S. Yue Michaelis

A young man's (played by Eita) sister was killed by his close friend some 15 years ago. He made a promise to his mother that he would take care of sister, but that promise was broken. Because of the death his family separated. The man has lived with guilt of his sister's death ever since.

One day, the young man meets a woman (Hikari Mitsushima) who is the sister of his friend from 15 years ago. A bond is formed and they struggle with emotions that come about ... (asianwiki - 2011)

Waaaa, another wonderful human drama... I knew it, I knew it was going to be excellent. Another kind of J-doramas I love, because it was simple: simple clothes, simple but stunning locations, nothing snobish and all too real. I mean, look at Eita and Hikari! He is not even shaved; she has no make-up. They both have black hair (no dyed hair here). And although there are cries every episode (it was impossible not to cry -for the characters I mean, I did not cry once) there are no shouts nor overacting (though I like overacting in J-doramas, if they are comedies of course).

Story: 10/10
I was hooked from the very first episode. It is very human: it is about family, revenge, regrets, resentment, forgiving... Both families are still living in the past, even if the murder happened 15 years ago, but no one (except for the younger brother of Hiroki, played by Takana Kei, who looked a bit like Osamu Mukai sometimes) has moved forward. Fukami family is still sad and angry; and the Misaki/Toyama family is still with lots of regret and remorse and sadness. I love how Hiroki gets to know Futaba and slowly starts to realize that it is not the family's fault, at least not entirely. I know that it is part of the Japan society, to blame the whole family of the murderer (or criminal) and the family to become a pariah, but it was so sad! I mean, they suffered as well; they also lost a son.

And about the murderer, poor guy. He was sick. It was hard not to feel sorry for him. Total psychopath, but how it was represented you can tell he was mentally sick.

Although if we have to summarize, not a lot happens, it is never a dragging dorama.

Acting/Cast: 10/10
I mean, if it wasn't for the cast, I may have not watched this. I love Eita. I love Hikari. Mothers and father were also good, so pitiful... not to mention Kazama Shunsuke. I know him, of course, being a Johnny and bestie of Aiba, but I never once saw him as a Johnny; only as a pitiful murderer. Tears were abundant and all of them so good. Honestly, I wanted to comfort Hikari most of the times; she is just so vulnerable! I wanted her to be happy with Hiroki.

Music: 10/10
OMG, the music was so good! The OP and ED song was the same but full of feelings. And the OST is already in my playlist... sad and beautiful. I love it. I would give a 11/10 if I could.

Rewatch value: 8/10
Man, I am so disappointed with the ending. I am not one of those girls who is constantly wondering/asking for a romance in a dorama (in fact, I am used to watch doramas with none/tiny romance) but in this one I wanted Hiroki and Futaba to be happy together! I wanted them to overcome their past. And in some way they do, but why do they still have to punish themselves and not move forward TOGETHER? I hated the end, truly. I mean, I know this kind of drama in real life cannot end just like that, but still... I really wanted a HEA, at least in a dorama goddamn it!

Reason why I cannot rate this a full 10. Episode 11 was a no-no. Why! Why did it end like that!?

There are three sisters: 29-year-old Sachi Kouda (Haruka Ayase), 22-year-old Yoshino Kouda (Masami Nagasawa) and 19-year-old Chika Kouda (Kaho). They live at a house in Kamakura, Japanese. Their house was left by their grandmother.

One day, they receive news of their father's death. When the sisters were young, their parents divorced and their father left them. They haven't seen their father in 15 years. Upon hearing the news on their father's death, the sisters attend their father's funeral.

At the funeral, they meet their stepsister Suzu Asano (Suzu Hirose). She is 14-years-old and there are no one to take care of her. Oldest sister Sachi invites Suzu to live with them. (asianwiki-2015)

A lovely movie, where "nothing happens", meaning it is a slice-of-life, the story of 3 sisters and their new relationship with their half-sister. There are no dramatic moments. I love this kind of stories, that are simple and where the setting is in a small town. It makes the story more heart-warming I think.

Regarding the cast, almost all of them are familiar. There are even big names that have like a cameo, since their roles are so tiny. Like Suzuki Ryohei, Ryo Kase and Sakaguchi Kentaro (although the latter is just beginning his acting career). To be honest, I am not a fan of Nagasawa Masami, and I would have preferred if Kaho's role was bigger. I mean, Kaho is miles ahead of Masami, but their roles suited them: Kaho as the oddball and Masami showing lots of skin.

The boy who was friend of Suzu was so cute! And I can't believe Haruka had a role where she was the mistress of a married man. Who wanted to get a divorce, but still.

The best thing about this movie, besides the filmography, is that it is mostly women: women and their love life, women and their family, women and their job, women and their every-day life. Very nice movie.

Chisato Mineta (Maki Horikita) is a girl who sleeps in public parks and internet cafes. Chisato's mother died when she was young and her father is a chronic gambler that has racked up over ¥100 million in debts. Because of the large debt, Chisato's father skipped town without a trace. After her father's disappearance, the debt becomes attached to Chisato and she is now homeless.

One day, Chisato comes across an eccentric older man named Shinzo Okura. Shinzo is the president of a large toy company and offers to pay off Chisato's ¥100 million debt if she agrees to become his wife for a month. Chisato takes up Shinzo's offer then one month after their marriage, Shinzo dies leaving her life more complicated for she didn't know she signed a contract more than what was suppose to be. According to their contract Chisato must act as the mother for three months, completing every task given to her by her marriage contract. Shinzo has six adopted sons who all live life like strangers. The six adopted sons have their own quirky personalities. One is a magician who never went out of his room, a genius who acts like an old man although he is the youngest, a model who has trauma from girls, a host who maintains his position as number one, an ex-yankee who does nothing but drive his bicycle and a free unemployed man. The 6 of them are handsome having their own complexes and traumas. So what will happen to Chisato living with 6 guys in one house?


It was everything I want in a comedy drama. The exact thing I was expecting from "Meichan no Shitsuji" (and that I did not get). This dorama was cute without being corny, funny without being ridiculous, with a bit of romance without being too romantic. There wasn't a single episode I did not like. Most of the times, the last 2 or 3 episodes are MEH, but not in this case. It ended perfectly, actually. Although I wouldn't have minded a S, but well, you can't have everything!

I liked the characters very much. The cast was OK, but not perfect. But the characters were very likable! Let's start with Horikita Maki. I don't find her a good actress, to be honest. She is very stiff. Her talent, however, is that she is extremely charming. Maybe she was extra kawaii in this dorama, or maybe she improved in her acting, but I think this was her best role so far -not that I have seen many of her works, mind you.- Chisato was a very likable character: a bit tough, a bit soft, and not annoying at all! So different from her role in HanaKimi. Unlike in other doramas, I understand why the boys ended up loving her.

The boys... At first none of them make a good impression. Takeru (Okada Yoshinori) is a yankee that is hard on Chisato since Day 1. Satoru (Seto Koji) is a hikikomori with the worst kind of hairstyle, which was a shame because he has an adorable face -though a bit feminine-. Akira (the youngest son) was a bit stiff and it seemed like he was going to be a brat. Masaru (Yamamoto Yusuke) is a model who has a woman-phobia, and looked like a drag-queen. Sho (Osamu Mukai) is a playboy who likes money only, and is father of a boy. The older brother takes longer to show, only bits here and there, and at fist he looked like he was going to be trouble.

The secondary characters were also charming: from Kyoko, Sinzo-san's (father of the boys and husband of Chisato for a month until he dies) secretary to the kogal that works at the store. I have to say that the actress who played Kyoko (Takashima Reiko) is so elegant! And looks like an older version of Sawajiri Erica...

It was strange to see Horikita Maki with that guy Yamamato (Sinzo's other secretary), now that they are married. I did not like him because of that, that that old guy had to marry such a pretty girl under shady circumstances! But well, his role was ok and he grew on me. Kind of.

So the challenges that Chisato had to face were silly, so what? I loved the Mother's Goals. Not so much at first, but from #3 or so, when they boys decided to help her, it became funny and entertaining. Slowly all boys started to be nice and sweet. Since they are almost all the time together, it was easy to see and accept their bond. I liked them all, even Akira (it is just that the boy could not act, poor child), but my favorites were Sho and Takeru. Sho because Osamu Mukai looked his best here; he was such a handsome guy! And Takeru because he was damn funny, and his bromance with Sho were just the best. Next in line is, surprisingly, Fuu. He seemed very disagreeable at first, but actually he was a nice guy! I don't know if it was for that, but now I like Kaname Jun more than I used to.

There is a lot of bromance (Sho/Takeru and Masaru/Satoru). There is a lot of fanservice (the guys spent most of their time in their spa, ergo, half naked). There are lot of scenes that could have been cheesy, but were not (all the times that they referred to them being a family. Or Chisato remembering her time with Sinzo-san). There is also a bit of incest, if it can be called like that (Chisato and her father. Three of her "sons" falling for her). Lots of unrealistic moments (Kyoko showing up from nowhere. Inoue the ninja maid. Hidden treasures. The castle itself). A bit of allusions to other doramas (actually, just one that I remember, and it is at the final episode where Yamamoto Yusuke poses as his character in HanaKimi... I loved that part!). And there is actual romance, not just an allusion to it (TWO kisses! and many moments together <3)

I recongnized some sets: one from Yamato Nadeshiko Shichi Henge (the outside of the castle) and the other Kurosagi's building (Takeru's new home).

So, again comparing, unlike Meichan no Shitsuji, I liked the MC. I understand why the boys loved her. I could feel the bond between all of them, the friendship, the feeling of family. The funny situations were really funny, instead of an attempt to be funny. There are no actual villains, and characters are not 2-dimensional. The harem-reversed was well done, instead of feeling forced. The romantic scenes were super cute, instead of forced. The tears were acceptable, instead of pathetic. The "challenges" were fun to watch, and sometimes it made me want to join in, instead of looking at them with contempt.

I will give this dorama the highest rating. When I compared to excellent shows, with awesome cast and acting (like JIN, or 1 Liter of tears) it may seemed ridiculous, but I enjoyed every episode of it, and that is what it counts. Totally re-watchable, and highly recommended.

Synopsis

15-year-old Ikeuchi Aya was an ordinary girl, the daughter of a family who works at a tofu shop, and a soon-to-be high schooler. However, odd things have been happening to Aya lately. She has been falling down often and walks strange. Her mother, Shioka, takes Aya to see the doctor, and he informs Shioka that Aya has spinocerebellar degeneration - a terrible disease where the cerebellum of the brain gradually deteriorates to the point where the victim cannot walk, speak, write, or eat. A cruel disease, as it does not affect the mind in the least. How will Aya react when told about her disease? And how will Aya live from now on?


I read some reviews; most of them said that "they cried a liter of tears" while watching this dorama. Now, I love to cry when I read/watch inspiring/touching story, but I don't do it necessarily all the time. So I doubted I was going to with this dorama, with all the hype. And it turned out the title is not misleading at all. There was a constant runny nose during the whole 45minutes, especially around episode 5. This dorama is beautiful, touching, sweet, and everything that is positive. Sawajiri Erica is a wonderful actress (I only heard about her after "her scandal"). She has a beautiful smile, and when she cries, you will cry. In spite of her terrible disease, she smiles to encourage herself and her family. I was so mad and sad in the episode where she talks to her classmates... I dare anyone not to cry in this one.

At first I was not impressed with Ryo; he seemed to sullen and with one expression only. Besides, I've read his character was made-up; he did not exist in the real Aya's life. But eventually, I warmed towards him, and the few times he cried, it was impossible not to be moved; by his tears (my, one tear after another; he can really cry) and by this doomed love. Honestly, most of the times, I am never moved by doomed loves, but it was an exception with Aya and Asou-kun. Every time they were together I was thinking "why? why can they be happy?".

My favorites actresses were (besides Sawajiri Erika, of course) Yakushimaru Hiroko as the mother and Narumi Riko as Ako, the sister. Poor mother, she has to face this disease with a encouraging smile for her daughter, and she had to gave in many things. I can't imagine her pain. She was the first to notice that her daughter had a problem, she was the first to know the terrible truth, and she had to stand up in school against selfish parents.

As for Ako, who is a tsundere, was a supportive younger sister, and the episode where she talks to her brother (who was ashamed to have a disabled sister) was beyond moving (I had a big lump in my throat... to be honest, that lump did not go away for the entire 11 episodes).

I love this story. I love the soundtrack (all songs, including the one that the students sing twice). Each episode ended with the words of the real Aya, taken out from her diary, + pictures of her in school, in bed, in her wheelchair; with her family, friends...

Highly recommended. And be prepared to shed multiple tears.

My rating: 10/10