Top 25 Japanese Actresses on MDL
I was super excited when I heard Ikuta Toma was going to be in a new drama, and not as a psychopath, or a drunken writer, or an oversexed imperial prince. He is a jobless man who lives with his widowed mother since his coffee shop failed six years ago, and he shows no signs of changing his kushy setup. Then there is a snag, his older sister and her family have to move back home while their house is being renovated. Hilarity ensues. His sister is a career-driven woman than rules her family with an iron fist and is used to getting her way, but her brother knows all the diversionary tactics and starts to teach them to her family, while she nudges brother in the right direction to get on his feet again.
Let's meet the family, shall we?
Harada Mieko plays Kishibe Fusae (Mom/Okasan) - Widowed Coffee shop owner who may or may not indulge her son too much as he keeps her from being lonely. She also has a male friend who wants to have a relationship, but Mitsuru is against it.
Ikuta Toma plays Kishibe Mitsuru. I talked about him in the opening paragraph, and as the title suggests, he has a silver tongue and is used to talking his way out of any situation. Maybe it was all those years with his sister who is no slouch at holding her end of an argument.
Koike Eiko plays Akiba Ayako. A remarried divorcee whose daughter doesn't like her new husband definitely wears the pants in the family and has her own ideas on what mom should do about Mitsuru.
Yasuda Ken plays Akiba Koji. Ayako's new husband used to be the bassist in a band, but his wife "helped" him grow up, really wants his stepdaughter to like him. Secretly thinks Mitsuru is cool and awesome at maneuvering around his wife.
Kiyohara Kaya plays Akiba Harumi, Ayako's daughter, who is going through stuff at school and cool uncle Mitsuru is going to help her.
So what's so GREAT about this drama? The dialogue and the feel of sneaking a peek in on a real family. The banter between Mitsuru and Ayako is priceless and how they know EXACTLY how to push each other's buttons. And Mom just ignores them, like she is inwardly happy it's like old times.
This drama is about character growth, whether the character wants it or not. And he can pout on his bed of coffee beans all he wants it's not going to change anything.
This is a sneaky drama in the fact that it feels like nothing happened other than people arguing (or discussing adamantly) and then you realize which character moved forward after it is over. I just finished Episode 4 and can't wait till next week!
This particular discussion is about who ate Mitsuru's Ice Lolly (Popsicle)
