Thanks to jadefrost for pointing out that Nojima Shinki is the script supervisor as can be seen above.
If you've been following Japanese entertainment news, you can't escape the so called Ashita, Mama ga Inai controversy where the Child Welfare Association is protesting against the dorama giving a bad name to orphanages. I completely agree with the Child Welfare Association because jdoramas have a responsibility to portray all public institutions only in a positive light.
I think other associations should join the Child Welfare Association in protesting their own depictions in jdoramas:
1. The Love Hotel Association should protest against Isharyou Bengoshi because it has taught the Japanese housewives that their husband's mistresses can be sued for damage, thus driving down Love Hotel patronage in the last few weeks.
2. The Police should protest every single Japanese cop show because they always show every other police officer besides the main character as inept. One would think from watching all the police jdoramas that Japanese Police are a bunch of lazy bureaucrats that despise anyone who can do their job properly.
3. Emergency Medical Services should protest against Code Blue for having their seasoned medical professionals played by actors in their early 20s giving the impression that it only takes an emergency doctor 5 years out of high school to get a degree and training.
4. The Japanese Harbour Warehouse association should protest against every single action jdorama ending in a harbour warehouse making the public think that warehouses are the base of operations of choice for all bad guys. This has also led to the practice by Japanese police of breaking into random warehouses every time there is a kidnapping, troubling law abiding citizens who use warehouses for non-kidnapping purposes.
5. The Seto Islands should sue Umi no Ue Shinryojo for falsely depicting that there is a hot chick on every island. The Seto Islands tourism board have been beset by complaints from disappointed tourists.
6. The Japanese Surgeons Association should protest against Iryu because patients now expect every surgeon to be able to do surgeries on the beat and save on the heart machine costs.
7. The Japanese Employers Association should protest against Dandarin for making employees believe this fabrication that they should get paid for overtime.
As for the first episode of Ashita, Mama ga Inai, I love the acting by the little girl from Woman. Not sure about Ashida Mana cause I find she's overacting playing an adult in a child's body but I guess it plays a counterbalance to Suzuki Rio's more realistic girl. Speaking of realistic characters, I bloody hate the two Jolipi girls. How anyone can protest against this fake, contrived dorama is shocking. Not as super melodramatic to the point of absurdity as Beautiful Rain but it doesn't feel as smart as your Nojima Shinji show.
I don't agree with point #7. :P
ReplyDeleteI just find it funny how ASHIDA Mana's character is called Posuto. The juxtaposition with her character in Mother is rich. I also find her acting over the top in Mama Inai. Donki seems to be the main character anyway but Posuto is somehow getting more screen time and attention. That said, having just finished watching Woman recently, I couldn't believe that I wasn't able to see how Nozomi and Donki are played by the same actress. She looks quite different in Mama Inai.
ReplyDeleteAnd who would have thought that the genie from Proposal Daisakusen could make for one mean character.
Rootabega sez:
ReplyDeleteYour best post yet, and that's saying something.
I've been reading up on some post-war Japanese history and critical theory lately, and there is actually a school of thought that belives textbooks should only include what would "increase a child's love for Japan". These loons are not without influence and have actually succeeded in sanitizing what kids read. And the mass media has always gone the extra mile to keep reality out of doramas and the like.
P.S. An extra big Fuck You to the new head honcho and "history expert" at NHK.
Just because Ashida Mana can cry on demand doesn't mean she can act naturally, especially compared with Donki.
ReplyDeleteThis will probably turn out to be another Karei naru Ichizoku where Kimutaku's idiot character was presented as the main character but he wasn't.
Please don't remind me of Proposal Daisakusen.....
Rootabega: Thanks. The way the Mama ga Inai 'controversy' continues to make news is shocking. Perhaps the Japanese media is so conservative no one is allowed to tell these claimers that they are idiots.