"Koi wo Nannen Yasundemasu ka" drama: Episode three recap

 Air Dates: October 19th to December 21, 2001     Fridays at 10:00 pm on TBS 

Director: Makoto Kiyohiro     Screenwriter: Noriko Yoshida    Average Rating: 16.6%

 Main Cast:

Naoko Iijima as Mayumi Aida

Kyoko Koizumi as Yuko Konishi

Hitomi Kuroki as Sakiko Horikawa

Hideaki Ito as Hiroshi Sawamura
Toru Nakamura as Ryohei Konishi

Akiko Yada as Risa Horikawa

Koji Shiizu as Kazuo Horikawa

Yumi Morio as Reiko Sakaguchi
Kazufumi Miyazawa as Kenichi Shima

Erika Mabuchi as Kaori

Kimiko Yo as Shizue Takamura

Yuichiro Yamaguchi as Ichiro Aida

 Unlike modern day dramas there's no promo videos on YT but did see most of the episodes there though of course unsubbed. Wasn't going to do this post until the weekend but the subs for episode eight of  'Video Girl Ai' for some reason haven't been done. That may be a blessing in disguise as I watched this third episode instead and decided on a change of plans for recapping it.
 Too often when you have back to back posts the second doesn't appear unless you click on a label. Very odd that it's only that way with Chrome and not Yahoo especially seeing how Blogger is run by Google. So what I'll do know is have one recap at a time for this series instead of those two in a row, will also help me finish the drama quicker so let's get on with the recap for the third episode.

 For this recaps for this series have been breaking them down into segments where I look at the individual lives of the three leads. So far think that's worked out well, can't do this format for most dramas but it lets you know the characters a bit better, first off will be Yuko again. If you haven't read the first two recaps may be better if you do.
 At the conclusion of the previous episode Ryohei had been caught sneaking into a hotel with his lover by Mayumi. She didn't see him but did espy the woman he was with who was Risa, the daughter of Sakiko who is the best friend of Mayumi and Yuko. It's not complicated but there is a love triangle that has developed and soon it may become four sided. Up to now Ryohei's actions haven't raised any suspicions with Yuko but by the end of the show there have been a few warning signs about Ryohei's affair but Yuko has been ignoring them or it seems that way.
 Bottom screenshot above was one sign as Yuko had found a book in his bed by the esteemed author Murakami. It was the second of a two part series and when Yuko asked Ryohei where the first part was he was dumbfounded on what to say.  That's because Risa had given him the book to read, it wasn't the only sign of her in the couple's house. As he was leaving for work the following morning Yuko had noticed a makeup stain on his suit coat, Ryohei replied it was probably from a woman who rubbed against him on the train though it was Risa's. Like all of his increasing total of excuses Yuko accepted what her husband said and can't believe she's so blind about Ryohei's activities.

 Yuko had set up a mini party that Friday night for her best friends Mayumi and Sakiko, Ryohei said he would show up for it. What a disaster the get together was but mainly for Sakiko. Mayumi's husband Ichiro had also joined in on the fun, he's such an excellent cook and had prepared many dishes for the house warming occasion. A few days prior Mayumi had told Yuko about seeing Risa at a hotel with a man who she couldn't identify, it's a secret between the two.
 However Ichiro had been there that night too and had no clue about the secret nor about Risa's prearranged dates with Hiroshi. Ichiro let the cat out the bag when he started blabbering about the night they saw Risa with a man, he preacehd that in his day young people didn't do those kinds of things. Sakiko's jaw almost dropped to the floor as she had no idea about her daughter's life, she's kind of upset at what she learned and was about to take her leave.
 Just at that moment who should come back home but Ryohei though his appearance didn't stop Sakiko from heading back home. Yuko introduced the two and Ryohei ended up having a quiet panic attack when he learned what Sakiko's name was. He had just left Risa before heading home, she wanted to spend some time together but it was out of the question for Ryohei. The scene took place towards the end of the show, Ryohei is clueless on what steps to take as he does care about Risa but to have her mother be Yuko's best friend was something that he had never imagined.

 Those top two screenshots are of Yuko with Shima who has designed a table for her husband. The pair had met in college and were extremely close lovers until Shima dropped out of school. The pair had spent a steamy weekend in Hokkaido, there Shima had fallen in love with some unique furniture he saw and since then woodworking has become his passion. He has been successful as he does own a popular shop and the pair are becoming a bit close again though he's disappointed Yuko quit work to become a housewife. Really don't know what's going to become of the two, don't think they'll have a fling but if Yuko learns about her husband's affair then it could be possible.
 Have started in already about Sakiko who really doesn't know her daughter that well. The prearranged dates with Hiroshi have bombed, he's works at the bank Sakiko's husband is a director at. So far we haven't met the husband Kazuo and we thought we would in this show as Sakiko was heading to Hataka to see him. And who should she run into at the airport but Hiroshi, he also was heading to Hataka to have a business meeting with her husband.
 However Kazuo stood both of them up as once again something urgent came up, he's been living away from Sakiko for close to three years now. That leaves just the two of them in the faraway city of Hataka, not what you would think happened as both are very old fashioned but they do have their third dinner together. Those two really seem to be made for each other even though there's a seventeen year gap in their ages. Hiroshi let slip that it's okay if Risa doesn't want to be with him as he much prefers being with Sakiko, she may have set a record for blushing hearing that statement.

 You'd like to see those two pair up but with Sakiko being old fashioned and married it may not happen. But I won't say 100% that it won't either, Sakiko is such a classy and nice woman but has been alone for so long and has a daughter who she doesn't know well at all. At the end of the show the pair finally have a chat which left us hanging. Won't go into too much of the conversation as it'll be finished in the next episode but Sakiko finally demanded to know who Risa has been seeing. Risa started stammering and never gave an answer, though Ryohei now knows who Risa's mother is she doesn't know that Ryohei's wife is her mother's best friend.
 The only pair who may not go looking for another lover or mate are Mayumi and Ichiro. Their life isn't all wine and roses though as Mayumi is keeping many secrets from him and her friends. That romantic night she booked for her and Ichiro in a hotel was a complete flop as he had too much wine and couldn't perform the duties of a husband. That 'I want a baby' comment was made by Mayumi towards the end of the show, think she's a bit jealous of her friends having children. However Ichiro had fallen asleep already and think the comment probably went unheard.

 Getting close to the end, think doing the recaps by characters make them a tad shorter. Ichiro is more than a struggling actor, he never can land a role and spends all his time cooking at home while Mayumi works at her salon. To me there's no reason he can't get a job as a chef as he is quite talented at cooking plus the couple's finances aren't that strong. Mayumi gives us and her friends the impression her salon is doing well, it seems busy but she had taken out a large bank loan and is having problems paying it along with all of the couple's bills.
 Just two scenes with the trio together which are always highlights of the show. Did talk about their mini house warming party which ended being a disaster for Sakiko. The other scene was at Mayumi's salon as the threesome often have a chat and coffee there, you can't believe how much coffee they all consume. After that party at Yuko's house the three haven't gotten back together again as the scene did take place near the end.
 But with Mayumi and Yuko keeping the secret about Risa wonder if it's going to affect the friend's relationships. There's no right or wrong with what Mayumi and Yuko did, it would have disturbed Sakiko immensely if she learned of her daughter's affair. But then again hearing about it the way she did seemed to have upset Sakiko quite a bit, she's such a nice lady that it's hard to think of her being mad at anyone but she may have a mean streak in her and that'll bring us to the end.

 Hope that wasn't too yawn inducing, took a long break and when that happens you usually lose that train of thought. After three episodes really enjoying this show, seven more to go and think the drama will be getting better with each episode. No Idols in this series nor most of the older ones, as much as I like them the vast majority aren't that good at acting. Kyoko though is an excellent actress and at one time she was the #1 Idol in Japan. Hopefully can do the episode eight recap of 'Video Girl Ai' tomorrow, next post for this drama should be this weekend.