This SP is very good, but the following one isn't!

WARNING: this review won't only contain some spoilers about this SP episode of "Tokyo Sentimental" ("Senju no Koi"), but also about the following one (Ochanomizu no Koi").
Continue reading only if that doesn't bother you!!!

"Tokyo Sentimental" had started with a very nice SP, then came the equally brilliant drama, and finally these two further SPs.
I could sum up my feelings about them by saying "I really wish there had been only one instead of two!" >___<

Elaborating a bit more on that: this "Senju no Koi" is beautifully scripted and acted (Kuroki Hitomi is such a perfectly chosen guest star, and such a lovely match for Kururi-san!), and I loved every single minute of it...except for the unresolved, bittersweet "ending"!

I really wished the writer(s) had shipped those two together, as it would've been THE perfect way to end this "Tokyo Sentimental" franchise.
Instead, they went for that "ending" so that they could later add another SP ("Ochanomizu no Koi") which I found, in all honestly, so weak that it didn't even reach the passing grade. Such a sad way to make the audience part from this endearing character! T____T

9/10 to "Senju no Koi" (it would've been a perfect 10 with an appropriate ending!) and 5/10 to "Ochanmizu no Koi".

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It can be appreciated also by those who aren't "idol-wotas" ^_^

First things first: I've never been into idols.
Matter of fact, as I've written in another review while discussing why, despite being generally speaking a japanophile, I am a bit of a rare specimen since I really don't care for anime (nor for sushi, but that's another story ^_^;...): "...the whole concept of 'moe' gives me the creeps..." - and adding insult to injury, the few times I had happened to see an idol group's MV I was in all honesty bothered both by the (to me - please take no offense!) unappealing music, and by the (again, to me - really, no offense meant!) unappealing choreographies.
Dammit, I had even dropped the asadora "Amachan" halfway, when the idol story arc began - so little interest I had in the whole thing! >___<
So, how the hell have I ended up watching this show (and, on top of that, liking it too!)? ^__^;
It all started with Imaizumi Yui.
Totally by chance, I saw some pictures of her, and that adorable face got my attention right away. I then searched her on YT, found a solo ballad of hers (日が昇るまで - pretty nice song, BTW! ^__-) and really loved her voice too!
At that point it came natural to me to look for her dramas/movies, but I couldn't find her only main role (at least so far - the movie "Korogaru Bidama") and the rest are either the two dramas done with the rest of her idol group (only one subbed - "Tokuyama Daigoro wo Dare ga Koroshita ka"; watched a coupla episodes; found it terrible...) or else very minor roles in dramas I'm not particularly interested in anyway ("Hidarikiki no Eren", "The Good Wife", etc....).
Finally, I decided to give a try to one of the variety shows she took part in, together with the rest of the group, and here I am.
I've watched the first two seasons of this "KeyaBingo!" (by the time the third one started, she'd already left the group - "graduated", as I've found out they say in this, for me, still quite mysterious - though a little bit less than before - world) and honestly, it was a whole lot better than I had imagined it would be!
The MCs are funny, some of the guests were positively *hilarious*, and some of the girls are tremendously cute and/or talented and/or funny (in addition to "Zuumin", I'll name at least Nagahama Neru and Sato Shiori!).
On the other hand I must confess I got really evil vibes from some of the other girls (for those who'll know what I'm talking about: like real-life versions of Choko from Urasawa Naoki's "Happy!" manga, URGH!!! >__<), so much so that I wasn't very surprised when I read about the alleged bullying episodes that possibly had a role not only in Imaizumi's - and others' - "graduation", but also in the group changing its name later on (disgusted, yes; surprised, not really - but once again, that's another story completely).
Back to the good aspects of this show: the cherry on top is the last episode of the 1st season, featuring an überfunny "battle" between Keyakizaka46 and Ito Asako (46) - LOL, that Japanese female comedian is really *hilarious*!!! ^_______^
Now, I'm not gonna become an "idol wota" any time soon, LOL...but I can man up enough as to publicly confess that I've found this variety show to be a surpisingly pleasant and entertaining watch.
Therefore, believe me, even people who aren't big fans of the whole idol thingy can totally appreciate this. Why not give it a try? If anything, you should all be able to enjoy at least that episode I referred to, LOL! ^______^

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Just as good as the original SP!

If you liked the original SP, there's a high chance you'll like the drama as well!
Yoshida Kotaro gives another solid performance as the main character whose real age doesn't really match his heart's (meaning, he's so young at heart that he'll always fall in love at first sight - just to be brought back to reality before each episode ends, LOL) and whose best quality is that, despite being initially moved by maybe-not-so-pure-intentions and by a pretty self-centered attitude (always thinking that the woman is interested in him, LOL), in the end he always puts the other person's feelings and needs first, showing the moral strength of an Edo-period samurai. Such a beautifully written character, indeed! (oh, and while we're at it: it's so refreshing to have a middle aged man as the main character! I wish there were more dramas like this!)
The supporting cast also does a nice job, particularly Takahata Mitsuki and Ogura Shun, who make up with (acting) quality to what they might lack in (screentime) quantity, giving a lot of depth to their characters - so much friendship transpires through those meaningful - and often silent - glances they give Kururi-san everytime he goes off on a tangent, convinced as he is that he's found his next bride-to-be.
The script is mostly very well-written, although some episodes are definitely better than others - as it's to be expected; the music is really nice and adds to the whole viewing experience, just like the direction and photography.
I think the only "problem" this series has (and that's the reason why I don't give it a "perfect 10") is that it's tremendously repetitive after a while; in order to avoid being bothered by this aspect, I'd suggest you do like me and dilute the watch over a longer period, so that each episode can feel "fresh" (I totally think this is NOT the series you'd want to binge-watch!)

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The weakest season so far

I'm sorry to sound so harsh, but this fourth season of "Wakako Zake" was imvho even weaker than the third one.
Except for the occasional episode featuring interesting dishes (like for example the Chawanmushi, the Maguro and the Chūka ones), most of the rest is filled with bland and/or unappealing dishes (to name but two: corndogs and a "pizza" with fries and mayonnaise....URGH! >___<). I think there's a (not so) fine line between being a gourmet (i.e., someone who appreciates good food) and being a glutton (someone who wolfs down whatever comes their way, 'cause everything is good for them). Unfortunately, seeing (the anyway totally adorable!) Takeda Rina having culinary orgasms for stuff like the sliced-tomato-with-some-oil-on-top (hardly something you'd need a professional cook for, let's face it!!! >__<) or the plain baked garlic....well, it gave me the strong impression that Wakako-san has turned into a desperate glutton, and that's sad...if they keep going down that path, I can imagine a future episode of a future season titled "Bread Crusts And A Glass Of Water"...which from a philosophical point of view could still make sense, okay....but much less so considering that we're talking of a food drama, right? ^_^;;;

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The soul equivalent of a warm, fuzzy blanket on a cold, dark night

I was drawn in by the cast (what can I say? I have a soft spot for Kaho! ^___^) and by the deeply interesting premise (I'm a sucker for such time-related stories...so much so that, despite all my disdain for post-1980 hollywoodian productions, I'd still consider "recent" American movies like "Frequency" and "12 Monkeys" for a hypothetical personal top-100 of all time!), and indeed, Kaho is adorable here, and the plot is absolutely gripping.
The thing that really makes this movie stand out, though, is the beautiful message it conveys: that self-realization, as well as personal growth, can come through selflessness and caring for others. Such a lovely message indeed, particularly when the society we're living in, unfortunately, constantly encourages sociopathic behaviors instead (all is good as long as you don't bother the powers that be!), of course edulcorating them with sugarcoated definitions as "having a strong personality" (used for "being an arrogant ego-maniac") and "being competitive" (used for "trampling over others")...
That's why I wholeheartedly suggest this hidden gem: it's the soul equivalent of a warm, fuzzy blanket on a cold, dark night! ^___^

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They had me at "baseball" and "Okinawa". And indeed the baseball bits, as well as the Okinawan setting and the historical background which explains the main character's drive, are definitely interesting and worth watching. Too bad the afore-mentioned main character is such a despicable person (imagine Sergeant Hartman from "Apocalypse Now", only in a high school baseball club setting) that it was really impossible for me to actually root for him. The acting and directing are very good, the dialogues mostly well written, but there's way too much violence for my taste, and I just can't condone the "victory at all costs" message. Hence the low grade.

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The 1st season was perfect, and this is just as good!

There's an old Italian saying (of course, soccer-related - pardon, calcio-related ^__^) that goes like this: "squadra vincente non si cambia". That is, "never change a winning team" - meaning, when a formula works, there's no reason to modify it!
That phrase fits perfectly to this second season of the acclaimed dorama "Furuhata Ninzaburo": the first season had been basically perfect, so why should they go and modify anything for the following season?
Luckily they didn't, and the result is just as good as the original!
As always in series with an episodic structure, some episodes are better than the rest; if I were to name a personal top3, I'd say first #10 - a real masterpiece! - and right next #9 and #4 ^____^

Note: Due to the continuous numbering adopted by this series (episodes are numbered progressively, regardless of seasons/SP etc.; therefore the 1st season has 12 episodes, then comes the 1st SP - episode 13 - then the 10 episodes of this 2nd season - episodes 14 to 23 - and so on), 2nd season's eps. 10, 9 and 4 are, respectively, episode 23, 22 and 17

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You don't need to be a regular "aniota" in order to enjoy this!

I must confess I'm a rare specimen among japanophiles: I don't like anime. No, seriously, I honestly find those childish voices plainly irritating and the whole "moe" concept just gives me the creeps!
And that's *precisely* why I think that the fact that I've watched this "Koe Girl" and really, really, really liked it speaks *volumes* about its quality!
Thanks to a very well-written script, to a solid performance by the whole cast (particular praises to Fukuhara Haruka, Nakamura Yurika and Yoshikura Aoi) and to a wonderful production, you don't need to be a regular "aniota" in order to enjoy this lovely dorama, which manages to be at the same time funny (for example, the episode about screaming was positively hilarious!!!), moving (Fukuhara's performance made my eyes wet more than once!), endearing and entertaining - so much so that I didn't just *watch* it, I actually *binged* it!

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Hidden gem! ^____^

Maybe it's because I'm 46 and single myself (although, in my case, not because I got divorced, LOL). And maybe it's because of the uncanny resemblance between the ML's high-school crush and my high-school crush of 30 years ago (ok, "mine" was blonde, blue-eyed and freckled, but everything else - body figure, shape of the face, cheeckbones, ears, nose, profile, hairstyle, hands, character etc. - was strikingly similar). And maybe (and more seriously) it's because, let's be honest - who wouldn't want to have a second chance at youth with the consciousness and experience of an adult (only the consciousness, therefore minus the beer-belly and the receding hairline, LOL)?
Whatever the reason, I was hooked right away and this dorama left a huge impression on me (I'm not ashamed to admit that by the end my eyes were wet!).
A simple yet not shallow premise, nicely developed throughout the series and masterfully wrapped up in the last episodes. At times I laughed, and at times I was moved. Huge congrats to the author(s)!
The cast (although, I'll shamefully admit, mostly unknown to me) mostly did a great job too.
The music was also a very nice element, needless to say, and so were the 80's references!
All in all, a perfect 10 as far as I'm concerned! Hidden gem! ^___-

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Where to start? Things like this "Yareta Kamo Iinkai" can only be done in Japan, LOL! ^_^; Ok, it's as weird as they come, but at the same time it manages to be funny and at times even moving for the humanity with which the head judge (that martial arts dude simply ROCKS, LOL) addresses the participants' stories. Too bad the other judges aren't that nice. The musician at least shows some (hint of an) emotion here and there, while the übercold businesswoman, always voting against the other two, never showing an emotion...URGH I just can't stand her! Oh, before anyone jumps at my throat accusing me of sexism, I would've disliked an emotionless businessman just the same - matter of fact, I just despise those icy corporate robots with their mistaken air of superiority regardless of their sex, LOL. Back to the dorama: nice jazzy score music here and there!

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As I started watching this "Koi to Uso", I must confess I was a bit skeptical. Part of me, in fact, was expecting (the proper verb would actually be "fearing") that it would turn out to be one of those "fake distopies" which abound in Western fiction (you know, those crappy stories whose equally crappy message ends up being "OMG we're so lucky that the society we live in isn't like that!" - whereas REAL distopies - from "1984" to "Brave New World" to "Fahrenheit 451" - are supposed to be the exact opposite, showing us WHERE our society will head if no action is taken).
I was underestimating Japanese writers, of course, and I publicly owe them an apology. Because here the "distopian" aspect is just an original pretext to produce an incredibly delicate but at the same time tragically romantic story, very well scripted as well as acted out by the cast. Particular mention, once again, for Morikawa Aoi, who's been my #1 favorite actress for quite some time (and I don't see anyone taking her place anytime soon).

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Being the old socialist that I am (though much less old and much more socialist than Bernie Sanders, LOL), you might understand I would've never watched anything with such a classist title, hadn't it been for a friend who wholeheartedly suggested it. And when, upon watching the first episode, I got so angry at the male lead for his behavior and actually thought about dropping this dorama, it was that same friend who managed to convince me not to do so. This is why, now that I've watched the dorama till the end, I feel the need to publicly thank that friend of mine. Hadn't it been for him, I wouldn't have watched this dorama that, albeit not being the best of all time, still has one of the best characters ever (namely, the female lead, masterfully portrayed by Ishihara Satomi, who managed to make me laugh one moment, and move me to tears just a few minutes later). The lovely message conveyed by this drama, in a nutshell, could be that love and goodness can change even the worst people and make decent human beings out of them. A lovely message indeed, albeit maybe not such a realistic one, let's admit. Anyway not in the big business world (where I have the strong impression only the scum rises to the top) and not in this Kali Yuga we're living in! Anyway, a great performance by the whole cast - and particularly by the leads - and the afore-mentioned message get this dorama a well-deserved 8/10 ^___^

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Being a sucker for some good Japanese horror story (what with the whole "let's give some closure to the spirits of the deceased so that they might rest in peace / proceed to their next life" and "let's scare the viewers with the atmosphere" concepts, rather than their Western counterparts of "let's shoot whatever's moving" and "let's throw in gallons of blood and teradecibels worth of screams"), of course I liked this. True, some episodes were better than others (#7 is wonderful; #3 extremely nice; #6 also very good; #2 and 4 not bad at all; only #1 and #5 are sub-par, imho) but it's still totally worth watching if you also like Japanese Horror. If you'd rather have those afore-mentioned gallons of blood and teradecibels worth of screams, instead...well...go to H....ollywood, you'll find plenty of stuff to your liking there, LOL ^_^;;;

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Not having being able to find subs for this, I've watched it without - therefore I can't say I understood everything - alas, not even close.
Nevertheless, the story is pretty easy to grasp (also because, being 46 myself, those situations felt awkwardly familiar, LOL!), the acting is great, the music fabulous. Although I'll take a seaside or rural setting over an urban one every day of the week, still I have to say I appreciated how they went and showed some more relaxing, lesser known and imho much nicer Tokyo neighborhoods than the overly used and, at least to me, overly obnoxious Akihabara, Shinjuku etc.
Can't wait to watch the following series! ^__^

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