Proposal Daisakusen

I just finished watching Proposal Daisakusen 11 like 10 minutes ago and I’m so pumped that I’d write a review straight away. Besides, I have nothing left to watch at the moment. I’ll be honest; I had no idea what this drama was about when I first saw it and I downloaded it because of one reason – YAMAPI even if I’m not a big fan of his. Well looks like I made the right decision because I really enjoyed the drama.
An update: this drama won best drama, special award and best theme song at the 53rd Television Drama Academy Awards, WELL DESERVED! Bambino won most of the other awards (like best actor etc) but I thought that ProDai could have taken some more, well maybe I should watch Bambino (MatsuJun ><).
Main cast: Yamashita Tomohisa, Nagasawa Masami, Fujiki Naohito, Eikura Nana, Hiraoka Yuta, Hamada Gaku
Genre: Comedy, Romance
Episodes: 11 (viewed 11 out of 11)
Broadcast period: 2007 Apr 16 to 2007 Jun 25
ED song: Ashita Hareru Kana by Kuwata Keisuke

Kenzou – B-A-K-A, BAKA!

Synopsis
Yamashita Tomohisa and Nagasawa Masami play a young man and woman who have been friends since elementary school. Yamashita’s character, Iwase Ken, is obstinate and unskilled in love, but he fell long ago for the lively and cheerful woman, Yoshida Rei, played by Nagasawa. But Rei is about to get married to another man. While Ken and other friends from high school attend the wedding ceremony, a fairy appears and sends Ken back in time, giving him a second chance to win the girl he loves.

WHY IS KEN NOT THE GROOM?

My Thoughts
First, let’s talk about YamaPi. Well he’s the it-boy of Japan at the moment and every teenage girl swoons at the sight of him but I don’t get what the big deal with him is. He’s just another Johnny’s and I think his eyes look funny but that’s just me (hope fan girls don’t kill me). Enough talk about him, let’s talk about the actual drama now. At the beginning of the series (eps 1-3 ish) I didn’t find it anything special and thought it would just be another drama I would watch but from episode 4 onwards I found myself waiting impatiently for a new episode every week and sometimes screaming at the computer because Ken did something silly… AGAIN! Kenzou and Rei are just addictive (Tsuru and Eri too).

Rei as a bride in present day 2007

Tada x Rei? Why not Ken x Rei?

All the characters in the series are quite likeable, none of the characters are SUPER SPECIAL AWESOME (except Tsuru ><) but each has their own redeeming traits, which does make them memorable. I really admire the friendship of the main five and watching their adventures from high school till the time they mature at Rei’s wedding really was a fantabulous ride and watching their love lives develop was even better (TSURUxERI). The supporting characters are quite memorable too with a philosopher, wacky teacher and unskilled hamburger chef as well as the random black guy who passes every once in a while. My favourite characters of the series are the main five and I love them all very much to choose an order would be a crime, their interactions make all of them shine and they all have their special scenes too.
The directing was very good and in some episodes there were hints as to what Ken had changed or was to happen plus the black man and they’re always fun to spot. The fairy’s words about the nature of human beings are true and make you think, sometimes, his advice is also very good… too bad Ken didn’t follow it (STUPID KEN) /Off topic/ SERIOUSLY, how many times did you curse at the computer and scream out “NO, KEN YOU FREAKING DUMBASS!!!!!11111″, I would have counted but no brain coul compensate for how much time it would take up/Off topic/. There are sad, sentimental and sweet scenes and you’ll also find all sorts of humour like slapstick, parodies, corny gags and plain weird jokes (merry-go-round of death anyone? HAHA, Did you know they span 12 times first round and 16 times second round) to mix it out. The series never goes too serious or too light-hearted which is a good balance.

OOOH! Mikio, that must of hurt

HEH? What?

Merry-go-round of death, how to properly break up go rabu rabu again in Japan

I enjoyed all the episodes, just when you knew what was going to happen, just when you go NO MORE HALLELUIAH CHANCE, just when you think it’s going to go downhill… ZOMG A PLOT TWIST and it was great, the ending was more than satisfying even if everyone thought otherwise and that speech was so heartbreaking that it made me CRY. The characters are not one-sided and flat but are truly fleshed out with their own faults, flaws and by the end of the series I liked EVERYONE, notably, I really admired Tada for what he did. All the characters truly know the meaning of friendship and love and maybe we can learn a thing or two from them.
Final Judgement
9.5 out of 10, it’s not perfect, but it’s almost there, SO CLOSE in fact. This series takes the cake for my favourite of Spring 2007 and I hope there will be a special – EDIT: MY WISHES WERE GRANTED – showing more of this series because I love it all too much! I LOVE THEM ALL!

Source: http://omgasians.wordpress.com/2007/07/05/proposal-daisakusen/