ルーキーズ / ROOKIES

Title: ルーキーズ / ROOKIES
Aired: 2008-Apr-19 to 2008-Jul-26
Genre: Sports
Episodes: 11

• Sato Ryuta as Kawato Koichi
• Ichihara Hayato as Aniya Keiichi
• Koide Keisuke as Mikoshiba Toru

DramaWiki's synopsis: Koichi Kawato is the new Japanese Literature teacher at the ill-famed Futakotamagawa high school, whose baseball club is composed of thugs and bullies who have been suspended for a year from all school competitions, for causing a brawl during an official match. The newly appointed teacher finds that the club members left are only interested in women, smoking and doing nothing until, under Kawato's guidance, they discover their dream of going to the Koshien high school baseball tournament. However, the road to Koshien is far from easy as many obstacles await them.

Thoughts: It is a bit of the typical inspiring-teacher-reforms-deliquents show, and rather predictable, but that doesn't make this drama boring. I think the feelings expressed in the show as well as how each of the characters overcame their weaknesses for the sake of their common dream is quite inspiring. The teacher is also a laugh, seemingly yelling random quotes out of nowhere, but in the end, as is expected, the one who is the true backbone of all of them- the one who brings them all together and earnestly supports them.

魔女裁判 / Majo Saiban

Title: 魔女裁判 / Majo Saiban
Aired: 2009-Apr-25 to 2009-Jul-11
Genre: Suspense, legal
Episodes: 10

• Ikuta Toma as Yoshioka Toru
• Kato Ai as Watabe Izumi
• Higa Manami as Motomiya Kaori
• Suzuki Ryohei as Kurokawa Ryuichi

DramaWiki's synopsis: Toru is a young part-timer who has no interest in social issues. He gets called in as a juror in the trial of a woman labeled as a "witch", charged with a murder over an enormous inheritance. Though it appears that she is definitely guilty, one by one the jurors begin casting their votes for "not guilty." From the shadows, there is a mysterious organization buying control of the jury. At the same time, strange events start happening around Toru. When another juror is threatened, Toru is determined to save her. However, Toru's girlfriend, a newspaper reporter, seems suspicious of their relationship. And so, Toru begins his lonely fight for the truth.

Thoughts: This drama can be considered the epitome of unpredictable. Just when you thought you figured it out, BAM. Twists the other way. Not kidding, this drama is full of twists and turns right up to the last minute of the show.

BOSS

Title: BOSS
Aired: 2009-Apr-16 to 2009-Jun-25
Genre: Detective
Episodes: 11

• Amami Yuki as Osawa Eriko

DramaWiki's synopsis: This series revolves around a group of peculiar detectives in a new division created to fight against an increase in atrocious crimes. Osawa Eriko is a beautiful career woman who has just returned from training in the U.S. and is appointed as the "boss" of this division. But despite her intelligence and capabilities, she can never understand a man's heart, so she remains unable to find a husband. In fact, her assignment in the U.S. was really a demotion after she ruined her career track over a man. So why was she chosen as the boss of the new division? Even though the detectives are talented, they all have some kind of issue or flaw, and they are considered to be the "problem children" of the police force. In the end, the division's true purpose is just to isolate these problematic detectives.

Thoughts: First time watching this lead actress and at first, felt she was a bit... old? But she quickly grows on you! Each episode contains a new case and shows how the team solves them together and in it, grow together. I quite enjoyed it, especially the "profiling" part of suspects. I wonder if it really works like that in real life...

CHANGE

Title: CHANGE
Aired: 2008-May-12 to 2008-Jul-14
Genre: Human drama, Comedy
Episodes: 10

• Kimura Takuya as Asakura Keita
• Fukatsu Eri as Miyama Rika

DramaWiki's synopsis: With the deaths of ruling party's Fukuoka Member of Parliament and his eldest son, his heir apparent, in an plane accident, a by-election had to be held right away and, Kanbayashi Masaichi, the House secretary of the ruling party,conceived the idea of fielding the second son, Asakura Keita, and sent his secretary Miyama Rika to complete the task.

Keita was an elementary school teacher in Nagano and his hobby was star gazing.He had no interest in politics. At Rika's persuasion and the pressure of his family, he reluctantly agreed to run for office but with no intention of winning. However, with the help of Nirasawa Katsutoshi, an election strategist, he went on to win by a narrow margin of just 164 votes.

When the Prime Minister was forced to resign over allegation of sexual harrassment, Kanbayashi concocted the idea of nominating the inept Keita to run for the party's leadership and thereby becoming the next Prime Minister as he thought it would be easy to manipulate him and work the situation to his own advantage so he would become the next PM when Keita failed. However, the sincerity and hard work of Keita soon won over every sceptic and as Kanbayashi found out, he was not a puppet on his strings. Kanbayashi had to come up with another scheme to destroy Keita. How far would he go to realize his ambition? Could he succeed?

Thoughts: Takuya Kimura is as always, a joy to watch. One of the few reasons why I would watch something as dry as politics. But to give the main character (Asakura Keita) credit, he is not your typical politician and thus also adds to the appeal of a political drama. Asakura is funny, honest and has a way with words and hearts. Don't be turned off by the political part of the drama! This drama shows politics through the eyes of a normal citizen who somehow landed up as a politician and is truly enjoyable

Mr. Brain

Title: Mr. Brain
Aired: 2009-May-23 to 2009-Jul-11
Genre: Comedy, Mystery
Episodes: 8

• Kimura Takuya as Tsukumo Ryusuke
• Ayase Haruka as Yuri Kazune
• Mizushima Hiro as Hayashida Toranosuke

DramaWiki's synopsis: Tsukumo Ryusuke is a quirky, yet brilliant neuroscientist working for the National Research Institute of Police Science. Wielding a unique perspective and psychology, Tsukumo tackles the nation's most baffling crimes and scandals, going head-to-head with the most brilliant and twisted criminal minds. But his eccentricities and poor social timing can also aggravate people and circumstances, further complicating matters.

Thoughts: Very interesting main character, portrayed by the brilliant Takuya Kimura. Each episode has a main case, which is mostly solved within the same episode. No real running storyline, though Tsukumo's character development could have been expounded a bit more to make the drama more rounded. Even so, this drama is definitely enjoyable.

魔王 / Maou

Title: 魔王 / Maou
Title translated: The Devil
Aired: 2008-Jul-04 to 2008-Sep-12
Genre: Suspense, Romance
Episodes: 11

• Ohno Satoshi as Naruse Ryo/Manaka Tomoo
• Ikuta Toma as Serizawa Naoto

DramaWiki's synopsis: This drama is a remake of the popular suspense drama The Devil that was aired in Korea last year. Ohno Satoshi will be playing the role of a two-faced lawyer, one of which is a kind hearted soul and the other who is plotting revenge, using his brilliant mind, on the person who killed his relative. On the other hand, Ikuta Toma will play the double lead role of the man, who has become a detective due to his dark past, who is pursuing the mysterious series of murders and fighting against the devil.

Thoughts: Superb drama. Suspense-filled throughout the entire 11 episodes. Loved the brilliance of Naruse in how he crafts the entire murder, then successfully gets an acquittal for the defendant. Getting his revenge right under the eyes of law! Ohno did an excellent portrayal of Naruse, showing the conflicting emotions between revenge and morals. Ikuta also did a commendable portrayal of Serizawa, struggling with his past and present. In short, a superb drama! Did I say this already?

ライアーゲーム / Liar Game

Title: ライアーゲーム / Liar Game
Aired: 2007-Apr-14 to 2007-Jun-23
Genre: Suspense
Episodes: 11

• Toda Erika as Kanzaki Nao
• Matsuda Shota as Akiyama Shinichi

DramaWiki's synopsis: Kanzaki Nao is an honest college student who receives a hundred million yen one day, along with a card saying she has been chosen to take part in the "Liar Game". The aim of the game is to trick the other players out of their hundred million dollars. At the end, the winner gets the hundred million and the loser is a hundred million yen in debt. The next day, she receives notification that her opponent is her former teacher, Fujisawa Kazuo. She goes to him, seeking help, but ends up getting tricked into handing her money over. Desperate, she approaches the police for help, but they are unable to do anything. However, she is told of a mastermind swindler, Akiyama Shinichi, who is to be released from jail the next day. Desperate, she goes to him for help.

Thoughts: First of all, I have no idea why Matsuda looks like he's wearing a friggin' wig and looking like a shitty 3rd rate delinquent in that banner. I promise he looks much better in the drama! I enjoyed Matsuda's performance thoroughly. But Kanzaki is an absolutely annoying character. I think no matter what, there's a limit to how much trust you can have in a person after he tricks you for the 2394823098th time. If you're gonna watch it, watch it for Akiyama's strategies in tricking people and ignore Kanzaki.