That Oyabaka Seishun Hakusho Driveway

Was recently re-watching the 2021 drama "Konto Ga Hajimaru" and for the first time noticed that the walkway the characters walk to and from places to is the SAME driveway the ending credits for the comedy drama "Oyabaka Seishun Hakusho" (above) was shot! Same Yield sign, same orange light pole, etc!

Below: Taiga Nakano and Kyoko Yoshine in Konto ga Hajimaru

I'm also wrapping up a second watch of the Yuriko Yoshitaka news drama "Shiranakute Ii Koto" , and HAD to Laugh when I saw two characters walking by the SAME driveway as well!

Munenori Nagano and Nao Okabe in Shiranakute Ii Koto

(Guess it was still winer when this was shot 'cause those trees sure are bare!)

The surroundings are also used in lots of drams (especially the building roundtop which I've documented here), makes me wonder just how many times I've seen this driveway and didn't even notice it!

Favorite J-Drama Theme Songs: Oyabaka Seishun Hakusho's “Koshi Kondo” by Yuzu

 After being asked by a friend to recommend hime some of my favorite dramas to watch, I suggested the wonderfully fun and zany “Oyabaka Seishun Hakusho”, sadly after only ONE episode he dropped it, citing what he felt was "weak writing, unlikeable characters and general silliness", LOL! Well, I guess for each his own, but for those of us who love Muro Tsuyoshi’s zany brand of humor (most notable in dramas like “Yuusha Yoshihiko Maou to Shiro”, "Super Salaryman Saenai-shi", and even to a lesser extent “Hakozume”), Oyabaka is a real gem!

As a general rule when I introduce a drama to someone I will re-watch the show along with them so I will be refreshed on details and high points to talk about, and even though he dropped out on it, I continued re-watching the entire 7 episode series, and it was just as much good FUN as I remembered!

It was Oyabaka that first introduced me to both Mei Nagano and Mio Imada and it was interesting to revisit this drama now that I know and love them so much, seeing them all interacting in this near-slapstick comedy! But the thing I had forgotten MOST about this drama was its wonderful theme song “Koshi Kondo” (Business and Pleasure) by duo YUZU. 

Playing over the sweet and fun images of the principle cast running around, joking and laughing while screenshots of the episode played, this was an AWESOME ending song, one that really summed up the warm, chummy camaraderie that they all had with each other, and the song’s  70’s tinged tune always struck a nostalgic nerve that tugged on my heartstrings!

  I’m from the generation who know that a good theme song is easily 20% of what makes a drama GREAT, and I have to admit that the way each episode ended with the same heartwarming end song made the series all that much better!

After watching the whole thing, I had to hear more and found a great live performance Yuzu did of the song to a cheering crowd, and I was cheering right along with them!

As some of you may recall, I had made a post featuring some of my all-time favorite J-drama theme songs and though there were a ton from the 90’s, there was a distinct lack of later and more-recent shows. This is primarily due to most post-2000’s shows not having ending credits proper but just having the credits roll under the screen as the song plays while the show is still going on, but I do feel there is a general phasing out of long theme song segments as a whole, not only in J-dramas but TV shows in general...So it was really refreshing to realize that with Oyabaka there are STILL those endings that can really stir up the feelings and memories for me!

posted by zdorama @ zdoramaagain.blogspot.com

Sleepless Nights with Bakarhythm's "Non-REM no Mado"

Bakarhythm in Non-REM no Mado

 As someone who absolutely LOVES the works of off-kilter madman BAKARHYTHM and his wonderfully imaginative stories, set-ups and scenarios, when I found out he has a series of thought-provoking shorts called “Non-REM no Mado”, I knew I just HAD to check it out!

Starting off as a sort of “Twilight Zone” feeling show, the series slowly became more of a take on societal niceties, fun observations and funny gags, becoming more Jerry Seinfeld than Rod Serling!

At first, Non REM no Mado started off slow and seemed more like throwaway ideas left over from his dramas, (at least in my opinion) but by the third installment, it really seemed to pick up and become wildly fun to watch! Some I even now regard as full blown faves!

Hosted by Bakarhythm in his always stoic persona (think the dude in the white room purgatory in Brush Up Life and you get the idea), along with an abstractly dismembered Yuki Saito as his companion, they introduce each segment and talk about it afterwards, making for nice ‘bookends” to each chapter!

 

Just got finished wrapping 'em all up and thought I'd break the series down for anyone interested in checking it out! The synopses of the chapters and the guests appearing in them (of which there are MANY!) follow: 

Spring 2022 Special

"Our Love"

Kazama stars as a two-timing guy who wakes up one morning to find that his cheating heart has split him into two separate beings! Now free to date each woman exclusively, his life should be a breeze…or is it just inviting MORE problems?

Shunsuke Kazama

"Cancellation Game"

A man trying to cancel a subscription contract online find out just how difficult companies make it for someone to end their service, with hard-to follow instructions, hidden buttons and forms, til one is about to lose their minds! 

For those who have actually tried to cancel a subscription, you know that this is a scenario that is far too close to the mark to be funny!

Toru Nomaguchi

"Customize"

A young barista learning the ropes at a Starbucks-like cafe finds that there is a skill in learning and memorizing those agonizingly long customized orders of extra cream, low fat milk, two sugars, etc, and find there’s a status and art in it!

Mayu Matsuoka

Fall 2022 Special

"The Man from the Future"

Average guy discovers that he’s time-slipped back 3 years into the past, unfortunately, having lived a completely unremarkable life unaware of any real social events or advancements in science or technology around him, finds he has no way of using this power to his benefit!

Masataka Kubota

"Banned Terms"

Fumino as a Charismatic Newscaster who finds that in his current world of cancel-culture, easily offended parties and outrage baiters, it is becoming harder and harder to do her daily report without using words or phrases that might “set somebody off”. 

With Cancel Culture becoming a bigger and bigger thing nowadays, this is a very timely one!

Fumino Kimura

Yuno Ohara

 "I Want To Know The Password"

A game of cat-and-mouse between a housewife and her husband when, believing he is cheating on her, engages in a battle of wits with him as she tries to get into his phone, laptop, etc, for proof. But the savvy hubby is always one step ahead….

PS: MAN, Tae was so damn pretty in this chapter!

Tae Kimura

New Year’s Special 2023

"The Shelter Man"

Hilarious short of a schleppy guy who finds a fugitive at his doorstep, begging for cover from the police. Normally he would call the authorities right away, but she’s an absolute babe so he invites her in, with hopes of somehow getting it on with her. But will his sense of appearing gentlemanly to his beautiful guest dash his chances?

Disco Hoshino

Riho Yoshioka

"Proxy Society"

In a futuristic world where you can hire a proxy to stand -in for you at any event that makes you uncomfortable, Ryuta Sato is at the top of his game. His latest job is to stand in for a guy who wants to propose to his girlfriend for hand in marriage. But when the girlfriend sends in her OWN proxy, things can get a bit muddled!!

Ryuta Sato

"Making Friends as an Adult"

A short but sweet story of a woman who finds that as she approaches middle age, it gets harder and harder to make friends to do things with. When work and home connections fail, she must dabble in latest methods and fads in search of true friendship!

Also featuring Yu Kashii, whom I haven’t seen in forever!

Haruka Kinami

Yu Kashii

Summer 2023 Special

"Dilemma At Dusk"

A supermarket quandary we’ve all been in, where the line you choose to pay for your goods goes slowly while the other goes fast… and when you move to the faster lane, IT slows down and the line you left picks up. What is a customer to do! Yukiyoshi Ozawa as the frazzled customer and Kana Kita as the cashier. Really liked this one!!!

Yukiyoshi Ozawa

Kana Kita

 

"Can You Be My Oshi/Death?"

Kaho as a bored OL whose only happiness is supporting her Oshi in a local idol boy band. When her stan suddenly quits, she seeks a new idol to support, and eventually finds one...a clerk at the local convenience store she shops at!!

Kaho 

"For Those Who (Don't) Want To Get Ahead in Life"

Seto stars as a succesful entrepreneur who, after being chided by an attractive contemporary of his (Miori Takimoto) for being too “high falutin’”, attends a class which teaches one to lower self-goals and become a more “Down to earth” unachiever!

Koji Seto

Miori Takimoto

Winter 2023 Special

"Nozaki's-San's Dream"

A high-school girl (Mori) dreams of becoming a famous model, actress and singer when she graduates. In her eyes, she’s always had star quality and has never doubted success would be on the way. But while being complimented by a gushing classmate (Karin Ono), she senses that her peers may not have seen her in the same light! 

This chapter is PURE BAKARHYTHM, the dialog so zany, fast and quirky, it could have come straight out of Brush up Life, especially with the karaoke flashback scene! 

Nana Mori

Karin Ono

"Love Chart"

A middle aged Dad faces the nerve wracking ordeal of parenthood when his young daughter falls in love with a boy in school for the first time! Using her school journal as a guide, he tries to work out what’s happening in class while he’s at work!

Kenichi Takito

Yuno Nagao

"Death Game"

A down on his luck guy with nothing to lose (Okayama) enters a “Squid Game” like scenario where the winner wins millions-but to lose costs you your life! But unlike life or death dramas like Liar Game or Da Capo Shimasenka, THIS game is run by a couple who, though intimidating looking, appear to be novices to the whole death-game dealing thing and fumble right along with the would be contestants! HAHAHA, this one was freaking HILARIOUS!!!

Amane Okayama

Takumi Saito

Misako Renbutsu

That's it so far- Five Specials in the span of two years.... pretty good output! I’ve talked to friends about Bakarhythm’s awesome SUTEKINA SEN-TAXI series, and how we WISH he would make new seasons every year, and though he won’t be doing that any time soon (I would wager that Yutaka Takenouchi would be waaaay to busy to commit to THAT), it seems like we may count on more Non REM no Mado specials in the future!

PS: Also really love how Bakarythm continually uses actors and actresses from his previous series, Kaho, Haruka Kinami, etc,  even cute Yuno Nagao (who played young Ando Sakura in Brush Up Life) among others!

Will be waiting for MORE of this FUN series!!!

Karin Ono Charms in "Hatsukoi, Zarari"

Karin Ono with Shunsuke Kazama in "Hatsukoi Zarari"

EXTREMELY sweet drama about a young woman with slight learning disability/autism venturing out into getting a “real” job where she hopes to find stability, confidence, and love.

Karin Ono plays Arisa Ueto, a mild mentally handicapped girl who has been struggling with jobs as she has a hard time grasping and understanding basic duties.

But she is a hard-working and determined girl, and she always tries to put her best effort in what she is instructed, and when she reads of a shipping company looking for new hires,  she crosses her fingers for a chance at a ‘real” job,  though her Mother Fuyumi (Mayumi Wakamura) doubts she can do it...

Lo and behold, Arisa is lucky to get hired at the place, but from the GET GO, she is beset with the same learning issues that plagued her before at all her other jobs. With apathy and sometimes contempt from her fellow workers, Arisa is left to figure things out on her own.

Trying to understand the instructions given her.

Intimidated to ask for help.

What to do?!

But she has a guardian angel of sorts there- the supervisor Ryuji Okamura (Shunsuke Kazama), who is patient and gentle with her, carefully teaching her what to do and explaining why things are the way they are.

Arisa really takes things to heart, and as you watch her intently studying her notes that night, you can see how determined she is to do better!

Sadly, determination isn't always enough, and one day when she is left to deal with a heavy load by herself, she struggles with the boxes while moving them on a hand truck and lets them topple, smashing the merchandise inside.

Too heavy for her. Can anyone help?

Being ignored and too scared to ask for assistance.

Trying to move it on her own and...DISASTER!

"Well, mistakes will happen!" Okamura reassures her. But he has to go apologize to the client, leaving a shameful and guilty Arisa behind.

She waits for hours for Okamura to return so she can apologize to him, and when he eventually returns, it is well into the evening!

Okamura offers to walk her home, and she  is reminded of how kind he is. Arisa has a weakness for anyone who is nice to her, and with his genuine compassion, she falls hard for him. And as for Okamura, he sees how sincere she is and, though a bit slow on the take, is clearly doing her best.

Arisa accidentally blurts out that she likes him, and though he is stunned at first to hear it, Okamura reciprocates the emotion, giving her a hug and a peck on the cheek! Could this be the start of something?

That night, both Okamura and Arisa ponder their actions.  Arisa’s head is swimming with the possibility of love for the first time. But she is afraid that once he finds out that she is not just a “dizzy” girl with spacey moments, but someone with real mental disability, he will look upon her offensively, push her away, and crush her hopes.

I first knew of Karin Ono as part of the “Holy Trifecta” consisting of Karin, Mei Nagano and Mio Imada, after being introduced to them in the excellent "Oyabaka Seishun Hakusho" and even then you could see the kind of roles the actresses would be best suited for in the future:

while Mei always picked the "everyday girl" sensible roles 

and Mio Imada would get (mostly) the sultry roles (her role in Waru notwithstanding!), 

Karin always went for the more eccentric and colorful characters, like here as the addled Misaki, or even as the hyper-sexualized Hinako in later drama “Koi Nante”!

She continues the trend of ORIGINAL takes with her wonderful portrayal of Arisa Ueto, which is, in my opinion, her BEST yet! 

Seriously, you just LOVE the character as soon as you meet her, and somehow I had tears in my eyes throughout the whole first episode! Very sweet and very touching, and can't WAIT to see more!