Ingenue Ryoko Hirosue finally returns to the TV drama series fold after a year of milking her French-language movie debut opposite Jean Reno in "Wasabi." The image she cultivated in that movie -- punky, cynical and a year or two behind the fashion curve -- is exploited to a certain extent in her new role, that of a blind girl with a decidedly negative view of human relations. The attitude of her character, Ako, is summed up neatly in the title of the 10-part series, "Ai wa Nante Irane Yo (Don't Gimme That Love Crap," or something like that), which premieres Friday at 10 p.m. on TBS.
Ako's misanthropy is a product of her upbringing. Her father owned a company that was constantly expanding and therefore constantly demanding his attention. He never spent time with her when she was growing up, though he was the only family she had. As a result she has become suspicious of human kindness when it is actually offered to her. Then her father dies in an accident.
Enter Reiji (Atsuo Watabe), a Kabukicho con man who has just been released from prison after completing a six-month sentence. Reiji, a cool charmer, is buried under a mountain of debt and needs a quick cash infusion. He hears about Ako and comes up with a plan to bilk her out of her inheritance by showing up on her doorstep pretending to be her long-lost brother. You can probably guess everything that happens after that.