I started watching this a long time ago and have only recently completed the series. Ono Machiko gets into debt trouble because of her deadbeat boyfriend and ends up owing Koshimizu Management Consultants, a bunch of fixers a lot of money. She somehow joins the group in order to work and pay off her debt. In short Gukuaku Ganbo is a show about Ono Machiko learning to survive in a world where people try to scam each other all the time.
WHAT I LIKED
- Ono Machiko!
- The main attraction for me is just learning about the scams. Its part of why I enjoy Ryu ga Gotoku, most of the side missions are just Kiryuu uncovering scams.
WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE
- As a dorama, Gokuaku Ganbo not really funny nor is it very exciting. I don't really care about anyone, and no one is really in danger.
- The 'good guys' always win and Ono Machiko never scams any innocent person to their detriment throughout the series.
- Even when someone 'wins', there is a whole other question of enforcement like the stock certificate episode. A bit hard to believe this Koshimizu Agency running scams without any muscle.
SUMMARY
Its not a memorable show except learning the often repeated phrase kata ni hameru which has no application in real life. Meh from me.
I rather liked this one. It was different and I thought the premise was interesting.
ReplyDeleteRootabega sez:
ReplyDeleteI think I watched until about ep. 5 or 6, when Ono Machiko's character was completely sidelined during that ep. Note to writers: don't do this to your star attraction. Also, I found the cheap-looking scam description graphics annoying. Show, baby, don't write it on the screen. Ah, well, doramas can't always be on the "Danda Rin" level for edutainment.