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| Synopsis |
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Points to Watch
This is a story of the complex relationship between a coffee shop owner played by Masahiro Matsuoka and a regular customer. Turning the genre's norm of one love story forming the core of the story, this drama uses a variety of characters to depict a variety of different forms of love. Instead of wondering if A will get together with B, this story shows a chain of unrequited love from A to B to C to D to E as the two main characters drift apart over the 11 episodes.
The script is by Kankuro Kudo and is his first attempt at a love story. He joins forces again with producer Isoyama - a combination that brought us "Ikebukuro West Gate Park" and "Kisarazu Cat's Eye" so popular with young audiences. Is this the birth of a new hit series?
Storyline
Next door to Chuo TV's offices is "Manhattan," a coffee shop for aficionados. The owner's (Masahiro Matsuoka) passion for coffee is almost a sickness and all he wants is for his customers to enjoy their coffee. He is a man of few words. If he has to say something, he gets his waiter Shinobu Gamo (Takashi Tsukamoto) to speak on his behalf. Owner's real name is unknown. He would prefer to be addressed as the shops' "Master" rather than its owner - not that anyone is aware of this. He gives his all to coffee. Despite his wishes, his regular customers don't really come to taste the coffee. They are there because of love. They use his shop as a place for dates, marriage proposals and break-ups. He doesn't show it, but it saddens him that his customers are so preoccupied with affairs of the heart and not the coffee.
One day, Nobuko Akabane (Kyoko Koizumi) visits his shop. Nobuko, who got caught up in a messy extra-marital affair which resulted in her having to leave her job at a top company, now drives a taxi. She looks anxious, as if she is waiting for someone and leaves the shop without touching her coffee. This happens again the next day. Nobuko had a customer - dance instructor Hideki Bessho (Mitsuhiro Oikawa) - who left his mobile phone in the taxi. Nobuko has made two appointments to meet with Bessho to return the phone, but on both occasions Bessho has failed to show up. One day, she appeared at the coffee shop all dressed up and tipped a cup of coffee over Bessho's head. The master watches developments in Nobuko's love life with great interest. He wants her to enjoy good coffee so decides to help her with her love life. But no sooner has he decided to do this that other love-related troubles begin to emerge. Be it screenwriter Maki Chikura (Aiko Morishita), voice actor Satoshi Doigaki (Suzuki Mastuo), new announcer Shiori Emoto (Wakana Sakai), actor Eiichiro Funakoshi (played by himself) or the waiter Gamo. And even the Master finds himself embroiled in affairs of the heart... | | TBS |
| Soundtrack and Theme Songs (1) |
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| 1. | Love Love Manhatten ラブラブ マンハッタン [TOKIO] | |
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| Drama Reviews (4) |
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!!WARNING!!
The review section may contain spoilers! Please understand
that you may find out about this drama's endings and plots!
| | 1. | Funny [Rating: 10/10]
Good performances by everyone and the story was pretty funny. It's a good dorama to watch if you have a chance to see it. | | Reviewed by Reggie on 16 May 2004 | | 2. | keiken to jinsei to tamashii.. [Rating: 9/10]
another great drama by matsuoka-kun.. love the plot.. now i have total admiration for the scriptwriter's ability.. he can create a story out of 8 characters and reverse and change it anyway he liked.. sugoi.. i loved all the the 8 characters. but my favourites have to be tencho and shinobu-kun.. matsuoka masahiro acted really well, just by using his facial expressions he transformed into a cautious, but actually passionate on the inside person.. while tsukamoto takashi was great as both a girl and a guy.. suge kakoii..!! kyaa.. when he plays the guitar i really just melt.. other actors like koizumi kyoko, oikawa, morishita, sakai, matsuo etc. all did a great job.. i laughed a lot during the whole drama.. and i really did enjoy it.. watch it if you can, because it's something not worth missing.. ^^ | | Reviewed by arashinokoto on 11 June 2004 | | 3. | yeah [Rating: 5/10]
I have to say i really enjoyed this drama, but because I fell in love with the tencho and shinodu characters.
There were a bunch of charcters that just got kinda annyoing a bit too much bit those 2 characters made up for it | | Reviewed by hiei1999 on 31 March 2005 | | 4. | If you can keep up [Rating: 8/10]
This drama should be called Manhattan Love Stories for its complex plot. As the drama moves on, there are actually 4 or 5 different love stories happening at the same time. I had a hard time keeping track of what's what and who's with who, and I had the drama on DVD. I can't imagine how anyone could keep track of that if they watched it as it aired once a week. However, my hats down to the writers of this drama for coming up with such a creative plot and elaborate plot twists (actually, they are more like love twists because characters seem to fall for so many different people here and there for no apparent reason). Still, if you don't get too critical about it, it's still fun to watch and if you love a good, complex/rich plot to keep you interested, this one is for you. The saving grace in all of this was the humor, it definitely had its moments! | | Reviewed by Hiro Toyo on 2 January 2006 |
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| Comments From Users (25) |
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!!WARNING!!
This section may contain spoilers! Do not proceed if you
do not want to read about this drama's endings and plots!
| | 1. | Comments by yume [Rating: 10/10]
An absolutely hilarious, fast-paced drama about a big, fat love octagon! The character to watch is Nobuko, whose solos stand out to shining perfection. | | 2. | Comments by eien Bussan [Rating: 9/10]
A cute story with great laughs! | | 3. | Comments by nakiko [Rating: ?/10]
I really want to see this --- Takashi Tsukamoto is a favourite of mine. Sadly it's not avalible yet. | | 4. | Comments by arashinokoto [Rating: 9/10]
super funny dorama deshita yo..! loved all the main cast a lot.. but tencho was the best, just with facial expressions he can make me laugh so much.. shinobu-kun saikou..! | | 5. | Comments by raku [Rating: 10/10]
Wackey, clever, unpredictable, I LOVE IT!! Weel played all around, with Tsukamoto Takashi in a role that had me rolling on the floor. Even my boy liked it! | | 6. | Comments by yt [Rating: 3/10]
boring for me | | 7. | Comments by nagaioyasumi [Rating: ?/10]
Crazy, but so damn entertaining. Hearts Takashi as a man-girl! =) | | 8. | Comments by kira69 [Rating: 10/10]
THIS IS THE BEST EVER. couldnt stop laughing. | | 9. | Comments by lovejdorama [Rating: ?/10]
Avail for trade*****
1~11, Format: 9 VCDs , Language: JAPANESE,
Subtitle: Traditional Chinese,, PIC quality: A,
Video Format: Great VCD Resolution, MPEG 1, NTSC 4:3,
Notes: Not watched Yet
to view my trade list:
http://www.geocities.com/reddashay/homepage.html | | 10. | Comments by hiei1999 [Rating: 5/10]
the reason i like this drama soo much is that I fell in love with the tencho and shinobu characters. they made all the other characters barable (excuse my spelling) | | 11. | Comments by rainbowglasss [Rating: 3/10]
Stopped after 1 episode. Crappy show. | | 12. | Comments by fuyu [Rating: ?/10]
Want to watch this. | | 13. | Comments by Aunty Coco [Rating: ?/10]
Sitting on my shelf | | 14. | Comments by yami [Rating: ?/10]
watching..... I really should finish this since the first episodes were so funny! :) | | 15. | Comments by xhidex33 [Rating: 9/10]
The viewership sucked, but i thought it was great. Tsukamoto was adorable~~~~~~~~~ | | 16. | Comments by norani [Rating: ?/10]
Oikawa Mitsuhiro | | 17. | Comments by soupychan [Rating: ?/10]
I've seen only the first three episodes so far, but from that alone this is my favorite series ever. | | 18. | Comments by stuffed.with.fluff [Rating: 10/10]
Great. Awesome. Love it. That is all. Comedy AND coffee?! Cmon. | | 19. | Comments by lynn [Rating: ?/10]
Downloading...Currently watching...Ep03 | | 20. | Comments by czajka [Rating: ?/10]
[2nd] Just started watching. This drama is strange. :O | | 21. | Comments by maui [Rating: 8/10]
Kudo Kankuro is a genius man.This series is so original and very enjoyable.This drama's theme song singing by TOKIO is also fit well with the mood of the drama.Watch this if you like IWGP, Kisarazu Cat's Eye or Tiger&Dragon. | | 22. | Comments by Okojo [Rating: 9/10]
One of the best love triangle i've ever seen!
Just great! Love Master! | | 23. | Comments by ffrostte [Rating: ?/10]
watching ... | | 24. | Comments by aoi_dolphine [Rating: ?/10]
KIV List | | 25. | Comments by pinkokoro [Rating: ?/10]
COMPLETE. |
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| Users who voted for this drama (2) |
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| 1. | blu4ev3r | | 2. | Asja
Kudo is a genious. Another masterpiece by the original scriptwriter. For me it's as good as his "Tiger and dragon". |
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Matsuoka Masahiro
Oikawa Mitsuhiro
Sakai Wakana
Tsukamoto Takashi
Funakoshi Eiichiro
Matsuo Suzuki
Morishita Aiko
Koizumi Kyoko
Nekoze Tsubaki
