Once More with the "Ally Of Justice"

 
Avistas recently had their anniversary and to celebrate, had a "freeleech" weekend where you could grab anything without worrying about the size or the burden of reseeding the amount, and I used that opportunity to get a few larger size dramas I've always wanted in more HQ formats, and among them was the excellent "Seigi No Mikata" from 2008!

I've gushed time and time again this drama's virtues, and besides being my #1 drama of the 2000-2014 era, could even possibly place number one bar none, it's THAT good! I've always wanted cleaner files of the show, and wasted no time grabbing that one right up!

With this set of crisp new files now in my possession, I knew it was a PERFECT opportunity to REWATCH the series ALL OVER again! spent the week absolutely BLOWING through it, and HOLY HECK, It's JUST as great and timely as it ever was, despite it being a good 15 years since!

This is  the FOURTH time I am watching the series all the way through again- as I've mentioned in older posts, this is a drama I return to TIME and time again as every episode seems to showcase one scene or another that I've just GOT to see again! I cannot stress how much I adore this drama, though I guess my many, many posts gushing about it makes it clear enough!

My original assessment after watching it for the second time sums it up succinctly:

"...While watching the show all over again, I realized that Seigi No Mikata is probably my FAVORITE drama of my “modern” era!  Besides the clever, witty dialog, the hilarious slapstick scenes and the awesome, awesome acting of Shida Mirai and Yamada Yu, this drama also benefits from having one of the tightest storylines; in its set-up, its consistency and its superb conclusion, one that keeps me coming back for more!

Seigi No Mikata is the story of a young girl named Yoko who has a dominating, bullying older sister named Makiko, whom, though evil, selfish and vain, always seems to come up looking like a savior to everyone around: When her boss chews her out at work, she wrings a moldy washcloth into his tea- when his stomach begins hurting, she orders him to “leave and get to the hospital!”  She is free of him for the rest of the day! Next day, the boss’s wife comes in to gratefully thank Makiko for advising her husband to go to the doctor because they discovered a malady that, since they took care of it so soon, is non-threatening. Makiko has inadvertently saves her boss’s life, and is celebrated for it! 

It’s situations like this that drive little sister Yoko crazy. Only SHE can see her sister’s real, evil intentions, but she seems almost helpless as she watches each person, one by one, get accidentally “saved” by Makiko and praise her as a real “Savior of Justice”! 

This is a title hard for Yoko to take when she is being persecuted every day by Makiko- made to do her chores, run her errands and help her with her selfish pursuits. But when Makiko sets her sights on a new lawyer at the firm (Mukai Osamu) and enlists Yoko to help snag him, Yoko happily realizes if Makiko succeeds and tricks the guy into marrying her, she’ll be free of her sister forever! But will Yoko’s conscious let her stand by while this innocent guy gets deeper and deeper into Makiko’s deceit?

Well, by the last episode, everything has come to a head, everything has been put on the table and, amazingly, everything gets resolved! And for the last chapter of the story, the person who benefits from Makiko’s selfish ways is none other than Yoko herself, who finds that even in the midst of her evil, narcissistic ways, Makiko’s deceptions bring forth true goodness to all those around her!"

Sentiments that I feel even MORE strongly after having finished it up for the fourth time!

i'll say ONE thing in hindsight- It's crazy that actress Mirai Shida hasn't become a BIGGER star than she currently is. Because her skills in Seigi are simply OFF THE CHARTS! I mean, I know she's well-known,but in shows like "Brush Up Life" and such, she's still playing the little sister roles and  more often than not is cast in smaller secondary roles. I remember at the time of Seigi, thinking she was going to DOMINATE the drama scene! Well, she's currently heading her own drama with the recent "Shori no Hoteishiki ", so THAT'S good!!

And as for Yu Yamada, she of the the wonderfully volatile character of Makiko, seems like we haven't seen much of her drama-wise for YEARS... Guess that's what happens when you dedicate yourself to being a mother of four (FOUR!) children, such as she has! Well, she still posts on her instagram and continues to look as commandingly radiant as ever!

Besides the aforementioned lead actresses, we also have others like Osamu Mukai and Hongo Kanata who appeared as the romantic leads, as well as Irie Jingi and Shizuka Nakamura as   Yoko’s school friends… ALL actors who have gone on to bigger status in the dramaworld, such a shock to see them so YOUNG!

And it was most heartwarming to see Yoshiko Tanaka once again! As you know, we lost her in 2011 so it is particularly sweet seeing her interacting with her ‘family” once again! Always the PERFECT TV Mommy, she is still sorely missed...

Yep, ALL these feels and MORE can be experienced time and again thru the magic of rewatching, and I KNOW I'll be rewatching AGAIN  for some time to come! 

Seigi No Mikata Forever!!!

More J-Drama Deja-Vu: That Courthouse

As you all know, Seigi no Mikata is one of my very, very, favorite shows of all time and since I've watched each episode numerous times, I know each and every scene like the back of my hand!  
  As the titular "savior of justice", Yu Yamada's character Makiko works as a clerk in a courthouse and so much of the show is spent their, either in the rooms, in the hallways, outside on the stairs or even across the street looking over! Over the course to the drama, I got to know that building very well!

The Courthouse, Seigi No Mikata

Makiko running out of the Courthouse

   When the courthouse and its familiar turquoise colored diamond overhang appeared in the background of an episode of Ayase Haruka's drama "Kyo wa Kaisha Yasumimasu" as  her co-workers left for lunch, I recognized it immediately and laughed to myself, "Huh! Those guys work right down the street from Yu!" LOLOL!

Kyo wa Kaisha Yasumimasu

Now that I knew that the building was part of the studio's lots, I made a point of looking out for it , and I didn't have to wait long when i began watching the second "HERO" series starring Kimura Takuya and Kitagawa Keiko, as the affable lawyer and his able aide worked right out of the VERY SAME building...well, they didn't show the outside, but the lobby of the courthouse sure was the same!

Kimura Takuya and Keiko Kitagawa in HERO2

Yep, these steps that Kimutaku and Keitan are running up from into the lobby are definitely the same steps and lobby that Yoko (Shida Mirai) followed Yoshikawa (Osamu Mukai) into, in an episode where she is told by her sister to spy on him!

 

The Seigi No Mikata Courthouse...Where will it appear NEXT?!
Posted by zdorama @ zdoramaagain.blogspot.com

Yamada Yu eating Konnyaku

Posted by zdorama @ zdoramaagain.blogspot.com

Shades Of Seigi No Mikata

Found it quite interesting that they used the cute instrumental song Seigi no Mikata no Kyujitsu from Seigi No Mikata in the latest VIP Limo scene where Ayase Haruka and Matsumoto Jun are playacting as a married couple!

If you recall, they would usually play this song whenever Yamada Yu was being her usual naughty conniving self or when Shida Mirai was doing her adorably kiddy things. Love the way they work in a playful “Pop Goes the Weasel” riff into the song!

“Seigi No Mikata” was one of those shows that had this just terrific soundtrack, with as many as five different fun and quirky instrumental pieces playing throughout the show at key moments, including Makiko No Theme, Emono O Nerau, Fusoku No Dekigoto, and the kick-butt opening track Yoko No Twist!

Yamada Yu no Kamigata wa OK Desu!

Forgot to mention this one awhile ago. Remember back when  Yamada Yu had posted up a snapshot of herself sans makeup on her blog and I was up-in-arms, not because of her natural looks (which were fine), but because I saw that she had sheared off her beautiful long locks of hair?

Sans Makeup on her Blog

Well, looks like I needn't have fretted. Soon after that, Yamada-san appeared on Himitsu No Arashi-Chan's VIP ROOM, and I have to say, she was simply ravishing, and whaddaya know- she was ROCKING that Bobbed Hairdo! O Yeah, she was STILL lookin' as FINE as ever! What can I say, this girl looks just effin' fantastic NO MATTER WHAT kind of hairstyle she has! 

On Himitsu No Arashi-Chan's VIP ROOM

PS: Not that I want Yu Yamada to suddenly go all "poodle" on me. Or even worse, all "Bozu" on me! YIKES!

Yoshiko Tanaka’s “daughters” say farewell to their TV Mother

Tanaka Yoshiko with Kuninaka Ryoko in Churasan

Tanaka Yoshiko with Kitagawa Keiko in Hitsudan Hostess

With her Seigi No Mikata Family: Shida Mirai, Sano Shiro, Yamada Yu

Was so sweet and touching to see so many of the actresses who played Yoshiko Tanaka’s daughters onscreen come to pay their respects at the recent wake. Yu Yamada and Shida Mirai (and TV Husband Sano Shiro) from Seigi No Mikata, as well as Kitagawa Keiko  (who played Tanaka’s daughter in Hitsudan Hostess) and Kuninaka Ryoko (who played Eri, Tanaka’s daughter in Churasan) were among the many guests gathered to say farewell to the late actress. Listening to their heartfelt memories of Yoshiko Tanaka, you can really tell that she was a caring person that really seemed like friend to them:

Kuninaka,  Kitagawa 

Yamada Yu, Sano Shiro, Shida Mirai

Yamada Yu (26, daughter in the 2008 drama “Seigi no Mikata“) spoke with tears at Tanaka’s wake, “We went out to eat together and talk, and if I was worried or in trouble, she would hold my hand and say ‘It’ll be okay’. I learned of her passing through the news. (I thought) why does it have to be ‘mama’… She always had a smile as bright as the sun, and I still can’t believe it.”

Kitagawa Keiko (24, daughter in the 2000 drama “Hitsudan Hostess“) commented, “(During filming) I never saw her with a dark expression. I wasn’t able to notice (her illness). I remember very vividly when she said ‘I’m happy that I get more children in the entertainment industry like this. It’s very lively.’ I wish I could have spent more time with her.”

Kuninaka Ryoko (31, daughter in the “Churasan” TV series) was called “Eri” by Tanaka, the name of her character in the “Churasan” series. The last time she saw Tanaka was when she visited the hospital on April 16th. With tears in her eyes, Kuninaka commented, “She always took care of me and I wasn’t able to do anything. (On April 16th) it was hard to maintain a conversation, but she knew I had visited and smiled. I remember her calling me ‘Eri’ all the time with a cute voice.”

(from Tokyohive)

Thought it was so sweet that Tanaka continued to think of Ryoko Kuninaka as her daughter "Eri" for the rest of her life. Working together for so long (an entire asadora and three specials), they must have been extremely close.

Also loved the fact that throughout "Seigi No Mikata", whenever Tanaka's mother character would do something cool, Yamada Yu's daughter character would proudly say (with a pumped fist), "Mama, NICE!", and here Yamada still referred to her as her "Mama".
Was nice to see her entire "Seigi No Mikata" family at the service, so touching.

Himitsu No Arashi-Chan Unaired VIP Room Clips!

Finally got a chance to see Himitsu No Arashi’s VIP Room Special Episode subtitled (thanks Saobang2211!) which was a compilation of various clips that were edited out of the aired show. I remember the last time they had this special; there were lots of cool things left out that we got to see (like Keiko Kitagawa telling them about a director hitting her on the head with a rolled-up magazine), so I was looking forward to this one!

Several of the clips they showed were stuff that you could see why it was cut- stuff like Aiba talking about running around naked and falling down in concert- funny, yes, but not really about the featured VIP Room guest. But there were a few things that were so FUNNY, it would have really been a shame to not SHARE them!

In particular was the one with Ayase Haruka and the one with Aragaki Yui. In the Ayase Haruka one, they showed a clip of Haruka-chan and the Arashi Boys attempting to jump rope 30 times together, and it is HILARIOUS to watch the zany hijinks going on as they struggle to get the feat done!

I'll win a Bicycle if we complete 30 times?

Ganbarou!

Look at that SMILE on Haruka-chan's face!

The other focused on Aragaki Yui’s strange turn-on of seeing muscular arms with veins popping out, and so they had the boys stand behind a board and flex! She then inspected each arm and then judged the best and WORST one! Interesting and al, but I admit that the thing that really made this clip for me was how FRICKING PRETTY Gakky is in this episode. Some guests dress up for the VIP Room and some don’t, and it was HEAVEN to see her dressed in such a classy, feminine and fashionable outfit!

A Gaggle of Arms

And an extremely entertained Gakky!

So much fun watching these, I could watch ‘em forever, and you just KNOW there’s probably tons of stuff they still HAVEN’T shown! That’s the great thing about this show- so much interesting stuff is going on all the time, it’s always edit, edit, edit!

Side Note: One episode in particular seemed primed for the unaired clips show, and that was when luscious Michiko Kichise came on. She had remembered something silly or embarrassing, and couldn’t stop laughing thinking about it. I was waiting for her to tell Arashi what the joke was, but she never said anything about it! Car figured, “Maybe they’re saving that for the unaired clips episode”. I hoped she was right, but sadly, they didn’t have anything from Michiko’s episode, so I guess we’ll never know what she thought was so funny!

Uncontrollable Laughter from Michiko-san!

Side-Side Note: Just glancing over at the collage of female guests they featured in this episode, it strikes me just how many of my favorite “Crush Of The Day” actresses have appeared on VIP Room In that collage alone were Aragaki Yui, Ayase Haruka, Yamada Yu, Koyuki, and Yoshitaka Yuriko! MAN, no WONDER I love this show so much!!!!

Yu Yamada, Sans Makeup

Over on Yamada Yu's blog, she posted up a pic of herself without any makeup happily showing off some TRON postcards with the comment, "Excuse Me For My Unpainted Face!" HAHAHAHA!

She still looked fine, what was more of an immediate concern for me was: WHAT WAS UP WITH THAT SHORT HAIRCUT??? Argghhh, Yu's Beautiful, Luscious Long Locks were GONE!! My reaction to the pic, (in pathetic Darth Vader voice) was: NOOOOoooooooooooooooooo

And The Winner Is...Fukigen Na Gene

Yamada Yu and Takeuchi Yuko

Finished watching three dramas this past week : Hotaru No Hikari2, Fukigen Na Gene, and Massugu Na Otoko (the latter of which I began watching as far back as April!)...All were comedy/romance dramas  featuring actresses I loved (respectively Ayase Haruka, Takeuchi Yuko and Fukada Kyoko) as eccentric and fun characters that followed their romances and ended with "Will-they-Marry-or-not" last episodes.
Though I was really excited to watch the conclusions to both Hotaru No Hikari2 and Massugu Na Otoko, in the end, they both had only "so-so" endings that were long in the teeth and short on the action, and actually bored me a bit. That was sad because I was SO jazzed about both of those shows when I began watching them!
Strangely enough, the one that came from behind was a lesser-known drama called Fukigen Na Gene, starring Yuko Takeuchi as a cute insect-crazy researcher named Yoshiko who has a rocky on-and-off relationship with sempai Masaaki Uchino. This show was the opposite of the other shows , as the beginning of the series seemed  slow and as it got closer to its conclusion, seemed to pick up speed and get more and more interesting.

Uchino Masaaki and Takeuchi Yuko

Now, without giving away any spoilers, I have to admit that the ending of Fukigen Na Gene wasn't any more exciting than Hotaru or Massugu, but the bittersweet way it was done left me feeling really melancholy and LONELY!!! I remember when the show ended, I thought, "well, there's got to be more than that, right?", Imagine my surprised when it faded to black and the ending credits began rolling! As I sat watching the credits scroll, I thought to myself, "Actually, that was a good way to end that show", and the more I thought about it, the more PERFECT that end became!

Takeuchi, Kobayashi Satomi and Odagiri Joe in back

Ah, now I'm lonely and I'm once again in love with Yuko Takeuchi...what is it about her that makes her so darn ENDEARING?!!

Gohan, Interrupted

Yamada Yu eating Beef Cutlet

Adventures in Cuteness: Shida Mirai

After that uncontainable gushing I did in regards to Yamada Yu’s smoking hot performance in the kick-butt drama SEIGI NO MIKATA, I thought it was only fair to give equal time to the awesome antics of Shida Mirai, the soooooo soooo cute actress playing the “central” character Youko, the beleaguered little sister of the crafty Makiko who holds the whole show together!
This is actually the first thing I’ve ever seen Shida in, but it’s safe to say she’ll be an actress I’ll be looking out for from now on! I can’t express how much energy and effort she’s put into her character- her actions and reactions to her sister’s dominance over her life are absolutely physical, her scowls and sighs and shocks contort her face and body into exact manga characteristics!
Older sister Makiko is constantly bullying her little sister into doing her work, (whether it be booking engagements, arranging a memorial service or even things like doing the grocery shopping and cooking dinner) and the thing that’s really amazing with Mirai Shida, is that you ABSOLUTELY BELIEVE SHE’S ABLE TO DO THESE THINGS, she comes across SO smart and efficient that not once do you think, “How could a kid know how to do all those things!”
And yet, when she’s alone or with friends, she’s allowed to relax and be a kid, and she shines even in this regard- SO often during the series, she’s be doing some cute kid-type thing like skipping down the street, gorging on crepes or pretending to swim on her bed(!) and I’ll think, WOW- she’s like a REAL-LIFE Ramona Quimby! That of course, being the titular character in Beverly Cleary’s “Ramona The Pest” series! And NO scene was MORE like what I'm talking about than this one particular passage where Makiko's future mother-in-law has bribed Yoko into sympathizing with her. Once outside, Yoko checks how much she's been given- and is happily stunned:

"How much did Auntie give me?"

"10,000 yen?"

"10,000 YEN!!!"

"Wheeeeeeeeeeeee!"

Just last night I was down at the local shopping mall, and walking past the theatre multi-plex, saw a Japanese movie playing called “Our Mother” , and I was happily surprised to see Mirai Shida, right on the poster! This girl is REALLY making her mark, and I for one am completely behind her!

Comments from Original Post

sangackt wrote:

Did you notice the karaoke they sing right after that scene where she gets the money? Zundoko bushi and Polyrhythm (two 2008 kouhaku performances!)

I translated a tanpatsu drama Mirai Shida is in. The group I'm in will release it in d-addicts eventually. I'll let you know when. It's a great, touching drama. Mirai is not as cute as she was in Seigi no Mikata but hey, it's still Mirai Shida!

Looking forward to your Scandal review!

zdorama replied to sangackt’s comment:

Ah yes,that was too cute with Youko and her friends lettin' loose at karaoke!

I'm looking forward to any more dramas with Shida Mirai, and it will be interesting to see her play a different kind of character! Please do let me know when You are going to premiere it!

Right now, i'm stuck on episode 4 of SCANDAL because for some reason, the srt soft subs stopped working for me after episode 3, and though I tried, it was really impossible to follow without translations!!

we're trying to see if we can get converted files of the rest of the series, and I am crossing fingers for that, the show was getting SO GOOD!!!!

Lindsey wrote:

Shida Mirai is amazing! If you want to see truly acting; watch 14 year old mother.

14 sai no haha. its about her playing a innocent girl who makes a mistake and ends up pregnant. It's so realistic, i cried.

-it cut me offff :( -

she was 13 when she filmed this O_O

Even her acting on her earlier dramas as in my queen's classroom (or something) when she is about 10... are amazing...

She also just finished filming a movie which won all sorts of awards and played in festivals in the usa.

zdorama replied to Lindsey’s comment:

Lindsey~

Hi! I JUST acquired "14 sai no Haha", and am looking forward to it, especially after your positive review! I am right now in the middle of watching "Dream Again", a j-dorama remake of "Heaven Can Wait" with Takashi Sorimachi, Shida Mirai plays his daughter, she is just fantastic in this, too!

sadacori wrote:

Sorry for posting on old entries (I might do that since I find your entries fun to read).

Shida Mirai is definitely one of my favorite actresses, despite her tender age. I first saw her in Joou no Kyoushitsu (Queen's Classroom) and already at that young age, she had the star quality and maturity that is comparable to the likeness of Aoi Miyazaki and Aoi Yuu, imho. And I totally agree that she did a wonderful job with 14-sai no Haha. I think one of these days (or months, in my case), I should try to watch Seigi no Mikata, especially since my fave actor Sano Shiro's in it.

zdorama replied to sadacori’s comment:

I think you will get a kick out of Seigi No Mikata, it's a fun, lightweight show you can just relax and enjoy!

Shiro Sano has a quirky role in this one, playing nerdy (but caring) dad to his two daughters. A big diff from what I'm used to, because though I first saw him as the weaselly boyfriend of Megumi Yokoyama in DOUBLE KITCHEN, in my mind he will always be "The Dude holding the knife trying to kill Etsushi Toyokawa" in Aoitori! AHAHAHAHA!!!

BTW, feel absolutely free to post comments on any old entries you care to! Truth of the matter is, most of the people who happen to read my posts are directed from search engines by subject, so I get lots of comments from people reading old posts for the first time months or even years later!

And Yeah, Shida Mirai is just awesome- she totally rocked her guest appearance in BOSS, culminating in an awesome tete-a-tete with larger than life Yuki Amami! One of the best Guest Villains, that's fer sure!

:)

sadacori wrote:

That's it, I'm sold! I'll be sure to check "Seigi no Mikata" after I watch the list of dramas that I told myself I have to watch. Ah, so many things to watch, so little time...

And I love Sano Shiro in quirky roles. I have to rewatch Double Kitchen! I remember watching it on KIKU way back, but I wasn't a Shiro fan back then. And he was just priceless in Aoi Tori. Crazy, but he looked damn good there! Just my type. :P

I think I'll comment on your past entries because it seems like we have a lot in common, even some of our musical tastes (JAM, obviously, but I loved 10,000 Maniacs too; I actually sang "These Are Days" when I first did my FIRST EVER karaoke thing this year!)

I haven't seen BOSS yet. Is it any good? And yikes! She and Amami Yuki together again? If you haven't watched Joou no Kyoushitsu, you should check out that twisted drama!

zdorama replied to sadacori’s comment:

Wow, another 10,000 Maniacs fan?! COOL! Wish I coulda been there for your Natalie Merchant rendition! :) That's one great group that's gone now...!

Joou No Kyoushitsu, is that the one where Yuki Amami is the teacher all dressed in black? Looks pretty zany, although I'm watching this other drama with her called "Enka No Joou" that's zany in its own right, as well!

As far as BOSS, it had its ups and downs, but in my opinion had a lot of good episodes and a solid end, and of course the show had Erika Toda and Michiko Kichise, so I was pretty happy throughout! But when you have episdoes featuring guests like Shida Mirai as a genius child murderer, Takayuki Yamada as a Serial Killer, and Takeda Tetsuya as a Mad Bomber, you know you're gonna have fun!

sadacori wrote:

Too bad we didn't go into Eigo mode the time that you joined us for the karaoke session! I probably would've sang another 10,000 Maniacs song or a couple of your other faves (ABBA & The Carpenters). Wanted to sing The Cranberries, but I guess I'll have to wait for another time.

And yup, Joou no Kyoushitsu is that teacher in black drama! She was wickedly scary and it was almost like a horror drama at times. That was the first Amami Yuki drama that I saw, so seeing her act so goofy in Enka no Joou was just mindboggling!

I heard that BOSS (or was it another drama?) had a dizzying effect. Hope it wasn't that drama because I tend to feel seasicky when watching shows like that these days. :( That Shida Mirai episode sounds really intriguing though. She looks like she could be that type. Or maybe that's how I feel about most child actors. :P I should check out that drama one of these years...

zdorama replied to sadacori’s comment: I wrote a few gushy-type articles on 10,000 Maniacs on my other VOX Blog (the one NOT dedicated to Japanese culture, don't you know), I REALLY love those guys! Awesome that you like them, too! And ABBA and Carpenters, too? Seventies music is alive and well here!!!

I still have both BOSS and Seigi No Mikata on my hard drive, and I'll be happy to make copies for you,(still gotta return your kindness for getting me those SCANDAL episodes!) if avi files are OK. I just don't have the equipment to burn actual DVDs yet!

"She looks like she could be that type. Or maybe that's how I feel about most child actors."

LOL!

sadacori wrote:

I remember reading one of your posts on 10,000 Maniacs, but at the time, I didn't have a Vox account, so I couldn't comment. I'll do that soon, especially since I have a slightly embarrassing story to tell regarding them. :P

As for BOSS and Seigi no Mikata, thanks for your offer, but I already authored the latter to DVD and I think that I'm going to try getting BOSS in a trade soon. The SCANDAL DVDs were a gift, so please don't feel that you have to owe me anything. :)

zdorama replied to sadacori's comment:

Arigatoo, Ne!