Fan reviews: Kekkon Dekinai Otoko

ester_grace · 8 Dec 2010

hahaha, is there any kind of guy in a reality?????? abe hiroshi hmm what can i say? he really good actor, this role is perfect for him..

MonsterZero65 · 15 Aug 2010

Abe Hiroshi is awesome and he was great in this role. I enjoyed his performance. The story was not thrilling but it was good. I recommend it.

Spider · 4 Aug 2010

Probably my favorite Jdorama of all time, as I never get bored of watching it again and again! Abe Hiroshi is superb in his role of a man who prefers being alone and never wants to get marry. Excellent character development, as Abe Hiroshi's character portrays himself as an uncaring, self absorbed, know it all selfish man. But deep down inside he has a heart of gold and will do almost anything for his friends and family. He kind of reminded me of Jack Nickolson's character in the movie "As Good as it Gets". Just watch the movie and I think you'll see what I mean. The music is even somewhat similar. His character develops over time and slowly realizes that humans need each other and are not meant to be alone. This is a wonderful dorama if you like adult themed, well acted romantic comedies. This drama is truly special and a must see for Abe Hiroshi fans, and a must see for JDorama fans in general. 5 Stars!!! I hope they do a SP so we find out a little bit more about what happens next....

sezling · 28 Apr 2009

I wouldn't usually pick this drama but I enjoyed it to the end! Don't be turned away by the seemingly slow pace because by the end of the first episode you should be drawn in. Abe Hiroshi did such an excellent job (an actual likable version of House!) I also loved the two female characters Natsumi and Michiru (she's real cute!), not to mention KEN-CHAN<3!!! But then again I'm a dog lover so maybe I'm biased ^^ All in all it's funny and light, with a dash of romance - something I'd watch over again and again!

Mint · 19 Aug 2008

This is one the those character-driven shows that wouldn't have been half as good if it weren't for the actors. The drama's premise is pretty simple - the life of an eccentric 40-year-old man who willingly refuses to commit himself in human relationships and his everyday interactions with the other characters who are perpetually at odds with him.

Initially, the drama established itself in a forced manner - I thought the humor even fell flat. But as the show went on, I came to appreciate the subtle and sometimes acerbic derision that were spewed all over the show, and by the 7th episode when the characters were given more dimensions, the show really picked up and my interest was piqued.

The show was rather repetitive, perhaps to portray Kuwano's mundane, repetitious life and I thought the finale was rushed, but there's some wonderful acting here that made this whole thing work. Abe Hiroshi was so awkward that he was good and I can only shower praises to Yui Natsukawa - she just blew everyone out of the water. And hats off to Ken the inu, he's awesome.

This is a nice little show, highly entertaining with an ambiguous yet self-explanatory ending, but leaves something much to be desired.

sadacori · 17 Aug 2007

This drama is about Kuwano, a self-centered, eccentric architect who has borderline OCD and lack of people skills. His frequent encounters with his next door neighbor, a female doctor, and co-workers help pave way to make him more sensitive to the people around him and become more "human."

I really enjoyed that this drama was more laid-back than other comedies. It wasn't flashy, it wasn't trying too hard, it was simply just a drama depicting someone's life and the scatters of humor that came with it. There little moments that almost seemed "Groundhog Day" like (the bar scenes with a rival architect, his konbini and video store trips; his growing affection for Ken, the neighbor's dog), yet it made me laugh.

The drama didn't end with a spectacular moment of Kuwano finally finding the woman of his dreams and having a "just married" scene, but followed the suit of the rest of the drama--a sweet, yet awkward subtle moment. Perfect ending to a wonderfully simple drama.

reigndeer15 · 19 Jul 2007

Gotta recommend this drama to everyone. Love the subtleties and the clever humors. Abe was just perfect for the role.

azzu · 1 Jul 2007

i think hayazaka should change role with michiru.. i prefer lead actress to be younger.. ;p

Steve · 22 Jun 2007

watch it if u want to relax and laugh..
abe hiroshi play his role perfectly, he showed his self-enjoyment, self-dependent, ecsentric, silly act and otakuness perfectly which on the oher side seems pathetic for the others.
eventhought he always say a strict word, i just can't hate or annoyed by him.
provide with strong casts, no overacting, all seems so natural yet the story is to be kept simple but fresh every time and doesn't have boring moment even thought it seems to be repetitive.
Credit to the scripwriter for giving such brilliant idea, and credit to the director and casts for bringing such brilliant idea into an entertaining show.

MonsterZero-65 · 5 Feb 2007

You could not ask for better casting than this drama offered. Everyone played their part to perfection. Abe especially is so convincing in this drama as a very quirky architect who is reluctantly drawn into in the lives of those around him. Each episode I was further drawn into this drama and was not disappointed at any point along the way. I highly recommend this drama.

Wynter · 15 Jan 2007

Itfs rare when you come along a drama that is so grand, you just canft think up anything criticizec and if you do, these minor flaws donft matter or are forgivable because the overall drama is just so great. Ifve been fortunate enough to come across two in the last month | Kuitan, and this drama.

This drama was really light, with a lot of memorable moments. There was a subtle deepness that affects you after you have seen the entire drama. Itfs taken me a week to start this review because itfs taken me that long to fully admire the skill that went into making and portraying Abe Hiroshifs character, making and portraying Natsukawa Yuifs character, and developing all the side characters. Takashima Reiko blew me away in Matriarchal Family, and she continued to impress me in this drama. The same goes for Tsukamoto Takashi, of whom I was exposed to in Tiger & Dragon, where he played one of my favourite characters in that drama. This was my first experience with Kuninaka Ryoko and I was completely charmed. With such amazing sub-actors, itfs no surprise that Abe and Natsukawa performed brilliantly. I keep hearing rave reviews about Abefs acting and how convincingly he played his role. And he did. To perfection. But I think Natsukawa played her role equally as well. I loved her facial expressions and how she communicated just what she was thinking through her eyes and the slightest turn of her mouth. She was the perfect pick to play opposite Abe and I believe the two accented each other beautifully.

Over all, this was a real gfeel goodh drama that left me happy and content when it was done.

chesed · 9 Jan 2007

Although I'm very interested in Japanese culture, I've always had a hard time agreeing with how marriage is dealt with in Japan. It's not that I think it's wrong. I think the problem lies in my lack of knowledge in Japanese culture. Sure, the trend is quickly changing with the youth in Japan (or so I hear), but the social cohesion that is so tightly woven in Japan won't disappear so much as integrate, a practice the Japanese are well known for.

So when I started watching Kekkon Dekinai Otoko, I assumed that it was just another drama about a man who will go though trials and change his ways in the end. In some ways I was right. However, the wry humor, simple situations and quirky characterizations made for an incredibly effective story-telling combination. It was just about a man who couldn't get married. It didn't try to be more, and because of this the show was fun and enjoyable to watch.

I've seen Abe Hiroshi in Hero and Dekichatta Kekkon; both were not main roles (I have yet to start on Trick but I'm getting there). Kekkon Dekinai Otoko is the first show I've seen that really utilized his talents. One word describes the key to his success as Kuwano Shinsuke: subtle. He doesn't rely on wacky, over the top action, or even what would seem normal, everyday behavior. His simplistic but well-executed gestures allowed the portrayal of his character to come into its own. It seemed masterful in a way. Natsukawa Yui was one of the more powerful additions to the cast as Hayasaka-sensei. Her emotionally charged, honest reactions complemented the subtly and cynicism of Kuwano-san perfectly. The rest of the cast were decent but nothing noteworthy to speak of. That sounds somewhat negative, but I will say that no cast member made a negative impact on the show. This is actually quite rare (for me, anyway).

The writing was decent. All of the situations in the show were built from the "blocks" created from the first episode. On one hand, this made each coming epsiode familar and inviting; on the other hand, seeing the same sets over and over made it feel somewhat constraining, much like watching old situational Friday night comedy shows like Family Matters and Step By Step. Each episode in Kekkon Dekinai Otoko has its own story to tell and each episode tells its story well. I really like how each episode opened with Kuwano-san revealing something new about himself. The episode opening where he works on the Titanic was hilarious. Regardless of the recycled building blocks, the show manages to remain fresh and quirky thanks to excellent acting.

The music in the show is unfortunately forgettable. While the intro performed by Every Little Thing will always remind me of the show, there were no pieces that stuck in my head, despite the fact that, like the majority of doramas, Kekkon Dekinai Otoko uses the same pieces many times over. Shows like Orange Days and Jyoou no Kyoushitsu have distinct scores that are very memorable, so I know it's possible. The music here felt more like an afterthought -- it works, but that's it.

So, Kekkon Dekinai Otoko is very enjoyable. It has its strengths and weaknesses, but the former far outweighs the latter and thanks to the strong acting from the two most prominent roles in the show, there wasn't a single episode I didn't like. Anybody who loves simple, subtle but effective humor will no doubt enjoy this show.

shari · 21 Dec 2006

Abe Hiroshi is perfect as the cynic bachelor with a soft heart. This drama will make you think that Tokyo is just a little town where you'll bump into your small circle of acquaintances where ever you go. A better music score would have made it a 10.

8thSin · 12 Nov 2006

This dorama is hilarious! At the same time, excellent acting by Abe Hiroshi and Natsukawa Yui makes it touching as well.
Gradual change in Kuwano's character is beautifully portrayed.

dekatrain · 10 Nov 2006

Abe Hiroshi's portrayal of Kuwano is brilliant; one of the best you'll see in any type of drama - western or from asia. It is the subtle qualities that he combines in his character that really make you egg for this guy - his slanting-over posture, anti-social skills (none at all!), his classic interactions with ken-chan, his mouth-twitcing, his attempts to smile early on (soo funny!), his glass of milk everynight with his classical music - the list goes on and its just hilarious! Of course some of the credit must go to director and screenwriter in particular to keep the story alive and well for 11 episodes - its never boring and the material is always fresh. But you should watch this for Hiroshi, it'll open you up to the OTHER side of japanese society!

digitalcoconut · 27 Oct 2006

great performance by abe hiroshi, natsukawa yui &kuninaka ryuko!
i learn a lot. i can even rate it beyond 10 :-p
the tiny setback just the conclusion. but its understandable coz the producer want to produce the sequence, perhaps..
good for young adults coz im tired watching teenage drama recently..

ichiban_noodles · 30 Sep 2006

Extremely well written, acted and directed. A bunch of quirky people who are somehow not annoying in the least. A storyline that seems to repeat itself more than advance in any tangible way from episode to episode, yet it remains fresh and even addictive. Abe's finest performance. The dorama as a whole is perfectly imperfect in a strange way, and the ending is fine as is, but selfishly thinking, I hope there's a sequel or at a least a special in the works. This kind of magical writing and cast/character chemistry surely has more to share with us.

Shindou · 24 Sep 2006

Abe Hiroshi and Natsukawa Yui play an awesome couple in this dorama - their comedic acting and humorous banter makes this dorama fully worth wathing. the rest of the cast was pretty decent although the characters themselves could've used a bit more development. the choice of music was rather interesting and it was great to hear some familiar classical pieces - a bit rare in doramas these days. in any case, i'd definitely recommend this for those looking for a light comedy or more of abe hiroshi.

zoglog · 6 Sep 2006

This has got to be one of my Fav Jdramas of all time for it's subtle Humor and Abe's performance. He really reminds me of a combination of Fox's House and Jack N. From "As Good as it Gets" Dr. Hayase is also incredibly amusing when she gets angry. As a man I feel the whole self-enjoyment aspect is portrayed with such stunning satisfaction I almost feel like going to the supermarket to cook myself a steak just for fun. This is a nice fresh start from all the whiny characters like the guy from Densha Otoko which eventually just piss me off. Oh yeah, did I mention his neighbor is a hottie too ;)?

newby · 12 Jul 2006

This is also a single man~~pitty~~
Abe's acting is pretty good~~hahaha~~his drama is kind of interesting~!