Back in the 90s, there used to be a sitcom shown on Zee Cafe set in a small neighbourhood department store. I do not remember its title. I could not find it online but I discovered Are you being served, Check it out! (with Don Adams) and now this Japanese TV serial.
The lead in this TV serial is Niiru. He is a follower of Buddha so it is not necessary that you be familiar with the works of philosopher Nietzsche. In fact, Niiru is an aspiring priest who begins working at a small convenience store to become more familiar with the material world. His retail experience is mentored by another worker who cannot get a decent job anywhere else. Then, there is a Shomuni veteran who dreams of winning a lottery ticket and becoming a millionaire. There are a few others working at the store but no Japanese cast is complete without the store managed played by Jiro Sato. Jiro Sato is in all Japanese TV serials. Why, there is one episode in this TV serial where they refer to it directly!
The comedy in this serial is unusual because the lead (true to his Buddhist apprenticeship) does not talk much. No, there is no slapstick-style comedy either. People around him act crazy while maintains his calm like a Buddha statue.
The most outrageous display of this craziness can be seen in the very first episode when the nurse Kaede transcends from animated inner mental struggle to an embarrassing outburst of emotions. It is a parody of all those mushy anime, novels and TV dramas classified as ‘romance’.
Is it too late to nominate Rena Matsui for an award for the best dramatic performance ever?
Age rating: 16+