Saikou no Rikon 最高の離婚 [drama]

Kondo wa, sunao ni nareru...

What a soul destroying drama. On a level with Sunao ni Narenakute, this one was hard to watch. Mainly because it was too close to home, but if anyone has had any sort of troubled relationship then this is going to feel familiar. Its just too real. Its not even melodrama like Sunao, its so real... Their conversations are too frank, and it burned through both my friend and I each time a new argument or new situation came up.

Don't be fooled by the blurb. This is not a comedy! And when do I ever use exclamation marks.

I wanted to watch this for the cast. Ayano Gou and Eita primarily, but also came to really love the two women... 

I'm getting ahead of myself. Have a cast list first, then we'll talk.

Cast:

Eita - Mitsuo

Ono Machiko - Yuka 

Maki Yoko - Akari

Ayano Gou - Ryo

Kubota Masataka - Junnosuke

Otani Eiko - Shiori

Serina - Nana

Ok so back to the ranting about the cast. 

Oh and side note, sorry for my awful screen shots this time. Had to use online stream because I deleted my files.

I've never seen Ayano look as cuddly as he did in this drama as Ryo. I still wanted to curl up and sleep in his hair even though its all short this time, and that dazed and bewildered look in his eyes reminded me of something very uncomfortable to remember but he made it into something much more tangible than purely just being lost and apathetic. He absolutely made this drama for me.

Eita was bumbling and cute and frustratingly annoying as his perfect portrayal of Mitsuo - no-one but Eita could have possibly made this character likable. Just no-one. He was another character far too close to home, we happen to still be living that story so its far too uncomfortable to really deal with but the whole thing was very cathartic in a way. More so that even Sunao. Mitsuo 's issues and stuborn nature make you resent him, but he is just as lost as anyone else.

The wonderfully weird Machiko chan, a complete carbon copy of Mizukawa Asami, was adorable and mixed up, free spirited but completely torn as Mitsuo's wife Yuka. She went through every emotion possible throughout this drama. She played a part my friend seems to be living right now and it was so uncomfortable... but you know, they dealt with everything so sensitively that I really think the drama and their unquestionably perfect performances helped us come to terms with a few things.

Lastly, Maki Yoko as Akari. She had and Ryo held the most pain for me personally, I internalised all their issues and lived a little vicariously through their closure. Akari was beautiful and strong but falling apart at the seams silently. Maki is so wonderful to watch. Not just her appearance but her voice, her mannerisms, everything about her was stunning. Akari was hopeless and determined, a complete contradiction throughout, a complete slave to her feelings. 

These four carried a wonderful story, woven in and out of their bickering and gossiping, complaining and ranting to all and sundry. 

There are just too many points that ring true about this drama. From start to finish it echoes real life and relationships and every episode is a fresh punch in the face to anyone who struggles to know which side of their own arguments they are on... as most of us are when we argue with the ones we love.

This is a serious drama for me. Not a comedy. I laughed a lot, Eita was comical, and Ayano was so adorable sometimes I squeaked. But on the whole, this was more tears than anything else.

We marathoned this in a night and the following afternoon. We had to stop for a while and take a walk. It wasn't the most comfortable drama we could have chosen. Correction - I could have chosen. And it was definitely my choice. But all in all I think it did us both some good, although it wasn't what I was aiming for.

This isn't full of unrequited love, suicide and domestic violence. Its very tame in comparison to some dramas I've seen. But I think this was so real, so exactly how life is, that it shocked us a little. 

Their acting is so good. Seriously so good. Unwavering, unbreakable. Completely compelling and I loved all four of them so much I was desperate for things to just work out ok in the end. Word of warning - the special is a bit of a sad addition to the show... 

Looking back now I think it was right, but I felt like it was a little too much to have it end that way after putting up with so much watching them all fight through their issues... 

I wont spoil it, you come to your own conclusions. It makes sense to me now, I think it must be the only way it could be.

All of it is a little like that actually. It all was the only way it could be for those people. For people who talk everything out, lay their cards bare on the table, things move on. It hurts, but it moves on. 

Most dramas feature too much unsaid pain, which is also true to life to a certain extent 

but in Saikou no rikon they snap, they complain to each other, and they fight, they endlessly fight. 

Its a direct mirror of my house lately, it hurts to see it reflected back on me, but it certainly gives me some perspective. 

Relationships are so selfish, they seem to be about what we want from them, not what we can do for the other person. They certainly end that way even if that is not how they start. The respect, the empathy, the desire to be someone better for the other person... all flies out the window and is replaced with bitterness, a sense that you are somehow owed something, and a demand for your own space, your own dreams, your own petty ideals to be met.

Its all gone a bit super serial serious face, but I got so much from this drama. I cant take on this angst in the house anymore, its petty and pathetic. Its causing a million times more damage than it is changing anything. I cant listen to it anymore. Love is complicated. Love is selfish. Love sometimes isn't even love. 

You know, if it doesn't work, it doesn't work. Its as simple as that. 

Once you've gone through all the complexities and learned all your lessons and it still goes wrong then cut your losses and run.

But the main point is, no one has to be the bad guy. No one has to have all the blame. There doesn't have to be any blame.  

Being too scared to look inward and question your own actions you blame everyone else. Fearful that if you don't you will only blame yourself. 

But surely its possible to move on from that? That love you had doesn't just disappear surely? If it does then what kind of a person does that make you? You need to get over yourself and be a better person for those around you, no matter how you think they wronged you. 

No-one is in the wrong, we are all just trying, failing, succeeding, all at different rates. 

But we don't communicate, we just blame. We cant do that and be happy. Especially while that usually means spending all your time blaming someone else for your unhappiness. 

Well, yeah. A lot of things got dragged in and out of the mud during this drama and its a shame the issues in my own house cant be solved in 12 episodes and a special. But if we all snap, I'm going to try and remember that it will bring change. And that is what we need here. 

Saikou no rikon reminded me that the only way to change these awful situations is to not bury them and sit with them under our feet. No-one grows that way.

In this review I hope I explained how it affected me without putting you off. 

I feel like everyone has some connection to the things in this show, and you could gain a lot by watching it. 

It is moving, superbly acted and directed, well paced and thoughtful. 

I also want to give a little squee for Kubota Masataka who turned Kamen Teacher from an awful cheapo drama into a semi believable moving story with all his acting with his eyes stuff and genuinely looking pretty hard. Impressed with him right now, and he plays a sweet character in this drama who befriends Yuka while she is going through her troubles. His character is very understanding and caring, unexpectedly so, and adds another level to the complicated friendships formed around the main four.

So to conclude, for all its cringingly honest portrayals of complicated relationships, there is much to reflect on in a positive light. 

I do think it is worth watching, and it definitely surprised me. 

...Just don't be fooled by it calling itself a comedy.

~

Ghost Negotiator Tenma. 天魔さんがゆく [series]

Ju-On confused with Ghostbusters on anti psychotics that dont work. 

Having just spent the last ... hour... oh god I just checked the time and its really an hour... ranting online with a friend about which world we want to live in out of the anime / gaming realms we love (inspired by a 9gag post) I thought I would continue to shirk and just write on here for a bit. 

We ended up deciding on Final Fantasy as a whole franchise (though that may be cheating) because we could then also holiday in Kingdom Hearts. 

I would get to be Rikku from FF 10 and live with Kadaj and Reno from FF 7, but go for holidays to stay with Ariel and we could go out on the pull for princesses together (her prince and my CGI silver haired evil gorgeous would never know) 

Oh god Im seriously digressing here. My point was that Im already in nerd squee mode so it seemed fitting that I start this post for Tenma san.

Cast list: 

Domoto Tsuyoshi - Tenma Kawaguchi 

Haruna - Akira Minagawa 

Sarutoki - Daikaku Keizo 

Serina - Mukunoki Riko 

Sato Jiro - Hokai Tendo 

Morisaki Hiroyuki - Ashikaga Minoru 

Kamakura Taro - Ohira Santa 

Funassyi - Funassyi 

As you might have noticed, there is a name in the cast list which isn't in the drama wiki. It was my first encounter with Funassyi and it was just too weird! Watching it now would make more sense but back then it was just too weird... but actually... desired effect i guess. 

Akira's face when she encounters Funassyi was exactly the same as mine. Just a " ... " and nothing else. Seen as Funassyi is even adored by Show Luo, 

(so random to see pictures of Show and Fun hanging out together in articles popping up on my internet feeds) 

so I thought why not chuck him in the credits too. He certainly is getting around these days. 

Funassyi's little cameos in Tenma san is not the only weird addition by far. There are bumbling idiot ghosts each episodes plus the greatness of Sato Jiro playing Tenma's dead dad - who is the BEST I cant even explain. 

I desperately want the DVD of this series in case there are extras of Domoto and Sato just d*cking around, ad libbing and laughing because all of their scenes together seem to be just that and I could have watched a whole program of just those two talking sh*t. 

Its a mumbled Kansai-ben garbled bumbling stupid story with a perfect cast, one of the best dramas I've seen in ages. There were no English subs at the time I watched, not sure if there are now or not but its not the easiest one to understand. But I watched it with my very own kansai boy so at least that helped me. 

The strong dialect twinned with the constant references to other dramas and movies makes it an in joke fest. 

Domoto is so funny. His dead pan acting is perfect for this useless idiot of a character, 

and Haruma (Yankii kun to Megane chan) was just a great match for him, showing off not only how much a good actress she is but also her comic timing and bravery. 

Not giving a single f*ck was given about looking stupid - it was up to Domoto's level of brilliance. I thought. 

I just could not get over the pairing of Sato Jiro and Domoto Tsuyoshi as father and son. God, that was the best thing I had ever seen, I really wished there had been more of their scenes together. 

Its from director Fukuda Yuichi, who worked on Saru Lock, Tokyo Dogs, 1 Pound no fukuin and Yuusha Yoshihiko, so we KNEW this would be a good one but seriously I think I broke myself laughing so many times. 

 And I have to say, it was really too scary in places! Actually yelled out a few times because of the ghosts... sneaking up Ju-On style and being all dimly lit and bloody. Too much, Fukada, too much! It was great. 

It really is Ghost Busters in Japan. Same outfits, same uselessness, but with Ju-On ghosts rather than slimer and the Michelin man. Great stories, nice touching moments, fantastically funny cowardice, and unbelievably genius ad libbing skits. 

There isn't much beginning and end to the drama as such, only that Akira starts working for Tenma san in the first episode so we kind of follow her progression, and as she wants to get the hell away from them in the last episode but cant because they are like crack. Ghost hunter crack. 

We follow these three bumbling idiots trying to save the souls of ghosts and help them cross over to the other side and leave the humans they haunt in peace. One major problem seems to be Tenma san's complete lack of ability to brave it out and not faint at the sight of a ghost. 

He says really cool things in front of Akira, we all swoon a little, and then a ghost pops up and he promptly faints leaving Akira and Daikaku to fend for themselves. In fact, many times he sends Akira off on her own to deal with the ghosts with some crappy excuse as to why he cant do it himself, barking commands to her from behind a door. 

His fainting is accompanied swiftly by the appearance of his dad to impart some words of ... wisdom...ish, which prove to be the most nonsensical moments of the show.

I got hooked in this absolute madness and really wish they would do a reprise in a special or a second season. 

I could quite happily watch a spin off series of Sato Jiro's character d*cking around in heaven with his mates. I really really REALLY hope they at least do a special. But I dont think they will.   

I am thankfull to this drama for many things... 

For making me love Domoto, yes. 

For giving me more baka Sato Jiro, of course - goes without saying. 

For showing off Haruna as a great actress to follow in the future, definitely. 

Thankful for showing me I actually do understand a little bit of Kansai ben so maybe I have some ray of hope that I will understand my other half's parents when I meet them..... Well yeah. 

But I still think I'm going down in firey flamey flames of Rescue style staring at fire even though you are a fireman flames. But obviously that's not Tenma san's fault. Although, if he turned out to be personally responsible I wouldn't even be surprised.

~