Concerto (1996 TBS)

Romaji: Kyosokyoku
Japanese: 協奏曲
Writer: Shunsaku Ikehata
Network: TBS
Episodes: 10
Release Date:  1996

Cast

Masakazu Tamura as Kosuke Ebisawa, Takuya Kimura as Kakeru Takakura, and Rie Miyazawa as Hana Sakaki

Plot

Love and ambition collide when two brilliant architects compete for the same woman and the glory of success in their highly competitive field. Kakeru, a young dreamer just entering the professional world, starts out with the goal of building a magnificent church. The story unfolds when a world-famous architect, whom Kakeru idolizes but has never seen, collapses in front of him on the beach. The skillful portrayal of the intertwined loves and professional trials of these characters makes for a suspenseful and inspiring drama. -- TBS

Review

Their opinion and not mine.

That last part, about it being skillfully portrayed and suspenseful & inspiring makes me want to laugh.

It's my third viewing of this last-century drama, and I'm still undecided about it.

I didn't NOT like it, I can say that much, but I didn't think it was amazing, entirely memorable, or magnificent as so few Asian dramas ever really go.

It's always great fun to watch a favorite actor at work regardless, though.

The first time I saw it, I was thrown off by the title since it has zero to do with the story.

I didn't care for the out-dated soundtrack, either.

But, I did fall in love with the hot guy with the long hair (I remember that much)

Kimura Takuya

The second time around, I still didn't get why it's called Concerto (there isn't even any classical or orchestral music playing in the background . . . just a lot of old, dated stuff from the 1960s by Burt Bacharach)

I didn't like the girl (Hana) both guys were after all the way through this 10-episode melodrama about a budding architect and a seasoned veteran of the trade.

Still didn't care for the out-dated soundtrack, or the fact that the story kept going in circles without ever really getting to the point or making much sense.

But still, there was Takuya . . . 

Kimura Takuya

This time around, I'd have to say third time's a charm.

I also saw Hana as something more than just a ditzy go-between for these two guys, too.

She had heart and soul that made her not only believable but charming in a slightly ditzy kind of way.

That there is no tangible ending, though, still irks me.

I'd still like to know how and why the old dude ended up falling overboard as well, which is part of that unanswered questions dilemma with this one.

I wanted to see the little house being built at the end, and I wanted to know about the Connecticut library -- whatever became of the refuses-to-grow-up-and-act-like-a-man who ended up begging for their help.

In the last few scenes, they brought back the old lady and clued us in on her new life, but who cared?

I'll admit to there being great chemistry, but between the two men and not when either of them were involved with her Hana character.

But, again, it is quite rare to feel anything between man and woman when watching a Japanese drama. The complete lack of emotion and human contact make it extremely difficult to view them as 'romance' when I never see any romance on screen.

The old man I thought did a good job of acting natural, but in a stuffy, Japanese male kind of way, which probably just means he's really wealthy and has stepped into an elevated position with ease.

That being said, there was still Kimura Takuya.

Kimura Takuya

And, that's pretty much why I watched this one three times.