Sayonara, Ozu Sensei Review

Title: Sayonara, Ozu Sensei

AKA: Goodbye Teacher Ozu / Goodbye Ozu Sensei / Farewell Ozu Sensei

Genre: School, Sports, Comedy

Episodes: 11 + SP

Broadcast period: 2001-Oct to 2001-Dec

Cast: Tamura Masakazu, Yusuke Santamaria, Seito Asaka, Moriyama Mirai, Waki Tomohira, Katsuji Ryo, Eita, Oshinari Shugo and Nishida Naomi.

Ozu Nanpei (Tamura Masakazu) is a successful tycoon working at Wall Street, right until he is made scapegoat for a dirty deal and is jailed. When he released he is told he is fired, so he decides to go back in order to get his position back. Arriving in Japan, he is refused his position, and his wife sues him for divorce, ending up in a hotel without job and house. Completely distressed and not having more money to life off, Ozu takes on a teaching position at a High School. Not really interested in the students or able to understand how the kids have become a bunch of rude and unambitious brats. That all changes when he finds out that there is a basketball team in the school. Having loved basketball in his younger age, he decides to coach the group. But they aren’t what you would call “good”: a group of outcasts that have been dismissed from their other schools.

I can’t even explain the joy I felt when I saw that this drama was out there, and I hadn’t watched it. I’m seriously so biased when it comes to school dramas, especially when it’s about a group of outcasts and a passionate/honest teacher. The drama in general is good, though the main actor seriously uses adlib which makes his performance genuine yet kind of different since I have never seen a Japanese actor do that. What that kind of performance does makes you that everyone else is overacting, but then again you do get used to it pretty fast. Overall the story is much more honest than the usual fiction story since the elements of ridiculousness is limited - though the teachers drink just a bit too much for my taste.

All in all an okay watch.

☆☆☆½ / 3½ out of 5 stars

♥♥♥½ / 3½ out  of 5 hearts

Dare Yori Mo Mama Wo Aisu Review

Title: Dare Yori mo Mama wo Aisu
AKA: I Love Mama More Than Anyone
Genre: Family, romance, comedy
Episodes: 11
Broadcast period: 2006-Jul to 2006-Sep
Theme song: Wakusei Timer by Fukumimi
Cast: Tamura Masakazu, Uchida Yuki, Tamayama Tetsuji, Nagashima Mitsuki and Ito Ran

This story revolves around a family that is a bit different than the average Japanese family; “Boku“ Kamon Kaoru (Nagashima Mitsuki) is our story teller, he tells us about his family, and how people around him tell him that his parents are weird and siblings unusual. “Papa” Kamon Kazoo (Tamura Masukaza) is the father, he works at home as at-home-dad. “Mama” Kamon Chiyo (Ito Ran) is the mother, she works as a lawyer and is rarely home. “Oneesan” Kamon Yuki (Uchida Yuki) is the oldest sister, she is unable to keep a job, dreams of getting married to a rich man, and is pretty violent by nature. “Oniisan” Kamon Akira, is a hairdresser unable to say no to girls, but is also unable to be mean to anyone.
It follows their everyday life and how this particular family handles them…

This is a sweet and heartfelt story about a family that is different from everyone else; The girlish big brother, the violent big sister, workaholic of a mother and loving at home dada, make it a sweet watch. Even though there isn’t much happening it’s heart-warming, even makes you jealous time to time, of how good this family is.
To be honest I started this drama because of Tamayama Tetsuji, after watching him in Sunao ni Narenakute, wanted to see him in a different drama with different character, but it looks like he only does these kinds of dramas…
I don’t want to spoil anything, if you feel like watching, but I can’t say it’s COMEPLETELY recommendable. It really is not that action packed, and the family is not that different than the usual Danish families in Denmark… Just saying…

☆☆☆ / 3 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥½ / 3,5 out of 5 hearts