This list is going to be a little different to the lists of dramas by actor I've done so far. Horikita Maki is adorable, talented and charming... but she doesn't have the Midas touch. The projects she chooses aren't always amazing, and the characters she plays aren't always compelling. Regardless, she's an actress I like a lot and she deserves a list.
Innocent Love is the story of Kanon, a sweet girl with a horrible story. When she was young, her parents were killed in a fire which destroyed her home - her brother was accused of starting the fire, and has been in prison ever since. Although she does her best to live normally, as soon as this news is spread to her employer or her landlord she is immediately cast away. Eventually she decides to move, and meets the love of her life in the city: Junya. He's a man with a sunny personality but he can only think about his comatose fiancee, who he takes care of day in and day out. Kanon decides that, no matter how much it hurts, she'll help the only person who treats her like a human to be happy.
Innocent Love was a weird show. Melodrama slash psychological thriller slash romance. Despite the fact it was tonally all over the place, I did enjoy it. The main issue I had, though (apart from, well, all the side characters), was Horikita's character. Although Kanon was sweet and kind, she was also undoubtedly creepy. Like, she went into someones house and tried to take one of their photos. Who does that? I recommend this one for the weirdness, not Horikita, but regardless she was adorable. I mean, just look at that smile. Are you not in love?
Hana Kimi is my guilty pleasure. When Ashiya Mizuki accidentally causes a career-threatening injury to her idol, high jumper Sano Izumi, she feels guilty after she learns he has no intention to continue jumping. Therefore, to convince him he should, Mizuki enrols in his school. His all-boys school. Not only does she become Sano's roommate and start working towards her goal, but she catches the attention of Nakatsu Shuichi, who becomes her best friend (but also falls head-over-heels in love with her and goes through the best sexuality crisis ever). Mizuki isn't a very good boy though, and she goes through trail after trial trying to keep her gender secret.
Hana Kimi is a ridiculous show, but it never fails to make me laugh with it's massive cast of immature boys or it's passionate love for constant competitions. Frankly, it was Toma Ikuta as Nakatsu who stole the show, and that's who you should watch this drama for, but Horikita was adorable and I can't imagine another actress playing Mizuki (hence why I refuse to watch the 2011 remake).
Atashnichi no Danshi is about a girl rescued from her crippling debt by an eccentric older man who created a well-known toy company and invents in his spare time. He does this on the condition that she marries him since his days are numbered and he doesn't want to be alone, and she's so desperate she does. But there are a few conditions she doesn't know about in their contract - once he dies, she has to be a 'mother' to his six adopted sons. She naturally has no choice but to take up this offer, but the sons are boys who've close themselves off to others and all have their own trauma. Opening their hearts to her won't come easily.
From the team behind Hana Kimi, you can expect a show which swims in comedic waters (until the last episode, obviously, when you're stabbed in the heart with all the feelings). Actually, this show was a lot more heartfelt than Hana Kimi, but for me it really cemented my preference for Horikita in comedies over anything else. She's wonderfully sly and quick-witted as a girl who would do anything to survive, but wants family just as much as the next person.
Kurosagi stars Yamashita Tomohisa, one of my favourite actors ever (who I've already doen a list for), as a man who's entire family was destroyed after they'd been scammed out of all their money. For revenge, he became a 'black swinder', or someone who scams other swindlers. And he's good at it. So good, in fact, that the detective hot on his trail will never, ever be able to catch him. So our Kurosagi scams people and... falls in love?
I feel like Kurosagi was a slip in judgement on Horikita's part. I love the show, but she was completely wasted on it since Kurosagi is literally all about the Kurosagi. The drama was written in a way where no other character could be as clever, or charming, or funny. Her character was painfully bland, and since she was only given one thing to think about, the only thing I remember about her performance was, 'I like you. But why? You're a swinder!'
Nobuta wo Produce is set in a school, where Kiritani Shuji navigates through his social life without ever trying to form real friendships. He carefully avoids oddball Kusano Akira, who thinks they're best friends and either can't read social situations or happily chooses not to. These boys meet new-girl Kotani Nobuko, who makes a new standard for shy since the girl can't even smile properly, and they decide to work together to 'produce' her. In other words, they decide to make Nobuko, who they nickname 'Nobuta' into the most popular girl in school.
Nobuta wo Produce may not be my absolute favourite drama, but I still think it's a masterpiece. Times change, and people move on, but some bonds can never be broken. I still completely love these characters. I don't think friendship has ever been so compelling; I could truly believe that these three are inseparable in real life. This is definitely the most memorable of Horikita's performances yet.
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