Smile (2009-Japan-TBS)
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From AsianMediaWiki
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User Rating
Current user rating: 89/100 (23 votes)
Profile
- TV Show: Smile
- Japanese: スマイル
- Director: Yasuharu Ishii, Toshio Tsuboi, Akihiko Watase
- Writer: Takayuki Takuma
- Producer: Mahoko Takanari
- Network: TBS
- Episodes: 11
- Release Date: April 17 - June 26, 2009
- Runtime: Friday 22:00
- TV Ratings: 10.11% (weekly average)
- Language: Japanese
- Country: Japan
Plot
Bito Hayakawa (Jun Matsumoto) has a Japanese mother and Filipino father. Since he was very young he has carried a complex about his mixed ethnicity. Even with his complex, Bito has a bright character and smile. Hana Mishima (Yui Aragaki) lost her voice, but she is also a bright girl that makes things around her brighter. Kazuma Ito (Kiichi Nakai) is a lawyer who likes to be noticed. He tends to look down on people with his own particular smile. Bito, Hana, and Kazuma shares a secret from the past. Because of this connection they will affect society ...
Cast
- Jun Matsumoto - Bito Hayakawa
- Yui Aragaki - Hana Mishima
- Eiko Koike - Shiori Machimura
- Masanobu Katsumura - Keisuke Kashiwagi
- Gin Maeda - Sosuke Machimura
- Ayumi Ishida - Midori Machimura
- Kiichi Nakai - Kazuma Ito
- Hidenori Tokuyama - Kinta
- Suzunosuke - Kenji Kazima
- Shun Oguri - Seiji Hayashi
- Toshiyuki Kitami - Furuse
- Masanobu Katsumura - Keisuke Kashiwagi
- Hiroyuki Ikeuchi - Takayanagi
- Wakana Sakai
- Tomokazu Koshimura
- Sumina Teramoto
- Yo Yoshida
- Mari Nishio
- Yujiro Komura - ep.8
Trailer
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hyacynth Says:
Jul 19 2011 8:58 pm
it may be that kondo was a racist, or maybe it's his own ignorance that branded Vito as a Filipino bastard. i mean, he might also say that to anyone. it so happens that Vito was the only person there, and we was running kind of late in his chores, and Kondo knew of Vito's ethnicity.
i'm a Filipino, and i'm happy that the writer of the drama showed some positive points of a Filipino worker, in this case, a Filipino-Japanese: Vito's being a harworking citizen,and his tendency to smile.
this story's plot is a flashback. i liked how Vito dreamed of making a restaurant. in some success stories of Filipinos (or maybe some Fil-Japs) in japan, they do well in their chosen fields. Filipinos and Japanese are similar in some aspects. they are both hardworking. they are polite. and they tend to smile to friends or to whom they do business with.
jun matsumoto has really done justice to his role. even his complexion really matched with one who is a Fil-Jap. if he were walking down the streets of manila or anywhere in the philippines (sa cebu sad unta, hehe), and he happened not to speak anything, he'll pass for a Filipino. some pinoys look like him already. being a country with mixed ethnicity, it's not a surprise if a filipino can be passed for other nationalities (the malaysians, indonesians, vietnamese and thais look like filipinos too.)
***
(Note: i don't know if you know Hayami mokomichi. he's also a famous actor and model in japan. and i've heard rumors that he's half filipino, half japanese. please verify for me if you happen to come across his name.)
lipin Says:
Dec 11 2010 8:25 am
what an awful trailer, they could do better.
well personally i watched all 11 episodes. varies. if you like mix ups and downs. go for this. 2 things demerit this drama would be flashbacks and not too awesome ending if u have a good plot grow all the way. inspirational in a different way, i would say not really as he has no options. nevertheless, he strived.
a superb love drama to go for. 8/10
shongkleng Says:
Nov 11 2009 3:48 am
ive seen the series..it's really good however it's quite depressing.. i tried telling myself that probabaly japanese are just being protective of their race/culture but i really cant help but feel sad that up until this day..this time.. this generation.. discrimination still exist..
InvisibleWings Says:
Jul 21 2009 9:27 am
It's sad that still in this day rascist exist even withing similar countrys like Japan and the phillipines, it makes me wonder that if these beautifull people that look so much alike in the outside can consider one another so different in the inside, then maybe there is not lots of hope for the rest of us...... but then I see Bito and Hana, they realy see each other, not their background, not their heritage, they see what realy counts, they see their humanity, cause in the end, thats all that realy counts, all the rest is just smoke and mirrows.
iam02 Says:
Jul 01 2009 5:30 pm
i love this drama :) im a filipino and i dont think this its racism :) you know why its titled "smile"? its cause they say filipinos always smile whenever they have problems or even without. you can never really tell when they have problems in their lives, they live their lives with a big smile on their face :) i read it somewhere over the internet :).
p.s i love jun matsumoto, and i love him even more cause of his role :)
cake0228 Says:
Jul 01 2009 5:23 pm
i think this drama is okay to watch, i mean so far im loving it though ive only seen like 3 episodes.
i don't think it's racist or something. i see lots of article about this drama, and i love reading people's comments about it 'cause i sometimes learn something. though on the first few parts of the episode, there were some words that i think 'some' filipinos would not like to hear, i honestly got upset since im a filipino, but maybe there's a reason why they said that. but really their not being racist. let's think of it this way, why would they do sucha thing like that to filipinos? i mean for sure their not that retarded or something. but really i love this drama and since matsujun is my favorite actor, im loving it more :D
Skadanaztika Jim Says:
Jun 20 2009 11:20 am
I think the series in general aims to tackle Filipino-Japanese marriages which are right now the most common in Japan, most likely to ease the bad relations with those who still can't open up to the changing times. I'm Filipino with some Czech blood and I know how this topic can be faced with racism and discrimination but in the end those couples who do end up together stay together if meant to be so no point beating your head on it. Oh yeah love Japanese culture, language only point they need to improve on is to improve women rights and consider them as equals.
P.S.- I'm a dud by the way and I personally would not want a women who didn't know how to stand up for herself.
Danni Says:
Jun 11 2009 9:17 am
Actually, this drama is a very mature piece of art. It's incredible and I think it's really well done. I'm part Filipino, part Japanese, so it is kinda hard to watch, hearing those words, but it is also done tastefully in a way where they show the views in two different lights. There are good comments, and there are bad comments. Either way, this drama is going to be controversial, but it would still be good.
BLing Says:
Jun 03 2009 1:22 am
I totally agree with RamenLover, I've seen the first two episodes of this series and I'm pretty impressed with it, i really think it's well done and to be honest the story involves racist overtones but I think (and I'm only judging by only the 2 episodes I've seen) this show is going to be more about the main characters in this story overcoming harsh adversities, adversities not only tied to racism but adversity in every practical sense that "life" can throw at them. If we really look at the big picture racism or bigotry, whatever you want to call it, is a worldwide dilemma...all we can really hope for is that in time the people that are a part of this dilemma learn to someday open their minds.
chinenyuuri_hey_say_fan Says:
May 30 2009 1:11 pm
I love these series! Though, I'm a Filipino too, I think it's ok. I think this drama is just showing what's happening, like what lovin'jun said. It's not that I'm alright they're calling Filipinos that, (Filipino Bastards) but it doesn't mean that this only happens to Filipinos and in Japan. Anyway, I'm waiting for the 3 episode, so I'm excited! :) It's sad though... :'(, but I know he'll make it through! :D I really wish that Matsumoto Jun can speak some Tagalog or something ^^ That would be SWEET! :D
lovin'jun Says:
May 18 2009 5:45 am
I don't think that this series aim to be racist.
It's just showing what is happening in the Filipino-Japanese people in Japan.
I hope Japanese would realize a lot of things through this. Just as what the series really aim to.
hero Says:
May 14 2009 10:20 pm
japan is maturing
riku Says:
May 07 2009 10:14 am
wait....uhmmm..I've watched the first episode and there I already heard "FILIPINO BASTARD" three times..(maybe a bit more)...it shouldn't be right. I have filipino blood and also have some japanese blood. and therefore, I am getting really mad about this...it's not the drama but you know the thought that japanese do that to filipinos. btw it's not our(filipinos) "front" that will be judged, it's japan's] ^^ kinda getting sarcastic am I? is it too obvious?? I'm saying this drama...is sooooooo gooood @_@
RamenLover Says:
May 02 2009 5:39 am
Hey Kaji,
I haven't seen this drama yet, but from the plot description it doesn't sound like it has racist overtones. Kids of mixed ethnicity tend to stand out (especially in the mostly homogonous country of Japan) and consequently sometimes they are made fun of and I am guessing that has a lot to with his mixed emotions. Check out the show first and let me know if I am wrong.
kaji Says:
May 02 2009 3:24 am
grrr. rascist! at least we, filipino, have better conscience. remember WWII?! peace. gosh. i'm thrown by my emotions. it's just one heck of a plot with all those discrimination!!!!