"Mitsu no Aji" ep. 11 finale

In this episode, Aya comes out smelling like a rose.  Her physical collapse causes her to rethink things. She finally gives up on Masato and even sort of helps the couple (with Kirishima, wut?) by stopping Norisugi from continuing his tabloid campaign.  The couple are fired from every clinic at which they attempt to practice medicine.  Naoko briefly struggles with her severed ties with her parents after learning her mother is ill.  Her parents reject her as a daughter and a doctor.  But ironically, Aya saves the day.  Rai finds another love.  Norisugi decides to forget Naoko.  But where can the couple go in Japan to be happy?  Apparently, nowhere, since they end up being doctors in an unnamed foreign war-torn city.  I rooted for the couple because their love is forbidden. I think the whole lure of the show was to watch them struggle and finally give into their love.  But the most riveting part of the series was watching Kanno Miho playing Aya.  Her character changes the most.  At first, she was an unfeeling, manipulative, slightly psycho person.  She turns into a more sympathetic (but still manipulative) character who ironically is the one person who understands their love more than anyone else.  Would I give up my family for ARATA?  Hmmm.

"Mitsu no Aji" ep. 10 recap

Naoko confirms with Masato that they are really going to be together, even with all the forthcoming hardships.  Masato tells Aya he's quitting the university.  Naoko's parents visit Aya who confirms their fears.  Naoko's dad confronts Masato while Naoko's mother confronts Naoko.  Both are steadfast in the resolve to stay together to the torment of the parents.  Masato even gets beaten up.  Afterward they go out in the rain (I guess rain is their thing) and find each other even without the aid of a cell phone.  It must be true love, right?  Aya coincidentally sees them kissing in the rain.  Poor Aya.  Naoko and Masato finally do the deed.  The show ends with Norisugi secretly passing info to Kirishima, Aya collapsing in the lab, and the couple walking arm in arm to start a new life in a new town. 

"Mitsu no Aji" ep. 9 recap

Takinohara decides to cover up Masato's medication "error."   Naoko accuses Norisugi of using her password, but he denies it.  Hosegawa finally dumps Rai.  Norisugi admits to Aya that he framed Naoko/Masato for the error.  Aya is horrified that he would endanger a patient.  A magazine article exposes the uncle-niece relationship and the cover-up of the medication error.  Kirishima is thrilled.  Masato accuses Aya of being responsible.  She identifies Norisugi as the culprit.  Naoko and Norisugi confront each other at the apartment.  She refuses his attempt to reconcile.  He attempts to rape Naoko, but Masato suddenly appears and saves her.  Masato confesses their love and that they just want to be together no matter the consequences.  Aya gets a phone call from Naoko's parents who just got into town.  Uh oh.

"Mitsu no Aji" ep. 8 recap

Norisugi rages at Naoko saying he was only a substitute for Masato and that she loves Masato and not him.  She doesn't deny it.  He wants to break up.  She doesn't resist.  Takinohara wins the medical director election.  Kirishima is majorly disappointed.  Aya encourages Hosegawa to dump Rai.  There is a funny moment when Aya says she should have been with Hosegawa instead, but then says "Naaaa."  After a victory party, Masato asks Naoko to go shopping with him.  Funnily enough, she says only parent and child or couples go shopping together.  He gives the excuse that he doesn't know where to shop.  They look like a couple shopping together. He buys her a clothes.  Looks like a date to me.  They talk at a restaurant.  She asks what would have happened 8 years ago if he hadn't got the call from the hospital after they kissed.  He says he wouldn't have left her, but he still would have left for Pittsburgh.  There are no flustered looks surprisingly.  They act very mature and cool about it.  Kirishima blames his loss of the election to the return of Masato.  Norisugi confronts Naoko.  Does she want to break up really?  She says yes. She doesn't deny loving Masato and says she and Norisugi have no relationship anymore.  He is crushed.  Aya tells Masato she is not divorcing him.  She says that he only returned to Japan to be with Naoko.  She doesn't want them to be together.  He denies having those feelings and says he can never marry Naoko anyway.   Hosegawa asks Masato to go back to Aya.  He says no way and denies liking anyone else. Hosegawa says Masato will never be free from Aya.  Norisugi visits Aya and they comfort each other.  She says they can't break them up because they have a taboo relationship.  A patient of Masato and Naoko suffers from an overdose of a medication  Someone tampered with his orders and increased the dose using Naoko's computer password.  He takes responsibility himself by saying he ordered her to increase the dose in order to protect Naoko.  Who knew her password?  Did Norisugi or Aya do it? 

"Mitsu no Aji" ep. 7 recap

Masato figures out Aya made the mysterious phone call.  Aya "accidentally" tells Norisugi that Naoko is actually still in Tokyo doing a secret surgery with her husband Masato.  When Naoko comes home, Norisugi busts Naoko for lying.  He is pissed that Aya knew, but he didn't, and that Naoko isn't enthusiastic about getting married.  After a nudge from Takinohara, Naoko asks Masato to stay in Japan, and he actually does end up coming back the hospital as a surgeon/teacher.  Masato tells Aya he's coming back to the hospital and offers to turn in the divorce paper himself.  Aya tells a somewhat suspicious Masato that she will turn in their divorce paper after the medical director election. Masato invites himself over for dinner with Naoko and Norisugi.  Norisugi notices how comfortably uncle and niece interact. Aya cries and realizes she wants Masato back and doesn't want Naoko to have him.  Aya invites Rai over to ply her with wine and potential political gain in order to get Rai to tell her all the dirt on Naoko.    Rai goes to Naoko's place to warn Naoko about Aya sniffing around.  Naoko denies having any feelings of love left over from 8 years ago for Masato.  Just then Norisugi overhears their conversation and the show ends with an awkward moment between all three of them.  Aya meanwhile tears up the divorce paper.  Psycho Aya is back!  Poor Norisugi...  Again, there is only one semi-forbidden moment where Naoko turns around expectantly when Masato calls her name... but it's only for her to take more trash to throw away!  Boo.  I like how Rai is really backing up her friend.  I hope she doesn't give in to the dark side with Aya.

"Mitsu no Aji" episode 6 recap

Masato is back... to perform liver surgery on his old teacher Takinohara at a secret location.  Takinohara wants to keep his illness/surgery secret to avoid damaging his chances of being promoted to medical director.  Takinohara gets the bright idea to get Naoko to help Masato during the surgery/recovery which will last 10 days.  Naoko looks shocked, confused, and happy about all of this.  She has to lie to her fiance Norisugi about what she is doing for 10 days away.  Norisugi pressures Naoko to get married quickly.  But she dodges the issue.  Meanwhile, Aya looks happy/mentally balanced when she meets Masato, even agreeing to a divorce finally.  But Naoko's old classmates, Rai and Hosokawa (who are having an affair) see Naoko and Masato outside a hotel together (it's near the hospital where the surgery is being performed). They jump to conclusions.  Hosokawa and Rai are fired because of gossip of their affair by the other man in the running for the directorship, Kirishima.  But Aya sticks up for them and saves their jobs.  Hosokawa then confides to Aya about seeing Naoko and Masato together.  I'm not sure if he is trying to curry favor with Kirishima or if he's trying to downplay his affair by exposing Naoko and Masato.  Meanwhile, the surgery looks successful and Masato and Naoko are thanked by Takinohara's son, another old classmate.   Aya hears about Naoko being away for 10 days just like Masato.  Aya puts two and two together and calls the secret hospital asking for Masato...and gets Naoko on the phone.  Aya hangs up and looks pained.  Masato and Naoko look worried after realizing the call was some sort of ruse.  There are no confessions of love or longing glances, except for Naoko having a meaningful look at Masato's chest mole (eww).  So this episode is just a set up for what I suspect is Aya harrasing Naoko again and Naoko and Masato trying to fight their feelings again.  I feel sorry for Norisugi.  But it will be fun to watch Aya go psycho again.  Damn those V-neck scrubs...

"Mitsu no Aji" ep. 5 recap

The show is getting good.  Masato tells Aya he wants a divorce and is moving away.  She won't sign the papers though and sort of claws at him like she did before.  Masato agrees to a dinner with Naoko to break the news of his leaving.  He notices that Naoko really was thoughtful and caring about him because she thought of buying a beer for his dinner visit and practiced making curry for him.  She plays it cool when he tells her he'll be gone for at least four years.  She says she'll be all right without him and will have a boyfriend when he gets back.  He says he's doing it to stop Aya from harrassing Naoko.  But without saying anything explicitly, they both know he is leaving because any romantic love they feel for each other is wrong.  She waves good bye with a brave, smiling face, but breaks down when he leaves.  I was surprised to see Masato breaking down at the bridge on the way home.  It's the first obvious outward sign of his interest besides one hug from the last episode.  When he frantically returns and kisses Naoko, it's a pretty hot scene.  But of course, after a convenient emergency phone call, he leaves her.  Flash forward eight years.  Naoko is a up and coming surgeon and engaged to Norisugi, played by Mizobata Junpei.  Aya is a rising star assistant professor on track to be the first female prof at the school.  She also seems to finally be ready for a divorce and seems more concerned with research.  At the end of the show, we see Masato arriving at the airport!  Why is he coming back?  Who is he coming back for?  Will Aya go psycho for Masato again?  (ARATA is now the right age for his character and he doesn't have the moppy hair anymore. Finally.)

"Mitsu no Aji" ep. 4 recap

Masato finally wakes up and leaves uncaring wife Aya. He sleeps over at Naoko's place (nothing happens, except for a few gazes to the other futon). Aya blames Naoko for his leaving, calls her an animal for digging on her uncle, denies going to Naoko's apartment and threatening Naoko, and even suggests Naoko has a mental illness.  Later, Masato wavers, but still believes Naoko (yay!).    Naoko tries to stay away, with the help of her friend.  The friend isn't all judgemental, but tries to steer Naoko away from the forbidden path.  But she can't stay away from Masato who keeps calling her, damn it.  They have to stop walking near traffic, because they have another romantic moment involving Masato protecting Naoko from approaching vehicles and/ or their splashing.  Naoko starts crying says she can't stop loving him and... he hugs her.  Cut scene to a week later.  A visit from Masato's brother/ Naoko's father highlights the guilt they feel.  After Masato sees Aya and Naoko staring each other down at school, he runs away...to accept an offer to study at Pittsburgh University.  It's either really noble or really chicken.  Both I guess.  Darn, it looks like both women have to go on without the oh-so-desirable Masato.  Until he comes back, otherwise there's no show, of course.

"Mitsu no Aji - A Taste of Honey"

"Mitsu no Aji" is a strange drama.  Naoko (played by Eikura Nana, from "Mei-chan no Shitsuji") is naive girl who falls in love with her uncle, Masato (who was adopted, but still...).  She follows him to Tokyo to medical school with dreams of being with him.  But, turns out he had a girlfriend all along, Aya (played by Kanna Miho who was great in "Guilty" and "Magerarenai Onna").  She is brilliant, cold, and calculating and senses Naoko's feelings for Masato.  Aya's actions in response to Naoko's appearance in Tokyo all scream "get away from my man, he's mine."  We see Aya's secret smiles of glee as she destroys Naoko's hopes of being with Masato.  Why Aya is so threatened is a bit puzzing, since Masato acts oblivious to Naoko's feelings.  The whole taboo angle I admit is part of why I'm watching.  I don't get why Naoko is so into Masato.  I think I just don't find the actor ARATA to be all-that-and-a-bag-of-chips.  He seems a bit old for the part, but since the show takes pains to say it's taking place in 2003, maybe the show will progress to the present and the age thing won't be bothering me later.  I've only seen the first two episodes, but Kanna Miho's performance is really good so far.  Eikura Nana as Naoko is growing on me.  Mizobata Junpei (the current "Detective Conan") plays Naoko's classmate who will probably form the "love rectangle" of the show.  I'm interested in how it's going to play out.  I don't think the show will let Naoko and Masato live happily ever after, so how this is going to resolve will be interesting.