Liar Game
The only reason I started watching Liar Game the other day was because of Matsuda Shota. I've only seen him in Hana Yori Dango before, and he's the marvelous Matsuda Ryuhei's brother so I figured I'd watch some more stuff that he's been in.
The premise of the show is rather simple. Kanzaki Nao (Toda Erika) is a simple minded, naive and trusting young woman. She falls for traps and tricks and pranks constantly due to the fact that she trusts so easily. The show starts off with her returning a 100¥ coin to the police station. ...Yeah, she's pretty naive. She then receives a mysterious package containing 100 000 000¥ (which is roughyl $1 000 000) and a note. The aim of the game is to steal the 100 000 000¥ from your opponent in thirty days. The winner gets 100 000 000¥ where as the loser is now 100 000 000¥ in debt.
Luckily for her, her opponent is her middle school teacher. She goes to him, asks him for help, and he scams her out of her money.
:D
Akiyama Shinichi (Matsuda Shota), a master swindler, is just being released from three years in jail. (he brought down a major corporation, but he totally had a good reason for doing it you guyz) She seeks out his help and he eventually agrees to help her because she reminds him of his dead mother.
Now, the first few episodes were good. Just when you think everything has gone to shit Akiyama lays a golden egg and everything is fine. It was enjoyable during the first few episodes. I was initially dissapointed when I found out the battle between Nao and her teacher only lasted two episodes. I expected the whole 11 episodes to revolve around the mind game the three of them play, but it was done in two episodes.
It gets really predictable once you spot the pattern. Nao gets involved with further rounds of the Liar Game, worst case scenario happens and it seems like she's doomed, Akiyama comes and saves the day. It gets to a point where the supposedly high tensity omg something bad is going to happen situations don't even faze you because you know Akiyama is going to save the day. And he always does.
Overall, it's not a bad series. It was entertaining and I enjoyed it. I've watched worse, but I've certainly watched better. Shota didn't really prove himself to be a good actor like his brother but I'll still keep an eye on him and see what he does in the future.
screencaps from ep1 taken by mayleann