OYAJI! (オヤジぃ)

Fall 2000

Oyaji! (Father!) is a drama about a seemingly ordinary Japanese family living together under the rules of a strict and stubborn father named Kanichi Kanzaki (Masakazu Tamura) and his subservient wife, Miyako (Hitomi Kuroki). Believing he is doing what all fathers should do, he not only nags and lectures his three children, but meddles in the business of strangers as well. Each having personal issues with their father, Sayuri (Miki Mizuno), Suzu (Ryoko Hirosue) and Tadashi (Junichi Okada) decide the only way to survive in this family is to move out. Will Kanichi be able to keep them together or will his insincerity get in the way?

Recommendation: I watched this drama during my early college days and I was happy to find it again after all these years. The year 2000 seemed like it just passed, but it's been about 13 years since this drama debuted. I found it funny to see how there were references to the internet being new and that nobody carried smart phones yet. I also enjoyed the cast and seeing how young all these actors were back in the day. Masakazu Tamura's acting reminded me of his character from the drama Furuhata Ninzaburo which spawned multiple seasons and specials, so it took a while getting used to, but he was good portraying a stubborn and overbearing father. Hitomi Kuroki just never seems to age and she fit the house wife role well. Hirosue Ryoko as well as the other actors playing the children were so young. Overall, this drama provides a good dose of family drama and comedy. I think it's well paced mostly, but it can be slow at times and over-sentimental. Still, the acting was good, the issues that each character faced and the twists and turns that occurred were still interesting. The director did a good job in expressing his views on what makes a family. Not only the strengths, but the flaws of each member and the obstacles they overcome create unbreakable bonds. If you are looking for a nice family drama with tear jerking moments and light laughs this drama is for you.

 Story: 1.0
Acting: 1.0
Directing: 0.5
Character Development: 1.0
Emotional Factor: 1.0

4.5 Out Of 5.0 Crowns

BEAUTIFUL LIFE

Winter 2000

Beautiful Life stars Takuya Kimura as Shuji Okishima and Takako Tokiwa as Kyoko Machida. Shuji is an up and coming talented hairstylist at a salon called Hot Lip. Raised in a family connected with the medical field, they basically disown him for chasing his dream to cut hair. Kyoko on the other hand is a librarian doing the best she can with an illness that robbed her legs and bound her to a wheelchair at the age of 17. On a fateful day both Shuji and Kyoko confront each other during a minor traffic incident. Their first meeting was a troublesome one, but gradually, their curiosity grows and they soon find themselves attractive to each other. They start a relationship, but with Shuji's popularity growing and Kyoko's disability hindering their lives, will they be able to overcome the onslaught of obstacles ahead?

Recommendation: Please don't read any further if you haven't watched this drama yet. First of all, Takuya Kimura is my favorite actor and when I was in high school, Takako Tokiwa was my favorite actress. I still remember when this drama debuted and I was so excited because I felt the timing was perfect for these two to work with each other. Now, don't get me wrong, this is a great drama and is a must watch, but it is probably also around the top of the list for the most saddest drama of all time. I actually watched this when it came out, but I was so worried about the ending that I actually stopped watching it around the 7th episode because I knew there wasn't going to be a happy ending. It was obvious because of the narrations by Shuji and Kyoko in every episode that this was going to be a sad drama. Still, the story, acting, directing was all great and it is a deep love story with a unique perspective. The final episode was truly heartbreaking. Interestingly, somewhere inside me still had hope for Kyoko. In a way I think the drama was meant to make the viewers feel this way. The drama made me think how life is precious and fragile. It also sent a message that it really isn't about how long you live, but what you experience that is important. I don't think I will be watching this again, but it was definitely worth it.

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

5.0 Out Of 5.0 Crowns

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