What a great episode! Shiori leaves the house and Woman becomes even better. Maybe they should have called this Mother 2 instead of Woman since its more about mothers and daughters. Mother regains get her estranged daughter back but loses her 2nd one. I still don't get the purpose of the welfare guy's story but whatever.
So many great scenes in this episode. Namakemono finding out about Koharu's illness and what Shiori did in one go. Poor fella. The quiet scene between Namakemono and wife looking at Shiori's photos. Koharu and her mother in the kitchen scene. I was thinking please don't mix up your memories of Koharu with Shiori cause that would be very bad.
The best scene is Namakemono confronting Shiori. Shiori said that Namakemono was the one person she did not want knowing how bad she was. Maybe she knew that her father is the one person who will not baby her and help her hide her head in the sand.
I loved when when Namakemono asked Shiori, "Do you know what atonement is? Whether you can do it is another thing altogether." Suddenly I got the realisation that Shiori's mother is a horrible mother. That she's overcompensating for what she did to Koharu and is enabling Shiori to run from reality. Its obvious from Shiori doing nothing but listen to her mp3 player all series but Namakemono's response as a parent is so different.
Then Namakemono comes up with a great line to sum up Shiori. The worst person in the world is someone who does not realise what they have done. It describes Shiori to a T and why she's such a hateful character. It also tells me that this is what Sakamoto Yuji was going for and that Shiori's pot smoker acting was intentional. Shiori is a character to be hated.
While Shiori and her mother were thinking bury their head in the sand in the sin would go away, Namakemono is already thinking of selling of the house and business to compensate Koharu. As he said, you have to try to atone.
The episode ends with this great scene of Nozomi crying and revealing that she knows. There's this scene in the middle of the episode after Koharu's mom tells Koharu that she is unable to be a donor where you see Nozomi walking up the stairs and acting a bit troubled when she answers her mom. Its gives you a second to think 'was she listening?' before your attention is brought back to Koharu and her mom.
Looks like Shiori is going to be the donor. Fingers crossed crossed Sakamoto Yuji can pull it off and make this compelling tv.
8 and 9 were the great episodes.
ReplyDeleteYou see, Sakamoto doesn't make actors to explain situations unlike many dramas and that makes his dramas more realistic and sympathetic.
In my opinion, his dramas choose viewers. Not all people get it.
But when you get it, there are no better dramas out there.
His dramas are at totally different level in many ways.
I found Sakamoto Yuji's interview.
http://www.excite.co.jp/News/reviewmov/20120221/E1329755091036.html?_p=1
He talks about Soredemo Ikiteiku, like how he chose actors and how he came up with the storyline, and his take on ratings. It's interesting.
I absolutely love your insights about the episodes on this drama or any dramas you have posted. Woman is already at episode 9, few more episodes til series finale. Too bad for I have enjoyed it a lot.
ReplyDeleteAnyways I would to recommend you AMACHAN its a NHK Asadora written by the same guy who did Tiger and Dragon/ Unobore Deka/ IWGP. The drama is light and I absolutely love the pacing of the story it neither dragging or rushed. You should check it out, its already getting a lot of attention especially at d-addicts. If you wanna try it out here's the link for 480p encodes. http://j-addicts.net/?p=2637
Thank you Chuks!!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for recommendation. Asadoras scare me because of the length.
Asadora dramas runs 6 days a week, and each episodes runs 15mins. Amachan is already on its 22nd week out of the 26 weeks it is scheduled. the whole amachan project is equavalent to a 54 episodes of normal tbs,fuji,ntv doramas. just think of it just like 5seasons of iryu.
ReplyDeleteBut I assure you thought its lenghty it won't bore you. its also my first time watching a asadora but that didn't turn me off. I think the lenght of the drama is one of its strong points. The writter the genuis that he is, can play around much materials.You should start watching the first 5 weeks I know that i'll get you hooked on the show :-)
Oyakodon would've been an even better title, lol.
ReplyDeleteBut seriously though, the only thing I found comparable to Mother in this drama, are the scenes between Koharu and Sa-chan.
Akiramike, your review of ep 9 is spot on... and in the beginning of ep 10 we see how Nozomi found out. It's almost a recap, but there's added information. Then Koharu's lie to cover up the truth isn't enough...
ReplyDelete