New Spring Drama: I'm Home

Lately KimuTaku has not been doing well in bringing high ratings to his dramas.  However, this drama will probably stop that trend.  The first episode brought the rating of 16.7%, the highest among the 2015 spring dramas.  It's a great start.

This drama is based on a 1997-98 manga with the same title by Ishizaka Kei.  It was made into a 20-episode drama in 2014 on NHK starring Tokitou Saburou, Kon'no Misako and Toda Naho.  The current one is shown on TV Asahi.

(Spoiler)

New Spring Drama: Liquid

This is a 3-episode drama series about Sake making in Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture on NHK BS Premium.  It has a feel of WOWOW original drama.  Good story, good actors.  

Sagara Shu'uichi (played by Itou Hideaki) was born as the son of Sake brewery owner but chose to be a banker in Tokyo.  He was doing well, but made a wrong choice in taking a side in the bank politicking.  As a result, he was going to be sent away from Tokyo.

He decides to quit his job and goes back to his homeland in Kanazawa.  His mother is sick in bed and decides to close the brewery which she managed after her husband had died.  Shu'uichi was going to help his mother sell the brewery, but after her death, he decides to manage the brewery and work to make Sake.  

(Spoiler)

New Spring Drama: Dr. Rintaro

Here's Sakai Masato's new drama.  He was a lawyer and a banker.  This time he is a psychiatrist working at a university hospital.  He is a brilliant psychiatrist whose patients includes the Japanese government's Chief Cabinet Secretary.  

(Spoiler)

New Spring Drama: Fuben na Benriya

I watched this short drama (30 minutes per episode) without knowing anything about the drama.  After watching the first episode, I still can't figure out what it's about.

Okada Masaki plays Takeyama Jun who had a successful debut as a screenwriter in Tokyo.  However, that success did not last long.  People started to change his dialogues.  

Fed up with writing, Takeyama heads for Furano in Hokkaido.  It's in the middle of winter.  His bus gets stuck in a blizzard.  He gets off the bus and finds himself in the middle of nowhere in Hokkaido.  He goes to a bar, gets drunk and pass out.

(Spoiler)

New Spring Drama: Yami no Bansou Sha

Here's a new WOWOW Original drama, Yami no Bansou-sha.  Although its English title is Partner in Darkness, Yami no Bansou-sha literally means "escort runner of darkness".

Mizuno Yu'uki (played by Matsushita Nao) is a former police officer who now works as a "researcher" (private investigator?) for publishing firms.  She has enough problems of her own...  Her mother has dementia and sometimes does not recognize her own daughters.  She lives with and is taken care by her Yu'uki's older sister.  The older sister is tired from taking care of her mother and feels sour about Yu'uki.  

Yu'uki is going through divorce.  Her ex wants Yu'uki to take him back again, but Yu'uki just wants to go ahead with the divorce.

One day Yu'uki is given a case:

Old unpublished sketches (manga) were found among original manga sketches of a famous manga artist.  The artist is dead, and his wife wants to know if those sketches were drawn by her late husband.  

(Spoiler)

New Spring Drama: Angels and Demons

I usually don't care much about crime/detective dramas, but I decided to watch this new drama because of the two main actors; Gouriki Ayame and Watabe Atsurou.  They are my favorite actors.  I like Watabe especially when he acts a serious character like he did in Gaiji Keisatsu.  

Gouriki Ayame plays Makita Hikari, a police detective who is never suspicious of anybody.  As she believes lies told by suspects, she is not a good detective.  She is transferred to the cold case resource room where her main job is to organize cold case information sheets.  

Watabe Atsurou plays Chajima Ryu'unosuke who appears in front of Makita and tells her that the resource room is changing its name to the Cold Case Anonymous Investigation Unit.  He also tells her that they are going to work together.  Chajima is a lawyer with high IQ who does not trust anybody and does dirty works for money.

(Spoiler)

Wakako Zake Ep.9

 MENU

1. Beer

2.  Deep-Fried Chicken

(Kara Age)

3.  Grilled Chicken Leg

(Hone Tsuki Dori) 

4.  Draft Beer
5.  Grilled Meat on a Skewer
(Yaki Tori)
a.  Heart (Hatsu)
b.  Chicken and Scallion (Negima)
c.  Shiso and Cheese Wrapped with Pork
d.  Chicken Skin (Kawa)
e.  Liver

Wakako Zake Ep.8

 MENU

1. Black Olives with Olive Oil and Basil

2.  White Wine

3.  Brie and Apple
( Buringo )

4. Whisky on the Rocks
5.  Beer
6.  Mixed Nuts
7.  Salmon Cream Stew

Wakako Zake Ep.7

 MENU

1. Fried Cake of Minced Meat
( Menchi Katsu)

2.  Edamame

3.  Hot Sake

4. Japanese Omelette
( Dashi Maki Tamago)

Wakako Zake Ep.6

 MENU

1. Beer

2.  Pistacios

3.  Mozzarella with Avocado

(Avocado no Caprese) 

4.  Octopus Dumplings
(Tako Yaki)
5. Distilled Liquor made from Sweet Potato
( Imo Jou-Chu'u )
6.  Octopus Cheese Dumplings 
( Cheese Tako Yaki)
7. White Wine
8.  Deep-Fried Octopus Dumplings with Green Onion and 
Citrus Soy Sause
( Yaki Tako Yki no Negi Ponzu)

Wakako Zake Ep.5

 MENU

1. Hot Sake

2. Grilled Skate Fin

( Ei Hire )

3.  Distilled Liquor and Water
( Shou-Chu'u Mizuwari )

4.  Roasted Gingko Nuts

( Iri Gin'nan )

Wakako Zake Ep.4

 MENU

1. Hot Sake

2.  Fresh Tofu on a bamboo sieve
( Zaru Doufu )
 

Wakako Zake Ep. 2

MENU

1.  Gyoza (Dumplings) and Cold Beer

2.  Boiled Taro and Squid in Soy Sauce Broth
and
Sake at Room Temperature

Murder on the Orient Express [SP Mini Series 2015]

This is a special drama which was broadcasted on two nights.  It is made up of 2 episodes lasting nearly 6 hours.  

The original story by Agatha Christie is all too famous.  The scripts of this drama were written by Mitani Kouki who did a great job making a Japanese version of the story --- The murder takes place in 1933 on a express train from Shimonoseki (Yamaguchi Prefecture) to Tokyo.  The detective who solves the puzzle is Suguro Takeru (played by Nomura Mansai).

New Spring Drama: Wakako Zake

This drama reminds me of Kodoku no Gurume (KnG).  Both KnG and Wakako Zake are based on manga of the same titles. While in KnG, the main character was a middle aged man who can't drink, the main character of this series, Wakako (played by Takeda Rina) is a 26-year old woman who loves to drink.  She works every day so that she can have good drink and food after leaving the office.  Since Wakako is a woman, she does not eat so many dishes like Gorou-san.  

New Spring Drama: Toho 7-fun

This is a 30-minute drama series broadcasted on NHK satellite channel.  It is going to have 8 episodes.  The story develops rather slowly and quietly, giving us the feeling of "watching a slow movie".  It's not like other 30-minute dramas full of fast and packed stories/contents.

Yoriko played by Tanaka Rena

The main character Kurosaki Yoriko is played by Tanaka Rena.  Yoriko is a 32 year old woman who has no boyfriend, no friends and no job.  She spends her days being idle.  Not much energy to live or do anything.  The person Yoriko talks to most is her younger sister, but it is not that they are extremely close.

New Spring Drama: Zeni no Sensou

 
Zeni no Sensou is translated as Money War.  This is a Japanese version of  the 2007 Korean drama "War of Money" starring Park Shin-yang and Park Jin-hee.  It is hard to believe 8 years has passed after watching the Korean version. 

War of Money Korean Version (2007)

I was very impressed by the Japanese version.  The first episode was 2 hours long, but I didn't get tired.  This drama is well made: good story development as well as character introduction and development.  I do not remember the details of the Korean version any more, but I vaguely remember it had more funny moments than the Japanese version.

(Spoiler)