Drama Digest #14 Unsteady Ground, Last Ditch Measure

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Amami Yuki spurns Fuji TV for TV Asahi … Amami Yuki’s new drama Kinkyuu Torishirabeshitsu on TV Asahi has been one of the most closely watched productions of winter, a season when the networks focus on the lineup given the high incidence of viewers staying at home. But what should have been a memorable drama for her, has in fact had a rather ordinary run so far with an average viewership rating of 12.9%. While Kinkyuu Torishirabeshitsu debuted in first position with 12.5% and has stayed on at the top ahead of Iryu 4 Team Medical Dragon and Dr DMAT which also air on Thursday, there is an undeniable sense among industry insiders that this is beneath the performances of past dramas which Amami had starring roles and “doesn’t come close to that person in the previous season”. This is an obvious reference to Yonekura Ryoko whose drama Doctor X ~ Daimon Michiko Season 2 was broadcast in the same time slot last year started with 22.8% and went out on a high of 26.9%. Amami would like the momentum of Doctor X but she did not get that in her projects these past few years. Dramas like Gold, Boss Season 2, Kaeru no Oujosama registered average viewership ratings in the range of 9%. In addition, the two-night drama special Onna Nobunaga last year only managed 8.9 % and 8.7% despite the hundreds of millions of yen in production costs invested. These were all Fuji TV dramas. The feeling is playing the leading role equates to being the leader. TV network personnel speculate that Amami who regarded herself responsible for the low ratings probably lost faith in Fuji TV’s production crew and finally thought of crossing over to TV Asahi which has been at the top of the game. She could also try her luck at a detective drama this time. Amami not only cut her hair short for the first time in 10 years on the occasion of her appearance in Kinkyuu Torishirabeshitsu, but also reportedly said at a production meeting before broadcast, “I’d like to steadily cultivate Kintori with everyone’s support. If possible, I want us to do a sequel too. I’ll give my all. Your cooperation is greatly appreciated.” TV Asahi must have envisioned a series with Amami. This is evident in the popular supporting actors Tanaka Tetsushi, Hayami Mokomichi, Suzuki Kosuke, Kusakari Masao, Denden, Osugi Ren and Kohinata Fumiyo who were cast to shore up support. Maybe the network wants to groom her to be the third big-name female to take on its crime dramas after actresses Natori Yuko and Sawaguchi Yasuko. Now Amami cannot afford to fail if she wants to leave her mark as the “ratings queen”, but the scriptwriting for Kinkyuu Torishirabeshitsu looks to be the weakest link in the scheme of things.

Mizutani Yutaka, the “King” of TV Asahi’s Aibou, pronounces Narimiya Hiroki’s early dismissal … Strife over another imminent dismissal appears to have broken out on the set of TV Asahi’s popular Aibou series. Lead actor Mizutani Yutaka’s third “partner” since season 11, Narimiya Hiroki, has reportedly been told that he will be dropped. Terawaki Yasufumi played the role of Sugishita Ukyo’s first “partner” for seven seasons while Oikawa Mitsuhiro was the second “partner” for three seasons. Narimiya is said to have worried how long he would survive. If this talk is true, Narimiya’s name would go down in the history of Aibou as the actor with the shortest stint. The cause of this round of turmoil appears to be Mizutani, the “King” who is unable to take anyone’s opinions and is both respected and loathed by staff. What aggravated him is the popularity of Narimiya which continues to soar at a blistering pace. He seems to be wary of Narimiya who has start to stand out more than him. Some sources say that at first, Mizutani favoured Narimiya and would take him out for meals but lately he has completely neglected him. Furthermore, he has mentioned to people around them that he does not like Narimiya’s acting skills which is an obvious comparison to Terawaki and Oikawa. Another reason for his irritation is the sluggish sales of advance tickets for the latest Aibou movie, Aibou III ~ Kyodai Misshitsu, produced to commemorate the 55th anniversary of TV Asahi’s launch. The box office revenue of Aibou I was 4 billion yen, and Aibou II was 2.4 billion yen. Mizutani wants Aibou III to succeed at all costs because the movies Home, which he starred in, and Shonen H, which he planned, were big flops. As a result, Narimiya has become the outlet for the frustrations of Mizutani, the perfectionist. There is word that Narimiya’s character will be killed in the line of duty in Season 13 in October and after that, Oikawa will make a comeback.

Anything Katori Shingo appears in turns into a gag? … The announcement that Katori Shingo will headline Fuji TV’s drama adaptation of the manga Smoking Gun ~ Minkan Kasouken Chousain Nagareda Enishi in spring has been greeted with some concern by netizens. Katori has acted in a lot of unsubtle and wild roles like Sun Wu Kong in Saiyuuki and Ryotsu Kankichi in Kochira Kameshika-ku Kameari Koen-mae Hashutsujo, and that image remains strong in the minds of those expressing doubts that he is suited for the role of a forensic researcher even if Nagareda Enishi is a sloppy one. In their opinion, Katori is Katori no matter what role he plays or anything he appears in will turn into a gag. There were also many comments that Katori would be a better match for unworldly manga characters in Hakushon Daimaou, Kiniku Man or Dragon Ball. On the other hand, the media is busy speculating if Smoking Gun would be another big flop for Katori since Katori’s dramas have been in a slump for several years: Kasukana Kanojo managed average viewership ratings of 11.5% last year; Monsters which he co-starred with Yamashita Tomohisa in 2012 was anticipated to achieve high ratings given its TBS’ Sunday time slot but registered a low of 8.0%; Shiawase ni Narou yo in 2011 recorded single digit average viewership ratings despite its Monday golden time slot on Fuji TV; Kochira Kameshika-ku Kameari Koen-mae Hashutsujo in 2009 fared the worse with 5.9% and the movie as well as CD single were big flops. Katori would probably like to regain his credibility as an actor with this project but some industry insiders are already declaring that there is no hope of high viewership ratings. The time slot is bad because both Fuji TV and NTV broadcast dramas. In addition, Smoking Gun is up against Hanasaki Mai ga Damattenai which will air in a competing time slot. A Johnny is unlikely to be a match for the combination of Anne and an Ikeido Jun work.

Aragaki Yui cast to shore up S ~ Saigo no Keikan’s plummeting ratings Aragaki Yui will officially join the regular cast of S ~ Saigo no Keikan from episode 9 which airs on 9 March in the role of Hayashi Iruma, a sniper assigned to the NPS. The media has interpreted this to be a move by TBS to shore up the drama which simply has been not been able to produce the expected viewership ratings. While S ~ Saigo no Keikan with leading man Mukai Osamu got off to a good start with 18.9%, ratings have languished around 12% in the last four episodes. TBS must be hoping for Aragaki’s large base of male and female fans to lift viewership ratings in the drama’s last leg and that this would lead in to the film adaptation which was decided on before the drama aired. Why would a unit like the NPS need a sniper if its objective is not to let hostages as well as captors die, and what of the SAT? Seems to me like logic flaws and redundancy. But I don’t suppose it has bothered this unrealistic production from the start.

Image may be NSFW.
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Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.