Shigeshoshi Episodes 1-2
So, to be perfectly honest, I'm watching this drama for Shunji Igarashi. Masato Wada is more to me like another D-BOY in the show who happens to be the main character. Although I admit that by the end of episode 2, I sort of like the way Wada portrays Mamiya. (It also helps that I like this type of character: a guy who can play when he wants to, but can be serious when an occassion calls for it. The contrast in personalities is simply wonderful that way.)
I confess that I had no idea what an embalmer was until I watched this show. Still don't really know what he does actually, except that he apparently prettifies beautifies a body and the procedure seems almost sacred, religious-like somehow. (A plastic surgeon for the dead? My mind is in a weird place sometimes.)
Can't really say much about plot, because there doesn't really seem to be one so far, or likely to be one in the future. This reminds me much of a superhero show where each episode sort of stands alone and features guest star/monster of the week (or, in this case, body of the week ::shudders::). And, of course, Mamiya (the embalmer) has to have encountered the dead person before he or she dies, otherwise it wouldn't have meant anything (wouldn't really effect him personally, I mean).
Igarashi makes his 20 or 30 seconds appearance in each episode as Mitsuru, a street singer/musician who seems to have some slight acquaintance with Mamiya. (And I just find it amusing that this is Igarashi's second role with the name starting with "Mi".) While I think he looks great, I'm almost afraid to say that he doesn't seem to know how to sing. :( No wonder he's never gotten into TeniMyu. (Not that I really want him in TeniMyu, but it seems an actor gets more recognition for being in it...)
I would rant about Shiori (the body in episode 1) dying a stupid death, but I'm afraid that 'distracted people not looking at the road while driving' might not be all fiction. And since my LJ is not any sort of platform for real/serious social commentaries, I'll leave it at that.
Nit-picky note to Shiori's actress: a dead body does not breathe. Please be more careful next time.
So far I think they are trying to keep Mamiya's occupation as an embalmer a secret. (Ha! Another thing that reminds me of a superhero show: the need to keep your identity a secret. Although I get an impression that when his job as an embalmer is eventually revealed, Mamiya won't get praised like a superhero does.) The guy Mamiya works for (I can't seem to tell who he is: either the hospital owner or the funeral home director?) obviously ignores a direct (I think) question from the female doctor (or nurse?) in episode 2. And there seems to be a confrontation between the same doctor and Mamiya in episode 3 preview.
So, embalming seems underground, and obviously scars Mamiya each time he has to do it. Again, not trying to make any sort of a real social commentary, but I'm taken back each time a random female approaches Mamiya at the end of the episode. (How do these women know he isn't a dangerous criminal or crazy or something?) I don't care that Mamiya would pick some stranger to sleep with--as a therapy or something, it seems, but I would rather he is the one doing the picking. (And that nudity shot is totally not needed at the end of ep 2. Not that I mind seeing this sort of thing or that I should complain (this is a midnight drama, after all), but it just seems irrelevant in that scene.)
Admittedly, Shigeshoshi is not a deep, deep drama like WataKyou, but I'm not really disappointed. It is rather strange in tone: there could be one part all bright and sparkly, then there would be other part all dark and gloomy, but the inconsistency doesn't really bother me. I'm going to get episode 3 when my computer cooperates. And hope that Igarashi shows up more. That's about it.
I confess that I had no idea what an embalmer was until I watched this show. Still don't really know what he does actually, except that he apparently prettifies beautifies a body and the procedure seems almost sacred, religious-like somehow. (A plastic surgeon for the dead? My mind is in a weird place sometimes.)
Can't really say much about plot, because there doesn't really seem to be one so far, or likely to be one in the future. This reminds me much of a superhero show where each episode sort of stands alone and features guest star/monster of the week (or, in this case, body of the week ::shudders::). And, of course, Mamiya (the embalmer) has to have encountered the dead person before he or she dies, otherwise it wouldn't have meant anything (wouldn't really effect him personally, I mean).
Igarashi makes his 20 or 30 seconds appearance in each episode as Mitsuru, a street singer/musician who seems to have some slight acquaintance with Mamiya. (And I just find it amusing that this is Igarashi's second role with the name starting with "Mi".) While I think he looks great, I'm almost afraid to say that he doesn't seem to know how to sing. :( No wonder he's never gotten into TeniMyu. (Not that I really want him in TeniMyu, but it seems an actor gets more recognition for being in it...)
I would rant about Shiori (the body in episode 1) dying a stupid death, but I'm afraid that 'distracted people not looking at the road while driving' might not be all fiction. And since my LJ is not any sort of platform for real/serious social commentaries, I'll leave it at that.
Nit-picky note to Shiori's actress: a dead body does not breathe. Please be more careful next time.
So far I think they are trying to keep Mamiya's occupation as an embalmer a secret. (Ha! Another thing that reminds me of a superhero show: the need to keep your identity a secret. Although I get an impression that when his job as an embalmer is eventually revealed, Mamiya won't get praised like a superhero does.) The guy Mamiya works for (I can't seem to tell who he is: either the hospital owner or the funeral home director?) obviously ignores a direct (I think) question from the female doctor (or nurse?) in episode 2. And there seems to be a confrontation between the same doctor and Mamiya in episode 3 preview.
So, embalming seems underground, and obviously scars Mamiya each time he has to do it. Again, not trying to make any sort of a real social commentary, but I'm taken back each time a random female approaches Mamiya at the end of the episode. (How do these women know he isn't a dangerous criminal or crazy or something?) I don't care that Mamiya would pick some stranger to sleep with--as a therapy or something, it seems, but I would rather he is the one doing the picking. (And that nudity shot is totally not needed at the end of ep 2. Not that I mind seeing this sort of thing or that I should complain (this is a midnight drama, after all), but it just seems irrelevant in that scene.)
Admittedly, Shigeshoshi is not a deep, deep drama like WataKyou, but I'm not really disappointed. It is rather strange in tone: there could be one part all bright and sparkly, then there would be other part all dark and gloomy, but the inconsistency doesn't really bother me. I'm going to get episode 3 when my computer cooperates. And hope that Igarashi shows up more. That's about it.