Nou ni Sumaho ga Umerareta Review

Title: Nou ni Sumaho ga Umerareta

AKA: The Smartphone Guy

Genre: Comedy, Sci-fi

Episodes: 11

Broadcast period: 2017-Jul to 2017-Sep

Cast: Ito Atsushi, Shinkawa Yua and Kishitani Goro.

Orimo Keita (Ito Atsushi) is salaryman working at the fashion company Exaltant. He is dull guy, divorced, with child, and has hopes of reuniting with his ex, but is let down when he finds out his ex has a fiancé. To make matters worse he becomes a target of restructuring, and he is asked to voluntarily retire. One evening while sitting in the park, he is suddenly struck by a shooting star, only to wake up, and be able to peak into other people's phones: he has become a smartphone on his own. At first, he hates the idea: he finds out his coworkers dislike him, and that his closes friend tries to get him fired. But soon enough a girl appears in front of him, Ishino Ryuko (Shinkawa Yua), telling him to use his powers for good. Ryuko wants Keita to help her take revenge of their boss Kurube Jin (Kishitani Goro), who had made her business go down, by stealing her ideas.

Wanting to help her and deciding to use his power for good, the two become a great team, but soon enough they notice that every other "smartphone-human" they had encountered before, seems to disappear one by one...

As Japanese dramas go, this one is right up their ally. It’s absurd, funny, silly, teaches you about morals and explains values, all at the same time. If you aren’t used to those dramas, you’ve been watching the wrong type, because that is why I love Japanese dramas. It’s not serious, and does not have a heart wrenching romance or plot, but still manages to make you like all characters. It might not be the most well-written screenplay, or even make sense most of the time, but I believe that is the charm.

I am a fan of Ito Atsushi, but I can’t explain why. I seriously check him out to see if he has new dramas, because I want to see him acting - I think it’s his acting I enjoy most. The female lead I don’t remember, but she does look familiar, so I might have seen her before.

All that aside, it is not a drama most ‘drama-lovers’ would enjoy (except people like me, or Japanese drama lovers), but I think it’s an okay drama. Unfortunately, not one I would recommend.

So, all in all: an okay drama, which I enjoyed watching.

☆☆☆ / 3 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥ / 3 out of 5 hearts

Love for Beginners Movie Review

Title: Love for beginners

AKA:  Kyo, Koi wo Hajimemasu

Genre: Romance, High School

Origin: Japan

Relese date: December 8, 2012

Cast: Takei Emi, Matsuzaka Tori, Kimura Fumino, Aoyagi Sho, Yamazaki Kento, Shinkawa Yua and Takanashi Rin.

Hibino Tsubaki (Takei Emi) is a plain girl that doesn’t like to get attention from anyone. That all changes when she starts her first day of school by getting noticed, by the schools no 1 hottie: Tsubaki Kyota (Matsuzaka). Having the same name, both noticed each other, and they both end up sitting next to one another due to that same reason. Disliking his unserious personality and his playboy attitude, she hates being around him, which makes her gets teased by the rest of the class since everyone adores him. He makes fun of her, and ends up kissing her in class, much to Hibinos disgust. This leads to her becoming the class president, without wanting to be it. Kyota uses the situation by making her ask him out, just to tease her. After the best date Hibino has ever had, Kyota tells her that he will give up on her, since she really doesn’t seem interested in him, which unfortunately isn’t true, as she had fallen in love with him…

Okay, out of all the Japanese high school love stories this one is the best one made, and the couple really is beyond adorable! The storyline is very cliché-ish but somehow it has its own innocent flavor. Though the flow is pretty much typical, the story kind of is good. I think I’m starting to understand why people are annoyed at these girl stories. Yes, they are good, but damn they are typical. I think the only part that was missing was that the leads needed to get married or engaged, but else pretty much that. It’s like those American movies (Last Song, Note Book, Safe Haven etc.) that make you roll your eyes a bit, and even laugh like a teenaged girl, but somehow manage to keep you happy.

Do I recommend it? Sure, it really is okay to watch.

☆☆☆☆ / 4 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥½ / 3½ out of 5 hearts