O Hanaya - san - Bara no nai hanaya

Ok lum lum session everyone. Thanks to YY who introduced me to this lum lum drama - ...... I must say, sorry k-drama fans. J-dramas always has that subtle drive that makes you CRY and CRY. It is not those damn hor leen ones but something in the way they write it that makes you go *sobs*.

Bara no nai hanaya is 2007 Best Winter drama and i must say i am starting to think Shingo Katori is a darn good actor. If he is reading this, Shingo - you have a fan here. He should do more of this romantikku doramas more as he has the capability to be come and excellent leading man.

The title means - flower shop with no rose. How can that be? Shiomi Eiji is a single father who brings up his little Shizuku after his girlfriend dies in child birth. His life is solely devoted to bringing the girl up and he works part time and manages to set up a flower shop to keep things a float. The reason why the shop has no roses is slowly unfolded throughout the series.

This show also marks the return of the great actress in my view Yuko Takeuchi. After her divorce, she is back into doramas. She is Shiorata mio, a blind lady who was seeking shelter from the rain one day. He offers here shelter from the rain. Prickly, initially, she soon starts to get used to Eiji whom she fondly calls "O-hana-ya san" each time she sees him.

I love that sentence. The way she questioningly say it, very sure that Eiji will say "hai" in return just touches that spot in your heart.

However, Mio is not all innocent as you think she is. Shizuku's mother, was a daughter of a rich doctor who is out to seek revenge to the man he thinks made his daughter suffer in her last days. He assumes that Eiji was the one and is all out to make life miserable for him. Mio, is one of the means in which he seeks revenge through.

One thing that is extremely good about japanese dramas, is their very frequent use of expression without much words. The way shingo expresses himself when he can't really say it in many words is just... excellent. He is not a very rich nor very clever man in this show, a rather average joe who believes if he wants and believe in something, we must do everything possible to protect it.

Will Mio be able to see the good in Eiji and win him over? What if Eiji finds out? Ha... turn in and watch loh. How can i give away the ending. Soundtrack is superb as usual. The theme song - Zutto Issho sa - heart rendering. I believe no other asian countries - can make such good dramas except the Japanese. They rock man. :)

Dorama title: Bara no nai hanaya
Lum lum rating: ****
Overall rating: *****
This is 5 out of 5 star rating.