Ninkyou Helper to be made into a movie

"Ninkyou Helper", the 2009 FujiTV drama starring Kusanagi Tsuyoshi, will be made into a movie as reported on 8 Feb. Kusanagi played a gangster who was sent to an old folks' home for training and the drama ended with him leaving the gang and going on a trip. In the movie sequel, Kusanagi's character will have to cope with the difficulties of being a former gangster and the challenges with working in a new old folks' home.

Kusanagi will have action scenes in the movie of which there's one which shows him fighting with 50 people. The movie is currently in the midst of filming and will be screened in Nov this year. Fellow cast members include Sakai Masaaki, Kuroki Meisa, Yasuda Narumi, Kaho, Kazama Shunsuke and Kagawa Teruyuki.

Source: Nikkansports

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Now...if Kuroki Meisa is indeed pregnant, that means she will have less action scenes in the movie?

Movie adaptations of dramas don't always turn out well. What's suitable for dramas may not be the same as movies. Hopefully, this movie will do well in the box office.

Summer 2009 Drama Ratings Ranking

The summer season has finally ended and the autumn season is already underway with most of the dramas having made their debut. Sorry about the late ratings report because of my tight schedule these days. I've been having so little time to watch the dramas and movies of late but I guess that I will be able to write more after my exams are over. By then, I would have another list of dramas to blog on from the current season. Nonetheless, I'm still enjoying the task of writing reviews even though I may have lots of backlog to clear. Can you believe that I have still not finished the review of Zenigeba (Winter 09) and Mr.Brain? Well, I have so many good things to say about the former and too many bad things to complain about the latter so that explains the delay. Bear with me if you are waiting for the reviews. They will come but probably at a later date.

Frankly speaking, this summer season has been rather disappointing. Pre-season, I selected only 5 dramas from the field of 15 so this goes to show how "interesting" the offering was, at least to me. This wasn't surprising because summer dramas have been seen as boring and long-regarded as "fillers" after the big-budget spring dramas and before the autumn offering comes up. As such, most TV stations seem to be pulling back when it comes to summer dramas. In recent years, there have been relatively good offerings in summer e.g. last year's "Tomorrow" and "Maou" but this label of boring dramas is almost like a unremovable stigma for the summer season and fails to stir up viewer interest.

You may be surprised to see that the top 3 for summer 2009 are ALL from FujiTV. However, there may be a good reason for this. It doesn't mean that all three dramas are of top-notch quality. Comparing them with the competition will probably give you an inkling as to why they won.

First of all, we have "Kyuumei Byoutou 24 Ji Part 4" as the winner for this season with an average of 19.20%. If you want to take into consideration the 4-part SPs before the official O.A., the average is still well-above 2nd-placed "Ninkyou Helper" i.e. 17.13% vs. 15.02%. Frankly speaking, if not for the unfortunate accident involving Eguchi Yosuke before the O.A., viewer interest might not have been so high. The delayed telecast succeeded in boosting viewer interest which explains why it got an above-20% rating for its first episode. Mind you, no other drama had an episode above 20% throughout the whole season. However, if you have read my review, all I can say that it was a bit sloppy at times in terms of production. I am guessing that the accident caught the crew off-guard so there were a lot of changes which worked out not to be their advantage. To date, I still think that Part 3 was the best or should I say more well-rounded.

In 2nd place, we have "Ninkyou Helper" with an average of 15.02%. Again, this drama had an unexpected boost through Kusanagi Tsuyoshi's run-in with the law in April this year. For those who are unaware of what happened, just click the artiste news tag to see the archives. Right before the drama even began filming, it was said to be doomed because people thought that Kusanagi's image suffered such a big dent that people would not be interested to see this drama. Then, the unthinkable happened because Kusanagi got his role back and the drama did quite well. Seems like his potrayal of a nasty guy was timely since it would have been suicide if his role was another goody-two-shoes character. Although I have not finished watching this yet, the first 3 episodes were passable at the very least but not to the extent of being extremely satisfying. I can only pass my verdict after watching this.

As for No.3, we have Buzzer Beat starring Yamashita Tomohisa and Kitagawa Keiko with an average rating of 14.37%. Most of the time, love stories would do OK unless the plot is simply lousy. I didn't watch this drama so I have nothing to comment. Again, this drama also experienced a small scare when it was revealed that Yamashita had H1N1 and filming had to be delayed for a while. Luckily, the OA wasn't affected in the end.

Do you notice 2 similarities between the Top 3?

1) A sudden incident almost derailed the O.A. of the drama i.e. Eguchi's accident, Kusanagi's scandal and Yamashita's sickness.

2) They all have themes which are traditionally deemed to be ratings winners i.e. medical dramas, social themes and love stories.

This brings me to my point why the others fared not as well. The rest of the competition were too niche in their target audience. Most of the time, it's either you love it or hate it so the viewership base is naturally smaller, irrespective of the timeslot. Of course, the Top 3 had so-called golden timeslots but in this era, even midnight dramas can do well. As such, I think that the genre was probably the key factor in deciding this season's winner.

4) Karei Naru Spy (NTV) - 11.12%
This is yet another example of extremes. Frankly speaking, I didn't know how to comment on the first episode after watching it. I hated the lame jokes but I thought some parts were OK. I am still undecided about whether to proceed.

5) Tonari no Shibafu (TBS) - 9.73%
The traditional old story of mother-in-laws vs. daughter-in-laws. Well, there were so many similar themed dramas in the past so I'm very sick of this genre. It doesn't help that the cast wasn't appealing to me other than Seto Asaka.

6) Kochikame (TBS) - 9.27%
This is a drama which began with a bang literally (the CD release and event) but went out with a fizzle. The main grouse was the low quality of production and not staying true to the original. I haven't watched this, I don't know the story of the manga or anime so I really couldn't comment. However, just one glance at the trailer killed my interest.

7) Kanryoutachi no Natsu (TBS) - 9.05%
This is a serious drama and with a bunch of stern-looking men. I guess this is probably something housewives wouldn't want to watch unless they want to ogle at a particular actor. Frankly speaking, the premise of the story seems interesting but the atmosphere from the first 10 minutes of the debut episode makes me undecided again about whether to proceed.

8) Orthros no Inu (TBS) - 8.42%
The problem with this is the same as Kochikame. The TV station tried to heighten expectations but it disappointed me, at the very least. From the first 4 episodes, I can find so many irregularities or illogical points which is killing my interest. I still don't know whether I should proceed because Nishikido wasn't as outstanding as he was in Last Friends and Takizawa doesn't interest me.

9) Akahana no Sensei (NTV) - 8.33%
I didn't watch this. Despite Kobayashi Satomi's presence, I still wasn't keen to watch this. I don't know whether it was the story or Ooizumi Yo which failed to interest me.

10) Meido Deka (TV Asahi) - 8.22%
Another niche drama for those who like young girls in a detective role. I like Fukuda Saki but I hate this type of stories.

11) Koishite Akuma (FujiTV) 6.69%
This seemed to be riding on the successful wave of "Twilight" but it reeked of a last-minute patch-up production. Vampire and human love stories are not my cup of tea especially when it is presented in this manner. I don't like the lead actor as well.

12) Dandy Daddy (TV Asahi) - 6.59%
I didn't watch this.

13) Call Center no Koibito (TV Asahi) - 6.14%
Although Mimura impressed me with her performance in Zenigeba, I wasn't tempted to watch this at all. I think it's the story. As for Koizumi Kotaro, I'm pretty neutral towards him.

14) Saru Lock (NTV) - 4.65%
This is obviously targeted at guys. Although I didn't watch this, reading reviews about this drama seems to indicate that there are a lot of suggestive developments and many girls to ogle at.

* Otomen was not included in this season's ranking because it is still showing.

Summer 2009 first episode ratings report

Now that all dramas in Summer 2009 have begun their run, it's time to assess their performance based on their debut episode. Here is the ranking of the dramas:

1) Kyuumei Byoutou 24 Ji Part 4 (FujiTV) - 20.3%
It's for the story, Eguchi Yosuke + Matsushima Nanako and a stable of competent actors in the supporting cast. I have high hopes for this and expect that it will not let me down.

2) Ninkyou Helper (FujiTV) - 17.5%
The concept is quite interesting - the underworld and the elderly healthcare sector. Coupled with the fact that Kusanagi Tsuyoshi is back, it increases the hype about this drama. HOWEVER, there are some flaws here and there so I'm not completely satisfied so far. More on that when I write the review. I guess the biggest redeeming factor is that they do not make Kusanagi's role clean and wholesome right from the start especially after that scandal but it will be boring if Tsubasa Hikoichi does turn over a new leaf completely at the end.

3) Karei Naru Spy (NTV) - 15.6%
I'm at a loss for words about this. At least for the first episode, it tries to balance tension, suspense and humour at the same time. HOWEVER, some of the jokes are seriously lame. And the retro style of fashion and things amidst the modern time setting seems quite out of place. I will give it a chance over the next few episodes to see if it still interests me.

4) Buzzer Beat (FujiTV) - 15.5%
Although I entertained thoughts of watching this for Itou Hideaki, I think Yamapi + Kitagawa Keiko is enough to keep me away. And the story doesn't interest me at all, especially when I hate seeing weak guys as the lead character.

5) Kanryoutachi no Natsu (TBS) - 14.5%
Very serious theme but there's a strong cast of actors holding things afloat. Still watching this.

6) Kochikame (TBS) - 12.2%
No matter how big a hit is Kochikame (in terms of anime or manga), I am still not drawn to it. The story seems cliche (hero saving the situation etc) and I am not particularly fond of the cast except for Karina who impressed me in Love Shuffle. The moral of the story is, I'm not watching this.

7) Tonari no Shibafu (TBS) / Orthros no Inu (TBS) - 11.4%
Tonari no Shibafu reminds me too much of Double Kitchen starring Yamaguchi Tomoko years ago. No particular interest.
Orthros no Inu seems OK so far but I have my reservations about some areas. Refer to my detailed Ep 1 review for more info.

9) Otomen (FujiTV) - 9.6%
Other than Liar Game, Life and SP which interested me, this timeslot's selection usually doesn't appeal to me.

10) Meido Deka (TV Asahi) - 9.5%
Not keen.

11) Akahana no Sensei (NTV) - 9.4%
Although Kobayashi Satomi appears here, Ooizumi Yo and the story doesn't really interest me.

12) Dandy Daddy (TV Asahi) / Call Centre no Koibito (TV Asahi) - 9.3%
Not keen.

14) Koishite Akuma (FujiTV) - 8.5%
A Japanese remake of Twilight?!

15) Saru Lock (NTV) - 7.3%
Not keen.

The titles which I highlighted in purple are those which I've started watching or am going to watch. It is surprisingly that my selection for this season so far are managing to stay afloat above the 10% mark but it is still too early to judge. The first episode's rating is rarely an accurate indication of what is to come as the season progresses. Here are two trends that I noticed based on the figures:

1) Johnny's Jimusho artistes out in full force?
Just look at it, we have the veterans like Kusanagi Tsuyoshi, Katori Shingo, Nagase Tomoya, the half-seniors with some experience like Takizawa Hideaki, Nishikido Ryo, Yamashita Tomohisa and newbies like Nakayama Yuuma. Of course, a drama's success or failure does not depend solely on the cast or lead actor. However, it certainly doesn't look nice to have most of them struggling to keep things going. Nakayama's drama has been languishing in single-digit category, Yamapi, Katori, Takki, Nishikido all came up with ratings which went exactly the opposite way of expectations. Especially for Katori where TBS is said to have dumped lots of money and attention on Kochikame, the figures certainly don't justify the investment. Currently, based on the situation so far, only Ninkyou Helper looks set to stay above the 15% mark and may give Kyuumei a run for its money when it comes to the battle for No.1 this season.

2) The trend of irregular first broadcast gets more prominent
As I've mentioned before, TV stations are now showing the first O.A. at a different date as compared to the usual starting period. This season, most dramas began in the period of 1 July to 18 July. However, other than Kyumei 4 which was delayed due to Eguchi Yosuke's injury, the rest of them seemed to have done it on purpose: Saru Lock (23/7), Orthros no Inu (24/7), Meido Deka (26/6), Kochikame (1/8) and Otomen (1/8). Close to half of the dramas this season had vastly different starting dates. What was the rationale for the delay? Did it give the crew more time to do their work? Was it unfair to those who began their run on time to fit the regular season? And it certainly isn't fair to compare ratings especially when adhoc events can skew the ratings. If the dramas aren't shown in the same period, these simply isn't any point to compare.

It is still early to say who will win the race at the end. Hopefully, the first ratings report can give you some insight into who are looking like favourites and who are the dark horses. Do feel free to write your views in the comments section!

Top 10 most anticipated Summer 2009 dramas (Ori*Star)

1) Kyuumei Byoutou 24 Ji Part 4

2) Kochira Katsushika-ku Kameari Kouen mae Hashutsujo

3) Buzzer Beat ~ Kakebbuchi no Hero

4) Otomen

5) Karei naru Spy

6) Akahana no Sensei

7) Orthros no Inu

8) Ninkyou Helper

9) Saru Lock

10) Kanryoutachi no Natsu

Ninkyou Helper's first episode rating

The first episode of "Ninkyou Helper" shown on 9 July achieved a rating of 17.5% in the Kantou region. This is the first drama which Kusanagi Tsuyoshi appears in after his one-month suspension from work. Co-stars include Kuroki Meisa, Matsudaira Ken and Natsukawa Yui.

Preview of Ninkyou Helper 任侠ヘルパー - Summer 2009

Title: Ninkyou Helper (Chivalrous Helper)
Broadcast via: FujiTV
O.A. Start Date: 9 July 09
Timeslot: Wednesdays 10pm
Official website: here
Theme song: Sotto Gyutto by SMAP
Cast: Kusanagi Tsuyoshi, Kuroki Meisa, Yamamoto Yuusuke, Yabu Kouta, Naka Riisa, Yasuda Misako, Tachibana Yukiko, Yamada Shintarou, Mukai Osamu, Matsudaira Ken, Ukaji Takashi, Oosugi Ren and Natsukawa Yui

Press conference of Ninkyou Helper - Summer 2009

The production press conference of "Ninkyou Helper" (Chivalrous Helper) was held on 29 June 09 at a studio in Tokyo which was attended by cast members including SMAP's Kusanagi Tsuyoshi and Kuroki Meisa. He plays a ruthless gangster who is ordered by his boss to be a helper at an old folks' home. The theme song of the drama, "Sotto Gyutto" will be sung by SMAP and is due for release on 26 August.

As Kusanagi has to play Tsubasa Genichi, a group leader in the yakuza organization Hayato-kai, he has to go through 5 hours of preparation every time just to get the tattoo of a sakura shower on his back all the way to his arm. In addition, he has to wear a thick gold necklace whenever he appears in the drama.

Filming started on 12 June. Although Kusanagi's punishment for being caught by the police in April due to indecent exposure wasn't decided at that time, the production crew of this drama decided to wait for him and did not look for another actor to replace him.