Rich Man, Poor Woman

I came across this Japanese series some time in August 2012 searching for Oguri Shun's latest shows. It was still ongoing production during that time when I started watching it. I was able to watch in a marathon around the first five episodes and waited each week for the remaining six episodes - a total of 11 episodes. At the time of writing, an SP (special episode) has been released in Japan.

I specially liked it because the plot had a touch of my world - the IT industry - plus, it is a romantic comedy - the only genre I really like watching.

Teaser

Oguri Shun stars as Hyuga Toru, a young billionaire who became the CEO of the IT company built from his genius - Next Innovation.  Despite his genius and the undeniably intimidating looks, he is burdened by socializing because of a medical condition called prosopagnosia - the inability to recognize familiar faces. Because of this, the only person he can name on the company is the Vice President and co-founder Asahina - this is despite the fact that he meets with most of them up close and personal everyday.

To everyone's awe, for the first time, a woman seemed to have broken the curse of his condition. Chihiro Sawaki played by Ishihara Satomi - a hardworking newly grad who came to the company's job fair looking for a job - made a history.  Even with seeing her just for the first time, he easily remembered her name. The conflict is - it is not even  love at first sight or anything fancy. In fact, he despised her and they quarrelled almost everytime they meet.

Surrounded by mysteries, these two - the rich man, and the poor woman - goes through a wonderful journey unravelling them one after the other. 

SPOILER ALERT!

The Cast

Hyuga Toru (The Rich Man)

Actor: Oguri Shun

Age: 29

History: He is a genius programmer who founded Next Innovation - an IT company start up which climbed up to the top on his lead as the CEO.

Conflict: Prosopagnosia - a medical condition wherein a person cannot recall familiar faces. He also has been searching for his mother who abandoned him when he was a child.

Special Traits: Genius. He can finish a fully-functional software in 3 days (without taking a bath). Harsh, he can easily fire employees whom he doesn't see much value from.

Chihiro Sawaki/Natsui Makoto

Actor: Ishihara Satomi

Age: unidentified - but she was in 4th year of Tokyo University at the time the plot started

History: She is a typical girl who was raised to believe that the best path to success is getting her education degree and finding a job. When she was still in middle school, she served on a family restaurant where Toru often came. They knew each other since then - but due to Toru's condition - he doesn't recognize her.

Conflict: She used the name "Chihiro Sawaki" - the name of Toru's mother after getting humiliated by Toru on the Job Fair. Later on, she sufferred on many consequences and guilt because of her lie.

Special Traits: Photographic memory - she can memorize a book's content in an hour (or something like that). Very talkative. She can say around 10 words per second.

Kosuke Asahina

Actor: Arata

Age: around late 30s

History: He was the co-founder of Next Innovation. 

Conflict: He got tired of being just the second best man (Toru being the best). That is why he ditched Toru and worked behind his back to make sure he becomes the one on top. 

Special Traits: Among the two, he is the one who can handle employee/social relations.

Yoko Asahina

Actor: Saki Aibu

Age: around the same age as Toru

History: She is the younger sister of Kosuke. She works as a chef on a restaurant at Next Innovation.

Conflict: She likes Toru and claimed to have had a special relationship with him from years back.

Special Traits: Good in cooking.