Nankyoku Tairiku

56 years ago, in November 1956, the first Japanese expedition set off to Antarctica. The crew, consisting of explorers, scientists as well as Karafuto-ken, Sakhalin Husky breed dogs, stayed there cross-winter. Next spring, due to bad conditions the crew was forced to leave the dogs behind and head back to Japan. Suddenly, the heroes who were the first ever Japanese to live in Antarctica were bashed harshly about leaving the animals for inevitable death. However, two dogs - siblings Taro and Jiro - survived South Pole's severe conditions by themselves and were later safely brought back to their homeland.

The story of Taro and Jiro is well known among both adults and children in Japan. Two Sakhalin Huskies are a bit of an icon actually (I daresay second to loyal Hachiko, whose figure is a meeting spot in Tokyo's Shibuya). Surely though, not everyone is fully aware of all the facts regarding the Cross-Winter expeditions. These were written down by Kitamura Taiichi, a member of the 1st and 3rd expedition. One of his books, „Nankyoku Ettotai: Taro Jiro no Shinjitsu” (“Antarctica Cross-Winter Expedition: the truth behind Taro and Jiro”), published in 1997 became a base for TBS 2011 tv-drama Nankyoku Tairiku.

However, don't expect the drama to be as faithful as a documentary. It's based on true events, but the scenario is actually fictional. Kuramochi Takeshi (Kimura Takuya), our main “human” hero, is created upon Kikuchi Tetsu – South Pole explorer and mountaineer, member of the first expedition, who was in charge of the dog sleds. The traces of Kitamura Taiichi can be found in the youngest member of the crew, university student researching aurora effects, Inuzuka (Yamamoto Yusuke). The facts and ficition regarding those two characters are mixed and if you're interested you might want to check that up.

The expectations towards the drama were very high. Star-studded cast was led by SMAP’s Kimura Takuya, whose well known for being picky in terms of his appearances in TV series and co-workers. You can expect high quality and ratings form the shows Kimutaku graces with his name (recent years though, the tendency seems to be a little falling from “high” to “decent” though). Unfortunately, Nankyoku Tairiku is one of the shows that leaves a dissapointment taste.

The characters in the First Cross Winter expedition members are varied and likeable and we got a sufficient introduction of their background to care for their safe return home. Their families waiting and following the news back home are also depicted very well. Also the Antarctica glaciers (filmed on Hokkaido) and post-war Japan backgrounds are picturesque and believable, though from time to time we get a little over the top CG effect that ruins the overall feeling. The South Pole continent is wild and dangerous, the impression enhanced by the music, especially the first chords of Nakajima Miyuki’s (another big namein the credits!) ending theme “Kouya yori” that strikes in the right moment for a major cliffhanger.

That's all for the good. In terms of scenario, the show is draggy. At one point it gets close to absurd when all characters repeat the same lines over and over again for half and episode or more and we go nowhere. Weaker points turn up throughout the whole series and might work as a turnoff.

My point for this show

The cameos - Nakama Yukie appears as Kuramochi Takeshi's wife. Her appearance is as short as one glimpse of a black and white photo. And you wonder and wonder if you get to see her again. Musician Miyazawa Kazufumi (from The BOOM, author of international hit Shima-Uta) appears as Iwashiro, ficitonal leader of the second expedition.

Smuggler

Wannabe actor, Kinuta (Tsumabuki Satoshi) takes on a job as a mover - one who gets rid of inconvenient corpses - after his debt is bought out by an underground banker. He joins Joe (Masatoshi Nagase), a hard-boiled, laconic veteran of the trade, and an older chatterbox of a man who goes only by the moniker Gramps (Gashuin Tatsuya). Meanwhile, two legendary assassins, Vertebrae (Ando Masanobu) and Viscera (Ryushin Tei), are hired by the Chinese to deal with a Yakuza boss, Tanuma. Joe's team is tasked with disposing the bodies after the bloodbath that ensues. That's the first time their path will cross with the assassin's, but certainly not the last, because the angered Yakuza are now aiming for Vertebrae and Viscera's heads...

This is the premise of Ishii Katsuhito's 2011 movie Smuggler, based on Manabe Shohei's manga. The director assembled a pretty impressive cast - apart from the already mentioned, we'll see Mitsushima Hikari, Matsuyuki Yasuko and Kohinata Fumiyo with cameo appearances by several familiar faces.

When I sat down to this one, I expected a movie akin to Samehada Otoko to Momojiri Onna, with its comic-book violence and Pulp Fiction-like dialogues. This one however is noticeably darker, grittier and brutal then Samehada..., falling halfway to Kitano's Outrage with its realistic depictions of violence and gang power struggles. There will be skulls cracking in slow motion and lengthy, detailed torture scenes - the movie is not something to watch to the dinner.

I'm on fence with this one. For one thing, it's a well made piece of cinema, but the excessive violence left me twitching for a substantial part of the movie. Certainly there are people it will appeal to, for me it was too much. I find the more quirky Ishii, like Cha no Aji or Naisu no Mori, far more enjoyable.

My point for the movie

Among many cameo appearences by such Ishii veterans as Kiyokawa Hitoshi, Morishita Yoshiyuki and Terajima Susumu, there's also an appearence by Osugi Ren and Matsuda Shota as a pair of policemen - much like Tsumabuki's own appearence with Oguri Shun in Surely Someday. What's with all the policeman cameos in Japanese movies? Yoji Tanaka (another one from Samehada... cast) must have made it his hobby - I remember him from Udon, and looking at his imdb page, he must have scored a good three or four by himself. I have a hunch that I might have seen some odd policemen somewhere else too, but I can't pinpoint the titles of the top of my head

What are your feelings on Smuggler? Alternatively, have you seen any suspicious policemen around here somewhere?

Suteki na Kakushidori

Written and directed by Mitani Kouki, Suteki na Kakushidori (Lovely Candid Shot) is a 1 hour 30 minutes TV Special made to promote the upcoming movie Suteki na Kanashibari – Once in a blue moon. The story has no connection whatsoever, but we can see the same group of actors that appear in the movie as well. The trademark Mitani humour is same as well.

The construction of the plot is simple – tomboyish Mie (Fukatsu Eri) works as a hotel concierge and has to deal with ridiculous request by the guests from the suite. Each guest has their own episode sewed together by short commentary scenes in the lobby, where Mie discuss the guests’ background with her superior.

The main highlight are the guests – I personally liked the circus acrobat (so adorably dumb Kusanagi Tsuyoshi) and cooking charisma (Takeuchi Yuuko) episodes best, but they are all equally entertaining. The director himself also appears, obviously as an approval seeking movie director.

My point for this show

If you liked the setting, try Uchouten Hotel (Suite Dreams) – a movie from 2006 also written and directed by Mitani Kouki with as usual exceptional all-star cast and gallery of characters you can’t get bored with. It’s more complete as a story than rather chopped in pieces Suteki na Kakushidori.

Don Quixote

Shirota, a terribly wishy-washy fellow, works at a Child Care Consultation Centre. Apparently, he’s doing it of a calling, although his results do not show. One day, he happens to be in the same block of flats as a bunch of Sabashima group yakuza led by boss Sabashima himself and thanks to some evil (or good?) forces of nature (under a form of dark fog) the minds of these two are exchanged.

Now Shirota and Sabashima have to come to terms with what happened to them. They decide to work together until the riddle behind this mysterious body swap is solved. It’s enormously fun to watch how once timid Shirota (Matsuda Shota) becomes less-inteligent macho and the former yakuza boss (Takahashi Katsumi) now acts all ninny nanny in tight fashionable suit and needs to handle not only his own underlings but also enemies in the gangster world. Shirota, on the other hand, seems as if he couldn’t care less about the children he needs to take care of, while in fact he’s unconventional attitude is a blessing for the kids and a fresh breath of air to his office. Eventually they become something like best friends, supporting each other and changing their lives for better.

The Don Quixote series is full of funny gags with occasional tearful moments (if you’re into stories about family issues). Two leads did an amazing job pulling out the double roles (especially Matsuda!) and there is a bunchful of supporting actors that are like a cherry on the top: including Kobayashi Sachiko as Shirota’s boss, Matsushige Yutaka as Sabashima’s firstman and Miyake Hiroki as Child Care older colleague, Nishi-yan. However, in terms of storyline, not all episodes are equally good and I found some of them draggy, a common threat of a TV series. If squeezed the essence could be a perfect comedy.

The connection to Cervantes' "Don Quixote" is, to be honest, a little vague to me (yes, they actually did a theatre in the center, and all... And yes, Shirota and Sabashima are like a knight and his faithful sidekick), but the Spanish opening is great and sticks to your brain for long.

My point for this drama 

I you find body swap theme interesting, and I bet you do, try some other shows that turn around it. In Tenkousei - Sayonara Anata, a 2007 remake of an older movie,  two high-schoolers have their bodies replaced. One of them will even have to fight with the illness of the other. Similar theme was introduced also in a 1992 drama Houkago. In Papa to Musume no Nanokakan, it’s a father and a daughter who have to be one another for seven days. A soon to be released movie Himitsu no Akko-chan (based on a popular classic shoujo anime) tells the story of a 11-year-old who can transform into an adult. In also a drama turned movie Himitsu it’s the soul of the mother that enters her daughter’s body after a serious accident. And I bet the list can be much longer. The number of remakes is the best proof how prolific the motif can actually be.

Saikou no jinsei no owarikata - Ending Planner

Japanese popculture deals with the topic of death and final partings (be it sudden or not) in various ways. We have, one could say, a whole genre of dealing-with-terminal-ilnesses melodramas with better and worse examples inside.Usually though the story ends when the character passes away and nobody is trying to explain to the viewer what is happening with them (or should I say, their bodies) afterwards.When I first heard the news about the 2011 winter drama "Saikou no jinsei no owarikata" (lit.The ending to a perfect life), I was intrigued. A story about a funeral parlour with Japan's favourite idols (Johnny's Yamashita Tomohisa, AKB's Maeda Atsuko)? A combination that was promising but also risky.

In 2008 the movie "Okuribito" (internationally know as "Departures"), a bittersweet story of an undertaker in a provincional town, outclassed the competition in the run for the Oscar. It also paved the way for the likes of "Ending Planner". Unfortunately though, there's nothing to compare.

"Saikou no jinsei no owarikata" starts when the siblings of Ihara-ya, a small, traditional funeral house, need to the face the sudden death of their father and decide about the future of the family business. The eldest son (Sorimachi Takashi) is away from home, not keeping in touch. The second, Masato (Yamashita Tomohisa) leaves current workplace to help his sister (Maeda Atsuko) with the Ihara-ya (of course, after agonizing a lot under dramatic circumstances). The youngest brother and sister (Johnny's JR Chinen Yuri and Ono Ito) are still students, with their own complexes and problems that need to be solved during the show. Masato encounters also two people that will have strong impact on his story from now on: a police detective, Yuki (Eikura Nana) and an old man who creeps into his garden to talk about philosophical issues (Yamazaki Tsutomu).

Each episode deals with a different story of a final parting that the Ihara-ya organizes, usually requiring a small detective mystery to be solved by the Yuki and Masapyon, how she calls Yamashita's character. In the background we have Ihara family issues and one big mystery arch, which is a good thing although one could expect better ending.

The Ihara siblings are nowhere near to "Hitotsu yane no shita" Kashiwagi family, in terms of depiction and acting.In fact only Sorimachi and Yamapi are likeable and the fact that they are actually very similar and could go as brothers (never noticed that before!) is a big plus. You should also keep an eye on Yamazaki Tsutomu as old Iwata-san, as Yamapi himself mentions him as his biggest idol and working with him as his dream and challenge (they have meet already on the set of "Kurosagi"), but for me the revelation with this character is a let down.

My point for this show  

Though not much, some interesting facts about how the undertaker business goes in Japan is being introduced to us in the drama. We can see how Ihara-ya struggles with much bigger competition, how it organizes a meeting with local dwellers to explain to them the points about organizing one's own funeral and - particulary interesting - how they keep good terms with the police to get faster information about the new bodies that are being brought to the mortuary for exchanging of "purification" gift (money or coupons).   

What are your thoughts about the show? Feel free to start a discussion in the comment box.