Masahiko Hinako (Directing)

Sentou no Musume!?

After Mizusawa Yume's mother becomes ill and passes away, she finds a picture of a man holding a baby in her mother's keepsake box. On the back of the picture it says "Loving Papa and Yume, at Raku no Yu." Yume has never known or even seen a picture of her father, but she believes that this guy must be him. Also in the box there is a lighter with the initials RM. After she finds that the "Raku no Yu", is a 'sento' (public bath) in Shibuya, Tokyo, she's off to meet her long lost father and to get as much money out of him as possible. The debts her mother left her after her death left nothing for Yume. Yume blames her father for her mother's death because if it wasn't for him she wouldn't have had to work so hard and wouldn't have gotten ill and died young. Once she arrives in Tokyo and finds 'Raku no Yu' she finds a name plaque with the inscription Mannaka Rokku, so she is sure this is the place.

Release Date:2006-01-30

Department:Directing

Job:Director

Episode Count:1

It was sudden, like a storm...

Kozue Ogawa is a housewife and has been married to Hideo for seven years. They don't have any children, but as they live with her parents at their flower shop, every day is still lively. She is happy with her life and her husband, but she wonders if it is enough. From time to time, she is gripped by this doubt that she cannot raise with anyone. Kozue starts a part-time job in the editing department of the magazine where she used to work. Her former colleague is now working hard as the editor-in-chief. One rainy day, Kozue meets a young man. He is Takuma Fukazawa, a high school student. He seems somehow shrouded in sadness. He is a dance teacher. In the dance studio, there is just the two of them. Takuma curls his hands around Kozue's body, and his dance instruction begins. Their unexpected closeness causes Kozue to hesitate. With her heart pounding, she pushes Takuma's hands away and runs home. But the throbbing in her chest continues. It can't be. But what is this feeling?

Release Date:2004-01-14

Department:Directing

Job:Director

Episode Count:2

Madam Mari

Legend has it that if a bride wears a dress made by Madam Mari on her wedding day, she will find true happiness. Young advertising executive Reiko is engaged to marry one of her coworkers, and seeks out the legendary dressmaker to commission her dress. But her meeting with Madam Mari doesn't turn out to as she expected, and her world is turned upside down. Before long she finds herself working as Mari's assistant.

Release Date:2003-04-14

Department:Directing

Job:Director

Episode Count:11

Pretty Girls

Looking for a job, Hana gets work at the Andrews Department Store, but her boss hates her and gives her impossible work to do. Her bubbly nature and creativity soon bring success to every job she is assigned though, and the president even wonders if her mysterious charm can rally the company and pull them out of their financial difficulties. But the President and Ryou, his straight-laced son, have different ideas about running the company. Perhaps if she finds true love for Ryou, she can soften his hard heart. Anything seems possible with Hana's never-ending optimism, which is the basis for this heart-warming and humorous story of the power of positivity!

Release Date:2002-01-09

Department:Directing

Job:Director

Episode Count:3

Don't touch the thief!

A drama adaptation of Jiro Akagawa's "Thief Series". Junichi Konno, also known as Phantom Thief Dark Cat, is a world-class thief, and his wife is Mayumi, a detective in the Metropolitan Police Department's First Investigative Division. A bumpy but friendly couple solves various cases.

Release Date:1990-10-18

Department:Creator

Job:Creator