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walkwithheroesI have a bit of a thing for human dramas, especially those that deal with a family or a tight group of friends. So, while looking for something to watch, I recently came across the 2002 drama Tentai Kansoku (Searchin' for My Polestar ). It honestly sounded like a rip-off of a John Hughes film. But, upon farther reading, I discovered that, in Japan, it is most often compared to the early 1990 dramas about college life – like Ai to iu Nano Moto ni (1992) and Asunaro Hakusho (1993).
The story follows seven twenty-five year olds, who were all college friends. Now, three years out of university, they discover that the world isn’t as perfect as they thought it would be. They are each dealt harsh realities when they realize that a person can’t always hold onto their dreams. Plus, it is really unquie in tme ump – we miss all four years of their clloge life (expect for the first week and the summer trip) and then we time jup three years after graduation. This makes things fascinating in that we viewers have a lot of things to fll in: how did this happen? Why does ths person feel ths way about that event? Et, etc.
The series first presents the seven college friends. We start off with a brief glimpse of their last summer trip together – its senior year and they are all ready to watch a falling star. In actuality, it’s the first time they’ve gone star gazing – something that’s a bit unusual for the astronomic observation club "Sagittarius.".
The drama then flashes backward four years to the first week of classes. Everyone is busy looking for a club and three friends: idealistic Sayama Kyouichi (Ito Hideaki), artistic and carefree Kawamura Tomoya (Sakaguchi Kenji) and cool and mysterious Kisaki Takeshi (Odagiri Joe) have decided to form their own club. Sadly, they don’t actually have an idea for one. So, artistic Tomoya paints a sign with several stars. While the boys argue over if the stars all look like stars, pretty and intelligent Sawamura Mifuyu (Koyuki) wonders over to remark that she likes the sign. It’s clear all the boys find her attractive, so when she asks what their club is, one of them (not wanting her to leave) blurts out that it’s the Astronomic club. Happy to hear it, Mifuyu says she’ll join.
Later that night, the guys meet up with Mifuyu at a local bar – she’s brought along a couple of friends, cheerful country girl Miyabe Satomi (Tabata Tomoko) and slightly spoiled and romantic Ida Yuri (Konishi Manami). The six treat their first club “meeting” as more of a group date, and it’s here that we get a sense of who these young 18/19 year old kids are. Everything is going well until their last member speaks up – he’s sweet Yamazaki Kenta (Yamazaki Shigenori), the son of a fish-store owner, and he’s actually there because he enjoys star gazing.
Another flash forward leads us back to the club’s final trip together. It’s been four years, and it’s clear something’s have changed. The seven of them have become as close as family and several different relationships have grown.
Kyouichi and Tomoya are now BBFs. It’s a bit of a bromance, actually. Kyouichi is dating Mifuyu, which is a bit of a shame because Tomoya has also fallen for her. Meanwhile, Takeshi and Yuri have started a little something; while, Kenta and Satomi have stayed everyone’s favorite “kid brother/sister”.
Kenta, who’s taken to videotaping their times together, gets ready to film the shooting star, when Satomi stands to make a wish on it: she wants to get married first. Everyone joins in: Yuri jokily tells the camera she wants a better boyfriend, Takeshi wants to be rich, Mifuyu wants to fulfill her dream of becoming an elementary school teacher, Kyouichi wishes to fix Japan’s economy, and Tomoya wants to be the best – at anything. Sadly, the battery dies just as Kenta goes to make his wish.
Another flash forward leads us from 1999 to three years later. Satomi is getting married and the only people from her club in attendance are Yuri, Mifuyu, and Kenta. Both Kyouichi and Takeshi are busy with work. And, no one has heard from Tomoya in three years – he dropped out of school and went traveling shortly after their summer trip. Kenta, ever with his video camera points out that the wishes for their senior campout didn’t really come true.
Yes, Satomi is marrying, but Mifuyu isn’t a teacher and Yur’s love life has gone nowhere. Kyouichi is always working, but isn’t making uh of a difference, Takeshi’s company went under (Yuri is quick to point out he was head hunted by another), no one knows where Tomoya is, and Kenta is now working at the fish store. Not really a great wishing star.
It turns out, that Mifuyu and Kyouichi have broken up. Yuri, as romantic c as ever, tells Mifuyu (who clearly has so left over feelings, even if they are more nosticitc than romantic) that ex-lovers who meet at the weddings of friends often re-fall in love with one another. Mifuyu brushes it off, but doesn’t look disappointed when Kenta tells them Kyouichi will be coming to the second party later that night.
I’ll end it here since I’m at school, but after watching the first four episodes, I can tell you that I’m enjoying it. I’ve seen many of these storylines before, sometimes done better, but it’s the actors and their chemistries that save the show.
The story follows seven twenty-five year olds, who were all college friends. Now, three years out of university, they discover that the world isn’t as perfect as they thought it would be. They are each dealt harsh realities when they realize that a person can’t always hold onto their dreams. Plus, it is really unquie in tme ump – we miss all four years of their clloge life (expect for the first week and the summer trip) and then we time jup three years after graduation. This makes things fascinating in that we viewers have a lot of things to fll in: how did this happen? Why does ths person feel ths way about that event? Et, etc.
The series first presents the seven college friends. We start off with a brief glimpse of their last summer trip together – its senior year and they are all ready to watch a falling star. In actuality, it’s the first time they’ve gone star gazing – something that’s a bit unusual for the astronomic observation club "Sagittarius.".
The drama then flashes backward four years to the first week of classes. Everyone is busy looking for a club and three friends: idealistic Sayama Kyouichi (Ito Hideaki), artistic and carefree Kawamura Tomoya (Sakaguchi Kenji) and cool and mysterious Kisaki Takeshi (Odagiri Joe) have decided to form their own club. Sadly, they don’t actually have an idea for one. So, artistic Tomoya paints a sign with several stars. While the boys argue over if the stars all look like stars, pretty and intelligent Sawamura Mifuyu (Koyuki) wonders over to remark that she likes the sign. It’s clear all the boys find her attractive, so when she asks what their club is, one of them (not wanting her to leave) blurts out that it’s the Astronomic club. Happy to hear it, Mifuyu says she’ll join.
Later that night, the guys meet up with Mifuyu at a local bar – she’s brought along a couple of friends, cheerful country girl Miyabe Satomi (Tabata Tomoko) and slightly spoiled and romantic Ida Yuri (Konishi Manami). The six treat their first club “meeting” as more of a group date, and it’s here that we get a sense of who these young 18/19 year old kids are. Everything is going well until their last member speaks up – he’s sweet Yamazaki Kenta (Yamazaki Shigenori), the son of a fish-store owner, and he’s actually there because he enjoys star gazing.
Another flash forward leads us back to the club’s final trip together. It’s been four years, and it’s clear something’s have changed. The seven of them have become as close as family and several different relationships have grown.
Kyouichi and Tomoya are now BBFs. It’s a bit of a bromance, actually. Kyouichi is dating Mifuyu, which is a bit of a shame because Tomoya has also fallen for her. Meanwhile, Takeshi and Yuri have started a little something; while, Kenta and Satomi have stayed everyone’s favorite “kid brother/sister”.
Kenta, who’s taken to videotaping their times together, gets ready to film the shooting star, when Satomi stands to make a wish on it: she wants to get married first. Everyone joins in: Yuri jokily tells the camera she wants a better boyfriend, Takeshi wants to be rich, Mifuyu wants to fulfill her dream of becoming an elementary school teacher, Kyouichi wishes to fix Japan’s economy, and Tomoya wants to be the best – at anything. Sadly, the battery dies just as Kenta goes to make his wish.
Another flash forward leads us from 1999 to three years later. Satomi is getting married and the only people from her club in attendance are Yuri, Mifuyu, and Kenta. Both Kyouichi and Takeshi are busy with work. And, no one has heard from Tomoya in three years – he dropped out of school and went traveling shortly after their summer trip. Kenta, ever with his video camera points out that the wishes for their senior campout didn’t really come true.
Yes, Satomi is marrying, but Mifuyu isn’t a teacher and Yur’s love life has gone nowhere. Kyouichi is always working, but isn’t making uh of a difference, Takeshi’s company went under (Yuri is quick to point out he was head hunted by another), no one knows where Tomoya is, and Kenta is now working at the fish store. Not really a great wishing star.
It turns out, that Mifuyu and Kyouichi have broken up. Yuri, as romantic c as ever, tells Mifuyu (who clearly has so left over feelings, even if they are more nosticitc than romantic) that ex-lovers who meet at the weddings of friends often re-fall in love with one another. Mifuyu brushes it off, but doesn’t look disappointed when Kenta tells them Kyouichi will be coming to the second party later that night.
I’ll end it here since I’m at school, but after watching the first four episodes, I can tell you that I’m enjoying it. I’ve seen many of these storylines before, sometimes done better, but it’s the actors and their chemistries that save the show.
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no subject
Date: 2009-12-03 06:50 pm (UTC)Odagiri Joe? Love him even though I've only seen him once.
The time jump makes it sound interesting. I like when dramas make you think instead of just throwing information at you.
no subject
Date: 2009-12-07 10:40 pm (UTC)Odagiri Joe is actually really good in this. He's a brilliant actor, so it's sad that a lot of his better stuff doesn't get subbed.
The time jump is really well done, because everything is by word of mouth, so you never fully know if it's correct information. Until more people come together and say that 'Yes, that happened.' or 'No, that never happened that way.'
no subject
Date: 2009-12-03 09:45 pm (UTC)and hating hasegawa kyoko XDno subject
Date: 2009-12-07 10:47 pm (UTC)But, I really dislike the Hasegawa Kyoko character and have no idea why she is needed in the overall plot of the story. She basically seems be there to cause issues for people. The character is rather annoying. I also cannot stand Satomi's husband - he seems to have married her just so someone would take care of his mother.
Over all, I'm really enjoying the show and (most) of the characters. I hope to find more series like this one.