CHANGE

(2007)

Yet another blockbuster team-up of Kimutaku and Abe Hiroshi. This politics-based drama is surprisingly more engaging that I could have imagined. The synopsis sounds cheesy: an elementary school teacher from a prominent political family became a member of the parliament then rose to being the Prime Minister of the 3rd biggest economy of the world. Had this been a soap from the Western world, then surely you’ll expect obscure and unknown actors in the cast. But hey, it’s Japan, where they have this unique and fascinating way of turning gibberish into something amusing.

I would say that Kimura Takuya has outdone himself playing the lead-role of the geeky, curly haired Asakura Keita, probably the best role he’s had ever since Long Vacation’s Sena. However, I am quite unsure if it was indeed necessary to have Abe Hiroshi throughout the entire drama. Being the election strategist would have worked in the beginning, but he never left Takuya’s side even until he became PM. Just seemed a bit forced and trivial. Plus, I wasn’t sure why he sounded like the bad-ass in Dragon Zakura, yup, ‘we are monolithic’ LOL.