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wStuff You Don't Wanna Know But Are Reading Anyway |
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I dunno how you found this, but alas, here you are. So enjoy the frightening fruits of my troubled little brain.
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wSunday, April 19, 2009 |
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feeling: Magic 8 Ball says "Ask again later"
listening to: ayaka - Okaeri
When did this become my J-drama review blog, anyway...?
The Quiz Show
It's dramas like this one that make me remember why I got into Japanese dramas in the first place. Not because this was the best drama EVER or anything, but because the world of J-drama never ceases to surprise me. With almost every new drama I see, I think there's no other story like it in the world. So many different genres and formats and stories and ways of telling those stories... and this series, yet again, was another such new experience for me. It was the first J-drama I've ever seen with half-hour episodes (matching the format of its theme, which is, as the title indicates, a gameshow called The Quiz Show), as well as the first psychological suspense drama I've ever seen. Yes, psychological suspense. That means HOLY CRAP THAT WAS ONE TWISTED TV SHOW.
The gameshow at the center of the drama, The Quiz Show, seems simple enough. It's sort of like a mini Who Wants to Be a Millionaire - the contestant wins the big money prize if he answers 7 questions correctly, and he can trade that prize for the chance to answer an 8th question, for which the prize is the granting of his life's dream. The questions start out innocently enough, but after 3 or 4, the host's comments and behavior start to change, and the questions become more and more personalized to the contestant's own life - until, by answering the last few questions, the contestant is cornered into confessing the details of some unforgivable sin he has committed. All of the contestants are people who put on good faces for the public but hide a terrible secret behind them; in fact, each contestant represents one of the 7 deadly sins - pride, gluttony, wrath, greed, sloth, lust, and envy. What's more, the host Tazaki seems cruel and manipulative in his methods of cornering the contestants... but when the cameras stop, we see him tossed into an asylum cell, curled up on his bed screaming in torment as he struggles with memory loss caused by some traumatic event in his past. It seems that he is the one being manipulated by another face behind the scenes, forced to pressure the contestants into exposing their sins... and somehow, each one seems to awaken another little piece of the memory he lost.
I really can't say any more than that without giving away the plot. Even after reading synopses, I had no idea what to expect when I started this series, and the psychological twists and one-of-a-kind presentation continually blew me away. And I can't imagine a more perfect actor to play the host than Katagiri Jin. I had no idea who he was before and still don't know him from anywhere else, but he molded amazingly well into all of the moods and settings and emotions experienced by Tazaki. The dark, heavy, rock-oriented soundtrack was perfect too. Highly recommended series for anyone who likes dark-and-twisted-without-being-gruesome-or-violent stuff.
comment! (0)
dragged from Becky's stream of consciousness at 4/19/2009 06:23:00 PM
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wTuesday, April 14, 2009 |
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feeling: been worse
listening to: some goofy song I just heard on Youtube
Watched another new drama series this past week (actually finished it all within 3 days... it ate my brain...), so here's another review for the review post of doom.
Mei-chan no Shitsuji
Meaning "Mei-chan's butler." Story: the main character, Mei, is a very typical, even dull girl helping her parents run an udon shop in some little town. However, one day her parents are killed in an accident and she's approached by a young guy, named Rihito, who tells her that she is a descendant of the mega-rich and powerful Hongo family, and now that her father's dead, she's the new successor, which will cause certain jealous parties to start attacking her and those she cares about... so he declared himself her personal butler and swears to protect her always. She's also forced to start attending a rich girls' academy to learn how to become a "proper lady" - and as it happens, one mandate of this academy is that each student has her own butler who stays with her at all times. Of course, her welcome to the academy takes the form of constant bullying from the other, richer, more ladylike students... so eventually her childhood friend Kento, who by chance is also Rihito's younger brother, decides to become a butler so he can join the academy too and keep an eye on her.
Weird, yes? Yes. Weird and eccentric and arienai (something in between impossible, unbelievable, and unreasonable). But FAR from what I expected. Sounds like a fluff-fest loaded with cheesy romance and love triangle drama, right? And it does have some of that... but it's also surprisingly dark. This isn't your average high school bullying; we're talking crossbow bolts and kerosene+matches and hired hit men and pointy blades all over the place - people literally trying to kill people. I wouldn't classify it as violence or action or suspense, but lord. Combined with the elements of romance and angst and comedy, the result was definitely one of the most eccentric dramas I've seen.
It was very crowded, though; besides the three leads and a couple other distinctive students and butlers, this drama was PACKED with characters whose names and faces you just can't really learn in one viewing. Of course, the big draw to this series was Mizushima Hiro, who plays Rihito (also played Nanba of Hana Kimi and Soshi of Zettai Kareshi)... but this wasn't exactly the best role I've seen him in. The new face who played his brother Kento was far more interesting. Most of the other characters, besides Mei, were too lost in the sea of prissy girls and butlers to really stand out... except the butler Aoyama, who caught my interest for some reason and I've no idea why since I've never seen him in any other series...
In the end I'd say I liked it though. It was frustrating at times, but horribly addicting - once I got into it, it was hard to tear myself away. Did I mention I watched the whole thing within 3 days? I think that's a record for me (or a tie, at least).
Ok, that's that. Probably won't be long before I finish my next series, The Quiz Show, because I seem to be on another J-drama kick lately. Before Mei-chan no Shitsuji I rewatched Stand Up, and after this next one there are still dozens more I want to see... gah, addictions are evil.
comment! (0)
dragged from Becky's stream of consciousness at 4/14/2009 10:31:00 PM
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wFriday, April 10, 2009 |
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feeling: tired
listening to: Neon Genesis Evangelion - Fly Me to the Moon
Since I'm wide awake...
I never mentioned here that my car finally had its engine replaced and was restored to road-worthiness. The key was returned to me a few days ago, which in my opinion makes it official. However, now it's out of commission again because of some issue with the brakes. >> Supposedly that'll be fixed this evening, though.
So, yay! I have a car again! ...And you know, it's funny how you never realize how active a life you do have (or could have) until you have no car for half a year. As hopeless a slug as I am, even I was ready to gnaw my arm off several times since October when I wanted to go somewhere but couldn't, or had to bum a ride.
...Ok, yeah, that doesn't mean I have a life. But still, it was pretty sucky.
Anyway, um... what else was I going to say?
...
Forget. Oh well. Maybe I'll go get a bowl of cereal or something.
comment! (1)
dragged from Becky's stream of consciousness at 4/10/2009 09:25:00 AM
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