[Discussion] Ashita no Kita Yoshio

So I guess Kita has DID (dissociative identity disorder)? That would explain why Mizuho keeps freaking out at the psychiatrist's office when she starts talking about him if she was around his "bad" side a lot. I kind of like her, though, and I don't why. The only people I really dislike so far is the pinky-biter, Mizuho's assistant, and Minami.

They already explained when and why Yoshio became like this so I hardly doubt his personality disorder has anything to do with her leaving him. Besides, she got married to him only because Minami wanted her to do so in the first place. When she heard of the plane crash she left Yoshio (whom she never loved at all) right away.

it turns out scary.. Yoshio suffers from MPD. interesting but scary

As far as the MPD goes, people have been discussing that probability from the first episode. Since we all seem to have been expecting it, the bigger surprise for me was the origin of it arising with Minami and his theory on how to create such a negative aspect in a person. In the initial episodes there was actually plenty of theory on how Mizuho may have been abused in some fashion by negative Yoshio, so the reality so far is much less scary than the conjecture was.

After seeing negative Yoshio take control of Yoshio's body briefly in front of Mizuho, I'm very curious about how much ability he has to do such things. Particularly, if he would have the power to take control if it looked like Yoshio wasn't going to commit suicide.

I'm wondering if Minami has planted some post hypnotic suggestions on Mizuho. She also seems quite impressionable... particularly in the flashback where Minami first describes the book as a "trigger" to her. Of course, I think it would take massive hypnotic influence for anyone to want Minami over Daisuke! LOL

Looks like Mizuho is being set up but good right now, in any case.

Am I the only one completely underwhelmed by the ending? Okay, we all knew he wasn't going to die but...I guess I just expected something a bit more clever after the amazing build-up. Then there are the loose ends (that may not actually be loose ends but they sure feel that way). No reunion between Kita and Shinobu? And what becomes of her? She just kind of disappears. Then Kita and Mizuho's final stare, they just...walk away?

One thing I didn't expect was Rika's decision at the end, and that's because it doesn't make any sense It seems like that was written in only to make the ending seem bittersweet. I realize this was based on a novel and have no idea how closely they followed the original story, maybe there was a better explanation for this in the book?

Shinobu's little soliloquy thing was probably the high point of the episode, just lovely. It's a shame we never see her again after

It's possible I'm being over-critical here I mean, I'd still rate this show highly, I just can help thinking that it feels unfinished. Could have benefited a lot from an epilogue IMO.

Yeah, I think there were a few things iffy about the final episode, but overall I loved it. I thought it stayed true to the series - no big highs, no big lows, but left me feeling satisfied. Some of the acting was a little too understated or not emotional enough, mainly Heita talking to Yoshio on the roof.

I was also wondering what happened to Shinobu. I wish it was a more popular series so the last episode would be an hour and a half and the loose ends could be tied up. I didn't think one hour was enough. I want more, dagnabbit!

As for Kita and Mizuho staring and then walking away from one another, I really liked it. I thought it was them acknowledging each other with no more animosity or regrets, and each letting the other move on.

Finally, with Rika, I think she broke up with Heita because they were enabling each other to do bad things, even though they weren't bad people. At first Heita was encouraging Rika about the scheme to get Kita's money, then later it was the other way around. That's how I saw it, anyways. They really did need to explain this though, the breakup seemed to come out of nowhere.

Yeah, when I watched the raw I misunderstood somewhat about them being kind of codependent in crime, haruspex's subs cleared it up nicely. It still seems very sudden though, probably the only really quirky thing about the whole episode

I guess I understand the Kita/Mizuho scene too but after that sort of epiphany she had just before with the shrink I expected some kind of confession or apology or something out of her.

I also felt cheated by not having Shinobu show up in the final scenes. Okay, I guess having her and Kita-san ride happily towards sunset would have been too much, but at least some scene with her... I hope we will get more of her in some drama in the future... something longer than "Konno-san to asobou" *g*

Like kvertand says, Shinobu's soliloquy near the middle was the high point of the episode. She did an amazing job saying that. When her voice started breaking, I actually started crying because there was so much emotion put in her voice. Gosh. <3

But like hey9 said, some parts of the episode lacked emotions, especially the part when Heita called Kita off the roof. I was majorly disappointed with Ryuhei's acting for that scene, but still love his character. <3

I too wish that this drama received an 1.5 hour finale to wrap up loose ends. I didn't like Shinobu at the beginning because she was so annoying with her whining and her using Kita but after the press conference she held, she won me over.

Was anyone a fan of the bikini-clad girls? I thought they were really amusing characters to watch! They added such a quirky touch to this drama.