バーテンダーが好き
Note:This post contains no real spoilers, just talk about the series so far
So last night I finished watching episode 3 of Bartender (the last one that has been subbed), and I have to say I really like it. It's not changing my life, but the only drama that will change your life is Nobuta wo Produce (and whatever the first jdrama you ever watch is, but I suggest making them one in the same). It's fun, it's pretty light-hearted so far, there's lots of pretty cocktails to drink along with, and there's LOTS of Aiba hand porn. That chick in the second episode got it right when she said bartenders' hands were sexy. I have always loved Aiba's hands, and this is definitely a showcase for them. He's a bit stiff when he makes the cocktails (I keep yelling at the screen "IT'S OKAY TO SMILE WHILE USING THE SHAKER!!!"), but so's the rival bartender. Plus, every time he goes to make a cocktail I just think of him practicing on Arashi and them teasing him and him hitting them over the head with the spoon, ehehehehe.
A note on Aiba's acting, though. Nay-sayers of the world, I don't think you're looking hard enough. We all generally assume that the cute factor of My Girl upped our appreciation of his acting, but I'm not sure I buy into that. Of course, taking out the cute content of that drama is really difficult ("Masamune-kun?" "mmm?" ♥ diesdiesdies), but now that I'm watching Bartender, I'm starting to think he isn't really that bad. Every now and then, I use my powers of imagination to throw Matsujun into the role, and I honestly can't see him doing any better. Sho definitely wouldn't do any better. Nino would hit it out of the ballpark, but that's because he's annoying like that (the SMIRKS, can you IMAGINE Nino as a bartender I would dieeeeeeeeeeeeee hamburger hands and all ♥). And as much as I love Oh-chan in the roles he has done, he definitely wouldn't fit this one.
Anyway I guess my point is: Aiba isn't that bad of an actor. If you're an Arashi fan, we're spoiled by Nino. If you're just a drama fan, he's not really much worse than any other Johnny's put into a drama. You can get better, but you can get much, much worse. So I think we should stop arguing over whether he can act and start talking about whether we like the drama.
Which... which I do.