Undeterred by Kanbayashi’s warning to stay away from Kaburaki, Shoko goes with him to a hotel. While Kaburaki is in the shower, she hurriedly rummages through his jacket pockets, but is caught in the act. Kaburaki regards her in silence as he walks over and lights a cigarette to smoke. He was waiting for her to shower he tells her. In response, Shoko nervously moves toward the bathroom, but he grabs her arm and demands to know her real name.

In a stroke of good timing, the door bell rings. It is room service. Shoko gratefully pulls away from Kaburaki’s tight grip and rushes to open the door. Sensing the danger to her life, she snatches her belongings and the cigarette that Kaburaki had stubbed out in the ashtray and flees the room while he is distracted by the presence of the hotel room service staff. Once she is in the safety of the streets, she contacts Kanbayashi who chides her for doing something so silly. He orders her to stay put so that he can come and get her.

On the other hand, Suzuki learns from Daisuke that Yuda had driven Sakunosuke to his death. As a doctor, Suzuki feels that he cannot let Yuda continue to get out of control. He intends to expose the truth about the dangerous side effects that his unauthorised treatment has had on Yuda’s thoughts even if it results in his medical license being revoked. Yuda warns that chaos will ensue if confidence in him plummets for Japan needs a hero with the strength to lead the country. Suzuki scoffs at Yuda’s delusion of grandeur and calls him an imposter. But the two men immediately stop trading barbs when they realise that their raised voices have woken Daisuke up.

Remembering the exchange that he overhead in the garden at his grandfather’s residence, Daisuke shrinks back as Yuda walks over and crouches down so that he can look the boy in the eyes. Yuda explains to Daisuke that Sakunosuke’s death was due to a long-term illness. Nevertheless bad things will inevitably be said about Yuda because the important nature of his work for the country has made him enemies. He asks for Daisuke’s trust and the boy readily gives it. The two of them hug as Suzuki watches on with the feeling that Yuda has taken everything from him.

At that moment, Maichou Shimbun and other media outlets have just received a message from Matsunaga who claims responsibility for the bombing of the villa in Nasu. Tachikawa finds this odd for a man who has just been released from prison after 15 years … … Then, he receives an unexpected phone call from Suzuki, requesting to see him. All Suzuki will tell Tachikawa at this point is that he wishes to disclose something about the Chief Cabinet Secretary even though it will be detrimental to his own interests. Tachikawa suggests that a press conference will make the most impact, but declines to help if Suzuki will not give him the details. Suzuki informs him to meet in the evening when the notes for the press conference will be ready.

Matsunaga makes use of Kae to incite the start of riots in the streets as tensions run high between the police and youth. She gets up on a police car to address the crowd.

“You’re the ones using violence
because they’re the ones bleeding.
The police doesn’t regard us as human beings.
They think we’re trash.
We need to teach them that
we’re people with blood flowing through us.
Look, they’ve taken out their weapons.
It’s ok if we take out ours too!
Go on! Beat them all down!!!”

Kanbayashi and Shoko overhear passersby talking about the fight off with the police. At the scene, Kanbayashi enters the melee and tries to pull the parties apart while a stunned Shoko watches the chaos unfolding before her. Kae gets knocked down trying to attack a police officer. Recognising her as the homeless girl from a previous occasion when they met in the streets, Kanbayashi takes her home with Shoko.

In the midst of this, Yuda makes contact with Kaburaki to accept an earlier proposal he made to join hands to change the country.

“I wish to transform this country.
I truly mean it.
But in order to do so,
sacrifices have to be made sometimes.
I sent my father to his death.
But I’ve no regrets.
People are born to be of use to someone.
My father had lived with the sole purpose of making money.
That he could die for the country,
was ultimately the right thing to do.
More considerable sacrifices will have to be made.
Like you, I believe that to create a new country,
we need to have our own defence capabilities.”

Yuda asks to be entrusted with the scheme of Kaburaki and his collaborators. While Kaburaki is not willing to trust so easily, he agrees to put his faith in Yuda if he carries out their next operation: a scandal involving Prime Minister Saegusa to trigger a loss of confidence in politics. He takes out a thumb drive and hands it over to Yuda. In exchange, Yuda wants Kaburaki to get rid of Suzuki who stands in his way.

Yuda shows up at the prime minister’s official residence, where Prime Minister Saegusa reminds him that his father’s last request was that he step down as Chief Cabinet Secretary. However, Yuda mysteriously asks if he remembers what happened on 27 July 1976. Before Prime Minister Saegusa can reply, Yuda informs him that it was the day when the sitting prime minister was arrested on suspicion of corruption and violating the foreign trade control law. History repeats itself, he adds.

With a slight smile, Yuda raises the topic of the next generation of fighter jets, the F-36. Laying out documents proving that Prime Minister Saegusa had received bribes from the aircraft manufacturer and related domestic corporations regarding the introduction of the F-36, Yuda offers three options to him: disclose it to the police, prosecutors and media; step down to take responsibility; or … …

That afternoon Suzuki meets Eriko at a cafe to tell her of his intention to make his treatment of Yuda publicly known if Yuda refuses followup treatment to replace the chip. Eriko reminds him that it is not just Yuda, but also Daisuke that will be affected by his actions. However, Suzuki feels that this disclosure is necessary for Daisuke’s sake too. So Eriko points out that the boy’s circumstances will be harmed. Suzuki calls her out for using Daisuke as the excuse when it is really her own self interests that she is worried about. “You’ll just have to start over again,” he tells her matter-of-factly and leaves.

Eriko frantically calls Yuda to tell him about Suzuki’s intention, and pleads with him to accept the treatment. But Yuda tells her that he has an important press conference to attend and hangs up. Her fragile composure shatters and she has a sudden outburst of emotion. She wonders aloud if things turned out this way because she left Suzuki for Yuda? All she wanted was for a man who would be tender to her and hug her.

At a press conference, Yuda announces that Prime Minister Saegusa will not be able to govern the country as a result of a sudden illness. This takes the media by surprise.

Tachikawa tells Suzuki about this as they travel to Maichou Shimbun’s head office to read his notes and get approval for the press conference the next day. Suzuki wonders if the illness is a certain fact. This comment catches Tachikawa’s attention, but before he can find out what Suzuki means, a car suddenly swerves into his lane and pulls to a stop. Tachikawa is forced to brake hard. The moment he steps out of his car, he is approached by men in black suits who assault him and take Suzuki away with them.

Results of the DNA test on the cigarette butt supplied by Shoko shows that it belongs to a Kaburaki Kotaro of the Maritime Self Defence Forces. Kanbayashi takes a look at Kaburaki’s file photo and immediately recognises him as the man he had seen walking out of the Yuda residence. Then, he receives a call from Tachikawa … …

Kanbayashi arrives at the scene to find Tachikawa nursing a bleeding head injury. He learns that Tachikawa had been with Suzuki, the neuroscientist and Yuda’s former university schoolmate, at the time of the incident. This time, Kanbayashi takes an interest in the connection between Yuda and Suzuki because he has a hunch that the relationship holds the key to tying all the events together.

Suzuki is taken to Matsunaga’s hideout by Kaburaki who says that they have brought Suzuki here to change his mind. Kaburaki attempts to reason with him, making the case that present day Japan needs reforms and a leader like Yuda to save the people. Suzuki remains firm about taking responsibility for his actions and makes it clear that he will not be cowed. Kaburaki informs him that he will not be able to leave until he changes his mind, and lets Matsunaga take over. Suzuki bluntly calls their activities, egocentric and narcisstic. Events in history suggest that a revolution brought on by the use of force will not last long so they should not waste their energies. This all-knowing attitude irks Matsunaga, earning Suzuki a hard blow that knocks him off his wheelchair and onto the floor.

Meanwhile, Kaburaki arrives for a meeting with Yuda. Eriko comes in to serve the two men drinks, but refuses to leave, having overheard them talk about Suzuki. Yuda firmly orders her to tend to Daisuke. As Eriko turns to go, she blurts out that it is scarier not knowing anything. She fears something horrible will happen because everything around her has changed. When Yuda tries to hold and comfort her, she pushes him away, muttering that he is no longer the man she knows. It appears that the day’s events have agitated her so greatly that she has become high-strung.

Kaburaki steps in to explain the situation to Eriko. He says Yuda is trying to save the country from the difficult problems it faces, but Suzuki is obstructing him. All they are doing is to appeal to Suzuki’s reason to convince him of their cause. This does not have the effect that Kaburaki intended for Eriko questions how they are going to go about it and what will happen if Suzuki refuses to listen. She draws her own conclusion when Yuda and Kaburaki remain silent. “You’re going to kill him like you did your own father? After Suzuki, will it be my turn?!!?”

Eriko blindly grabs a club from a golf bag in a corner of the study and holds it out in front of her in defence. She hysterically scoffs at Yuda for being a fool to love Japan which to her is no more than an intangible. She wants his love, she declares, and takes a swing at him. “How can you love a country and not love your wife?” The next swing smashes a glass vase near Yuda, forcing him to back away into a chair. With a crazed look in her eyes, Eriko advances on Yuda, telling him that he should die. She raises the club above her head as he stares at her, defenceless. Then the world goes black … …

At the next press conference, Yuda announces the government’s decision on Prime Minister Saegusa’s sudden illness is to appoint him, the Chief Cabinet Secretary, to serve as acting prime minister until the next Diet session is convened.

All text copyright © jdramas.wordpress.com.

Official Website
www.tbs.co.jp/shirato-osamu

Broadcast
Fridays, 12.20 – 12.54 a.m. from 27 January 2012

Station
TBS

Story
Shirato Osamu is a 24-year-old unemployed university graduate. Because he is a good-natured person who cannot say no when he is asked anything, he for some reason ends up getting called in for various cases that occur in the neighbourhood of Asagaya. One day, when Shirato goes to his usual cafe to look for his favourite waitress, Akagawa Rio, he is accosted by his childhood friend Kurozaki Hitoshi who is two years his junior. It is the first time in six years that he is meeting Kurozaki again. Kurozaki refers to him without using the proper form of address as always. Then, he quickly makes a shocking confession. “I’m being pursued by the police on suspicion of murder” … … It appears that Kurozaki is a suspect in the robbery and murder of the proprietor of Asagaya’s secondhand bookstore . He beseeches Shirato to find the true criminal. But Shirato replies that he cannot do anything on his own. Kurozaki introduces a strong partner to him. That partner is a former police officer called Yamanoi. But Yamanoi does not look one bit like a law enforcement officer. Shirato and Yamanoi start to search for the whereabouts of the pickpocket Kuwata who is thought to be the criminal. In the midst of this, Yamanoi supposes that Kurozaki can hide from the police for at most three days because of the evidence at the crime scene and information fromo witnesses. As time runs out, Shirato and Yamanoi manage to track Kuwata down to a place in front of them. But … Shirato is suddenly hit from behind by someone. Will he be able to arrest Kuwata and prove Kurozaki’s innocence?

Characters
Chiba Yudai as Shirato Osamu
A part-timer who is jobless university graduate. He has continued to look for jobs two years after graduation. A nice but faint-hearted person who will say, “I’ll do it!” against his better judgement at someone’s request. Because he is also a late bloomer in love, he has lurid delusional dreams of Akagawa Rio who works part-time at the family that he always goes to. He and Kurozaki Hitoshi are childhood friends and the younger Kurozaki calls him Shirato without an honorific.

Hongo Kanata as Kurozaki Hitoshi
A fourth year student at a top national university and has already been offered employment at big banks. He has a sharp mind and the gift of the gab. A popular guy who is even good with girls. The unpopular Shirato Osamu privately holds him in esteem for being so impressive even though he is two years his junior.

Nakamura Shizuka as Akagawa Rio
A part-timer at both the family restaurant that Shirato Osamu and Kurozaki Hitoshi usually frequent as well as the places that Shirato goes. Voluptuous and with beautiful legs, her style is comparable to that of a model. Her dream is to become an idol impersonator. She shows these impersonations which bear no resemblance to the idols to Shirato and Kurozaki.

Click here for pictures from the press conference.

All text copyright © jdramas.wordpress.com.

Official Website
www.nhk.or.jp/drama10/rope

Broadcast
Tuesdays, 10.00 – 10.50 p.m. from 24 January 2012

Station
NHK

Story
Tokura Yuri, a struggling pianist in Tokyo, visits her family home in Ashiya City, Hyogo prefecture for the first time in eight years after receiving news of the death of her father, Tokura Ryuji. Yuri had left home to live in Tokyo because she hated her father’s remarriage to his mistress, Kyoko. The chief mourner of the funeral is Kyoko who is now Yuri’s stepmother. Because Kyoko is wearing Yuri’s mother’s wedding band at the funeral service, Yuri leaves the venue in irritation, but Nagasawa Yoshiyuki, the family’s tax advisor, has her father’s will and goes after her to disclose its contents. According to the will, the house is Kyoko’s, and the shares in Tokura Wires, the company set up by her father, is Yuri’s. Yuri is told by present president Onoda Katsumi to follow her father’s wishes, but Yuri says she is relinquishing her claim and goes back to Tokyo.

Characters
Ikewaki Chizuru as Tokura Yuri
A girl who grew up in a well-off family in Ashiya City. After her mother’s death, she left home and went up to Tokyo when her father remarried. Unable to make a career as a professional pianist, she has been earning a living playing the piano at a hotel. She is just a girl making a pretense of independence. Even though she does not use the allowance from her father, she lives in an apartment in his name. Following her father’s death, she takes office as the president of Tokura Wires and sets out to restructure the debt-riddent company.

Takaoka Saki as Tokura Kyoko
Tokura Yuri’s stepmother. Her family has been poor since childhood and she met Tokura Ryuji at the club where she worked as a hostess. She later became his secretary and then mistress. After Yuri’s mother died, she married Ryuji. Behind the vitality of the worldly wise person is a strong yearning for family which she could never get until now. Yuri and her rebuild the company which is on the decline even as they clash with each other.

Ozawa Yukiyoshi as Nagasawa Yoshiyuki
The Tokura family’s tax advisor. He works on his own, but has a great hang up about getting clients through the the connections of his famous lawyer father. He was put in charge of tax affairs at Tokura Wires and because he does not mince his words, he shatters Yuri’s optimistic outlook, but they rebuild the company together with his wealth of knowledge.

Sasano Takashi as Onoda Katsumi
The present president of Tokura Wires. He started the company with Tokura Yuri’s father, Ryuji, and succeeded him as the next president. He puts money in capital investments in order to expand the company, causing it to be in danger of bankruptcy. After Yuri becomes the company president, he ends up being a mere sales person. He appears to be an unassuming, mild-mannered type but is actually an ambitious person. He has a strong desire to advance his standing, but does not quite have the knack for being a manager.

Tamura Ryo as Tokura Ryuji
Tokura Yuri’s father and the founder of Tokura Wires. Yuri cut ties with him when he remarried Kyoko, but he secretly sponsored her concerts and constantly worried about her future. The shares in the company he bequeaths to Yuri reflects his deep feelings for his daughter.

Kyo Nobuo as Furuya Hayato
He gets acquainted with Tokura Yuri through his job as an event coordinator for concerts and their relationship develops into love. However, he actually has a wife and it becomes known that this is an affair.

All text copyright © jdramas.wordpress.com.

Official Website
www.ntv.co.jp/dirtymama

Broadcast
Wednesdays, 10.00 – 10.54 p.m. from 11 January 2012

Station
NTV

Story
The smart figure of a mother pushing a hybrid baby stroller carrying her 11 month-old baby son, Hashizo, appears at a crime scene. She is Maruoka Takako an ace detective and single mother. Takako is a dirty cop who disregards rules as well as conventions in solving cases. Nagashima Aoi works at the Traffic Division. One day, she is suddenly appointed on probation as a temporary backup personnel of the Criminal Affairs Division’s Serious Crimes Section. On the first day of her transfer, she meets Takako at a crime scene where Takako pulls off the arrest of a preposterous criminal. Aoi gets overwhelmed by Takako’s appearance and behaviour which does not seem like a detective’s. However, Fukazawa Tamotsu, the head of the section, appoints Takako to guide Aoi and orders them to act as buddies. Then, a call comes in about an attempted robbery and they go out to investigate. Aoi enthuses that she will work hard to become an admirable detective, but Takako only makes her do chores like looking after Hashizo. Furthermore, she has to go along with the reckless investigation which disregards the law. By the time she realises it, she is worn out from her first day. Even though Aoi is rebuked, tormented and unable to meet her boyfried Sasaki Takuya, she does her best to put up a good fight. Meanwhile, the plug is pulled on the investigation is because the victim of the attempted robbery suddenly changes statements. Takako believs that there is definitely more to this. However, without evidence or until a human rights issue is raised, the police cannot take action. Fellow detectives rail against Takako, warning her not to look for trouble. Aoi makes an effort to be polite, suggesting that they have no choice but to wrap it up. But she is told by Takako that she can go back because she is not qualified. Aoi grounds out that she wants to become a detective and blows her top. This is when she is informed of an appalling fact by Takako.

Characters
Nagasaku Hiromi as Maruoka Takako
A senior detective with the Criminal Affairs Division’s Serious Crimes Section at Azabu Minami Police Precinct. She has the best arrest rate within the precinct. Nicknamed Maruko. A single mother who brings her 1-year-old son, Hashizo, out with her on investigations because she is on the waiting list for the public childcare facility and the private ones are too expensive. It may be illegal or criticised by someone, but she is a dirty cop who will do whatever it takes to solve cases. She makes her buddy, Nagashima Aoi, her babysitter.

Karina as Nagashima Aoi
A trainee detective with the Criminal Affairs Division’s Serious Crimes Section at Azabu Minami Police Precinct. An earnest, diligent, athletic type with a pure heart although a little dull. She was transferred from the Traffic Division to be a temporary backup personel at the Criminal Affairs Division, and wants to be a detective that she had long dreamed of. But she is assigned to be a babysitter for Hashizo, the son of her mentor, Maruoka Takako, and finds herself at the mercy of Takako’s reckless investigations and unreasonable requests.

Kamiji Yusuke as Sasaki Takuya
Nagashima Aoi’s boyfriend. He belongs to Azabu Minami Police Precinct’s Community Police Affairs Division, and is a policeman who works at the police post at Azabu 1-chome. He is naturally kind and good-natured with Aoi and everyone else. However, he gets affected by the fact that she is the first to become a detective because they both had their sights on being detectives. A sincere person who loathes himself for this pettiness.

Yasuda Ken as Shirato Ichiro
A senior detective with the Criminal Affairs Division’s Serious Crimes Section at Azabu Minami Police Precinct. He and Maruoka Takako are from the same batch, and he is bitterly hostile towards her. He is an outstanding detective who is smart and good at swimming with the tide. On the other hand, he tries to be a hero and puts on airs to hide his lack of confidence.

Yashima Norito as Fukazawa Tamotsu
The head of the Criminal Affairs Division’s Serious Crimes Section at Azabu Minami Police Precinct. Rank: Assistant Inspector. An ambitious person with a strong sense of justice. Because he has no patience for the flouting of rules and conventions, he has been paying attention to Maruoka Takako. Now at Takako’s mercy because he cannot handle her, he is taken to task by his superiors for that – the difficult struggle of middle management.

All text copyright © jdramas.wordpress.com.

Official Website
www.tbs.co.jp/renai-neet

Broadcast
Thursdays, 10.00 – 10.54 p.m. from 20 January 2012

Station
TBS

Story
Kinoshita Rin, who works in the sales promotion department at a publishing house, is a beauty as well as a career woman who handles all the work by herself. However, her stilted interactions with the people around her causes her to be shunned by her boss who regards her as a subordinate who is “difficult to deal with”, and also her subordinates who find her to be an “unsupportive superior”. One day, Rin attends the “divorce ceremony” of a good friend, Watanabe Miho, together with fellow friend Aizawa Nanako to wish Miho a fresh start. Before long, Nanako, who believes in “love supreme”, sets her eyes on a group of three men at the venue. They are friends of Miho’s ex-husband: Matsumoto Naoya, a popular dentist; Ota Kota, a flavourist who works at a leading food company, and the handsome Makino Shunpei, a part-timer. After a round of introductions by Miho, the six of them start drinking together. The conversation grows lively as they get to know each other. Then Rin nonchalantly says she lives only for work and has not had romance in her life. In fact she has not had sex in 8 years. Everyone present is dumbfounded and the three men draw away at those words. However, Matsumoto, Ota and Makino are actually people with the “renai neat” lifestyle too … … Matsumoto does not want to get married, Ota has a fear of love, and Makino does not trust women.

Characters
Nakama Yukie as Kinoshita Rin
A woman around 40 who works in the sales promotion department of a publishing house. She is a beauty, but she has shut out her femininity in order to get rid of the pain of long-dead relationships. As a result, she is shunned by her boss who regards her as a subordinate who is “difficult to deal with”, and also her subordinates who find her to be an “unsupportive superior”. Her parents died 9 years ago, and her own life has taken a backseat to her younger siblings who are of high school going age. Things like that keep coinciding and she ends up spending her days cut off from love.

Ryo as Aizawa Nanako
A woman around 40 who works in a PR firm. Because she had the time of her youth right in the era of the bubble economy, she aspires for the best in every respect. It is her motto to enjoy life and enjoy being a woman, and she makes full use of the 24 hours in a day in both work and her private life. Other than gorgeous looks and a rich experience in love, she has many male fans because she is like a caring older sister. She is also a rare friend to Rin because she makes her say what she really thinks. Where age is concerned, she should consider putting an end to her history of love affairs, but … …

Ichikawa Mikako as Watanabe Miho
Kinoshita Rin’s classmate and good friend. An affair by her husband of 5 years prompted her decision to divorce because if she is to start over again, she has up to 35! She gets her friends Rin and Aizawa Nanako to wish the two of them a fresh start at a “divorce ceremony”, and meets three of her ex-husband’s three friends who are there to attend the ceremony. She thinks that marriage is a woman’s happiness, and would wish to marry the next day if there is a right man. However, she feels some anxiety about having to start a romance again with someone new now that she is over 30.

Sasaki Kuranosuke as Matsumoto Naoya
A dentist and bachelor. As might be expected of a popular doctor in private practice who has even been introduced by the media, the waiting room is filled with female patients wanting to meet him. He also has a reputation as a dentist who is difficult to get appointments with. Matsumoto has completely no intention of getting married and is a “renai neat” who makes a serious effort to avoid romance. He loves trying out sweets at various places, and has a particular liking for puddings. Together with Ota and Shunpei, he forms a “sweets club”. This is the only gathering where he show his true self … …

Nagayama Kento as Makino Shunpei
He looks to be a passive, fashion conscious herbivorous type, but inside, he is quite a tactician and a carnivorous type who will hold on to his targeted spoils. He is what is called a roll cabbage (herbivore on the outside, but a carnivore at heart). He has a quick mind, understands what the other person is seeking in an instant, and is able to play his cards well. To him, love is no more than a method to fill the empty hours. In other words, he is a “renai neat” who cannot have a genuine love. He also has no passion for life, but does not feel that emptiness, and lives the life of a part-timer day by day.

Tanaka Yuji as Ota Kota
A flavourist who works at a famous food company. He is scared of love, wears his heart on his sleeve and is easily jilted. Because of his repeated experiences of heartbreak, he is a “renai neat” who has given up on love right from the beginning since women will only choose men based on physical appearance. Nevertheless, he does not despair and secretly harbours a desire to be the anti-prince, thinking that some day, a wonderful woman who sees the good in him will appear … … He combines work with his hobby of sweet research.

Muroi Shigeru as Amemiya Hiromi
The president of Kinoshita Rin’s company. A divorcee. She started her own company and even though it was small, the business was on track and she worked hard. She is a dependable woman who has been through a lot in life. She is like a sort of surrogate parent to Rin, who had to look after her younger siblings after her parents died not long after she joined the company. But lately, the source of Rin’s worry … …

Click here for pictures from the press conference.

All text copyright © jdramas.wordpress.com.

15 years ago, Adachi Emily was murdered at the gym of an elementary school in Ueda City. Four of her friends who played with her in the school yard just before the incident, saw the murderer when he approached to ask for help. Shinohara Maki, a student council member known to be a straight-A student and a reliable person, was one of them. She volunteered the help of everyone, but the man insisted that one person was enough and picked out Emily.

Paralysed by fear at the time of Emily’s murder, Maki told Kikuchi Sae, Takano Akiko and Ogawa Yuka that she would go and look for a teacher, but fled the school alone when she could not find anyone. During the interrogation by Detective Yabe, she claimed she could not remember anything.

It was the same response given by the other girls. As a result, the case went unsolved, and the four of them were summoned by Emily’s mother, Asako, who demanded that they “atone in ways that will satisfy” her if they could not find the murderer.

15 years later, Maki has become a teacher at an elementary school in Nagahama City in Shizuoka prefecture. During her free time, she learns kendo at the school’s kendo club. When she first started practicing the martial arts, she had thought of it as a way to clear her mind of distracting thoughts, but found herself completely immersed in it in spite of herself.

One day, the vice principal informs Maki that the school has received a complaint from the parent of a female student who wonders if Maki had gone overboard by confiscating her daughter’s precious hair clip. Maki explains that she confiscated the hair clip during class but returned it to the student after school because the school rules do not permit such items if they are not black. However, Maki clarifies that she did not do it for that reason. She says with strong conviction that elementary school girls should not be overly dressed up for it would be a dangerous enticement to men.

In the midst of this, Maki stumbles across a female student being bullied by a group of boys. The boys quickly flee, leaving the science lab and the girl covered in a heap of pillow feathers. Maki tries to comfort the sobbing girl and find out what happened. But when that yields no response, Maki loses her patience and chides her for staying silent.

This “harsh questioning” is criticised at a meeting of the Parent-Teacher Association where Maki finds herself under fire not just from the parents but also her fellow teachers. The vice principal announces that a staff meeting found that Maki had aggravated matters by her inappropriate handling of the situation, and tries to put an end to the incident by making her responsible for the girl’s refusal to come to school. However, one of the teachers called Tanabe stands up for Maki and saves the day.

A grateful Maki later confides in Tanabe when he observes that she is not only strict with students but herself too.

“Since I was young,
I’ve always worried if I was really doing
the right thing or the wrong thing.
But no matter how I searched within myself,
I had no yardstick for what is right.
I was forced to search for it outside.
It would have been good if there was someone
who could have told me when I was a child
that this is definitely the right thing to do.
That’s why, I wanted to be this kind an adult.”

On the 15th anniversary of Emily’s death, Maki travels to her grave to pay respects. Asako is also there. For a brief moment, the two of them are transported back to happier times when Maki and the other girls came to play with Emily at the Adachi home. Maki tells Asako that she remembers the promise made to atone in ways that will satisfy Asako. “I will carry it out in my own way for you to see,” she pledges and agrees to contact Asako when that time comes.

Then, an incident reminiscent of the event 15 years ago occurs one day. A knife-wielding man bursts into the poolside during a swimming lesson. The students who were doing warm up exercises by the poolside scream in terror and quickly scatter. Maruyama, the swimming instructor, confronts the man but is slashed in the side and collapses on the floor. In panic, the students and even Tanabe jump into the swimming pool to try to escape the man.

Seeing the man approach the other side of the pool, Maki hurriedly grabs a pole near her as she prepares to face him. Using the moves she had learnt in kendo, she coolly delivers strikes and thrusts that beat him back and knocks the knife out of his hand. Losing his balance, he falls into the pool. When he hauls himself out moments later, Maki is waiting by the edge to deal one final blow that renders him unconscious. All this while, Tanabe had been slowly moving away from his charges and edging toward the safety of the far end of the pool. The relief on his face is evident.

As a result of her courageous conduct, Maki is commended by the police, fellow teachers and parents. Previously considered a burden for her rigid, strict ways, she is suddenly praised for risking her life to protect the students. On the other hand, Tanabe’s actions are censured and he is ordered to stay at home to reflect on his behaviour.

Several days later, Tanabe appears in front of Maki. He warns her to be wary of the vice principal. He has reason to believe that the online postings denouncing him were the work of the vice principal who had been jealous of his popularity with the students. The next one in line to be hauled down will be Maki.

Just as Tanabe had warned, the wave of goodwill turns just as quickly as it came. Rumours of excessive self-defence start to spread as students gossip about how the poolside attacker appeared to be near death when he was loaded onto the ambulance or how Maki had gone beyond what was necessary to dispel the threat of danger.

During a kendo training session, Maki has a vision of the attacker and reflexively showers blows on her opponent who had nothing to do with the incident. Only when she is pulled away by the kendo instructor does she realise what she has done. The online postings turn critical of Maki. A student comments in one posting that the he cannot forget the scary look on Maki’s face as she hit the attacker over and over again with the pole.

The principal decides to call an extraordinary general meeting of the Parent-Teacher Association and have Maki explain that the big show she put on at the poolside was driven by her concern for the safety of the children. But in that moment, Maki comes to the realisation that while she remembers confronting the attacker for the sake of the children, her motivation was actually different.

Maki writes to Asako to invite her to the meeting that will take place next Saturday, saying that she will disclose the real reason for her actions to Asako at the same time that she explains it to the parents.

At the extraodinary general meeting, Maki acknowledges that she had used brute force on the attacker and also withdraws her earlier explanation that she had done so to save the children from danger. These remarks stir up a commotion.

“15 years ago when I was still an elementary school student,
my good friend was assaulted and killed in the school.
The killer is still at large.
I was with that friend right before the incident
and I saw the killer for a brief moment.
If I had done something a little different at that time,
maybe things wouldn’t have turned out that way.
This deep regret has been with me till this day.
When I became a teacher, I thought to myself that
if a suspicious person were to enter the school again like 15 years ago,
and target the life of a child,
I will do whatever it takes to prevent it from happening.
I saw that my opportunity to repent had come on that day.
I used brute force for the sake of myself and my late friend,
and to honour the promise I had made to her mother.”

Maki announces that she is resigning from the teaching staff. With a bow to the parents and teachers present, she walks out of the room. Asako goes after Maki who busies herself with keeping away the sports balls, and kindly tells her that she does not need to quit being a teacher. Schools need teachers like her so that there will not be victims like Emily. But Maki replies that she has no right to be happy and that is the way she will atone for the rest of her life.

Maki steps away to go after a stray ball. That is when Tanabe suddenly walks up to her and deals her a stinging blow to the face. Maki collapses and her head slams against the concrete. A worried Asako rushes over to her side. As she tries to call for an ambulance, Maki stops her. As life slowly slips away from her, she says that there is something else she has to apologise for. “I still remember the face of the man who killed Emily clearly, but I could not say it at that time. He resembles someone … …” Asako tries to find out who that is, but Maki starts hallucinating and then stops breathing … …

All text copyright © jdramas.wordpress.com.

Official Website
www.nhk.or.jp/drama/taian

Broadcast
Tuesdays, 10.55 – 11.35 p.m. from 10 January 2012

Station
NHK

Story
On the morning of a very auspicious day, a threatening note in the form of a paper aeroplane is sent Hotel Armaiti where five wedding ceremonies are scheduled to take place. “Call off all the wedding ceremonies today. Otherwise, receive dreadful retribution from Heaven”, it reads. The atmosphere within the staff room grows strained. Is there someone among the guests who does not want the ceremonies to be a success? Yamai Takako, a wedding planner, and other staff of the ceremony hall, start to search for the culprit in order to ensure that the weddings take place without a hitch while attending to the bridal couples who arrive one after another. Before long, terrible secrets in the hearts of the guests including the brides and grooms are revealed. As numerous people come up as suspects, Takako finds suspicious looks directed toward herself … …

Characters
Yuka as Yamai Takako
An enthusiastic wedding planner who works for Hotel Armaiti’s ceremony hall. She is candid like a guy, and always full of energy. But in fact, she had her engagement broken off when she was on the verge of marriage. After that, she could not go back to her former company which she had resigned from because of her impending marriage. And so, she got a job as a wedding planner. As a result, she is called the “masochistic rebel”. A workaholic with a strong sense of professionalism, her prime consideration is the happiness of her customers. She is the type who works too hard that she gets into trouble. Because she makes couples that have broken off their engagements, patch up, she is hated by fathers who are against the marriages. And even though she has the best of intentions for wilful brides, they find fault and accuse her of trying to wreck their wedding ceremonies.

Asano Yuko as Sugiura Kaoruko
Yamai Takako’s senior. As a wedding planner with 30 years of experience, she is a veteran who has been through a lot. She is a mentor for Takako and other staff when they face difficulties.

Ishiguro Ken as Yamamoto Go
The manager of the ceremony hall. A genuinely nice person, but frequently at odds with Yamai Takako because of his remarks about focusing on profits. He is allergic to dogs. Pressed by his wife for a divorce, he is now at a critical point in his life.

Suzuki Ryohei as Misaki Kyosuke
Yamai Takako’s junior. A cool and handsome wedding planner. He dislikes children. He finds himself gradually responding to Takako’s enthusiasm.

Kurokawa Tomoka as Asahina Rumi
A new wedding planner who belonged to the mystery sleuth club during her high school days. Hunting for the author of the threatening note makes her eyes glint, and she makes more effort at it than anyone else.

Tanimura Mitsuki as Kagayama Himika/Marika
Kagayama Himika: One of the brides holding her wedding ceremony at Hotel Armaiti. She has an older twin sister called Marika. In order to test the love of her husband-to-be, she suggests to Marika that they trade places. The two sisters continue acting even as they appear at the wedding ceremony. Himika fears that the ceremony will end without Eiichi realising it.

Kagayama Marika: The older sister of Himika. She likes Himika’s husband-to-be, Soma Eiichi, and has always hated her younger sister. Himika proposes that they switch places in order to test Eiichi’s feelings. And so, Marika becomes the younger sister and fears that Eiichi will recognise her.

Fukuishi Seiji as Soma Eiichi
When will he realise that his bride Kagayama Himika and her older twin sister Marika are delivering the greatest performance of their life?

Hoshino Mari as Osaki Reina
One of the brides holding her wedding ceremony at Hotel Armaiti. She has a penchant for making unreasonable demands and is called “devil” by the wedding planners. She is particularly hostile towards Yamai Takako. There appears to be a great number of people among the guests who detest her?

Tanaka Naoki as Tokura Junichi
The flustered, timid groom who is stuck between his strong-willed bridge Osaki Reina and his mother, Kazuko.

Kato Seishiro as Shirasu Masora
Shirasu Rie’s son. Although he is happy that his mother is remarrying, he suspects that the groom, Azuma Makoto, will attempt to kill his mother who is dressed up as Snow White at the reception by making her eat a poison apple. He fights a lonely battle to save his mother. Because the threatening note was delivered by a paper aeroplane, even he is suspected, but … …

Kirishima Reika as Shirasu Rie
She is marrying Azuma Makoto who is 14 years her junior, despite opposition from her family. She has changed her dress to that of Snow White for the wedding reception.

Watabe Gota as Azuma Makoto
An inarticulate, gauche man. Shirasu Rie’s son, Masora, overhears him talking about making Rie eat a poison apple at the reception … …

Okada Yoshinori as Mysterious man
He pops up everywhere at the wedding ceremonies and is somewhat suspicious-looking.

Click here for pictures from the press conference.

All text copyright © jdramas.wordpress.com.

Suitei Yuuzai^*NEW*
Date: From 10.00 p.m., Sundays, 25 March 2012
Station: WOWOW
Cast: Nakamura Toru, Kuroki Hitomi, Mimura, Motokariya Yuika, Terajima Susumu, Matsuo Suzuki, Nakamura Shunsuke, Hakamada Yoshihiko, Aijima Kazuyuki, Kusabue Mitsuko, Ryu Raita, Mitsuishi Ken, Shiba Toshio, Kunimura Jun, Jinnai Takanori (guest star)
Synopsis: Journalist Kayama (Nakamura Toru), who is covering the war zone, gets news that Shinozuka (Kunimura Jun), the criminal serving time for the murder of a young child 12 years ago, was actually falsely accused of crime. At that time, Kayama was reporting on this case and had proceeded to write about Shinozuka being the criminal, but it is proved to be wrong after the passage of 12 years. Shinozuka’s lawyer, Ishihara (Kuroki Hitomi) holds a press conference where she criticises the sloppy investigation by the police and speaks of suing for the 12 years that Shinozuka had lost. However, Shinozuka’s daughter, Miho (Motokariya Yuika) has mixed feelings for her father as he is released from prison now. While the victim’s older sister, Hiroko (Mimura) finds it difficult to accept this reality … …
Website: www.wowow.co.jp/suiteiyuzai/

Soup Curry
Date: April 2012
Station: HBC/TBS
Cast: Morisaki Hiroyuki, Totsugi Shigeyuki, Yasuda Ken, Oizumi Yo, Oto Takuma
Synopsis: Five men who went to university together are now around their 40s. One is in charge of ladies’ wear at a department store (Morisaki Hiroyuki), another is a struggling actor (Yasuda Ken), a cram school teacher (Totsugi Shigeyuki), a culinary professional active on television shows (Oizumi Yo), and yet another is an entrepreneur who runs a business for ceremonial occasions (Oto Takuma). Each leads a different daily life, pursues dreams, respects friends, loves family and sometimes finds himself at the mercy of bright, young, energetic people around him.
Website: www.soupcurry-drama.jp

All text copyright © jdramas.wordpress.com.

Official Website
www.tv-asahi.co.jp/seinaru

Broadcast
Thursdays, 9.00 – 9.54 p.m. from 19 January 2012

Station
TV Asahi

Story
One rainy night, an unidentified pregnant woman collapses outside Okubo Memorial Hospital. Shiba Kengo, the surgeon on duty, examines and performs a Caesarean operation on her even though it is outside his area of expertise. The baby boy is delivered safely, but the woman’s condition suddenly deteriorates after that and she dies. The newborn child whose identity is unknown, is left behind at the hospital. Kengo thinks that it is an ironic coincidence. However, that is no coincidence. It is a cleverly devised trap that was set one year before. One year ago, Kengo, who worked at a university hospital, was suddenly assigned to Okubo Memorial Hospital which was experiencing financial difficulties after incuring the displeasure of a professor. At Okubo Memorial Hospital, he met the head nurse, Kasugai Yuka, surgeon Mizuhara Ryoji and other colleagues. He began to have busy but fulfilling days with their support. But a grand plot is steadily advance by some people with secret intentions … …

Characters
Okada Masaki as Shiba Kengo
A new, young surgeon in his first year. He has a strong sense of justice and passion for his profession, but is poor at ingratiating himself with his superiors. As a result of that, he is transferred from the university hospital to Okubo Memorial Hospital which is known to be in financial difficulty, and taken off the career track. However, he meets the highly competent head nurse Kasugai Yuka. He is taught the reality of medical care and matures as a doctor. Grateful to his father who raised him single handedly and made him a doctor, he makes a point to provide him with an allowance. He is earnest and innocent, and that gets him set up in an unexpected trap.

Nakatani Miki as Kasugai Yuka
The head nurse at Okubo Memorial hospital. Capable and reliable, she was chosen for her present post at a young age. She gives the Shiba Kengo a lot of advice and teaches him the reality of medical treatment. Kengo is somewhat naive because he came from a university hospital. Because she grew up in poverty, she hates being poor. So when Keiko secured money, status and prestige, she delighted in it as if it were her own successes. However, when she learns that Keiko cannot have the thing she wants the most, she conceives a dreadful plan … …

Kato Ai as Hyuga Keiko
The wife of Hyuga Toshio and younger sister of Kasugai Yuka. A kindergarten teacher and a kind-hearted person. Because her parents died early, she years for a warm family where parents live with children. Her desire to have children is stronger than anyone else. This is the reason why she is eventually twisted out of shape.

Hasegawa Hiroki as Hyuga Toshio
The manager of Ryonin Scholarship Foundation, a big academy, and the husband of Hyuga Keiko. As an educator, he has the respect of the people around him and treats his wife nicely, but he is actually a womaniser and has a secret that he cannot tell her. He has a number of arrangements with his ex-wife, and this eats at Keiko.

Suzuki Ann as Arima Mie
A kindergarten teacher. She joins Ryonin Scholarship Foundation, and gets on the right side of Hyuga Keiko whom she adores. Because she has no family that she can depend on and is reluctant to talk about her past, there is a part of her that is lonely.

Kohinata Fumiyo as Okubo Shiro
The director of Okubo Memorial Hospital. A fine doctor and manager. He struggles under the heavy pressure of being the second generation owner, as well as the hospital’s finances dire straits. He keeps unprofitable departments running for the sake of patients, and this becomes a victim of his principle of placing importance on patients. His surgical skills are good and even Shiba Kengo respects him.

Click here for pictures from the press conference.

All text copyright © jdramas.wordpress.com.