NOBUTA WO PRODUCE

Fall 2005

I must say that Nobuta Wo Produce is one of my favorite dramas of all time. I watched the series again to refresh my memory, and it's amazing to see how the main actors like Yamapi, Kamenashi, and Horikita Maki have gone to become big time stars. Even Toda Erika who only had a minor role in the drama is a super star these days. The drama follows three high-school students who don't have anything in common and would not have been friends if not for a unique circumstance. Kiritani Shuji (played by Kamenashi Kazuya) is a popular student and gets a long with practically everyone in class. The only person he can't stand is Kusano Akira (played by Yamshita Tomohisa) who is somewhat of an oddity and acts annoyingly around Shuji. A new student, Kotani Nobuko (played by Horikita Maki) transfers to their school. She is a reserved, quiet, and depressed student who gets bullied constantly. To do something unique and different before they graduate, Shuji and Akira decide to "produce" Nobuta (which is a nickname for Nobuko) or make her a popular student. These three unlikely amigos go through a unique adventure of ups and downs that eventually paves a path to true friendship.

Recommendation: I didn't expect much from this drama, but the story and the directing really blew me away. I thought the drama was creative in that each episode alluded to some kind of humanistic purpose or gave advice about the meaning of life. There were uplifting and moving scenes and it really went deeply into what young people think and do as they try to "grow" as human beings. It is interesting to see how Shuji wanted to change Nobuta and make her popular, but at the same time, he eventually changed himself as well. I highly recommend this drama and consider it a classic!

STORY: 1
ACTING: 1
DIRECTING: 1
CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT: 1
EMOTIONAL FACTOR: 1

5 OUT OF 5 CROWNS