Sunday, May 2, 2021

How Deep Is Your Love: Satomi Ishihara Returns in “Koi Wa Deep Ni”

 
I had just gotten used to the idea of Fuka Koshiba talking to Stuffed Animals and Plants in “Mokomi” and now we have Satomi Ishihara in a role to rival Aquaman’s: A girl who is seemingly able to talk to Fish and Sealife!
Mio Nagisa (Ishihara) is a scientist at the Shibaura University Marine Life Department, where she enjoys working with friendly co-workers who all care deeply for ocean life and its eco-systems.
Lately, she’s been troubled by a recurring nightmare of a sea turtle choking on a never-ending chain of plastic bags, and she soon finds the source of this bad omen when a new resort is announced which will have a huge underwater observation tower placed directly into the bay.
She crosses paths with a man Rintaro Hasuda (Go Ayano)who is looking at an aquarium set up. By the way he interacts with the fish tank, Mio senses that this is a man who cares about the ocean as much as her. But she is shocked to discover that this man is the son of the Resort Development Company’s president, and is in charge of of the environmentally-damaging project!
Though normally a shy and reserved girl, Mio is very outspoken about harm coming to marine life, and is very vocal in her opposition to the Resort. So it is a shock when she is invited by Rintaro’s older brother Kotaro(Ryohei Otani) to be a member of their planning team!!!
The team doesn’t know what to make of the seemingly addled young girl, but acknowledge her passion for the marine aspect of things. 
With the headstrong Rintaro at the head of the project, and the environmentally conscious Mio following him, the two butt heads constantly and Mio is invited to leave the team on numerous occasions. But remembering her initial observation of Rintaro, Mio believes there is a man who truly DOES care about the ocean and has faith she can bring it out…
When they first opened the drama with Satomi Ishihara choosing her stylish clothes and applying her makeup on, I thought she was going to be playing one of her snooty rich girl types, but I was soon to find her character of Mio to be an entirely loveable, scatter-brained personality instead!
Bonus points for seeing Miwako Kakei in this drama though it seems she is given only a very small part. I was hoping to start seeing her in leading roles of her own, but I guess it is still working up to those…
And BTW, I have to say, No matter what I see Go Ayano in, he will ALWAYS be that weird Frankenstein guy to me from “Frankenstein no Koi” and I have a hard time seeing him a s leading man type, LOL