icpmat

there is only one and essentially one theme in all 11 episodes of this seires: sibling bickerings over properties left by a mega rich father, who also happened to have a mistress about the same age as the daughters. i was hoping for some interesting plot development but there wasn't any. it seems this drama was only produced in order to fill the time slot for whatever broadcasting company that produced it.

this drama had a very original and entertaining start. however the choice of topic also happens to be the curse of this drama - it goes in the oppotiste direction from all the recent school drama, and finally we see a teacher actually in charge of her class, and to such an extreme extent as well. However half way through the series, the sponsors bulked and pulled out of their support fearing that such an association would jeopardize their images, and that must have had a somewhat significant impact on the writer/s, because there was a somewhat unnatural dramatic change from episode 6 (or thereabout) onwards, and unfortunately this series ended on a somewhat flat and conventional note.

loved tsuyoshi's performence!

Unlike some of the previous posts, I didn't find Tsuyoshi's character wussy at all. Neither did I find Mokoto's character development abrupt. Success tends to bring down one's humility and it seems that it's the differences in maturities that brought Toji and Makoto apart in the first place: she had a goal in life and was working her way up, but Toji hasn't reached that stage of his life yet. Once Makoto experienced some set-backs, and Toji had some success, they stand on a more equal footing in terms of maturity. In addition to the fondness they had for each other, it seems only nature that they would get back together.

As to the Nao character. She said so herself in one of the episodes that she envied that Makoto had found the calling of her life while she was still wondering about hers. Perhaps one of the aims of the drama is to show how compatibilities in life experiences is as important as love in a relationship, so the focus was naturally on the two leads, and Uchiyama's character was only there for the ride, which might explain why her character was never quite as developed.

Overall I find this drama quite enjoyable. There is not too much unrealistic moments that we so often see in romantic dramas (eg guy runs after upset girl no matter what the situation), I find it refreshing in that respect.

it's almost an episode-by-episode clone of Gokusen. would be enjoyable if you havn't seen the original Gokesen but otherwise it's a waste of time. theme songs however, are better here than the origina.

this resembles the Korean melodramas way way way too much!!! Even down to the tinist detail - eg those frame that Nakamura Shunsuke wears - doesn't that remind you of Bae Yong Jun (in winter sonata)?!! and those twists in the plot! (not much of a surprise if you've seen a few korean dramas). Overall it feels like a cheap production of the TV station trying to make a quick buck out of the Korean boom there is in Japan now.

Having said that, it's not entirely bad package though. The male lead is visually pleasing, and the theme songs are not bad.