MAOU (2008)

• Title: 魔王
• Title (romaji): Maou
• Format: Renzoku
• Genre: Suspense drama, Romance
• Viewership rating: 11.4 (Kanto)
• Episodes: 11
• Broadcast network: TBS
• Broadcast period: 2008-Jul-04 to 2008-Sept-12
• Air time: Friday 22:00
• Theme song: truth by Arashi
• Related TV show: The Devil (KBS2, 2007)

Synopsis

This drama is a remake of the popular suspense drama The Devil that was aired in Korea last year. Ohno Satoshi will be playing the role of a two-faced lawyer, one of which is a kind hearted soul and the other who is plotting revenge, using his brilliant mind, on the person who killed his relative. On the other hand, Ikuta Toma will play the double lead role of the man, who has become a detective due to his dark past, who is pursuing the mysterious series of murders and fighting against the devil (maou).

Cast

• Satoshi Ohno as Ryo Naruse
• Toma Ikuta as Naoto Serizawa
• Ryoko Kobayashi as Shiori Sakita
• Kei Tanaka as Hitoshi Kasai
• Shogo Oshinari as Mitsuru Souda
• Tomohiro Waki as Yosuke Ishimoto
• Misa Uehara as Kaoru Takatsuka
• Mai Shinohara as Eri Nishina
• Shimizu Yutaka as Yamano Makoto
• Iida Kisuke as Ishihara Kanrikan
• Tonesaku Toshihide as Kurata Takashi
• Kichise Michiko as Serizawa Mari
• Gekidan Hitori as Serizawa Noriyoshi
• Miyake Yuji as Nakanishi Hiromichi
• Ishizaka Koji as Serizawa Eisaku
• Takeuchi Toshi as Hideo

[Secondary cast

• Kouno Hiroki as young Ryo
• Kimura Haruki as young Naoto
• Masuyama Kayano as young Shiori
• Uemura Yuto as young Hitoshi
• Honma Haruo as young Mitsuru
• Nakamura Ryunoshin as young Yosuke

• 
  

REVIEW

                     Okay, i still cant get over the ending. anyways, let me just compose myself because I want to start at the beginning. damn, my heart is still breaking. Anyways, Ohno is playing the role of a two-faced lawyer, Naruse-Ryo, who appears to be kind and at the same time, plotting the revenge for his brother who was killed 11 years ago. Toma plays the character of Naoto Serizawa, a detective with a troubled past. You see, it was Serizawa who killed Naruse's brother. Shoot, sorry this time i really cant make kwento the whole story cuz it's so complicated. I liked this drama soo much. I mean, this is Riida's first lead role in a drama and toma's in here too! Toma and Ohno had bleached hair the last time i've seen them but for this series, they dyed it back to black, which is just sooooo  damn good and damn better. I guess it gave him a more mysterious look as supposed to his dark character in this drama. I mean, can you imagine an evil, revenge-driven guy with a bleached hair?  It was kind of weird first when i heard Toma and Ohno will starr in a suspense thriller because they used to be the funny guys. Toma was superb and soo hilarious in Hana Kimi. When i saw his look in Maou, my jaw dropped. literally. His black and spiked-just-right hair made him so manly. When he has this serous look, it made him look tougher.... all in all, it made him look hot. heheh. I wasnt used seeing him like that. He's usually the nice guy who doesnt get the girl in the end plus he was crazy and funny! but here ...his role here was total opposite and yet he was able to pull it off very well. It made him versatile. I wonder what roles would he be getting next.

                Now, Riida or Ohno. He totally deserved the award as best actor in Nikkei Grand Prix. He really looked like the devil and his acting was so good. in Arashi, he has the best voice but it was Jun who had more dramas. Nino was really fine too. It was said that his eyes are enough to portray emotion in his series. He made me cry in an episode of Yamada Taro Monogatari. Just watching Ohno as Naruse leaves me a heavy heart everytime i see him. I see a lonely guy with suppressed feelings. Shiori-san gave him support and was always there to cheer him up and though in his heart, he wants to reciprocate the love and care of Shiori-san, he cant. Like what he said, he has no right to love.

                 Naruse carefully planned his revenge. He was sending tarot cards to his targets, the meanings behind each tarot has a significance on who or how they're going to die. He called himself as Amano Makoto, which later on, Naoto realized is s actually an anagram for Manaka Tomoo, the deceased older brother of Hideo whom he stabbed 11 years ago. Naruse planned to kill them not with his bare hands but by manipulating the people around the target, causing misunderstandings and conflicts. The goal is for them to hold grudge and kill each other. Then, he would stand as the defense lawyer, pissing off Naoto, who, as a detective, wants justice served for the victims. The first targets were Kumada, the defense lawyer who handled the case 11 years ago and Naoto's friend, Yosuke. Naoto was utterly frustrated because Naruse was able to prove that Kumada's death was due to self-defense and Yosuke died from chronic asthma attack which is a natural death. Naruse wanted to make Naoto feel what he felt 11 years ago. Hideo, his brother died and he felt there was no justice because Naoto's dad who was influential, manipulated the case. Thus ending with an acquittal for a justified self-defense. Bearing the agony for the loss of Hideo, his mother also died due to a heart attack. The hurt and bitterness motivated Naruse to make Naoto pay for his sin of escaping his murder.

                   Naruse succeeded on his plan. His three other friends died. Same with the lawyer, reporter, also his brother and Father. The last episode where his brother and Dad died made me shed some tears. Huhuh.. I remember nung nakakulong na yung brother niya for killing his friend Souda, sabi niya kay Naoto na he, pertaining to himself,  was a good-for nothing brother. Then sabi nya na alagaan daw niya yung dad nila and nararamdaman niya talaga na siya yung gusto ng father nila na mgsucceed sa family business. huhuh...kakalungkot talaga. Kasi i really find his brother kind, parang teddy bear. Sobrang gusto nya i-please yung dad nila. He was totally ecstatic nung sya pina-take charge ng dad nila sa isang project. Then nung ngpakuha sya kay Naoto ng sigarilyo, before lumabas ng door si Naoto, sabi nya na yung nga, alagaan yung dad nila. Pagbalik ni Naoto, nasa floor na yung brother nya, lifeless. Nung wala si Naoto ngyosi sya ng potassium cyanide kaya ayun nalason siya. it was suicide. Naalala ko nun, yung dad ko walang work for one year. syempre malungkot kami kasi nghirap kami, nabenta house namin tas kami pa ngpadala sa kanya ng money sa Japan. Pero kahit ganun, nilakasan ko loob ko at hindi sumama loob ko sa dad ko. Masipag naman yun kaya lang nawalan sya talaga ng work. Nagworry nga ko nun baka madepress sya tas mg-harakiri yun, ancient suicide ritual ng japanese.. kasi mas gugustuhin pa nila mamatay kesa ma-dishonor dahil ng-fail sila. Thankful ako kasi my dad is a very strong person. alam ko may mga bad habits din sya like naninigaw sya ng kasambahay namin dito. Ganun lang talaga sya mgbigay ng instructions pero di naman personal yun. He's kind and understanding. Never sya ng-expect and ng-demand saken na maging successful. Basta daw kung san ako masaya dun ako. Wala lang, naalala ko lang dad ko sa mga scenes na yun. Isa pang napaiyak ako nung ngmamadaling pumunta yung dad ni Naoto sa hospital kasi ng-suicide si Noriyoshi. Hay naku pag naalala ko naiiyak talaga ko. hinawakan nya hand ni Noriyoshi tas binasa nya yung iniwan na note. Sabi dun: Dad, forgive me for causing you trouble. Teary-eyed yung dad. Sabi nya, akala nya na yung ginagawa niya para maging successful sa business at maging maganda ang reputation ng Serizawa, yun yung best para sa mga anak nya. Yun daw pala ngtulak kay Noriyoshi palayo sa kanya. Nakatayo lang sa tabi si Naoto and tears are building up sa eyes niya. tas nung palabas na sya, sabi nung dad sa kanya: no matter what happens, you two are my sons." Tumango lang sya tas nung nasa labas na sya, he broke down crying. Naisip ko nun lahat ng pain ni Naoto nang isa-isa namatay friends nya, lahat ng malalapit sa kanya. Naalala ko nung namatay si Yosike, magbabagong buhay na sana sya nun kaso ayun...napunta sa wala. Nung sabi ni Naoto sa kanya na papautangin sya para makapagtayo sya ng restaurant. niyakap nya si Naoto tas sabi nya mabuti talaga syang kaibigan. Kaya yun, masakit kay Naoto nung na-deads si yosuke. After that, nasa bahay na yung dad nila and he was looking sa photo album. Tinitingnan nya yung picture nilang tatlo, sya kasama si Noriyoshi saka si Naoto. Tapos inatake sya sa puso. He died right there and then. Hayz, tama na nga. On the lighter note,ang ganda nung truth na OST, parang naging Jrock na ang arashi. Ganda ng song and haunting yung theme ng music video nila.


                I'll leave you now with a screen cap from the last episode which really tore my heart..Naruse wants Naoto to shoot him. Kill him. Naruse now gave a reason for Naoto to kill him after plotting all the murders on his family and friends. Although Naoto's brother's was due to suicide and his dad died because of heart attack, he was still to blame. But Naoto just cant pull the trigger so instead, he dropped it to the floor. Naruse picked up the gun, placed it to Naoto's hand, pointing it to his abdomen. He really wants Naoto to shoot him. They fought over the gun until the trigger was pulled. It hit Naoto. He dropped lying to the floor. Naruse  told Naoto to hold on. Naruse dialled on his phone to ask for help, his hands were shaking. And what Naoto did really brought me to tears. He reached out and gently stopped Naruse from dialliing. He said, "It's okay like this," Naruse's face showed remorse and regret. Naoto also told him to live. Live with all his might. His last words were, "Forgive me. and forgive yourself.":  Shiori then came running and saw Naoto and Naruse, both lifeless. Yeah, Naoto didnt know that Naruse was stabbed. When Naoto died, He sat beside him and waited until his end. He placed the harmonica on Naoto's hands. It was the harmonica Naruse gave his brother hideo. oh man, i have to stop know or tears will show up again.. I'll continue tomorrow. Oyasumi.




"TRUTH"
Maou OST
Artiste: ARASHI

Yurari yureru hikari hitotsu itami iyasu koto naku kieru
"I take your life forever, you take my life forever"
hirari ochiru namida hitotsu omoi todoku koto naku kieru
"I take your life forever, you take my life"

tomaranai toki ni hisomu ai wa kitto furisosogu ame no youni
(koboreochita namida no ato kogoe souna namida no iro)
modorenai kioku meguru subete ubawareta kono yo no hate ni
(koboreochita namida no ato kogoe souna namida no iro)

kanashimi...
tatoe donna owari wo egaite mo kokoro wa nazo meite
sore wa marude yami no youni semaru shinjitsu
tatoe donna sekai wo egaite mo ashita wa mienakute
sore wa marude yuri no youni kegare wo shiranai
negai wa toumei na mama de

shiroku somaru hana ni hitori nanimo kawaru koto naku chikau
"I take your life forever, you take my life"

todokanai koe ni nokoru ai wa sotto fukinukeru kaze no youni
(koboreochita namida no ato kakushi kirenu futatsu no kao)
owaranai yoru ni nemuru yume no kizuato ni nokoshita itami
(koboreochita namida no ato kakushi kirenu futatsu no kao)

kanashimi...
tatoe wazuka na hikari umarete mo nageki wa kurikaesu
sore wa marude uso no youni kieru shinjitsu
tatoe saigo no hane wo hiraite mo sadame wa kaerarezu
yuri no hana wa hakanage ni itami wa kienai
yume nara aishita mama de

kanashimi...
tatoe donna owari wo egaite mo kokoro wa nazo meite
sore wa marude yami no youni semaru shinjitsu
tatoe donna sekai wo egaite mo ashita wa mienakute
sore wa marude yuri no youni kegare wo shiranai
negai wa toumei na mama de