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feeling: in between
listening to: BLOOD - L'Irreparable
Here's something I've been meaning to do for a while purely for the sake of reference: reviews and/or synopses of all the J-dramas in my collection. Expect it to get longer over time, since I plan to add reviews of new dramas as I acquire and watch them.
I'll be referencing my handy dandy checklist of My Dramas stored in my Jdorama.com profile, and thus going in order by year of release... not that that'll make a difference to anyone, but like I said... reference.
Love Generation
Ah yes, the first drama I ever 1) downloaded, 2) saw with subtitles, and 3) became obsessed with. By today's standards it's not even anything spectacular; just a typical love story between two headstrong young people, Teppei and Riko, who meet on not-so-friendly terms, find themselves working in the same office, and end up falling for each other. Of course there are other elements to beef up the storyline, but nothing really original - office parties, arranged marriage meetings, Teppei's former love interest popping into town, etc. I guess it's all in the execution, because the two leads are played by two of the most famous, versatile, and accomplished actors in the Japanese industry, Kimura Takuya (a member of SMAP who was voted sexiest man in Japan several times) and Matsu Takako... and they do an AMAZING job. Matsu Takako especially. I so fell in love with her after seeing this series. >> So yes... not a terribly original or complex drama, and might not stand out as much as many newer series (it aired in 1997), but it easily ranks high among the classics.
Bokura no Yuuki ~Miman City~
...Wow. I wasn't expecting this series to engage me so much. All I knew was that it was old and something about a city run by a bunch of kids where all the adults had disappeared. As it turned out, all the adults were dead - killed by a microbe carried on a meteorite that landed in the city, infecting everyone in it and mysteriously killing everyone over the age of 20, leaving at least 300 kids to fend for themselves. To make things worse, the government has lied to the rest of Japan, announcing that an earthquake killed everyone in the city - and they secretly keep the kids quarantined within the city using military force. The rations they provide are meager at best, and that's pretty much all they provide - no medical care when a child is sick or injured, no changes of clothes, no sympathy whatsoever. And if any child misbehaves, their instructions are "shoot to kill." Children are sick, starving, screaming in fear, being bullied and robbed and stabbed by the older kids, fighting, shooting and stabbing each other, dying... and the adults "protecting" them only grow more and more oppressive. It's dark, dismal, depressing, and it sucked me in so fast my head was swimming. And for a bunch of kids, the acting was pretty good too. The two leads were played by Koichi and Tsuyoshi of KinKi Kids, and a couple of other regular faces were played by Aiba Masaki and Matsumoto Jun before Arashi even existed. They were so tiny. AND JUN WAS ALREADY AN AMAZING ACTOR. *dead* ahem... Anyway, yes. I was impressed by this one. Depressed, but impressed.
GTO (Great Teacher Onizuka)
Ok, honestly? This drama didn't do much for me. I feel left out or something. >>;; This is like, the most famous and highest-rated J-drama of all time, but it just didn't do much for me. Maybe my expectations were too high or something, I dunno... maybe if I had seen the anime first I'd appreciate it more... But anyway, this was basically the granddaddy of the "school drama" genre, and it's been the inspiration for countless others that came after it, like the two Gokusen series and Yankee Bokou ni Kaeru, both of which will be reviewed below this. It's about a former delinquent who becomes a high school teacher and uses his understanding of troubled kids and the situations they get into to save them from all kinds of scrapes and get on their good sides. Of course one of the side stories is the romance between him and a female teacher in the same school, and interestingly (maybe), these two leads got married in real life after working together on GTO. That actress, by the way, is Natsushima Nanako, one of the most loved modern actresses in Japan; in terms of other dramas I've seen, she was also in both Hana Yori Dango series and Majo no Jouken. Another familiar face in GTO is a very young Oguri Shun before his voice changed. :P Ah, humble beginnings. He has since become one of my favorite actors, and will be mentioned many more times below.
Akimahende!
Heh, this one was sort of fun in an old school kinda way. Reminded me of Love Generation and Wedding Planner and all those other "old" dramas, as opposed to the newfangled teenybopper manga remakes that have been all the rage lately (nothing against those, of course). Akimahende is a relatively simple story about a woman in her 50s(?), Katsura, who is in love with a man who runs some big company and is always traveling; he proposed to her before leaving Japan on business, but she decided that she should get to know his four kids before entering the family, so while he was overseas she joined the Aoki household as a housekeeper. The kids are all spoiled brats, of course - the oldest daughter is a model and married to a perfectly sweet man from whom she repeatedly decides to divorce just because she's selfish; the second daughter is having an affair with her married boss at the bank where she works; the only son is a high school prodigy and in line to inherit the family business, but of course he doesn't want to; and the youngest daughter is just reaching puberty and all the joys that come with it. Katsura has her work cut out for her with only three months to get on all their good sides by the time their father returns home.
It's pretty well-acted, with some pretty well-reputed actresses playing the two older sisters and a very young, up-and-coming Suzuki An as the youngest sister - and the high school son was played by Ninomiya Kazunari before Arashi even existed. The lady who played Katsura had a really annoying voice at first, but once you get used to it, it just feels right for her character and you stop noticing it. Oh, and the kid who played Keita was adorable, whoever he was. >> No complaints about this drama. Quite amusing, though the humor is a little more grown-up than the likes of Gokusen and Hana Kimi.
Majo no Jouken - reviewed here.
Summer Snow - reviewed here.
Mukodono
I quite like this drama, actually. It's... cute. Not cute like Kimi wa Petto, but still... cute. It centers around Yuu, a pop superstar who is as polished and cool as they get on the outside but a completely geeky klutzy goofball in private. Yuu wants to marry a sweet girl named Arai Sakura, but his manager refuses to let him lest he break the hearts of his millions of adoring fans. Also, Sakura happens to have a very large family, which Yuu adores since he hasn't known any real family since he was very young... so someone suggests that Yuu marry into the Arai family, adopting their name and living with them and the whole nine yards. That happens early in the series, so the rest of the drama focuses on smaller stories that happen to the members of the Arai household - especially Sakura's sisters and nephews - and how Yuu helps each one of them and earns their affection and respect. And of course, Yuu has to do all this while struggling to keep the public from finding out that he's married.
Of course, this is another series that is totally held together by its actors. Mukodono has several extremely accomplished actors to look out for. Yuu is played by Nagase Tomoya, who comes from the pop group TOKIO, which is produced by Johnny's & Associates, which also produced SMAP, KinKi Kids, Arashi, Tackey & Tsubasa, KAT-TUN, NEWS, and several other idol groups who have produced excellent actors that I've probably reviewed in this blog. Sakura is played by Takeuchi Yuko, who is quite simply adorable. Utsui Ken plays the father, and he's also played many other famous father and grandfather roles; he's probably the most perfect choice I've ever seen for that sort of thing. Yuu's manager is played by Tsunku, who produced Morning Musume and all those other Hello!Project girl groups (he's quite amusing too). Sakura's older nephew is played by Aiba Masaki - surprise, it's another Arashi member! >.> My favorite of the five, at that... even if he's not the best actor... *cough* Annnnd Sakura's younger nephew is played by Kamiki Ryuunosuke, who is THE CUTEST CHILD ON THE FACE OF THE EARTH. Ahem. Seriously, he's the most amazing child actor I've ever seen... and to familiarize some of you, he did the Japanese voice of the giant baby in Disney's Spirited Away. Oh, and Koyuki, who played Sumire in Kimi wa Petto, has a small role in this series too. Sooooo... yes. Another fun little drama made even better by an excellent cast.
*cough* Moving on.
Hero
Heh, I only got this one because it starred Kimura Takuya and Matsu Takako as the lead couple again. It's another old one, and one I don't remember too well, so this review will be much shorter than the one above. :p Basically they both work in the same... eh, some kind of law enforcement office. Prosecutors, I guess. But Kimutaku's character is a former delinquent who comes into the office with all these wild ideas and methods that the stiffs in the office, including Takako's character, just don't understand. And of course as the series progresses, these two entirely different people fall for each other. This one doesn't focus as much on the love story as it does on the situations that the prosecution office(?) faces, though.
Wedding Planner
Oh dear. My first drama ever, viewed in raw Japanese on the International Channel (back when it was called that). This one actually doesn't have much of a reputation in the J-drama universe, but it'll always be my first, I guess. It's basically about a bridal company, the people in it, and the people whose weddings they put together, but it focuses just a wee bit more on Toru and Kanako, two members of the group who just can't see eye-to-eye on anything and then end up falling in love in the end. But each episode has an entirely different central story; each member of the bridal company gets one, and there are a few others for some of their more interesting clients, and even one for Kanako's son Taku (played by Kamiki Ryuunosuke again!)... and they're all quite touching in their own way. As for other actors... Toru is played by Yusuke Santamaria, one of Japan's most famous comedy-drama actors, and Kanako is played by Iijima Naoko, another very accomplished and eye-catching actress. Oh, also, the bridal company's photographer is played by Tsumabuki Satoshi, who starred in Orange Days, another one I've reviewed here before.
Gokusen - reviewed here.
Kisarazu Cat's Eye
Um. Yes. ANOTHER Arashi member. ¬_¬ Sakurai Sho this time. Anyway... heh, not much to say about this one, actually. It's about this group of guys who are on a baseball team, but the sort-of leader of the group finds out that he's dying of cancer, so they all decide to form a group of basically cat burglars, just to give the guy a few last jollies and commit some "noble" deeds (in fun but illegal ways, of course) before he dies. I don't know much about the cast, except Sakurai Sho (learned that he's not as great an actor as Jun or Nino >>), and Narimiya Hiroki also had a small role... oh, and one interesting casting choice was Yamaguchi Tomomitsu, a famous TV comedian whom I came to know through Tensai! Shimura Doubutsuen, the zoo-themed variety show that Aiba Masaki also appears on regularly. Anyway... yeah. Not much else to say about this series. Except I like the ending theme far more than I really should. u_u
Yankee Bokou ni Kaeru
Another school drama, another former delinquent who becomes a high school teacher for a class full of delinquents, and another Arashi member appearance. Talk about a drama with potential. Unfortunately though, it didn't quite live up to it. I did enjoy it, but it just... didn't quite convey what it wanted to, I think. Hard to explain. Anyway, I've already summarized the story, so... Aiba Masaki of Arashi (in his pretty long-silky-black-haired stage >>) has a semi-small role as another teacher in this school, and one of the ringleader types in the featured class is played by the kid who played Minami in Gokusen, who's looking much prettier in this series. >> He's established himself as quite a capable actor by this time, too. Wonder why I don't see him around much... Anyway, yeah. Another series that's enjoyable enough, but not very unique (VERY similar to GTO and Gokusen, in fact) and a lot of lost potential. I'd watch it again, though.
Stand Up!!
Heh, mostly this drama was just an excuse to bring together four of the most popular young male actors in Japan to play the lead roles: Ninomiya Kazunari, Yamashita Tomohisa, Narimiya Hiroki, and Oguri Shun. Yes, they've all been listed in this post before - many times. >_> Anyway... they play four high school boys, attractive, but each kinda loser-ish in his own way, who are renowned in their school for being the only virgins left in their class. So they decide to dedicate themselves to getting laid before they graduate. >.> But since they're kids and they don't really know what they want, in the course of the series, they bounce back and forth between wanting to remain "pure" and wanting to slam the brains out of any chick who'll give them the time of day.
It's not as dumb as it sounds, honest.
Anyway... Ninomiya plays Sho, the main character... and don't ask me to remember the other three guys' names. But their childhood friend Chie comes back into town, and somehow she ends up staying with Sho's family, rejoins their little circle of friends, etc... so in the end it's more about their friendship than the whole getting laid ASAP thing. Though of course, with the return of Chie, naturally there are some crushes involved before it's all over with.
High points of this drama? Well, Nino is still an amazing actor. He was hilarious as the awkward, puny, loser-ish Sho in this series. And Narimiya Hiroki is just a big irresistible bundle of spazztastic goodness. *cough* Chie's actress grew on me too, but that might've been because I caught her months later appearing on a separate TV show and she was all cute there. And how cool is this - Becky, my favorite regular on Tensai! Shimura Doubutsuen, is even in this drama. :D Oh, but the best part of this drama was... er... this sound effect they used at strategic moments when something amusing but significant happened, or when you'd expect to see a big sweatdrop appear on someone's head, etc. It was like... this squeaky, record-scratchy thing mixed with a single drum beat. Oh, lord, best sound effect ever. I need to rip it and set it as my Windows error message tone or something. *plots*
Otherwise... eh, like I said, it WAS funny... and the lead actors were well-cast. Otherwise, honestly, not too much to call special about the story. And the ending was disappointing... or something. But I'd recommend it for the dork-driven humor factor.
Itsumo Futari de
Another one of my very first dramas, seen in raw Japanese on TV long before I found it subtitled for download. It's another fairly typical love story, but this time it centers upon Mizuho, played by Matsu Takako (:D), an aspiring novelist who moves to Tokyo to pursue her dream. While there she runs into a childhood friend, Kenta (she calls him Hachi because he was her "loyal dog" when they were kids, like the famous dog statue Hachiko), who is doing quite well for himself as a TV variety show writer. Through not-too-surprising circumstances, she ends up crashing in his quite fancy apartment and staying there, since she hadn't made any living arrangements in Tokyo before moving there. And, yes... within a few episodes, they fall in love. But of course Hachi refuses to realize it and goes chasing after some other chick instead, breaking Mizuho's heart. Will he come to his senses? Will they find each other? Etcetera! *cough*... yes, actually, it is a pretty nice little series. Just pretty typical too. But sometimes that's a good thing.
EDIT: Ok, I started rewatching this yesterday, and I was so amused by all the familiar faces I saw in JUST THE FIRST EPISODE, that I had to edit this. Hachi's little brother is played by Eita, who was also in Orange Days and Kimi wa Petto. His girlfriend is played by Hirayama Aya, who was in the movie Tokyo Tower with Matsumoto Jun (and had a guest appearance on D no Arashi, the series I fansubbed). Tsukaji Muga of the comedy duo Drunk Dragon, who were once regulars on that zoo-themed variety show I adore to an insane extent, plays one of Mizuho's coworkers... and the other half of Drunk Dragon, Suzuki Taku, appears in one later episode as some kind of vulture journalist. Even the creepy/sleazy guy who plays the newscaster Hachi works for has appeared in a couple other dramas I've seen (he was creepy/sleazy in those too). It's amazing how many people I've gotten to know in the Japanese showbiz industry since I first saw this series in 2003.
Yoiko no Mikata - reviewed here.
Kimi wa Petto - reviewed here.
Pride
Again, not much to say about this one. It stars Kimura Takuya (again), who plays a star hockey player. Yes, a hockey story... mixed with a love story. Basically his character is 100% devoted to hockey and doesn't really believe in love. Oh, how quickly that changes. It only takes him a few episodes to fall for this chick who doesn't know a thing about hockey and only came to that fateful game (and the fateful victory party held in the team's honor afterwards) because her friends dragged her there. Interestingly though, she's played by Takeuchi Yuko, the sweetheart of Mukodono. So yeah... they meet by chance at that party, they meet by chance again later, one things leads to another, they fall in love, her ex comes back from traveling abroad and wants her back... drama unfolds... you know. But yeah. That's Pride.
Orange Days - reviewed here.
Sekai no Chuushin de, Ai o Sakebu - reviewed here.
Hana Yori Dango
Ahh, yes. Now we're getting to familiar titles. This was easily one of the most popular dramas of the past few years, and really, it IS quite good. I'm not sure how well it compares to the anime or manga that it was based upon, but I still enjoyed it. The basic story: Makino Tsukushi comes from an extremely poor family, but they've put all their hopes in her and sent her to an extremely rich and prestigious high school. This school is practically owned by four students, the sons of some of the richest and most powerful families in Japan. They call themselves F4, and they're quite honestly a bunch of jerks. If any student crosses them in the tiniest way, they hang a "red tag" in that student's locker, which makes that student the target of such harsh bullying that they almost invariably end up quitting. Well, guess what. Makino Tsukushi tried to defend her one and only friend from an F4 attack, and she got a red tag for her trouble. But she refused to run away, and instead stood up to the leader of F4, Domyoji Tsukasa, over and over. They hate each other's guts and are constantly at each other's throats. Meanwhile, Tsukushi has noticed that another F4 member, Hanazawa Rui, might not be quite as big a jerk as his F4 reputation gives him; he inadvertently helps her out once or twice, which causes her to develop a crush on him. But at the same time, Tsukasa has taken a twisted sort of interest in her, and eventually decides to pursue her for love instead of bullying. But oh, what a klutz he is at all this "love" business. Honestly, he's a big jerk and a total idiot. But he's also a goofy dork. I mean, come on. Hummingyay. >.> Sooooo, yeah... you can guess what eventually happens, right?
But the makers really went all-out on this drama, and though the end result was quite worthwhile, it makes me wonder just how well its sales managed to counter the massive debt they must've incurred. I mean, all the enormous mansions and fancy cars and designer clothes and fine jewelry worn by essentially everyone who appears on screen, including extras... all 100% real. It's full of highly acclaimed principal actors who probably cost them a pretty penny, too. Everyone fell in love with Tsukushi's actress, Inoue Mao, after this series came out. Except me. >> Sorry, she was just a little too exaggerated for me. But the two "minor" F4 members are both played very well by up-and-coming actors who are just starting to gain popularity. Even Tsukasa's sister is played by the very highly acclaimed Matsushima Nanako (from GTO and Majo no Jouken). But the real stars are the actors who play Domyoji Tsukasa and Hanazawa Rui - respectively, Matsumoto Jun and Oguri Shun. Both have made big names for themselves lately, huh? But they deserve it. They're both amazing actors. Jun especially gets to shine in this series, as it gave him a chance to show his sadistic side. But also his dorky side. Hummingyay. >.> However, the series loses a few points because some characters, namely Tsukushi's family and Tsukasa's mother, just completely rub me the wrong way. Can't stand them, can't enjoy scenes that are too heavy on them. But then, I suppose in the case of Tsukasa's mother, that was intentional... can't speak for Tsukushi's family though... but anyway, overall, Hana Yori Dango is a fun one to watch, and I'd recommend it.
Kiken na Aneki - reviewed here.
Nobuta o Produce - reviewed here.
Ai no Uta - reviewed here.
Densha Otoko
Now, this is one very unique and very popular drama that I think pretty much anyone could enjoy. It's based on a true story too. It centers around a typical otaku guy who's riding a train home from Akihabara one day and rescues a beautiful young woman from the advances of a drunken pervert. She's so grateful that she insists on getting his address so she can send him a thank you gift, and a few days later he receives it - a pair of fancy expensive Hermes brand teacups. Now, this otaku guy communicates with dozens of other otaku on an online forum, where his online buddies nickname him "Densha Otoko" (Train Man) for his heroics on the train, and they nickname the girl "Hermes" after the cups she sent him. They also give him advice and support as he realizes he's falling for Hermes and wants to see her again. So this basically turns into a love story between the ultimate classic feminine beauty and the ultimate geek.
But what makes Densha Otoko a success is the way the story is presented. Many of the interactions in each episode take place between "Densha Otoko" and his online buddies, and it's just really unique how they all contribute to the story while finding the courage to better their own lives thanks to the courage they received from "Densha Otoko." Some of them are a bit... extreme in their otaku-ness, but that's what makes them great. Again, another very well-acted drama. And Oguri Shun has a small role in it. Can't go wrong. :P Anyway, yes... this was another drama that had all kinds of hype surrounding it, and it didn't let me down. Very cute story, very unique presentation, and very fun.
Gokusen 2
Not much to say about this one after reading my review of Gokusen. It's just a sequel series. A few years have passed, Shirokin High has closed down, and Yankumi is accidentally employed to teach at Kurogin High, where she's once again given a class full of delinquents and has to find a way to get them all through graduation while keeping her mafia background a secret. The mafia part doesn't come into this one nearly as much, though; heck, the whole nation found out about it in the first Gokusen series anyway. But yeah... for the most part this series follows the same pattern as the original Gokusen. Students hate Yankumi, Yankumi doesn't give up, student gets into trouble, Yankumi saves student with impressive fighting skills and pretty speeches, student starts to respect Yankumi, repeat with other students until they're all one big happy delinquent family.
Of course, most fans of this drama only like it because the two classroom leaders are played by KAT-TUN members Kamenashi Kazuya (he was in Nobuta o Produce, and I'll admit he's a decent actor) and Akanishi Jin. They and their two or three closest buddies are acted well enough, sure, but they just don't live up to the main group in the first Gokusen. Matsumoto Jun alone acted circles around them all in the first Gokusen, and he even had the backing of Oguri Shun, Narimiya Hiroki, and... uh, the guys who played Minami and Kuma. While Kuma did return for a minor role in Gokusen 2, the series just didn't have the same spark without them. It was enjoyable enough to watch, sure, but... just another case of lost potential, I suppose. All the usual Gokusen patterns were starting to feel a little cliche by the end. I'd watch it again though, probably. I just liked the first series better.
Yasashii Jikan - reviewed here.
Nodame Cantabile - reviewed here.
Hana Yori Dango Returns
Yes, another sequel/continuation. MUCH more successful in that way, though. Maybe only because there was still plenty of HYD manga/anime to follow that the first drama series didn't touch on yet, but still, for a sequel series this was really well done. A LOT happened in it, which made it feel considerably longer than it was... but it was all carried out well, I think. Except I was really starting to hate Makino Tsukushi after a few episodes. >> And the whole Umi arc was pretty annoying too... and I wasn't too fond of Shigeru either, really, but she didn't bug me nearly as much. Fortunately though, none of these were enough to destroy the series, and it all came together in the end. I have to admit I enjoyed it greatly. Even if the ending was so utterly disgustingly OMGWTFYAYHAPPY that it nearly gave me a toothache... e_e
Of course most of the central characters and actors are the same, but I once again have to commend Matsumoto Jun on his amazing acting. Believe it or not, I'm not too fond of him as a person >>... but I know a good actor when I see one. He really was 100% cut out for the Domyoji role - no one else could pull off both sadistic psycho jerk AND goofy dork at the same time. The only lines that didn't feel 100% real were the ones he had to read in English. :P And there was one particular scene in... episode 8, I think, or something like that... where he seriously conveyed a million different emotions and wrapped up a dozen crucial story devices with a single look. It didn't last more than a second, but... I can't even describe it. It was perfect. Anyway, ahem... Oguri Shun got a little more attention in this series than in the first one, which was cool. Even the other F4 characters finally got to enjoy a little limelight. Like I said, a LOT happens in this series. But for all its annoyances, which I even tend to think were intentional on the part of the writers... I have to say they did a very good job fitting it all in.
Haikei, Chichiue-sama
Translated, "Dear Father." I'm sort of still figuring out what exactly this drama was getting at. O_o I mean, it was good and all... but there were so many different stories going on at the same time, I never figured out which one was supposed to be the main plot. It's hard to even give a synopsis without working in each and every side story. But basically... Ninomiya Kazunari (YES, AGAIN) plays a young chef in a cozy little old-fashioned shop in a cozy little old-fashioned town. He is the main character, Ippei, and this fact is pretty much the only constant plot component in this series.
Let's see... the first potential plot story is introduced in the first episode, when Ippei is told that a new apprentice chef will be joining the shop, and Ippei will be in charge of him - and also share his tiny apartment with him. And this apprentice turns out to be a loud, annoying, crude young guy (he's honest, and he means well; he just isn't really aware that he's annoying). The next potential plot story is the inspiration for the title, "Dear Father" - Ippei doesn't know who his father is, and the narration he provides for the drama is recited in the form of a letter to the father he's never known, and part of every episode is devoted to his quest to find him. Another potential plot is when Ippei runs into a girl who's fluent in French and basically falls in love at first sight; another is about the shop being in danger of shutting down in favor of new modern buildings being constructed in the area. There are still half a dozen other stories, and twice that many side characters with stories of their own, and they ALL manage to be worked into every successive episode.
Yet, somehow, it doesn't feel overly rushed or busy. That alone impresses me enough to call this a well-done drama: SO many different stories, SO many people involved, yet it all feels smoothly paced and well-balanced. It's just... hard to figure out exactly what the "point" of the drama was, I guess. But maybe there wasn't one. x_x I don't knooooow.
Proposal Daisakusen - reviewed here.
Bambino!
This was probably the most unique series I've seen yet. It's about a young man named Ban Shogo who aspires to be a great Italian chef. In the beginning he's a college student working with his fiancee in a little Italian place in a small town, where he's the head chef and all their customers think his food is just the greatest in the world - so of course he's developed quite a little ego. Then the owner of this little restaurant tells Ban he's sending him to a much larger, much fancier Italian restaurant in Tokyo for spring break, so he can "get his feet wet" and learn what it takes to be a real Italian chef. So Ban goes off to Tokyo and joins the busy kitchen in Trattoria Baccanale - and the first pasta order he makes goes crashing to the floor in his rush to keep up with the other chefs. So he's promptly demoted to kitchen assistant, fetching ingredients and washing dishes and struggling to keep up and not trip over himself or anyone else. His confidence is thoroughly shattered and he's forced to start over from scratch in his quest to become a chef - from the status of a bambino (baby).
It's hard to classify a genre for Bambino... it's not quite comedy, but not a totally serious heart-wrenching melodrama-fest either. The story might have been a bit predictable, but I loved how they showed the contrast between the bustling kitchen and the relaxed atmosphere of the dining hall, and yet again the low-key, tired but relaxed feeling hanging over everyone after another day's work is done. The directing was excellent in that way. Pretty good acting too - I especially loved the head waiter Yonamine and the head pasta chef Katori (he was also the poofy guy in Kimi wa Petto :D). Ban Shogo was played by Matsumoto Jun, who fits that cocky-yet-awkward young guy role perfectly. The girl who played his fiancee annoys me though... but fortunately her role was relatively small. >> So overall it was a fun drama to watch. It also made me hungry. All the time. =_=
Tantei Gakuen Q - reviewed here.
Hanazakari no Kimitachi e
Otherwise known as Hana Kimi, and another drama based on a manga and preceded by a Taiwanese drama series. I watched the Taiwanese version first, and it felt like it took FOREVER to watch. The story moved slowly, there was a lot of repetition and a LOT of talking... and it was just... slow. Of course, it was 15 episodes long and each episode was 70-odd minutes long, but still. I enjoyed it, it just felt so slow.
The Japanese version, however, is the complete opposite. The pace was so fast, I'm sure I would've been lost if I hadn't watched the Taiwanese version first, and I'm sure having a good handle on Japanese also helped. There was constantly something or other happening, humor both subtle and blatant, and with such a huge number of characters involved, it felt a bit crowded at times. There were quite a few characters whose names I didn't even manage to learn by the end (but I did remember Sekime :P). I wouldn't really call any of these things demerits against the drama, though - I enjoyed it greatly. In fact, I spent much of my viewing time laughing my head off, especially during the first few episodes. People who like fast-paced humorous stuff would find it perfect.
I should get to the technical details before this gets rambly... >> Fortunately the story can be summed up in a couple lines: Ashiya Mizuki was a Japanese girl living in America, and she saw a Japanese high school high jumper named Sano Izumi on TV one day and began to idolize him, so she decided to dress as a boy and enroll in the all boys' school Sano attended in Japan. Of course Mizuki likes Sano but Sano is a moody jerk who hates her guts at first, but they end up being roommates so she clings to him and makes it her mission to make him start high jumping again, etc etc. There are TONS of side stories and side characters making things interesting (or at least busy), but the best one is Nakatsu Shuichi, the most openly goofy character in the series who becomes Mizuki's best friend, and soon falls in love with her before learning that she's a girl. And oh, the ensuing OMG I'M GAAAAAAY angsty goodness. :P (That's a joke - Nakatsu Shuichi doesn't even know the meaning of the word "angst.")
Obviously the story has potential. >> I couldn't even describe every detail of what makes the series so bloody fun. This thing is too long already. But much of that is thanks to Ikuta Toma, who played Nakatsu Shuichi and did an EXCELLENT job in the role. Actually ended up thinking I should find some other dramas he's been in; he might be the next to join my favorites list along with Matsu Takako, Nino, Matsujun, Narimiya Hiroki, Oguri Shun... oh, yes, Oguri Shun plays Sano. And he's pretty perfect for the part, really. I don't think he got to display as much versatility as he's capable of, but hey... it's only one drama. He's still ideal for the quiet, moody type. The girl who played Nobuta in Nobuta o Produce did very well as Mizuki too... not to mention the newcomer who played dorm leader Nanba Minami, and... well, most of the other guys in the dorm. But good lord, Ikuta Toma. Total riot. Must see more of him. And surprise surprise - HE'S A JOHNNY'S BOY. >_> They're everywhere...
Yamada Taro Monogatari
Oh, God. SUGAR ALERT. Seriously, this drama was so... happy. Not disgustingly happy like the end of Hana Yori Dango 2, though. More like... dorky-happy. The kind of happy you can laugh at. Except at the times when people are so happy they're crying, of course.
It's a pretty simple story about Yamada Taro, a high school boy who's attending a somewhat prestigious high school and is known as one of the two princes of the academy since he's always head of the class. Everyone assumes he's this mysterious rich boy, heir to the throne of his own country, etc etc... when in reality he lives with a family of 8 in a crumbling one-room shack and is lucky to eat one good meal every day. No one bothers to ask, so he doesn't bother to tell... but he's very friendly and easygoing, so he would if anyone tried. Anyway... the other of the two "princes" in the school, Mimura Takuya, is just the opposite; he actually IS rich, and a bit on the moody and stuck-up side. At first. But for some reason he takes an interest in Yamada Taro, follows him around, and eventually decides that he's worthy of his friendship. He sounds like a jerk, but he's actually just kinda... bored and lonely, and not entirely satisfied with his cushy lifestyle... and he turns out to be a good-hearted guy and a great friend.
So, mostly, this drama is about their "adventures" together - add in the obligatory girl who has a crush on Taro until she finds out he's poor, and that's pretty much all there is to the plot. Not too deep, maybe a bit young, definitely designed to be eye candy for fans of the two lead actors (Nino and Sho of Arashi >>)... but it's amusing. Of course, Nino is still an amazing actor and just seems to perfectly fit any role he's given, and as expected he makes a perfect Yamada Taro as well. And I have to say Sho's acting has improved considerably since Honey & Clover; he made a much better Takuya than I was expecting.
Of course, since I'm a geek, my favorite parts of this drama were the little subtle Arashi jokes they threw in. Like the aspiring movie director chick telling Yamada/Nino that she'd go to America and film a war story with him as the star someday... Yamada's obsession with hamburgers (NOT gyoza :P)... the air guitar competition... and best of all, Ohno making a brief appearance in the final episode as the "okama taisho." *rofl-ed profusely*
Anyway... yes. Mostly this series is simple and dorky and made for fangirls. But it's still well-acted, well-directed, well-reviewed, great for a laugh, and... well... warm and cute, in a boxful-of-puppies sort of way. Or something. Yamada Taro is just so bloody friendly and dorky and full of happy sappy love for everybody under the sun. >.>
I'm shutting up now.
Binbo Danshi - reviewed here.
Zettai Kareshi - reviewed here.
Maou - reviewed here.
The Quiz Show - reviewed here.
Gakkou ja Oshierarenai! - reviewed here.
Ryusei no Kizuna - reviewed here.
Uta no Oniisan - reviewed here.
Mei-chan no Shitsuji - reviewed here.
Love Shuffle - reviewed here.
Aaaaaannnnnnd... THAT'S THE END. Now I'm tired. >> Time to go try to sleep for 3 hours...
comment! (0)
dragged from Becky's stream of consciousness at 7/15/2007 01:17:00 AM
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