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feeling: impressed
listening to: Maou OST - luciFUGE
HOLY EFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF.
Ok, two posts coming today. Both centered upon my latest J-drama, Maou, which was INCREDIBLE. Because it will not get out of my head since I watched the final episode yesterday and have been listening to the soundtrack pretty much all day (such as it is thus far).
First, a review of the drama to add to this post, followed by a bit of info gathered for my own purposes inspired by the soundtrack, which may or may not turn into a review. So here goes...
Maou
Oh my. This. I can't even. INCREDIBLE. It absolutely boggles my mind that this drama didn't get higher ratings than it did, because it was one of the most mind-blowing things I've ever experienced. This was the first drama I ever watched without subtitles by choice, and it was 100% worth getting up at 9:00 every Friday morning to watch. (And hey, I followed it pretty darn well.)
Ok... I'll try to start with a nice neutral summary. "Maou" means devil king, or as this drama is often alternately titled, "The Devil." It was based on a Korean drama, which some people have said was better, and if that's true it must have been among the MOST AMAZING THINGS EVER CREATED because the remake alone is a masterpiece. Anyway... the title character is a lawyer, Naruse Ryo, known as an angel in his profession due to his superior capability and high success rate. However, in reality he's a demon, a mere husk of a human, consumed by his lust for revenge against the man who killed his brother Hideo 11 years ago. That man just happens to be police detective Serizawa Naoto, with whom he very frequently crosses paths due to the overlapping nature of their careers (and their working in the same office). In a nutshell, Hideo was stabbed in a schoolyard scrap, and the one holding the knife was Naoto. The grief was so overwhelming that Naruse's mother died too, leaving Naruse Ryo with nothing and nobody - and to top it off, Naoto was found not guilty on the grounds of self-defense. From that day on Naruse devoted his life to taking revenge through amazingly intricate murder plots that would take away everyone Naoto values in his life.
It could be considered a bit predictable for a "suspense" drama in that you know who's behind all these murders. But what's amazing is how these schemes are woven together, so intricate and flawless - and all designed to look like somebody else's fault. And after a few episodes it becomes clear that it's not about who's doing the killing or how - it's about humanity. This man was so convinced that he had none of it left, but gradually, various turns of events make him see that he does. The drama further unfolds as he takes in the reactions of the people affected by the murders he's carried out, and as more vital details of Hideo's death are revealed. You're not sure whether to sympathize with Naruse for all he's been through, to support him in his quest for justice, to hope he can be saved, or to condemn his murderous intentions.
In terms of the technical stuff, pretty much everything about the production of Maou is no less than breathtaking. The gorgeous imagery (Naruse's darkroom *__*), the us of tarot cards as clues and references to Catholicism and even demonology, the darkness and tension hanging in the air over every scene, the ABSOLUTE MASTERPIECE of a soundtrack which I swear I will listen to until I've memorized every note (if it doesn't kill me first, because dlskdagdjaks it's just that amazing)... and oh, the acting. Naruse Ryo alone has the capacity to shatter hearts and souls. This was Ohno Satoshi's first lead role, and honestly, every drama production team in Japan should be after him now because saying he nailed it is a grievous understatement. Every look, every movement, every expression, from the patented Maou Glare that actually pierces your soul to the heartbreaking tears shed for his dead brother to the demonic smirk when his latest plot is carried out to the utterly blank face devoid of all expression... and the ending... just. Wow. And his co-star Ikuta Toma, who played Naoto, deserves mentioning for his utter passion and intensity as the hot-blooded young cop who does a lot of running and shouting, and later, the raw emotion that I can't even really describe as events unfold around him. But really, everyone in this series was perfect - the little girl with the teddy bear, the stubborn and self-serving Serizawa father, the sweet and blind older sister, the guys who played Naoto's buddies (especially Souda)... everyone.
I will stop babbling soon, I promise. In closing, Maou is definitely worthy of recommendation, especially for those who prefer something a little more dark and intense than your typical high school dorkiness and romantic shenanigans. I will definitely plan on a re-watch, probably several of them... but only after I watch something more fluffy and crack-filled to loosen my brain from the burning vice-grip Maou has held it in for the past 11 weeks.
comment! (0)
dragged from Becky's stream of consciousness at 9/16/2008 04:26:00 PM
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