[Discussion] Around 40 - Amami Yuki, Fujiki Naohito

Last edited by raven_frost on Sat Apr 12, 2008 2:10 pm; edited 2 times in total

* Format: Renzoku
* Broadcast network: TBS
* Broadcast period: 11 April 2008 ~
* Air time: Fridays, 10.00 p.m.

Official Website: http://www.tbs.co.jp/around40/

Synopsis
39-year-old Ogata Satoko (Amami Yuki), is a highly capable psychiatrist who is single. She's forthright, a caring older sister and reliable in her job and in private. Her interests are staying in luxurious Japanese inns, and watching videos of stand-up comedy.

Satoko hasn't had a boyfriend in the past five years. Nevertheless, she derives satisfaction from work, and isn't worried about her finances. Among her good friends that she hangs out with are 35-year-old Morimura Nao (Otsuka Nene), her junior who proclaims that she won't marry, and 39-year-old Oikawa Sadao (Tsutsui Michitaka), her peer since high school days. Satoko is happily enjoying single life.
　
At an alumni reunion as everyone is on the verge of 40, Takeuchi Mizue (Matsushita Yuki), her good friend since high school who is now a full-time housewife, rushes Satoko into action. "If you want children, you should marry now" and "It's women's happiness", but both are lost on Satoko who isn't convinced.

One day, Satoko attempts to cheer up Nao, who is downcast over a shocking incident, and goes to her favourite hot-spring inn. But there, she coincidentally encounters a breakup between a handsome but somewhat odd man (Fujiki Naohito) and his girlfriend ... ...

Cast
Amami Yuki as Ogata Satoko
Fujiki Naohito as Okamura Keitaro
Otsuka Nene as Morimura Nao
Tsutsui Michitaka as Ohashi Sadao
Matsushita Yuki as Takeuchi Mizue
Akira as Ogata Tatsuya
Sakura as Ogata Maki
Hayashi Ryuzo as Ogata Tomoyasu
Kaga Mariko as Yoshinaga Haruko
Jinbo Satoshi as Takeuchi Akio
Kimura Haruki as Takeuchi Yosuke
Maruyama Tomomi as Shinjo Takafumi (32)
Matsumoto Runa as Ogata Ruka (3)
Matsumoto Wakana as Katayama Haruka

Posted: Thu Mar 20, 2008 10:33 pm Post subject: Post Rating: 0

From Yomiuri Daily

TV dramatizes lives of 'ara-four' women
Yuki Kobayashi

A new TBS drama starting in April is about the so-called around 40s, women aged 35-44. Around 40: Chumon no Oi Onna-tachi (Around 40: Women hard to please) features the problems faced by women in this age bracket, casually shortened to the "ara-four" generation.

The women of the ara-four generation live in an era when economic growth and social advances have given them more choices in life.

But some such women find themselves bewildered by an overabundance of choices.

The new drama airs from 10 p.m. on Fridays beginning on April 11, and stars Yuki Amami as the lead character, Satoko Ogata, a 39-year-old single psychiatrist who is fulfilled in both her career and private life.

As the series begins, Satoko is perplexed to find that her friends pity her because they see her as a miserable woman who has given up on marriage and motherhood. She also becomes ill, which leads her to worry about her age.

The drama comically and sometimes bitterly portrays Satoko and other ara-four women who worry about their lives and think about where they might be if they had chosen different paths.

The cast includes veteran actors Naohito Fujiki, Nene Otsuka, Michitaka Tsutsui and Yuki Matsushita, as well as newcomer Akira--a performer in the music and dance unit Exile, acting in a drama for the first time.

Amami has played unusual and eccentric characters in many dramas, including a lawyer in Rikon Bengoshi (2004, Fuji TV) and a teacher in Joo no Kyoshitsu (2005, NTV). This time, however, Satoko in Around 40 is an ordinary woman.

The actress, who is 40 herself, says: "I spent the age of 39 without seriously worrying or feeling pressed. I think this drama will be enjoyable for anyone, whether they are of that age or not."

Explaining how he came up with the idea for the drama, producer Katsuaki Setoguchi said: "There were many women around me who gave birth to their first babies or seemingly suddenly got married around 40. Some women seemed to have completely changed their view of life after recovering from an illness."

Many of the women told him that 40 is "a big turning point for women."

"The number of possible life options for them has increased, but they don't seem to be satisfied with their lives. I thought that was interesting. This [dramatization] project is one we can do right at this very moment, when society is paying attention to the issue," he said.

Since he started organizing the project, he has met more than 300 people in the course of his research. Ninety percent of them are women, including housewives and doctors.

He also has received many requests from TBS employees to meet and talk with their friends or acquaintances of the age.

"They don't [usually] talk much about their feelings, but they actually do want to speak their minds. That's what I felt," Setoguchi said.

The producer says he wants to tell such "ara-four" women that "it's OK to stay just the way you are."

"[Through this drama] I want to help them realize that their mindset can change their lives."

(Mar. 21, 2008)

Posted: Fri Mar 21, 2008 12:23 am Post subject: Post Rating: 0

i'm looking forward to this drama!
Love Amami Yuki and Fujiki Naohito!!!

i hope someone subs this ^^

Posted: Sat Mar 22, 2008 7:01 am Post subject: Post Rating: 0

Actually, this looks really interesting, doesn't it? I, too, hope someone subs it!

Posted: Thu Apr 03, 2008 3:32 am Post subject: Post Rating: 0

Definitely looking forward to this drama. Fujiki Naohito!

Plus, the plot sounds cute.

Posted: Thu Apr 03, 2008 12:18 pm Post subject: Post Rating: 0

Character Profiles

Ogata Satoko, 39 (Amami Yuki)
An outstanding psychiatrist. She loves going to the hot springs, staying alone at luxurious inns and watching videos of stand-up comedy. Her last romance was five years ago and she's leading an enjoyable life as a single together with her good friends Nao and Sadao. "I'll determine my personal happiness." And she doesn't care about the views of those around her but …

Okamura Keitaro, 33 (Fujiki Naohito)
A clinical psychologist who has just joined Satoko's hospital. He is popular with ladies because of his good looks. However, he is fastidious, untactful and even good at household chores because he grew up in a family with three olders sisters. He is deemed a "man who cannot get married" by Satoko.

Morimura Nao, 35 (Otsuka Nene)
Satoko's junior. She is a famous editor of a popular female magazine. Satoko and her are good friends who can say anything to each other. She loves splurging on clothes and beauty products and has no interest in marriage. She has made a declaration that she won't marry but …

Takeuchi Mizue, 39 (Matsushita Yuki)
Satoko's good friend since high school. She's now a full-time housewife and mother of a son. She has a bright and cheerful personality and is talkative but finds herself suffocated by her current life. She feels worried for Satoko who isn't displaying any anxiety about turning 40.

Ohashi Sadao, 39 (Tsutsui Michitaka)
Satoko and Mizue's classmate in high school. He inherited his father's western restaurant. Mild-mannered and collected, he shows more passion for food than for people. He has always carried a torch for Satoko's good friend, Nao.

Yoshinaga Haruko, 61 (Kaga Mariko)
A nurse. Eight years ago, she nursed Satoko's ill-stricken father, Tomoyasu, and he proposed. She is Satoko's trusted confidant.

Ogata Tomoyasu, 69 (Hayashi Ryuzo)
Satoko's father. He is a physician who runs a clinic in a residential area in the outskirts of Tokyo. He had been a prominent doctor at a university hospital when he was young but after his wife died when he was 46, he opened a clinic in order to devote himself to raising their children.

Ogata Tatsuya, 28 (Akira)
Satoko's younger brother. He is a popular hairstylist and also does his sister's hair. He may look sloppy but he is strong-willed and will definitely set out to complete what he's decided to do. Maki was pregnant before he married her.

Ogata Maki, 24 (Sakura)
Satoko's sister-in-law. She had always hoped to marry early and settle down. She pampers her daughter. After she married Tatsuya, she moved in to stay with his parents and leaves the household chores to her mother-in-law. She's very concerned about Satoko's marriage.

Posted: Fri Apr 04, 2008 6:35 am Post subject: Post Rating: 0

Looking forward to this too!! Amami Yuki is always fabulous in comedies! Plus Matsushita Yuki and Otsuka Nene too... great trio combi^^

And the themesong is by Takeuchi Mariya... hoshiii~~ Anyone knows the themesong title?

Posted: Fri Apr 04, 2008 6:50 am Post subject: Post Rating: 0

I'm looking forward to this too!

@raven_frost - would you please post a bigger scan so I would be able to read the scan? Thanks a lot for sharing. Smile

Posted: Fri Apr 04, 2008 12:08 pm Post subject: Post Rating: 0

Posted: Sat Apr 05, 2008 3:47 pm Post subject: Post Rating: 0

raven_frost, thanks for all the scans and information! I can't wait for this series to start.

Posted: Sat Apr 05, 2008 9:05 pm Post subject: "Around 40" Post Rating: 0

Hi all,

Thought I'd stop by and leave a note myself. This looks like it will be a very entertaining series... so much so, in fact that, after consulting with my long-time editor Phoenix, we've decided to go ahead and work on english subtitles for "Around 40."

We'll do our best to make them as good as we can. I hope you'll enjoy them!

Haruspex

Posted: Sat Apr 05, 2008 9:54 pm Post subject: Re: "Around 40" Post Rating: 0

Posted: Sat Apr 05, 2008 10:12 pm Post subject: Re: "Around 40" Post Rating: 0

Posted: Sat Apr 05, 2008 10:43 pm Post subject: Re: "Around 40" Post Rating: 0

Posted: Sat Apr 05, 2008 11:13 pm Post subject: Post Rating: 0

Terrific news Big Smile

Thanks for translating! Can't wait for it to start next week. Mr. Green

Around 40 TV CMs:

http://www.tudou.com/programs/view/kgCIP5cNOg4/

http://www.tudou.com/programs/view/YT5ODEbJI1U/