interested in good dramas and films and animes, including old 1990s series
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tetsukei's artiste votes (6)
Ikuta Toma [生田斗真] He deserves to be a star. Good looks with great timing for humour, and apparently a good actor (have to watch more of his shows to confirm that). Smart young man! Some angles of him remind me of the attitude of Kimura Takuya, only that he is a cuter, sunnier version. Go Toma-san, fellow Libran!
Kimura Takuya [木村拓哉] Didn't like him very much at first during his Long Vacation days, but recently started to have great respect for his devotion to his art. He does simply ANYTHING for the silver screen, regardless of his supposedly superstar status. He picks up new skills quickly, which is definitely a sign of dilligence. Yes, he is the best, and wants to be the best!
Sato Aiko [佐藤藍子] Natural, unassuming, cheery and impossibly daring. And we share the same birthday. No wonder I like her!
Suzuki Honami [鈴木保奈美] Unforgettable sunny disposition, unmistakable voice. She is the one and only Suzuki Honami, the actress that brought Japanese drama to its heights all over Asia in the 1990s.
Ueno Juri [上野樹里] Incredibly naive, innocent, sweet and funny in Nodame Cantabile. She reminds me of Hirosue Ryoko and Sato Aiko, combined. A young talent!
Yamaguchi Tomoko [山口智子] What can I say? She is a natural high. Mature, with attitude, comical, bitchy, beautiful, sexy... I was attracted to her portrayal of Minami in Long Vacation, which I otherwise might not have watched. Lovely, lovely... And she's a Libran too!
tetsukei's dramas (47)
101 Kaime no Puropozu [101回目のプロポーズ] Rating: 8/10 (Bought & Watched) Fabulous music and beautiful Atsuko should be reasons enough to buy this drama.
Humour 7/10
Music 8/10
Actors 9/10
Story 7/10
Aishiatteru kai [愛しあってるかい！] Rating: 7/10 (Watched) Totally hilarious, and solely for entertainment. Makes the viewer happy always. I'd like to buy it because it's so well-received but hardly available in the shops. Strange.
Music 3/10 Story 6/10 Humour 9/10 Actors 7/10
Antique [アンティーク〜西洋骨董洋菓子店] Rating: 7/10 (Watched) A 7.5/10 from me. First of all, I am surprised by the great performances from Shiina and Koyuki. A really entertaining drama, with good looking men and delicious-looking desserts! One of my favourite actors, Abe Hiroshi, is starring in a supporting role, which provides so much comic relief. Takizawa is, as usual, the cute boy with unbeatable optimism and energy. Some of the pauses were too long for comfort, especially in the first few episodes. But as one gets used to the length of pauses and starts noticing the little details, this is a great manga-like series.
Asunaro hakusho [あすなろ白書] Rating: 3/10 (Watched) Dark and hideous, but has a youthful cast involved in all kinds of unusual relationships. In the end, you find that almost everybody is in love with just 1 person. Exasperating.
Humour 0/10 Actors 5/10 Music 7/10 Story 4/10
Chuushingura 1/47 [忠臣蔵 １／４７] Rating: 7/10 (Watched) A telemovie starring some of the biggest names in Japanese TV. Other than the hero Kimura Takuya, most of them roles with limited screentime, albeit important in the story.
A very traditional story, no frills. Except of the dramatisation of the main character in an attempt to dive into the life story of a particular ronin, the whole film came out down-to-earth and believeable.
The fighting scenes were authentic enough without too much gore. I liked the part where Horibe taught Oishi junior how to cut down the enemy without the blood splashing into and blinding one's eyes. Very practical knowledge.
A decent film with a rather interesting final scene. One of the morals of the story is that choosing survival over the samurai's so-called honour is not a shame, but courage as well.
In that sense, it is not a film on just senseless revenge (forgive me, samurai-advocates). Something I did not really understand, was the subtitles that claimed that only one in the 47 ronin have killed somebody. Really so?
(Watched English-subtitled recording from TV broadcast)
Eko Eko Azaraku [エコエコアザラク] Rating: 7/10 (Watched) A special drama about withcraft and satanic powers. Tends to be quite graphic and gory, but each episode tells a story pertaining to an important theme. Would like to see it again, very so much!
Humour 0/10 Story 9/10 Actors 7/10 Music 7/10 Thrill 9/10
Erai Tokoro ni Totsuide Shimatta! [エラいところに嫁いでしまった!] Rating: 6/10 (Watched) Great performance by "Isojiro" and family, but the situations i.e. misunderstandings repeat themselves over and over again. A nice and warm drama that is pleasant to watch, but you won't really find the urge to watch the next episode, which is a problem for me because I watch dramas very slowly, one episode per day.
Futari [二人] Rating: 7/10 (Watched) Decent, and very encouraging for teenagers who undergo a period of low self esteem. Touching at times. The beautiful young actresses are a driving force to continue watching. And of course, there is always a hope that something good will happen to the poor belitted girl.
Garasu no kamen 1 [ガラスの仮面] Rating: 7/10 (Watched) A sweet story of a girl struggling in the world of acting and plays. Adapted from a shoujo manga, and stars the cute little Adachi Yumi.
Humour 4/10 Story 7/10 Actors 8/10 Music 6/10
GTO [麻辣教師] Rating: 8/10 A man with shiny white teeth and crazy notions of education. Very funny, worth watching. Don't have to buy it. Almost anyone around might have a set!
Humour 8/10 Story 7/10 Actors 8/10 Music 6/10
Hana Yori Dango [花より男子] Rating: 8/10 (Bought & Watched) Non-stop anime-style action. Despite the lack of looks on the F4 side, Matsumoto Jun makes up for everything with his excellent comic ability, together with the outstanding yet natural Inoue Mao. Taiwanese version cannot top this at all.
Hana Yori Dango Season 2 [花より男子] Rating: 7/10 (Bought & Watched) This sequel started a little strange, with unexplained behaviour from Tsukasa. Lots of flashbacks, which I did not enjoy. But as the story progresses, the relationship among all the characters deepens, which makes this drama worth watching once again. An above-average sequel. Worlds better than the unbearable Taiwanese sequel.
Hero Rating: 8/10 (Watched) Off-beat, with lots of exaggeration and anime-style scenes. Really entertaining stuff. The romance between Kuryuu and Amamiya is interesting, as they unknowingly fall for each other, but fall asleep when confronted with the question. Haha... Everybody in the prosecutor's office has his/her own personality, and you can't do without any one character. Love it!
Hitotsu yane no shita 1 [ひとつ屋根の下 1] Rating: 8/10 (Watched) Very family oriented, suitable for general viewing. Pleasant storyline, and ocassionally touching. Very popular too.
Humour 7/10 Story 8/10 Actors 8/10 Music 7/10
Hitotsu yane no shita Season 2 [ひとつ屋根の下 2] Rating: 7/10 (Bought & Watched) Firstly I am absolutely glad that the same opening theme is used! Another very touching sequel. And it isn't any worse than its prequel. By that, i mean that it is one of those sequels which is actually good!
Humour 7/10 Story 8/10 Actors 8/10 Music 7/10
Hoshi no kinka 1 [星の金貨] Rating: 8/10 (Watched) Bitter-sweet story of Aya and her relationship with 2 estranged brothers. Very captivating indeed. Worth buying. And I missed the FIRST EPISODE for 3 times!! Gracious!
Humour 4/10 Story 8/10 Actors 8/10 Music 8/10
Hoshi no kinka Season 2 / Zoku hoshi no kinka [續。星の金貨] Rating: 6/10 (Watched) Now, this is a horrible sequel. Everything goes wrong, crimes are commited, and everyone starts to love or hate everyone. Very distressing, but there is dramatic appeal.
Humour 3/10 Story 6/10 Actors 7/10 Music 7/10 Thrill 6/10
Ichiban taisetsu na hito [いちばん大切なひと] Rating: 6/10 (Watched) Very slow-moving, wishy washy drama. 2 neighbours fall in love, break up, still care for each other, rekindle old feelings, and have an affair all over again. Not too enjoyable.
Humour 3/10 Story 6/10 Music 7/10 Actors 6/10
Iguana no musume [イグアナの娘] Rating: 7/10 (Watched) Surprisingly, this drama kept me watching despite its slow pace. The central theme : Who's the iguana? It conveys an important message : You might be what others think you are, but you must accept what you are to step out of depression. Good performance by the young actresses, but not the young actors :(
Humour 5/10 Story 7/10 Actors 8/10 Music 7/10
Imouto yo [妹よ] Rating: 8/10 (Watched) Sweetest romance ever. A fairy tale relationship, topped by the strong brother-sister bond. Expected ending, but the process is interesting.
Story 7/10 Actors 8/10 Music 7/10 Humour 7/10
Itazura na Kiss [イタズラなKiss] Rating: 7/10 (Watched) Laugh like nobody's business as you watch the ridiculous things Kotoko can do to irritate Naoki and Yuuki! It's totally brainless, but how I enjoyed it! Total relaxation.
Humour 9/10 Story 6/10 Actors 8/10 Music 6/10
Kekkon shiyouyo [結婚しようよ！] Rating: 7/10 (Watched) Enemies at first, but lovers in the end. Expected ending, but still very charming. Family oriented, suitable for all ages. The subtle relationship development keeps audiences on the seats. Nice to watch, but not worth buying, IMHO.
Humour 7/10 Story 7/10 Actors 8/10 Music 6/10
Kenshui nanako Rating: 7/10 (Watched) Another crazy show starring Satou Aiko!! This time, there is a little more substance - Medicine! But still, the focus is on the strange doctors, nurses, patients and the ever bonkas director, who is always having his sushi lunch when Nanako bursts into his office! :DDD Can't stop laughing!
Humour 9/10 Story 6/10 Actors 9/10 Music 6/10
Koinu no Waltz [仔犬のワルツ] Rating: 3/10 (Watched) Started promising, with lots of incredible piano contests among young people. But the connection among these youngsters are lost, once they are eliminated from the competition. Finally, the aim of the competition is also very bizarre, and nobody is sure who murdered whom. What a big mess! And the final scene was laughable, with the gunshot sounding, and the audience left guessing what on earth happened, and what significance it has.
This is one of the worst shows I have seen, because it keeps you in suspense and confusion to the end, and yet does not resolve any of those doubts. Instead, the last episode makes the entire drama even more complicated. Acting was lukewarm, even amateur at times. Dialogue was trying too hard to impress, but unable to convince. That it is a drama serial specially drafted for the TV station's 50th anniversary is unbelievable. What a letdown.
The only good thing in the drama was the music. If not for my interest of music, I would have turned the TV off.
Koori no sekai [冰の世界] Rating: 7/10 (Bought & Watched) Much suspense, but the ending is most terrible! I yawned and giggled in the last episode. We call this : Dragon head, Snake tail. Disappointing ending.
Humour 0/10 Story 7/10 Actors 7/10 Music 8/10 Thrill 7/10
Kurosagi [クロサギ] Rating: 6/10 (Watched) I would actually give a rating of 6.5.
This drama is a showcase for Yamashita Tomohisa. It is a stage for him to act funny, cool, hurt, handsome, childish and nonchalant. He gets better as the story progresses, but I feel that his deeper emotions were not well portrayed, save the unconvincing swallowing and smacking of the lips.
I did not understand fully the complicated relationships in the swindlers' community. Why would an old man like Katsuragi hold so much power over the active band of criminals? Must Kurosagi work with him?
I enjoyed the acting of a couple of failed swindlers e.g. Saejima Yoko (Katahira Nagisa) and Emori Kimiko (Ishida Ayumi). And what a surprise to see Ozawa Maju as Tanabe Misaki, so many years after Itazura na Kiss. They really brought life into the series.
Horikita Maki, though really pretty and sweet and rather apt at acting, did not leave a very strong impression as the female lead. The chemistry between the two leads is very minimal.
Once again, my favourite performance in this drama is by Ishida Ayumi. Incredible portrayal of a misery TV product company CEO who cheats housewives into paying for expensive starter kits!
Long vacation [ロングバケーション] Rating: 8/10 (Watched) Your usual unusual love relationship between roommates, topped with hiliarious personalities to complete a drama blockbuster.
Humour 7/10 Story 7/10 Actors 8/10 Music 9/10
Love letter Rating: 9/10 (Bought & Watched) A long winded story, but what a FABULOUS ending! You can hardly find such a film with such a touching ending, with little tears, but heaps of memories and regrets. A must-watch. Watch it and you'll realise that not only beautiful men and women can act. But of course, these people are beautiful too.
Humour 8/10 Story 9/10 Actors 9/10 Music 8/10
Match Point! [マッチポイント!] Rating: 6/10 (Bought & Watched) A little depressing, despite the jokes, because the volleyball team is full of unfit members, and led by a strange woman who is still living with her ex-husband's mother! But it became better towards the end, when the team improves and achieves the impossible. Bought it thinking it's the classic volleyball show I watched as a toddler. Not really worth buying.
Humour 7/10 Story 6/10 Actors 8/10 Music 4/10
News no onna [ニュースの女] Rating: 8/10 (Bought & Watched) I'm sure everyone knows it's a great show. All because of Suzuki Honami + everyone in the show! Definitely a GREAT buy!
Humour 8/10 Story 8/10 Actors 8/10 Music 6/10 Thrill 8/10
Nodame Cantabile [のだめ カンタビ−レ] Rating: 9/10 (Watched) Another anime/manga-styled drama. The actors go all out to give the comic touch, and the classical music is, needless to say, totally entertaining. I was running to my piano, just like Nodame, after the first five episodes. Presents very real issues that musicians face in their everyday lives e.g. work prospects, dwindling enthusiasm, angst from self-criticism and tough competition etc. Thumbs up (if you can keep your thumbs up while laughing)!
Odoru Daisousasen [踊る大捜査線] Rating: 8/10 (Bought & Watched) Wonderful, but unappreciated show, due to its less popular cast. But the cast gained popularity from this drama! A police story, no hero show. You will see the human-side of the glamourous job, and how much redtape still exists in the civil service. Great buy, must buy!
Humour 8/10 Actors 9/10 Story 8/10 Thrill 8/10 Music 7/10
Ooku Dai-ishou [大奧第一章] Rating: 9/10 (Bought & Watched) Excellent! The lead actress is simply stunning, with all the other female stars dazzling with their beauty and acting. A stirring and exciting drama, where the men are not protagonists. Highly recommended! Ditch the soapy korean period dramas, those are nowhere as good as this one! Fast-paced, subtle, touching, exhilarating battles among women, with humorous little snippets injected everywhere. And did I mention that the women and their kimonos are glittering from beauty?
Over Time [オーバー・タイム] Rating: 8/10 (Watched) Think me weird, but I feel that this show has TERRIFIC ending!! It's one of the best endings I've ever seen, although everyone prefers a happy ending. Worth buying, though I haven't bought it. Another drama blockbuster.
Humour 8/10 Actors 8/10 Story 7/10 Music 7/10
Risou no joushi [理想の上司] Rating: 6/10 (Watched) A plain show with very little dramatic appeal, but has a nice experienced cast. Deals with the office politics and daily struggles in a travel agency.
Humour 6/10 Story 6/10 Actors 7/10 Music 5/10
Rocket boy [ロケット・ボーイ] Rating: 7/10 (Bought & Watched) Depressing at first, but I felt really good when I saw the ending. Full of hope, as if the drama were a trip through the Pandora's Box. Bought it, but I don't think it will become a classic anytime soon.
Humour 8/10 Actors 7/10 Story 7/10 Music 7/10
Ryakudatsu ai ~ abunai onna [略奪愛・アブない女] Rating: 6/10 (Watched) Wow, scary!! A crazed family, with a murderous sister, an abusive mother, an unfaithful husband, and a protective father. Dark. Not recommended for young people. Nothing gained from watching it either. Don't think of buying it, unless you like a little of hentai.
Humour 3/10 Story 4/10 Actors 6/10 Music 7/10 Thrill 7/10
Seija no koushin [聖者の行進] Rating: 6/10 (Watched) Life is nothing but pain. That seems to be the only message of the show. Well filmed, but too distressing to be of much entertainment. Sigh, you'll grow sad if you were to watch such a drama. All the evils of the world packed into one.
Humour 3/10 Story 7/10 Actors 7/10 Music 6/10 Thrill 7/10
Sekai no chuushin de, ai wo sakebu [世界の中心で、愛をさけぶ] Rating: 9/10 (Bought & Watched) My first jdorama after years of abstinence. Pure, sincere cast, great story-telling. Couldn't stop crying from the second episode onwards. Heart-breaking, beautiful.
Shomuni [ショムニ] Rating: 7/10 (Watched) Hoho, watch anime? This is the drama that is closest to an anime that I've ever watched. Very funny.
Humour 8/10 Story 6/10 Actors 8/10 Music 7/10
Tomodachi no koibito [友達の恋人] Rating: 6/10 (Watched) Love triangle. Nice music, but the story is boring. The usual tricks : "I'm pregnant, don't leave me", "She's pregnant, i can't leave her", "I still love you", "In fact I never loved her".... etc etc. Nothing new.
Humour 4/10 Story 5/10 Actors 5/10 Music 7/10
Whiteout Rating: 7/10 (Watched) Not as good as expected, but rather thrilling, with Oda Yuji running around like a madman. Ha! Disappointing involvement by Matsushima Nanako. Some interesting personalities.
Humour 7/10 Story 6/10 Actors 7/10 Music 7/10 Thrill 7/10
tetsukei's drama reviews (8)
Aishiatteru kai [愛しあってるかい！] Crazy and funny, not for the critical [Rating: 7/10] This is a crazy comedy that keeps you laughing hysterically! Even the theme song is fast-paced and funny. Not a serious moment, and certainly not a drama with any message to tell. It's just plain fun. Suitable for the entire family. Quite a few young actors and actresses in it are now cast in supporting or main roles, such as Wakui Emi (Virgin Road), Yanagiba Toshiro & Koizumi Kyouko (Odoru Daisosasen) and Jinnai Takanori (Shomuni).
Ichiban taisetsu na hito [いちばん大切なひと] Wishy Washy [Rating: 5/10] The melodramatic love lives of a group of young people, with 2 childhood sweethearts who are separated caught in the middle. Nothing very interesting happens to any, besides the usual romantic struggles, like how 2 people cannot get together despite mutual love because they have obligations to 2 other people.
The starting sequence is very interesting, especially due to John Lennon's song "Starting Over". This drama was re-named "Starting Over" when shown on JETTV.
Itazura na Kiss [イタズラなKiss] For the 3rd time [Rating: 7/10] Not for the no-nonsense. The very idea of this drama is nonsensical fun. It's no wonder that the story came from a shoujo manga.
I just finished watching it for the 3rd time (twice on tv, once on vcd). Every episode you'll hear Satou Aiko screaming and shouting "Irie-kun!". Just thinking of that makes me laugh! :D Not forgetting the senior actors who star as parents and teachers. They are oh-so crazy!
This drama is very near slapstick, but still has a few special themes regarding aspirations of high school graduates.
What I found most interesting are the NG cuts, especially those in the last episodes. You'll see Kashiwabara going around with a clothes hanger strapped to his head, giving out some souvenirs to his co-stars. And the gentlemanly kiss he gave to Satou at the end which brought about screams from the workers and fans.
Worth watching for relaxation, but perhaps not worth buying :P
Kenshui nanako Enjoyable, especially the co-stars' performances [Rating: 7/10] Very enjoyable. May be a little overboard with far-fetched jokes at times, but bound to bring lots of laughter into your house.
Interestingly, the eye-catching performances are from the co-stars - Itou Shirou as Prof. Koyamada and Hosaka Naoki as Ogata sensei.
Satou Aiko continues her comic rampage, with all kinds of expressions and groans. If you liked the big-eared girl in Itazura na Kisu, you may like this drama too.
If you watch the original drama, you can see explanations of medical terms appearing at the corner of the screen at times.
Rocket boy [ロケット・ボーイ] Full of Hope [Rating: 7/10] The drama started on a distressing note. Kobayashi is 31, and has no achievements in life worth mentioning. He and his acquaintances Suzuki and Tanaka are all in the same boat. Despite their "ripe-old" ages, they are all confused, directionless men with low self-esteem.
As the drama progresses, we see the 3 men become best of friends, giving one another encouragement and drive. Kobayashi soon picks up courage to apply for NASDA selection. Suzuki realises that happiness can alse be found in a little ramen shop. Tanaka makes up with his family, while holding his own up against the brilliant achievements of his father and brother.
The drama ends on a hopeful note, and I felt really happy. It's one of the dramas with less star appeal, but has a believable plot and constructive end, including lots of humour.
Recommended for viewers who want a change from the usual love dramas. Not much of a soundtrack to boast of, but has a really upbeat little tune that brings a smile to the viewer's face.
Ryakudatsu ai ~ abunai onna [略奪愛・アブない女] Uhm... certainly scary one, all the horrid situati [Rating: 5/10] Certainly not a drama you'd like to recommend to your friends or family.
I can't say it's violent (only until the end), but the whole theme is totally unenjoyable. Husband having a one-night stand with the sister of his wife, the sister becoming obssessed and trying to murder her own sibling.... even the poor family dog was not left alone.
And then suddenly, the entire situation is resolved, with a happy ending. Unbelieveable.
I guess some credit has to be given to the actress playing Suzu - Suzuki Sarina. She appeared totally psycho and out of her mind, but still managed to stay pretty cute.
The best thing about this drama, I think, is its ending sequence and theme. Wonderful song by Glay.
Tomodachi no koibito [友達の恋人] Started well, but ended quite silly [Rating: 6/10] A beautiful young cast, but relatively unknown.
The story is quite dramatic, but somewhat unoriginal. You can pretty much anticipate what happens next. So no surprises for those who often watch dramas.
Again, the theme music is outstanding.
Tsugumi e... Draggy [Rating: 4/10] Everything starts with a dentist stalking Yumi, a housewife whose family moved in to the neighbourhood just recently. Then comes the kidnap and murder of her daughter Tsugumi. Yumi and her husband Takashi uncover the clues to the truth of their daughter's death, and all subtle evidence converge to the suspicion of the dentist. However, the seemingly well-mannered dentist cannot be nailed without concrete evidence. Moreover, the dentist's protective mother has secret links with the police official in charge of the investigation.
The first episode looked promising, with the kidnap of Tsugumi and the neigbourhood-wide search for the little girl. But unexpectedly, the murder occurred on the next episode, which ends all the suspense. Right from the start, the viewer knows the murderer's identity. Soon, even the the little girl's parents know the truth, plus an apathetic police officer and a confused tabloid reporter. Everyone lurks around the dentist, trying to nail him, without much success. This goes on for about 9 episodes, with little progress in the investigation.
Finally, in the last 2 episodes, the most important piece of evidence, surprisingly produced by the murderer's own mother, is sent for DNA tests. Even then, Tsugumi's parents had to go through a secret meeting with the murderer, which ended in a struggle. This is all so ridiculous.
This is overall a very draggy show. It would have done much better in just 5 episodes, instead of the regular 11 or 12. There are some special themes such as the unconditional love of a parent for a child, and the importance of family bonds. The drama did, however, end on a beautiful and warm note, as the devastated parents of Tsugumi resconstruct their lives and start anew in the memory of their beloved Tsugumi.
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Ikuta Toma [生田斗真]
101 Kaime no Puropozu [101回目のプロポーズ]
