Another Dog Day Afternoon in “Bank Over: Shiro Satsu No Goto”

Shotaro Mamiya as the "Weakest Bank Robber In History"

Hilarious and FUN comedy about a hapless young man named Sasuke (Shotaro Mamiya) who teams up with his co-worker Taijiri (Hidekazu Nagai) to rob a bank of its funds only to discover another set of crooks holding up the place when they get there! 

Sasuke Sawatari is in dire need of money when his beloved sister Koharu (Asuka Kijima) collapses with a brain disease. The surgery needed to cure her can only be done in Thailand and Sasuke needs 10 Million to get it done.

After trying to get a loan at the Banking Institution that he will eventually be robbing, Sasuke resorts to a shady loan shark (Hannya) to get it. He will have to perform some insidious tasks for them, but it will be worth it for the sake of his sister.

When he gives the money over to his sister’s frumpy fiance Kenichi (Nishida) however, the guy seemingly runs off with the money, never to be seen or heard from again!

Sasuke then learns that the task the Loan Sharks want him to do is to knock off the Bank! He, of course, doesn’t want to do such a thing, but with the money gone, he cannot return it and withdraw from the deal.

He employs his tough-looking co-worker Taijiri to help him. It’s been rumored that this guy has been through wars and he can use his skills.

Thus the two raid the bank the next day where things immediately go south!!

With one set of crooks on one side and one on the other, it seems like a stalemate, when one of the girls speaks up. Her name is Sakura Oki (Moka Kamishiraishi), and she says she is a lawyer who can mediate between the criminals in an effort to bring the standoff to a close.

But what NO ONE knows is that almost EVERY SINGLE PERSON involved in this crime has a SECRET motive connected to it- everyone, from the Bank Manager, the tellers, the customers and even the POLICE! And as the crime drags on and more facets are revealed, we learn the backstories of each individual and their own personal stake in the bank robbery! 

Bank Manager (Masanobu Sakata) and Teller Shizuka Goto (Marika Ito) 

“Gyaru” Customers (Aya Kitai and Wan Marui)

“Sober Woman” Nuno Uraji

a scene stealing First Summer Uika as a Dominatrix and Mystery Man Kanata Hosoda

Detective Yamane: Yoshihiko Hakayamada

Even the two other robbers are given their backstory of how they came to be here!

Oh WOW only watched the first part (of two) of this glorious drama special, but so far it is INSANELY good!!! So many TWISTS and TURNS, I haven’t had this much fun being  conned and misled since the excellent 1998 Crime thriller  “Wild Things”!!!

Can’t WAIT for the conclusion!!!

She’s the Devil In Disguise: Miona Hori’s Tour De Force As The Merrily Manipulative Aiko Tagawa in “Saretagawa No Blue”

 
Just wrapped up the highly entertaining Saretagawa no Blue, a drama about seemingly happily married husband Noburo Tagawa (Inukai Atsuhiro) whose life get turned upside down when he discovers his beloved wife Aiko (Miona Hori) is cheating on him.

Aiko is having an affair with her superior Mori (Toru Iwaoka),leaving the naive Noburo at a loss of what to do, but a chance meeting with Mori’s wife Kozue (Rin Takanashi) gives him a an ally to rely on as they cooperate in dealing with this tragedy in their lives.

Sounds like a by-the-numbers cheating spouse drama, and it is that, but it’s elevated by actress Miona Hori’s spritely take as the selfish, self-centered and altogether naughty Aiko, whose every scene-stealing action seems justified in her mind if it will get her what she desires!

At first seeming coy and covert, she soon shows her true colors as the maddeningly manipulative cheater she is, not since Saiorse Ronan’s role in Atonement has there been a character you love so much to HATE!

A very short drama (only 8 episodes) with a lean cast, the drama is rounded out by Keisuke Nakata and Aya Kitai as Noburo’s concerned friends as well as pretty Hitomi Kaji as the slighted spouses’ busy lawyer!

PS: True, Aiko is as bad as can be, but you do spend a large chunk of the show thinking that Noburo is the dumbest and most clueless airhead of all time as he’s tricked time and time again by his weaselly wife’s wiley ways! LOL

Posted by zdorama @ zdoramaagain.blogspot.com