Title: Summer Nude
English Title: Summer Nude
Country: Japan
Language: Japanese
Year: 2013
Episode: 11
Cast:
- 山下智久 Yamashita Tomohisa
- 能瀬香里奈 Nose Karina (香里奈 Karina)
- 戸田恵梨香 Toda Erika
- 山本美月 Yamamoto Mizuki
- 窪田正孝 Kubota Masataka
- 勝地涼 Katsuji Ryo
- 高橋克典 Takahashi Katsunori
- 板谷由夏 Itaya Yuka
- 佐藤勝利 Sato Shori
- 長澤まさみ Nagasawa Masami
- 千葉雄大 Chiba Yūdai
- 中条あやみ Nakajo Ayami
SYNOPSIS
It's been three years since Mikuriya Asahi's girlfriend Ichikura Kasumi suddenly left town without any explanation and he's been waiting for her to come back all this time. Asahi works as a photographer for events such as weddings and parties.
Asahi is the photographer in Chiyohara Natsuki's wedding ceremony and he witnesses her distress as Natsuki's new husband suddenly breaks up with her and leaves the reception. Natsuki works as a head chef in a restaurant but she resigned from her job when she got married. Suddenly unmarried and unemployed, Natsuki is at a loss on how to move forward with her life.
Asahi's friends own a restaurant and they need a chef for the summer. Asahi asks Natsuki to help out. Natsuki considers the work opportunity and reluctantly agrees to work.
Asahi's close friend Taniyama Hanae is in love with him for around ten years but he considers her only as a good friend. When Natsuki visits the town, she stays at Hanae's house and they become good friends.
REVIEW
I think Summer Nude may possibly have one of the worst themes possible because it is about enduring unrequited love. It is not exactly inspiring (er, just no) and it is not particularly realistic (at least I hope not).
Am I supposed to commend Mikuriya Asahi, Taniyama Hanae, and Kirihata Hikaru for their dedication and loyalty to the one they love? Because I don't. They honestly seem more pathetic rather than noble, so it's really frustrating to see them pine for someone for years.
Asahi is still waiting for his girlfriend Ichikura Kasumi for three years even though she told him that when she leaves, he shouldn't look for her and he shouldn't wait. Hanae is in love with Asahi for ten years but he has been in romantic relationships with other women while she remains as one of his close friends. Likewise, Hikaru has been in love with Hanae for roughly as long as she has been in love with Asahi.
For one summer, Chiyohara Natsuki and Horikiri Aoi come into town and they further complicate the crossing love lines among close friends. That's really the main premise of the drama, I think. A group of close friends is joined by several individuals and they then arrange themselves into couples that don't work out so they then rearrange themselves into different couples that seem right.
At the time when everyone was paired with the wrong person, Aoi stated that she should let go of the person she loves so he can go to the person he loves, and so on, and eventually everyone will then be paired off with the right person. She did as she said, and everyone did the same, and things ended well for the drama.
However, that does not really happen in real life. People do not all realize that they are in the wrong relationships and they certainly don't do so simultaneously. The crossed love lines do not always untangle themselves at the same time so that everyone is free to be paired off with the right person.
Anyway, there are times when we read something or we are told something that makes such an impact in our lives. That particular quotation may inspire us to become better individuals or help us change the course of our lives. When Natsuki was heartbroken, Asahi wrote to her in a note, "I pray from the bottom of my heart for you to find happiness." and that's what helped her move on with her life.
I generally watch dramas because of the story but there are exceptions. I sometimes watch productions because I like one of the actors or some other reason. To be honest, I only watched Summer Nude because the actresses Erika Toda, Karina, and Yamamoto Mizuki are part of the cast.
Oh, and I just really have to say that this drama has a really awkward title. What does it even mean? What is it trying to convey? Perhaps it would have been much better if the title is written in Japanese, maybe the drama's theme will be properly conveyed that way?
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Summer Nude
