is a Japanese television series which was broadcast on Nippon Television from 16 April to 18 June 2005.

Synopsis

On Hatomi (a fictional name derived from

Hatoma Hatoma (鳩間島, ''Hatoma-jima''; Yaeyama: ''Patuma''; Okinawan: ''Hatuma'') is a small island of the Yaeyama Islands, barely 1 kilometer in diameter. It is under the administration of Taketomi District, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. In loca ...

, the actual island where the drama was filmed), a small island in Okinawa state part of Japan's southern sea frontier, the social environment is suffering. With the last student of the elementary school leaving the place, the closing of the school is a virtual given. Mr. Nakama (

Ken Ogata , better known by his stage name , was a Japanese actor. Life Ogata was born in Tokyo, Japan. Ogata is well known for his roles in Peter Greenaway's ''The Pillow Book'', Paul Schrader's '' Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters'' and Shohei Imamura ...

), decides to do something about it - and heads for Tokyo to recruit his grandson. Rebuffed by his daughter, however, he decides to adopt another child. He finds Ruri (

Riko Narumi is a Japanese actress and model. Filmography Films Television Photobooks * ''12sai'' (Littele More, 28 June 2005) * ''14sai no Koibana'' (Shufunotomo, 23 March 2007) * ''Natural Pure'' (Kadokawa Media House, 12 June 2007) * ''Rico Days'' ...

), a mature girl of 11 who distrusts people because her mother (

Naomi Nishida is an actress. She won the Best Supporting Actress award at the 2001 Yokohama Film Festival and at the 25th Hochi Film Award for her performance in ''Nabbie's Love''. Personal life She married a Japanese shoe designer in 2005, and gave birth to a ...

) doesn't care much about her, but after seeing Mr. Nakama's true intentions, allows him to take her to the island. Unfortunately, the local teacher, Ms. Sanae (

Manami Konishi , also known as KONI-TAN, is a Japanese actress, singer, songwriter, rapper, and record producer. Career Konishi appeared in Kiyoshi Kurosawa's 2006 film ''Retribution'', which was screened at the 63rd Venice Film Festival. She also appeared in ...

), who was banking on the school's closing to be able to go somewhere else, is resentful of Ruri and makes light of her city fashion (including permed hair, fake curls, and miniskirts), which leads to a big showdown between her and Ruri - and the people who were enthusiastic about her suddenly begin to have their doubts, and only Mr. Nakama and his wife Megumi (

Mitsuko Baisho , is a Japanese actress, whose most internationally known work has been for director Shohei Imamura, from 1979 up to the director's final film in 2010. Baisho has also appeared in films of Akira Kurosawa. She won awards for best actress at the 10 ...

) take Ruri's side strongly. Following into the island is Mr. Kawashima (

Yutaka Takenouchi is a Japanese actor. His on-screen acting debut was in the drama 「ボクの就職」 (Boku no Syūshoku) in 1994, after winning a modeling contest. He regularly appears in commercials. Filmography TV series * ''Boku no Shūshoku/My First Job' ...

), a mysterious man who saves Ruri from drowning following the fight - and who becomes her conscience and friend in her daily life in the island. But is Kawashima what he seems? Or did he come to the island to run away from Tokyo - and possibly a crime he may have been involved in there? Katsumura and Nishiyama play a local married couple of neighbors, Kashu and Igawa a local unmarried couple of neighbors, all of them willing to help Ruri in their own way.

Cast

as Ruri *

as Tatsuya/Makoto *

as Nakama Yuzou *

Fumiyo Kohinata is a Japanese actor. Filmography Film * '' Begging for Love'' (1998) * '' Give It All'' (1998) * ''Ring 2'' (1999) - Dr. Kawajiri * ''Audition'' (1999) - Television producer * ''Minna no Ie'' (2001) * ''Turn'' (2001) * '' Dark Water'' (2002) - ...

as Teruaki *

as Nao *

Taeko Yoshida Taeko is a Japanese female given name. It can have various meanings depending on the Kanji used. Possible writing include: 妙子 "mysterious child" 多恵子 "many blessings, child" People * Taeko Fukao, Japanese jazz singer * Taeko Hattori ( ...

as Granny Kamado *

Sansei Shiomi is a Japanese actor. Career Born in Kyoto Prefecture, Shiomi went to Doshisha University. He joined the theater troupe En in 1978 and soon also began appearing in film and television, mostly as a character actor. He won a Japan Movie Critics Aw ...

as Souhei *

Sei Hiraizumi is a Japanese actor. In 1964, Hiraizumi joined Daiei Film company and started his acting career. In the 1970s to early 1980s, he appeared in a lot of jidaigeki and detective television dramas as a guest villain actor. Hiraizumi starred as Koichi ...

as Harue * Yoshie Ichige as Yoshie *

Sakura A cherry blossom, also known as Japanese cherry or sakura, is a flower of many trees of genus ''Prunus'' or ''Prunus'' subg. ''Cerasus''. They are common species in East Asia, including China, Korea and especially in Japan. They generally ...

as Mihoko *

as Megumi * Toshiki Kashu as Shigeru * Haruka Igawa as Mitsuki *

as Sanae *

Ittoku Kishibe , born , is a Japanese actor and musician. Career He originally entered show business as the bassist for the Japanese rock bands, The Tigers and Pyg, but later switched to acting. The veteran of over 115 films, he won the Best Actor Japanese Ac ...

as Manabu * Masanobu Katsumura as Kouji * Mayuko Nishiyama as Natsumi *

Anzu Nagai (born September 19, 1992) is a Japanese actress. She starred in '' Hanochi'' and is best known for her role as the young Nico Robin in the anime ''One Piece ''One Piece'' (stylized in all caps) is a Japanese manga series written and il ...

Shunji Igarashi is a former Japanese actor known for his role as Mirai Hibino/Ultraman Mebius in the 2006-2007 tokusatsu series ''Ultraman Mebius'' and several spin-offs in the Ultra Series following that. Igarashi was affiliated with the acting unit D-BOYS, ...

Production credits

*Screenwriters: Morishita Keiko, Terada Toshio, Morishita Nao (森下直), Takeda Yuki (武田有起) *Producers: Toda Kazuya (戸田一也), Kunimoto Masahiro, Tsugiya Hisashi (次屋尚) *Directors: Inomata Ryuuichi (猪股隆一), Ikeda Kenji (池田健司) *Music: Takefumi Haketa (羽毛田丈史) *Viewership: 12.64%

External links

Official WebsiteDorama.infoDiscussion en Francais
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ruri No Shima Japanese drama television series 2005 Japanese television series debuts 2005 Japanese television series endings Nippon TV dramas Television shows set in Okinawa Prefecture