HomeScreen Alchemist

...and it turns out this one is also one of his best.

Total mind blown!
Probably the best drama in decades, Japan & beyond.
10/10

That's great. Yes. I've watched those 2 movies. They're "her own" films (she wrote, directed & played on both) so they're a "must-watch" for me. lol. She's so super talented who can do difficult things intuitively, that even high-profile directors like Koreeda Hirokazu felt "guarded" and almost feels like in the defense mode when meeting her. That's the kind of vibe I got of him when seeing the documentary "I am Non". He could do something more into guiding in a positive/enthusiastic way as a person who's had more experience and skills. It was weird to watch that part. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_am6zYTJFXM&list=PLAEkBZDI41WAP4WHWUm7k0fqekONGA8gJ

For her own written & directed movies, there's something unique about Non is that we can't really figure out what's in her mind for her creative expressions. Those 2 movies have symbolism that some of us might get it and others don't. I feel that Non knows a lot more than what she would display them in mainstream/public arena, and her art, inc. movies, music, etc. would reflect the things she'd like to communicate.

Welcome to the world of Non! 😁😄😀😁😀
Both me & @LouM are also big fans of her...

I discovered her several years ago, my personal favs (other than both seasons of Shiawase Kanako) are:
Miss King (drama, 2025)
Amachan (NHK asadora, 2013 - the best asadora IMO. Ultimate classic. She was only 19)
Hold Me Back (movie, 2020)
Three Sisters of Tenmasou (movie, 2022)
There's also an early movie of her, Hot Road (2014), really good but the story is a bit dark/sad.

I rate the above between 8.5 to 9.5

I just checked, it's still there. Lots of seeders so you shall be able to download the episodes pretty fast. Here's the direct link...
https://nyaa.si/?f=0&c=0_0&q=shiawase+kanako

I can't say much about the others you mentioned, though, unfortunately. I've watched Tokyo Middle 30 (just because Non is in it) but on TVer with VPN.

Hosting raw video files are considered "illegal" so I won't be hosting them with my subs (although for outside the Japanese territory, it's still a 'grey-area' if there are no other platforms that officially distribute such dramas). However, it's not that all non-Japanese residents are completely doomed and left out without access. Like I mentioned there in the link given above, you still can get the raw videos via torrent and search "Shiawase Kanako" on nyaa.si
Torrent is a peer to peer sharing, and users share bits/parts of the digital data contained in the files, and not the actual files. You'll need a torrent downloader software/app for that. If you're not familar with Torrent, you can read that here: https://www.wikihow.com/Download-Torrents

Yeah. it almost feels "historical", like those NHK dramas.
But Narumi Yui's vibe is timeless.

I'd highly recommend Shiawase Kanako no Koroshiya Seikatsu. Action comedy with a touch of romance, based on a serial manga. There are 2 seasons already.
https://kisskh.at/769541-shiawase-kanako-no-koroshiya-seikatsu
https://kisskh.at/811582-shiawase-kanako-no-koroshiya-seikatsu-season-2

You will need to download the actual videos. I mentioned about that here:
https://kisskh.at/811582-shiawase-kanako-no-koroshiya-seikatsu-season-2/discussions/155740-anyone-needs-english-sub-here-you-go

Yes. The roles aren't too demanding here, many can do those, but TBH, acting-wise Katayama Yuki is really good choice, and she also has a strong positive aura making her to be very attractive just by standing there (without having to do any heavy acting). I just watched her latest movie Fujiko. She nails the role perfectly for that movie. https://kisskh.at/790072-fujiko

Katayama Yuki is very underrated. She's really good in acting & has a strong vibe/aura.

I just wonder: is this a series, or a one-off 'special' drama? The story seems to end in episode 1.

I wasn't aware about the Nana anime, and yes it's about the actress Nana Komatsu.
https://kisskh.at/people/7591-komatsu-nana

The male & female leads reunited here. I watched them last year when they took part of After The Quake (Jishin no Ato de) mini-series & movie, and actually that was the first time I got hooked by Narumi Yui. She's very talented, attractive, and has a strong aura for doing lead roles. Her style of acting is somewhat 'intuitive', and can improvise depending on the atmosphere of the scene.

This drama is more a 'blue-collar type comedy' that seemingly has plenty of rude moments, and swear words in Kansai-dialect. Not my kind of drama TBH, but I watch this because of Narumi Yui. She's done very well as supporting roles in both Miss King and Themis' Uncertain Court.

It's an old soundtrack from a classic 1968 anime "Yokai Ningen Bem".
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmHDDnWrMTE

Some speculate whether Nana died in the end. But her late night phone message to Kiyomi at the very end of the ep. 5 says "I don't need dinner tonight. maybe next time".

Shiawase Kanako is the treasure-trove found in the lop-eared bunny rabbit hole. Season 2 is her Amachan of this decade. Too bad that has only 5 episodes.

Wow! Season 2 really pushed every aspect (action, comedy, drama, acting, even the "violent level" fighting choreography) to the higher level! It's really beyond insane. Storyline is also more cohesive, not just random scenes picked from the manga like the Season 1.
Recommended to watch the entire series at least 2 times to appreciate more.
If you ever need any English soft-sub, I have them. See below.
https://kisskh.at/811582-shiawase-kanako-no-koroshiya-seikatsu-season-2/discussions/155740-anyone-needs-english-sub-here-you-go

Non is a free-spirited artist-type actor. She has her own loyal grassroots supporters (all genders across a very wide age-range, from teens to seniors) who normally also appreciate and embody free-spirited values. So I think most of her works resonate more to the movie/cinema/theater and general art enthusiasts, not quite fans of TV shows & TV programs (TV dramas included).

Most people within the DO "community" pick their own "favorites" when it comes to what they want to sub, be their fav. actors, types of stories, popularity in viewers ratings, etc. I don't think Non (as well as the other 2 FLs) are considered "priority" enough there.

With 13 episodes, I have a bad feeling that this will get so many unnecessary twists & turns in the plot just to stretch the total slot of airing time, and even inserted stories that are irrelevant to the main plot. Let's see.