[Discussion] Saito-san 2

lullabye · Post by **lullabye** » Jul 17th, '13, 16:17

Title: Saito-san 2 / 斉藤さん 2
Format: Renzoku
Genre: Family
Broadcast network: NTV
Episodes: TBD
Broadcast period: 2013-Jul-13 start
Air time: Saturday 21:00

Synopsis:
he righteous Saito Masako (Mizuki Arisa) boldly confronted those who ignored the rules of society regardless of who they were when her son Junichi was in kindergarten. Now Junichi is a fourth-grade elementary school student and the Saitos live in a new neighbourhood. - JDramas

Cast:
Mizuki Arisa as Saitou Masako
Kiritani Mirei as Yamauchi Maya
Tanabe Seiichi as Yamauchi Hirotaka
Seto Koji as Kosugi Taizo
Minami Kaho as Tamai Mami
Nekoze Tsubaki as Oba Mai
Oto Takuma (音尾琢真) as Harima Daisaburo
Hashimoto Ryo (橋本涼) as Yamauchi Takumi
Tamamoto Fumito (玉元風海人) as Tamai Yamato
Tanihata Kanato as Saitou Junichi
Sakai Wakana as Tachibana Chisako
Matsuoka Mayu (松岡茉優) as Maezonob Sae
Okayama Tomoki as Shiihara Naoto
Hayami Akari (早見あかり) as Hoshina Yuri
Katsumura Masanobu as Iwata
-----

Saito-san 2 premiered with a 15.5 audience share.

I've watched the raw a couple of times now, and I'm taken with Kiritani Mirei as Yamauchi Maya. I've read some criticism of her casting as being too young to have a 4th grade child (The character's bio has Maya becoming a mother at 19; Kiritani is 23). But that aside, as someone who was a young mom once herself, I am really taken with how she is trying to be accepted by the parents 10 and 20 years older than she is, and Kiritani's expressiveness reminds me of everything I felt then--the alienation from age peers as well as other parents, and the daily feelings of inadequacy.

I haven't watched Saito-san 1 yet, so I don't have any familiarity with Mizuki Arisa in the title role.

Tanabe Seiichi seemed warm and supportive as Yamauchi Hirotaka but didn't get to do much. Seto Koji's school teacher Kosugi Taizo is a bit like Maya--young and unsure of himself and treading carefully among the parents and school officials.

zorkaz · Post by **zorkaz** » Jul 17th, '13, 16:35

I'm looking forward to see the series

lontong.stroong · Post by **lontong.stroong** » Jul 18th, '13, 01:00

Hope the subs coming out fast. The first season was a real treat

manoarain808 · Post by **manoarain808** » Aug 19th, '13, 12:07

The series is so far pretty good IMO. I prefer Mano over Maya tho. The actress who portrays Maya kinda overacts a bit, which I find a bit annoying, but it's bearable. I hope Mano makes another appearance in a future episode.

Much props to some of the kids for their acting...particularly Saitou's kid and Anzai's kid. Tachibana's kid really stood out in ep 4. As for the Johnny's Jr kids (Tamai's kid and Maya's kid), they're okay...still needs more work and experience if they wanna be the future Kimu Taku. This series is definitely a stepping stone for them.

Without giving anything away, eps 5 and 6 are excellent. Seems like the show is taking a week off, so ep 7 will be aired a week later on 8/31... can't wait for more!

lontong.stroong · Post by **lontong.stroong** » Aug 19th, '13, 13:36

manoarain808 wrote:The series is so far pretty good IMO. I prefer Mano over Maya tho. The actress who portrays Maya kinda overacts a bit, which I find a bit annoying, but it's bearable. I hope Mano makes another appearance in a future episode.

Much props to some of the kids for their acting...particularly Saitou's kid and Anzai's kid. Tachibana's kid really stood out in ep 4. As for the Johnny's Jr kids (Tamai's kid and Maya's kid), they're okay...still needs more work and experience if they wanna be the future Kimu Taku. This series is definitely a stepping stone for them.

Without giving anything away, eps 5 and 6 are excellent. Seems like the show is taking a week off, so ep 7 will be aired a week later on 8/31... can't wait for more!

I do also think Kiritani (the one portraying Maya) doesn't suit her role. I don't found the chemistry between her and Saito-san as good as Saito and Mano. They should've cast another actress who is able to connect better (and a bit older as well, as Kiritani still looks like high school student instead even a young mom

). However, they've got good script and story line to make up with.

I never thought some of the kids are JE Jr. cadres! They do have potentials to be good actors in the future, but I kinda doubt that because the agency has been awful at handling young acting talents in at least the last 10 years.

I am waiting for the pregnant deliquent girl to get her own character depth. This girl is seriously good (have been watching her in Kirishima, Amachan, and Aku no Kyoten). Everyone else also fit their characters well.

lullabye · Post by **lullabye** » Aug 19th, '13, 14:33

manoarain808 wrote:The series is so far pretty good IMO. I prefer Mano over Maya tho. The actress who portrays Maya kinda overacts a bit, which I find a bit annoying, but it's bearable. I hope Mano makes another appearance in a future episode.

Much props to some of the kids for their acting...particularly Saitou's kid and Anzai's kid. Tachibana's kid really stood out in ep 4. As for the Johnny's Jr kids (Tamai's kid and Maya's kid), they're okay...still needs more work and experience if they wanna be the future Kimu Taku. This series is definitely a stepping stone for them.

Without giving anything away, eps 5 and 6 are excellent. Seems like the show is taking a week off, so ep 7 will be aired a week later on 8/31... can't wait for more!

Thanks for the warning about 7. I would have been so confused looking for it.

Episodes 5 and 6 are really good.

Mirei Kiritani's overacting is getting a but much. I thought is was fine in the first episode, since she was playing someone who was faking her way through life. But now she should be showing that the character has matured, and that's still not coming. I don't know if it's her acting or the direction, though. It seems like most of the characters who aren't Saito-san herself have been given some weird tic that they always perform.

I wonder what episode 7 will bring? I like the classroom-centered episodes.

kotsukotsu · Post by **kotsukotsu** » Aug 22nd, '13, 19:34

> so ep 7 will be aired a week later on 8/31 ...

This is clearly announced at the end of episode 6, so there is no reason to think anyone watching the series episode-by-episode will be confused.

> Mirei Kiritani's overacting is getting a but much ... she was playing someone who was
> faking ...

There was similar tension with the "弟子" character in Saitosan One, someone whose main object in life was at first mainly to please those around them. I don't think it detracts from the overall theme of conformance versus principles of both Saitosan One and Two. In both there is a conversion of the "弟子" character, as well as other minor characters. Most of us live is urban environments. Doesn't watching Saitosan remind you of situations and choices you encounter every day? I think it is very interesting to see how someone following principles behaves in these situations.

lullabye · Post by **lullabye** » Aug 22nd, '13, 22:55

kotsukotsu wrote:> so ep 7 will be aired a week later on 8/31 ...

This is clearly announced at the end of episode 6, so there is no reason to think anyone watching the series episode-by-episode will be confused.
Yeah, I probably should have watched the ending credits.

> Mirei Kiritani's overacting is getting a but much ... she was playing someone who was
> faking ...

There was similar tension with the "弟子" character in Saitosan One, someone whose main object in life was at first mainly to please those around them. I don't think it detracts from the overall theme of conformance versus principles of both Saitosan One and Two. In both there is a conversion of the "弟子" character, as well as other minor characters. Most of us live is urban environments. Doesn't watching Saitosan remind you of situations and choices you encounter every day? I think it is very interesting to see how someone following principles behaves in these situations.

I'm enjoying the show very much, and I really do appreciate and relate to Maya. I am probably impatient for her to show some consistent development.

Oh, perhaps you can enlighten me more. What is up with that cop? I understand that a lot of Japanese don't have much faith in the police force, but he seems so surreal!

I am really looking forward to what happens with Tamai's family drama. It was a twist I really hadn't expected, but really shows off why she is so keen to keep up appearances.

manoarain808 · Post by **manoarain808** » Aug 24th, '13, 14:03

Some predictions for the second half of Saitou-san 2. Since it may contain spoilers, ill keep them hidden...

These are my predictions. Anyone else got other predictions?

manoarain808 · Post by **manoarain808** » Sep 16th, '13, 12:33

Ep 10 is the finale. I'm really enjoying this series. Only one more to go.

lullabye · Post by **lullabye** » Sep 16th, '13, 14:57

manoarain808 wrote:Ep 10 is the finale. I'm really enjoying this series. Only one more to go.

How can it be over so soon?

Already, out with the summer, and in with the fall.

lontong.stroong · Post by **lontong.stroong** » Sep 22nd, '13, 17:11

Can't hardly believe they only made it into 10 episodes and I want more. I thought it was a regular 11 episodes

Asian DramaWiki Forum

[Discussion] Saito-san 2

[Discussion] Saito-san 2

Who is online