The bubble economy has just burst in Japan and Fuyuki Aki (Nagasaku Hiromi) works in company where women can't get promoted and bosses would say things to her like, "If only you were a man." Fuyuki used to date Satou (Eguchi Yosuke) who works in the same company and Satou is about to get married to another colleague.Watashi to iu unmei ni tsuite follows Aki as she is led along by fate.
WHAT I LIKED
+ Its based on a novel which I assume is aimed at women but I enjoyed most of it.
+ The role of Aki is one of those juicy female roles that any actress would kill for.
+ Nagasaku Hiromi has planted her flag on the best actress mountain for 2014. She does a really awesome job and no overacting from Eguchi Yosuke.
+ Awesome movie-like direction and music. I have no idea how much budget WOWOW has for their doramas compared to your run of the mill idoru doramas but this looks so good.
+ Watching mobile phones/fashion change from the early 90s till today.
+ The dorama also deals with huge events and there's one that made for pretty exciting sequence.
+ Okada Yoshikazu (Saigo Kara Nibanme) adapted the novel and the dialogue felt natural and real, especially when the show sometimes threatens to give way to soap opera conventions.
+ This one seemingly soap opera-ish thing that I thought was going to happen in episode 2 turned into an interesting incident.
+ Amachan's grandmother.
+ Aki and sister-in-law talk.
+ The long no cut scene between Aki and her brother.
WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE
- The ending. Let's just say if it weren't a real event, I would be even more pissed off. Female viewers might love it but I found it deflating.
- Bloody obvious they voiced over the Malaysian taxi driver. lol
SUMMARY
Ending aside, great job by WOWOW. I was reluctant to call it must watch but considering the source material, it is what it is and they did a awesome job executing it. Plus its nice to see WOWOW doing something that's not about a cover-up. Must watch for Nagasaku Hiromi's acting IMHO and the direction, just watch out for the soapish ending.
