Pride

Cast:
Satonaka Halu – Kimura Takuya
Murase Aki – Takeuchi Yuko
Hotta Yamato – Sakaguchi Kenji
Ikegami Tomonori - Ichikawa Somegorou
Hyoudou Yuichirou - Satou Kouichi

Introduction:
A Kimura drama that will not let the fans down. Although I enjoyed "Hero", "Sora Kara Furu Ichioku no Hoshii", and "Good Luck", these last few Kimura dramas seemed to be lacking something. Perhaps Sora Kara was too angsty for me despite his outstanding and impressive portrayal of the cynical and manipulative Ryo.

Summary:
Halu is the captain of a hockey team called the Blue Scorpions. In the beginning of the series, Halu promises Anzai before he passes away that he will not get distracted by a relationship and will concentrate on hockey. This isn’t difficult for him originally as he does not take relationships seriously. One day, he meets Aki, who has been waiting for 2 years for her boyfriend to come back from New York. However, she has not seen or heard from him since then. Halu proposes a “game” between them, in which they will keep each other company. Halu respects Aki’s devotion to her boyfriend and calls her a “woman from traditional times.” But as time passes and they grow closer together, is Aki really still waiting for her boyfriend, or is she subconsciously becoming the type of woman Halu wants her to be?

The drama is not only focused on their relationship, of course. It also shows how the team bonds and works out their differences together. The way they support each other is just very touching. Actually, it is more or less through the ups and downs of the team that Halu and Aki begin to understand each other better.

Acting:
Halu – Kimura Takuya
Halu is someone who just stands out. His teammates idolize him and the girls adore him. He appears nonchalant about many things, but he is always looking out for his teammates. Halu doesn’t believe in serious relationships, but the “game” he started with Aki slowly changes him.

Just because it is expected that this role is easy for Kimura to play doesn’t make his performance any less impressive. The scenes where he tries to knock some sense into his teammates are very inspiring. However, despite his sturdy exterior, you can also see that Halu is actually very lonely. The sadness in his eyes as he tells Aki about himself speaks volumes. Kimura’s portrayal of Halu is just too charismatic and convincing.

Aki – Takeuchi Yuko
A woman who is very dedicated to her beliefs and as Halu put it, “traditional.” At first I thought she was so “traditional” it was boring, but as the series progressed I could see that she is exactly the type Halu would fall for. Despite her gentle and soft-spoken nature, Aki is a very strong and persistent woman.

Takeuchi does a great job as Aki. Her crying scenes were not overdone, and we can see how she becomes more and more comfortable with Halu as the series goes on. Her chemistry with Kimura was great, and she reminds me a little of Matsu Takako, who has co-starred numerous times with Kimura.

Yamato – Sakaguchi Kenji
Halu’s best friend who absolutely idolizes him. Yamato is an easily likeable character as he is generally more sincere and honest about his feelings. He really likes Aki’s friend, Yuri, a lot, but unfortunately for her, money is the most important thing in a relationship (although she has her own reasons).

Kenji is really tall and built, but his smile is really adorable, making him perfect for the role of Yamato.

Tomo - Ichikawa Somegorou
Best buds with Halu and Yamato. Tomo comes from a rich family, but he doesn’t really care for his money, feeling more at home with his team. He seems kind of flakey at first, but he won’t hesitate to help his friends, even taking the initiative to fix Aki and Halu’s relationship.

There wasn’t too much focus on this character to make him stand out, but Ichikawa’s portrayal was good enough.

Favorite Scenes:
- When Halu cooks little Wataru some food and asks him if it’s good, Wataru uses Halu’s catch phrase “Maybe,” and Halu replies, “Must be.”
- The day after the team fought together in a club, and they’re huddling before a game. Halu or someone asks, “Who’s in pain?” And they all put their hands out. Such a great team.
- When Halu says goodbye to his mother.
- When Halu ends the “game” with Aki. It was just so sad and beautifully done.
- When Halu finally sees the message written on the light bulb of the lamp Aki gave him, he looks regretful for the first time.

The Ending:
It was good. Not amazing, but it was expected. Actually, if it didn’t end this way, it would have been somewhat unsatisfying. However, I liked how the scriptwriters didn’t rush the ending and everything was actually laid out nicely. What happened? See for yourself!

In General:
I have to admit that the first episode didn’t impress me that much. I thought the storyline would be slow, but it picked up soon after and I became addicted. The chemistry between the main couple is superb, and the interaction and bonding among the team is great. The Blue Scorpions will not back down easily! A must watch for J-drama lovers.