Yasuko to Kenji ( ヤスコとケンジ -2008)

Starring:
Matsuoka Masahiro as Oki Kenji
Hirosue Ryoko as Tsubaki Erika
Tabe Mikako as Oki Yasuko
Yagi Yuki as young Yasuko
Okura Tadayoshi as Tsubaki Jun
Yamaguchi Sayaka as Miyazono Kaori
Uchiyama Shinji as Mosu
Watabe Gota as Ajidasu
Higashi Ayu (東亜優) as Aki
Egashira Yui (江頭由衣) as Chisato
Kojima Haruna as Shingyoji Hiyoko
Nishida Natsumi (西田奈津美) as Rumi
Matsumoto Kana as Ayame
RIKIYA as Aota
HIRO as Akagawa
Shima Daisuke as Shibuya Masaru
Sakurai Atsuko as Hoshikawa Yukiko
Guests:
Sumita Takashi (住田隆) as Yasuko's class adviser (ep1-4)
Mochida Masayo (持田雅代) (ep1-5)
Fuse Hiroshi (ep1-7)
Yoza Eriku (与座重理久) (ep1)
Imamura Hirotsugu (今村浩継) (ep1)
Hiranuma Naruki (平沼成基) (ep1)
Tonaka Yuzo (渡仲裕蔵) (ep1)
Minai Satoshi (薬袋智史) (ep1)
Akashi Teppei (明石鉄平) (ep1)
Imakuni Masahiko (今國雅彦) (ep1)
Tanimoto Toru (谷本徹) (ep1)
Kataoka Tomie (片岡富江) (ep1)
Sato Yuji (佐藤佑四) (ep1)
Okubo Kazuma (大久保一麻 ) (ep1)
Inoue Chika (井上知香) (ep1)
Asada Yoriko (浅田よりこ) (ep1,3-4)
Ito Seika (伊藤聖夏) (ep1,3-4)
Okazaki Asako (岡崎亜紗子) (ep1,3-4)
Sasaoka Akari (笹丘明里) as Mizuki (ep1,3-4)
Kurihara Yurika (栗原夕梨花) (ep1,3-4)
Tokuta Kimika (徳田公華) (ep1,3-4)
Haruki Hiromi (春季ひろみ) (ep1,3-4)
Henmi Rena (辺見玲菜) (ep1,3-4)
Honma Risa (本間理紗) as Mao (ep1,3-4)
Mika (美華) (ep1,3-4)
Mukaino Mio (向野澪) (ep1,3-4)
Yamauchi Emiri (山内映美莉) as Yuriko (ep1,3-4)
Fujisaki Ran (藤咲らん) (ep1,3-4)
Yamazaki Nonoka (山崎野々華) (ep1,3-4)
Hirakawa Kentaro (平川健太郎) (ep1)
Kobayashi Kinako (ep2-3)
Tsuji Tatsuya (辻龍也) (ep2)
Ijima Hirokazu (飯島浩和) (ep2)
Yamaguchi Miki (山口幹) (ep2)
Serizawa Shigeo (芹澤新元祐) (ep2)
Takahashi Tomoya (高橋友也) (ep2)
Tamori Tatsumi (田盛辰実) (ep2)
Nagata Toshiki (永田俊樹) (ep2)
Watanabe Kankuro (渡邊寛久郎) (ep2)
Kubo Masatoshi (窪正寿) (ep2)
Akio (晃生) (ep2)
Tsunoda Akihiko (角田昭彦) (ep2)
Shimamura Shoji (嶋村昇次) (ep2)
Koyama Hironori (小山紘徳) (ep2)
Shindo Hiroshi (進藤浩志) (ep2)
Yamamura Hidekatsu (山村秀勝) (ep2,6)
Sato Eriko as Ai (ep3)
Oura Ryuichi (ep3)
Takahashi Keiko as Moriguchi Fumie (ep3)
Tani Ryuji (谷隆次) (ep3)
Naito Koji (内藤浩次) (ep3)
Nakazono Mitsuhiro (中薗光博) (ep3)
Kato Masaki (加藤マサキ) (ep3)
Tsumura Masayuki (津村雅之) (ep3)
Oka Kenji (岡憲治) (ep3)
Fukuda Takeshi (福田武史) (ep3)
Kato Teruo (加藤照男) (ep3)
Nihei Koichi (二瓶鮫一) (ep4)
Kataoka Tomie (片岡富枝) (ep4)
Watanabe Michiko (渡辺道子) (ep4)
Yasuda Shota as Yamada Mikio (ep5)
Anan Kenji as the doctor (ep5)
Endo Kaname (遠藤要) as Mikio's friend (ep5)
Minami Shuhei (南周平) (ep5)
Sato Yutaka (佐藤裕) (ep5)
Tamura Saburo (田村三郎) (ep5)
Tamura Shunsuke (田村駿介) (ep5)
Kameda Keita (亀田啓太) (ep5)
Kikuchi Takashi (菊池隆) (ep5)
Morita Ryu (森田龍) (ep5)
Nakamura Yuuichi (中村裕一) (ep5)
The Touch (ザ・たっち) (ep6-7)
Takuma Takayuki (ep6)
Ito Koji (偉藤厚次) (ep6)
Asami Kazutoshi (浅見和俊) (ep6)
Okura Hiroya (大倉弘也) (ep6)
Katou Hiroaki (加藤宏章) (ep6)
Kono Fumio (河野文雄) (ep6)
Hoshina Koji (保科光志) (ep6)
Sato Hiroaki (佐藤博秋) (ep6)
Hongo Ryo (北郷良) (ep6)
Yamada Kenichi (山田顕一) (ep6)
Kaji Takeshi (梶武志) (ep6)
Ogi Shigemitsu (ep7)

TOKIO's Masahiro Matsuoka will star in a new NTV drama series called "Yasuko to Kenji." It is based on a comical manga by artist Aruko that was serialized in Bessatsu Margaret between April 2005 and November 2006.
The show focuses on a man named Kenji and his younger sister Yasuko, whose parents died in an accident 10 years earlier. Kenji was once the leader of a gang, but in order to support him and his sister, he began making a living as a shojo mangaka. His character normally wears glasses and appears to be a gentle guy, but he throws off his glasses and reverts to his violent side whenever he tries to protect Yasuko from danger. Part of the story follows Yasuko's romance with an intelligent and good-looking man named Jun Tsubaki. Jun's older sister Erika now runs a flower shop, but Erika was once a leader of a female gang, and she used to be in love with Kenji during those days. --Tokyograph

This was a delightful...I mean it seriously...DELIGHTFUL drama! This had all the perfect elements to make this a hit. I seriously fell in love with this the first second I tuned in. Drama, comedy, romance, fighting, and serious manga-esque visualizations.

Tabe Mikako was brilliantly cast as the young sister, Yasuko. Okay, I wasn't overly sure of the character of Kenji but eventually understood why he was cast. He had me laughing so hard. Those facial expressions were a freakin' riot.

Having seen Hirosue Ryoko before, I knew she would be wonderful. I've liked her in many a drama. She was too cute as the wannabe girlfriend of Kenji. Gosh! I can't really say enough about this brilliant comedy. I was seriously in tears the last episode. I wasn't expecting the letter that Yasuko read about her brother. Geez, I was seriously all teary eyed. I didn't want this drama to end because it was just too good.

Damn! All my favorite dramas are coming to an end. What am I going to do this Fall season? Shoot me in the head because I'm beginning to get bored from nothing to watch now. Come on new season.....start me up!!

And for all you Kanjani8 fans....look below.............

Okura Tadayoshi

Ummm.......WHOA!!!