I got the DVD for Aijou Ippon last friday. I was just browsing at Tower Records for any interesting Jdrama for me to watch over the coming long holiday. I wasn't expecting Ayaya to be starring at me from a Jdrama DVD set
I have never heard Ayaya made a drama so I wasn't sure until I say her name written in the bottom right corner.
Eventho the plot was simple, the way the drama was executed was superb. IMO it is one of the best drama i have seen so far. Tho at the begining the acting looks weak but it improved in later episodes, especially Ayaya, as she learns more and more. At a point the acting was good enough to look like real life. I have to admit ep.9 and ep.10 made my tears run. That was unexpected but Ayaya was able to convey the emotions of the situation across the screen. That was just awesome.
This drama also must have been a high profile one with the judo olympic gold medalist making a special appearance on set and drama. In the making-of the reaction from Ayaya when she touched the olympic gold medal was funny... after touching it with her forefinger, she was running around the dojou set with her finger in the air with the kids jumping around her
My guess is shes the only H!P member that has ever touched an olympic gold medal
Another big surprise from this drama was in ep.7, if I recall correctly. In this episode Tomoe (Ayaya's character) was invited to a kareoke session with their classmates. On reaching the kareoke room, they were told by 2 girls the meeting has been cancelled. At first I didn't realised who they were coz the camera angle was side ways and focused on Ayaya. But when the camera pans across the room, to my surprise I see Takahashi and Kamei sitting there
So Tomoe didn't want the evening go to waste so the 4 of them ended up singing the night away. Thats how we get a short performance by Ayaya sining Meccha Holiday with Takahashi and Kamei backing her up
... that scene was fun eventho it didn't last more than 5 minits. The next morning when Tomoe's dad asked who she spent the night before with, she says "Ai and Eri", haha they used their real names
The final surprise was seeing Thane-sensei, near the end, as Kaoru's new boyfriend
Thane-sensei was the guy who came on in an episode of Hello!Morning to teach Momusu english.