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Japanese Dramas |OT| いつかこの話を思い出してきっと泣いてしまう
- Thread starter Nabbit
- Start date
Unnatural sounds interesting. Of course there's Satomi in there. She's such a mesmerizing actrees. I think I've watched most of her dramas.
What, for how long? No..
my latest views: (for My Brother's Husband impressions, please see the thread I made)
Kangoku no Ohimesama:
This is about a group of women in prison who plan revenge on a CEO who they believe framed his wife, their fellow inmate, for murder. This is a weird dark comedy that has a good amount of twists that you'll likely see coming but presented in a very entertaining way. It was unusual to see Hikari Mitsushima play such an authoritarian role when she's played so many "down on her luck" characters. It was almost confusing at times when she would keep slipping back and forth between deadpan jokes and serious affirmations. It does the thing I usually hate in dramas, when they jump around in time back and forth and so on a lot but I didnt mind it because they clearly timestamp every scene. I would've given this a 3 if the cast was weaker, but everyone meshed so well, I would say 4 emoji thumbs up.
Kuragehime:
Based on the hit josei manga of the same name, I was really amped up for this considering how amazing the Tokyo Tarareba Musume drama (same manga author) was. The show is quite animated and goofy at times which might be grating to some people. I thought it was kinda odd to use former idols/gravure stars as the amars girls but I will say Rio Uchida nailed the annoying Mayaya character perfectly. Also, "brownface" and a sari with jewelry on a Japanese actress was a bit distasteful for the Indian character Nisha, they couldn't find an Indian actress to say all 10 of those lines she had? Overall, if you enjoyed the manga/anime, you will definitely like this. 4 emoji thumbs up (5 if you are an extreme josei fan)
anone:
Oh boy, another Yuji Sakamoto work, the best screenwriter in Japan comes with a new show. Even tho Suzu Hirose's character is the face of this show, it certainly does not revolve around her. This show is about 4 strangers who've all had a rough life coming together for awful reasons to function as a family unit. Then something crazy happens followed by more crazy. You have this weird blend of a family drama and a detective/mystery show. Like most of Sakamoto's works, you will feel bad for these characters and its loaded with his trademark comedic conversations in-between all the melancholy. This show was not nearly as gut-wrenching as Mother or Woman, it felt a lot more like Quartet where the greater focus was on "whats happening next" rather than character development. Not to say the characters and their bonds are shallow in anone, its just that I feel the ongoing suspense plays a much much bigger role than his previous works. Still a "don't miss" solid 5 emoji thumbs up from me.
Kangoku no Ohimesama:
This is about a group of women in prison who plan revenge on a CEO who they believe framed his wife, their fellow inmate, for murder. This is a weird dark comedy that has a good amount of twists that you'll likely see coming but presented in a very entertaining way. It was unusual to see Hikari Mitsushima play such an authoritarian role when she's played so many "down on her luck" characters. It was almost confusing at times when she would keep slipping back and forth between deadpan jokes and serious affirmations. It does the thing I usually hate in dramas, when they jump around in time back and forth and so on a lot but I didnt mind it because they clearly timestamp every scene. I would've given this a 3 if the cast was weaker, but everyone meshed so well, I would say 4 emoji thumbs up.
Kuragehime:
Based on the hit josei manga of the same name, I was really amped up for this considering how amazing the Tokyo Tarareba Musume drama (same manga author) was. The show is quite animated and goofy at times which might be grating to some people. I thought it was kinda odd to use former idols/gravure stars as the amars girls but I will say Rio Uchida nailed the annoying Mayaya character perfectly. Also, "brownface" and a sari with jewelry on a Japanese actress was a bit distasteful for the Indian character Nisha, they couldn't find an Indian actress to say all 10 of those lines she had? Overall, if you enjoyed the manga/anime, you will definitely like this. 4 emoji thumbs up (5 if you are an extreme josei fan)
anone:
Oh boy, another Yuji Sakamoto work, the best screenwriter in Japan comes with a new show. Even tho Suzu Hirose's character is the face of this show, it certainly does not revolve around her. This show is about 4 strangers who've all had a rough life coming together for awful reasons to function as a family unit. Then something crazy happens followed by more crazy. You have this weird blend of a family drama and a detective/mystery show. Like most of Sakamoto's works, you will feel bad for these characters and its loaded with his trademark comedic conversations in-between all the melancholy. This show was not nearly as gut-wrenching as Mother or Woman, it felt a lot more like Quartet where the greater focus was on "whats happening next" rather than character development. Not to say the characters and their bonds are shallow in anone, its just that I feel the ongoing suspense plays a much much bigger role than his previous works. Still a "don't miss" solid 5 emoji thumbs up from me.
Reached the halfway point of The Public Enemy last night and wew, was not expecting an episode like that. Very fun show - watching this and a couple of anime shows with a friend and it's probably our fave of the bunch :)
Over the past few weeks I watched all of Midnight Diner/Shinya Shokudo and I'm wondering if there's another show to capture a similar vibe. I was thrilled to learn there were another three seasons and two movies after finishing the Netflix's Midnight Diner Tokyo Stories.
Kodoku no Gourmet (mentioned above) is one of the shows I saw recommended, and it stars the actor who played Ryu from Shinya Shokudo, which is nice. Also Sunshine Sento Sake on Amazon Instant. I'll check both of those out.
Kodoku no Gourmet (mentioned above) is one of the shows I saw recommended, and it stars the actor who played Ryu from Shinya Shokudo, which is nice. Also Sunshine Sento Sake on Amazon Instant. I'll check both of those out.
Try Kantaro Sweet Toothed Salaryman on netflix if you want a weird (sometimes too weird) comedic version (the places he goes to are real)
侠飯 / Otoko Meshi <-- I don't know if this show is available outside Japan but the show is good for that purpose. You should try if it's available on your streaming service.
Otoko Meshi is great, not nearly as chill as those other shows but very funny.
More viewings:
Todome no Kiss
A host with a troubled backstory is on a quest to get rich by playing women at his club, but theres a woman who is after him. Her kiss kills him and sends him back in time a week with all his memories intact. The best part of this show is seeing angry rich people wondering why a host is present and also ruining their plans. Great ride and ends well. Kento Yamazaki was fun to watch. 4 emoji thumbs up
Oh My Jump!
A must watch for any Jump fans! This one is about a secret club for Jump fans and how they cope with real life problems. Very comedic with lots of slapstick and a completely unexpected volume of rectal humor. It's a goofy show, nothing really that serious and there is even a full episode dedicated to Dragon Ball lore being shared by the cast. 4 emoji thumbs up
Video Girl Ai (2018)
A sequel to the original manga of the same name, this stars the original main character's nephew, Sho. Sho is living alone at his uncle's old house and basically the same thing happens, Ai pops out of the tape because he's suffering from one-sided love. I have to agree with dramabro Hasemo that this show starts strong and is very entertaining for the first half and then takes a nosedive with a terrible arc that basically cuts Ai out of the picture with a crummy trope. There's a twist that sticks to the manga canon
and as such, the ending is very bland, making this show largely forgettable in my opinion. 2 emoji thumbs up (+1 if you are a huge Nanase Nishino fan)
Uchi no Otto wa Shigoto ga Dekinai
This is a show about a research scientist who couldnt get a job in his field so he looked everywhere else and got one with a big event management firm. He's been there for years and has been shuffled around a lot because he sucks at his job. He wants to quit but his stay at home wife is pregnant and he gives the job another chance. I've liked almost every Ryo Nishikido show I've watched so this was an automatic view for me. This show makes a very strong appeal to men (yes, men only) who are not confident in their jobs and/or worried about work/life balance. The problem here is that the show is monstrously conservative in its appearance and dialogue. The idea of a woman having a career is basically non-existant save for one character who is portrayed as a nasty drunk and suspected affair target for the husband. The show even justifies this stance by having a foreign client request a man head up their project instead of her, very tacky straw-man scene to me. After watching more progressive shows like The Public Enemy (again, drama of the year), this show didnt belong in 2017. I'll give it a tiny bit of credit for trying to send the message that family should always come first, but thats it. 2 emoji thumbs up
More viewings:
Todome no Kiss
A host with a troubled backstory is on a quest to get rich by playing women at his club, but theres a woman who is after him. Her kiss kills him and sends him back in time a week with all his memories intact. The best part of this show is seeing angry rich people wondering why a host is present and also ruining their plans. Great ride and ends well. Kento Yamazaki was fun to watch. 4 emoji thumbs up
Oh My Jump!
A must watch for any Jump fans! This one is about a secret club for Jump fans and how they cope with real life problems. Very comedic with lots of slapstick and a completely unexpected volume of rectal humor. It's a goofy show, nothing really that serious and there is even a full episode dedicated to Dragon Ball lore being shared by the cast. 4 emoji thumbs up
Video Girl Ai (2018)
A sequel to the original manga of the same name, this stars the original main character's nephew, Sho. Sho is living alone at his uncle's old house and basically the same thing happens, Ai pops out of the tape because he's suffering from one-sided love. I have to agree with dramabro Hasemo that this show starts strong and is very entertaining for the first half and then takes a nosedive with a terrible arc that basically cuts Ai out of the picture with a crummy trope. There's a twist that sticks to the manga canon
The original Ai really did become human and has been Yota's wife since
Uchi no Otto wa Shigoto ga Dekinai
This is a show about a research scientist who couldnt get a job in his field so he looked everywhere else and got one with a big event management firm. He's been there for years and has been shuffled around a lot because he sucks at his job. He wants to quit but his stay at home wife is pregnant and he gives the job another chance. I've liked almost every Ryo Nishikido show I've watched so this was an automatic view for me. This show makes a very strong appeal to men (yes, men only) who are not confident in their jobs and/or worried about work/life balance. The problem here is that the show is monstrously conservative in its appearance and dialogue. The idea of a woman having a career is basically non-existant save for one character who is portrayed as a nasty drunk and suspected affair target for the husband. The show even justifies this stance by having a foreign client request a man head up their project instead of her, very tacky straw-man scene to me. After watching more progressive shows like The Public Enemy (again, drama of the year), this show didnt belong in 2017. I'll give it a tiny bit of credit for trying to send the message that family should always come first, but thats it. 2 emoji thumbs up
Not on US Netflix (yet?). But I'll check it out if or when it shows up.
I'm left wondering if Netflix Japan will produce another season of Shinya Shokudo. From what I gather, the Netflix season came before the second movie, and that second movie does a reasonable job at providing an ending to the show.
Are there any shows in particular you'd recommend that featureIssei Takahashiin a predominant role? He's been great in The Public Enemy so far and I'm curious about his other roles.
Quartet is amazing yes and probably the best choice, #2 would be Tamiou. The plot is dumb as hell but still pretty funny. Takahashi plays an aide to the prime minister who acts as a great straight man to the goofiness. Jiyoung is also :fireemoji in it.
I've just finished watching the entirety of Sanada Maru, all of 50 episodes. It's my first taiga drama and I loved it.
Though my main takeaway from the show is that I'm happy to announce that I'm a new fan of Mayu Matsuoka.
Though my main takeaway from the show is that I'm happy to announce that I'm a new fan of Mayu Matsuoka.
So We just finished watching The Memorandum of Okitegami Kyoko. And by we, I mean my fiancee and me. We have a kind of tradition now where on or near (depending on our plans during that week) her birthday, she can pick something for us to watch and I don't get a say, am not allowed to say no, no matter what it is.
Well her birthday is Tuesday and she chose this drama, watched 5 eps yesterday and 5 today and man. I wasn't sure what to think about it after the first ep but after a few eps, I really got into it and the final ep was really good.
I think one of my favourite eps was the one about the middle school girl. Just considering the subject matter. :( last ep was really good though like I said. Especially the small fight scene in the middle and the ending 'twist' haha.
I also thought Horo was going to turn out to be the bad guy at one obvious point but nope.
I think my only complaint is, the bad guy from the final ep never got arrested.
Overall, I'm happy we watched this. It was interesting and a fun watch.
Well her birthday is Tuesday and she chose this drama, watched 5 eps yesterday and 5 today and man. I wasn't sure what to think about it after the first ep but after a few eps, I really got into it and the final ep was really good.
I think one of my favourite eps was the one about the middle school girl. Just considering the subject matter. :( last ep was really good though like I said. Especially the small fight scene in the middle and the ending 'twist' haha.
I also thought Horo was going to turn out to be the bad guy at one obvious point but nope.
I think my only complaint is, the bad guy from the final ep never got arrested.
Overall, I'm happy we watched this. It was interesting and a fun watch.
New Amazon Prime Originals from Japan (Tokyo Vampire Hotel, Amazon Riders)
Amazon Originals from Japan yall
Aiii theres hope for the pancakes now
Amazon Originals from Japan yall
Aiii theres hope for the pancakes now
Finally finished The Public Enemy last night - absolutely loved it, so thanks again for the recc ryuukan :) I was a little disappointed that...
but it's definitely a show I'm going to miss. I'm about to go on hols for a couple of weeks, but when I'm back I think we'll jump right into Quartet :)
Inusaki went down so easily
but it's definitely a show I'm going to miss. I'm about to go on hols for a couple of weeks, but when I'm back I think we'll jump right into Quartet :)
Glad you enjoyed it and Im sure you will love Quartet.
I'm still knee-deep in the newly added Amazon originals from Japan. Happy Marriage!? impressions are in the above thread of mine
edit: Made an OT for Businessmen vs. Aliens https://www.resetera.com/threads/businessmen-vs-aliens-ot-japans-call-of-duty.38506/
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Haven't watched an ongoing drama since Unnatural but I got hooked to Ossan's Love
6 episodes so far, it's ending last week.
Quick summary of the plot : Haruta Soichi (Tanaka Kei) works for a real estate office. One day his mom leaves the house and our thirty-something hero can't do chores/cook. He'll ask the new employee Maki (Hayashi Kento) to live with him, who will quickly confess his love to him. Problem is, Haruta's boss played by Yoshida Kotaro also loves our MC. Throw in there the boss's wife, the childhood friend, Maki's ex who also works at the real estate firm... and you get a perfect romcom.
You rarely see a BL drama on a big channel especially with a stacked cast like this. The 6 episodes so far have been ace, Tanaka Kei and Yoshida Kotaro are fantastic.
Highly recommend it, should be one of the best shows of the year.
6 episodes so far, it's ending last week.
Quick summary of the plot : Haruta Soichi (Tanaka Kei) works for a real estate office. One day his mom leaves the house and our thirty-something hero can't do chores/cook. He'll ask the new employee Maki (Hayashi Kento) to live with him, who will quickly confess his love to him. Problem is, Haruta's boss played by Yoshida Kotaro also loves our MC. Throw in there the boss's wife, the childhood friend, Maki's ex who also works at the real estate firm... and you get a perfect romcom.
You rarely see a BL drama on a big channel especially with a stacked cast like this. The 6 episodes so far have been ace, Tanaka Kei and Yoshida Kotaro are fantastic.
Highly recommend it, should be one of the best shows of the year.
Not a lot right now, but I watched the first episode of My Brother's Husband - was quite surprised by how well handled the subject matter was. Just waiting on subs for the other two eps :)
Uchi no Otto wa Shigoto ga Dekinai (My Loser Husband). It was a nice and inspirational drama about a husband and wife relationship in their early years while expecting a baby.
I'm planning to watch Rental Kyuuseishu (Rent-a-Rescue) next. I'm a huge fan of Ikki Sawamura.
Been a while, been busy, havent watched nearly as much as I should (Octopath eating a lot of my time lately too)
BG
About an ex-bodyguard who left the biz for "reasons" year ago coming back in as a rookie bodyguard. I decided to check this out because it sounded interesting even though I generally dislike Takuya Kimura. The usual stiff and stoic performance from him is here in this show too. The overarching plot was decent though some parts were poorly handled
The private bodyguard vs Security Police was a fun dynamic and Nanao was excellent as always. 3 emoji thumbs up
Momikeshite Fuyu
This is about a wealthy and powerful family who suddenly have some serious scandals to contain in order to maintain their status. Ryosuke Yamada plays a cop in Tokyo with the demeanor of a 5 year old who acts a fixer for his dad and siblings. I liked this show more than I should've because Yamada is super annoying most of the time and his wishy-washy internal monologues are frequent. The siblings save the show, Haru is amazing as an unfeeling older sister and Yukiyoshi Ozawa is always hilarious. A goofy show that ends well, 3 emoji thumbs up.
In other news, Netflix has loads in store for Japanese Dramas:
Jimmy: The True Story of a True Idiot - July 20 (no thread since my interest was limited)
Smoking - July 27
Switched - August 1
The Could've-Gone-All-the-Way Committee - August 1
BG
About an ex-bodyguard who left the biz for "reasons" year ago coming back in as a rookie bodyguard. I decided to check this out because it sounded interesting even though I generally dislike Takuya Kimura. The usual stiff and stoic performance from him is here in this show too. The overarching plot was decent though some parts were poorly handled
the chief's death was not very well done at all imo
Momikeshite Fuyu
This is about a wealthy and powerful family who suddenly have some serious scandals to contain in order to maintain their status. Ryosuke Yamada plays a cop in Tokyo with the demeanor of a 5 year old who acts a fixer for his dad and siblings. I liked this show more than I should've because Yamada is super annoying most of the time and his wishy-washy internal monologues are frequent. The siblings save the show, Haru is amazing as an unfeeling older sister and Yukiyoshi Ozawa is always hilarious. A goofy show that ends well, 3 emoji thumbs up.
In other news, Netflix has loads in store for Japanese Dramas:
Jimmy: The True Story of a True Idiot - July 20 (no thread since my interest was limited)
Smoking - July 27
Switched - August 1
The Could've-Gone-All-the-Way Committee - August 1
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/suits-get-japanese-remake-1131603
Hmmm, this is gonna be interesting.
About to watch this. You doubled my expectations.anone:
Oh boy, another Yuji Sakamoto work, the best screenwriter in Japan comes with a new show. Even tho Suzu Hirose's character is the face of this show, it certainly does not revolve around her. This show is about 4 strangers who've all had a rough life coming together for awful reasons to function as a family unit. Then something crazy happens followed by more crazy. You have this weird blend of a family drama and a detective/mystery show. Like most of Sakamoto's works, you will feel bad for these characters and its loaded with his trademark comedic conversations in-between all the melancholy. This show was not nearly as gut-wrenching as Mother or Woman, it felt a lot more like Quartet where the greater focus was on "whats happening next" rather than character development. Not to say the characters and their bonds are shallow in anone, its just that I feel the ongoing suspense plays a much much bigger role than his previous works. Still a "don't miss" solid 5 emoji thumbs up from me.
So I kinda dropped Rent-a-rescue because there's this annoying character. Nowadays I've been watching Boku-tachi ga Yarimashita (Fugitive Boys), it's so good with nice twists and full of funny moments.
Open the GATE~!
Open the GATE~!
I just started watching Survival Wedding. It's a cute little Romantic comedy. Not quite on the level as We Married as a job but I still find Haru charming nonetheless. I always make it a point to watch a show starring Haru or aragaki yui
Now I wonder what's the clock on how long this takes to get made into a Kdrama and lose 100% of its charm
Now I wonder what's the clock on how long this takes to get made into a Kdrama and lose 100% of its charm
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I've been watching Unatural and Gakeppuchi Hotel. Both fun.
Mikoto Misumi is a pathologist at UDI (Unnatural Death Investigation) Lab. She can't stand neglecting unnatural deaths and believes there must be a truth behind the deaths.
From the writer of Nigeru wa Haji.
Speaking of which, she is also writing a new drama that will star Yui Aragaki this fall. Looking forward to that one.
http://asianwiki.com/Kemono_ni_Narenai_Watashitachi
Mikoto Misumi is a pathologist at UDI (Unnatural Death Investigation) Lab. She can't stand neglecting unnatural deaths and believes there must be a truth behind the deaths.
From the writer of Nigeru wa Haji.
Speaking of which, she is also writing a new drama that will star Yui Aragaki this fall. Looking forward to that one.
http://asianwiki.com/Kemono_ni_Narenai_Watashitachi
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Had some more time recently to watch some more shows:
Jimi ni Sugoi!
This is about a fashionista who ends up as a proofreader in the publisher that creates her lifelong favorite fashion magazine. As great as it is to watch Satomi Ishihara, I wish Tsubasa Honda's role in the show was a bit larger. It felt like they swept her situation under a rug. It's a fun show to watch since I think most people don't know anything about professional proofreaders (as the show hammers in often.) The downside for me was the romance. Ishihara's character kept reverting to middle school mentality whenever relationship stuff came up and there was like super negative chemistry between her and Masaki Suda in this show, SP included. I get that he's supposed to be an aloof writer type, but still, its a very shallow relationship between them. Lastly, this show also drives the typical "company first" work ethic. 3 emoji thumbs up.
Miss Devil
Nanao plays "the devil of human resources." This show was full of plot holes and ends with a cliffhanger that will probably lead to a SP. Nanao is so much better in comedy roles, seeing her play such a stoic character was disappointing. Also, seeing her do everything that HR should absolutely not do but still "getting the job done" got kinda hokey after a few episodes. Great cast but a poorly written seres. 2 emoji thumbs up.
Genkai Danchi
Wow...where to begin here. I watched this because I thought it was going to be a family drama but nope, this is one
Rika Adachi was A+ in this as well.
I am generally not a fan of this genre but I really enjoyed this show. Ending was perfect. 4 emoji thumbs up.
Gakeppuchi Hotel!
This is a cookie-cutter "eccentric phenom saves declining business" show about a western-style hotel. Its funny but very predictable. My complaints are
Still, worth a watch for up and coming future superstar Minami Hamabe. 3 emoji thumbs up.
Aino Kekkon Soudanjo
An animal behavior expert starts a marriage agency, expect a lot of singing and dancing too. This is a detective show wrapped in a goofy romance cover. No they never explain why the hell a nun is working there. Not too memorable but I enjoyed it. 3 emoji thumbs up.
Jimi ni Sugoi!
This is about a fashionista who ends up as a proofreader in the publisher that creates her lifelong favorite fashion magazine. As great as it is to watch Satomi Ishihara, I wish Tsubasa Honda's role in the show was a bit larger. It felt like they swept her situation under a rug. It's a fun show to watch since I think most people don't know anything about professional proofreaders (as the show hammers in often.) The downside for me was the romance. Ishihara's character kept reverting to middle school mentality whenever relationship stuff came up and there was like super negative chemistry between her and Masaki Suda in this show, SP included. I get that he's supposed to be an aloof writer type, but still, its a very shallow relationship between them. Lastly, this show also drives the typical "company first" work ethic. 3 emoji thumbs up.
Miss Devil
Nanao plays "the devil of human resources." This show was full of plot holes and ends with a cliffhanger that will probably lead to a SP. Nanao is so much better in comedy roles, seeing her play such a stoic character was disappointing. Also, seeing her do everything that HR should absolutely not do but still "getting the job done" got kinda hokey after a few episodes. Great cast but a poorly written seres. 2 emoji thumbs up.
Genkai Danchi
Wow...where to begin here. I watched this because I thought it was going to be a family drama but nope, this is one
fucked up psycho thriller. Basically, grandpa wants the apartment complex to function his way and will take revenge or kill anyone who causes him or the complex trouble. The only thing keeping this show from a perfect score is that it drags a bit once the cat is out of the bag in the second half.
I am generally not a fan of this genre but I really enjoyed this show. Ending was perfect. 4 emoji thumbs up.
Gakeppuchi Hotel!
This is a cookie-cutter "eccentric phenom saves declining business" show about a western-style hotel. Its funny but very predictable. My complaints are
the "can't dress nicely" thing was kinda dumb and unnecessary and the flashbacks to their childhood meeting basically amounted to nothing, she didnt remember him at all lol
Aino Kekkon Soudanjo
An animal behavior expert starts a marriage agency, expect a lot of singing and dancing too. This is a detective show wrapped in a goofy romance cover. No they never explain why the hell a nun is working there. Not too memorable but I enjoyed it. 3 emoji thumbs up.
Ow, forgot I am watching Survival Wedding too.
Office lady dumps her boyfriend just before their wedding after she finds him cheating. Unfortunately she already quit her job at a publisher.To get her old job back she must find a new husband within 6 months and write about it.
Office lady dumps her boyfriend just before their wedding after she finds him cheating. Unfortunately she already quit her job at a publisher.To get her old job back she must find a new husband within 6 months and write about it.
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I will admit, I watch a lot more K-Drama than I do J-Drama but once in a while I will find a J-Drama that I really enjoy. Recently I have watched and enjoyed Million Yen Women on Netflix and am currently watching Last Cinderella on Viki. Good to find this OT, I will stick around for more suggestions! =)
From the new season I really enjoy "Gibo to Musume no Blues". "It has a cute story, funny moments and even side characters are played by well known actors.
I also watched the first 4 episodes of the 1998 version of Gto today. This is the 4 time I watched this serie and It's still my favorite serie ever. The music still gives me goosebumps. Also, Poison is legendary.
I also watched the first 4 episodes of the 1998 version of Gto today. This is the 4 time I watched this serie and It's still my favorite serie ever. The music still gives me goosebumps. Also, Poison is legendary.
Haven't been watching a lot lately but I'm currently half way through Miss Sherlock, which has been pretty good so far.
Definitely Ossan's Love for me, and I know I'm not alone, it quickly became a phenomenon. Hilarious from start to finish, and it was refreshing to see a boys love drama with a stacked cast like this. Already one of my favorite shows ever.
Unnatural was a great mystery/crime drama (helped by a dope theme song that has been the hit of 2018)
I need to check out Takane no Hana.
Wow. Rinko Kikuchi has joined the cast of Kemono ni Narenai Watashitachi!
I didn't know she still did Japanese dramas?
I didn't know she still did Japanese dramas?
need more time to watch dramas (also DQXI eating up a lot of time)
Hana Nochi Hare:
This is an adaptation of the sequel Boys over Flowers manga. The original series is a beloved classic and even though this show makes callbacks to it through cameos and jokes, its best not to compare the two. This is not a remake or a continuation of the original. It is its own story set in the same school. Expect your usual tropey shoujo antics from this.
The Correct 5 (this show's "F4") here, aside from Airi, are pretty minor characters this time around, instead there is a much greater focus on the girls' friendships. I believe the manga is still going and given the ending, a second season could be possible. Four emoji thumbs up but weighted for shoujo fans.
Hana Nochi Hare:
This is an adaptation of the sequel Boys over Flowers manga. The original series is a beloved classic and even though this show makes callbacks to it through cameos and jokes, its best not to compare the two. This is not a remake or a continuation of the original. It is its own story set in the same school. Expect your usual tropey shoujo antics from this.
Some might be disappointed with the ending and indecisiveness of the lead role here, but I think a lot of that just comes from comparing this to the original series. I kinda liked that Haruto was dolt who lacked confidence to give this show a different feel. The ending was very awkward and abrupt but that could be do to the ongoing source manga
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Caught up on some Summer season shows
Gibo to Musume no Blues
Haruka Ayase is not a great actress and only works well in these stiff robotic roles, so this show was perfect for her. The first episode is super hokey and comes off as a nonsense family drama but the show takes off from there. Keep going and you'll be in tears
My biggest critique beyond the silly first episode would be the
In spite of that, I adore the themes of familial bonds similar to that of anone that I would place this show right behind it as the third best drama this year to date. Five emoji thumbs up.
Cheer Dan
This takes place years after the movie at a different high school in the same city. Pretty generic school club drama with a good cast. Nothing special but not bad either. Kinda funny seeing Joe Odagiri in a role like this. Three emoji thumbs up.
Takane no Hana
I was expecting a romcom about opposites attract. This show is so much more. There is a romcom here, but its inside a pool of intrigue, mystery and salaciousness. The story, production value and cast created this perfect storm of a captivating and continually entertaining drama. I don't want to spoil a single bit of the plot here, all I can say is watch. Drama of the Year material here, Five emoji thumbs up, Do Not Miss.
Gibo to Musume no Blues
Haruka Ayase is not a great actress and only works well in these stiff robotic roles, so this show was perfect for her. The first episode is super hokey and comes off as a nonsense family drama but the show takes off from there. Keep going and you'll be in tears
Episode 5&6 left me gutted.
ending of how you see this strong family bond that has built up over 9 years just end with them parting ways for work and college. Thats it?
Cheer Dan
This takes place years after the movie at a different high school in the same city. Pretty generic school club drama with a good cast. Nothing special but not bad either. Kinda funny seeing Joe Odagiri in a role like this. Three emoji thumbs up.
Takane no Hana
I was expecting a romcom about opposites attract. This show is so much more. There is a romcom here, but its inside a pool of intrigue, mystery and salaciousness. The story, production value and cast created this perfect storm of a captivating and continually entertaining drama. I don't want to spoil a single bit of the plot here, all I can say is watch. Drama of the Year material here, Five emoji thumbs up, Do Not Miss.
Finished Miss Sherlock last night, loved it! Fingers crossed for a season two because I want to see more of these actors. Sherlock herself is perfect. I also finished Jimmy quite recently and loved that, too. Really curious to see what people made of that show because I went in already a fan of Jimmy Onishi.
Not sure what's next on the watchlist but I'm kind of tempted to rewatch Liar Game. It's been close to a decade since I saw that and I'm curious to see if it still holds up (and I still love the manga).
In the not-drama-but-worth-mentioning section, I finished Documental S2, which was another fab series. Interestingly I heard that Matsumoto's comedic other half has his own show too - Sentosha: Battle Wheels. I'll eventually get around to watching that on Amazon, haha.
Not sure what's next on the watchlist but I'm kind of tempted to rewatch Liar Game. It's been close to a decade since I saw that and I'm curious to see if it still holds up (and I still love the manga).
In the not-drama-but-worth-mentioning section, I finished Documental S2, which was another fab series. Interestingly I heard that Matsumoto's comedic other half has his own show too - Sentosha: Battle Wheels. I'll eventually get around to watching that on Amazon, haha.
Kurokawa no Techo and Tamiou licensed by DramaFever:
https://www.dramafever.com/news/new...ok-wise-and-foolish-are-coming-to-dramafever/
https://www.dramafever.com/news/new...ok-wise-and-foolish-are-coming-to-dramafever/
Nice, will add them to my que. More good subbed J-Dramas are always appreciated.
Let Me Call You Father-in-law (Otousan to Yobasete)
A 51-year-old salaryman marrying a 24-year-old girl, what could go wrong?
It's unusual for my wife to be interested in watching a J-drama with me. There are lots of hilarious scenes in each episode, as well as tear-jerking ones. My wife actually cried twice, because the story is heavily related to her situation. She's just lost her father a few months ago. Anway, it's a pretty good dorama and I highly recommend it. It's starring Endo after all.
A 51-year-old salaryman marrying a 24-year-old girl, what could go wrong?
It's unusual for my wife to be interested in watching a J-drama with me. There are lots of hilarious scenes in each episode, as well as tear-jerking ones. My wife actually cried twice, because the story is heavily related to her situation. She's just lost her father a few months ago. Anway, it's a pretty good dorama and I highly recommend it. It's starring Endo after all.
The Could've-Gone-All-the-Way Committee
Yesterday I finished watching all 8 episodes of The Could've-Gone-All-the-Way Committee (the last one is a weird in-world feature, I'm halfway through).
I have to say, as silly as the premise was, I really enjoyed the first 6 episodes. I started watching it on a whim, mostly because of Yamada Takayuki and totally expected to drop it after the first episode.
What I didn't expect was a really warm and feel good series (with some lingering shots here and there). It was super positive and made me smile at the end of each episode.
So 6 episodes in, I was hooked and excited for the last 2, but...
A creepy stalker? No, thanks. Stalking is a huge problem here and I have friends who had problems with it, so seeing the committee being in a way positive towards him (although they talk about being worried in the end) made me feel really uneasy.
I know that some (all?) of the stories are supposed to be based on what readers sent to the mangaka, but this one definitely felt like something "written by a guy" (like most idol groups' songs). The guy literally throwing himself at the girl, throwing a tantrum and her being "nah, it's fine" a few days later? Come on. No matter how fun that date was, that's just yet another scary creep. I'm glad the lady was enjoying her life in the end despite the divorce, but that bit in the middle was just too much. Also, the parallel world explanation took way too much time.
All in all, great 6 episodes and fairly weak 2 last ones in my opinion. Still, didn't expect to enjoy this series so much when I first started watching.