This drama is really entertaining for me. I know that it's a murder mystery concerning three siblings who swear to find their parents' killers and avenge their deaths, but the interaction of the characters in the beginning of this episode just cracks me up. I really love watching Ninomiya Kazunari, Nishikido Ryo, and Toda Erika play the Ariake siblings. They do a fantastic job at their roles and are very skilled actors.
Nishikido Ryo just wows me at times, especially with his ability to talk extremely fast about sex ("Sports & Open Bath") lol ^_^; After the opening sequence, he and George talk about "infidelity" and he really pushes his benefactor on the topic lol ^_^; I still remember his role as Sousuke in Last Friends, which I believe is one of his best roles to date. The way he portrayed his character was so good that I'm still freaked out by his Sousuke role. Right now, watching him play the "da-me" younger brother, Ariake Taisuke, is refreshing and really funny. He's always been given cool roles (and cool in several different ways, I guess), but this is the first I've seen him act as a dumb character. He's really cute. Ah, he also works at a porn video rental shop in this drama lol ^_^;
Ninomiya Kazunari plays the eldest brother, Ariake Kouichi, who can be described as the serious, hermit-like character who spends more time at home and in front of their computer than out and about hanging with friends. He's a hardworker who is prudent and proper about things, but will do anything to protect and take care of his younger siblings. He is also good with technology and teased by his younger brother and sister a lot. In short, his character is the anti-social, but cares about the family type. Ninomiya plays the role very well and you just can't help, but love him.
Toda Erika is the youngest sibling and sister, Ariake Shizuna, who is very cute, sweet, innocent, and yet not ^_^; She and Taisuke get along a lot better than with Kouichi, but loves both brothers the same. She is pretty naive and wants the best for her family as well, but is easy to anger and deceive. In the first episode, she is frequently harrassed by her superior at her company when he sticks a million sticky-notes on his desk, computer, papers, on her clothes, back, and then finally on her face. Because she cannot take anymore of his sticky-noteness, she quits the company and starts a skimpy part-time job until Kouichi plus Taisuke stops her. She also finds out later -- after she quits her job -- that the sticky-notes used to harrass her were actually a form of affection, because the boss is attracted to her, but she decides never to care about it anymore. She later also gets swindled 300,000 yen (which is roughly $3000), and in order to get the money back, she tries to swindle someone else with the help of Taisuke, but both are caught and stopped by Kouichi, who shows them a plan of his own.
Basically the first episode shows snippets of the past with the present, while incorporating much of the episode to how the three siblings cooperate to save each other and "defeat their enemies." For instance, a good portion of the episode shows the process in which Kouichi directs his two siblings in tricking the host, whom Katsuragi gives all her money to, to return the 300,000 yen to Shizuna. The way the whole plan is carried out though is just so funny. Kouichi actually writes a script as to how things are supposed to go, and then Taisuke infiltrates the host club as a newbie named Mitsuru and learns of Kazuya (the host)'s likes, dislikes, and weaknesses, which surprisingly turns out to be gothic-lolita shoujo manga ^_^;
After discovering that Kazuya likes gothic-loli, Shizuna dresses up as Kazuya's ideal girl (from the manga) and gets him to fall for her. Once the hook is in deep enough, Shizuna's play character, Shiori, tells Kazuya that she has to go away to Canada 'cause her doctor has told her that the air there will be better for her health, but she needs 300,000 yen. Upon reading her last letter, Kazuya makes Mitsuru (Taisuke) go and withdraw 300,000 yen from his account to send to Shiori (Shizuna). And thus, Shizuna gets her money back ^_^
At the end of the episode, we learn the real reason why Shizuna actually quit her company. A co-worker asks her about the Ariake murder case when asking Shizuna about her name, and Shizuna reacts to it. After that experience, things have become awkward in a way and she can no longer work in that environment, so she quit. Upon speaking about the subject again, the three reminisce how they discovered their parents' death, how they vowed to hunt down and kill the one responsible for killing their parents and look out into the city.
So in short, this series is quite entertaining despite how dark it is supposed to be. I really enjoy it a lot and think it has quite a lot of potential. I want to read the novel now too, except it'll probably take me forever 'cause it's not like I'm exactly completely fluent in Japanese ^_^; I really am looking forward to the next episode.
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