Asian Beauty Appreciation

Currently airing on Japan’s Fuji TV Network is the lively and entertaining Tsuki no Koibito or Moon Lovers. It just started a few Monday’s back on May 10th, so it’s 3rd episode has already aired today, the night of the 24th in Japan.

The lead role of Rensuke Hazuki is played by the Japanese superstar, Takuya Kimura. He’s the CEO of the Regolith Corporation. Under his guidance, Regolith is about to pass the Mastpole Company, and become the number one brand name in interior design.

Simply described, he is in the furniture business and he’s very smart about it. So he’s successful, rich, and ambitious for more, much more.

Takuya Kimura and Chi Ling Lin

But he’s not content with just leading domestically (in Japan). He has bigger goals in mind. Namely – China. So he sets out to launch his brand with Shanghai as the location for the flagship store in China.

His right hand man is Cai Feng Jian who is played by Shota Matsuda. Though born in Tokyo, his character is a second generation Chinese. He and Hazuki met in college, and he has worked his way up through the ranks to his current position alongside Hazuki. His fluency in Chinese and his knowledge of the local laws will be invaluable to Hazuki. But Cai Feng is an operator himself. Through two episodes, he looks like he’s working for Rensuke , and he looks like he’s out to do whatever it takes for himself as well.

Then there are three key women. Aren’t there always Key Women?

Ryoko Shinohara as Maemi Ninomiya

Hazuki’s lead designer is Maemi Ninomiya. This role is played by the charismatic Ryoko Shinohara. She’s great at what she does, and she has known Hazuki since their school days. She has a huge crush on him, only he doesn’t know it. Because of her talent, and because she’s great at working with people, she has gotten a good deal of respect from Hazuki. In fact, she’s the only person employed at Regolith who is permitted to express an opinion, even if contradictory, to Hazuki.

Keiko Kitagawa as Yuzuki Ohnuki

Keiko Kitagawa plays a model called Yuzuki Ohnuki, who has set her sights on Hazuki. She’s proud, she’s tough, and she’s passionate about getting what she wants. She’s also the daughter of the head of Mastpole. She’s is often seen on the phone with Cai Feng…plotting something.

Chi Ling Lin as Xiu Mei Liu

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There’s one more woman to be mentioned. She is Chi Ling Lin, a beautiful Taiwanese actress who I just saw in the John Woo epic Red Cliff 2. She starred opposite Tony Leung in that one. Here she plays a worker, Xiu Mei Liu, in the Shanghai furniture factory just taken over by Hazuki’s Regolith Corporation. She’s front and center in the workers protest against Regolith, because the plans are to take down the Chinese Furniture factory and put up a new Regolith factory. The Chinese workers are protesting as they fear they’ll lose their jobs.

Somewhere in the protests, Xiu Mei Liu meets Hazuki. His plan is to turn things upside down and make Liu the poster girl for his brand Regolith. It’s the carrot at the end of the stick concept. He hopes to soften her stance by making her a center piece for the new brand. She buys into his deal especially when he promises to re-employ all the factory workers.

Do you see where this is going? A Chinese girl, a beautiful Japanese model, and the steadfast designer all are suddenly thrust together, and none of their lives, including Hazuki’s will ever be the same afterwards.

Seems like a great concept – Kimura and three sexy ladies. Couldn’t ask for more. In Episode One, we meet the players, and things look good. In Episode Two, we find out that there’s nothing Rensuke won’t do, up to and including reneging on his promise about the factory workers and attempting to pimp out Xiu Mei to a Hotel Chain Owner who is opening a hotel in Tokyo and Rensuke wants the furniture contract. But Xiu Mei will have none of it.

I’ve seen the first two episodes and wow! Is Kimura playing against his usual good guy type? Is he really this scuzzy?  What’s going to happen to those lovely ladies all of whom are encircling him?

The images you see, are all from the first two chapters which I thoroughly enjoyed. And I can’t wait to find out what happens next.