Moteki

What should've been a by-the-numbers J-drama turned out to be a very interesting portrayal of male/female relationships, due primarily to the quality of acting - Mirai Moriyama is perfectly cast as your average joe, with a sound supporting cast including Rinko Kikuchi (Oscar Winner from "Babel") and Hikari Mitsushima ("Love Exposure) among others such as Arai and Nonami. The other strong point is the music, which strays away from the usual J-POP fanfare, and turns towards indie classics. While music doesn't usually make a great drama, many of these songs are particularly effective in accompanying the drama at given times, and they also change every episode so you don't get that one boring theme song over and over. The only real drawbacks I found from Moteki, were the shortness of episodes (28mins) and a rather vague conclusion, which, while satisfactory, could've been stronger. I would've really liked to know more about the characters and their motives etc., especially the four women and the best friend, but this was understandably restricted due to the time limitations. Unfortunate for such a promising series as this.

Wasn't expecting much when I picked up this drama, so I was pleasently surprised when it turned out to be very good! The interaction between the main characters had a good feel to it and you really route for him to find his true love. This drama made me smile. Hope there's a second season!