Around 40 (アラウンド40 -2008)

Starring:
Amami Yuki as Ogata Satoko
Fujiki Naohito as Okamura Keitaro
Otsuka Nene as Morimura Nao
Matsushita Yuki as Takeuchi Mizue
Tsutsui Michitaka as Ohashi Sadao
AKIRA as Ogata Tatsuya
Sakura as Ogata Maki
Matsumoto Runa as Ogata Ruka
Hayashi Ryuzo as Ogata Tomoyasu
Kaga Mariko as Yoshinaga Haruko
Jinbo Satoshi as Takeuchi Akio
Kimura Haruki as Takeuchi Yosuke
Matsuo Takashi (松尾貴史) as Kawasaki Kengo
Matsumoto Wakana as Katayama Haruka
Hoshino Ryoko (星野涼子) as Uemura Asuka
Hiei Yosuke (日栄洋祐) as Yajima
Katagiri Hairi as Yanagihara Kazuko (Matchmaker)
Kato Masaya as Kanasugi Kazuya
Hashizume Jun as Kanbayashi Shozo
Maruyama Tomomi as Shinjo Takafumi
Oba Kumiko as Nakayama Michiko
Kichise Michiko as Minami Yukari

39-year-old Ogata Satoko is a highly capable psychiatrist who is single. She's forthright, a caring older sister and reliable in her job and in private. Her interests are staying in luxurious Japanese inns and watching stand-up comedy videos.

Satoko hasn't had a boyfriend in the past five years. Nevertheless, she derives satisfaction from work and isn't worried about her finances. Among her good friends that she hangs out with are 35-year-old Morimura Nao, her junior who proclaims that she won't marry, and 39-year-old Oikawa Sadao, her peer since high school. Satoko is happily enjoying the single life.

At an alumni reunion as everyone is on the verge of 40, Takeuchi Mizue, her good friend since high school who is now a full-time housewife, rushes Satoko into action. "If you want children, you should marry now" and "It's women's happiness", but both are lost on Satoko, who isn't convinced.

One day, Satoko attempts to cheer up Nao, who is downcast over a shocking incident, and goes to her favourite hot-spring inn. There she coincidentally encounters a breakup between a handsome but somewhat odd man, Okamura Keitaro, and his girlfriend...--jade_frost

I was only interested in this show because of Fujiki Naohito. That man is too damn cute for his age. *sigh*

This story line had promise but as the series progressed I felt that they focused too much on her profession. I thought this was about love in the 40's. In a way it was but I felt nothing in the progress of romance. So in a way, the story got depressing and lost its objective. Or so I thought.

I will say the character of Keitaro was amusing. He had his quirks but was really endearing and loveable. I never really thought of my trash and water they way they had him focused on. LOL! I guess I'm not environmentally friendly. Ooooops!

If you are of the younger mind set, this show really isn't for you at all. It might be even boring. I myself am pushing "Around 40" so I thought this would be great. Ehhh. It was okay. I was really down trodden about how they portrayed us at this age.................

Yoiko no Mikata (よい子の味方 -2003)

Starring:
Sakurai Sho as Suzuki Taiyo
Matsushita Yuki as Mita Shizuka
Fukiishi Kazue as Sakai Minako
Endo Shozo Sasaki Shuzo
Yazawa Shin as Kojima Kaoru
Yoshida Hideko as Yoshikawa Kiyoko
Hamada Mari as Yokoyama Sayuri
Matsushima Nahomi as Tanaka Rie
Itaya Yuka as Arai Erika
Otoha as Omoto Rumi
Matsumoto Jun as Sawada Shin (Gokusen)
Waki Tomohiro as KUMA (Gokusen)
Aiba Masaki
Ohno Satoshi
Saito Ryusei
Hirooka Yuriko

Ask any nursery-aged little girl what she wants to be when she grows up and she's bound to say nurse, florist, or ballerina. Ask any nursery-aged little boy what he wants to be when he grows up and he's bound to say policeman, fireman, sports player, or pilot. As for 20-year-old young man Taiyo Suzuki, however, he's had different aspirations all his life. Moved by his elderly nursery school teacher, Taiyo decided then and there that he too would also become one. Now, having passed the nursery school teacher examination, bright-eyed and eager Taiyo is out to make his mark on a totally female-dominated world. Posted at the Himawari Nursery School to cover for another teacher on maternity leave, Taiyo has but a few short months to prove himself to the female teachers and children's mothers who are arrayed against him that he is every bit as capable as the women. And more importantly, along the way, he'll make his mark with his sparkle and energy to be a true best friend to the children at the school as well. --- NTV



I love, love, love, love this drama. Why, oh why, was it so hard to find online? Well, because the fansubbers specifically pulled all those episodes off because they weren't giving permission to do so. Soooooooo..........................

I got a wild hair. I found the subbers. STORMY fansubs. I found their blog site. They had all episodes there ready for downloading. So I did. I'm so glad I made the effort.

Imagine Gokusen. Then imagine Gokusen in kindergarten. Yeah, Sakurai Sho is our beloved teacher. He himself had pretty much the same hang-ups as Yankumi. You wouldn't really imagine Sho-kun as a kindergarten teacher...but damn if it didn't work. He was wonderful. I think I cried every freakin' episode. They were so sentimental and happy. So happy that you couldn't help but tear up. Oh....episode 6 you'll cry not because of happiness. Sooooooo sad. Ugh!

If you have the time, Winamp, and HJsplit......download this freakin' drama! It's so wonderful. Sho-kun is excellent. So excellent enough to cry on a freakin' dime. I couldn't spill that many tears like he can....and they seem truly sincere!

Can I say I loved it? Yeah? I LOVED IT!!!!

I love you Sakurai Sho! Ohhhhhh, and Aiba, Ohno, and Matsumoto-kun made some guest appearances. Ohno-kun! I love you, too!

Sakurai Sho