About JDrama: Mayonaka no Panya-san/ Midnight Bakery (2013)

The midnight bakery, Boulangerie Kurebayashi, will light a little lamp for you every night

(Kurebayashi Yousuke)

Based on novel "Mayonaka no Panya-san" by Noriko Oonuma

Director: Taku Ohara and Takayasu Enokido

Screenwriter: Terada Toshie

Stars: Takizawa Hideaki, Kiriyama Akito, Tsuchiya Tao

Episodes: 8

Broadcast Network: NHK

Sinopsis: Kurebayashi Yousuke is the owner of a bakery that only opens at midnight (wiki.d-addicts.com)

I'm focusing to see the bread here

Japanese and Pan/ Bread has an interesting relationship. I mean, while rice is their number one food in daily life, bread gradually become the second consumed-food in their daily basis. The topic about how important bread for Japanese people can also be seen in the some doramas which often depicted about the dream of Japanese people to be the best baker or to have the best in Japan. This drama, while the focus doesn't show about how to be the best baker or bakery, it talks about the bakery shop which opens at midnght and how the bakery become a shelter for some people who especially doesn't have a place to rest after their day routine. While the topic is simple, this drama does not fail to present the heart-warming episodes which are comforting for me. The conflicts in the drama are also quite various and imaginable. There are bullying, stalking issue, fraud, etc. But, every issue can be solved peacefully.

His photo is killing me

Also, it's been years for me to see Takizawa Hideaki. He's used to be an idol several years ago with the all dramas have him in it. Then, it's kinda nostalgic for me when I saw him in this drama. In addition, I think this drama is quite a 'tame' drama for him since his old dramas seem to have deeper issues. Yet, it doesn't mean that this is bad drama, it's good and nice. And yeah, I feel like the drama give me a bonus with the appearance of Muro Tsuyoshi. How I love him in any of his single appearance, he never failed to amaze me with his character. And, in this drama, he played as Sophia, who has an adorable and cute presence. Sophia is eventually my favorite character in here and I love how Sophia help some characters in here to face their problems. 

Shipping Hiroki and Nozomi real hard

Another thing about the drama, I'd hope that there will be something happened between the character of Hiroki and Nozomi in here because I think that there will be a cute couple. But, nothing's really happened in here. They give you this and that notions but, there is nothing happened or it's just my wishful thinking or it has something to do with the character of Nozomi who's still a minor. If there's another season about this, I'd hope that there will be a highlight about the Hiroki and Nozomi's relationship, haha. Well, it just has 8 episodes and worth to try, imo.The cute voice of Emi Evans in the ending credits is also a plus, for me.