![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small}
Enka no Joou
演歌の女王 - Enka no Joou - Queen of Enka
This is a 10 episode Japanese drama that aired last winter. If you're not familiar with enka, it's a type of japanese music, mostly known for its melodramatic, sad themes and crooning nature. it's mostly regarded as music for the older generation, but it's a good piece of japanese pop culture. you can wikipedia enka and come up with this lovely entry.
In this show, we follow Ookochi Himawari, a woman in her late twenties, still trying to realize her dream of becoming an enka singer. Unfortunately, she is a woman of extremely bad luck and, perhaps, bad decisions. At the very start of the series, she meets Hitoshi, an old flame who just happen to be a pitiful excuse for a human being (he's always apologizing for being alive). He quickly pulls her into more misfortune, and you're shaking your head at Himawari for ever listening to him. This goes on for a couple of episodes, and it's almost unbearable to watch Himawari endure so much trouble because of him. But soon more characters are introduced, and while Himawari's misfortune continues, the show becomes more interesting as she interacts with and helps these various characters. As pitiful as Himawari appears to be at the start of the show, you come to admire her unselfishness and determination to help others before herself.
Slow start. Superb characters. Random unfortunate events. A heartfelt ending. This all adds up to a a great show. I'd dare say it's now one of my favourite dramas.
NOTE: It's hard to review a show without talking too much about the events and risk spoilers. This review is pretty lame.
This is a 10 episode Japanese drama that aired last winter. If you're not familiar with enka, it's a type of japanese music, mostly known for its melodramatic, sad themes and crooning nature. it's mostly regarded as music for the older generation, but it's a good piece of japanese pop culture. you can wikipedia enka and come up with this lovely entry.
In this show, we follow Ookochi Himawari, a woman in her late twenties, still trying to realize her dream of becoming an enka singer. Unfortunately, she is a woman of extremely bad luck and, perhaps, bad decisions. At the very start of the series, she meets Hitoshi, an old flame who just happen to be a pitiful excuse for a human being (he's always apologizing for being alive). He quickly pulls her into more misfortune, and you're shaking your head at Himawari for ever listening to him. This goes on for a couple of episodes, and it's almost unbearable to watch Himawari endure so much trouble because of him. But soon more characters are introduced, and while Himawari's misfortune continues, the show becomes more interesting as she interacts with and helps these various characters. As pitiful as Himawari appears to be at the start of the show, you come to admire her unselfishness and determination to help others before herself.
Slow start. Superb characters. Random unfortunate events. A heartfelt ending. This all adds up to a a great show. I'd dare say it's now one of my favourite dramas.
NOTE: It's hard to review a show without talking too much about the events and risk spoilers. This review is pretty lame.
