Mada Kekkon Dekinai Otoko (2019) [Drama Review]

Mada Kekkon Dekinai Otoko; or, The Man Who Still Can’t Get Married

     Being alone is the best!
I admit that it took me quite a while to get round to reviewing this drama, but Mada Kekkon Dekinai Otoko is one of the few shows for which I impatiently waited since the very announcement. This is actually a follow up to Kekkon Dekinai Otoko drama from 2006, one of my fave J-dramas of all time. Everything was so perfect in the first season: the script, the humour, the characters, and Hiroshi Abe with his priceless expressions. Does the second season live up to the grandeur of its predecessor?

Release Info

Created by: Masaya Ozaki Starring: Hiroshi Abe, Yoh Yoshida, Izumi Inamori, Mai Fukagawa

Language: Japanese Original Title: まだ結婚できない男 No. of eps.: 10

Synopsis
Shinsuke Kuwano (Hiroshi Abe) still lives a single lifestyle after his relationship with a doctor fell apart. Even stronger than ever, Kuwano opposes the institution of marriage and believes that (thanks to developments in medicine) people can live up to 100 years of age in pleasurable loneliness. However, there is a despicable critic of Kuwano’s architectural designs. The anonymous assaulter runs a blog which drives Kuwano crazy. He resorts to get legal assistance. In the course of this new adventure, Kuwano will meet such vibrant personalities as Madoka (Yoh Yoshida), a lawyer; Yukie (Izumi Inamori), a café owner; and Sakii (Mai Fukagawa), an actress. Will the most stubborn and eccentric bachelor in the world finally warm up to the idea of marriage?

13 Years Later
First of all, I was really afraid that the second season may not only turn out weak but also tarnish the legacy of the original drama. Thankfully, the source material was treated with utmost respect. Hiroshi Abe totally rocks as Kuwano-san and he is the guiding light of this show! Although some of the characters from the first season do not return (where’s my Reiko Takashima!), there are at least small Easter Eggs which remind the viewers about Kuwano’s past shenanigans. Now, he has to learn how to handle not only his mommy (brilliant Mitsuko Kusabue), not only his niece, not only his co-workers, but also three women. The cast of this drama is just excellent.

With regard to the episodes, I could not take my eyes off them. I binged the whole drama within a week. Each episode is just a wild adventure into which Kuwano involuntarily gets himself entangled. I think my favorite story is the episode in which Kuwano goes on an excursion and accidentally encounters Madoka, Yukie, and Saki who wish to visit the local temple. The way he shouts in English: “Have a nice day!” to gaijin tourists cracks me up so much!

Nevertheless, there is a purpose to this whole insanity. Japan still suffers from negative natural growth and both seasons of Kekkon Dekinai Otoko are meant to communicate that single lifestyle is not all about rainbows and butterflies. Marriage is not that scary, but (as Madoka explains) one has to be patient and find the right person. Perhaps that’s what I like about this drama the most, Kuwano-san may be an intelligent eccentric suffering from OCD, but there’s a match even for him. The final episode was so touching (no spoilers)! In a way, Mada Kekkon Dekinai Otoko was even more similar to an old comedy with Jack Nicholson, As Good As it Gets (1997), than the first season.

In terms of trivia, it should be noted that the drama was accompanied by a mini-series called Chain Story, a set of 10 vignettes providing short stories about the characters. There was also a special episode which was basically a look at behind the scenes: interviews with the cast and crew, small talk with bystanders about the drama, and a preview of Kuwano-san apartment built in studio conditions.

Recommendations
Coming back to my question posed in the introduction of this review. Yes, Mada Kekkon Dekinai Otoko is a magnificent continuation and I recommend it to any fan of Kuwano-san. I only wish I had more time to spend with these wonderful characters. Well, as they say, all the good things must come to an end. To sum up, 20 episodes about a guy who can’t get married are perfect.
Overall score: 10/10

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