Another Taiga drama yet again! Taiga dramas have this strange effect on me-- the make me go awwwww at the slightest touch of a hand or a hug, unlike modern dramas where skinship is abundant; a little too abundant, perhaps. And the glorious OST! OSTs of period dramas are a work of art, the pretty instrumental sounds and the suitability of the music never fail to disappoint me. But I must complain; the opening for Gou was just too long. Can you imagine sitting in front of the computer waiting for it to buffer... only to realise that you've only loaded the opening? Anyway, moving on. Gou was a nice break from the idol dramas as of recent, an account of the Sengoku Era told from a woman's point of view. Considering that women were of low statuses then, the effect that women had on men in this drama seems a little surreal. However, it's a nice and refreshing change from watching a period drama where men are always involved in war. This drama recounts the life of Gou, the wife of the 2nd Tokugawa Shogun, Tokugawa Hidetada. It recounts her love life, her dedication and believe in her husband. She must've been one of the luckiest women in the Sengoku Era-- her husband never took a concubine (but had some illegitimate children along the way) and her husband was just so... dedicated to her, but maybe I'm just infatuated with Mukai Osamu's role... HE'S TOO DREAMY FOR WORDS *_* Unfortunately, Ueno Juri was a miscast. She acted her part really well, her role was rather convincing, but somehow... something didn't seem right. I can't put my finger on it but in Nodame, she had such a distinctive charm and personality, but in this, she portrayed the role too... intensively? Her words, her expression, they seemed too forced. Perhaps, but I'm not sure. Nevertheless, she put in a great amount of effort, but I will not rewatch this drama, who rewatches period dramas? Too many episodes for me to handle, I feel :( Overall, this drama was a breeze to watch. It wasn't heartbreaking, it didn't make me angry, and it wrapped up nicely; the ending was just pretty and complete. And Mukai!! Mukai is my all-time favourite, his voice is so deep and baritone ahhhhhh *___*