Nobuta wo produce

An excellent 11 part TV series featured in the fall TV season in Japan on NTV.

The show utilizes the typical teen school angst genre, but with surprising twists, and characterizations. Focusing on the storyline of a misfit young girl bullied by her classmates in a cruel way that has been the topic of many news stories in Japan. The young girl is saved by two male students who along with their new charge transform her, and themselves. The camera angles, music, and energy is quick paced with in-joke references to other Japanese pop trends. What could be clichés turn out to be fresh moments.

Funny and endearing, 'Nobuta wo Produce' (Producing Nobuta) is one of the best Jdoramas to appear in recent years. The story revolves around two high school boys trying to 'produce' a girl from being the most bullied student to the most popular girl in school. At the outset, it seems like a relatively simple story, but go a bit deeper and you'll find a wonderful, touching story about friendship, loyalty, human nature, and love.

What drives 'Nobuta' to success more than anything are the three main characters. All three are brilliant and engaging - the bullied girl Nobuta (real name: Nobuko), who has never had a friend before; the popular boy Shuuji, whom everybody likes but nonetheless feels dissatisfied about his empty life; and the clown Akira, lovably annoying and unrelentingly loyal. Horikita Maki, Kamenashi Kazuya and Yamashita Tomohisa respectively perform their roles with a tenderness and chemistry that is very convincing. All three have their own quirks and faults which endear them. Although there is a good supporting cast, they are overshadowed by the three of them.

Of course, not to forget, Kame and Yamapi are irresistible eye-candy ;) I was impressed with both their acting, but I think Yamapi deserve more kudos as Akira was a difficult role to act. If he had been a lesser actor, Akira would have been extremely annoying, but Yamapi managed to punctuate Akira with a sort of deepness and cuteness that made him a likable, three-dimensional character. Who says pretty boys can't act?

Aside from the acting, the soundtrack is another highlight of 'Nobuta'. The theme song, 'Seishun Amigo' (English: 'Friends of Youth' sung by 'Shuuji and Akira'), is very catchy and was, in fact, the top-selling single of 2005 in Japan. The instrumentals are used to good effect in the show.

The dialogue is another interesting aspect of the show, coming up with fun quotes like Akira's 'kon kon!', Shuuji's 'bye bye bicycle!' and Nobuta's 'Nobuta power, enter!' Although they seem incredibly lame, they are very infectious and, by the fifth episode, I found myself 'kon-kon'-ing all my friends.

I should also give a special mention to the two ditzy CG pigs featured at the end of every episode. It's a very unique presentation of the theme song and the two pigs were funny and cute.

I would have given this show 10/10 but for some strange humour here and there that I didn't appreciate. Still, it doesn't affect my enjoyment of 'Nobuta'. The more I watch this show, the more I love it and its characters. Truly a masterpiece about three misfits coming together to form a deep and lasting friendship.

This drama is pretty amazingly original. If you're taking a break from those predictable love dramas this one is good to sit down and watch. Although it looks like somethings gonna happen to the three's friendship, things turns out different. This drama is unpredictable and fun to watch. The storyline is also very interesting and if it isn't, it is always fun to watch what happens to them as they spend more time together. If you're fans of Kame and/or Yamashita, you'll enjoy their acting and characters; especially Yamashita's. His acting in this drama is my most favorite out of all the others I have seen, and Kame's acting was also better than in Gokusen. The girl in the story's acting is also really amazing. These two guys are a great combination. The ending song is sang by Kame and Yamashita. It is really the greatest song and goes well with this these two guys.

Fascinating and quite realistic dealing with important issues in Japanese schools such as: popularity, social conformity, and trust. Not to mention some universal issues of friendship, and betrayal. Lots of plot twists in this series, and some unusual changes in characters.

I fully agree with previous comments about the great job Horikita Maki did as "Kotani Nobuko". She really inhabits that role, very convincing acting.

According to http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Nobuta_wo_Produce this series recently won some major awards: 47th Television Acadamy Awards: Best Drama, Best Actor: Kamenashi Kazuya, Best Supporting Actress: Horikita Maki, Best Director, Best Script, and Best Music. Well deserved awards. As of June 2006 this series is apparently available on Japanese DVDs.

Nobuta wo Produce may not have the most original premise, however the characters are what make the show an original. They are the glue that holds the show together, they are what make you laugh and cry and then laugh some more. Nobuta wo Produce is written with a wit and intelligence rarely seen in television anymore. There are far too many shows that attempt to mask a rather cliché premise with "out there" characters who end up as 1 dimensional caricatures. Nobuta wo Produce knows what it is and that's what makes everything work so well. The three main characters are written with the utmost love and compassion and it shines through with their endearing interaction with one another. Nobuta played by the continually impressive Horikita Maki, is positively endearing and wonderfully acted. Akira Kusano is wacky, weird and awesomely played by Tomohisa Yamashita who manages to add a depth to his character, who first appears as the stereotypical funny guy. Finally, Shuji played by Kazuya Kamenashi is equally impressive, exuding an obvious understanding for his characters plight and projecting that through his excellent leading performance. All three actors give brilliant performances and all three have such a strong chemistry with one another that it feels like they really are the best of friends.

Nobuta wo produce is so impressively written that it breaks the mold of conventional high school dramas by developing the characters in such a fashion that they each have their own definable arc that lead to a beautifully written change in character. Nobuta wo Produce deals with issues of growing up without the overly sentimental hallmark crap, it is honest and true with its portrayal of high school life and how these characters influence upon each other is what shapes them to become who they are. It may not be written in the most realistic way at times but the characters that embody the story feel real, and you will undoubtedly be in fits of tears and laughter due to your growing attachment to them.

Nobuta wo Produce is an original but not in the conventional sense. It is an original because it has such a large heart, that makes you fall in love with the characters. Who are original in every sense of the word.