenes still shots of the cast.

The 119th Drama Academy Awards (Winter 2024) - Best Supporting Actress


Overall Ranking Top 3
1) Kawai Yumi - Futekisetsu nimo hodo ga aru!
2) Shinoda Mariko - Rikon shinai otoko
3) Naka Riisa - Futekisetsu nimo hodo ga aru!

Voters Ranking Top 5
1) Yamashita Mizuki - Eye Love You
2) Maeda Atsuko - Chuubou no Arisu
3) Kikuchi Rinko - Bugiugi
4) Kawai Yumi - Futekisetsu nimo hodo ga aru!
5) Fukuhara Haruka - Shoujiki Fudousan 2

TV Reporters Ranking Top 5
1) Kawai Yumi - Futekisetsu nimo hodo ga aru!
2) Naka Riisa - Futekisetsu nimo hodo ga aru!
3) Shinoda Mariko - Rikon shinai otoko
4) Kikuchi Rinko - Bugiugi
5) Yoshida Yo - Futekisetsu nimo hodo ga aru!

Judges Ranking Top 5
1) Kawai Yumi - Futekisetsu nimo hodo ga aru!
2) Ashida Mana - Sayonara Maestro
3) Kikuchi Rinko - Bugiugi
Shinoda Mariko - Rikon shinai otoko
5) Naka Riisa - Futekisetsu nimo hodo ga aru!