Oh Aunty Michi, How I Have Loved Thee!

The Lovely Kimiko Yo as Aunty Michi in the 1997 Drama Virgin Road

   Watching Summer Nude, (gee a lot of posts have been about that drama lately, haven't they) the Photography Studio that Asahi (Yamapi) worked at reminded me so much of the Studio/Living Place that the family owned in the superb classic 1997 J-drama Virgin Road, that I just HAD to dig up my old dramas and compare the two.
   While the two Studio-Homes ended up not looking very much like the same place (my memories, it seems. are getting a bit rusty), I DID enjoy re-watching some of the Virgin Road episodes again, the heartwarming story of a pregnant Emi Wakui asking a cool Takashi Sorimachi to pretend to be her fiance for the sake of her dad (played brilliantly by Tetsuya Takeda) was so much fun and the dialog so witty, I was remembering why I love it so much! And MAN,  I was ALSO reminded of one of the MOST IMPORTANT reasons I watched this show, for the lovely, lovely Ms Kimiko Yo, here playing the family's pretty and reliable Aunty Michi!

WOW, was I EVER in  LOVE with her! As a matter of fact, she may be the first "Older Woman" j-drama crush I'd ever had, and I fell HARD! I'd already developed a hankering for her in the awesome "Say You Love Me"(Aishiteiru To Ittekure) drama series as Koji's Gallery Agent Kanzaki, but it was her role as Aunt Michi that set my heart aflutter and my mouth a drooling...so STYLISH and always in the PRETTIEST of dresses and outfits....Always looked forward to seeing her excitedly "wave" at me each episode during the beginning credits as Namie Amuro belted out "Can You Celebrate"!

Now THAT's a WOMAN!!!

This was really a prime-time to be checking her out, as her role of Aunt Michi was soon followed by the lusciously sexy role in the drama "Three Grown Men"(Otona No Otoko). In THAT particular drama, she had the hots for Koji Yakusho, and he's forever lost any respect I had for him for not JUMPING ON THAT ACTION when she 'd desperately "Come on" to him each episode! LOLOL, Okay, he didn't take advantage of her because he was a gentleman, demo sa....it's not what I would have done....

in Aishiteiru To Ittekure (Say You Love Me)

In Churasan

in Okuribito (Departures)

   Kimiko Yo has always been a VERY busy gal in dramas and movies, and even after that period when my flames of love (and lust) burned for her, I'd still continue to see her pretty face everywhere (some notable ones include the warm-hearted but klutsy Yoko in Churasan and the sympathetic receptionist Uemura in "Departures" (Okuribito), and I know I'll continue to see her in the years to come as well! Go, Aunty Michi, GO!!!