Crush Of The Day: Kanna Hashimoto

 Ohhhh MAN, the latest episode of  Ousama ni Sasagu Kusuriyubi REALLY did it for me, and there can no longer be any doubt that I am simply HEAD over HEELS in love Kanna Hashimoto, this time for her sparkling  performance as Ayaka Haneda!

I’ve often acknowledged that for a big majority of my crushes, I am falling in love more with the character they are playing than for the real personalities of the actress, and while that may indeed be true, there must be a percentage of that that depends on her embodiment of the role, her beauty, warmth and overall BELIEVABILITY of the character that makes it hit that perfect note!

While watching Ousama, I find myself enjoying the scenes of the show simply because of how dazzling she is in it- her whimsical aura, beautific smiles, and that strangely disarming raspy voice of hers!

And as I watch her in action, it is clear that the directors, wardrobe staff and producers of the show know full well how charismatic Kanna can be, painting her in the best possible light, best angles and WOWOWOW the PRETTIEST of clothes!!! I just want to eat her up!

While going through this latest episode and seeing how wonderfully Kanna breezed thru her scenes, I had a sudden and stirring thought: “Yanno, this girl has the potential to be the next Yukie Nakama one of these days!”... YEAH, I KNOW that’s one HELLUVA statement and I expect some  teeth gnashing in reaction to it, but one I couldn’t stop thinking just the same! She gives me the same vibes as young Yukie (think the “Trick” series) not just in personality but, in some ways, even physically. But that’s just me.

Nonetheless, Yukie Nakama declarations aside,in my humble opinion this is surely one of Kanna's best roles, so sweet and loveable you just HAVE to cheer her on and hope the BEST for her!

In any case, I’ve been THOROUGHLY enjoying Ousama ni Sasagu Kusuriyubi and gobble up each episode as SOON as it’s been subtitled! Can’t wait for more!

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I first saw Kanna in the 2015 movie “Assassination Classroom” (which coincidentally also starred her Ousama costar Ryosuke Yamada) as Ritsu, but it was her super kawaii turn as Chiaki Kuriyama’s little sister Wakaba in “Final Cut” that I first really took notice of her….

Then of course her role as Kyoko Fukada’s arch enemy Mikumo Hojo in “Lupin No Musume2”.

Really dug this character!

With Suzu Hirose in “Nemesis”

…then the wildly wonderful “Kaguya-sama: Love is War” mini

...and WHO could forget her saucy Kouhaku Uta Gassen Hosting session!

Oh My she took me for such a loop that night!

OKAY, That's it for the Kanna Hashimoto report! Time to get back to more Kanna antics!

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PS: Probably the first instance I knew I was gonna crush big time for Kanna as Ayaka in Ousama ni Sasagu Kusuriyubi HAD to be this scene:

Friends Koji ((Yuki Morinaga) and Sayo (Ryoko Kobayashi) have come to visit Nitta (Ryosuke Yamada) to meet his new wife for the first time. But when Sayo walks into the living room, a clueless Ayaka is busy rolling around on the floor with a beloved shabby pillow she brought from home, MUCH to her consternation when she realizes she is being watched!  

As they talk, you can even see her embarrassedly tosses the pillow aside when they’re talking to her, LOL! HAHAHAHA, from that moment I was HOOKED! Such a great little show!

PPS: Just realized Kanna is my 100th Crush of the Day Recipient!!!

Always wondered if I'd ever hit that milestone and Ms. Hashimoto is CERTAINLY a worthy inductee!!!!

Ousama ni Sasagu Kusuriyubi

 Ousama ni Sasagu Kusuriyubi~ The King and the Wicked Woman: A wildly uneven and tonally inconsistent story of a so-called wicked woman from a poor family who suddenly becomes involved in a sham marriage with an arrogant wealthy heir to a vast family fortune.

Kanna Hashimoto stars as Ayaka Haneda and Ryosuke Yamada stars as Togo Nitta, an Employee and Boss of a Wedding Planner service, both of whom seems mostly unlikeable to everyone save those closest to them!

 Out of the blue they suddenly announce their MARRIAGE PLANS, to the shock of everyone, but we will soon find that both Bride and Groom have their own secret agendas for the union to take place….

On the surface, it’s your standard ‘fake marriage” romcom set-up, but the writers can’t seem to make up their mind if the characters are supposed to be loud and outspoken or kindhearted and sympathetic and what is presented varies wildly throughout the show, as if no one could figure out what the true characters motivations and purpose is!

I’ll say ONE thing for this drama: it’s FULL of stars, most notably in the actors playing the Parents, with actress Ryo and Muga Tsukaji as Ayaka’s humble Mom and Dad...

...and regal looking Nanako Matsushima and Go Riju as Togo Nitta’s refined and affluent Parents

Also a handful other others like  Ryoko Kobayashi as Saya Okada and Ryota Bando as Kento Kamiyama. These are the people that the Wedded Couple ACTUALLY care for, guess we'll see how they play into this set up....

Kento Nagao as Ayaka’s caring brother (who also serves as narrator)…

And as the couple's respective assistants/juniors we have Yuki Morinaga as Akita Koji, Nitta's secretary...

...and Ryota Miura as Haneda's wide eyed and gushing kohai Koki Takemoto!

Despite its’ scattershot and willy-nilly approach to the story, I’m guess I'm interested enough to see where this whole thing goes...and besides all that, MY OH MY, Kanna Hashimoto looks simply dazzling in this one!! If not for ANY other reason, I’ll watch it simply as a showcase for how PRETTY Kanna can get!

PS: There was this great gag where they're showing how Kanna's character Ayaka has been popular her whole life, and show a flashback where an online news crawl had dubbed her the "Once in a 100 Years Beauty", obviously making fun of the similar dubious title bestowed upon the REAL Kanna not so long ago, AHAHAHA!!

This isn't the first time a drama has taken a dig at that lofty nickname given her, looks like it will be awhile til Kanna can ever live up to it...or live it down!