Rika Akana Grows Up: Honami Suzuki in "Shufu Katsu"

Just about wrapped up the 2018 drama “Shufu Katsu” starring Honami Suzuki in the role of a middle-aged woman re-embarking on employment after taking time out to have kids and raise a family.

With such events mirroring Suzuki’s own, real life, one could make the analogy that the drama represents herself, and perhaps it does, but what really came across to me as I watched it was, “you know, this drama feels like a sequel to Tokyo Love Story.” I felt with some surety that if we were to check in on whatever happened to Rika Akana after she got married and grew up, Suzuki’s character of in Shufu Katsu was definitely IT!

Suzuki stars as Natsuko Miyamoto, a mother who goes to work at a supermarket when her husband Akira (Takashi Ukaji) drops a bomb that he has decided to quit his job to grow organic produce! 

Realizing that the family will need SOME kind of income, Natsuko goes job hunting with the intent of re-entering the business world.

 Things aren't that easy for a 30+ woman, however, and in the end, the only place that will accept her is the local supermarket Takaraya.

 Still, Natsuko is nothing if not enthusiastic, and uses all her energy to make this new job the best experience she can, and with her enthusiasm, helps make others around her strive to be the best they can be, as well!

Some nice bonus points for appearances of fave actresses like Ryoko Kobayashi and Kasumi Yamaya as employees of Takaraya Market who help Natsuko adjust to the fast paced life of a supermarket clerk...

As well we have Haruka Shimazaki as Natsuko's daughter Hana and svelte Sayaka Yamaguchi as a rival market exec who hopes to steal Natsuko away!

You know another thing that made me feel this way- Shufu Katsu felt SO MUCH like a generic KIKU TV family drama from the mid-90’s, my “golden age” of J-drama viewing, it gave me waves of nostalgia even though I was watching it for the first time! Lots about the Market and about marketing in general, but it was so family-centered that if felt more like a “Toshiba Theater” Sunday night drama than anything modern!

 Ahh, I could watch this forever, sadly this drama decided to have a mere 7 chapters, all of which is going by all too quickly!!

PS: Speaking of growing up, it’s a funny thing, but so many times during the drama, A thought occurred to me that Suzuki Honami looks like a grown-up version of Nana Seino!! Maybe it’s just me, but I had that thought at LEAST three times watching it. Same features, same hair and even that same beauty mark!

Posted by zdoramaagain.blogspot.com

Chichi to Musuko no Chika Idol

Now here's a fun little Special!
Sendo (Yutaka Matsushige) is a caring teacher who has been finding that recently his students have been lacking any real motivation to work hard, which frustrates him to no end.

When we first check in with him, he is at the home a hikkikomori (shut-in) student named Taguchi (Yuki Imai) who has been skipping school and spending his days obsessing over Idol Girls.

 Sendo tries to understand the boy’s passion, but can’t get a grasp of the allure of these idol girl groups. Instead, he pleads with the boy to reconsider and come back to school, to which he refuses.

Back at school he comes across one particular one girl named Shiina Kiyonaga (Yumi Wakatsuki) who stands out for him because of her headstrong nature.

Back in the office, he onfides to his co-worker Miyano (Miori Takimoto), an instructor who teaches the dance classes of how stand-offish the students seem to be getting!

Miyano nods sympathetically as she takes a call. The call, it turns out, is the hospital where Sendo finds his son Katsuki has been in an accident and is in a coma.

Sendo has not seen or talked to his son in years. They have had a falling out some years ago when his wife died, and all he knows is that Katsuki had supposedly gone off to be in a rock band.

Looking over his unconscious son laying in bed, Sendo realizes that he really doesn’t know anything about him. And this point becomes glaringly obvious when, the next day, he sees his son surrounded by a trio of young, fashionable girls. 

He is stunned to realize that one of the girls is his student Shiina…and even MORE stunned to find that they are an IDOL GROUP that his son has been writing songs for and producing!!!

This is huge news to absorb, and talking to the girls, finds that with his son unable to help, the girls may not be able to proceed with their dreams of making it as an idol Act.
Yumi Wakatsuki as Shiina Kiyonagi

 Konatsu Kato as Hirari Atou

 Haruka Imou as Reo Hashimoto

 The girls put forth the idea that SENDO HIMSELF could take over the reins for his son, but the idea is too much for him...at first!

He gets to know the girls. He goes to see them performing on stage. And finally, after much thought, decides that, until his son regains consciousness, he WILL take care of the girls’ act, stepping in a their newbie producer!

Sendo has absolutely no knowledge of the Idol world, and spends his nights trying to get an idea of how to run things, reviewing videos of girl group performances....He seems truly like a fish out of water...

...but with help of people like Taguchi, a fanatical master at what a new idol group needs to succeed...

...counting on people like Miyano for taking care of the always-important dance choreography...

and even taking advice from his competition...

...Sendo finds that he may not only be able to help these girls achieve their dreams, but come to terms with his son and their relationship as well!

This was a cute little special that I had no idea existed til hamanosilence mentioned it. Naturally I was mostly interested in what role Miori Takimoto would be playing (as you all know of my current obsession with her!) but was soon on board to see where there girls were gonna go!

Posted by zdoramaagain.blogspot.com