Buzzer Beat is a Japanese basketball drama that revolves around Kamiya Naoki (Yamashita Tomohisa) and Shirakawa Riko (Kitagawa Keiko). Naoki is a professional basketball player for the JC Arcs while Riko is a violinist. They met in a time when both of them are struggling with their careers. Like destiny wants them to be together, Naoki just broke up with his cheerleader girlfriend, Nanami Natsuki (Aibu Saki).
The chemistry between Yamapi and Keiko was good that it felt like they were really in love with each other. The last time I saw Keiko was in Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift where she played one of Bow Wow’s friends. Aibu’s character in Buzzer Beat is the total opposite of her role in Zettai Kareshi, where she played a naïve girl.
When compared to the recent Taiwanese basketball drama Hot Shot, I enjoyed the basketball action in Buzzer Beat because it’s closer to reality and not Jerry Yan’s kung fu basketball. Yamapi could’ve improved on his basketball skills but it was still credible. Plus the black and pink uniform of the Arcs made me think about the WWF Tag Team Hart Foundation.
Kamiya Naoki (Yamashita Tomohisa): Thanks to you I got stronger. I’m not letting you go.
Buzzer Beat is not just basketball. It’s also about the complicated relationship of Naoki and Keiko. Naoki’s ex-girlfriend is trying to win him back. Not only that, Keiko is courted by Naoki’s coach. The ending was predictable but it’s the ending that you should not miss, especially the kiss. It was unlike any other drama kiss I’ve seen so far.
Buzzer Beat doesn’t have a bad guy and in the end everyone is happy. One thing I didn’t like about it is the fact that they fast-forwarded one year later in the final episode. Oh well, I guess the network was in a tight schedule and they have to resort to it in order to tie-up loose ends. This is a good Japanese drama for basketball fans.
