[DRAMA JAPAN 2003] ウォーターボーイズ WATERBOYS

Title: Water Boys ウォーターボーイズ
Telecast: 2003-07-01 to 2003-09-09
TV Station: Fuji TV
Duration: 11 Episodes
Viewership: 16.1%

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Who has ever heard of men's synchronized swimming?! Two years after the release of "Water Boys"-the mega-hit movie about high-school boys obsessed with synchronized swimming-an even hotter summer hit is about to arrive to your television screen.

Fans of the movie "Water Boys" loved the amazing acrobatics performed by the actors. So they are sure to love the new Fuji Television drama which features even more sensational routines, stunts, and dancing than in the movie.

The 32 swimmers in this drama were carefully chosen by audition to fill each role-of course, none of them had ever done synchronized swimming before. Each swimmer that was selected, participated in intense training sessions, and through this they have become very proficient at the sport. Their performances are powerful, and at the same time, very original.

The Story

During the summer two years ago, five high-school boys brought fame to a small town in Japan. What was so unique, was that they formed a "men's synchronized swimming club." Their involvement and struggles while learning synchronized swimming-known to be a sport for girls-brought much attention to their school and town.

Two years have passed since that summer, and the boys of Tadano High School are still in the club. The Fuji Television drama "Water Boys" shows how these young boys fight to learn synchronized swimming, fall in love, and enjoy friendship with one another.

The First Episode

The school festival of Tadano High School is best known for its synchronized swimming performances, which attracts many tourists as well as the media.

Kankuro Shindo belongs to this now famous swimming club. He is a good-for-nothing that has no confidence in himself, and usually refrains from speaking up.

At a school festival during his freshman year, Kankuro was fascinated by the exciting performance of the men's synchronized swimming club, and decided to join. No matter how much he was made fun of being a terrible swimmer, he never gave up.

But on the day of the school festival during his second year, he became so nervous that he got diarrhea, and was unable to participate in the event schedule for the club. Kankuro, now a senior and the leader of the synchronized swimming team, is determined to take part in this year's event no matter what.

Unfortunately, the Board of Education has requested the team to "voluntarily tone down" their activities. To Mr. Yamaoka, the Vice Principal of the school, nothing is more important than maintaining a high standard of education. According to him, not one member of the synchronized swimming club has ever passed a university entrance exam directly out of high school. So, he insists that they study harder in order to earn recommendations for college.

Most members of the swimming club comply with this request, and begin spending more time on their studies and less in the school practicing synchronized swimming-including Kankuro, who is left with no other choice.

Amidst this commotion, Norio Tatematsu transfers to Tadano High School. He was strongly moved by the news footage of the men's synchronized swimming team, and decided to join. So, naturally he does everything he can, to have the team participate in the school festival.

Norio's aggressiveness helps motivate Kankuro, and together, they start collecting signatures to oppose the Board of Education's decision to "voluntarily tone down" club activities. Masatoshi Tanaka, the student council president, absolutely hates synchronized swimming, and says it's a sissy sport.

In the faculty room, Miss Sakuma who supports the men's synchronized swimming team, and Miss Onogawa who opposes the sport are having a quarrel. Mr. Sugita who usually acts cool in front of his students, is caught right in the middle of their argument. Mr. Ozaki, the Principal of the school, tries to avoid trouble at any cost, and sits by and watches them as they continue their debate.

There's one other person that's watching--Go Takahara. Go has had to repeat the same grade because of his violent behavior.

One day, Kankuro comes across Kyoko, the most popular girl in Sakuragi Girl's High School. He accidentally sells her a ticket to the synchronized swimming event that is scheduled during the school festival. But under the present circumstances, there is no way the event is going to take place.

This wasn't the first time Kankuro and Kyoko met. Two years ago, Kankuro was just about to ask Kyoko on a date, when the ticket he had in his hand flew high up in the air, and got trampled on by a huge crowd of people. Feeling miserable, Kankuro followed the crowd and saw the men's synchronized swimming team performing in front of a swarm of people. There, he also saw Kyoko's beautiful smile.

After three long years of having a crush on Kyoko, Kankuro finally gets the chance to talk to Kyoko-thanks to the help of Kankuro's childhood friend, Asako. Kankuro is so excited that he is unable to tell Kyoko that they have been "voluntarily toning down" synchronized swimming club activities.

Katsumasa Sato is a former member of the swimming team, who now teaches synchronized swimming to the women in the district. He takes Kankuro and Norio to a dolphin trainer named Mr. Isomura, and his brother Kiyomasa-both of whom appear to be shady and good-for-nothings. When Kankuro and Norio are about to go home, they meet a woman who runs a nearby "old-lady bar." She (he, actually) talks the two boys into going directly to the Board of Education together, and protesting. This woman brings along with her, several owners and workers from stores in the local shopping district.

Soundtrack and Theme Songs (1)

1. Niji 虹 [Fukuyama Masaharu 福山雅治]

WATERBOYS MOVIE @ SOOMPI ウォーターボーイズ

Actor/Actress Cast (25)

Yamada Takayuki
山田孝之
Shindo Kankuro
進藤勘九郎
Moriyama Mirai
森山未來
Tatematsu Norio
立松憲男
Eita
瑛太
Tanaka Masatoshi
田中昌俊
Ishigaki Yuma
石垣佑磨
Takahara Go
高原剛
Ishii Tomoya
石井智也
Ishizuka Futoshi
石塚太
Miyaji Mao
宮地真緒
Onishi Asako
大西麻子
Kashii Yu
香椎由宇
Hanamura Kyoko
花村響子
Tani Kei
谷啓
Mr. Ozaki
尾崎校長
Fuse Akira
布施明
Mr. Yamaoka
山岡教頭
Sugimoto Tetta
杉本哲太
Mr. Sugita
杉田 Manabe Kaori
眞鍋かをり
Miss. Sakuma
佐久間恵
Kikuchi Maiko
菊池麻衣子
Miss. Onogawa
小野川静香
Emoto Akira
柄本明
Mama (of a bar)
ママ Tokui Yuu
徳井優
Chi-mama
チィママ
Takenaka Naoto
竹中直人
Mr. Isomura
磯村
Yajima Norito
八嶋智人
Isomura Kiyomasa
清正
Tamaki Hiroshi
玉木宏
Sato Katsumasa
佐藤勝正
Takahashi Hitomi
高橋ひとみ
Shindo Miwako
進藤美和子
Asano Kazuyuki
浅野和之
Shindo Kanichi
進藤勘一
Ikari Yukiko
碇由貴子
Shindo Hitomi
進藤仁美
Nishida Naomi
西田尚美
女性キャスター
Katayama Reo
片山怜雄
Kitajima Daichi
Hiraizumi Sei
平泉成
Mr. Tatematsu
Aibu Saki
相武紗季
Hayakawa Atsumi
Tanaka Kei
田中圭

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