As I’ve mentioned before in several past posts, my first exposure to actress Masami Nagasawa was in the acclaimed 2004 movie Sekai no Chuushin de, Ai wo Sakebu, but although I enjoyed the movie very much, at the time, she really didn’t make that much of an impact on me. My vague recollection of her was sort of a sort of generic looking girl.
The next thing I saw her in was the 2005 Abe Hiroshi drama Dragon Zakura, and as you might remember from my earlier post, I really, really enjoyed this drama! But, strange as it may seem, even here I failed to notice anything “special” about Masami, though I liked her character Naomi very much. Probably my mind was too set on Aragaki Yui and Saeko, both of those gals giving OOMPH to the Kogal image…but I digress.
Then along came the 2008 Galileo Episode Zero Special, and it was HERE that my interest in Nagasawa perked up, though at the time I still didn’t instantly recognize her. All I knew was that this mousey actress was HELLA cute, and when it was pointed out to me that it was the same girl who played Naomi in Dragon Zakura, I couldn’t believe it! Really, my mental picture of the character in Dragon Zakura was more like actress Hara Chiaki, hardly the waifish girl fawning over Yukawa Sensei in the Galileo Special!
Then came LAST FRIENDS, and this time, I really got it. Masami finally became one of my favorite actresses in this one, and from this point on, I would NEVER have the problem of “not recognizing” her again! Man, I don’t know…something about her character Aida Michiru was so fragile and feminine, you just wanted to carry her off and take care of her… Watching the show, I could see why there were so many people fighting to be the “special person” in her life! After Last Friends, I made it a point to try and watch as many of Masami’s past dramas that I could, and each one I see just endears me more and more to her.
Watching the wacky Sanma Akashiya drama Hatachi No Kekkon (co-starring old fave Koizumi Kyoko!) just made me more and more attracted to her (and YES, I loved that scene where she’s crawling around the hotel floor in a maid’s outfit), but it was her portrayal of Yoshida Rei in the awesome Proposal Daisakusen that it finally came to a head, and I had to say out loud: “I LOVE MASAMI NAGASAWAAAAA!!!”
Every scene she was in was just killing me, she was so darn adorable in this drama!!! She looked absolutely fantastic, wearing some of the prettiest outfits ever, and special mention must be made of how she looked in Episode (I think) Five. See pic below. I have to say, I think this is my VERY FAVORITE look out of everything I’ve EVER seen her in!! Gahhh, she looks like the living embodiment of every girl I’ve ever had a crush on in Grade School!!! CUTE OVERLOAD!! 
I’ve just started watching the newest Masami Nagasawa drama “Boku No Imouto”, and though a decidedly serious drama, she plays the genki optomistic sister to broody Odagiri Joe. Cho, cho kawaii Masami!!! From just the very first episode scene where Masami's a hostess at a cabaret club, it looks like my infatuation with her has no chance of stopping soon! I'll be tuning in to WHATEVER she decides to do!!!