Japanese Drama - Change (by Takuya Kimura)

This Japaneses drama "Change" is the latest drama starring Takuya Kimura and had aired on Fuji TV on 12 May 2008 and ended its run on 14 July 2008. Madonna had lent one of the tracks, "Miles Away" from her new album, "Hard Candy", as the theme song for the drama. The 10 episodes "Change" started it off okay with 23.8% rating on its first episode. As the week progresses, the rating drops to below 20%, which is unusual for Japanese television drama starred by Takuya Kimura. It however hit 31.2% at 22:15 during the 60-minute extended finale episode.

I'm looking forward to watching it online as it is refreshing seeing Takuya Kimura acting as a politician. His role of a nerdy public schoolteacher elevated to the position of Japan's youngest prime minister is a challenging one and a vast difference from all his other dramas. This drama also stars another of my favourite actors other than Kimura, Hiroshi Abe. I always enjoy watching his drama and he can be quite a funnyman at times.

The story begins with the deaths of ruling party's Fukuoka legislator and his eldest son, his heir apparent, in an accident enroute from Vietnam. It is decided that a by-election will be held, and Kanbayashi Masaichi, the leader of the ruling party, and secretary Miyama Rika (Eri Fukatsu) conceived the idea of fielding the second son, Asakura Keita (Takuya Kimura), who had been renounced by his father.

After Keita graduated from senior high school, he had left home to pursue his love for astronomy and went on to a university in Nagano because he wanted to live in a place with beautiful stars. He eventually became an elementary school teacher over there. Well-liked by children and satisfied with his beloved star gazing, Keita has no interest in the world of politics. However, at Rika's persuasion and the pressure of his family, he reluctantly decides to announce his candidacy.




Upon returning to Fukuoka, Keita is given a hearty welcome by supporters. The election strategist, Nirasawa Katsutoshi (Hiroshi Abe), arrives there. He is guided by the notion "election is the only permitted legal war" and begins Keita's election campaign. Keita wins the prefectural elections and heads to Tokyo as a newly elected Representative in the House of Representatives.He is dubbed the "Prince of the Parliament" (kokukai ouji) by the media and the people, especially the women, develop a keen interest in Asakura with the media attention he receives.

The current Prime Minister is embroiled in a sexual harassment incident and announces his intention to step down from his post. Kanbaya sensei, one of the most senior politicians in the Seiyu Party makes a proposition to Keita to run in an election to be the leader of Seiyu Party, which will also mean that Asakura will become Prime Minister if he wins that election....


(Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Change_(TV_series)
(Source: http://wiki.d-addicts.com/CHANGE)
(Source: http://www.aceshowbiz.com/news/view/00014838.html)

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(Source: http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/fd20080608pb.html)