Zeni Geba: Episode 1 Sneak

Frankly I only expected to perhaps catch a glimpse of this drama because of Kenichi Matsuyama… but alas! I fell in love with it about 10 minutes into the first episode. I’m quite sure this drama ain’t for everyone though. Zeni Geba loosely translated means ‘money crazy’, and it’s a rather dark drama about a guy who became “money crazy” after a traumatic childhood, though I’m not quite sure what its central message is yet.

Anw I’m hooked enough to want to share the love; hope you’ll be enticed to watch this drama! (:

 

The show starts with Futaro Gamagori (Kenichi Matsuyama) picking up a coin on the road, totally disregarding an approaching lorry. He stares intently at the coin, and then coolly walks away, as if he didn’t just risk his life for it.

Futaro works in a shipyard and is known only as Mr. 1112, his serial number in the factory. He doesn’t seem to talk to people (he totally ignored a colleague who tried to be friendly) and is very much an oddball.  

Futaro returns home, to an old neighbourhood, and throws some dried fish down to the stray cat under his block. It’s implied to be a daily routine for him, almost like greeting a family.

At work the next day, an employee named Terada at the shipyard gets laid off for making a minor mistake. The economy’s not doing well, and everyone’s uptight about money. A group of them sat together during break and generally laments about life (or the lack of it).

The conversation soon drifted to Futaro, who sits alone on the sidewalk. The group talks about how he obviously does not belong and that he can’t do much since he has such an unappealing face. One brings up speculations that he has in fact a lot of savings.

Terada who was amongst them tried to borrow some money, but they all refused and stood up to leave. Despondent, he tried Futaro, but didn’t expect him to agree either.

Instead he laments, “What do we live for? Mr. 1112, what do you live for? What’s most important?”

“You smiled? You smiled right?”

He gets no response and this annoys him.

“You’re disgusting. Say something! What’s this?!”

Futaro merely walks away.

After work, Terada tails Futaro home, infuriated at his cold dismissal of him and also determined to rob him of a fortune. (I have no idea how he can be so sure of the rumour)  

He breaks into the house, while Futaro leaves to get something, and searches around franctically for the money.

Finally, he finds what’s hidden neatly under the floorboards.

Stacks of cash!