Umi no Hajimari~ Where the Sea Begins~

 Watched the first episode of the melancholy drama “ Umi no Hajimari” a drama that, while having some elements I dislike, has the potential of becoming a BIG favorite of mine this season!

Umi no Hajimari  tells the tale of a young woman named Mizuki Nagumo (Kotone Furukawa) raising a daughter Umi (Rana Izutani) on her own in a small isolated village. 

In the meantime, there is a young man living in Tokyo named Natsu Tsukioka (Ren Meguro) working  in a fast paced business company. He is engaged to the succesful Yayoi Momose (Kasumi Arimura) and they have happy plans for their future together.

However, a phone call changes everything for all involved. Natsu gets a call informing him of Mizuki's passing and we learn that he is Mizuki’s former boyfriend from years back.

While at the service for Mizuki, Natsu sees the little Umi for the first time, and through relatives, is stunned to find out that this little girl may be his daughter!

His Daughter?! How can this be? And as he looks curiously over Umi, Natsu's mind goes back to the past....

6 years ago, he had met Mizuki and they began a relationship with each other. The two had a carefree romance and loved each other very much, but a shadow came over them when Mizuki became pregnant... and informed Natsu she wanted to terminate the pregnancy.

Through tears Natsu wanted to talk about it, but Mizuki was steadfast and pressured him to sign off on the operation. Mysteriously, after going to the clinic to get the procedure done, she promptly cut Natsu out of her life, telling him, "I found someone I love more than you!" and severed contact with him.

That was seemingly that, and he had never heard from her since. Now Natsu finds that Mizuki did NOT terminate the pregnancy and in fact raised their child all on her own! And with her now gone, Umi has no one to look after her. Mizuki’s family and friends think coldly of Natsu, having seen Mizuki struggle alone to raise her child and treating him like an abandoner.

They truthfully do not believe he has the strength or conviction take in Umi and adopt her as his own, and indeed, he is immediately conflicted at this sudden life-changing news and how it might affect his future....

Going back home, he has the world on his shoulders, and can't even bring himself to explain the problems to Yayoi (who is nonetheless supportive).

Umi, however, has plans of her own, always expecting that Natsu would someday come for her, and when she shows up unexpectedly at his doorstep, asking "So...when do you become my Daddy?", he must finally confront the important choices he must make.

A real sombre drama, at least so far, and I’m not sure if I can sit through an entire show of people fighting, nagging, berating and condemning each other, (family melodramas, OI!),  but the child actress playing the daughter is so sweet and believable as the innocent Umi that you really CARE about her and just HAVE to find out what will happens!

As some of you might remember, I absolutely adored the 2004 Tsuyoshi Kusanagi drama "Boku to Kanojo to Kanojo no Ikiru Michi", about a man forced to take care of his little daughter after his wife disappeared, and I can feel the same kind of vibes in this drama. Very optimistic about seeing what's to come!
Kasumi Arimura is an odd choice for the sure-to-be-set-upon fiancee. The way these dramas usually go, her role would be simply as an obstacle to overtake/win over, a role more befitting a newbie actress, though I admit I have no real idea where the story is going, and this could be a huge, powerful part for Kasumi. But I guess we’ll see.

Like I said, Umi no Hajimari has so far really struck me with its potential for greatness, so I'll be diligently watching this one!

Crush Of The Day: Mio Imada

Looking over my posts, I was actually surprised to find that doe-eyed actress Mio Imada wasn't already a Crush of The Day alum, but even if she HADN'T, her turn as the svelte mega millionaire heir Kirika Kokuryu in the new "Trillion Game" drama CERTAINLY pushed her OVER into becoming one NOW- this is Mio at her HYPNOTIC best!

 

Mio's been working her way up as a actress with chops, and though she's been mostly successful in shows like Waru and Last Man, it seems like she'd been trying to shed the glamourous image she'd been most famous for.

WELL, looks like the glamour girl is back, because THIS role is pulling out ALL the stops to assure the viewer that they are looking at ONE FINE VIXEN of a WOMAN, one to be admired, respected...and challenged!

TRILLION GAME tells the story of two high school colleagues who come together with a dream of creating a company that will one day take them to the goal of a Trillion Dollars in assets, and among their obstacles, their CHIEF adversary is the conglomerate heir Kirika "Kirihime" Kokuryo!

With Manabu Taira (Hayato Sano) and Haru Tennoji (Ren Meguro) in a challenge of Pool, with Kirika's secretary Nagase (Terunosuke Takezai) looking on....

PS: In the manga, it was a weight-lifting challenge instead of a Pool game, but I guess it was better to change it to something with a bit more...finesse! Fits Mio better, anyway!

Like some other characters who made the transition from manga to drama (thinking of Fuka Koshiba's character in Nami yo Kiitekure), Mio's character of Kirika in the comic looked more caucasian than anything, but I think Mio does a fine job...

Somehow reminding me of a buddy drama in the vein of Miman Keisatsu with the partnership of the meek guy teamed up with the flamboyant guy being the main focus of the story,  I admit that TRILLION GAME isn't really up my alley, but HOLY HECK, I will be tuning in every week if JUST to see the GLORIOUS outfits Mio will be draped in each scene setup!!!