"Yokai Ningen Bem" is a tokusatsu drama about a trio of heroic monsters who just want to be human. But they are misunderstood throughout their immortal lives and shunned by the regular humans they want to become. The hero aspect of the show has taken a back seat to a surprising tear-jerking, philosophical aspect. What is it to be human? Why bother being alive? So far, they have helped more depressed people than criminals out for money or power. The one bad guy is a mysterious yokai who takes advantage of of psychologically vulnerable humans by throwing a green slime to their eyes that makes them commit crimes. Kamenashi Kazuya from KAT-TUN, "Nobuta wa Produce," "Yamato Nadeshiko Shichi Henge," plays Bem, the gloomy, but nice father figure of the yokai family. Anne, who I haven't seen before, plays the mother figure Bela who is sort of tsundere. Suzuki Fuko plays the adorable yokai child Belo who can't grow up. I haven't really watched any tokusatsu dramas (not counting "Ultra Man" from childhood days). So seeing the monster get-ups is rather strange and amusing. But, underneath the latex, the acting is actually pretty good. Anne plays Bela with just the right amount of attitude. Suzuki Fuko is just adorable as Belo. However, Kamenashi doesn't get to do much more than be silent and teary and have a bromance with a police officer. He seems too young to be Bem, but he is eye candy for the ladies and a draw for the show. (It worked on me.) I like that the show is more of a drama about being human than the kiddie action show I was expecting.
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