"I Know Everything About You."

Ever since I became serious in my commitment to learn Japanese, I've been watching many (MANY) dramas. Not only has it helped propel my comprehension to a level I wouldn't have achieved otherwise, I generally find the plotlines far more interesting than the "insert character A into setting B and throw in plot twist C" formula in which American TV seems to be firmly and stubbornly stuck. Because of this, someone suggested I shift the focus from specific actors to specific SHOWS, without having to squeeze four or five different programs into a single blog post. Another friend of mind had said he liked how I reviewed shows, and made them sound interesting even to someone doesn't watch them. So...why not? At least for now, so long as I actually have shows to talk about.

First up is a show that's currently airing, The Quiz Show Season 2 (AKA Quiz Show Golden.) It's wildly popular, especially since it features two "idols"--Sakurai Sho from Arashi and You Yokoyama from Kanjani8. Because of these two, several fansub groups have been working diligently to translate each episode as they come out. Of these groups, SBK is probably the most well-known. They recently made filling out a lengthy application a requirement to join their community, to which a number of new would-be members complained. SBK replied with a rather caustic response, although speaking as someone who adores pithy comebacks, this was possibly the best line ever: "So why are you complaining? We got better things to do: That thing called life in the real world, enjoying our own hobbies, and fansubbing this moon speak so you people know why Sho is convulsing on the floor." (Found here.)

So why IS Sho convulsing on the floor? That brings me to my actual review. The Quiz Show Season 2, quite simply, centers on revelation. Not the Bible book, but the revelation of secrets that the characters may not want anyone to know--or may not want to know themselves.

In a (very) dark parody of "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?", Sakurai Sho plays game show host MC Kamiyama as various players do their best to win their "Dream Chance"--that is, if they answer every question correctly, the show will grant any wish up to 1 hundred million yen. The trick is to answer ALL the questions correctly, no matter how personal they are...or how much they reveal about the contestant's sordid past. Which means even if they win, they could wind up destroying their lives.

The MC goes a long way in aiding, goading, and oftentimes outright mocking the contestants. "Watashi wa anata no subete o shitte imasu" ("I know everything about you") is probably one of the most disturbing phrases anyone could ever hear--especially when it's true. This makes Kamiyama a frightening and charismatic force, who manages to be both sympathetic for and scornful of the contestant at the same time.

And yet Kamiyama is not without his own past demons, which surface frequently in a most startling manner. The MC's strings are being pulled invisibly by the cold, calculating man behind the camera, Honma Toshio (You Yokoyama). In fact the drama's very first scene features a dazed Kamiyama in a mental ward, being guided out of his room by Honma. The latter seems to hold a grudge against the host for something Kamiyama can't remember, from an accident several years earlier which left him without most of his memories. This leaves Kamiyama completely dependent on Honma, which makes the man's questionable motives all the more terrifying.

Even if the viewer had never seen Sakurai Sho in a drama before, there's no question his acting skills are well above par. He manages to capture the dual nature of Kamiyama's character perfectly, sarcastic and witty one second while shaking uncontrollably in the corner the next. The way Kamiyama changes in the seconds before he steps onstage highlights this two-sided enigma so the viewer always knows there's more behind the facade than what's being shown.

This drama is still in production. Here's a short clip of the end of episode 1, which gives you a glimpse of the show's intensity. This scene reminds me of a snake wrapping itself around its prey...at any rate, you can find the full episodes at SBK's livejournal, or a few other groups who are currently subbing it. A man on the verge of a breakdown at any moment driving others to their own breaking point, all at the whim of a vengeful man whose motives are still unclear, make for one exciting show.