"First Class" is an amazing Japanese show that run for two seasons, and explains the rise and fall of Chinami Yoshinari, a "rag-to-riches story" woman (you would never believe that with the way Erika Sawajiri's character is depicted, but well...). Chinami starts in the first season as a poor girl with lots of dreams that finds a job in fashion magazine "First Class". In his job she meets lots of mean women that will try to destroy her on her rise to preeminence.
If that sounds a little bit like "The Devil Wears Prada", it may be true. But "First Class" goes for the way-over-the-top-is-the-best option, with characters behaving like taking a picture is the reason to start a war. It's also terrible funny, as everyone is going for everyone's blood, everyone betrays everyone, and everyone is selfish as hell. It all falls more than once on the caricature (and it may be sexist too), but seeing poor Chinami fighting against every women on her wake is lots of fun. Every episode ends with a card-ladder, which tells us where every character is in that moment. Don't worry, everyone moves so much that you won't be surprised to see Chinami moving up and down all the time. As said before, it's just so exaggerated that you have to watch it to believe it.
The second season raises the stakes, as she starts working for a fashion company. But it becomes a little bit repetitive, as it's just more of the same (even the older sister of one character of season one appears, being basically just the same character). On the other hand, there are a lot of cameos from season one that make for lots of fun. Both seasons, as is typical in Japanese shows, that are one-story-one-season kind of shows, are not deeply related, so you have two stories for the price of one.
Both season are really funny, interesting, and show a lot about the fight for power, and the desire to find some place in very competitive worlds. But in both seasons the show loses a little bit of steam close to the end.
"First Class" is very very funny, and it's just long enough that it doesn't overstay its welcome. Just be ready for lots of uh?-really? situations.
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