Lights, Camera, Action! Naked Director 2 Takes Off

 The Naked Director Toru Muranashi (Takayuki Yamada) is back with a Netflix Sequel series, this time focusing on Muranashi’s attempt at moving his VHS empire into the Satellite Broadcast age. 

We also have the return of the lovely Misato Morita as the outspoken Ka0ru Kuroki (who is finding the times slowly moving on without her)…

As well as the introduction of Yuri Tsunematsu as Mariko Nogi, the young fresh face set to usurp Kuroki’s reign in Muranashi’s company…and perhaps his heart as well?

Along with the usual studio cronies we also have good ol’ Sairi Ito back as the intrepid Junko, and Ami Tomite as the saucy Naoko!

and MEGUMI as a stoic accountant named Oba.

We also check in on what’s happening with Kenji Kawada (Tetsuji Tamayama) and Toshi Arai (Shinnosuke Mitsushima), and get to see actress Mariya Nishiuchi in her SEXIEST role yet with hostess Sayaka!

And then there are the wonderful guest spots by surprise actresses who pop in for fun cameos, like Asami Mizukawa who appears as an uptight, rigid reporter who manages to lose her composure under Muranashi’s bawdy expletives….

Or still elegant Rie Miyazawa as a stuffy Executive of a huge business who becomes charmed by Muranashi’s wacky ways…

This time around, it seems the story is a bit more fantasy based than fact grounded, with writers continuing where the original Naked Director series ended so it’s anybody’s game just WHERE this series is going to end up! About halfway through and I’ve been enjoying the ride!

Posted by zdorama @ zdoramaagain.blogspot.com

Until We Get More Midnight Diner, There’s Chef wa Meitantei

 After Midnight Diner Tokyo Stories ended and with no future seasons on the schedule, we were all clamoring for something to take its place, and though the set-up for Chef wa Meitantei  isn’t quite the same, it’s a fine drama to while away the time until Netflix announces a new Midnight Diner (or something)!

Shinobu Mifune (Hidetoshi Nishijima) is a chef at a modest French Restaurant Pas Mal (Not Bad) along with Sous-chef Yoji Shimura (Yu Kamio) and sommelier Yuki Kaneko (Anna Ishii). Besides being an excellent chef, Mifune is also a detective of sorts, able to read what is on each customer’s minds and feelings.

And so it is that when he observes customer Tomoyuki Takatsuki (Gaku Hamada), he can see right away that this gentleman is at a crossroads in life. Indeed, when he chats with the man later, he finds that Takatsuki has just left his job of the past year. 

Believing that everything happens for a reason, Mifune offers Takatsuki a job as waiter for the restaurant, and though shocked, Takatsuki accepts!

While working, he finds that Mifune is a kind person who truly cares for the well-being of his customers, and by using his powers of deduction, tries to craft the perfect meal, dessert or drink to soothe the troubled person and set them on their way!

Below: Mifune counsels customer (Ami Tomita)

A nice cast with characters who seem interesting enough to spend some time with (I love Yuki's hobby of being obsessed with haikus, LOL), this could be another winner!

Posted by zdorama @ zdoramaagain.blogspot.com