This is a story that I would pass by if I didn’t need to write a review about it. The category catches up my attention the second I read it. Specially because I really enjoy fashion related dramas and such. But by the third or fourth episode the story loses its impact. It feels like the story starts circling around the same situations over an over again, to the point that it becomes boring.
I rather go through the review it quickly. That means that I will write a general impression of it and get it done. Mainly cause I don’t enjoy writing about stuff I wouldn’t recommend. On the other hand you need to have an objective view from it.
Synopsis of First Class Japanese drama
A young naive girl, Chinami Yoshinari, dreams of becoming a fashion designer, she has no training whatsoever but works at a fabrics store with an old lady whom she became really close to. She admires First Class’ magazine editor in chief, Rumi Osawa, and spends her free time editing and putting up collections with left overs from the store she works at.
One day, the store owner, gets sick and is taken to the hospital, Chinami goes there to visit her, to find out she will be closing the store. So she wouldn’t be left jobless, the old lady asks her daughter to give her a small job at her company, First Class. She finds out by that moment that it was Rumi Osawa itself.
After being treated like a con woman, being accused of using the store owner to get into Rumi’s contact, she gets an internship in the snake nest of hell, First Class Magazine.
Starring First Class Japanese Drama
Erika Sawajiri (Shelter Skelter, 1 Litre of Tears, Taiyo no Uta) is Chinami Yoshinari.
Yuka Itaya (Keiji no Manazashi, Summer Nude, Second Movement) is Rumi Osawa.
Yuichi Nakamaru (The Wrong Man, Henshin Interviewer no Yuuutsu, Sushi King Goes to New York) is Itsuki Nishihara.
Nozomi Sasaki (Tokyo Airport : Air Traffic Service, Afro Tanaka, Ju-on: The Beginning of the End) is Mina.
Nanao (Miss Pilot, Last Cinderella, Omo ni Naitemasu) is Remie Kawashima.
Also starring: Ryoko Yuui, Rieko Miura, Tomoko Tabata, Nicole Ishida & Hiroyuki Hirayama.
Its a drama that might have some cliché situations and doesn’t leave independent women well seen. Specially since apparently if they work in a fashion magazine, or are related to fashion in any way, they end up being daemons that will eat anyone’s eyes for a promotion or just for fun.
On the other hand, it shows women that live beyond their needs to get the job done. Of course the heroine in the story will be the nicest, cutest and naive, surrounded by these bunch of witches, but what was original about this story is that slowly she will earn some courage and start confronting the ones that are trying to hurt her.
It has some nice turnovers, you would probably never guess in advance what is going to happen. So, even if it’s not the greatest drama of all times, it’s interesting enough. Specially to keep you hanged to the second season that is starting next month. I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone, since there are better stories out there. Although if you like witch fights in dramas, then you definitely should watch it.