Team Batista no Eiko, based on a best-seller by Takeru Kaido, is a strange little experience. This is a medical drama that is also part detective mystery; before seeing this, I would have told you the combination couldn't work. But work it did, and in compelling fashion. The outcome genuinely surprised me, and I find it rare to be surprised by a TV mystery nowadays. I couldn't speak for the veracity of the medical science used in this drama, but the actual mystery and characters are rock solid. Any shakiness in the hospital atmosphere is washed away by the pace of the story; it's fast and keeps you guessing. My highest praise goes to the cast, however. Though the plot calls for an ensemble to fill out the wide range of suspects, each character gets a large amount of face time. There isn't intense development for most of the characters outside Ito Atsushi's Taguchi-san, but there is still joy at getting to know the suspects and their various motivations. A notable performance is given by Miyagawa Daisuke, who I was shocked to learn is a comedian in real life. He was delightfully mysterious and creepy in this! For fans of musicals, former Tenimyu cast members Shirota Yu and Suzuki Hiroki also play memorable parts. The only real problem with this drama is that you can't really watch it again and again. It's fun twice: once on your own, and another to show to a friend so you can see their reaction to the big reveals!
I have never read a synopsis of Fuyu no Sakura that did the beauty and complexity of the drama justice. Many only describe the basic premise of the first episode, and all describe it as a drama that is very like Winter Sonata (though the similarities are only in passing). As a result, many viewers will pass it by, thinking it a cliched melodrama or a pale copy. That would be a mistake; Fuyu no Sakura is one of the finest Japanese dramas I've had the pleasure of seeing, and arguably contains Kusanagi Tsuyoshi's finest performance to date. In the years since it's release, I've seen this drama three times and have never failed to weep. There is a lot of pain in this story, but it is portrayed alongside the most selfless kind of love; the result is a complex, bittersweet tale that will alternate in the viewer a feeling of regret and rising hope. The events move with a fluid grace that can only be described as slow, but never boring. Every character has a memorable face and their personalities are deeply affecting. Kusanagi Tsuyoshi, as mentioned before, completely inhabits the role of Inaba-san until there is nothing left but the subtle glass maker. It's truly fascinating to behold. Music plays a role as if it were another flawless cast member. It is unique, memorable, and completely instrumental in perfecting each scene. It was such that I ended up importing the soundtrack shortly after my first viewing. This is absolutely perfect for someone looking for a mature drama experience, but everything about this gem comes highly recommended.
