Crush Of The Day: Mai Fukagawa

"Geh! Mamiya Shoko!!!" Today's Crush of The day is the lovely Mai Fukagawa!!! As you all know, I had already flipped head over heels for actress Mai Fukagawa in her scene-stealing turn as Nana Seino's foil in "Konin Todoke ni Han wo Oshita dake desu ga" (and in many ways was the best thing IN that drama)...

...but her roles in the fun traveler series Nihon Boro Kado Kiko as the super-energetic Haruko Shinomiya...

...and the exciting supernatural Fuujinshi have REALLY solidified her as one of my new FAVES!

Such a charismatic and versatile actress, from goofy and fun to serious and desperate and everything in between!

Ya know, I was already in the middle of putting together this little ode to Mai's charms when who should appear in the latest episode I was watching of Alice Hirose's foodie drama "Shitsuren Meshi" but Ms. Fukagawa herself, CLEARLY proving that it's her time to shine!

When was the first time I laid eyes on Mai? As I recall, I’d noted how freakin' cute she was in what (I thought) was the first drama I’d seen her in, "Mada Kekkon Dekinai Otoko" , as one of the three new ‘suitors” for the cantankerous Abe...

...But according to Dramawiki, I’d actually seen her first in Princess Maison as Aoi Morikawa's childhood friend Etsuko who comes to visit for a spell!

I'd also seen a quick sighting of Mai as a victim of online slander in the Shingo Katori drama "Anonymous" (here showing her serious side)

...But for the cute of the cute ya just CAN'T beat Konin Todoke and the Mamiya Shoko spin off mini-series "Tonikaku Konin Todoke ni Han wo Oshitai dake desu ga" for pure Mai-Mai goodness!

Mai reminds me a bit of actress Airi Matsui, she herself a huge fave of mine! But of course Mai's got  a charm all her own (and a wonderful smile to boot!)

Man, I'm so infatuated with Mai right now, and going back and watching old performances of her back in her Nogizaka46 days, I can only wonder how it would have been to have fallen in love with her back when she was still in the group. Would she have made the same impact she's had on me now??!

Who can say, but one thing's for sure- she's definitely a fave now, and will be on my radar for anything new!!!

PS: I don;t know if anyone noticed, but some of my earlier posts with Mai have had her last name spelled FuKUgawa, not FuKAgawa, an error I hastened to fix! Sorry Mai-chan, it won't happen again!!!

posted by zdorama@ zdoramagain.blogspot.com

Nihon Boro Yado Kiko

 With my beloved Tetsu Ota Michiko 2man Kiro about to wrap, I needed a new show to fill my “Girl with an Odd Otaku Obsession” appetite, and I found it in the 2019 drama “Nihon Boro Yado Kiko”, about a young girl obsessed with cheap, run-down “boro” hole in the wall Inns!!

Mai Fukagawa plays Haruka Shinomiya, a young woman who takes over her Father’s Talent Agency when he passes away. However, the company’s roster only carries one over-the-hill singer named Ryuji Sakuraba (Kazuya Takahashi), and it’s up to Haruka to dust him off and get him back in the business...

The circuit they will have to work is all back roads and dives, where the clients are lukewarm to Sakuraba’s efforts, but Shinomiya is optimistic! She insists that the only way for him to get back on his feet is to work his way up doing these back road tours, but Sakuraba isn’t convinced.

He is to find that Shinomiya has an ulterior motive for going on these no-frill tours...her passionate love of "Boro Yado"-Shabby Lodgings! As she explains it, for its historic value to surprisingly cheap fees, "Shabby Lodgings" is by no means an insult, more of a loving fan name! And Sakuraba's promotional tour gives her the best reasons to visit such places!

"How rustic!"

Sakuraba cries, "Ya gotta be KIDDING me!", but Haruka isn't at all!

From outdated phones, televisions, and light fixtures...

A dingy and humble washroom...

To well-worn beddings...

...and OOH! Stained Carpets!!!!

...this is a Boro Yado fan's DELIGHT...much to Sakuraba's CHAGRIN!!!

Even their meals consist of crude instant food from vending machines, which, though he complains about it, Sakuraba has to admit tastes pretty good, all things considered!

Perhaps it's because Haruka grew up accompanying her late Father on the road managing his talents that she has such attachment to the more modest fare traveling can offer, but she is beside herself with satisfaction!

On the road, she's hoping to enjoy more Boro Yado Lodgings, teach Sakuraba to enjoy the smaller things in life, and HEY! Maybe even actually jump-start his career and get him going again!

In any case, it's gonna be one INTERESTING trip!!!

Nihon Boro Yado Kiko is a fun and spirited show filled with warmth and sentimentality of  yesteryear, and part of its authenticity is that Takahashi (and even Fukagawa) have real-life idol roots-  Kazuya Takahashi was a Johnny’s entertainment singer in the 80’s (even winning the best newcomer of '88!) and really exuded that early boy-idol style-

And of course Mai Fukagawa herself came from the first generation of Nogizaka46!

Maybe that's the magic formula that makes Nihon Boro Yado Kido such a great little ode to the glories of yesterday! Really LOVING it so far! 

Posted by zdorama @ zdoramaagain.blogspot.com