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.

流星の絆 / Ryusei no Kizuna

Title: 流星の絆 / Ryusei no Kizuna
Title translated: Ties of Shooting Stars
Aired: 2008-Oct-17 to 2008-Dec-19
Genre: Suspense, Family, Comedy
Episodes: 10

• Ninomiya Kazunari as Yamada Taro
• Nishikido Ryo as Ariake Taisuke
• Toda Erika as Ariake Shizuna

DramaWiki's synopsis: “When we grow up… We’ll kill him together”. Koichi, Taisuke, and Shizuna are three siblings whose parents had been brutally murdered when they were just in elementary school, and they vowed to avenge their death. Fourteen years later, their vengeful plan unravels countless new facts. A shocking revelation leads to an overwhelmingly emotional ending. What will become of the siblings who have lived their lives solely in reliance of their bond alone?

Thoughts: I enjoyed the drama, though I wasn't entirely satisfied with the ending. The nicest part is that the main storyline runs throughout all 10 episodes, with little stories occurring in between.

メイちゃんの執事 / Mei-chan no Shitsuji

Title: メイちゃんの執事 / Mei-chan no Shitsuji
Title translated: Mei-chan's butler
Aired: 2009-Jan-13 to 2009-Mar-17
Genre: Comedy, Romance
Episodes: 10

• Eikura Nana as Shinonome Mei
  
• Mizushima Hiro as Shibata Rihito
• Sato Takeru as Shibata Kento

DramaWiki's synopsis: The story revolves around a young woman named Mei, who was rescued as a young girl by someone calling himself her "butler." With only a vague memory, though, the experience seems like just a dream. But one day, after her parents' accidental death, he appears: Rihito comes from a line of outstanding butlers, and he has been appointed to serve her! Now her ordinary life has completely flipped, as she discovers that she's actually the heiress to a fortune, and is forced to transfer to St. Lucia Girls' Academy, where all the students have butlers! As a result, her childhood friend Kento decides to enroll in a butler school so that he can stay close to her.

Thoughts: Rihito is awesome. Mei is too big-sized. In the manga, she is much smaller-sized than Rihito, but look at that banner above- she's as tall as him! And she's also less cute. In short, I like this drama because I'm a sucker for butler-related things, plus this drama has some semblance of a decent storyline. Only gripe is Mei's character portrayal.

絶対彼氏 / Zettai Kareshi

Title: 絶対彼氏 / Zettai Kareshi
Title translated: Absolute Boyfriend
Aired: 2008-Apr-15 to 2008-Jun-24
Genre: Comedy, Romance
Episodes: 11

• Hayami Mokomichi as Tenjo Night
• Mizushima Hiro as Asamoto Soshi
• Aibu Saki as Izawa Riiko

DramaWiki's synopsis: Robot maker, Kronos Heaven, finally develops "Night Tenjo", the perfect male humanoid programmed to be devoted and completely loyal to his lover. The company chooses temp worker Izawa Riko to take part in a 5-day free trial. At first, Riko only sees Night as a household appliance. But when she finds out how deep Night's devotion to herself is, Riko finds herself falling in love with him. Joining the love triangle is Asamoto Soshi, a distinguished young executive at her company who has feelings for her.

Thoughts: I was following the manga of this drama so faithfully, yet it ended so tragically. (read: author gave a slip-shod, crappy ending) I was hoping for this drama to make up for some part of the imcompleteness, but it didn't really happen. I didn't even feel like Riiko even liked Night at the end! Hayami made a perfect Night. Mizushima caught my attention as well. But Riiko... could have been much better. Watch only for the eye candy that is the 2 male actors.

のだめカンタービレ / Nodame Cantabile

Title: のだめカンタービレ / Nodame Cantabile
Aired: 2006-Oct-16 to 2006-Dec-25
Genre: Comedy, Romance
Episodes: 11

• Ueno Juri as Noda Megumi aka Nodame (Piano)
  • Morisako Ei as young Nodame
• Tamaki Hiroshi as Chiaki Shinichi (Piano/Violin/Conducting)
  • Fujita Reo (藤田玲央) as young Chiaki

DramaWiki's synopsis: Based on the hit comic book by Tomoko Ninomiya, this is a fun-filled quirky romantic story of two very opposite people.

Megumi Noda, or “Nodame” is a piano student at Momogaoka College of Music. An extremely talented pianist who wants to be a kindergarten teacher, she prefers playing by ear rather than reading the music score. She is messy and disorganized, takes baths several days apart and loves to eat, sometimes stealing her friend’s lunchbox when it is filled with delicacies.

Shinichi Chiaki, is Momogaoka’s top student. Born into a musical family, he is talented in piano and violin and has secret ambitions to become a conductor. An arrogant multi-lingual perfectionist who once lived abroad in the music capitals of the world as a young boy, he feels mired in Japan because of a childhood phobia.

They meet by accident. Nodame quickly falls in love, but it takes much longer for Chiaki to even begin to appreciate Nodame’s unusual qualities. Their relationship causes them both to develop and grow. Because of Nodame, Chiaki got the opportunity to lead a student orchestra and begins to have a broader appreciation of people's musical abilities. Because of Chiaki, Nodame faces her fears and enters a piano competition. Opportunities open up as both begin taking risks, stretching themselves far more than they ever thought possible.

Thoughts: Excellent drama! Good balance of the storyline, character development and humor all in one. Nodame is absolutely lovable, and Chiaki? Just made of awesome. Even NPB says so, and he's a guy!

山田太郎ものがたり / Yamada Taro Monogatari

Title: 山田太郎ものがたり / Yamada Taro Monogatari
Title translated: The Story of Yamada Taro
Aired: 2007-Jul-6 to 2007-Sep-14
Genre: Comedy
Episodes: 10

• Ninomiya Kazunari as Yamada Taro
• Sakurai Sho as Mimura Takuya

DramaWiki's synopsis: Yamada Taro, a freshman on a scholarship at Ichinomiya Private Senior High School, is high-achieving, strikingly handsome, and truly athletic and seems perfect. But he is actually extremely poor. The story humorously portrays Taro, who tackles problems that occur because of his poverty, and his six younger brothers and sisters.

Thoughts: I LOVED this drama. This was one where I was alternating between crying and laughing. I truly recommend this to anyone who is looking for something to watch.

花ざかりの君たちへ / Hanazakari no Kimitachi e

Title: 花ざかりの君たちへ / Hanazakari no Kimitachi e
Title translated: For you in full blossom
Aired: 2007-Jul-03 to 2007-Sep-18
Genre: Comedy, School, Romance
Episodes: 12

• Horikita Maki as Ashiya Mizuki
• Oguri Shun as Sano Izumi
• Ikuta Toma as Nakatsu Shuichi

DramaWiki's synopsis: Based on a popular comic, this hilarious comedy follows the chaos, troubles and friendship at a boys’ boarding school after a girl-disguising-a-boy joins. Ashiya Mizuki has just come back to Japan from California where she was raised. She fell in love with Sano Izumi, a hopeful high jump hero, who has quit after an accident. As she wants him to go back to the sport once again, she enters the same high school as a boy! With a short hair, flattened chest and lowered voice, she starts sharing the same room with Sano.

Thoughts: Didn't really enjoy this so much. Somehow wasn't able to feel for the storyline. But I loved Nakatsu! Absolutely hilarious and adorable.

イタズラなKiss / Itazura na Kiss

Title: イタズラなKiss / Itazura na Kiss
Title translated: Teasing kiss
Aired: 1996-Oct-14 to 1996-Dec-16
Genre: Romance, Comedy
Episodes: 9

• Sato Aiko as Aihara Kotoko
• Kashiwabara Takashi as Irie Naoki

DramaWiki's synopsis: Late for a meeting, Kotoko was running along the corridor in school and bumped into Naoki, their lips meeting. Naoki showed his disgust, but Kotoko started to idolise him, who was good at everything from studies to sports. When Kotoko's house burned down, her father's good friend Machiko invited them to move in with her family. It was then that Kotoko realised Naoki was the elder son of Machiko, who took up the role of a fairy-godmother to bring the two together...despite the fact that Naoki was disgusted. Not discouraged, the clumsy and not-so-bright Kotoko started to do everything that would change her impression on him. Gradually, the icy-cold Naoki who disliked girls started to feel for Kotoko...

Thoughts: Sato Aiko was excellent as Kotoko, and Kashiwabara was awesome as Naoki. But the drama didn't portray the feelings Naoki had for Kotoko too well. The manga and anime showed it far better. But I still liked this as it was one of the earliest jdramas I caught and the memories I had. This one involved pulling an all-nighter with traditional chinese subtitles in the company of my best pals.