tetsukei

Not for the no-nonsense. The very idea of this drama is nonsensical fun. It's no wonder that the story came from a shoujo manga.

I just finished watching it for the 3rd time (twice on tv, once on vcd). Every episode you'll hear Satou Aiko screaming and shouting "Irie-kun!". Just thinking of that makes me laugh! :D Not forgetting the senior actors who star as parents and teachers. They are oh-so crazy!

This drama is very near slapstick, but still has a few special themes regarding aspirations of high school graduates.

What I found most interesting are the NG cuts, especially those in the last episodes. You'll see Kashiwabara going around with a clothes hanger strapped to his head, giving out some souvenirs to his co-stars. And the gentlemanly kiss he gave to Satou at the end which brought about screams from the workers and fans.

Worth watching for relaxation, but perhaps not worth buying :P

The drama started on a distressing note. Kobayashi is 31, and has no achievements in life worth mentioning. He and his acquaintances Suzuki and Tanaka are all in the same boat. Despite their "ripe-old" ages, they are all confused, directionless men with low self-esteem.

As the drama progresses, we see the 3 men become best of friends, giving one another encouragement and drive. Kobayashi soon picks up courage to apply for NASDA selection. Suzuki realises that happiness can alse be found in a little ramen shop. Tanaka makes up with his family, while holding his own up against the brilliant achievements of his father and brother.

The drama ends on a hopeful note, and I felt really happy. It's one of the dramas with less star appeal, but has a believable plot and constructive end, including lots of humour.

Recommended for viewers who want a change from the usual love dramas. Not much of a soundtrack to boast of, but has a really upbeat little tune that brings a smile to the viewer's face.

Everything starts with a dentist stalking Yumi, a housewife whose family moved in to the neighbourhood just recently. Then comes the kidnap and murder of her daughter Tsugumi. Yumi and her husband Takashi uncover the clues to the truth of their daughter's death, and all subtle evidence converge to the suspicion of the dentist. However, the seemingly well-mannered dentist cannot be nailed without concrete evidence. Moreover, the dentist's protective mother has secret links with the police official in charge of the investigation.

The first episode looked promising, with the kidnap of Tsugumi and the neigbourhood-wide search for the little girl. But unexpectedly, the murder occurred on the next episode, which ends all the suspense. Right from the start, the viewer knows the murderer's identity. Soon, even the the little girl's parents know the truth, plus an apathetic police officer and a confused tabloid reporter. Everyone lurks around the dentist, trying to nail him, without much success. This goes on for about 9 episodes, with little progress in the investigation.

Finally, in the last 2 episodes, the most important piece of evidence, surprisingly produced by the murderer's own mother, is sent for DNA tests. Even then, Tsugumi's parents had to go through a secret meeting with the murderer, which ended in a struggle. This is all so ridiculous.

This is overall a very draggy show. It would have done much better in just 5 episodes, instead of the regular 11 or 12. There are some special themes such as the unconditional love of a parent for a child, and the importance of family bonds. The drama did, however, end on a beautiful and warm note, as the devastated parents of Tsugumi resconstruct their lives and start anew in the memory of their beloved Tsugumi.

This is a crazy comedy that keeps you laughing hysterically! Even the theme song is fast-paced and funny. Not a serious moment, and certainly not a drama with any message to tell. It's just plain fun. Suitable for the entire family. Quite a few young actors and actresses in it are now cast in supporting or main roles, such as Wakui Emi (Virgin Road), Yanagiba Toshiro & Koizumi Kyouko (Odoru Daisosasen) and Jinnai Takanori (Shomuni).

The melodramatic love lives of a group of young people, with 2 childhood sweethearts who are separated caught in the middle. Nothing very interesting happens to any, besides the usual romantic struggles, like how 2 people cannot get together despite mutual love because they have obligations to 2 other people.

The starting sequence is very interesting, especially due to John Lennon's song "Starting Over". This drama was re-named "Starting Over" when shown on JETTV.

A beautiful young cast, but relatively unknown.

The story is quite dramatic, but somewhat unoriginal. You can pretty much anticipate what happens next. So no surprises for those who often watch dramas.

Again, the theme music is outstanding.

Certainly not a drama you'd like to recommend to your friends or family.

I can't say it's violent (only until the end), but the whole theme is totally unenjoyable. Husband having a one-night stand with the sister of his wife, the sister becoming obssessed and trying to murder her own sibling.... even the poor family dog was not left alone.

And then suddenly, the entire situation is resolved, with a happy ending. Unbelieveable.

I guess some credit has to be given to the actress playing Suzu - Suzuki Sarina. She appeared totally psycho and out of her mind, but still managed to stay pretty cute.

The best thing about this drama, I think, is its ending sequence and theme. Wonderful song by Glay.

Very enjoyable. May be a little overboard with far-fetched jokes at times, but bound to bring lots of laughter into your house.

Interestingly, the eye-catching performances are from the co-stars - Itou Shirou as Prof. Koyamada and Hosaka Naoki as Ogata sensei.

Satou Aiko continues her comic rampage, with all kinds of expressions and groans. If you liked the big-eared girl in Itazura na Kisu, you may like this drama too.

If you watch the original drama, you can see explanations of medical terms appearing at the corner of the screen at times.