Currently Watching: Gunshi Kanbei

Currently Watching

Gunshi Kanbei

Hello fellow MDLers. This is my first article that I’m writing so I hope you like it. I have to admit I don’t think it’s as wittily written as some of the previous articles (Like Currently Watching: Liar Game k-version), but I’m more of a number person than a writer. Still, as a fan of movies and dramas in general, and Asian culture in particular, I just love to share my thoughts about the things I enjoy so here it goes…

What is Gunshi Kanbei about? This Taiga is about the life story of Kuroda Kanbei (Okada Junichi), a daimyo during the Sengoku period, known to be the chief strategist and adviser to Toyotomi Hideyoshi (Takenaka Naoto). This series follows the course of his life dramatically and accurately. I don’t think anyone would expect to use those two words together if it were a Sageuk. Well, in this drama that’s exactly what you get. Believe me, I’ve done my research!

Now if you view my MDL list, you will not find many dramas over 20 episodes, and even less historical dramas. To tell you the truth, I don’t know what motivated me into watching this drama. Well, Okada Junichi did have a bit to do with it, but truth is, I just fell in love with it from the first episode. The writing is very engaging and the pacing is pretty swift without being hasty. It does not waste time and gets you into the story right away while you are left discovering a whole world different from anything we can imagine.

This troubled era is filled with an endless number of prominent historical figures. As we follow the life of Ambitious Kanbei, we get a glimpse into the lives of Oda Nobunaga (Eguchi Yosuke), Toyotomi Hideyoshi, Takenaka Hanbei (Tanihara Shousuke), Akechi Mitsuhide among others. And I’ve got to say it is done admirably.

Being a lover of Japanese culture, watching its history unfolds gets you to the heart of it. Even when some actions may not logically make sense to you, you start to understand the reasoning behind it. I mostly love the depiction of the relationship of a lord and his retainers. In a drama filled with betrayals and backstabbing, none is portrayed as particularly evil, which is one of the beauties of this drama.

As for the acting department, you have a long list of respected actors making justice to each role, no matter the length. Okada Junichi may be a Johnny; here he shows how he’s come a long way in his acting career playing the character elegantly and naturally. Up to where I got in the story, Okada performs the role starting as a hot-blooded teenager, to someone with knowledge and wisdom, and finally someone whose dark era has left its mark on him. He carries it out perfectly at each stage of Kanbei's life. Nakatani Miki is as beautiful and as graceful as ever. Her chemistry with Okada is palpable and every word she utters is heartwarming. Another is Eguchi Yosuke or, as I’d like to call him, my eternal Oda Nobunaga. The way he played the character, with all his inspirational dreams and cruelty, is pure genius. I could name more but believe me the list is endless. 

As someone with not much patience, whose love of history is not as constant as I’d hope to be, watching this drama makes me enjoy every moment of it. When I’m up to date with the subbed episodes, I miss it enough to re-watch it and want to write about it. As for the subs being available, they may not be as fast as I wish, but I’m reassured that it will be completed. The reason is that Strategist Kanbei is currently airing on an American channel that airs English subbed Japanese doramas and all the subtitles are provided from them. Unfortunately the travelogue isn’t subbed because I would love to understand the present state of each province. Amusingly enough, I still watch it in order to both admire Japan today and also try to understand some of the explanation. 

So overall, it is a drama definitely worth watching every minute of it as a drama lover, as a history lover and as a Japanese traditional fan.