Nobuta wo produce

I've been putting off watching this series thinking it's just another one of those ugly- duckling-turned-beautiful-swan series -- but I was wrong! This is by far one of the best TV series on friendship I have ever watched. It's about a girl who lacks self-confidence that's why she is always being bullied -- she goes through a transformation with the help of two unlikely individuals: one, the most popular guy in school, and the other a comic outcast who is actually the heir to a multi-million company. What is so nice about the story is that while Nobuta undergoes some transformation, her character doesn't change too much. She is still the quiet type of girl who lacks self-confidence, but you see her struggling to get out of her shell -- to talk to people and even play a newscaster in her club! It's this struggle that makes the story so real. And while Nobuta is changing, all the others around her also change -- the people who bullied her, her classmates who make fun of her, and most importantly, the two guys who have started to "produce" her also experience change.

The three main characters are played by a brilliant cast. Maki Harikita played Nobuta so well, and made the character so endearing to the viewers. Despite being quiet and shy, you become empathic to the character and would cheer her on as she tries to change for the better. Kazuya Kamenashi is also a brilliant actor -- he made his character three- dimensional, showing his struggle between maintaining his popularity, and being true to himself. As for Tomohisa Yamashita (or Yamapi), he is my favorite of the three. He played the character so naturally -- a comical, nerdy guy who is extremely rich yet extremely loyal. At first, I thought he was playing an annoying character, but as the show went on, his antics become more lovable, that's why it has become the favorite of many people.

This is an awesome tale of friendship -- how three unlikely individuals will come together and form a bond that no one else in school ever has. There are funny and touching moments that will make you laugh and cry, and sometimes laugh while crying.

This was a sweet high school drama. The acting is excellent, and the whole story is very good. At first, it may seem a little weird, because you don't really know the characters and why there acting this way or that way. The whole plot seems to be catching on and then you really get on to enjoying it. I thought Kame was going to not act as good, but I was wrong. He was as good as he was in "Gokusen 2". Kotani played her character perfectly. It made it so realistic and that made it seem so good. Yama (that guy from NewS) was good, but not as good as Kame. Kame was a lot more popular, and out-going. There wasn't any flaw in this wonderful series that made it seem so in depth to real life events. Personally, I would add it to any collection if it came out on DVD. It's just...so real. From the innocent to the bullies, this J-Dorama is just fantastic! A very popular fall series.

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.

One word to describe the show: Genuine. This show is a rare gem. In many dramas (especially Korean dramas), acting usually feels forced. But not this one. Great acting. Maybe they picked the right people, maybe the director was really good, maybe it was the music, maybe the editing guy was a genius - I don't know how they did it...it felt very real. There were some over-the-top scenes and I personally found it funny. One major thing I loved about this show is how they expressed the value of friendship. I didn't realize how popular this show was until I googled it! The popularity of this show goes to show how many people value true friendship. Really gives me hope that having genuine friends is not a fairytale.

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.