TELEVIEWS / Promising new drama season: Can it be true?
Wm. Penn / Special to The Daily Yomiuri

I am an eternal optimist at heart. Since at least 2003, I've been ranting that the Japanese continuing-drama genre is in serious trouble. Last month, even Za Terebijon magazine echoed that sentiment in an article subtitled in English: "Drama Crisis: Did the Serial Drama Die?"

And yet, I still greet each new TV season with the unrelenting hope that this quarter will be different. By Episode Two, reality usually sets in and it becomes apparent that the crisis continues. But for the fortnight when the new dramas debut, optimism reigns.

This quarter's prospects begin with the NTV offering Juyon-sai no Haha (14-year-old Mother) starting Oct. 11 at 10 p.m. Mirai Shida, who was excellent as the perplexed student in Joo no Kyoshitsu, has the title role.

The teenage mother scenario has gotten very little TV attention in Japan. The first major plotline came in 1979 when caring teacher San-nen B-gumi Kinpachi Sensei dealt with the issue in his middle school class. Actress Kaoru Sugita played the pregnant 15-year-old in that series. Her career and personal life have been a roller coaster ride ever since. In her most recent appearance, she was fielding wide show questions after paparazzi caught her coming out of a castle-shaped love hotel last week.

In this 21st-century version of the teen pregnancy tale, the young mother-to-be will not only have to cope with her parents and school, but a teacher who doesn't want to get involved, her boyfriend's own single mother (now a successful entrepreneur) and an aggressive journalist who wants the exclusive story for his weekly magazine.

Norika Fujiwara stars in the romantic comedy Damens Walker (TV Asahi network, 9 p.m.) starting Oct. 12. Based on a manga by Mayumi Kurata, the title comes from the heroine's proclivity for always getting involved with "dame otoko" (bad men) or, in its Japanese-English katakana corruption, "damens."

In another new series, SMAP's Tsuyoshi Kusanagi continues his quest to challenge Takuya Kimura for the title of best actor in the SMAP pack. He plays an autistic man in Boku no Aruku Michi starting Oct. 10, Fuji network, 10 p.m.

Rina Uchiyama has the title role in Kiraware Matsuko no Issho, based on a best-selling novel that was just made into a movie this spring. Matsuko's niece discovers an aunt she never knew and sets out to learn how the happy 23-year-old woman in a family photo ended up dead in a dingy apartment at 56. The search reveals the men in Matsuko's life and leads to a school, a soapland (a bathhouse that offers sexual services) and a prison. It starts Oct. 12 at 10 p.m. on the TBS network.

If this sounds dramatic but just a bit too grim, try Fuji's Dr. Koto Shinryojo 2006. Airing in the same time slot, it takes us back to Japan's westernmost island--Yonagunijima in Okinawa Prefecture--to discover whether nurse Hoshino (Ko Shibasaki) will finally win the doc's heart this time around.

Certainly, one of these shows has to be a winner, right? Eternal optimists just never give up.

If you don't like cacophony with your coffee, you may not like NHK's raucous new morning serial Imotakonankin. NHK definitely needs to quickly change its annoying, dizziness-inducing intro--although if you keep staring at it, you may soon be hypnotized into actually liking this series. At the very least, it's different and it will definitely wake us up.

Imotakonankin has a hard act to follow, as last week's final installment of Junjo Kirari, starring Aoi Miyazaki, provided one of the best morning drama finales since Oshin in 1983.

Minors, Crime and Euphemisms Dept.: Network news recently reported a 16-year-old Tokyo girl and her friends stole more than 14 million yen by repeatedly threatening an elderly man at knifepoint.

In the vernacular reports, the girl was referred to as a "shojo" (young girl) and she admitted to "yowai mono ijime" (teasing or bullying a weak person). It's time for the media to toss out the euphemisms. In the plain-talk lexicon, wasn't the girl an armed robber? And 14 million yen, wouldn't that be grand larceny?

(Oct. 7, 2006)

Iv3_imt wrote:

kame is extremely famous in jpn? another Johnny's moneymaker oo..u mentioned about yagira yuuya.. i havent heard this name b4.. probably bcoz im too focused on Johnny i should see outside the box too.. what drama did he play in? ur words made me curious bout him

Awh man, see I started watching "Nobody Knows" but the subs went missing somehow. I wanna see "Sugar and Spice" with him and Sawajiri Erika.
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hi everyone!!
just wanted to ask anyone who is incharge of this drama about the new drama with Kamenashi Kazuya and Tanaka Koki from KAT-TUN. It's called Tatta Itotsu no Koi on TBS. i was wondering if u were going to put this drama info up. and if anyone knows if i can download this drama.
Thanks guys!!

kartuunkickgc wrote:

hi everyone!! just wanted to ask anyone who is incharge of this drama about the new drama with Kamenashi Kazuya and Tanaka Koki from KAT-TUN. It's called Tatta Itotsu no Koi on TBS. i was wondering if u were going to put this drama info up. and if anyone knows if i can download this drama. Thanks guys!!

The first episode is available from D-Addicts:

http://d-addicts.net/torrents/tatta%20hitotsu%20no%20koi%20ep01%20%28704x396%20divx6%29.avi.torrent

kartuunkickgc wrote:

hi everyone!! just wanted to ask anyone who is incharge of this drama about the new drama with Kamenashi Kazuya and Tanaka Koki from KAT-TUN. It's called Tatta Itotsu no Koi on TBS. i was wondering if u were going to put this drama info up. and if anyone knows if i can download this drama. Thanks guys!!

You can download a torrent from d-addicts, but it's w/out ENG. subs as of now. http://www.d-addicts.com/forum/torrents.php?type=info_hash&search=020cd97e6b1368d95a004c0175aea1b973f99913
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Upcoming Winter Drama

Karei Naru Ichizoku
Station: TBS
Time: TBA
Cast: Kimura Takuya
Synopsis: Kimutaku plays the charismatic eldest son, Teppei Manpyou, an executive managing director of a steel firm in this television adaptation of Toyoko Yamasaki's book of the same name. She is also the author behind Nyokei Kazoku and Shiroi Kyoto. The book depicts the conflicts within the Manpyou family, which is famous in Kansai's financial circles, amidst the tumultuous reorganisation of the financial industry of 1970s. Unlike the book, the eldest son, Teppei, and not the father, Daisuke, will be the central character of the story.

jade_frost wrote:

Upcoming Winter Drama Karei Naru Ichizoku Station: TBS Time: TBA Cast: Kimura Takuya Synopsis: Kimutaku plays the charismatic eldest son, Teppei Manpyou, an executive managing director of a steel firm in this television adaptation of Toyoko Yamasaki's book of the same name. She is also the author behind Nyokei Kazoku and Shiroi Kyoto. The book depicts the conflicts within the Manpyou family, which is famous in Kansai's financial circles, amidst the tumultuous reorganisation of the financial industry of 1970s. Unlike the book, the eldest son, Teppei, and not the father, Daisuke, will be the central character of the story.

A NEW KIMURA DRAMA!
thanks for the info
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[IMG=http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m203/aznbogchi/asiandrama.gif]

jade_frost wrote:

Upcoming Winter Drama Karei Naru Ichizoku Station: TBS Time: TBA Cast: Kimura Takuya Synopsis: Kimutaku plays the charismatic eldest son, Teppei Manpyou, an executive managing director of a steel firm in this television adaptation of Toyoko Yamasaki's book of the same name. She is also the author behind Nyokei Kazoku and Shiroi Kyoto. The book depicts the conflicts within the Manpyou family, which is famous in Kansai's financial circles, amidst the tumultuous reorganisation of the financial industry of 1970s. Unlike the book, the eldest son, Teppei, and not the father, Daisuke, will be the central character of the story.

i can't wait. so only kimura's been confirmed for the drama? any other news on other cast members?

BOGCHI wrote:

A NEW KIMURA DRAMA! thanks for the info

excellent, a takuya drama + hyd2 + my final undergrad term
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Shindou wrote:

excellent, a takuya drama + hyd2 + my final undergrad term

Wow! And I saw the winter 2007 listing on wiki. It seems like Nakai Masahiro will also return to the TV screen! can't wait!
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Kanjani8's 18th single, "365 Nichi Kazoku" out June 8th, 2011!

colorbar credits to nannandesuka@LJ

WOW!! finally waited for Takuya new dorama... URESHI
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jade_frost wrote:

Upcoming Winter Drama Karei Naru Ichizoku Station: TBS Time: TBA Cast: Kimura Takuya Synopsis: Kimutaku plays the charismatic eldest son, Teppei Manpyou, an executive managing director of a steel firm in this television adaptation of Toyoko Yamasaki's book of the same name. She is also the author behind Nyokei Kazoku and Shiroi Kyoto. The book depicts the conflicts within the Manpyou family, which is famous in Kansai's financial circles, amidst the tumultuous reorganisation of the financial industry of 1970s. Unlike the book, the eldest son, Teppei, and not the father, Daisuke, will be the central character of the story.

Cool...funny thing is Kimura's character in Love Generation was named Teppei too.

jade_frost wrote:

Upcoming Winter Drama Karei Naru Ichizoku Station: TBS Time: TBA Cast: Kimura Takuya Synopsis: Kimutaku plays the charismatic eldest son, Teppei Manpyou, an executive managing director of a steel firm in this television adaptation of Toyoko Yamasaki's book of the same name. She is also the author behind Nyokei Kazoku and Shiroi Kyoto. The book depicts the conflicts within the Manpyou family, which is famous in Kansai's financial circles, amidst the tumultuous reorganisation of the financial industry of 1970s. Unlike the book, the eldest son, Teppei, and not the father, Daisuke, will be the central character of the story.

Great! I've been so curious about his new drama. Absolutely worth waiting
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Can't wait for Kimura's new dorama!!

londondolly wrote:

Can't wait for Kimura's new dorama!!

i second that.

jade_frost wrote:

Upcoming Winter Drama Karei Naru Ichizoku Station: TBS Time: TBA Cast: Kimura Takuya Synopsis: Kimutaku plays the charismatic eldest son, Teppei Manpyou, an executive managing director of a steel firm in this television adaptation of Toyoko Yamasaki's book of the same name. She is also the author behind Nyokei Kazoku and Shiroi Kyoto. The book depicts the conflicts within the Manpyou family, which is famous in Kansai's financial circles, amidst the tumultuous reorganisation of the financial industry of 1970s. Unlike the book, the eldest son, Teppei, and not the father, Daisuke, will be the central character of the story.

yeah......finally kimura-san's new dorama......i miss him in 2006 ( just watched him in hero sp)
looking forward .....

I`ve heard that the new dorama of matsu jun is also going to be send soon .. or maybe they are sending it already?
I don't know
something of
Boku wa Imôto ni Koi o Suru
i think oO
not sure ^^

Inai wrote:

I`ve heard that the new dorama of matsu jun is also going to be send soon .. or maybe they are sending it already? I don't know something of Boku wa Imôto ni Koi o Suru i think oO not sure ^^

aah....do you mean Boku wa Imouto ni Koi wo Suru, it's movie and still in production (correct me if i'm wrong)

the movie's already been released.

matsujun IS going to do hyd2 in the winter season though. nino's gonna have a drama during the same season too but for fujitv.

ladyusagi wrote:

the movie's already been released. matsujun IS going to do hyd2 in the winter season though. nino's gonna have a drama during the same season too but for fujitv.

aaahhh....thx for the info.....
i'm looking forward for hyd2