Kimi ga Kokoro wo Kureta Kara

 Just caught the first episode of the new drama“ Kimi ga Kokoro wo Kuretakara”, starring Mei Nagano and  Yuki Yamada as two shy childhood schoolmates who inspire each other to break out of their shells and reach for their goals, with one wanting to be a fireworks maker and the other a patissier.

Upon meeting again after some 10 years have gone by, an tragic accident happens, one that threatens to tear them apart forever. It is here that one is given a divine choice to set things right…but only at an unimaginable price.

This is one drama that I and WHOLE lot of others have been waiting for, and I’ve tried not give any spoilers for the show’s initial set-up, (though I’m not sure if it’s necessary, as it's basically in most drama's synopsis?)  In any case, we’ll see how this story progresses….though I must say it’s an incredibly melancholy and depressing affair so far...I'll definitely need to start watching a fun and humorous show to offset this one!

Themis no Kyoshitsu: Legal Seishun Hakusho

Keiko Kitagawa stars in Themis no Kyoshitsu: Legal Seishun Hakusho as Shizuku Hiiragi, a judge who is taken off the bench for reasons unclear, to become a Law Teacher at Seinan University. Seems she has been called back to her old school by a former teacher Morimiya (Mitsuhiro Oikawa) who hopes her earnest and thoughtful outlook can become a benefit for the school, which had become a cold institution focused only on churning out students for the Bar Exam but little for human interaction.

Meeting up with her old Teacher Morimiya

With an optimistic step, Hiiragi gamely takes on the challenge of her new task as teacher, but she is met almost immediately with defiance by her standoffish students who are against her carefree and personable takes on the law lessons, and instead want to be taught ONLY what they need to pass the bar and NOTHING else.

...already that ATTITUDE from the students!

The main students: Terui (Sara Minami), Kiriya (Oshiro Maeda) , Manaka (Fumiya Takahashi)  Mizusawa (Kentaro Maeda) and Amano (Hana Kawamura)...Hiiragi would like them to know that there is much more than what’s on the paper and in the books, but they feel they don’t have time to be dealing with  these "human interest” diversions when there are tests to be passed.

One big reason for the attitude of the students is the teacher Jin Aoi (Yuki Yamada), a cold and robotilike teacher who feels that getting students to pass as the only thing that matters to the students (as well as the university itself), and refuses to clutter his lessons with the parts of the cases that include compassion and understanding, a fact that befuddles Hiiragi to no end (as she sneaks in on one of his lessons)! Aoi is seen as a revolutionary sensei by the students since his methods get results, but at what cost? 

From the beginning Hiiragi and Aoi butt heads, with Shizuku saying that a lawyer who doesn’t have a grasp on human emotions and interactions will not be very good, and Aoi pointing out that if the students can’t pass the tests in the first place, then what good are her lessons?  

Morimiya simply eats up this clashing of morals- it’s JUST the kind of interaction he was hoping for by bringing Hiiragi in, and his ultimate hope is that the two can combine the BEST of each of their principles to become the best Law teachers the school can offer!

But they've GOT to learn to get ALONG first, and it seems like THAT task might be well IMPOSSIBLE! We'll watch as they wear each other down in the coming weeks!

WELL, I think I’ve mentioned before about how much I really dislike school/student dramas, and sure enough, we’ve already got a hot handful of arrogant, and rude kids to make up the class, and I’m sure in the coming episodes we’ll have to deal with each of them and their personal problems. Heck, there’s already the “Student who Has to Work A Night Job” cliche, so you know even more is coming! 

But of course I HAD to check this out if not for ANY other reason than it’s the latest Keiko Kitagawa vehicle, and I must say that in THAT regard, it is very good, full of that dazzling Keitan glory I LOVE so much! I only wish she was more Big-Mouthy and Outspoken than this sweet and easily-pushed-around kind of person. But I guess as time goes on and the students learn to (hopefully) like her we can expect less Pushback from them! 

We’ll see where this one goes….. 

Hakozume 終わり

 Wrapped up the Erika Toda/Mei Nagano Buddy Cop drama “Hakozume~Tatakau Koban Joshi” today and it was sent off in fine fashion! usually not a fan when these detective dramas feel obligated to add an overarching backstory/mystery to the character’s story, but this one worked out fine, wrapping things up with a spirited finale to an entertaining little show!

Such great characters in this drama- Mei Nagano and Erika Toda have great chemistry together but even the other players like Shohei Miura, Yuki Yamada and Muro Tsuyoshi  helped make it into a fully developed show!

Another one I’ll miss now that it’s over!

Posted by zdorama @ zdoramaagain.blogspot.com

Police In A Pod: Mei Nagano and Erika Toda in “Hakozume”

 All Mai Kawai wanted to do was settle for a humble civil service job to please her Father. But with mediocre test result, the only one she was able to get was being a cop in a police box. It’s not what she wanted and after weeks of dealing with belligerent traffic violators and ungrateful townsfolk, Mai is just about ready to turn in her resignation.

Before she can turn it in to her supervisor Igasaki (Muro Tsuyoshi), however, she is told she will be pairing up with a new partner, the former “ace” of the Metropolitan Police force Seiko Fuji. 

Upon meeting, Fuji is smart, official and friendly, though she seems to have arrived at the police box under dubious circumstances. On patrol, Kawai is amazed at how sharp Fuji can be, even bringing in a burglary suspect by simply looking at his shoes! 

Fuji is a constant thorn in the Main Department’s side when she constantly usurps their cases before them, a point that drives chief Hojo (Yusuke Hirayama) crazy!
He is constantly on his subordinates Minamoto (Shohei Miura) and Yamada (Yuki Yamada) to solve the cases before Fuji, but it is a tall order indeed! 

And in the meantime, detective Miwa Makitaka (Nanase Nishino), who is Fuji’s replacement inthe department, is having to deal with being the only female in a decidedly “guys club”of a workplace!

Kawai is keen to turn in her resignation and restart her life, especially when she sees how her best friend Mei (Karen Otomo) is living life stress-free and has even bagged a new boyfriend!

But the steely Fuji isn’t the ace for nothing, and between unofficial “Girls’ Nights” at the apartment between her, Kawai and Makitaka (where they let down their hair and talk out problems)…

…or firsthand experience when tracking, chasing and ultimately “taking down” a criminal, he hopes to show Kawai that this job of theirs can be valuable and worthwhile!

So far, seems like a quirky little show which i enjoyed immensely, and if that wasn’t enough, we got a TON of “J-Drama Deja-Vu” Easter eggs, with Fuji and Kawaii visiting “That Urban Apartment” which I mentioned so many times…

When the girls have to investigate a suicide claim, the apartment that they have to go to...

...is the same one Kotaro and gang lived in in Kotaro Wo Hitorigurashi!

And in a callback to one of Mei Nagano’s older dramas (where she and Muro Tsuyoshi played Father and Daughter), the spiral walkway at the Metropolitan Police Center where they grudgingly have their drills:

Is the same walkway used for the ending credits to her excellent show “Oyabaka Seishun Hakusho”!!

These and many more reasons to check this fun drama out!

EDIT:

Noooooo, it's just been confirmed that Mei Nagano has been diagnosed with the COVID19 virus and has been ordered some time off! From Tokyohive:

Hope those minor ailments are all she has to deal with! Wonder how this will affect the rest of Hakozume's filming schedule....

Be well, Nagano-san!!!