WOWOW has done it again! Better than the Kimutaku one. I was hooked from beginning until the end. I will be talking storyline spoilers so don't read until you have watched it. If you haven't, please get it from windflows here.
SPOILER PAST THIS POINT
MANPYO DAISUKE
The cold hearted father of the Manpyo family. You have to respect his businesslike approach to everything including his family but so much stems from his hatred of his father and him thinking that Teppei is not his son and his wife betrayed him.
Despite Daisuke's best efforts, his kids actually love him and want his approval. He could have had a decent family but he let his jealousy and anger manifest in bad ways and the shot at the end of him at the dinner table and Aiko leaving shows that he last lost everything to gain what he wanted.
AIKO
Aiko is the character I think everyone hates because she seems so cold and calculating. Her human side is that he loves Daisuki and she's basically the stranger trying to survive in this family by taking it over.
TEPPEI
Ah Teppei, the good guy of the family. The one Manpyo child with a partner who actually loves him and he wants to get it on with his sister. I guess Teppei could blame his granfather's genes!
In 99% of jdoramas/anime etc the nice guy wins by being nice which does not work in the real world. Teppei was earnest but he was foolish and was not ready for his role. He only got his role because he was Daisuke's son and not because he had years of experience managing companies and making sure that your main bank does not screw you over.
His fate is so sad because in the end I think he could never hate his father.
GINPEI
Ah Ginpei, so like his dad. Had a wife who was willing to have a go at marriage but no, he had to act like a dick and blame it on his family, he can't make her happy blah blah blah. Excuses and doesn't even try to do anything. Got a cushy job cause of his dad so no empathy from me. Looks up to his brother Teppei though. I think that's the best part of Ginpei.
YASUKO
The poor mom from a bygone era who still likes Daisuke even though he treats her so bad and loves her kids. She is with the Manpyo family and she learned to accept her fate and live with it,
MIMI
Kaname Jun wins in the end! Slimy character that got married to Mimura and can't even treat her right. He claims he is the same as Aiko but he has got no love for anyone else.
Oh wow, I'm amazed that this is better than the Kimutaku one, considering that powerhouse cast in the 2007 version (minus Kimutaku) and I had loved the performances of quite a number of them. I was planning to watch the 2021 remake, but had thought Fujigaya Taisuke a horrible choice for Ginpei (Yamamoto Koji did so well in the 2007 version). Now I should really give the remake a go. Thanks for the review!
ReplyDelete@junny; Forgot Yamamoto Koji, Suzuki Kyoka and Aibu Saki were in the Kimutaku version!
ReplyDeleteFujigaya did a good job as his role for Ginpei imo. As did most of the cast, with Nakai Kichi stealing the show. He definitely did better than Kitaoji Kinya and had a noticeably larger presence in this iteration. My only nitpick is Mukai Osamu as Teppei. He does well as the good(y-2shoes) brother but his arguments with his father, Daisuke, and just his overall dialog with other people paled in comparison with Kimutaku. Yes, it has been so long but that I still remember. (In fact, I so want to rewatch the 2007 version to reaffirm my claim.) I just find that Mukai Osamu hasn't grown much as an actor since Nodame, so they could've gotten someone better.
ReplyDeleteThe finance minister laughing was a bit much but it didn't bother me.
Also, the "joke" title for this drama should be "Grandpa has a raging boner." LUL