Brothers [ブラザーズ] I love this drama! Everything, from the characters, to the actors, to the plot, to the setting, even to the theme song, I totally love! Kore wa saikou! Nakai-kun sugee! Nana kawaii :D and Okamura Takashi even has a cameo appearance :D
Narita Rikon [成田離婚] Really great drama! I really fell in love with Kusanagi's character, even if he's a little over the clouds sometimes, he's just really a sweetie, I can't understand why Seto Asaka keeps complaining over little things...
matsu_takeiko's artiste votes (7)
Abe Hiroshi [阿部寛] He's just the funniest actor around! It's like every drama you watch, you buy, or you see on TV, it's surprising how he just pops up into the screen and you realize he's part of the cast! Although he's always there for comic relief, he also proved to be capable of some serious roles. The best Abe Hiroshi character though would be Kage in Antique!
Kashiwabara Takashi [柏原崇] He's the best actor to play that handsome but intelligent jerk who just doesn't have the time of day for you, but has a sincere and caring personality when no one's looking ^^ I really prefer this type of role for him ^^
Kimura Takuya [木村拓哉] He definitely tries to capture the feeling of his characters, he makes it really personal. I was deeply moved at how devoted he was to Ryoko in Long Vacation because I saw a different side of him in other dramas...
Kudo Kankuro The funniest, most clever scriptwriter ever! He writes such funny and interesting scripts, and never fails to make his stories or adaptations comical! Tiger & Dragon, Kisarazu Cat's Eye, Ikebukuro West Gate Park, Yaji to Kita... sugee na!! I love the way this guy thinks!!!
Osawa Takao [大沢たかお] I can't believe I'm the first one to vote-- Osawa Takao is not only a very good looking man, but a versatile actor as well. I've never seen anyone who acted so cool and bad in one drama (Utsukushii hito) appear nervous in front of his wife and his "mistress" in another drama (Mukashi no Otoko) and be dignified in another drama (Hyakunen no Monogatari). How is that not versatile acting?? He's like a Japanese Daniel Day Lewis!
Antique [アンティーク〜西洋骨董洋菓子店] Rating: 10/10 (Bought & Watched) I really love this drama. The unique combination of characters and situations just blended so well especially with talented actors. Plus, this drama made me fall in love with Fujiki Naohito ;)
Beautiful life [ビューティフルライフ] Rating: 9/10 (Watched) This was a really great, touching drama, but I just feel a little... off because I didn't cry at the end unlike most of the people who watched this did. But the acting was great; story's superb as always (Eriko Kitagawa is just amazing). The way the uneasiness of Takuya and Takako's relationship was depicted was amazing, how each one is too proud to ask the other how they really feel, or too proud to reveal their feelings to each other. There's a feel of realism to it (or maybe I can just relate hehe).
Kekkon Dekinai Otoko [結婚できない男] Rating: 8/10 (Watched) This is one great drama--great cast, plot, great writing. Many people have compared Kuwano-san to Monk, but I think he's closer to Jack Nicholson's character in As Good as it Gets (even the dog subplot). I love this show, but my only complaint is the slow pace. Like we all know there might be something bound to happen between Kuwano-san and Hayasaka-sensei, but it's already episode 10 and it's the first time we sense some jealousy on Hayasaka-sensei's part! 2 more episodes to go and not much has really happened. It's more like each episode is a chapter in a book about the life of an obsessive-compulsive-prone, unmarriable middle-aged man, and how he tries to justify his lifestyle. If this show ends without anything drastic happening, I might give this a 6 >_< But this drama is pretty funny, that it's still totally worth watching.
Long vacation [ロングバケーション] Rating: 9/10 (Bought & Watched) Great cast, great acting, great story, and definitely great music! I've never seen Takuya in such a character (obv. this isn't my first Takuya drama ^_~) and I was deeply moved when he cried for Ryoko. Sometimes I think Sena and Minami's love relationship is a bit vain but anyway I loved the ending ^^
Love generation [ラブジェネレーション] Rating: 7/10 (Watched) It's not as compelling as I expected; I didn't really get hooked. There was very good acting in it in fact, and the situations portrayed seemed to be based on real life. But just as the story goes, it kinda gets predictable, you know that they'll fight again then you just feel like the drama is an elongated version of a lover's quarrel.. it just made it seem so petty.. But acting was great, and the story was a little interesting sometimes, and it certainly didn't fail in the most romantic parts--it was enough to make anyone gush ^_~. plus the opening theme can really get stuck in your head :)
My Little Chef Rating: 6/10 (Watched) It was okay, somewhat enjoyable, but didn't leave much of an impression on me. As far as plots about culinary arts and uncovering secrets of the past go, I'd say Antique is so much better than this one. Many scenes were a bit cliched in the drama department, and Yada Akiko's acting was bland. I'm sad to say even my favorite Abe Hiroshi had a somewhat unmemorable character--that arrogant sous chef was more memorable. But this is great if you're into food or into the culinary arts.
Narita Rikon [成田離婚] Rating: 9/10 (Bought & Watched) This drama made me fall in love with Kusanagi Tsuyoshi's character, I mean he's such a nice guy, why wouldn't you like him? It's so cute, and great acting from Kusanagi... very nice plot, but the ending was a little too exaggerated. Still, it's one of my favourite dramas ^^ You'll feel for Ichiro... (Yuko is just a little too overbearing sometimes!)
Tiger & Dragon [タイガー&ドラゴン] Rating: 10/10 This drama is SUGEE! Many people have already given its good points, may I just say that I also love this because of all the pop culture references and how it cleverly incorporates a lot of everyday things into its storylines. Things like blogs, gokons (group dates), owaraigeinin (comedian) acts (such as Aru Aru Tankentai), and the like. Jumptei-jump is cute (in a funny way) and even though Donta's annoying, you just hafta love him! What a cool way to make viewers appreciate rakugo! SUGEE!!!
Trick [トリック] Rating: 10/10 (Watched) AMAZING. Need I say more? I love mystery dramas, and hilarious ones at that. Plus, Abe Hiroshi at his finest! WATCH IT!
With love Rating: 7/10 (Bought & Watched) for personal reasons... ^^ it was the very first drama I saw. I saw it on TV and it was in chinese. Even though I couldn't understand it I pretty much got the gist (with much help too from the internet ^^) I just had a similar experience and this somehow made it all the more precious ^^
Star no Koi [スタアの恋] IMHO, it was ok [Rating: 6/10] I loved Kusanagi Tsuyoshi in Narita Rikon, so I was really expecting a lot for this drama. Although compared from his performance in Narita Rikon and this one, I sympathize more for his character in Narita Rikon. Somehow I don't think Kusanagi did give life out of Sosuke Nakata. The story in itself was ok, truly reminiscent of Nottinghill. Just that maybe they overdid the dramatic parts. For example, when the director was explaining about the "chair of destiny" for the drama to seem profound and deep, i thought it was just really it's just plain cheesy. I'm not saying this drama is bad-- its actually really fun watching, especially Sosuke's colleagues who're really funny. I recommend watching it along with a big slice of pepperoni pizza (weird, eh?). But for those who're expecting a realistic and effectively profound story, as well as a really great performance by Tsuyoshi Kusanagi, I'd recommend Narita Rikon.