A struggling writer suddenly finds four women in his house claiming to have been invited to rent rooms there for (you guessed it!) 1 Million yen... per month. That's roughly $8,800 usd for a single room the size of my closet... per month.
Who are these women and why would anyone agree to this?
This is the mystery but the more we know about the characters and their circumstances the more questions we have. Each has their reasons, their own background and personality.
Character driven from beginning to end with an artistic flair that enhances the atmosphere rather than just be a bit of mindless eye candy. Easily the best drama I've watched all year. This hidden gem is worth a watch.
The one thing that stops it from being a perfect 10 is the rushed reveal at the end. The series would have benefited from an episode or two more for that part.
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A Story in a Story, Emotional Without Emotion
This is a story like a wolf in sheep's clothing. The synopsis draws images of a playful harem; the embodiment of Japanese cliché with an embarrassed but perverted protagonist and several brainless beauties surrounding him. You can tell otherwise from the first seconds of film. Be it the muted music, the monotone narration of our solemn main character, or the efficient and bland description of our premise, we're instantly hit with something entirely unexpected. And, as the show continues, and we continue to peel back the layers of our characters, discovering more about this mysterious world we've discovered, we find a thoughtful and pondering piece of media with near perfect execution.One of the most impressive aspects of this show is the tone. From the very beginning, they find one and stick to it. Each carefully placed, immaculately framed shot lends to the slow feeling (even though the plot moves quite quickly). Every drawn out, ominous beeping of the fax machine spreads a layer of darkness behind the otherwise neutral setting. And every line of dialogue tells of the no-nonsense, to-the-point feeling which embodies our main character. Even the comedy, sparse as it may be, feels solemn and dull. It's clear, from the very beginning, that our protagonist is drifting, though we do not yet know why.
The greatest purpose of a show can be to convey feelings or ideas which cannot be so aptly expressed by a bundle of words or a collection of phrases. Like music, and art, and poetry, television has the power to show you things which you can only see through the lens of a story. And, within these stories, writers and directors, costumers and set designers find small places to drop symbolism and meaning, things which start out as background details but evolve into a greater depiction of all that the story represents. The forever wrinkled suit worn by the main character. The unexplained death threats which continuously appear in the fax machine, and the unspoken habit of the girls to silently throw them out as they enter and exit the room. That cat which is simply named "cat," and it's presence over time. The dying flower plants outside of a grieving mother's home.
No story is complete without compelling characters, and this cast is diverse and complex. Each character has their own backstories, motivations, and personalities. From the tear-evoking brotherhood between the author and his devoted publisher, to the jealous hatred of his rival, to the always unclear affection from the residents of his house. Although the side characters and villains are stagnant, the main cast evolves throughout the show, affected by their circumstances and each other. Each heavy past is barely revealed, leaving more room for who that person is now, and who they'll become when it all ends. And it's clear, from the very start, that it will all end eventually.
A harem is something which is difficult to balance while maintaining unique, driven characters (especially ones with typical morals). This may be why the romance of the show is often left by the wayside, but I think it's also an intentional aspect of the main character's healing. That said, one of my only criticisms of the show is that some of the girl's affection for the main character seems a bit forced and unexplained, and only for a few of the girls do their feelings make sense. If we choose to think of the premise simply as a catalyst for the events and arcs of the story, then I don't think the show even qualifies to be a harem, as the girls don't openly and simultaneously show affection for the mc, and the mc shows no reciprocation either, even commenting at one point that he doesn't feel capable of love.
A harem was never the true focus of the show. It's not difficult to imagine it only as ploy to get it pitched and green lit, but boy are we lucky that it was. Because what we got was something truly unique, with so much to say that I couldn't begin to say it. It's a story of loss, a story of love. A story of power, and corruption. A story of pain, and acceptance. Fear, failure, and success. A story of someone broken by his circumstances, with a face visibly absent of emotion. A story which follows him, heals him, and then breaks him again, until finally, at the very end, when he sheds a tear. With the weight of all his pain. I recommend this show.
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This review may contain spoilers
Ok, personally to say,I just keep getting bored as lockdown due to covid-19 is getting serious in my country,so I try watch some drama and first I watch otoko densha(drama ver) do after watch that series,I just kept wanting more so I search for best drama in 2017 and surprisingly I found this masterpiece!!!let me elaborate em^^STORY
As the story goes ,the director create a great mysterious atmosphere when all 5 ladies that come and rent this house have a strict rules, *read summaries*,it become more mystery to this cuz of the fax machine (this u need to look at least 1 eps) that it seems someone controls this systems and the 6 persons(including mc) in this rent house is being watch and monitoring deeply,the stories also cover up on how mc struggles in the harsh reality of a novelists(u can assume it to mangaka too if u want)
It may seems cliché for some people and u may wonder this is just cliché stories to bring up the thriller atmosphere,but for me that cliche is being handled really well by the storywriter and thus it's cover up that cliche holds :)
ACTING/CAST
Main protagonist (Noda Yojiro)
Gotta give this guy 10/10 on his acting,surely perfect on how he portrayed michima shin,rarely cry but when he cries,he is without a doubt one of the best crier actor I have watch,
I just love how he acts surprised,cry, depressed,confused,totally whole of it, totally no one can suit michima shin perfectly!
Hmmmm for the remaining 5 ladies, I will just let it up to u to watch it since ,if I ever talk about the 5 ladies it will be a totally spoiler to this whole stories XD
As for rewatched value I think,I will just keep play the last episode XD best EPS,conclusion,ship, and resolve for this series
Anyway I rate overall 10/10 for this series!
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Its a slow but great mystery
This was rather a slow drama but it wasworth it. I mean I couldn't guess the
killer and it's not my fault because they
changed the gender of the killer. Ok! It's
not my fault for guessing wrong! I am
still smart! 😂
Ok so as you read the story is about a
unpopular dull novelist who gets five
pretty and rich women in his house and
half of them even likes him 😂 like that's
one wild fantasy. I mean I'm sorry but
he is so dull! That was very unrealistic
for me like I mean ok one girl liked but
more then another girl liked and then
another girl wanted sleep with and then
another girl went on a date and kissed
him, like the hell is wrong with them ?
Half of the drama was debating about
who is the best writer- our protagonist or
the successful and handsome writer.
Honestly, in my opinion both of the
writers sucks 😂 I mean in our
protagonist's novels nothing happens.
Nothing! There is no twist or any
obstacles in the life of the characters.
The story starts and finishes and
nothing happens. Even he himself has
said that and I mean ok I get it his father
is a killer so like he can't kill anyone even
in a book but if you don't want to kill
then that's ok even though it's a bad
thing but that's ok but you have to do
something! The book he wrote seemed
too boring like seriously.
While on the other hand, the other writer
writes only for himself and to be
successful. He has no passion for novels
and just like his own novels and to me
such kind of novelist sucks to becuase
to be a good writer you first have to read
other people's writing and have to
appreciate other people's art but he is not
at all like that. He just thinks of himself.
He is too selfish and I know I shouldn't
critisize an author becuase of his
personality but I just can't understand
how can you become an author when
you don't even love other's novels? Like
how ? The drama constantly gave us
hints as how his novels are not at all
interesting and he is famous just becuase
he is handsome and the company he is
in is famous.
I really though want to read both of their
works to like be able conclude who is the
best cuz the competition between is a
major part of the drama I think. By
showing these two authors I know the
drama tried to show Japan's narrow
mindness. I don't if that's how really the
case in Japan is or not but if it then that
would be pretty bad. They showed us how
if you have a big name your novels will if
you don't then it will not sell. That how
people don't care about the quality just
watched or reads the things of famous
person. I guess both of the authors were
bad just to show this. How an untalented
and unsuccessful author became
successful just becuase he had five rich
and popular women by his side who
promoted his work.
But the drama is not all about this book
selling and society things. I don't wanna
spoil so I won't say much but these five
women are not going to bring only good
luck to our protagonist's life. These
women are going to bring bad luck too.
After all the drama is a mystery. The big
mystery of the drama is who sent the
invitation.
The drama is pretty mature and have
some 18+ scene so I it only recommend it
to adults. Besides that the drama is a
pretty good mystery and you can finish it
only in 5 hours so it's good for binging.
Romance is kind of there but not too
much. I wouldn't call it romance though
😅
So yes the drama is worth watching at
least for one time. It's also about the
character growth of our protagonist.
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Mostly Slow and Boring , Strange and Classic
You can't judge this.It's peculiar in a way, it's distorted.
This drama has sociopathic and psychopathic traits.
It's like a classic.
The highlight is on the characters involved not the plot.
You take nothing away from this.
There are many things to observe but all of them are on the superficial side.
This drama feels like Abyss.
One can say it's a story bout a group of broken people, who were united to live together as it gave some insights to their lives.
People who were lost but found their way eventually.
The acting was spectacular.
Best part bout this drama is it's acting.
Nothing more to it.
A one time watch.
In a way, it felt hollow at times.
It's creepy but you watch it even then.
You're forced to think this was great but maybe it wasn't.
Which is why I used the term Abyss to describe this.
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Master piece
It may be a personal favourite that other people won't and did not enjoy but it is such an interesting series. I havent finished watching it but up and until episode 8, I think it is a work of art. All the little nuances and the extremely interesting characters. Funny enough I have trouble expressing myself on this series. I think I still have to digest everything but it was just such an uplifting experience. One just gets such an infusion of positive energy and hope but you are also confronted with harsh and stark realities of life. I will have to see how the series turns out obviously, but I feel so happy that I am ending 2020 watching this story.This series is like one of those books that you read, re-read and buy. Then you look at it in your book shelve and take it out when you feel like re-reading it. When you sit in your chair and look at your bookshelf and see this book you think about it again and the different topics that it touched. You think about the beautiful people in the book and how the story was told. It is truly a collectors item for me.
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Interesting yet conflicting feelings once you finish it
The strong points of this drama are definitely the human aspects of it - who you are, how your family can influence your life, what your goals are. In this weird plot, I found myself reeling from the message the drama was trying to showcase.The main character, although seeming boring, was extremely interesting and was able to grab my attention to the nuances of his character. I felt bad for him and empathized with him, especially when it came to his job and his ambition.
The weirdest part of this drama is the harem aspect of it. I.....don't....really understand how all the girls could one way or another fall in love with him, but I guess it's to show that even a mediocre seemingly normal writer could gain attention of many girls (?) - is this the writer's way of showing that he has worth? I'm not really sure.
There were definitely some questionable ass moments - the one I remember most was the fact that the 17 year old gets undressed and asks him if he would take her virginity when she's legal (?). My eyes were about to fall out of my socket when I was that shit - I was like ?????????/ what the hell is happening.
The story and how they came to all live in one house was interesting but the most interesting aspect was WHY they would come to live with him and why they would pay so much money to live with him.
Although the writing was clunky at the end, I think the messages behind the drama really stick with you. Unfortunately, compared to the other dramas I watched, this is not one I would consider to be in my top 5. HOWEVER, I do think it's a hell of a ride and worth watching anyway.
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Much better than expected!!!
This had been on my list for what seemed like forever. I thought it seemed kinda interesting but also predictable, so I kept putting off watching it. I was completely wrong though!This drama is full of the unexpected, but the twists and turns still 100% make sense and seem reasonable. I think we're all watched at least a couple of dramas with crazy twists that come out of nowhere and leave plot holes. Million Yen Women is not like that at all.
I really loved this drama. It's a wonderful thriller. The total runtime is under 6 hours, but nothing feels rushed. The pacing is literally perfect. Personally, I was hooked almost immediately. I'm not really the type to binge dramas without breaks, but that's pretty much what I did with this one. Each episode is 20ish minutes and ends with a cliffhanger. It's really easy to watch several episodes without even realizing you're been sitting there for hours. I don't watch Japanese dramas very much because I find them to be too fast paced a lot of times, but I thought this was fantastic.
The acting was good. I especially liked the facial expressions of several of the main actresses. The editing was good, as well. There are certain sound effects that are used in the second half of the drama that I loved, totally suit the vibe of the drama.
If you want a short thriller/mystery drama, this is perfect!
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Interesting but hard to watch
This intrigued me when I read the plot description, 5 women received an invitation to live in the house of an unsuccessful novelist. He did not issue the invitation, he could not ask them questions and he could not go to their rooms. And each would pay him a monthly rent of a million yen.I really wanted to know the reasons why the women agreed to do it and why the MC does not kill people in his novels. The MC at first glance is not handsome, he's awkward and has low self esteem. But as each episode passes and the mysteries about the women were unravelled, I can see that each seems to have feelings for the MC.
It was kind of hard to watch when we see the MC struggling because of guilt for something he did not do and for someone to actually play with that guilt.
Anyways, this drama gave me satisfying answers and he actually ended up with the girl I was rooting for. So all's well that ends well. But I would probably not rewatch this again since the mystery has been solved.
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This review may contain spoilers
Sexy mystery with a spectrum of emotions
SexyFunny
Perfect cinematography
Deep story and events
Realistic relationships
Fears, motives, personalities, and poignant life issues
Love, hatred, compassion, and evil abuses
Lies, deceit, survival, competition, and purpose.
Taking advantage of others. Helping, encouraging, and supporting others.
Committing crimes for another or committing crimes to advance one's position.
What we learn from others and how we choose to understand those around us.
The meaning of life, the importance of individuals, and the value of relationships.
Expectations, woes of reality, popularity...
Five rich, talented women doting on one loser or average joe...
It's a common fantasy beautifully unraveled.
The writing was very clever..pacing and sequence of events was above satisfying.
The dialogue was highly enjoyable and society was depicted in a critical manner through it.
The concepts seem vague and messy..on purpose to convey the protagonists' perspective.
Character development was surprisingly beyond expectations.
The plot twist and caricatures made the climax of the show peak meaningfully.
The cast was so attractive. Their acting skills on this show were better than most movies and the drama definitely surpassed the manga. The live-action adaptation was much better than the original art source. This has to be my favorite Japanese live-action series so far. I am more than happy with this body of work. I stayed up all night and binged watched all twelve episodes in one viewing.
The transitions, cliffhangers, and title graphics are smoothly impressive. The aesthetics in the show are refined to the highest quality.
Everything became so logically explained. The true antagonist's attitude was thrilling. The growth of the weakest characters with the strongest flaws was magnificent. I hate to spoil a good story so enjoy my description and invest your time in these episodes if you can relate to a lonely older adult male who is unsuccessful with career and life in general and how his life can be impacted by uncommon surprises. His character is tested to new limits. This story definitely has soul, passion, and a connection with its audience. If you like a good story, this is what you should be watching from beginning to end.
The value of a person is arbitrary. "People have a different set of values." Does being rich or successful make someone important or interesting?
Being in love...love satisfaction..giving love...receiving love...risking lives...being tough for difficulties in life.
Is success worth the risks or the sacrifices of another?
Are we strong enough to protect those that we love?
Should we continue to love if others may be hurt or if we risk losing our loved ones? Is it easier not to love at all?
The use of lights and shadows, the flashbacks, the wardrobe, hairstyles, fashion, the timing of scene transitions after each revelation, the majority of the casts looking their absolute best, the physique, the cast physical features that match their role and characterization perfectly, and the influence that each character has on their environment including the changes in other people through manipulation or pure interaction. Life missions, bad intentions, and emotional chaos..so many thematic human elements involved.
The cleanliness and luxury of the settings compared to the mess of hurt people. I enjoy adding to this review several times. The replay value of this show is so high. I have watched the series twice recently and replayed a few episodes multiple times.
The book titles were all very explicit with hidden connotations.
How we as individuals choose to function in society and look for meaning and fulfillment in life sometimes based on the happiness or satisfaction of others as well as ourselves.
I like how some of the antagonists are so spiteful and clearly hated by the audience, but easily understood and relatable.
I had to bear through some scenes with unpleasant antagonistic behavior, but the input that was generated by opposition to the protagonist made the stakes even higher and the content even more valuable given varying perspectives on certain topics. It exposes some fallacies we have in society throughout civilization.
After viewing this show multiple times, there is still much to be learned and enough mystery and ambiguity leftover to hold continuing interest in this work.
No need for more seasons or a series expansion...the story was explained and concluded excellently (better than most stories I can think of).
SO many quotable lines and concepts in this show.
"Looks, contemporary trends, efficiency"
"Giving voice to the readers"
"Do not underestimate the power of expression"
"Sometimes we must lean on others in order to live"
"Everything that is interesting and that sells has a logic to it."
"Everyone in the world has a different set of values."
"I believe people have the right to be conflicted and be troubled."
"Should there be a conclusion?"
"New emotion"
"Feelings and emotions are imprecise, so when we get caught up in them, that's when things go wrong."
"The mission for creators like us is not what we want, but to deliver what audiences want."
"Frustration is good. Is she dead? Make her disappear."
"You know I don't want anyone else to get hurt"
"Do you need reasons or logic in order to live?"
"There is no reason or logic for why I love you. Is that wrong?"
"No, but just leave me alone. I'm sick of it all."
"Finding something I love and then losing it. I don't want that to happen again."
"Give me a chance. Just let me be near you. That's all I want."
"Won't you let me live with you again?"
"Please."
"It's all right."
"Forgive yourself."
"I'll live a long time."
"PLEASE LIVE WITH ME."
-Such a poetic exchange in comparison with episode 1 until now
-first to meet but the least likely couple or last romantic "ship" introduced in the show
-underdog victory for both characters
Found his inspiration for writing again
Wants all his characters to live, but also learned to trust himself to love again
How each character inexplicably is affected by another and how profound our responses are to some events to convey how feelings can resonate with someone and the legacy or impression we leave on others.
Philosophy, psychology, and unexpected romance. This show embodies everything and covers almost all the relevant subjects of mankind. They simplified such complexities that have plagued man since the birth of civilization.
The writing is an intellectual surprise enhanced with emotional thrills.
I love the dramatization of the Japanese language from voice acting, ancient plays, and on-screen dialogue,
I've been to Japan and regular diction is fairly mundane in terms of speech and conversation.
These actors really know how to hone their talents in body language, props, and dialogue to enhance the viewer experience and create a world of escapism outside our own realities.
Netflix and TV Tokyo did such an amazing job producing this adaptation surpassing all my expectations.
This is my favorite show that I have seen on Netflix, for sure.
I read all the reviews on this webpage to participate in this mini-fan club section.
All the contributors had enjoyable, truthful insight when describing the show.
I also recommend listening to the show with headphones at max volume. The full effect comes from the subtle sounds included in each scene. I also really enjoyed the creative opening and ending credits. The Netflix player automatically skips it to speed up the binge-watching process, but it was perfectly necessary to view each time in my opinion.
So many awkward moments that led to golden reactions.
The ending had the classic Asian drama montage and breakdown.
Soundtrack reminded me of Megan- one of my favorite J-pop artists.
One billion yen is over eight million dollars. Midori donates ten million yen or about $89,000 to a school to benefit kids.
She decides not to pursue education or romance. She focuses on exploring new destinations and lifestyles instead.
She spent under a hundred thousand while she lived at the author's home and was probably insured for whatever she might have lost in the fire. She is still a millionaire along with the ten million net worth of property she randomly inherited from her mentor. Her adopted brother works with her former bodyguard and they probably start a business other than the call girl service together. She has to cope with life as a murderer since her decision for redemption.
Her mentor spent one million yen on rent a month. Her best call girl made one million yen per night. She only had ten million yen in net worth so she sacrificed the most percentage of her income compared to the other girls who were rich. She was also willing to give up her life to protect the others in that household that she was invited to even with her dark past of the disappearance of her parents including her rapist father. Her career was based on selling sex and commodifying the pleasure of men. She spent her life very confused about this concept along with death and murder. I think she felt a connection with the author and wanted to bond with the author despite her tough exterior. Someone she could trust to be truly vulnerable with and open up to fully.
The bookstore girl had unlimited funds from her legendary father's royalties. She chooses to struggle as a bookstore worker so she can enjoy time with books and live simply in an apartment with her idol. The author struggled with money in the beginning. Now he is basically set for life and taken care of as the most successful trending author in Japan,
The villain had unlimited amounts of inheritance. The actress was not a millionaire but she was willing to pay thousands to live with her favorite author and hoped to play the role for the main character of the author's novels as a position she found worthy of her talents. Basically, validating her existence by choosing what she wanted to do regardless of glamour, wealth or fame.
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This review may contain spoilers
Incredibly Powerful and Compelling Work of Art!
This is the type of film that could easily be talked about and discussed in universities. If it isn't, then it's a tragedy. This complex, amazing character study rivals some of the best films and shows that I've ever seen in over 40 years of viewing.This film is truly a work of art. Each character brings something refreshing, new and compelling to the table (almost literally!).
This powerful character study is about a novelist with a tragic past who is unable to become a successful author. For some strange reason, five women are invited to live with him for a million yen per month. When he's not writing, he cooks and looks after them. Each woman is different in age, occupation, personality, and background. Part of the mystery is in trying to figure out why the invitations were sent, what the purpose of the women being there is, and who sent them.
The author learns to accept his new living situation, and finds that there are rules for his interactions with them.
The story weaves like a fine tapestry of tragic, complex pasts in the lives of all of the characters, and basically what drives people to do things and be who they are. It's riveting story-telling that keeps you hooked, and makes you wince when the number of episodes left to watch dwindles. You want more. You crave more, and you find yourself grateful for finding such a unique and exquisite gem such as this series.
This is a series that can easily be watched over and over again. It's touching and heart-breaking that compels the viewer to dig deep within themselves; about the walls we put up to keep from being hurt; about the fear of loss, and the fear to love.
I can't recommend this series strongly enough. It's a story with characters that stays with you long after you've finished, and that's the mark of something so powerfully artistic in how it captivates its viewer.
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