Nobuta wo Produce

Type: J-drama
No. of Episodes: 10
Subtitles: Softsubbed by the folks at d-addicts

Finally, a recent J-drama that I liked! Nobuta wo Produce is an amusing and touching story of three people who learn how friends are made and how people can change and stay the same.

Shuji is the most popular guy in school. He is friends with everyone, has a great, popular girlfriend, and is the one everyone runs to for help. He is THE MAN on campus. However, Shuji is living a lie. He doesn't really care about all these friends he has, or about anyone or anything at his school. To him school (maybe even life) is just a game. He sort of sits outside of himself, and watches as he pretends to be perfect and what everyone would like. He promises people what they want, and manipulates everyone to maintain his status.

The only thorn in Shuji's side is Akira, one of his classmates who is not impressed at all by Shuji's popularity and fake charm. Shuji detests Akira, but Akira is even oblivious of that. Akira is a really strange guy. He gets drunk off of soymilk, and acts a little bit loopy all the time. He doesn't care about popularity or social status, and does his own thing in his own unique way.

One day Shuji's near-perfect world is rocked when the tree he touches every morning for good luck is suddenly uprooted and removed. This change in his routine troubles Shuji, and the appearance of a strange new girl only disturbs him more. Her name is Nobuko, and she is a new transfer student into Shuji's class. She has no self-confidence whatsoever, and hates herself. Her hair is long and unruly, and there seems to be a dark cloud of gloom hanging over her. Their meeting sets off a chain of events that affects the entire school.

Nobuko's shyness immediately makes her the target for bullying at school. Her habit of accepting all the bad treatment from her classmates without protest only makes them pick on her even more. Finally the commotion caused by the bullying of Nobuko prompts Akira to challenge Shuji to do something. They end up deciding to 'produce' Nobuko, to recreate her and mold her into the most popular girl in school. The three form a pact of secrecy and the production begins!

Every day Shuji and Akira provide some useful and not so useful bits of coaching for Nobuko (whom they soon nickname "Nobuta"). Shuji and Akira maintain the secrecy of their project by pretending to not be partners in front of everyone. The trio meets on the school roof every day, and before long they grow close. This bond will help them when an unexpected threat emerges.

Nobuta wo Produce is a comedy, a drama, and a mystery, with some hints of fantasy. There is definitely an feeling of magical or supernatural power in the air at the school. The transformation of Nobuta from beginning to end is interesting to watch. I highly recommend this series!