The Relationship between the Drama and the Theme Song of Yuriko Yoshitaka’s “Beloved” and Hikaru Utada

(This article contains a discussion of the drama “Beloved” and an explanation of its development. (This article contains a discussion of the drama “Saiai” and its development.)

The Friday drama “Saiai” (TBS) starring Yuriko Yoshitaka. Even after the last episode, the piano melody keeps coming back and the sad story played by “Saiai” keeps many viewers in a state of limbo. With the theme song “Kimi ni Mukoto” sung by Hikaru Utada, the aftermath of the drama has not cooled down yet.

The drama is an original suspense love story that centers on three people: Rio Sanada (Yoshitaka), a businesswoman who becomes an important witness in a murder case, Daiki Miyazaki (Kohei Matsushita), a detective who pursues the truth of the case and is Rio’s first love, and Kenichiro Kase (Arata Iura), a lawyer who tries to protect Rio in every way possible. The story is an original suspense love story.

When the truth is revealed in the final episode, many viewers were captivated by Kase who committed a crime and disappeared to protect his beloved, and Daiki who lives with a secret for his beloved. Many viewers were captivated by these two characters.

This drama was produced by producer Junko Arai and director Ayuko Tsukahara, who also produced such popular works as “Chuugakusei Nikki”, “Unnatural”, and “MIU 404” in the same Friday drama slot. For this reason, there was a lot of attention even before the show started.

This is the first suspense drama that the duo of Arai and Tsukahara has worked on in a long time, since their highly acclaimed suspense works based on Kanae Minato’s original story, such as “Night Viewing Car” in 2001, “For N” in 2002, and “Rebirth” in 2005. A suspense drama. And since it was an original work, the storyline was unpredictable, and many viewers rewatched it over and over again, curious about the search for the murderer and the love affair with Rio. (The aforementioned wide show insider)

The first thing that caught the viewers’ attention was the monologue at the beginning. The opening monologue, in which the characters talk about their “beloved” each time, is not a typical “look back” of the story, but a hint to solve the mystery of the case, and an exquisite device to foreshadow the subsequent development. It is also a hint to solve the mystery of the case, and an exquisite device to foreshadow subsequent developments.

The CG black box closes with a meaningful sound, as if to trap the characters’ thoughts deep in their minds. And the title. This enigmatic opening was one of the highlights of the drama “Saiai” (production company producer).

In the opening scene of the first episode, Daiki (Matsushita) reminisces about Shirakawa-go in Gifu Prefecture 15 years ago.

In the opening scene of the first episode, Daiki (Matsushita) reminisces about Shirakawa-go, Gifu Prefecture, 15 years ago, and says, “When you realize, you are already the only one special person in this world. When you realize that you have become the only special person in this world, even if you are far away and cannot be with him, he will never disappear from your heart.

He says to me. This is the opening. Now that the last episode is over, when I look at it again, I can’t help but be moved by the feelings that Daiki has in his heart.

Then, the fateful final episode. The truth of the incidents that had been locked in the black box was revealed one after another. The moment when we learn the truth and our surprise turns to sadness. A vivid chemical reaction begins between the drama and the theme song “Kimi ni Mukoto” sung by Hikaru Utada.

As Rio waits for the bus, she thinks of Kase, who has disappeared.

When the day comes when we can talk about why you disappeared from our lives, please come back to us.

After that, the chorus of “Kimi ni Madoka” comes down. Then Rio opened the notebook that Kase had given her, looking as if she loved him.

We are ready to accept any fact. It’s more important for me and Yu (my younger brother) that Kase is safe. Please be well.”

The chorus of “Kimi ni Ongaku” turns into a sad monologue of Rio holding back tears. The voice acting of Yuriko Yoshitaka is simply mesmerizing.

In the first episode, the frenzied farewell between Daiki running the relay race and Rio leaving her hometown played in perfect harmony with “I’m crazy about you.

Daiki is desperately searching for Rio from the pedestrian bridge. The car carrying Rio passes by in slow motion. The chorus goes, “I’m crazy about you, the type that makes your life crazy, like a never-ending déjà vu, so crazy about you that I become an idiot.

In “Unnatural,” the song was “LEMON,” and in “MIU 404,” it was “Electrocution. Director Tsukahara, who has collaborated with Genji Yonezu, the man of the moment, has a particular pride in his theme songs.

He always says, “I can’t make a cut without the theme song,” and not only does he make cuts, but he always listens to the theme song blasting on set. For director Tsukahara, the theme song is like a catalyst that is indispensable in the creation of a drama.

In the case of “Beloved”, I gave him the script for the third or fourth episode, and based on that, Hikaru Utada wrote “Kimi ni Mukoto”. For director Tsukahara, the theme song is more than just a tie-up song. He is very particular about where to put the chorus of the theme song. That’s why even during the MA (sound insertion) process, the director goes back and forth to the editing room to get the timing just right.

In addition, “Beloved” is also very particular about the way it is shot. In addition, the way “Beloved” is shot is also very particular. In addition, the occasional shots that make full use of “backlighting, agitation, and wide shots” remind me of many of the masterpieces from the late 70s to the 80s, when “Friday dramas” set milestones.

Today, TBS is known for its Sunday dramas, but at the time, popular scriptwriters such as Taichi Yamada, Satoshi Kuramoto, and Kuniko Mukoda were producing popular works in the “Friday dramas. At that time, popular scriptwriters such as Taichi Yamada, Satoshi Kuramoto, and Kuniko Mukaida were producing high-profile dramas. In “Beloved,” you can sense the authorship that reminds us of the DNA of the “golden dramas.

Every production has its own staff’s passion for the work. The stronger the passion and commitment, the more the drama will move our hearts. Beloved” may have opened a forbidden black box in the memories of the viewers.