I remember talking to my friend Car after watching Episode 8 of the Yuki Amami detective drama BOSS, about that night’s villain, a vengeful sharpshooter girl played by actress Konishi Manami. Car said she remembered that I liked Konishi in some earlier drama, but couldn’t remember which one it was...
Eh? As far as I knew, this BOSS episode was the first thing I’d seen this actress in. “Are you sure I said I liked her?” I asked, and Car replied, “Yeah, you said she was really pretty!” This totally threw me for a loop, because although she certainly was attractive, Manami Konishi reminded me more of one of those yellow marshmallow peeps bunnies, albeit an angry, murderous one!
Then Car remembered: “Ah, she was in Orange Days! Remember, she was Tsumabuki’s girlfriend or something?” Then it hit me, and I DID remember him totally shafting this pretty teacher-type girl to obsess over Shibasaki Kou. Though the face eluded me, I DID remember noting how beautiful she was. So this was this same girl? Hm, I didn’t seem to have that same reaction in her BOSS appearance!
Then I started watching the awesome Riko Narumi drama Ruri No Shima, and what do you know, here was Manami again, once again playing a bitchy teacher! Though I loved the show and ended up loving her character as well, I still didn’t feel that spark I supposedly had back watching Orange Days…was it a fluke?
Now we’re up to present day, and I’m watching the Kohinata Fumiyo drama Ashita No Kita Yoshio, and once again, here was Manami playing a cold, bitter woman, but this time, her character was supposed to be a beautiful, classy and pure woman, and in every scene she was shown in classy outfits, sleek cars and sparkling jewelry, and it was THIS character that FINALLY opened my eyes!
On the outside she was depicted as a cool, calculating career woman, strutting the halls in her long, high heels and delivering her dialog in hard cold monotone along with an icy glare, but in private (or with her psychiatrist) she broke down into this meek, innocent waif who’d been lonely all her life and manipulated by those she loved. In short, the most fully developed character I’d seen her in, and I simply loved her in it!
You want to see Manami playing a complex character? well, that's definitely what you got with Washizu Mizuho. Intrigue and mystery surrounds this girl: Why would this gorgeous girl marry a nobody like Yoshio? Why did she mysteriously disappear from his life 11 years ago? And why is she being investigated for the murder of her second husband? So much secrets can be hidden behind a pretty nurse's outfit and a sweet smile!
Little by little, the clues come creeping out of the woodwork, all leading up to an explosive final episode where all the lies and deceptions come to a head! WOW! What an actress! This was no lightweight girl here- this was someone who could really deliver!
Funny, when I went back to those old episodes of BOSS and Ruri No Shima to get those screencaps, Manami seemed SO pretty and charismatic now that I’ve re-discovered my love for her! It's hard to believe I forgot how much I liked her! AHAHAHA!
What I’m trying to get next for my Manami Konishi-watching pleasure is the cute comedy drama KIRAKIRA KENSHUI, where Manami plays a good-natured nurse who always seems to be getting in trouble because she is spending too much time helping people out! Looks to be a FUN show!
Ah Manami-chan, will you ever forgive me for forgetting you?
