Nobuta Wo Produce (2005)

Origin: Japan
Actors: Kamenashi Kazuya, Yamashita Tomohisa, Horikita Maki
Description: A story about Friendship, Youth and Self

I read that Nobuta Wo Produce is a novel adaptation with an originally darker storyline and where Nobuta is a male student. I guess many changes have been made and I suspect that the original is more interesting albeit a little less entertaining, but I have no way of ascertaining.
I watched Nobuta Wo Produce without expecting to like it, because it seems like a Johnny’s vehicle. But I like Maki and decided to give it a shot. Maki turns from bully (Seito Shokun) to victim this time. Her character Nobuko is stuttering transfer student with straggly hair and a case of terminal shyness. Her knight in shinning armor is Shuuji, a popular guy who hides himself beneath a veneer of easygoing friendliness. Akira is an off-beat class clown who while not outwardly bullied, is not regarded any better than Nobuko.

What to watch out for: The very realistic and ugly bullying process and the pain and helpnessness experienced by victims, the blossoming friendship between 3 students and laugh as they fumble their way to self-understanding and acceptance by trying to gain popularity and acceptance of their peers. The drama is fast-paced and short (as with most J dramas).

Performances:
Horikita Maki shines first and foremost as the timid, retiring Nobuko who never has even courage to raise her head and look at someone in the eye. I loved the scene where she runs from her tormentors straight into the refuge of a bookstore. You can hear her frantic breathing and practically feel the depths of her despair.
Secondly, I liked the performances of the two Juniors. I wasn’t expecting much but they can act very well. Kame in particular shares great chemistry with Maki. You can feel how Nobuko attracts Shuuji’s attention and appeals to his inner chivalry despite his best efforts to stay out of the tricky business. Yamapi has a slightly weaker presence because he shares limited chemistry with Maki (relative to Kame) and his character is rather off-beat.

Downsides:
The end was a bit of a disappointment. I thought that its time for Shuuji to be ready to face the world on his own without pretense and that Maki needs Akira far mor than Shuuji does – I have no idea why they wanted the two boys together in the end.