# 5→9 From Five to Nine (2015)

> A frustrated English teacher's chance encounters with a handsome Buddhist monk turn mortifying mishaps into a romance that may be fated.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/56904

## Facts

- Seasons: 1
- Episodes: 10
- Episode runtime: 55 min
- Status: Ended
- Genres: comedy, romance
- Network: Fuji TV
- Cast: Tomohisa Yamashita, Satomi Ishihara, Yuki Furukawa, Kei Tanaka, Rin Takanashi, Saeko, Yuri Tsunematsu, Mokomichi Hayami
- TMDB rating: 7.1/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4996170/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: brisk
- Intensity: mild
- Complexity: simple
- Violence: none
- Tone: breezy, sincere, comedic, wistful, playful

## Synopsis

5→9 From Five to Nine (2015) is a Japanese romantic comedy series created for Fuji TV, a single-season run of ten 55-minute episodes. Junko Sakuraba (Satomi Ishihara), a twenty-eight-year-old English teacher who dreams of working in New York City, is stuck in a provincial teaching job and has little romantic experience. Her life goes awry at a funeral, where she accidentally knocks a bowl of ash onto Takane Hoshikawa (Tomohisa Yamashita), a handsome monk. Further mishaps follow, including a matchmaking session tricked into bringing them together, and each encounter pushes her embarrassment and irritation into new territory. The engine of the show is the escalating run of mortifying coincidences that keep the two crossing paths, while Junko's career frustrations and Takane's vows press against their growing attraction. Supporting characters Satoshi Mishima (Yuki Furukawa) and Makoto Kiyomiya (Kei Tanaka) add friction and comic counterpoint. Playful and warm, with a breezy, sincere tone, the series fits viewers who enjoy the bickering-to-romance arc of Itazura na Kiss and Hana Yori Dango, and fans of Boys Over Flowers will find its mix of wit and sweetness familiar.

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