Official Website
www.ntv.co.jp/hanasakimai
Broadcast
Wednesdays, 10.00 – 10.54 p.m. from 16 April 2014
Station
NTV
Story
Hanasaki Mai is a Tokyo Daiichi Bank employee into her fifth year at the company. She is a popular bank teller with both customers and colleagues alike because of her cheerful personality. One day, Mai is ordered to transfer to the Onsite Inspection Unit at headquarters. It is a role where she would go around to branch offices which have caused problems such as missing money, information leaks and loan troubles, guide them and engineer solutions. Mai is partnered with Soma Ken, a veteran bank employee who has dropped off the career track and was in the same branch as her until three months ago. Mai and Soma promptly head to the Kayabacho branch where five clerical oversights have been discovered, but the branch manager Yajima Shunzo wears a look of annoyance at their visit. Called a “cost-cutter” during his days at the Corporate Planning Department, Yajima seems to have found favour with Shindo Takeshi who is rumoured to be a candidate for next bank president, and is only interested in his own career advancement. He calls his subordinates “incompetent” which angers Mai. According to Yajima, Nakajima Satoko, a veteran bank teller of 13 years, is solely responsible for these mistakes. However, Mai sees Satoko’s excellent work and simply cannot believe him. In the midst of this, it becomes known after the close of business that the tally is short of 1 milion yen in cash. Satoko had made a mistake by giving a customer more money than asked … … The unlikely duo of a righteous Mai and pacifist Soma work hard for the sake of the vulnerable in the face of the interpersonal relationships and the warped corporate ethics in the bank.
Characters
Anne as Hanasaki Mai
A young employee of Tokyo Daiichi Bank. She has worked as a bank teller at a branch ever since she joined the bank five years ago. One day, she is transferred from the Nakano branch to the Branch Administrative Department’s Onsite Inspection Unit at headquarters. Although people tend to think that she is just a cute, pretty face, she is actually a “capable woman”. Her personality is such that she will speak out when she sees people suffering and bluntly tell even her superiors “This is wrong” if something is incorrect. She dashes to solve problems without reading situations. Although she has with no status or power, does not care who the other party she is standing up to is, if this is for the sake of the distressed and vulnerable that cannot say, “This is wrong”.
Kamikawa Takaya as Soma Ken
A member of the Branch Administrative Department’s Onsite Inspection Unit at Tokyo Daiichi Bank’s headquarters. He is the “man who gave up”. He once made a name for himself as the loan man at a branch, but had a run-in with his boss at that time. As a result, he was sidelined from the fast track and has avoided complications in his work since then. Hanasaki Mai arrives as his youngest partner, and he ends up at her mercy for she does not mince her words even when speaking to superiors.
Namase Katsuhisa as Shindo Takeshi
The corporate officer and manager of the Corporate Planning Department at Tokyo Daiichi Bank’s headquarters. He has been the most successful among his batch ever since he joined the bank, and is one of the candidates to be the future bank president. He formed the Shindo faction and has a steadily strengthened his position within the bank. As Hanasaki Mai and Soma Ken expose a series of scandals of his faction, he acknowledges that they are obstacles and starts to treat them as an enemy.
Tsukaji Muga as Shibasaki Taichi
The assistant manager of the Branch Administrative Department at Tokyo Daiichi Bank’s headquarters, and boss of Hanasaki Mai and Soma Ken. He is the typical “small fry” who is weak with superiors but tough with subordinates. Because he is well-informed within the bank, he has a thorough knowledge of all sorts of information from personnel to rumoured scandals. However, he does not have the air of ambition.
Enoki Takaaki as Karashima Shinjiro
The manager of the Branch Administrative Department Tokyo Daiichi Bank’s headquarters, and boss of Hanasaki Mai and Soma Ken. He speaks in a quiet tone and is popular within the bank. He is the one responsible for pairing Mai and Soma who appear to have their differences. He watches over their activities from behind the scenes.
Komoto Masahiro as Kodama Naoki
The assistant manager of the Corporate Planning Department Tokyo Daiichi Bank’s headquarters. Soma Ken’s peer. He is very ambitious and obeys Shindo Takeshi unconditionally. He is the leader of the Shindo faction and keeps an eye on the movements of both Hanasaki Mai and Soma.
Osugi Ren as Hanasaki Kozo
Hanasaki Mai’s father. He runs the restaurant ‘Hanasaki’ on the first floor of his residence. His wife died young and he raised Mai single-handedly. He understands his daughter the best. At times he is strict, and at other times he is gentle. He is the dependable father who supports her.
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Tagged: Anne, Ikeido Jun, Kamikawa Takaya, Namase Katsuhisa
