Close Encounters of the Baka Kind: Bakarhythm Returns with "The Hot Spot"

Akihiro Kakuta and Mikako Ichikawa in THE HOT SPOT

Been enjoying the new drama THE HOT SPOT, about a woman working at a Hot Springs hotel who finds out her co-worker is an extraterrestrial alien of vaguely superhuman strengths, and to whom she uses to make her hectic job easier! 

Mikako Ichikawa stars as Kiyomi Endo, a sensible single mother of one, who spends her days as a matter of routine: Get up, make breakfast for her daughter, bicycle to work, do her duties at the front desk of the hotel, go home at 6 and make dinner for her daughter who comes home from cram school at 8. 

At the front desk with co-workers Isomura and Sawada (Kaho and Maki Sakai).

Manager Okuda (Naoki Tanaka)

It's a complicated job, but somebody's got to do it!

This all changes one day when, bicycling home from work, she accidentally swerves in front of an oncoming truck-and is saved by the swift speed of her senior at the hotel, Takahashi (Akihiro Kakuta). Stunned by this sudden outburst of strength, she is further confused when he implores her to not breathe a word of the heroic deed to anyone. Why?

This secrecy really piques Kiyomi’s curiosity and the next day at work, she keeps at him until he finally confesses a most unbelievable statement: that he is an ALIEN born to a human father and alien mother!  He'd rather no one know about his secret and asks her to PLEASE keep it to herself!

"An ALIEN?"

"An Alien."

"..."

At first thinking him off his rocker, with a few demonstrations of his “powers”, she is convinced, and at once realizes that someone with his gifts is JUST the kind of thing she needs to help her in her busy day at work dealing with all the multitudes of problems the front desk receives! 

"With these powers, you can help me with my customer service problem!"

"You might be overestimating what I can do..."

Nonetheless, the dynamic duo gamely tackle the problems, and whaddaya know- they succeed! Takahashi's alien powers might JUST be the thing to keep the staff's sanity at the Onsen!

Scriptwritten by the mad mind of BAKARHYTHM, this is yet another FUN drama in the vein of his slightly sci-fi comedies like Suteki Na Sen TAXI and the excellent BRUSH UP LIFE, full of zany dialog, wacky scenarios, kooky and chatty best friends, and of course, true HEART at the base of it all! 

Kiyomi and friends Minami and Hazuki (Kami Hiraiwa and Anne Suzuki)

Skeptical friends being introduced to the "Alien"

On the case!

From the beginning, this was the SOLE drama I was looking forward to this season, and so far it has been everything I’ve hoped for!!! Can’t wait to see more!!!

The Tao Of "Tootsie"

Takuro Ohno in Babysitter Gin!

Masahiro Matsuoka reprising his role in Kaseifu No Mitazono

I don’t know WHAT it is with these housekeeper dramas lately, but with Takuro Ohno’s BABYSITTER GIN! currently airing and TOKIO’s Masahiro Matsuoka’s “KASEIFU NO MITAZONO” entering its third(!) season, I think it’s safe to say that men crossdressing as women in domestic roles are all the current rage!

Matsuoka’s role of Kaoru Mitazono seems more along the lines of TOOTSIE or MRS DOUBTFIRE where everyone thinks of her as a woman, albeit a very BIG and rather masculine woman…

…whereas Ohno’s Gin Shimochiai seems to be more of a guy dressed up and playing the role of a Mary Poppins clone. Actually, after re-watching the first episode, not sure if anyone is supposed to realize he’s a dude since they don’t recognize him when he takes off the costume and makeup…

So far, BOTH shows are FUN and interesting, with a slight edge to Kaseifu No Mitazono though I was sad to find that Fumika Shimizu had left the series after Season One,she was one of my favorite characters! Her role was replaced by Ayame Gouiriki in Season Two and here in Season three by Inou Kei and cutie Rina Kawaie: 

Shimochiai’s character is a lot more spritely than the dour Mitazono which is a plus, but Babysitter Gin deals with (naturally) babies, who are screeching and crying seemingly throughout the entire show, a situation I just CANNOT abide!)

One thing: the lovely Anne Suzuki was in Babysitter Gin!!! Oh my GOSH I haven’t seen her since 1997’s “Aoitori” when she was a mere teenager! She’s all grown up now! 

and LOOK, J-Drama Deja Vu is alive and well in J-dramas-not only did Shimochiai Gin visit The Koi Ga Heta Apartment:

but also That Urban Apartment as well!

Where will they appear NEXT?

Posted by zdorama @ zdoramaagain.blogspot.com