29-sai no Kurisumasu [29歳のクリスマス] Rating: 4/10 (Watched) | Africa no yoru [アフリカの夜] Rating: 3/10 (Watched) | Ai to iu nano moto ni [愛という名のもとに] Rating: 5/10 (Bought & Watched) |
Ai wo kudasai [愛をください] Rating: 2/10 (Watched) Don't know why but Kanno Miho puts me off. | Aiken Rosinante no Sainan ~ Mukai Ryuuta no Doubutsu Nikki [愛犬ロシナンテの災難] Rating: 4/10 (Watched) | Aishiteiru to Ittekure [愛していると言ってくれ] Rating: 3/10 (Bought & Watched) Toyokawa Etsushi deserved special mention for his graceful execution of the sign language – it enhanced his unutterable words so beautifully. Hence, I was totally annoyed when Tokiwa suddenly went mental and found fault with his disability to vocalize his feelings for her. That completely killed the show for me. |
Antique [アンティーク〜西洋骨董洋菓子店] Rating: 7/10 (Watched) | Asunaro hakusho [あすなろ白書] Rating: 3/10 (Watched) A dorky Takuya Kimura!! Coming-of-age love story of five close-knitted school friends (2 girls and 3 boys). All were in love with the same boy except nerdy Kimura (for once he is not the adored one) with a heart of gold, anguished with unrequitted love for one of the girls. My heart goes out to him. | Beach boys [ビーチボーイズ] Rating: 7/10 (Watched) Like taking an arm-chair vacation with Sorimachi and Takenouchi and as absorbed as they were in their adventures. |
Beautiful life [ビューティフルライフ] Rating: 9/10 (Bought & Watched) A well-paced romantic story that moved one to chuckle at the beginning, dreamy in between and at the end teary-eyed. The pull from the stellar performance of Kimura and Tokiwa (an excellent match) is forceful.
Keenly perceptive in their respective roles, both gave a powerfully subtle performance. He, the kakkoii hairstylist of an uptown, trendy salon and she, the plucky handicapped librarian, fell irresistibly in love.
Through the course of the plot each was shown to struggle with their own hang-ups and insecurities. Both taking tentative steps closer to one another leading to a strongly growing steadfast relationship. | Big Money! [ビッグマネー!〜浮世の沙汰は株しだい〜] Rating: 6/10 (Watched) | Big wing [ビッグウイング] Rating: 4/10 (Watched) |
Bijo ka Yajuu [美女か野獣] Rating: 6/10 (Bought & Watched) | Boku dake no Madonna [僕だけのマドンナ] Rating: 5/10 (Bought) | Boku ga boku de aru tame ni [僕が僕であるために] Rating: 4/10 (Watched) |
Bokura no yuuki ~miman toushi~ [ぼくらの勇氣 ~未滿都市~] Rating: 7/10 (Bought & Watched) | Cheap Love [チープラブ] Rating: 5/10 (Watched) | Chuushingura 1/47 [忠臣蔵 1/47] Rating: 4/10 (Watched) |
Coach [コーチ] Rating: 5/10 (Watched) | Days Rating: 5/10 (Bought & Watched) | Dekichatta Kekkon [できちゃった結婚] Rating: 4/10 (Watched) |
Double score [ダブル スコア] Rating: 3/10 (Watched) | Face ~ mishiranu koibito [FACE〜見知らぬ恋人〜] Rating: 3/10 (Watched) | Fighting Girl [ファイティングガール] Rating: 3/10 (Watched) |
Friends [フレンズ] Rating: 4/10 (Watched) | Gakkou no sensei [ガッコの先生] Rating: 6/10 (Watched) | Gift [ギフト] Rating: 5/10 (Bought & Watched) Takuya Kimura cycling around in designer suits. Absolutely cool! |
Golden Bowl [ゴールデンボウル] Rating: 6/10 (Watched) | Good Luck !! [グッドラック!!] Rating: 8/10 (Bought & Watched) Brandish machismo in the strong male cast who brings a credible performance to the light plot. Young pop-idol Kimura held his own against his much older substantive male co-stars. There seems to be a genuine sense of camaraderie amongst them. Departing from being the usual maverick, his portrayal of a grudgingly loving and caring son/elder brother is noteworthy. Quite an enjoyable and entertaining ride with just a light touch of romance for spice. | Hakusen nagashi [白線流し] Rating: 4/10 (Watched) |
Harmonia ~ kono ai no gai de ~ [ハルモニア] Rating: 8/10 (Watched) | Haru Ranman [春ランマン] Rating: 4/10 (Watched) | Hatsu Taiken [初体験] Rating: 5/10 (Watched) |
Hero Rating: 8/10 (Bought & Watched) Captivating public prosecutor�fs case stories episode by episode pepped up by a hint of romance between a laid-back, unconventional, inquisitive prosecutor and his earnestly ambitious, straitjacket go-by-the-rules legal assistant. The direct contrast of their characters played upon the opposite attract theme. In between fencing around the underlying attraction for each other were some rare tender moments which serves to lure the wishfully romantics. The much touted Kimura-Matsu on-screen chemistry provided the catalyst. | Hikon Kazoku [非婚家族] Rating: 5/10 (Watched) | Hito ni Yasashiku [人にやさしく / 3ピース] Rating: 7/10 (Bought & Watched) My fave Shingo Katori's drama. |
Hitotsu yane no shita 1 [ひとつ屋根の下 1] Rating: 6/10 (Watched) | Hoshi no kinka 1 [星の金貨] Rating: 5/10 (Watched) | Hyakunen no monogatari [百年の物語] Rating: 5/10 (Watched) |
Ichiban taisetsu na hito [いちばん大切なひと] Rating: 4/10 (Watched) | Imouto yo [妹よ] Rating: 6/10 (Bought & Watched) Ensconce in your comfy couch and be charmed by this simple modern fairy tale. | Itazura na Kiss [イタズラなKiss] Rating: 8/10 (Bought & Watched) From a manga, I thought I am way past too old to enjoy this kind of teen drama but I bloody well love it! Superbly animated by Kashiwabara and Sato. I came to the end of the show with a happy silly grin. It has got to be one of the greatest and memorable drama endings. The birth of a very shy lovely smile from Kashiwabara for Sato, poignant because he tried but failed to suppress it. |
Itsuka mata aeru [いつかまた逢える] Rating: 4/10 (Watched) | Itsumo futari de [いつもふたりで] Rating: 5/10 (Bought & Watched) The draw from the start is Kashiwabara. He is outstanding as the flippant and lax young chief of the publishing firm where Matsu works. A tantalizing provocateur to the Matsu-Sakaguchi to-be romance. I feel there is more animation between Kashiwabara & Matsu than Sakaguchi & Matsu. Unfortunately, Kashiwabara dropped out of the serial after the second episode. His replacement is lackadaisical. From that point, the beat of the drama weakens considerably. | Jinsei wa joujoda [人生は上々だ] Rating: 6/10 (Watched) |
Joshiana [女子アナ] Rating: 7/10 (Bought) | Kamisama no itazura [神様のいたずら] Rating: 6/10 (Watched) | Kekkon shiyouyo [結婚しようよ!] Rating: 5/10 (Bought) |
Kiken na kankei [危険な関係] Rating: 6/10 (Watched) | Kimi ga oshietekureta koto [君が教えてくれたこと] Rating: 5/10 (Watched) | Kimi wa Petto [きみはペット] Rating: 4/10 (Bought & Watched) |
Kindaichi shonen no jikenbo 1 [金田一少年の事件簿 1] Rating: 5/10 (Watched) | Kinyoubi no Koibitotachi e [金曜日の恋人たちへ] Rating: 3/10 (Watched) | Kizudarake no Love Song [傷だらけのラブソング]
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Koi no kamisama [恋の神様] Rating: 3/10 (Bought & Watched) | Koi no katamichi kippu Rating: 4/10 (Watched) | Koi no kiseki Rating: 2/10 (Watched) ZZzzzzzzzzzz... |
Koi wo nan nen sundemasu ka? Rating: 5/10 (Watched) | Koishite Shinitai [恋して死にたい]
| Konna koi no hanashi [こんな恋のはなし] Rating: 8/10 (Bought & Watched) A good weepy with a grabbing theme song, �gMr. Lonely.�h The strongest impression from Sanada – moneyed, suave, worldly, cold and cynical to boot, influenced by new-found love and friendship, moved to leave behind a meaningful legacy as he is to die shortly. |
Kono yo no hate [この世の果て] Rating: 3/10 (Watched) The cast is good. However it earns only 3/10 because the plot is heavily depressing. I cannot bear to watch every single episode and skipped in between alternately to the last just to see how it ended. | Konya wa eigyouchu [今夜は営業中] Rating: 5/10 (Watched) Get a kick out of seeing TK singing in English the chorus of "Fly Me to the Moon" and "Your Song". | Koori no sekai [冰の世界] Rating: 5/10 (Watched) |
Kunimitsu no Matsuri [クニミツの政] Rating: 7/10 (Bought & Watched) | Kyousoukyoku [協奏曲] Rating: 3/10 (Watched) | Kyumei byoto 24 ji [救命病棟24時] Rating: 5/10 (Watched) |
Long Love Letter [ロング・ラブレター〜漂流教室]
| Long vacation [ロングバケーション] Rating: 9/10 (Bought & Watched) The young and attractive stars that form the main cast are the irresistible magnetic draw. A fluffy romance to be enjoyed as is. Kimura�fs shyness is so endearing that one could not help but root for him in his romantic overtures either toward Matsu or Yamaguchi. Because he is just as well-matched with Matsu and Yamaguchi too, it offers a somewhat �gbite-the-nails�h intrigue to the development of their relationships. For the older women especially, the fairy tale ending is one big longing happy sigh�c | Love and peace [ラブアンドピース] Rating: 5/10 (Watched) |
Love complex [ラブコンプレックス] Rating: 2/10 (Watched) | Love generation [ラブジェネレーション] Rating: 9/10 (Bought & Watched) An ordinary love story but engaging in its simple appeal. It is close-to-heart as one can identify with the office lady Matsu and salaryman Kimura. Their ups and downs are as commonplace as our very own. Though the ordinariness is very much liven up by the chemistry between the 2 good-looking protagonists. | Love Revolution [ラブレボリューション] Rating: 7/10 (Bought & Watched) |
Love Story Rating: 6/10 (Bought & Watched) | Manhattan Love Story [マンハッタン ラブストーリー] Rating: 6/10 (Bought & Watched) | Meguri ai [めぐり逢い] Rating: 5/10 (Watched) |
Miseinen [未成年] Rating: 7/10 (Bought & Watched) | Mukodono 2003 [ムコ殿2003] (Watched) | Mukodono! [ムコ殿/女婿大人] Rating: 7/10 (Watched) |
Naguru Onna [殴る女] Rating: 6/10 (Watched) | Namida o fuite [涙をふいて] Rating: 6/10 (Watched) | Narita Rikon [成田離婚] Rating: 4/10 (Watched) The constant bickering between the hastily married couple was an overkill. |
Nemureru mori [眠れる森] Rating: 5/10 (Watched) | Ningen no Shoumei [人間の証明] Rating: 9/10 (Bought) | Ningen shikkaku [人間・失格] Rating: 5/10 (Watched) |
Orange Days [オレンジデイズ] Rating: 8/10 (Watched) | Over Time [オーバー・タイム] Rating: 5/10 (Watched) | P.S. Genki desu, Shunpei [P.S.元気です、俊平] Rating: 5/10 (Watched) |
Perfect love [パーフェクトラブ!] Rating: 5/10 (Watched) | Pride [プライド] Rating: 7/10 (Bought & Watched) | Pure [ビュア] Rating: 5/10 (Watched) |
Randebu [ランデヴー] Rating: 4/10 (Watched) Takes quite a bit of patience to sit through scenes between the 2 main female leads while waiting for interjecting appearances of Kashiwabara and Takahashi. | Remote [リモート] Rating: 7/10 (Bought & Watched) Double KK (kakoii and Kawaii) to Koichi Dohmoto! He is a cool one in this. I really enjoyed it. | Rennai Kekkon no Hosoku [恋愛結婚の法則] Rating: 5/10 (Watched) |
Risou no kekkon [理想の結婚] Rating: 6/10 (Watched) | Rookie! Rating: 6/10 (Watched) | Ruten no Ouhi - Saigo no Koutei [流転の王妃・最後の皇弟] Rating: 5/10 (Bought & Watched) |
Saigo no koi [最後の恋] Rating: 5/10 (Watched) | Saikou no koibito [最高の恋人] Rating: 3/10 (Watched) | Sekai no chuushin de, ai wo sakebu [世界の中心で、愛をさけぶ] (Bought) |
Semi-double [セミダブル] Rating: 2/10 (Watched) It failed to hold my attention. I gave up mid-way. | Shiroi kage [白い影] Rating: 4/10 (Watched) | Shiroi Kyoto [白い巨塔] Rating: 8/10 (Bought & Watched) |
Shota no sushi [将太の寿司] Rating: 4/10 (Bought & Watched) | Sono toki haatowa nusumareta [その時,ハ-トは盜まれた] Rating: 3/10 (Watched) | Sora Kara Furu Ichioku no Hoshi [空から降る一億の星] Rating: 8/10 (Bought & Watched) This is not a generally appetizing drama but would titillate one�fs senses if persuaded to dig in. A fatefully tragic story. Somberly moody and tainted.
My interest is piqued by Kimura�fs twisted character – an amoral cad who uses his attractiveness to the hilt to sexually enslave and ensnare his female victims in psychological games.
A distinct departure from Kimura�fs usually good guy roles and his sexiest to date, judging by the many amorous scenes. |
Stalker nigikirenu ai Rating: 3/10 (Watched) | Summer snow Rating: 6/10 (Watched) | Suna no ue no koibitotachi [砂の上の恋人たち] Rating: 3/10 (Bought & Watched) |
Sweet season [スゥイート・シーズン] Rating: 5/10 (Bought & Watched) | Tenshi ga kieta machi [天使が消えた街] Rating: 5/10 (Watched) | Tentai Kanzoku [天体観測] Rating: 7/10 (Watched) |
Tokyo Love Cinema [東京ラブ・シネマ] Rating: 8/10 (Bought & Watched) | Tokyo Love Story [東京ラブストーリー] Rating: 4/10 (Bought & Watched) | Virgin Road [バージンロード] Rating: 7/10 (Bought & Watched) |
Wakaba no koro [若葉のころ] Rating: 7/10 (Bought & Watched) | Wakamono no subete [若者のすべて] Rating: 5/10 (Watched) | Water Boys [ウォーターボーイズ] Rating: 3/10 (Watched) The movie is so mch better. |
With love Rating: 5/10 (Watched) | Wonderful Life [ワンダフルライフ] Rating: 8/10 (Bought & Watched) | Yamato Nadeshiko [やまとなでしこ【大和撫子】] Rating: 5/10 (Watched) |
Yoisho no Otoko [ヨイショの男] Rating: 5/10 (Watched) | Yomigaeru kinro [蘇る金狼] Rating: 4/10 (Watched) | |