I remember back in 2016 watching the Satomi Ishihara/Tomohisa Yamashita drama 5ji Kara 9ji Made and remarking that although I loved Satomi , the the best thing about the show was the side storyline featuring a then unknown (to me) Rin Takanashi as Momoe Yamabuchi, the geeky fangirl secretly into Yaoi manga and having to deal with a very real love interest-
And now, here we are in 2018 and I’ve just finished watching the first starring vehicle for Rin Takanashi as online gaming director Misa Chigasaki in the romance drama Koi Ga Heta Demo Ikimasu…but once again, rather than the main story, the thing I loved most about it is the side-storyline, THIS time featuring Kaho Tsuchimura as Chihiro Enomoto, a shy and inexperienced woman dealing with her first “womanizer” relationship!
Back with 5ji Kara 9ji Made, I remember saying I wish that Rin Takanashi’s character Momoe had her own spin-off show, and I found myself wishing the same thing for Chihiro’s plight- for though I love Rin Takanashi and though she was the prettiest I’ve ever seen her, her romance seemed so run of the mill and over done that I barely had any interest when her story was on, and I found myself only waiting for Chihiro’s scenes to come on!
To be true, Chihiro’s plight wasn’t any less cliched or predictable than Misa’s, but Kaho Tsuchimura was SO sweet and lovable as the naive and vulnerable girl coming off a failed engagement with a cheating fiance who befriends a so-called love-‘em and leave ’em ladies man named Hashimoto (Yasushi Fuchikami) who tells her he can teach her to win her man back.
Of course his lessons in life and love can’t go without leaving a mark on the innocent Chihiro and the more time she spends with him, the more attraction she inevitably develops.
She knows that she's being a bother to him but uses sex as a way she believes will keep him interested. But you can tell that she means something special to him, too, and it’s these moments they are together just enjoying each others company that makes the drama for me.
Chihiro is such a sweet character, you really find yourself pulling for her, and though you know it will be predictable all the way, you can't help but keep watching!
After the drama was over I ran to Dramawiki to see if I’d seen Kaho Tsuchimura in anything else, but it looks like she’s new to the scene as her credits only list a few dramas and two movies! Hopefully we’ll be seeing more of this girl- really loved her in this drama! Sorry, Rin! You were beautiful, but it was the sweetness of Kaho that did it for me this time!
Posted by zdorama @ zdoramaagain.blogspot.com
