Nemureru Mori ~ 眠れる森 ~ The twisted fairy tale
Sypnosis: 24th of December 1983, the Oba family is brutally murdered. The only survivor is the youngest daughter, Minako, who due to this trauma lost all her memories. 15 years later, Minako (Nakayama Miho) started a new life and is close to her marriage with Hamazaki Kiichirou (Nakamura Tohru) who works in a high rank firm. One day, while cleaning her apartment, she discovers some mysterious letters from an unknown sender that invites her to go to the "sleeping forest" in her hometown. Wanting to know more from this anonymous person and her own forgotten childhood, Minako pays a visit to the "sleeping forest". There a young man, Ito Naoki (Kimura Takuya) welcomes her and surprisingly knows more about her past than Minako ever thought. This is where the fairy tale begins...
My thoughts: This is not your typical "Sleeping Beauty" where everything ends well with a kiss from the charming prince. This is not a fairy tale at all. This has one of the most twisted and confused plots I ever seen. I confess I watched this drama without english subs, since my mother was watching it with me so little knowledge in japanese and chinese was the only thing I could have relied on. Anyways I could understand the ploy and that's what matters.
Nemureru Mori starts with an incredible slow pace. I didn't feel much tension in the first 5 episodes I must say. I just started to feel hooked after the 6th or 7th episode when the whole truth was coming out. I love sad stories with a lot of twist where no one is good and everyone has something evil in their hearts. In the whole 12 episodes, the are little hints of who is the true murderer. Your first option is Naoki, the mysterious light designer who seems to know Minako more than herself. Then Kokubun, the supposed murderer who was jailed for 15 years shown up and has every motive to revenge those lost years. Naoki's father (and later revealed also as Minako's father) is also a suspect. Finally your last choice is Kiichirou, her boyfriend whose past is also very twisted. This part was ok, I don't complain about that. But now, blaming the 6 year old Minako to have murdered her family was too much in my opinion. Not because it's impossible (everything is possible in a jdrama) but it seems too absurd in my opinion and brought too much melodrama.
Now about the characters, Oba Minako is your typical leading heroine, a positive attitude in the beginning and when the truth reveals itself can't do anything else but cry. I didn't like her much as I wanted. As the leading lady, her role could have been more developed, like more flashbacks to see what kind of person she was or more will power to find who murdered her family even if it would hurt. Nakayama Miho is not a bad actress but there is something lacking in the most crucial scenes like when she finally realized the man who killed her precious family is standing right beside her as her husband. Her face lacked emotions. Sometimes I couldn't tell if she felt lonely or worried or scared.
Yusuke Santamaria and Honjou Manami portrays Nakajima Keita and Sakuma Yuri respectively, Naoki's bestfriend and ex-girlfriend. Keita didn't feel in my grace since he betrayed Naoki and even killed Yuri. But holy crap, the rooftop scene that was so heartbreaking. The last scene with him and Naoki drinking was such a masterpiece. A broken Keita, haunted by his blood stained hands and a devastated Naoki almost made me cry. When he says: "I finally understand how a man feels when he kills the one he loves by his own hands" made that episode much richer. I Yusuke-san you really poured some tears in that moment... xD
Jinnai Takanori as Kokubun Yoshiharu, the supposed murderer gives a solid performance but very scary too. Although he doesn't show up much through the entire drama, everytime he appears you can feel a heavy atmosphere surrounding him. You realized right away that he's innocent when he quietly whispers to himself that he's going to show hell to a certain person. But his ways to get revenge is too much. His obsession only torments his wife and of course Naoki. Why Naoki?? When he beated Naoki with the metal pipe I almost felt the pain (well, poor Kimura... xD) and that burying him alive was kowaiiiiiiiii. Anyway, Takanori-san seems to be the perfect person for this role ^^
Nakamura Tohru plays Hamakazi Kiichirou, your typical good guy that cares a lot for his girlfriend. I just wrote that but it's completely the opposite. Kiichirou lives tormented by his own blood stained hands. To me, his mother appearances is actually is own mind talking to him. He doesn't want to go to jail but he also wants to lead a normal life, even if it means to lie to Minako for the rest of his life. Destiny didn't reserve a good fate for him since he ends up in a psychiatric hospital. Nakamura-san gives so much life to this role. Some people say he was a bad choice for this role but I think it suited him so well. He starts with little smiles, then comes his tormented expressions and finally a killer gaze that can freeze your blood. Even Naoki suffered in his hands.
And my favourite character - *rolls drums* - Ito Naoki by Kimura Takuya!! (like you already didn't guess it):
*plays With or Without 2 - U2*
I think I never felt so much pity for a character. Naoki is the one who started everything and the one who suffered the most. What if he didn't send those letters? What if he didn't show up in the forest?? What if he didn't "stalked Minako"?? What if he cared more about himself?? Naoki is nothing but a tormented soul. His mother died when he was still a child, his father doesn't care, the woman he loves is his sister, he gets beaten pretty bad, his bestfriends dies. Did you found anything good in the list?? U2 song really fits him. "Sleigh of hand and twist of fate", "I can't live, with or without you" and in the end when he sleeps forever in that train, your tears just fall down naturally because afterall, he has "Nothing to win and nothing left to lose".
Kimura shone in that drama. I swear I want to kill every TV station for not making more dramas like this. Kimura outshines himself in dramatic roles (SoraKara is my favourite to date). His sad teary face and those lonely eyes invades you with so much strength and you truly believe them. You know that behind that little smirk of his hides a boy craving for love. And Kimura portrays that so well.
So tell me what you think about this drama. Although it didn't shoot into my top 3 (just for your information my podium is 3 - Pride, 2 - Karei Naru Ichizoku and 1 - SoraKara) it was quite entertaining.
Matta ne!
Puniyo