Himitsu

[Rating: 7/10]

Genre: family, drama

Based on the novel Naoko by Higashino Keigo, Himitsu is about a man, Sugita Heisuke, who who has to deal with the aftermath of a tragic accident that ended the life of his wife, Naoko and left their teenage daughter Monami in a coma. However when Monami awakes she claims that she is Naoko in Monami’s body…

I’m not really sure how I feel about this drama, it was certainly unique and interesting to watch. I have to commend Shida Mirai who played the role of Monami/Naoko, as she had to not only portray a teenager who did not realize her mother’s spirit was possessing her, but also the role of her own mother, who struggled to fit into Monami’s schoolgirl world and into the shoes and character of Monami herself without making other people suspect Monami wasn’t really herself. From the way this drama angled itself, the focus of the story was Naoko, as she comes to grips with the fact she is no longer alive, and that her family has to get on without her and go about life as usual, also that her beloved daughter is growing up and will face typical teenage issues, especially those regarding matters of the heart. No matter how hard Naoko tries to deter Monami and Souma from falling in love, fate has a different idea, and Naoko realizes that he isn’t a bad kid, pretty tolerant of the strange quirks she adds to Monami’s behaviour and sometimes even liking her more for them. One thing that was unavoidable but still did get me rather squicked about was Heisuke’s relationship with Monami/Naoko. You feel sorry for the man, not only has he lost his wife and daughter, but they’ve now somehow become merged, and the struggle to keep sane and properly balancing this new relationship is painful. Still, the fact was that Naoko did still want Heisuke to be intimate with her and that scene (which thankfully did not happen) was slightly disturbing to watch. Shida Mirai showed a much more mature side in this drama and that she has the potential to be a good actress in the future. She has a fair sized credit list to her name already but this was something different for her. It was also interesting for me to watch Sasaki Kuranosuke, one of my favourite Japanese actors playing a more emotional and angsty role.

This drama adaptation is certainly not as philosophical or deep as some reviews I’ve read of the book, and might not be to some people’s liking, but it is a pretty decent drama about family relationships from a more unusual perspective.

Chonmage Purin

[Rating: 7/10]

A single mother and her son find themselves sheltering a young man, Kijima Yasube, who claims to be a samurai from the Edo period. During his stay with the family, Kijima finds that he has a knack in making pastries and decides to work as a patissier…

First impressions from the synopsis had me thinking this show is a sort of romantic comedy with a time travel twist, think Kate and Leopold, but it was actually more of a family drama with a time travel twist. Romance takes a backseat in this movie, the story focuses more on Kijima’s growing bond with the Yusas, especially young Tomoya, and how his time in the modern world gave him a chance to be inspired and dream bigger than what he would have faced as a young man in the Edo period. The characters themselves weren’t particularly stellar, but the show had the earnest family drama feel to it. The father-child cake making contest was very epic, especially the final round and how Kijima solved the problem. I would have liked to see more baking scenes, especially of him at the patisserie. Also, the ending actually managed to surprised me a bit, but it was no less heartwarming.

If you don’t mind a rather formulaic family drama then I recommend this, as a short movie you won’t have much to lose.

Inu wo Kau to Iu Koto
[Rating: 8.5/10]
Genre: family, drama

Hongo Yuji is your average salaryman and young father trying his best to make ends meet for his wife and kids. Their fate takes a turn for the worse when Yuji loses his job and his ex-band mates from school start pestering him to join their group… During this period of hard decisions on life, Yuji’s two children find a lost dog who they name Sky. How will Sky affect this family’s future?

This drama is one of those I might have skipped over from it’s ordinary sounding synopsis but am glad that I decided to watch. Sure it’s another family drama where everyone overcomes their troubles and the dog plays an integral role in bringing out people’s best, but that’s not just why I liked it so much to give it such a high rating.

In this show, there are no pretensions or highly exaggerated stereotypes with the characters and situations. The Hongo family is very real, they aren’t totally broke, but they aren’t comfortable either, they know that they are not rich, they get depressed about it, but they somehow pick themselves up and live through their struggles.

The young couple is strong in their own quiet way. Sachiko is really the backbone and firm conscience of the family, working shifts to help out, looking for a new job even though she gets pregnant a third time, not sucuumbing to the temptation to date an old schoolmate, Hotta, who is now a successful doctor, and who probably habours some feelings for her too… It’s because she values her family so much that Yuji hardly ever doubts her. Yuji may be a little too nice and trusting at times but the contrast is what makes him fit with Sachiko. He still harbours his longtime dream to enter a music career but knows he must provide his family with a stable income. He is also a loyal friend to his ex-bandmate, Hideki, refusing to sign a music contract with a company who only wants to cash in on him and get rid of Hideki later.

Even the children are very likeable characters. Though the story spans less than a year, they mature over the time they care for Sky and learn more about their parents’ problems, but still remain optimistic children at heart. Masaru especially, started out as a bully who stole another kid’s Pokemon cards because he was jealous, probably matures the more of the pair though more attention is placed on the idealistic and caring Mako, who deems herself Sky’s mother.

Of course we must not forget to give credit to the actors of this show, for it was their portrayal of this simple and earnest family that moved me. The primary reason I watched this show was for the actress, Mizukawa Asami who played Sachiko. I became a fan of hers since Nodame Cantabile and Iryu, this was the first main role I’ve seen her in and I was not disappointed. It also helped that I’m recently getting more impressed by Nishikido Ryo (Yuji) as an actor, and while watching this series their chemistry really shone, playing off each other’s strength’s subtly.

Sure, this show was nothing terribly dramatic, emotion-inducing nor did it have the most interesting plot, but it was heartwarming and the dog while having an important role did not take up the main screentime, which I found refreshing compared to other animal shows, every character’s screen time was well balanced. It did not have the kind of exaggerated happy ending where the family gained immense riches or something, and the future is still unclear, but the fact is that they lived through it and continue to do so.

[Rating: 7.5/10]

Genre: drama, family

Nao is an elementary schoolteacher who wonders if there is something more to life. She encounters a girl named Reina in one of her classes, who has bruises and marks around her body and is often hungry. Nao, suspecting something decides to intervene and what follows changes her entire life…

This is not your usual family drama where very episode ends giving you the warm fuzzies. It is quite poignant and gripping, albeit rather slow moving at times and I did drop and pick it up rather than watch it consistently due to this flaw. However towards the final few episodes it became much more interesting. I really commend the cast for managing to capture each role beautifully even if I didn’t have strong likings to any character aside from Reina, who was just really cute. The characters were very real and I can imagine something like this happening in real life, even if the story of a teacher spiriting away her own pupil may seem a tad farfetched, but how everyone reacted to the events was very believable. With regards to how things ended, where Reina eventually ended up is common in reality. Nao, despite her good intentions was guilty of kidnapping even if the child went along willingly and to a better, safer environment. Ashida Mana, who played Reina has to be commended on her acting skills for a 6 year old she is very talented, and as I said before, this is not a typical happy family drama. All the women, especially the three mothers (Nao’s two mothers and Reina’s mother) had lots of depth to them and while they had their own faults, I did feel a little sorry for all of them as they did have their own reasons for how they behaved.

If you like slice of life stories, and one that deals mainly with character emotions and don’t mind dramas that are a bit sad and slow, then this is for you. If you’re looking for a family drama to cheer you up after a long day, then I point you elsewhere (ie, try something in the vein of My Girl, Abarenbo Mama or Brother Beat, be warned the first can be sad in parts but is overall very warm and fuzzy)~

[Rating: 7.5/10]

Glee is the story of a highschool show choir made up of an ecclectic crew of students and their journey to the regionals.

I have to admit I am not very up to date with english tv series. Glee is probably one of the few exceptions and I mainly watched it as I love musicals and hearing remixes of songs. One of the strong and weak points I found were the characters. I enjoyed how the glee club was made up of all sorts of students who came to be there due to different circumstances, and their camaderies was great. It was nice that the producers took the time to assemble a cast of actors with actual stage experience. However, I didn’t particularly like many of the characters. For example, the ‘main’ girl Rachel was very egoistic and annoyed me most of the time. However Lea Michels is indeed a very talented singer and I would love to see her sing in person. Finn reminded me of Zac Efron’s character in Highschool Musical (which was very cliche and campy, I just don’t enjoy teen movies as much anymore), the misunderstood nice guy jock but did not have much personality. My favourite characters were Will Schuester, Kurt Hummel and Quinn Fabray. Matthew Morrison has a really nice smooth voice, and I warmed up to Kurt and Quinn slowly as the series went. Will’s wife, Terri, put up a tight competition with Sue Sylvester as ‘villanesses’. The other staff members weren’t very likeable either. Still on the whole the acting was really good, as I think it takes good acting to make you like and dislike characters. The remixes of songs too were often better than the originals I found. For example, the Lady Gaga episode. I am not the singer’s biggest fan and think her videos just don’t make sense and are over the top, plus her singing is just ok for me, but you know the ballad rendition of Poker Face that people complained about? I actually thought it sounded good, and that episode made me like Bad Romance a little better too. I have to admit that one reason Lady Gaga does not appeal to me so much is because I don’t really connect with her lyrics either, and lyrics are a big element that make me like an artiste. I also like how they weaved in real issues such as teenage pregnancy and while exagerrated, the relationship problems the characters faced were very real. Life can be pretty warped up.

Favourite Glee songs:
Keep Going On (I love Avril’s music and thought this was just as good as the original)
No Air (a song that I liked the more I listened to though I wasn’t too impressed at first)
Halo (love the harmonization)
Don’t Rain On My Parade (Rachel’s best, better than On My Own which was a bit overused and I am biased to Les Mis)
Over the Rainbow (very melo and relaxing renditions)
I Could’ve Danced All Night (too bad Emma did not have more songs), I Wanna Sex You Up, Imagine (very moving~ love the incoporation of the sign language)
Single Lady (probably one of the most epic episodes in the season)
Piano Man (Matt Morrison and Neil Patrick Harris is a very deadly combination~)

If you love music and musicals, I’d definitely recommend Glee for it’s fun soundtrack and the dance choreography was really good as well. I would say it’s a highschool show for grown ups~

[Rating: 8/10]

Genre: Family, Drama

A junior high-school student finds herself pregnant and decides to keep the baby. The story explores the repercussions of this controversial issue looking at the reactions from various characters.

I guess to some extent you could call this Juno extended. That said, I felt that this drama was pretty realistic in depicting the viewpoints of the parental figures of both Miki and Satoshi. I have read reviews about the two lead characters being a bit too mature for their age and to some extent I do agree with that (considering both lead rather sheltered lives) but at the same time, who is to say that teenagers aren’t mature? Also I think the element of Miki’s personality made her character more likeable rather than if they created a lead character who was irresponsible so to speak. The uniqueness of this show is that the reason Miki became pregnant in first place is rather… normal? Normal (for lack of better word) in the sense that she wasn’t forced, neither were she and Satoshi aware of the consequences because they just lacked the knowledge to comprehend something like that would occur as a result. They were in a somewhat frightening situation saw it as comforting each other – and during that night it seemed that Miki saw herself in a rather material/big-sister role despite her being the younger. The issue of abortion is controversial, and whether or not she decided to keep the child, the whole situation itself is a can-of-worms. While it wasn’t very sensible of her to get pregnant, personally I am pro-life and am glad she kept the child. She has a supporting and loving family and she would be able to raise it fairly comfortably. The thing I liked most about it was that it showed how even the most normal of families can fall prey to the unexpected, and in the end it all boils down to how we deal with things.

The acting in this show is quite strong as I mentioned, especially on the side of the adult cast. Miki’s parents, especially were great, and they really felt like a real family. The performance that really surprised me Namase Katsuhisa who played Miki’s dad, because I am so used to seeing him in comic-type roles (ie. Sawatari in Gokusen) that the image has been stuck in my mind. But he displayed so much dedication and emotion in 14 Sai no Haha that I have to commend him. And Tanaka Misako was very nearly the perfect mother. Miki’s brother, Kenta was very cute. I felt the two young leads grew into their roles as their characters matured as well. Yes, in the end their characters were still a bit naive but they were still in their mid-teens so you can’t exactly fault them for it. I think Shida Mirai has quite a bit of potential so I look forward to watching her acting career.

All in all, despite the serious issue brought up, this is actually quite a heart-warming show and if you like family dramas I’d recommend it. I felt that the handling of this topic was well-done.

[Rating: 8.5/10]

Genre: Family, Drama

About a young aspiring photographer who suddenly finds himself saddled with a young daughter he never knew he had. A heart-warming story about love, loss and persuing your dreams.

I’m using quite neutral towards family drama but this one was so addictive! I feel the casting director did well because the bond being Masamune and Koharu just radiated. It’s the sweetest show I’ve seen, and every episode touched me in some way.  Aiba Masaki potrayed Masamune’s conflict very well and Ishii Momoka as Koharu was a gem, a perfect mix of innocence and the subconscious simple maturity that children have. I hope she becomes a successful actress as she grows older. I think it’s a pity about Yoko because if she were around they’d make a perfect  family, those flashback scenes from both father and daughter’s point of view were just pure joy to watch as well. Despite the show’s fluffiness, it is also very much a story of dealing with grief and realizing what one really wants in life. The secondary cast from Koharu’s kindergarten teacher to the in-laws to the old landlord couple were all very likeable,  and I’d stay they were almost perfectly placed. I haven’t been so satisfied with a casting since Iryu, though the latter still takes me top jdrama spot (I so need to do an Iryu 2 post now that I’ve finally completely it!) I have to say that My Girl is a drama I would love to see a movie or sequel series of. While it does well on it’s own I think there’s lots of possibilities for what comes next, however it has to be with the same cast…

I couldn’t find anything I didn’t really like about the show. It is just so sweet without being overdone.

Atashinchi no Danshi

[Rating: 7/10]

Genre: Family, Comedy

Chisato is poor and homeless, left to fend for herself after her debt-owing father ran away. One day as she is escaping from the debt collectors, she is saved by an eccentric inventor, Shinzo, who gives her a life-changing proposal – marry him and spend the last days of his life with him, and he’ll clear her debt. Desperate, Chisato agrees and she finds herself warming up to Shinzo despite his quirks. However, when Shinzo’s time comes, Chisato finds herself saddled with yet another contract – before her debt can be paid for, she needs to be a mother to his motley band of sons!

This show started off rather uninteresting, and I just continued watching it to see what other strange secrets the Okura mansion held. The inventions, puzzles and secrets of the mansion reminded me of old family classics such as Home Alone and Richie Rich. But as the characters developed it became more than just a random comedy. I began to enjoy Chisato’s interactions with the Okura brothers, as well as the different relationships between the brothers, in their little pair and trio units- my favourite being Sho and Takeru, who were the closest pair. Some moments were rather teary-eye inducing even though there wasn’t anything sad, just those ‘awww’ moments you get in a family drama. My favourite brothers were the three youngest, Masaru, Satoru and Akira – Akira was a delight to watch as he’s so innocent yet so much more mature than his older brothers, and it was cute how he automatically falls asleep at the same time, regardless of what position he’s in or where he is~ I didn’t really care for Chisato’s dad or her net-cafe friends, who seemed to be there as plot device but weren’t very memorable in the end. I also have no idea what to think of Inoue-san, the housemaid… she looks so androgynous that half the time I was wondering if she was a guy or girl and even checked the cast list haha.  I think that her character could’ve been handled better because it is clear that she pretty much runs the house and raised the boys, so I’d have liked to see more solidness in her development and personality overall, otherwise her randomness just made me go “wtf?” have the time. And Shinzo was a pretty awesome character even though he was dead. He’s crazy but there’s no doubt he’s a masterschemer~ it was amusing how the others were his pawns in the end, even the bad guy.

I think that AtaDan is a pretty decent family show, although it’s rather outrageous (in a ridiculous way), and I don’t think Chisato was particularly outstanding as the main character, though she worked well when with the others, but newcomers to Japanese dramas who want something light-hearted should like it.