Dorama 2021

Renai Mangaka (Japanese Drama Review & Summary)

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• Genre: Romance, Live Action Manga,  Shojo Manga, Family
• Release Date: 8 April 2021
• Origin: Japan
• Dorama: 10 Episodes

Cast

• Suzuki Ryohei as Karibe Seiichiro
• Yoshioka Riho as Kuon  Aiko
• Shiraishi Shunya as Karibe Jun (Seiichiro’s younger brother & Ren’s father)
• Iwata Ryusei as Karibe Ren (Seiichiro’s nephew)
• Kataoka Ainosuke as Kogo Tatsuya (Manga Editor)
• Kinami Haruka as Kinjo Karen (junior manga artist)
• Ryusei Ryo as Hayase Tsuyoshi

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Episode 1

Kuon Aiko worked for a funeral parlour until she got fired for fighting with the ‘bereaved’ relative.

It was not as clear-cut as that because to start with Aiko was tasked to look after the young son of the deceased.

She was distracted by the arrival of a mysterious man in a black cloak.

Anyway, that was only briefly but when she turned to her charge, he was gone.  She then saw him sitting by the rooftop.

She shouted to him that he looked so much like his father once.

The boy, Ren, asked her if she knew his father.

She told him that he was his senpai in middle school.

Ren asked her if she was a girlfriend of his father.

Aiko had to confess that she was once though only briefly.  She said that she only became his father’s girlfriend after she had confessed to him five times.  She confessed to him everytime she head he broke up with a girlfriend.

She could almost not believe when he agreed after the fifth time.

She became emotional when Ren asked if she hated his father but she said no because he had the most beguiling smile that you have to forgive him anything.

Seeing that Aiko was tearing up, Ren threw her his handkerchief which was grabbed on air by the hooded man.

The hooded man, behaving like a maniac, asked her if she wanted to fall in love.

Aiko got so frightened and the next thing she knew she was fired from her job.

But Kogo Tatsuya came to see to offer her a job.

And when she went to see the boss, it was the hooded man.

Aiko found out that the hooded man was a world-famous mangaka.  They named a manga which was wowing the world but she never heard of it.

She turned down the job but Seiichiro, the hooded man, finally explained to her what he wanted her to do.  And that was to help him with his manga,  he wanted inspiration.  He told her that he was going to pay her 1Million.

He did not have to say more because Aiko was suddenly interested, very interested.

He told her that she had to have a make-over because he wanted her to attract a guy which will be the subject of this manga.

She did find a very nice guy and Seiichiro was inspired and writing his manga.

The guy she met was Hayase.  He was really into her and she was happy to meet someone who is lovely at last.

Against Seiichiro’s order, she confessed to Hayase that she had been lying to him and that she had purposely met him.

Before she could expound more, Ren , who was now living with his uncle Seiichiro called Aiko in a panic telling her that his uncle was unwell.  Ren said that he did not know what to do and worried that his uncle might die.

Aiko hurried back to the house and helped Seiichiro with his manga as he was paralysed with pain.  He drew, she erased, he drew again.

After he finished the chapter, she had to tell him what happened to her date.

He encouraged her to go back and find Hayase because he might be her ‘the one’

Aiko did not need much persuading.  She went back to Hayase and they made up.  He said that he was happy that she thought him worthy enough to want to meet.

When next saw Seiichiro, he told her to break up with Hayase.

Episode 2

This episode is on the heartwarming side.

Young Ren was the perfect little boy, well mannered, thoughtful, quiet and very lonely.

Unfortunately, his uncle Seiichiro is the unsocial kind so he does not get young Ren and does not know how to deal with him.

Ren overheard Kogo talking to Aiko about what a burden Ren was to his busy uncle.  Poor Ren took this personally and went to the bridge where he was happiest with his dead father.

Aiko was called by Ren’s teacher and was told that the boy was not at school.

Aiko went to check on Ren and Seiichiro did not know where the boy was but he did get worried and went with Aiko to find Ren at the bridge.

They saw the slight little boy looking so lonely.

Aiko was about to run to him but Seiichiro stopped her and he went instead.  He had bonding with his nephew and found that he was a clever and thoughtful little boy.  He told Ren to cry, it was ok to cry when you are sad.  He offered the boy to take him to this bridge every time he misses his father.

When they got back to the house, Ren’s young handsome teacher was waiting worriedly.  He wanted to talk to Seiichiro, who already disappeared into the house like a bat out of hell.

Ren told his teacher that his uncle was very shy.

Anyway, Aiko was told that it was time for her to break up with Hayase otherwise she will forfeit her million yen.

She did break up with him and they were both heartbroken.  It took Aiko two days to come to terms with her breakup.

So was scammed by Togo and Seiichiro telling her that she broke the contract, she was two days late.  She told them that she was very upset with the break-up but still they kept saying that contract is a contract.

Anyway, Seiichiro said that she can still get her million if she does the next project and that was to make Ren’s young teacher to fall in love with her.