News no Onna (1998)

I personally enjoyed this show very much. Yes, it's quite dated and the story may not be very original nor does it draw your attention immediately. You get to see how news casting works behind the scene, which is quite interesting.

The acting and chemistry of the cast are what sells the show in my opinion.
The main character Aso is quite likeable, though she could be irritating at times. She's headstrong, independent and stubborn. But given how harsh the world of media and how fierce the competition is, especially for women, it's not surprising that she needs to be like that. Suzuki is very charming and she got all the emotions right. Even when Aso was wrong or irritating, you cannot help but sympathize with her.
Takki was very young, but he was natural and did well among all the veteran actors (it's probably his acting in this drama that got him cast in his break-through role in Majou no Jouken). Ryu is similar to Aso in a lot of ways, though both deny it every time Kubota points it out. He is stubborn, not very social, but smart and perceptive. I've always thought that Takki's best feature are his eyes, he can tell a lot through his eyes and thus roles like this where he doesn't have many lines but has to act with his eyes and body language are best suited for him.
Nagatsuka is wonderful as Kubota who adds some comedy to the mix. He talks fast and is good with household duties. And he also acts as the buffer zone between Ryu and Aso.

The music is nothing special, it fit the mood, but nothing particularly stands out.

As Aso's character is the focus in the show, we don't get to see much of Ryuu's school life and Kubota is somehow reduced to the comedic relief character which are the weak points of the drama. Also, I wish they would explain why Ryuu once attempted suicide. Kubota mentioned it, hence that was the reason why he felt Ryuu should move in with Aso to have someone looking after him. The ending felt a bit weak too, but otherwise I don't have much to complain about.

I have to point out that Kubota isn't the love interest of Aso, like it's described in this synopsis. He does develop some romantic feelings for Aso, same with her working partner Akiyoshi, but that's it. The drama doesn't go further than that since it's clear that Aso still has feelings for her late husband and isn't interested in any romantic relationships.

All in all, it's a drama that you can watch when you want to have some good, fun time. There was no boring moment and I finished it in a day.

Read More