"Here's Your Stuff!" Sawa Niimura Takes on Home Delivery in "Anata no Butsuga, Koko ni"

As I mentioned before, I’m watching “Anata no Butsuga, Koko ni” a touching drama from last year starring Sawa Niimura as a Cabaclub Hostess named Ako Yamazaki, who is gamely trying to raise her young daughter Saki (played by “Tsuma, Shogakusei ni Naru’s” Nono Maida) on her own.

Ako with Shizuku (Yuna "Yuuchami" Kogawa) and Noa (Miki Yanagi)

Sadly, it is the time of COVID and shut-downs, and with the lack of customers (and an overall decrease in her popularity due to her age), finds that she is among the unlucky who are getting their hours severely cut. In fact, with the club's possible shut-down, they may soon not need her services at all.

While voicing her concerns with a regular customer of her club, He states that there are always openings at his company, looking for delivery drivers. “There will always be a need for people like us!” he assures, especially since most people will be having their goods sent to their homes instead of going out and shopping! 

Well, it's not the kind of thing she sees herself doing, though she does have a driver's license anda strong body (thanks to her years as a softball player), all of which are the only qualifications she needs. But she keeps his card, and that will prove to be a VERY smart move!

She hopes to make do with her meager savings to see her through this rough patch, but when she is scammed out of her account by a smooth-talking con-artist, she is desperate to find employment.

Her main concern, of course, is the well-being of her daughter, and thus she makes several big decisions- one, to move back in with her Mother (of whom she has had a tumultuous past)...

and the other: to bravely step up and apply at her former client's Delivery Business, where she is immediately hired!

Upon donning the company outfit, Ako can't believe how far she's slipped since her early days. "I look SO UNCOOL," she mumbles, but Saki assures her that she looks like one RAD lady! And thus Ako's new life as a blue collar delivery woman begins!

She gets off to a rough start getting a hang of the job (especially when she goes through a common cliche I really hate; the "no one teaches a new employee how to do things, but EXPLODE when they do it wrong" trope), but she is steadfast and determined to make it work!

This is one helluva sweet show, and I’m shocked that this isn’t more well-known among J-drama fans. I thought it was a brand new show and was surprised to find it was from 2022 and had come and gone without anyone talking about it.

Thankfully there was a fansubber out there who loved the show enough to take it upon themselves to sub it so it could be watched and appreciated by others, and I thank them HEARTFULLY! This is such a great little show.

I mentioned it in a  previous post, but Sawa Niimura is steadily becoming one of the frequently-seen support stars in dramas lately- so nice to see her headlining one all her own!

The Boys (And Girls) Of Summer with “Manatsu No Cinderella”

 Just caught the first episode of the new "Manatsu no Cinderella" drama, and it's like “Summer Nude” all over again! Been a good DECADE since that fun little show, and Cinderellas of Summer is here to entertain a whole NEW Generation! 

A Bunch of Guys and gals meet at the beach over the summer complete with seaside restaurant- Will all of them find romance this vacation? You Bet!

Nana Mori - Natsumi Aoi

Shotaro Mamiya - Kento Mizushima

Fuju Kamio - Takumi Makino

Ai Yoshikawa - Airi Takigawa

Alan Shirahama - Mamoru Yamauchi

Sawa Nimura - Risa Ogura

Riku Hagiwara - Osamu Sasaki

Can’t say I expect much in the way of originality in this one, but the cast seems fun, and Nana Mori is looking more sparkling and DAZZLING than I’ve ever seen before!

Not sure if I really buy her as a paddleboard instructor, but she has a megawatt smile that can brighten up ANY beach lesson, so I'D be there!

Yeeeaappp, though I love Ai Yoshikawa, in THIS instance, I will be tuning in TOTALLY for the Nana Mori fix!

PS: I’m beginning to notice a trend with the characters Shotaro Mamiya has been playing lately: the sincere but plain guy who becomes smitten with the “amazing and down-to-earth girl”, first with Kaya Kiyohara and then Haru and now Nana Mori!

Also might add that I’m suddenly seeing actress Sawa Niimura in all my dramas, and that’s a good thing!

Loved her turn as the scene stealing Reina Akamine in Watashi no Oyome San and am currently watching a very sweet show called “Anata no Butsuga, Koko ni” with Niimura as a single Mom raising a daughter (played by Tsuma, Shogakusei ni Naru’s Nono Maida).

In this one, she's a Cabaclub Hostess who has to take on becoming a female mover when her job dries up due to COVID restrictions and she needs to find a new way to support her child. A feel-good show.