Given the level of star power (which includes Misako Tanaka, Abe Hiroshi, Kazuki Kitamura, Masanobu Takashima, Yoshino Kimura, Aibu Saki...and the list goes on), one expects more. This drama boasts a more intimate, personal viewpoint in its story of an Uesugu samurai who prefers peace to constant war, and at its best, Tenchijin has s striking visual sense.
However, the awkward use of flashbacks and stagy effects frequently halts the drama in its tracks, with key scenes theatrically put on a cheap sound stage.
With this series, Eriko Komatsu moves from writer to director, but it's a journeyman effort at best.