1,000,000 yen no Onnatachi

This is the type of film that could easily be talked about and discussed in universities. If it isn't, then it's a tragedy. This complex, amazing character study rivals some of the best films and shows that I've ever seen in over 40 years of viewing.

This film is truly a work of art. Each character brings something refreshing, new and compelling to the table (almost literally!).

This powerful character study is about a novelist with a tragic past who is unable to become a successful author. For some strange reason, five women are invited to live with him for a million yen per month. When he's not writing, he cooks and looks after them. Each woman is different in age, occupation, personality, and background. Part of the mystery is in trying to figure out why the invitations were sent, what the purpose of the women being there is, and who sent them.

The author learns to accept his new living situation, and finds that there are rules for his interactions with them.

The story weaves like a fine tapestry of tragic, complex pasts in the lives of all of the characters, and basically what drives people to do things and be who they are. It's riveting story-telling that keeps you hooked, and makes you wince when the number of episodes left to watch dwindles. You want more. You crave more, and you find yourself grateful for finding such a unique and exquisite gem such as this series.

This is a series that can easily be watched over and over again. It's touching and heart-breaking that compels the viewer to dig deep within themselves; about the walls we put up to keep from being hurt; about the fear of loss, and the fear to love.

I can't recommend this series strongly enough. It's a story with characters that stays with you long after you've finished, and that's the mark of something so powerfully artistic in how it captivates its viewer.

The basic scenario is intriguing : an introverted, unsuccessful author has allowed five pretty young women to live at his house. They were mysteriously invited to do so by someone ( not him ) & must also pay a million yen per month in rent, & there are other rules in place. Parallel to this odd arrangement, we follow a cocky, best-selling young author who is the opposite of our "hero" & is championed by an arrogant critic, while the back-stories of the ladies form a major part of the narrative. As the story unfolded & captured my interest, my thoughts inexorably turned as they always do to the ending. Would it do justice to the rest ? I really HATE it when I fall in love with something & then get stabbed in the back by a rubbish finale, but thankfully I wasn't disappointed. And though I don't usually like a BIG revelation with minimal or zero clues, I'm happy to forgive thanks to an exhilarating, blockbuster final ep bulging with surprises & an unexpected emotional wallop that made me teary. A well-written script ( adapted from a manga, & where would Japanese media be without them ? ) has the lot : nefarious deeds, sex in various forms, humour & a pleasing focus on both the philosophy of writing & the joy of reading. Central to the story, of course, is who sent the invites & why, though some of the most memorable moments are small ones : a kick in the backside after a posh party; a young girl in a wordless scene with her author father; the lead's final meeting with a murderous relative. And the last few eps explore the simple power of a human connection. And the cast ? All are good, with two standout efforts : in a showy role, Rila Fukushima is wonderful as the abrasive "nudist" while Noda Yosiro is deceptively great as the main author. You might think this sort of quiet, self-deprecating character would be easy to play, yet speaking in a monotone & not displaying emotion doesn't mean he lacks it & he does have a moving journey to make by the end. Kudos to the director for keeping things flowing smoothly, some of the photography is gorgeous & the music is another asset. Yes, I'd have liked a calamity for the cocky writer but we get a sadly realistic outcome instead.

I was amazed with every episode. With this show I realized how used I am to Hollywood films and TV. The story is so unpredictable and my jaw drop at every scene. Funny, sweet, sad, charming and mysterious, this series has it all. Even tho I didn't like much the actor for Shin at the beginning, the series sure did won me over. This is a very Japanese show, so it can be weird for western audience to see how the Japanese people are always so polite and stoic, but also, very charming. I would totally recommend it 9/10

I'm happy that this show popped up in my recommended section in Netflix. The story line was intriguing & so captivating that I finish all episodes in 2 nights. It's story telling is much different than Hollywood, yet if you enjoy drama in general, you will enjoy this. Scene by scene changes in an unpredictable way. You feel like you want to know more about its character stories and you are teased with clips of flashbacks, side stories etc. LOVE IT.

This too showed up in my Netflix recommendation, and I thought I'd give it a shot since the format is nicely kept at 25mins each episode. About 5hours straight-on bingeing if that's your thing. Good God, I couldn't have been more pleasantly surprised by how riveting this series was. I've seen my fair share of Japanese series, but personally, this is truly a refreshing take, perhaps it's due to the genre change. I thoroughly enjoyed it! I remembered kept saying to myself, "What the hell is going on?" positively in an inquisitive direction several times during the 12 episode series. Initially, it's palpable how bland the main male character was, but the performances of all the main female characters (which I love individually) really brought out very interesting dynamics with him in the household, which brings that much weight to his character. If you want something short and refreshing (even if in a foreign language), give this one a shot like I did!