Hinako Sakurai: "Gohoubi Gohan" drama, episode twelve(final) recap

 

 

Air Dates: October 2nd to December 19th Sunday nights at midnight on BS TV-Tokyo

Total of twelve episodes, 23 minutes a show and subs were done by Macthitza at DA

Main Cast: Small cast and all the characters are quite likable, through all episodes Hinako has been in 100% of the scenes.

Hinako Sakura as Sakiko Ikeda.... 22 year old woman who has just moved to Tokyo from Nagano and has begun work as an OL at the Suzume Stationary Company in the distribution department. Sakiko is an efficient worker but doesn't have enough confidence in herself, to make herself feel better Food has become her biggest passion. Doesn't matter if it's eating out or at home as Sakiko has such pleasure in the meals she consumes and it's quite hilarious watching her eat.

Sae Okazaki as Kaede Kominato.... Works at the same office and has been there a little while longer than Sakiko who at first was quite intimidated by Kaede. But at the end of the first show the pair bumped into each other at a ritzy burger shop, they found out they have so much in common and are becoming best friends.

Yuki Furukawa as Maokoto Isogai.... Works in the designing office and though a major character we didn't see much of him until the eighth episode.

Miku as Aoyagi.... Office manager at Suzume Stationary and Sakiko was petrified of her at first but after sharing a meal with her found out Aoyagi is a down to earth, funny woman.

Oolong Yoshida as Morigasaki.... One of the directors of the stationary company.

Kizuki as Honda.... Goofy office worker who became Sakiko's first 'friend' at the company.

Hinako has many behind the scenes videos on her YT channel from the drama, here's the link to it if you want to view a few of them: Hinako's YT channel

Previous recaps, episode four wasn't subbed:

Episode one .... Episode two .... Episode three .... Episode five

Episode six .... Episode seven .... Episode eight .... Episode nine .... Episode ten

 Here we are with the final show and am often a bit sad when a fun drama ends. As mentioned wouldn't call this a must watch but every show was enjoyable and do recommend this series, especially if food dramas are among your faves. Did eventually find the fourth episode but it was after the fact so there was no sense recapping it. Will give my final grade a bit early and it'll be a somewhat high mark of 8.7/10, you could call that about a B+. One thing I need to do is a few more posts for Sae, she just looked so darn attractive in this show and that'd be one other good reason for viewing this! So for the first time there was a semi cliffhanger though of course the main feature was always food. At the Suzume Stationary company Sakiko had entered the yearly 'Internal Competition' where employees can submit proposals for new products. When the last episode ended Sakiko was still clueless on what her design should be, creating something from scratch isn't as easy as she thought it would be.

 We never did see a completed version of Sakiko's design, probably because she wasn't the winner of the competition. For the third year in a row it was Isogai which makes sense as he works in the production and design department. Sakiko is in the distribution department and her four mates thought she would be a bit heartbroken over not winning. That wasn't the case, Sakiko was just kind of relieved that she was able to create a product which was called a TakoTako Pen. Not sure if there was anything special about it as it was only mentioned for all of five seconds but more on it near the end of the show. But Sakiko's chief Morigaski was so pleased that someone from his department entered the competition, how about the five of them going out for their first ever meal together?! But to his dismay his co-workers thought Morigasaki said it was his treat, before he could object the four spent the day dreaming of their upcoming Yakiniku meal!

 That number to partake in Morigasaki's treat would soon grow by one as the competition's winner Isogai was invited along. The grand prize for the winning was a dinner with the company's president but it was delayed, doesn't seem like much a prize to me. Isogai has often given the airs of being a bit better than everyone else at the Suzume Stationary company so was reluctant to go. But for once it seemed Isogai wanted to let his hair down so he agreed to join them, he also had wanted to apologize to Sakiko for some harsh comments he's made to her. Yakiniku restaurants are quite popular in Japan, the Niku part means meat and there's too many styles of meat to list.

 This was one of the best shows to date but didn't seem that as much took place while eating, perhaps because every other time it was Sakiko with one of her work mates. Don't know if I can remember each dish ordered and devoured but it was too many to count, much to Morigasaki's silent fury as he was treating and Yakiniku isn't inexpensive! So you can see a few of the dishes above such as Kalbi and Akaushi Misuji but there was plenty more the group of six ate. There were two kinds of Negidon Shio dishes along with two different Tanshios ordered, hope I got those names right and the grand finale was Yakishabu but there were also many other side dishes.

 Was just doing some searching and there is a Yakiniku Day in Japan which takes place on August 29th. More than just meat was devoured as the distribution department also loves to guzzle beer and all got a bit tipsy, save for Sakiko who can handle her alcohol. Not so her best friend Kaede who does drink a lot but is often drunk after three beers but it's never stopped her from downing ten of them! So a grand time was had by all including Isogai, more about him and Sakiko coming up. Wanted to mention something in the intro but forgot about it until now. That's of this drama setting itself up nicely for a second season and that's something I'd really like to see. Have heard no stories about it but it wouldn't surprise me in the least if there was a second season a year from now, that's been a bit more common the last few years with these late night dramas.

 Towards the end of the Yakiniku party Isogai finally had the chance to talk with Sakiko, the alcohol loosened his tongue a bit. He admitted he was too harsh towards Sakiko when he heard about her entering the company's competition for a new product. Isogai doesn't seem like much of a 'people person' and this party may have been one of his most fun nights ever but the talk between the two wasn't quite finished yet. Eventually the party did end with Kaede barely being able to stand, everyone had their different way to go except for Sakiko and Isogai who both had to catch a train. On their walk to the station Isogai finally told the real truth to Sakiko about his harshness and you can see what he said above.

 Isogai was actually worried that Sakiko's creation would beat his own out, it didn't happen but that TakoTako Pen according to Isogai may still be something that could see the light of day. Few times during this series had the impression that Isogai wanted to confess to Sakiko that he really liked her, thought it was going to happen then but obviously it didn't. But hearing that her creation was a semi success has rejuvenated Sakiko so her becoming a designer may be a storyline for a second season. As this episode came to it's conclusion Sakiko reminisced a bit about how food has changed her life, at the beginning of the series she was a scared 22 year old from Nagano but now has settled so nicely in Tokyo with many friends and a solid job. So that ends this drama, will be taking about a ten day break from them but there's a few starting up next month which I'll be viewing.