I See What U Did There: Fun with Wakana Matsumoto

Ganbare, Saionji-san!!!

The fun drama "Saionji-san wa Kaji wo Shinai" features the oft-used trope of the "Two People Who Don't Get Along Pretend to be a Couple", with Wakana Matsumoto and Hokuto Matsumura as the respective leads. We're at the point in the drama where Wakana's character (the titular Itsuki Saionji) is desperately fighting her romantic feelings for Kusumi, making it hard for them to work together!

Even working on her computer is a task when the one she's trying NOT to think about sits down right next to her! He still thinks their alliance is a mere transaction but she's slowly falling head over heels for him!

Over beers Itsuki laments to her friends Himari (Kayo Noro) and Yosuke (Takashi Tsukamoto) about her plight. "I cant get him out of my mind!" she sighs, and it's here they suggest she try blind dating to get her mind off Kusumi.

"Yes!!" Itsuki thinks- a new guy to forget about a guy!

WELL, we all knew this point in the drama where she falls for her fake partner was going to happen as ALL dramas using this chestnut have them, however I HAD to LAUGH when, after starting a matchup app and making a date, Itsuki hooks up with her blind date...

...and the guy playing her prospective new boyfriend turns out to be none other than actor Matsuya Onoe!

LOL, As some of you may remember, both he and Wakana were a married couple in the turbulent drama "Yangotonaki Ichizoku", only in THAT one, Wakana's personality was on a TOTALLY DIFFERENT level- Whereas Saionji-san is thoughtful, level headed and kind, Wakana's character of Mihoko Miyama was of a manipulative, selfish and scheming dragon woman, with vitriol aimed not only at poor Tao Tsuchiya, but also her schleppy husband Onoe as well!

So funny to see them in Saionji-San as these shy and nervous blind daters being oh so polite to each other! On the dog walk with Saionji, Onoe's character says, "We Seem Like  Good Match!", oblivious to the fact that in another reality, he was in the Marriage from HELL with her! HAHAHA!

Not that it matters, because after trying a few more of these blind dates, Saionji eventually gives up and admits to herself that she's in love with Kusumi anyway! And of COURSE, we know that Kusumi HIMSELF is secretly falling for HER, too! How THAT will all turn out you can pretty much guess, but I must say I've been really enjoying Saionji San so far nonetheless!

PS: Love these behind the scenes photos with Matsuya Onoe and Wakana, showing that despite how their characters may interact onscreen, how sweet the two really are with each other!

PPS: Must also say again how friggin' CUTE Wakana is here!

For Wakana Matsumoto Lovers: "Saionji-san wa Kaji wo Shinai"

Itsuki Saionji (Wakana Matsumoto) is a savvy Marketing Agent for, an advertising company specializing in Household products. She has a special talent for knowing exactly what the busy household needs to get by, and has become extremely succesful in her department, and lauded for her efforts!

But ironically enough, Itsuki herself loathes housework and will do just about ANY thing to get out of performing those dull and mundane chores that the average household struggles with each day. 

So strong is her dislike of chores that she has just plunked down a huge down payment on a house specifically designed to cut out all the work that goes into maintaining it!

Removal of stairs and steps, automatic laundry machine with dryer attached that she can simply take clothes out of when she needs them- no cooking in the kitchen (only take-out food) and disposable paper plates and cups to eliminate dishwashing, leaving only the roomba to sweep up the floors, giving her the rest of the day free to relax and dote on her dog!

The bill for such a place is in the extreme, but she feels it’s worth it, and besides, there’s a side apartment space that she can rent out to help pay off the debt as well! Little does she know it will come into play sooner than she thinks….

Her fast paced days at work are shaken up by the arrival of a young hotshot designer from a huge computer company (called, hilariously enough “Pineapple”, obviously a take on Apple, LOL) named Toshiano Kusumi (Hokuto Matsumura).

Though she's initially excited to have him on her team, the first thing Kusumi does is challenge Itsuki on her latest project ideas, citing the excess use of resources to load the webpages, too many ideas and too much clutter. Additionally, he doesn’t like her household lifehacks, saying they are only temporary short-cut solutions and that REAL housework should be done carefully and with dedication. Things aren’t off to a good start!

That night, she complains to her dog Riki about the new employee: “Bet he doesn’t know the first thing about doing housework!” she grumps, but just then she hears sirens and smells smoke coming from outside. There’s a fire in the neighborhood!

Rushing down to the street to gawk along with the others, she is surprised to see Kusumi there, talking on the phone. Seems it’s HIS apartment that has burned down, but he seems entirely non-plussed, at least to Itsuki! 

Concerned, she offers her assistance for anything he might need, but she is rebuffed  immediately as he cuts her off with a quick “I’ll be fine” and leaves.

It's then that Itsuki realizes there's no way she can deal with this guy~!

Wanting to stay away from him in the future, Itsuki is instead told by her superviser Amano (Takashi Fujii!) to have a talk with Kusumi and see if they can't talk things out so they can work harmoniously with each other.

A few days later, a reluctant Itsuki agrees to a lunch meeting with the stand-offish Kusumi about the project redesigns. Bur she doesn't know how it can help!

She expects him to put down her ideas once more, but instead he surprises her by lowering his head and APOLOGIZING! He has looked over the project again and has seen his error in only seeing the technical aspects of the project and not considering the actual households and their need for time cutting  and management in  their busy lives!

 He further surprises her by showing his new web designs which, though changed  around to make server load easier, incorporates all Itsuki’s ideas into it.  “Hey!” she thinks “This guy might not be so bad after all!”

She then asks about his living situation after the fire and is shocked to find he has been staying at a manga cafe the past few days. He apologizes to her for his curtness that night when she offered her help. “I was in such a panic, I didn’t know what to do.”, stunning Itsuki as he appeared to have no reaction at all!
As he makes to leave, Kusumi stumbles on the way out. Seems living the nights at a manga cafe has taken a toll on his health and he stifles a cough. She shows her concern, but is once again told he can make it on his own.

He leaves, but Itsuki’s kind nature makes him run after him out of concern. She catches up with him at a nursery school where she finds her third surprise of the day: Kusumi has a little girl named Ruki and has been taking care of her all by himself!

With his health getting worse  by the minute,  they take Kusumi to get checked out at the local clinic. Seems he'll be OK if he can jus t get a good night's sleep, but a manga cafe only promises worse health.

Itsuki considers the Side-apartment and urges him to accept her help, if only for the night. In his weakened state Kusumi obliges and in the end, Father and daughter stay at Itsuki's. Concerns of making his daughter sick, Dad sleeps alone in the side apartment while Itsuki takes Ruki in with her.

Father Kusumi can finally get the sleep he needs, while Itsuki tries in her own awkward way to entertain the reclusive Ruki, who eventually drifts off to sleep herself.

The next day, feeling better, Kusumi plans to move on, but Ruki is already attached to the place and refuses to leave. With that in mind, Itsuki offers to temporarily rent out the space officially to them. 

Though they are two people totally at odds, they slowly begin to see the other's good sides. What kind of relationship will grown out of this sudden closeness between the two, at home, at work, and at love?

Yeah, it’s as cliched as can be, but Wakana Matsumoto is such a living doll in this drama I’ve just GOT to keep watching. I already KNEW she was gonna be the bee’s knees just by her cute portrayal in the promotional pic and knew I’d be in for a fun ride for the Wakana goodness alone!!

If that wasn’t enough, we’ve also got Mayu Yokota (last seen by me in Ashita, Watashi wa Dareka no Kanojo) as Itsuki’s sister, and Airi Matsui (!) as Kusumi’s deceased wife and Ruki’s mother!

If I do have any concerns, it's the dynamic between Itsuki and Kusumi's daughter. Some of you might remember how much I actually loathe these kind of story set-ups with the "Successful Businessperson gets saddled with a Child" trope, as the kids are usually insufferable and the Professional person meant to look like the bad guy, but we'll see how this one goes...

Hope things all work out- As you all know, I really like Wakana Matsumoto and feel she never gets to play leads in dramas; on MDL, her only credit as “main role” was the excellent “Fukushuu no Miboujin”  from 2022, otherwise she’s been only playing “support roles”. Happily, Saionji-san wa Kaji wo Shinai feel really special and I hope it’s succesful and gets her ever greater recognition and more "main roles"!

Posted by zdorama @ zdoramaagain.blogspot.om