The Sexy As Hell Reiko Takashima

(Kekkon Dekinai Otoko Rave Pt.IV)

As you all may recall from just a few weeks ago, I was gushing about how fine Reiko Takashima’s been looking lately, my GOSH, I thought she looked good in Angel Heart, I wasn’t prepared for how freaking HOT she was in this show. If Ryoko Kuninaka plays the role of the “cute and young” character ,Reiko’s character of Architect Coordinator Sawazaki Maya is the freaking SEXY one in THIS show! So smokin’ and sultry aw yesssss…

Truthfully, she isn’t quite as involved with the whole “Kuwano Shinsuke Pesonality Rehabilitation” as the other two girls are, but when she’s there, oh my, does she carry presence: it seems that no matter whether talking to Michiru, Dr, Hayasaka or even Kuwano himself, she ALWAYS seems to be the wisest one there, speaking with an air of authority when talking about marriage, counseling troubled customers, or even when talking about a simple thing like what to eat for lunch!

How authoritative was Maya Sawazaki? So authoritative that almost every screencap I grabbed shows her on her cell phone, coordinating all the business projects and handling clients! You have no idea how hard it was to find scenes where she WASN'T on the phone! (Well, at least the ones I wanted to screencap...I guess she seems so much more radiant when barking orders on that phone, LOL)

Kudos go out for the folks who did the wardrobe for Kekkon Dekinai Otoko, everyones’ outfits and clothing matched their personalities to a tee, with Ryoko Kuninaka in girly clothes, Dr. Hayasaka in polo shirts and pullovers, and BOY, the mature, classy n sexy woman with Reiko Takashima,  outfits meant to show off how asserting she is…and also showing off those luscious curves of hers, ah I do love a curvy woman…

Like I mentioned in the Angel Heart essay weeks ago, Reiko always seemed to throw off this Kimiko Yo vibe (which, in MY book, is as BIG a compliment as you can GET by the way) and the aubun shag she sports in Kekkon Dekinai only backs up my belief even more…there were times when I’d really stop and say, wow, she’s got the Aunty Michi thing goin’ on right there…

Posted by zdorama @ zdoramaagain.blogspot.com

Undercover Mama

Following in the footsteps of her last drama Time Spiral, Meisa Kuroki is back with yet another dark and mysterious show in DESIGNER BABY. When I first heard the title, I had some idea that it was going to be about fashion, i.e. clothes for babies or something- instead what I got was a show more akin to movies like GATTACA, where babies are created in the labs for the optimum desirable traits for the rich and prosperous.
 The drama opens with a mysterious kidnapping in the maternity ward of a successful hospital- a baby has been snatched right out of her crib, and to get closer to the facts the metropolitan police send in 8 months pregnant agent (Meisa Kuroki) to pose as a patient there and get her information undercover!

Disappearance

A Distraught Mother (Yumi Adachi)

Agent Hayamizu is brought in (Meisa Kuroki)

 I thought this was going to be a basic story of kidnapping and conclusion, but the more Meisa uncovers, the more she realizes there is something a lot more secret and sinister than what is on the surface. The doctors, the kidnappers, and even the distraught mother herself, all of them seem to have their own selfish agenda to the events transpiring, where everything seems to be part of a bigger criminal thing.

Interviewing the Doctors and Staff

As well as patients and victims

Suspicious Doctor #1: Atsuro Watabe

Suspicious Doctor #2: Ikkei Watanabe

Demands From A Kidnapper

Trying to Diffuse the Situation

Making a Game Plan

So far a REALLY interesting Drama, one that is keeping me on my toes- I simply cannot GUESS what is going to happen NEXT!

Posted by zdorama @ zdoramaagain.blogspot.com

Japanese Bookstores Making Moves...

 Went To Ward Warehouse this weekend to find that the CDs, Books, Computer and DVDs section of Shirokiya has become a brand new outlet called "Connect", which has just taken residence there, next to Menchie's Yogurt (in the place that used to be Executive Chef) and with just a glance one can tell still has that easy-to-spot "Book Off" aura...

The news that Shirokiya was going to be moving places in Ala Moana Shopping Center made me wonder the fate of the CD/DVD side (since they were going to focus on the Food Stalls), nice to know that they've still got a good home! (Or, as long as this DVD thing lasts...Oi.
While I was there, I was shocked to find that Japanese Bookstore Hakabundo (which had also moved to Ward Warehouse a few years ago) looked like they were clearing out their magazine section... but then I discovered they'd opened a newer shop further down in Ward Centre, and there the Magazines were, good as ever! WHEW!

Kind of Sad news about Shirokiya moving...I have SO MANY memories going there as a kid for my Kikaider and Kamen Rider fixes, those cool '45 Singles and Albums...Those were the days!

Posted by zdorama @ zdoramaagain.blogspot.com

Robin Hood Theatrics In A Lupin The III Vein with “Kaito Yamaneko”

Kazuya Kamenashi is Kaito Yamaneko

 Just watched the first episode of the most compelling and thrilling Crime/Espionage Drama with “Kaito Yamaneko", starring Kazuya Kamenashi as the titular Neko-Mask wearing thief who makes it his mission to steal from the crookedly rich and politically corrupted. 

Cracking the Code to Untold Riches...

You Can't Catch Me!

  MAN! From the very beginning I was completely enthralled by the exploits of Yamaneko and his band of Criminal Cohorts; like Lupin The III before him, this show is full of colorful and captivating characters led by a man whose demeanor, antics and dialog all strike one as someone gone completely off the deep end! 

Yamaneko’s group of like-minded individuals consists of: 

Hiroki Narimiya as Hideo Katsumura

Suspicious First Meeting

Hiroki Narimiya as Hideo Katsumura, a news Journalist who first gets the attention of Yamaneko because of his sympathetic serial write-ups on their doings, and by and by slowly sees the mission that they adhere to- his journalistic sense has him accompanying  Yamaneko on his missions until he has become one of them!

Nene Otsuka as Rikako Hosho

Sexy Nene Otsuka makes her mark here as sultry Rikako Hosho, the woman who uses her feminine wiles to get the inside scoop on the team’s intended victims, as a big fan of hers, I have to sayhow GREAT it is to see her again, aside from an appearance in HERO2, I haven’t seen her in a drama proper since 2008’s “Around 40”!

Suzu Hirose as Mao Takasugi

 Probably the most interesting character is Mao Takasugi, a tormented teen-genius hacker who, at first a proverbial “Arch Enemy” of Yamaneko’s who becomes an ally of sorts when Yamaneko uses his maniacal ways to convince her to fight alongside each other rather than against each other. Mao is played by a new actress I’m seeing for the first time in Suzu Hirose, (oops, Dramawiki informs me that she the actress playing the “younger” version of Ryoko Kuninaka’s Takako character in Gekiryuu ~ Watashi wo Oboete Imasuka?) she’s just great, she and Kamenashi play off each other perfectly!

Nanao as Sakura Kirishima

And WHOA! If THAT wasn’t enough, we’ve even got luscious, luscious NANAO as a pretty young Police Detective Sakura Kirishima who’s made it a point to try and capture the elusive Yamaneko, little does she know that her childhood sempai Katsumura is actually AIDING the felons! 

Poor girl really has her work cut out for her…besides not knowing of Katsumura’s misdeeds, she also sadly is working under a sleazy superior anmed Sekimoto (Sasaki Kuranosuke, playing another icky role) who in fact is working behind the scenes with the same corrupt politicians Yamaneko and his crew are exposing!

Oh Man, this is such a great  and FUN show!!! Can’ wait to get back to even MORE!!
Posted by zdorama @ zdoramaagain.blogspot.com

A Wild Anne Nakamura Appeared!

Anne Nakamura in Otousan to Yobasete

If you recall my earlier blogpost about the Satomi ishihara drama 5 Ji Kara 9 Ji Made, you'll remember that I was head over heels infatuated with luscious gravure-model-turned-actress Anne Nakamura, and I was PLEASANTLY surprised, when watching the new Misako  Renbutsu drama Otousan to Yobasete, to see her appearing in the role of Hanazawa Kiichiro's (Atsuro Watabe) secretary Kiwa Aikawa!!

Sultry Secretary Kiwa Aikawa

with Atsuro Watabe

Oooh, Anne is looking so lovely here, unfortunately, she doesn't get an awful lot of individual face screentime, as Hanazawa's Secretary, most of her scenes are shot together with Atsuro Watabe, Can't wait to see her character get fleshed out more...

Yeah, yeah, I know, it's not like she's doing any major roles yet, but just give it time hopefully we'll be seeing even more of her! After all, it wasn't so long ago that even Misako Renbutsu herself was playing only bit roles, now look at her, all grown up and headlining dramas of her own!

PS, I can never quite get used to the young actresses of yesteryear now playing older mothers in dramas, like Kyoka Suzuki and Anju Suzuki in Riso No Musuko, Takako Tokiwa in Tonbi, and now we have 90's  cutie Emi Wakui playing Misako's Mama!

Atsuro Watabe and Emi Wakui as the aging parents

Emi Wakui and Misako Renbutsu as Mother and Daughter

Emi Wakui in Imouto Yo back in 1994

Posted by zdorama @ zdoramaagain.blogspot.com