Drama Spotlight: Summer Snow

• Title: Summer Snow
• Episodes: 11
• Broadcast period: 2000-Jul-07 to 2000-Sep-15

Synopsis:
If one enjoys bittersweet, tear-jerking  dramas, Summer Snow would be one to watch. It features the main character, Shinoda Natsuo, who was “forced to grow up too quickly” because of the death of his parents. Him and his little brother and sister own and live in a bicycle shop. Katase Yuki is a woman who suffers from a sort of heart condition, but tries everyday to do her best. Boy meets girl, boy likes girl, both their lives start to change. Of course there’s always the empending threat that Yuki will collapse!

Notable Cast:

• Domoto Tsuyoshi (Part of KinKi Kids),  as Shinoda Natsuo
• Hirosue Ryoko as Katase Yuki
• Imai Tsubasa as Suetsugu Hiroto
• Ikewaki Chizuru as Shinoda Chika
• Oguri Shun (Hana Kimi, Hana Yori Dango, Gokusen, Stand Up!!) as Shinoda Jun

Positive Points:

• Despite being cliche, the story is still very beautifully told and rather bittersweet throughout
• A nice mix of a bit of comedy, romance and ~drama~
• All the characters are interestingly well developed in the story
• The soundtrack. Seriously, it’s one of my favourites.
• Oguri Shun. One wonders why I’m a fan of him. This is why. Unlike most people, I didn’t find him through HanaKimi or HYD. It was Summer Snow. Oguri Shun plays a deaf person particularly well.

Negative Points:

• Cliche story and ending
• Average to poor acting from some of the cast

Theme/Ending Song: KinKi Kids – Natsu no Osama

How are we not surprised? It’s a KinKi Kids song. While the track is a nice summery-type of song, I can’t help being a bit annoyed at the “Oh Eh! Oh Eh!” parts, especially when they pop up at the end of the drama. Talk about slightly awkward. Oh, and the PV still doesn’t make sense. The rest of the song is okay, but I don’t particularly care for the boys. It’s the accompaniment that I find rather cute.

Opening Song: Sissel – Summer Snow

Sissel isn’t Japanese by any means (she’s Norwegian), but this is probably one of my favourite opening tracks from all of the dramas I’ve seen (which is about only 10-ish XD). It’s a beautiful, calming acoustic song with an excellent vocalist that I should definitely listen to sometime. She has a beautiful, clear soprano voice <3.

Insert Song: Sissel – Seven Angels

I actually might like this track a bit more than “Summer Snow”. Like the previous track, it’s a calming, soft track with beautiful vocals.