Official Website
www.fujitv.co.jp/SUMMER-NUDE
Broadcast
Mondays, 9.00 – 9.54 p.m. from 8 July 2013
Station
Fuji TV
Story
Mikuriya Asahi is a photographer who works at a small photo studio in a seaside town. He has a girlfriend that he has not been able to forget. Three years ago, Ichikura Kasumi suddenly disappeared without a reason, and Asahi still continues to wait in this town for her return. On a day no different from any other, he is taking photos of Chiyohara Natsuki and Furuyama Kota, who are celebrating their wedding at the local church when the groom runs off from the bride during the ceremony and causes a panic. This leaves Natsuki stunned, but Asahi captures this defining moment with his camera. He tells her that it is his job to capture their day on film. In response, she punches him in the side. Their acquaintance unfortunately starts off on the worst possible footing. Asahi, his boss Kominami Fumihiro and part-timer Ichinose Asami throw out opinions on whether the photo studio should deliver this unlucky bride’s album and congratulatory DVD for the wedding ceremony. Kominami asserts that they should. On another day, Taniyama Hanae discovers the bruise on Asahi’s side. He explains that he was hit by an unlucky woman whose husband-to-be ran away from her at the wedding ceremony. Hanae, who has been inseparable from Asahi since high school, wonders if she or Natsuki is unlucky. She has always been there for Asahi and continues to harbour unrequited feelings for him even after 10 years. He is not swayed despite the many times she has told him her feelings. While Hanae understands that Asahi is still waiting for Kasumi, she only has eyes for him, and obstinately keeps trying again. Her younger brother Shun secretly roots for her. That night, Asahi thinks of Ichikura Kasumi as he stands on the beach. Kasumi was Asahi’s girlfriend but she suddenly vanished three years ago. Since then, not a day goes by without him thinking of her. He is even told by his good friend Yaino Takashi to give up, but he cannot forget her … … Meanwhile, a serious problem for the town arises. A crisis looms for Aoyama, the seaside shop which everyone loves. It has opened every year without fail since it began business. But on its 20th anniversary, an important milestone for the shop, its record looks like it will broken because of the birth of the child of its manager Shimojima Setsuko. Setsuko’s husband Kenji tries desperately to persuade her that it would be impossible this summer. However, she will not listen to him and says that she will open the shop no matter what it takes. Hearing this exchange, Asahi contacts Natsuki. Then one day, Natsuki arrives at the seaside town to spend the summer … …
Characters
Yamashita Tomohisa as Mikuriya Asahi
A photographer who works at Kominami Photo Studio. He has dreams of becoming a professional photographer, but now his job includes taking wedding photographs in this town. Asahi has a big emotional wound that can never be healed. His girlfriend Ichikura Kasumi suddenly vanished three years ago, and he has not been able to cut off his feelings for her since that time. There is a billboard on the main street of Kasumi and a local beer which was photographed by him. He has continued to face and greet this image of a smiling Kasumi holding the beer for three years. It has also become his habit to keep borrowing the DVD which he and Kasumi had promised to watch together from the video rental store. In his mind, he knows that he cannot go on like this forever. But he is not able to take the step forward. This summer will be the season where Asahi reaches a turning point.
Karina as Chiyohara Natsuki
An Italian chef who ditched her career to marry the man she loves. However, just when she should be at the height of happiness, her husband runs off at the wedding ceremony. It is at precisely this moment between heaven and hell that she has a fateful encounter with Mikuriya Asahi who happens to be present. After the wedding ceremony, her mother gives her pep talks but it is difficult for her to leave behind the past, and she just stays at home. Knowing that she cannot go on like this, she rouses herself and visits the restaurant she worked at, but they have already decided on a new restaurant manager. She no longer has a place for herself. At that moment, Asahi contacts her to ask if she would like to come to the seaside.
Toda Erika as Taniyama Hanae
Mikuriya Asahi’s high school junior. The first time she saw Asahi was after school on 6 May of her first year in high school. She fell in love with him because of his actions back then. It has been 10 years since then and she continues to be in love with him. Friends, family and even the townsfolk know about her obsession, and root for her. However, Asahi does not notice her. Her father is an influential person in the town who runs several companies including a sake brewery. She does not have a regular job and spends her days as she likes. She left her family home and lives alone in a stylish traditional house. Although she knows that Ichikura Kasumi still lives in Asahi’s heart, she remains in love with him.
Katsuji Ryo as Yaino Takashi
Mikuriya Asahi’s good friend since high school. They were in the same class and baseball club in school. He is now a salesman for a company that manufactures dried seaweed. In the past, he had tried everything to wean Asahi off thoughts for the girlfriend who vanished from his life but this was a complete failure. He tried to encourage him to respond to Taniyama Hanae’s feelings. However, that failed too. Now he believes that Asahi should let go, and quietly watches over him. Because he falls in love easily, he instantly develops feelings for Chiyohara Natsuki who suddenly appears. From then on, he would try to look good and attempt surfing even though he does not swim while he makes moves on Natsuki. He is a merry person who is not easily discouraged.
Kubota Masataka as Kirihata Teru
A young man who loves books and hates the sea. He works part-time at the video rental shop. His father is in the wholesale fish trade; one would never believe that he is a weather-beaten man of the sea from his son. No one realises that he actually likes Taniyama Hanae. Every week, Mikuriya Asahi would come to the video rental shop to pay the late charges to continue renting the DVD he had promised to watch with Ichikura Kasumi. On the other hand, Hanae would come every week to check if the DVD has been returned. He would always sadly and miserably stare at Hanae as she looks at that empty space on the shelf.
Nagasawa Masami as Ichikura Kasumi
Mikuriya Asahi’s girlfriend. Her beauty, vigour and carefree attitude had enveloped him. But three years ago, she failed to keep a promise to watch a borrowed DVD together, and suddenly vanished from his sight. The reason why she left him and her whereabouts now are all shrouded in mystery. She continues to smile down from the billboard for the local beer, Misaki Shiosai Beer, which stands on the main street along the oceanfront.
Itaya Yuka as Shimojima Setsuko
The manager who opened the seaside shop Aoyama and has continued to run it for 19 years. She is like an elder sister to Mikuriya Asahi and others, and has had a soft spot for them since they were children. Her first husband died in the sea. She was moved by the love of her husband’s good friend Shimojima Kenji and remarried three years ago. Her beauty and culinary skills are like no other. Spending summer time at Aoyama is something that the townsfolk will not trade anything for. However, on the 20th anniversary of the shop’s opening, it faces the crisis of closure because of childbirth.
Takahashi Katsunori as Shimojima Kenji
The manager who runs Minatoku, a cafe and bar on a hill overlooking the sea. Because Minatoku is the hangout for Mikuriya Asahi and all, some of Asahi’s buddies will always be there. He is like an older brother who has been watching out for them since they were kids. Naturally, he has been watching their romances for a long time too. He is like a beacon in their lives. Nevertheless, he never puts on airs, and his juniors always take jabs at him. It is because of this character that Asahi and the others can open up to him like a buddy, and swing between joy and sorrow. He is weak with his wife Setsuko and loves her more than anyone else.
Click here for photos from press conference.
Related Posts:
All text copyright © jdramas.wordpress.com.
