Well, actually I planned to include these in the previous post of Japanese drama recommendation, but somehow it got too long, so I thought I’d just post them separately here 🙂 Ok, without further ado, here they are ^^
1. Toshi no Sakon [Marriage with a Large Age Gap]
8 episodes. Around 23 minutes each. Summary: Just like the title, it’s about a marriage with a large gap, 20 years to be exact. The guy was divorced. The girl has never been married before. You might think it’s creepy because the guy was already in his forties, while the girl was still in her twenties. Or maybe it sounds pedophilic (?) but I think it’s not the case here because both the girl and the guy were adults and the drama really shows how the girl made the decision with careful thinking. No imposition at all. The guy didn’t force the girl or such. Well, true that it started with the girl’s Dad introducing the two, but the decision was fully left to both of them. The girl met the guy, touched by his kindness, and fell in love and hence decided to marry him. I’m not sure if anyone would consider this romanticization of marriage with a large gap. But I think that’s not what the drama was trying to do. It emphasizes a lot on how the girl decided things as an adult. So, well, maybe try to watch it yourself and let me know what you think? o.O
2. Gokushufudou
10 episodes. Around 46 minutes each. Summary: A very serious yakuza (Japanese mafia) decided to retire and became a househusband. He was married to a single mother with her daughter. It’s really hilarious. It’s especially entertaining because almost all of the conversations were made related to Yakuza world. So when he learned about something, he would use Yakuza reference to comprehend it. So laughable. But the wordplay was really superb. How he inserted or used Yakuza terms in reference to Yakuza life and such. It’s entertaining 😉
3. Remolove: Futsuu no Koi wa Jado
10 episodes. Around 46 minutes each. Summary: About a relationship that started online. I like this drama because it’s kinda hilarious (and especially because Mamiya Shotaro is also in this drama^^). Well, you see, the couple in this drama were both serious so they thought so much if not too much and took things really seriously. Well, again, personally I could understand since I might be the serious type myself (I wrote it before, here). But this drama is interesting. It teaches us various things like how we define relationships, what “images” (and expectations) we have of people we know online, why we might be anxious and have a trust issue, why one might be insecure, etc. But, oh, well, my favorites here are Gomoji-kun (the one portrayed by Mamiya Shotaro), and Yagihara (which makes me love Takahashi Yuto, the one who portrayed the character). I love Gomoji because he is a good friend, he lied but then was honest about it, he loved but he didn’t force it. Well, ok, basically it’s me with my second-lead syndrome again. LoL But, anyway, I also love Yagihara because his character is interesting in this drama 😉
4. Kakenai!? Kyakuhonka Yoshimaru Keisuke no Sujigaki no Nai Seikatsu
8 episodes. Around 23 minutes each. Summary: A househusband was suddenly recruited to write a script again (after a long time) and this time for a primetime drama. He’s struggling to write the drama as he couldn’t really write it freely. There were many demands from the producer, the director, and the actor, not to mention that some people kept mentioning how his wife was a successful novelist and the “breadwinner” in the family. Well, to sum up, it’s about the struggle of a scriptwriter? It feels like drama-ception or a drama within a drama. If you want to know how drama is produced, you might want to watch this one 🙂
Well, I initially watched this for Toma (he is my best favorite actor!!!^^) but somehow I love the story too. I think it’s kinda unique. And Toma’s acting skills are simply unquestionable^^ Well, the story wasn’t heavy. It was light and had its comedic sides too. I love how they lowkey showed how patriarchy was also hard for men. For example, people looked down on Toma’s character (Keisuke) just because he “didn’t work” and was “just” a househusband, how his kids were kinda “ashamed” of that fact, which was why he wanted to prove himself by accepting the offer to write the script for the prime time drama. But, well, what I love about this drama was the heartwarming relationship between Keisuke and his wife. Even though people look down on Keisuke, his wife never looks down on him. They accept and support each other. And I really love that 🙂 And that’s how a relationship should be, right? You do what you can, your partner does what you can’t. It’s not as if you should do X just because you are a man or because you are a woman. Keisuke’s wife’s work required focus on her novels and so she appreciated it that Keisuke did the housework and never problematized that he “didn’t have a job.” I mean, doing housework is also a job, right? Like any other jobs, it takes time and is not easy too. Sadly, our society often looks down on people, women and men, who decided to “just” be a housewife or a househusband 🙁
5. Yameru toki mo, sukoyaka naru toki mo
10 episodes. Around 23 minutes each. Summary: About a carpenter who couldn’t forget his past and a girl who wanted to get married. The two somehow met due to their lines of work. The girl was in charge of making the brochure for the carpenter’s exhibition plan. But they met before that. And, well, can’t say much because it would be too much of a spoiler. Haha
But, ugh, I LOVE THIS DRAMA. Well, initially I watched this for Fujigaya Taisuke but I found out that the girl was played by Nao (and I love her too!), so it interested me. And when I watched it and I fell in love with the story^^ Well, the story was really simple, cute, sweet, and heartwarming. The two met and comforted each other. To face their problems. To face and accept one’s past. To move toward the future. And it teaches us various things too. I just love how the conversation was often made casual but they conveyed deep meanings. There were scenes that made me laugh but there were also some that made me cry or at least teary. Further, it depicts not only romantic relationship but also how parents-kids/family relationship works. For example, they would say something like, “Do I really need to get married to be happy?” Well, again, they spoke it casually sometimes half-joking but it is striking, like, it’s really deep. At least for me. It just portrays the complex feelings of human, how we need to try to understand, how we want to be understood, how we would eventually be exhausted when we’re the only one trying, how it hurts a lot when we try to forget but can’t… Well, such things. Each eps is short. But I kinda wish they had another season ’cause I really want to know what happens to them afterwards ^^
6. Uchi no musume wa kareshi ga dekinai
10 episodes. Around 46 minutes each. Summary: About a single mother with her daughter. The mother was a novelist while the daughter was a BL-otaku and was more into manga than novels. Both were single and this was how their (love) story kinda unfolded.
Well, I watched this because I loved Minami Hamabe and because one of my language partners suggested this drama since she wanted to support Okada Kenshi (one of the actors in this drama) because he came from the same hometown as hers. But personally, I wasn’t really into the story, like, I wasn’t really interested in it. I can’t say I hate it, ’cause maybe it’s just not really my cup of tea. But you see, the idea seems forced to me so it kinda feels weird and awkward. But, well, I think it’s still fun to watch since the relationships are heartwarming. Also, I love Hikaru, the character that Okada Kenshi portrayed here. He’s really cool here 🙂
7. Red Eyes: Kanshi Souza Han [レッドアイズ 監視捜査班]
10 episodes. Around 46 minutes each. Summary: A resigned police officer opened an independent detective agency by recruiting some ex-criminals that he once arrested and had served their time in jail. But then they were recruited to help work with the police again as a new surveillance system was introduced. Case by case appeared and the investigation began as he was still in search for the one killing his fiancee from three years ago, when he was still a police officer. And each episode was taking him closer to the truth he had been looking for. If you love suspense, mystery, or detective-themed drama, you can watch this. But please be prepared for the plot twists 😀
Well, I initially watched this for Kamenashi Kazuya (He’s one of my favorite Japanese celebrities. Well, let’s say he’s my first Japanese celebrity crush that came to my dream, so maybe my first love?^^). Anyway, I don’t know what to talk about this drama as I’m biased already. LoL But of course I love Kame. He’s gorgeous as always. Storywise, it’s interesting, specially the plottwist, gosh, that really hit heart. I mean, all the way from start, we were led to think about who the killer and the main villain was, and each episode seemed to take us closer to him, but then nearing the end they revealed different info that could break all the theories we had. It’s “disappointing”, but also made us curious to watch the very last episode because we wanted to know the truth too 😀 But, well, I guess that’s about it? But, like, man, the plot twist nearing the end was really unexpected. Haha If you’re curious, please watch^^
8. Oh! My Tsundere! Koi wa Bessatsu de.
7 episodes. Around 10 minutes each. Summary: Well, actually I should list it as “Oh! My Boss! Koi wa Bessatsu de.” (10 episodes. Around 46 minutes each) because it’s the main drama, while Oh! My Tsundere is just the spin-off, 7 eps., around 10minutes each. What I am saying is, they’re kinda a package. I am using “Oh! My Tsundere” only because I love Mamiya Shotaro and he’s just a second lead character in the main drama (Oh! My Boss) and you know how I tend to have a second-lead syndrome, right? And it’s just heartbreaking to see my boy heartbroken in the main drama. That’s why I love the spin-off because he’s got a happy ending there 😀 Is this too much of a spoiler? Well, sorry. Haha Well, ok. I can’t talk too much about the story, and I think some Kis-My-Ft2 has already reviewed it thoroughly and comprehensively (try to search for windflows). But just for the summary: It revolves around fashion magazine publication. The love story was kinda intertwined between the characters through the challenges and conflicts that were presented to them.
Well, I guess that’s all for this time. Or is this review too late because all of the dramas have ended kinda long time ago? Well, I hope it can give you some options in case you haven’t watched them, though 🙂
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