Sunday, July 1, 2012

YAMATO NADESHIKO (やまとなでしこ (大和撫子))














Fall 2000

Bringing back a bit of nostalgia from my youth (I know I'm dating myself here) I took a road down memory lane and watched "Yamato Nadeshiko" again. The story is about a young woman named Jinno Sakurako (Matsushima Nanako) who suffered through the harshness of being poor. She vowed to one day marry a rich man and never have to deal with financial problems. Working as a stewardess, she infamously becomes known as the queen of gokkon (group dating) dragging her co-workers to join her in finding the perfect man to help her attain her materialistic dreams. Things start to unravel when she meets Nakahara Osuke (Tsutsumi Shinichi), a brilliant mathematician who fell on hard times. A sincere and pure hearted man who would do anything for Sakurako, he tries to desperately woo her. Unfortunately she wants no part of him when she discovers how poor he is. But as their lives indirectly intertwine, Sakurako isn't sure what it is, but something other than the power of money draws her more closely to this strange man.

Recommendation: Wow, it's really been awhile since I last saw this drama. I noticed many flaws that I didn't before, but it really doesn't change my impression of the series too much. The framework has been overdone and compared to dramas these days, the story is nothing new, but what makes "Yamato Nadeshiko" special is the draw of Matsushima Nanako. She really was great in this drama. Her beauty is unique and her charm is magnetic. I think this was one of her best works. Whenever I think of Matsushima Nanako, this drama always comes to mind. It's a feel good romantic comedy and has all the parts working like a cliched drama. The characters are great, Tsutsumi Shinichi plays a down on his luck poor man convincingly, and you just have to feel bad for Shiota Wakaba (Yada Akiko) who plays the "girl next door" type exceptionally well. Again the story is nothing new, but it is well made and one that I would put up with the all time classics.

Story: 1.0
Acting: 1.0
Directing: 1.0
Character Development: 1.0
Emotional Factor: 1.0

5.0 Out Of 5.0 Crowns

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