To say I’m shocked is an understatement, but its more like I’m wondering what magic sauce was in this J-dorama to create these results. A workplace dorama premiered earlier in the Summer that totally flew under my interest radar as those types always do. Hanzawa Naoki starring the currently on career fire Sakai Masato in a drama about banking turned out to be the biggest J-dorama of the Summer, of the year, and when all the ratings were tallied up, of the last decade. Co-starring Ueto Aya and Kagawa Teruyuki, it premiered strong and went on a steep ratings climb with each successive episode and more and more Japanese viewers tuned in to watch the titular Hanzawa Naoki stand up against fraud and injustice. It all culminated in the final episode 10 breaking 40% in all regions of Japan (hitting 42.2% in Kanto region that includes metropolitan Tokyo), with the final two minutes of the final episode hitting 46.7% in Kanto and 50.4% in Kansai. This is what I call a national dorama, people! The final episode of Hanzawa Naoki did the same or higher ratings as the annual Kōhaku Uta Gassen (紅白歌合戦) for the last decade. Incredible, just incredible, and this dorama is about bank loans!
Two years ago Matsushima Nanako‘s robotic housekeeper Kaseifu no Mita had very good ratings in the 20% range during its run, with only the final episode jumping slightly past 40%. That episode cemented Mita as having the biggest single episode rating in 12 years since Kimura Takuya‘s Beautiful Life final episode. In less then two years since Mita ended, Hanzawa Naoki has broken her short reign and now Sakai Masato can do no wrong in the eyes of Japanese viewers (and he just married actress Kanno Miho earlier this year as well). He already had a hit dorama this year with Legal High with Aragaki Yui, and season 2 is about to air for that dorama and I foresee some Sakai residual popularity been a boon there. Hanzawa Naoki has already secured itself a season 2 as well, and with its incredible ratings averaged out over its entire run, this dorama has managed to crack the top-10 list of the most highly rated doramas of all time. This dorama is so popular that catch phrases have spawned, visitors are going to the filming sites to take pictures posing like the characters, and in general this has energized a wave of can-do-fight-back-against-the-fat-cats mentality sweeping through the nation. It’s not only popular in Japan, the dorama is a hit all over Asia where it’s aired and I better be checking it out soon rather than remaining totally perplexed that a dorama about bad bank loans could be the biggest hit in a decade.
Everyone knows KimuTaku is the Crown Prince of Japanese entertainment, and his reign on the top of the dorama ratings chart is unparallel. Let’s put it this way – out of the top-10 highest rated J-doramas of all time (taking the average by adding up each episode’s rating), KimuTaku has a total of 6, but importantly, 5-out-of-6 of his doramas occupy the number 1 through 5 rank. That’s insane. For those who can’t read Japanese, below is the English title of the top 10 rated doramas of all time with the lead actor/actress.
1. Hero – Kimura Takuya
2. Beautiful Life – Kimura Takuya
3. Good Luck!! – Kimura Takuya
4. Love Generation – Kimura Takuya
5. Long Vacation – Kimura Takuya
6. Hanzawa Naoki – Sakai Masato
7. GTO – Sorimachi Takashi
8. Under One Roof – Eiguchi Yosuke
9. Gokusen 2 – Nakama Yukie
10. Asunaro Hakusho – Kimura Takuya
The overacting in this dorama is out of control though, and it appears completely intentional because Sakai Masato is a fabulous actor. And hot. But here I kinda want to tranquilize him just by looking at the stills. Without giving anything away, anyone having fun watching Hanzawa Naoki? When I start watching I’ll provide my two cents then.
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Still watching but love it! It was great right outta the hate for me but I loved the cast (which is why I picked it up). The premise would seem odd for fervor but there's such life in the characters and richness in the story. It deserves all the accolades. Knew it was popular just didn't know how much!!!
*gate
yess i am so happy for them.reason why i love japan.they can deliver good stuff.the other asian countries should learn.
exactly! i like j-dorama more than other dramas even i watch kdrama, taiwan drama, mainland drama, thai drama, filipino drama, indonesian drama, telenovela, western drama but just like you said, they can deliver good stuff!
you're right in all honesty and without being biased Japanese drampas lately are so much better, there is so much more quality and depth, it's a shame that more people are tuning in to watch the cliché ridden latest Sageuks and other evil mother in law and rich chaebol dramas ect ! I find it very frustrating
Japan does a wonderful job at captivating realism that other Asian countries lack. Most of the times, those Asian countries (cough Taiwan and S. Korea) focus on the cliche rich guy-poor girl or rich girl-poor guy and the story line of Cinderella. Too much sugar-coated in those drama that it really takes away the value of life.
I'm surprised, I love both Aya Ueto and Sakai Masato (legal high made me love this guy) but didnt catch this drama due to the concept of banking not appealing to me. I mean it really sounds boring on paper. Hahaha.
But I am surprised to see this news, cracking into the overall top 10 list is just WOW! What a great feat! Gonna catch this soon, I've heard a lot of great reviews during its broadcast.
in the beginning of summer when I first read for the upcoming Jdoramas ,I read about this one and thought it would be boring even that synopsis sounded very interested -actually I do not not why but it reminded me American dramas from 80s( Dallas) .I see now I was wrong.I will check it.
Tried watching it when it started and I couldn't go past ep 1..too boring for me lol.
This show is awesome. It has a fast pace, it has suspense and it has humanity. Transplant the actors on a kabuki stage and you have the explanation for the overacting: The characters are like emperors, ennemies, allies and concubines. All of them are fighting for revenge, wealth and acknowledgement, or simply to survive. Maybe that explains a bit the fact why it's been so successful.
I checked it out shortly after the first episodes aired because I was puzzled at how a drama about such a boring subject could score these ratings...
... and then I was even more puzzled. For me the drama's subject is boring and it doesn't look much different from any other Jdrama.
Sure, Sakai Masato is a great actor (he was outstanding in last year's "Ooku ~Tanjou~ Arikoto Iemitsu Hen") and Aya Ueto is Japan's darling... but... these ratings!
I thought the next drama to enter the TOP 10 would be an epic romance... starring KimuTaku too! LOL it seems the Japanese audience is drifting further and further away from the romance genre.
Despite my complete surprise at this strange ratings hit, I'm happy for Sakai Masato.
Loved Sakai Masato in Shinsengumi, he was soooo good in it... His wife Kanno Miho was really cute in Hataraki Man.
Finished, and one line MsK,
Hanzawa Naoki is a perfect man.
I loved how story shifted fast, and showed all human characteristics. Sakai was wonderful here.
What I didn't like is manga overreacting, manga in serious drama is NO.
I can't say it's better then Woman, that drama had all superb acting, wonderful directing and good script (killed by illness).
Still Saikou no rikon stays the best Jdorama this year.
Agree about Saikou no Rikon!! if only the last episode can be subbed so I can watch it!!! :(
It is subbed...go on GD.
Story is good, but the portrayal of lead actor is OTT (Overacting). Prefer the natural acting of the actor playing his friend (wears glasses). Can't stand the male lead act but finish it due to the storyline.
Lead actor and actress as husband and wife is weird. They are like brother and sister.