Unnatural Review

Title: Unnatural

Genre: Crime, Mystery, Forensic, Comedy, Drama

Episodes: 10

Broadcast period: 2018-Jan to 2018-Mar

Cast: Ishihara Satomi, Iura Arata, Kubota Masataka, Ichikawa Mikako and Matsushige Yutaka.

This drama revolves around the few forensic pathologists at the UDI Lab.

Misumi Mikoto (Ishihara Satomi) works as a medical examiner at the UDI Lab. She is earnest and believes every death has a “truth”. Other than her, there is Nakado Kai (Iura Arata) working as a medical examiner. Though he has worked in the field longer than her, his approach is different. He is cold and fast, but very talented. There is Shoji Yuko (Ichikawa Mikako) a clinical test technologist, and Kube Rokuro (Kubota Masataka) a recorder.

Overworked and underappreciated, the UDI Lab has more and more cases each day, and when circumstances from the past creeps up on the team faces different obstacles, they didn’t expect…

I am sorry for the lame summary. This drama does not deserve such crappy explaining… Watch the trailer!

Currently I’m into these pathologist type of dramas, and this one is a really good one. I love the simplicity of this drama, though there is a main story, and from get go you know that where its going. So it’s not all “simple”. As a general, in any entertainment industry, it is hard to find a well-written story that has a decent female lead storyline. I like that this one showed the sexist part of society. They tend to pretend it isn’t there - in any drama/country - and they do it as a part of the overall story, not just a piece of sub plot.

The acting was great and so was the storyline, so all in all a good drama to watch!

☆☆☆☆ / 4 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥ / 4 out of 5 hearts

5-ji Kara 9-ji Made Review

Title: 5-ji Kara 9-ji Made

AKA: 5→9 From Five to Nine

Genre: Romance, Comedy

Episodes: 10

Broadcast Period: Oct-2015 to Dec-2016

Cast: Ishihara Satomi, Yamashita Tomohisa, Tanaka Kei, Furukawa Yuki, Takanashi Rin, Saeko, Yoshimoto Miyu,

Sakuraba Junko (Ishihara Satomi) is a part-time teacher at an English conversation school who dreams of one day working in New York. Junko strives hard to achieve her dreams, but New York seems a far distant reality. She hasn't had much luck with romance for a while either. Things suddenly start to change when one day, Junko encounters a handsome Tokyo University graduate monk Hoshikawa Takane (Yamashita Tomohisa) at a funeral service. Due to numbness of her legs after sitting for a long time, Junko accidentally knocks over the bowl of ashes, which falls right onto the head of Takene. After such embarrassing mishap, Junko figures she would never see him again. However, the two end up meeting again in a matchmaking session that was set up by Junko's mother.

I don’t know what I expected, but I was definitely surprised by the plot. It’s not one of those typical japanese dramas, where you quickly figure out what’s going to happen. It keeps surprising you with all kind of plot twists. It really has a nice feeling overall. As usual, Yamashita Tomohisa nails the character on point. I loved all the small details he brought to it, and the way he interacted with “the outside world”, since he’s only used to the temple. The chemistry between the leads were so adorable, I liked how they developed feelings for each other quite naturally. All in all a successful drama, I read somewhere they were going to make a SP, (or maybe it was fan-wishing), but I hope they do it soon, because I can’t get enough of those two. 

☆☆☆☆½ / 4½ out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥½ / 4½ out of 5 hearts

Tobo Bengoshi Review

Title: Tobo Bengoshi

AKA: Fugitive Lawyer

Genre: Suspense, Law, Crime

Episodes: 11

Broadcast date: 2010-Jul to 2010-Sep

Cast: Kamiji Yusuke, Ishihara Satomi and Kitamura Kazuki.

“In Japan criminal trials, the probability of being found innocent is less than 1%”

Narita Makoto (Kamiji Yusuke) is lawyer at the Axle Law office, working under his mentor and idol Ninomiya sensei.  One night while going home, he is called up by Ninomiya who is looking for a file which Narita by accident has taken with him. On the way he meets the secretary whom he chats with, and notices that she seems a bit distant. Arriving at the office he notices that Ninomiya is on the floor covered in blood, where after he is hit on the head and loses consciousness. Waking up he is on the ground outside the office which is now in flames. Shortly after he is in the hospital, and interrogated by prosecutor Mafune Joe (Kitamura Kazzuki). He is accused of murdering his boss, even the secretary says that they didn’t meet up. This leaves Narita no other option than running away and finding the real murderer himself. But for some reason everything seems to circle back to the Axle Office… 

This is a hidden gem amongst the idol dramas out there. Yes it is quite cliché with the framed guy looking for the real murderer theme, but somehow it is pretty adorable. I really like the fact that he helps other people while trying to solve his own case, and that he touches people around him whilst he does so. I like that we aren’t sure who the bad guy is, and the fact that they managed to fool me.

Besides that it kind of makes you tired and you kind of just want the main story to get moving, because they are really bad at that. Yeah, it does move, but with a slow pace - so slow that finding a witness takes around 8 episodes… But yeah, I guess 11 episodes is kind of long for a regular Japanese drama.

All in all quite good…

☆☆☆☆ / 4 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥½ / 3½ out of 5 hearts

Shitsuren Chocolatier Review

Title: Shitsuren Chocolatier

AKA: Heartbroken Chocolatier

Genre: Romance

Episodes: 11

Broadcast period: 2013-Jan to 2013-Mar

Theme song: Bittersweet by Arashi

Cast: Matsumoto Jun, Ishihara Satomi, Mizukawa Asami, Mizuhara Kiko, Mizobata Junpei, Kato Shigeaki, Sato Ryuta and Arimura Kasumi.

Falling in love at first sight, Koyurugi Souta (Matsumoto Jun) spends most of his time around her because it makes him happy and he wants to make her his girlfriend. And after more than three years of courting he finally manages to date her for two months. But after being dumped, Takahashi Saeko (Ishihara Satomi), tells him that she never even thought of him as a boyfriend. When he comes home he spends days in his room, and while continuously thinking about her, he is reminded that she likes a special sort of chocolate which is only made in Paris, France. He then decides to leave Japan in order to work at the store making that very type of chocolate, so he can bring it back and make it for her.

Six years later he returns to Japan, looking forward to seeing her again, opening up his own chocolate store, only to find out that she is engaged to get married. But still he is not able to stop loving her, and when Saeko keeps sending mixed signals, Souta is getting confused. So he decides to change his personality in order to make her fall in love with him: to become a bad boy, which he believes is her type.

But when he meets Elena (Mizuhara Kiko) he is surprised to find out that he isn’t the only one with unrequited feelings, and for some reason he is able to talk to Elena like he never was able to do before.

Will his heart change for Elena, or will he make Saeko fall in love with him?

Another drama like Summer Nude, except this one made me hungry. The concept of being heartbroken was so deep in this drama I still am stunned that they had it go through all 11 episodes. I mean the beginning was kind of funny, but not only did they drag it on, they honestly made me dislike the main couple. I heard people disliked the main actress in the beginning and liked her later on. I did not like her AT ALL. I felt she was a brat from beginning to end. Matsumoto’s character was kind of okay in the first few episodes, but he got on my nerves. Honestly at the end, everyone got on my nerves. The entire drama did. Like a bunch of people not knowing what they want and having weird ideas of how to fix things or make others like them. Oh man. Though I liked the more realistic view of how these couples behave. Like no over protective personalities, or just simple kisses.

To sum up, I wouldn’t watch it again.

☆☆☆½ / 3½ out of 5 stars

♥♥♥ / 3 out of 5 hearts

The Incite Mill Movie Review

Title: The Incite Mill
AKA: 7 Days Death Game
Genre:  Psychological thriller

Origin: Japan
Release date:  16 October 2010

Cast: Fujiwara Tatsuya, Ayase Haruka, Hirayama Aya and Ishihara Satomi.

While searching for a well-paid part-time job, Satoshihisa Yuki (Fujiwara Tatsuya) meets Suwamei Shoko an OL, who tells him about a job that pays 112,000 yen pr. hour, in seven days, meaning 16 million in a week. Mesmerized by Shoko, Yuki agrees to the job, and together with Shoko and 8 other people, he is taken to a place called “Ankikan”.

The ten people are informed that they will be monitored 24 hours a day for 7 days straight in a psychological experiment, under lockdown: so basically they can’t escape. They are informed of rules: firstly they have to be in their rooms by 10 pm. Secondly when a crime happens they have to solve it, and if they figure out the criminal, they have to vote whether or not to imprison him. Lastly, the game finishes after 7 days or when two survivors are left. Paranoia starts, but they agree on mutual trust, until one of them if found dead the next morning…

One crazy ass movie! What the… Yeah, I did expect a lot of the things that did happen, but seriously? What’s up with Japanese and their enjoyment in seeing people murder each other! Man! Lol, and Fujiwara seems to like these kinds of movies, since he is mainly acting in that type of movies! Haha.. But that’s why we love him, right? :P Anyways, I liked it, had crumbles in my tummy and I actually had to stop several times, since it became just too freaky for me… Like, stop and walk around for a minute, and continue watching. Phew!

☆☆☆☆ / 4 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥½ / 3½ out of 5 hearts

Rich Man, Poor Woman Review

Title: Rich Man, Poor Woman

Genre: Romance, comedy

Episodes: 11

Broadcast period: 2012-Jul-09 to 2012-Sep-17

Cast: Oguri Shun, Ishihara Satomi, Aibu Saki, Asari Yosuke, Nakahara Takeo, Nakamura Yasuhi, Furukawa Yuki, Nomura Masumi, Yagi Nozomi, Maikawa Aiku, Ueki Kiyohiko, Maruyama Tomomi, Sano Shiro, Iura Arata ...

Hyuga Toru is a dropout from school and the C.E.O of his own established company, a billionaire. His company is a place where it’s all about being creative, creating new things, new ideas. It’s a company where things are the opposite of the traditional way or working. Everybody is relaxed, working together in joy. On the other hand there is Natsui Makoto (Ishihara Satomi) or as she calls herself Sawaki Chihiro. The typical hardworking student of Tokyo University who keeps failing at getting a job despite her good grades. She somehow ends up trying to get a job at Hyuga’s company. He believes he doesn’t need a person like her. The typical average student of the best university who does what she is told to do by the society, but he changes his mind when he hears the name Sawaki Chihiro. A familiar name to Hyuga, a name which makes him decide to hire her for a job. 

Yes this drama has the typical rich man poor woman story but I liked it! Yes I know it’s Oguri and I’m a fangirl, but I really liked it. I liked Ishihara too, she was so cute hahah, it’s a really nice comedy with those funny inputs and all. And it was cute too. Hmm,, really don’t think I have anything negative to say, but! But.. we again had the “oh I love you but I wont be with you because you haven’t told me to be with you, you haven’t told me you love me” part. Yup. But it doesn’t ruin the drama. The drama is cute and simple and not draggy or anything. It did have the bit confusing part about Makoto and her job, like she keeps going back and forth with the job. Even the second lead actress was really good. It wasn’t the annoying bunch of crap shit we so often see. So really, the drama is really enjoyable. 

☆☆☆☆ / 4 stars out of 5

♥♥♥♥ / 4 hearts out of 5


Bunji's Verdict

I remember when I first heard if this drama - that was right after Kagi no Kakatta Heya finished - and so wanted to watch it, mainly because of Oguri Shun (like any sane girl with eyes), but also because Ishihara is one of the few Japanese actresses that I like, and they two make an amazing couple (combo).  Like Jenji said there are too many clichés in this story that it simply becomes just toooooo typical. Like the mean CEO, happy poor girl, successful close to CEO girl and the best friend of the CEO who is the only one that understands the CEO.  Of course the CEO has to have some traumatic childhood memories, and of course some illness - which only the happy poor girl can cure. And like Jenji said, the push-and-pull with the “can’t be together etc.”..

That said, I have to admit, I really liked it. Like the Oguri’s character was this socially awkward person and Ishihara was this Tokyo University genius that is so naïve and slow, you wonder how on earth she survives.

Acting against each other was probably the best thing any director could do honestly (*whispers* I think that this duo has beaten -many- couples out there..).

All in all, a very good drama, and partially light, basically meaning not so much love scenes, which is typical for a Japanese drama. And since it’s about the work they do, you suddenly become smart on business stuff.. (happens just too many times)

☆☆☆☆ / 4 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥ / 4 out of 5 hearts