The spring season of TV doramas has arrived and across-the-board there have been ratings higher than usual these days. Usually there is only one maybe two big doramas with ratings above 15% each season, but this time we have “Shinzanmono” (TBS) that even broke the 20% mark, “Zettai Reido” (Fuji TV) with 18% and “Keibutsu-kun” (NTV) with 17.5%. Other doramas that started one week earlier such as “Rinjo 2” and “Team Batista 2” also were able to gain higher ratings during their second week , a rare sight among doramas in general.
What’s the cause for all this? Are the doramas really that much better this season or is it something else? J-Cast thinks that the unseasonable and cold weather that is currently hanging over Japan might be the actual reason for the above average ratings. It’s not just the signs of rain that make people want to stay at home and watch TV, on the 17th it even has been snowing in Tokyo again. The city hasn’t seen snow flakes in April since 1969.
A producer from one of the five key stations in Japan on the matter: “I’m afraid to say that the abnormal weather is going to continue until Golden Week. The number of people who can’t travel to Europe because of the volcanic ash is increasing as well. On the other hand we are registering some record high ratings for most of our TV programs these days.”
The producer is optimistic that the high ratings are going to continue until at least early May. It will be interesting to watch the trend of the dorama ratings over the next couple of weeks. Yesterday the third episode of “Team Batista 2” aired and was able to improve its rating once again. Unfortunately “Zettai Reido” lost some ground this week, but it’s still close to the 15% mark.
Credits: asianfanatics
uukan Josei reports that Arashi member Ninomiya Kazunari (二宮 和也) and Nodame Cantabile actress Mizukawa Asami (水川 あさみ) went out for a meal together at a nabe restaurant in Shibuya. While Ninomiya i
s rumoured to be dating Nagasawa Masami (長澤 まさみ), many speculate it was done behind her back, or that he was seeing both of them at the same time. However, it’s said that Ninomiya and Mizukawa became good friends after collaborating together in Abunai Hokago back in 1999. Mizukawa also collaborated with Nagasawa in the 2008 drama Last Friends. So perhaps it was entirely a friendly outing.
Absolute Asian 