Sunday, December 22, 2013

ANDO LLOYD












Fall 2013

Ando Lloyd is a new drama starring Takuya Kimura and Kou Shibasaki. Kimura plays a genius physicist named Matsushima Reiji who is employed as a professor/researcher at Tokyo Imperial University. He has been studying about wormhole theories and one day tells his fiance that, based on a "kill list" circulating on the internet, he will be next in line to be killed. He also states that she will be targeted as well, but he will do everything in his power to protect her. His fiance, Asahi Ando, played by Kou Shibasaki first thinks that Reiji is fooling around, but soon realizes that someone is definitely coming after her. Just when she is about to be killed, someone that looks just like Reiji swoops into the rescue. At first she is happy to see him, but soon realizes that he is not Reiji. He explains that he is an android sent by a "client" from the year 2113 with one sole mission; to protect her from being killed no matter what. Who is the client? Who is trying to kill her and why does this android look like Reiji?

Recommendation: After I watched the first episode of this drama I was curious to know who the director was because the style seemed very familiar to a drama called "SP - Security Police" which I just posted a review about. Lo and behold, one of the directors (probably the main one) was Takafumi Hatano the director of "SP". Just realizing this made me cringe and boy did I cringe throughout this drama. I will give him and his team credit for trying to create a descent science fiction story, but in my opinion science fiction is one of the hardest genre's to work in. More importantly though, I just don't understand why Kimutaku agreed to work with Hatano (maybe he had no choice). If he was working in Hollywood, I would compare Hatano to Michael Bay; someone who loves intense action scenes and CG, but everything else is sub par. This was the case with "Ando Lloyd". Kimutaku and Shibasaki do their best with what they could work with. Kimutaku does a good job playing two different characters, but there are SO many holes in the plot and it doesn't slow down enough to have a chance to develop any of these characters. Even the supporting cast was hollow. The only scene that I felt emotionally drawn in was in episode 4 when Lloyd had to kill Navier. Why couldn't they have more androids like him? What gets to me the most is that, overall, this wasn't a smart drama and as a sci-fi story, if it isn't smart, it's less intriguing and becomes pointless to watch. Are these androids seriously from the future? I would definitely have a better plan of disposing one human being than what these 'droids thought up of. Who came up with adding English phrases? There was no need to do that and it just came off as uncool. The director is clueless here. What kind of story does he want to tell? The focus shifts from sci-fi to romance to social issues, but doesn't develop them nearly enough. It was low and uninspiring to steal from "The Terminator," "The Matrix," and even "Dragonball". I seriously got tired of constantly seeing the same action scenes that start out with the initiation of the Asura OS and then seeing Lloyd stagger and fall (I seriously think Lloyd staggers and falls to the ground in every episode). Also, the sappiness of protecting a loved one and over preaching of societal issues caused by humans was overkill; it just starts to come off as disingenuous.  Finally, as I mentioned in my "SP" post, the worst (and I would like to emphasize the word WORST) fight/action/kill scenes are the ones that end with characters fighting to the death but suddenly when one character is about to be killed...they have a conversation! (Yes, I would like one cup of coffee with a crumpet before I kill this guy...really?). I would like to mention that this type of scene occurs in EVERY single episode in this drama. Hatano also recreates the final scene from "SP" and just seems to copy and paste it into this drama. I'm talking about the part when The Last Queen shoots and "kills" a few main characters, but they miraculously survive. That was just offensive.

I would like to apologize for my rant above, but as a huge Takuya Kimura fan, I'm just disappointed with his recent dramas and sadly, it seems like his days of posting high TV ratings may have come to an end. Obviously I am not a director or actor so I will never know how much work it takes to develop and produce a drama series, but I'm a die hard fan of dramas and sometimes I wonder if he has a say in what kind of drama he wants to be involved in. Recently, I've been thinking about some reasons why Kimutaku is posting lower ratings. Yes, I do think one reason is that he is getting old, but I also think that he is not marketing himself to the audience that grew up with him. I feel like he is still trying to appeal to a younger, "popular" crowd and in this drama, there are some up and coming young and beautiful stars that he surrounds himself in and it doesn't look right. I would hope to see him solely in another love story/family drama in the role of a father or any drama that can focus on his abilities as an actor instead of being involved with a team focusing on glitz and glam. If you like Kimutaku or Kou Shibasaki and don't mind watching a drama that doesn't require much thinking then I would recommend this one for you. For everyone else, steer clear from this one because you will only be left frustrated. A.I. knows love? Yes, A.I. knows love! But please show it and not just say it!

Story: 0.5
Acting: 1.0
Directing: 0.5
Character Development: 0.5
Emotional Factor: 0.0

2.5 Out Of 5.0 Crowns

Saturday, December 7, 2013

SP - SECURITY POLICE
















Fall 2007

SP is a drama about professional bodyguards called security police. Their sole purpose is to protect VIPs and in the most dire of circumstances become "human shields" to defend them from harm. In the 21st century, terrorism has become a global threat. Not even Japan is exempt from this menace. SP's play a crucial role in anticipating unforeseen circumstances, but they are not well equipped to deal with new challenges. Enter Kaoru Inoue (Junichi Okada), an SP rookie with unusually strong senses to detect danger. Joining Soichiro Ogata (Shinichi Tsutsumi) and his loyal team, they fight to stop any destructive force before it's too late.

Recommendation: I picked this drama because I just watched "Oyaji!" and I remember Junichi Okada being a pretty good actor. I realized he's been laying a little low in the drama universe for a while which is a shame because he can play action roles well. Unfortunately, this drama is not as easy to sum up as I first thought it might be. The reason is because there are some really good things I liked about this drama, but there are also aspects of the drama that I just downright despised. The story is definitely interesting and a relevant one. I liked the idea a lot. The acting was also descent, but not anything to highly praise about. From there, I just have to say that everything else was sub-par. This drama associates with the phrase, "style over substance" perfectly. The screen shots and action sequences are fast and flashy, but when it comes to editing the story, there are cracks and holes so numerous that I grew indifferent to the plot and characters.
Just some examples, but there are scenes in the drama that I thought were sloppily presented. In episode 6, Shoichi Ohashi is being protected in a hotel room by the SP's and he purposefully spills orange juice on his pants. He goes back into the bedroom pretending to change his clothes when he escapes. My first thought was, how did he escape? There is no door to the hallway from the bedroom and he clearly didn't escape through the living room. And even if he did escape from the bedroom, why didn't any of the SP's ever think of guarding that entrance?
Again in episode 6, there is a scene that looks like Ohashi is poisoned in the shower after swimming in the pool. I disliked this scene because when I first watched it, it looked like it actually happened. There are too many of these dire/tragic scenes that end up being part of the sensitive imagination of Inoue.
Another strange issue that came up was in the very first episode when Inoue fought with the bald, knife wielding terrorist and arrested him. Ohashi said that Inoue was the first ever SP to arrest a terrorist and they are not supposed to do so. Well, if that's the case, why do they even carry handcuffs in the first place?
Those were just a couple of examples of sloppy editing/directing, but the sin of all sins in action scenes are the ones where the shooter, be it the protagonist or antagonist, has multiple chances to make a kill and instead decides to make small talk like they're in the middle of an important conversation on a nice sunny afternoon over a cup of tea and biscuits. Seriously, these scenes must seriously go. I'm so fed up and tired of them because they are a put off. The last episode during the assassination attempt of the prime minister symbolizes this issue and that is where I put my foot down and just couldn't give this drama a higher rating.
The drama overall did well in terms of ratings. A special and a couple movies were completed afterwards, but if you're like me who tends to look at the details, this drama will ultimately frustrate you. I also didn't like the fact that the SPs work as a team, but there wasn't a huge emphasis on character building. Yamamoto, Ishida, and Sasamoto were like pawns/fillers and I could care less about what happened to them even though they all survived in the end. Maybe that's why the comedic moments between them didn't really work for me.
Overall, if you like Junichi Okada or even Shinichi Tsutsumi, and you're into action dramas, I recommend this one. It's fast paced and I finished it quickly because there is a lot of filler in the beginning, and the ending credits are also long after each episode. But if you are looking for something smart and sophisticated you will only be shaking your head. If I only had Inoue's heightened senses, I may have avoided this one!

Story: 1.0
Acting: 0.5
Directing: 0.5
Character Development: 0.5
Emotional Factor:  0.5

3.0 Out Of 5.0 Crowns

Saturday, November 30, 2013

OYAJI! (オヤジぃ)





















Fall 2000

Oyaji! (Father!) is a drama about a seemingly ordinary Japanese family living together under the rules of a strict and stubborn father named Kanichi Kanzaki (Masakazu Tamura) and his subservient wife, Miyako (Hitomi Kuroki). Believing he is doing what all fathers should do, he not only nags and lectures his three children, but meddles in the business of strangers as well. Each having personal issues with their father, Sayuri (Miki Mizuno), Suzu (Ryoko Hirosue) and Tadashi (Junichi Okada) decide the only way to survive in this family is to move out. Will Kanichi be able to keep them together or will his insincerity get in the way?

Recommendation: I watched this drama during my early college days and I was happy to find it again after all these years. The year 2000 seemed like it just passed, but it's been about 13 years since this drama debuted. I found it funny to see how there were references to the internet being new and that nobody carried smart phones yet. I also enjoyed the cast and seeing how young all these actors were back in the day. Masakazu Tamura's acting reminded me of his character from the drama Furuhata Ninzaburo which spawned multiple seasons and specials, so it took a while getting used to, but he was good portraying a stubborn and overbearing father. Hitomi Kuroki just never seems to age and she fit the house wife role well. Hirosue Ryoko as well as the other actors playing the children were so young. Overall, this drama provides a good dose of family drama and comedy. I think it's well paced mostly, but it can be slow at times and over-sentimental. Still, the acting was good, the issues that each character faced and the twists and turns that occurred were still interesting. The director did a good job in expressing his views on what makes a family. Not only the strengths, but the flaws of each member and the obstacles they overcome create unbreakable bonds. If you are looking for a nice family drama with tear jerking moments and light laughs this drama is for you.

 Story: 1.0
Acting: 1.0
Directing: 0.5
Character Development: 1.0
Emotional Factor: 1.0

4.5 Out Of 5.0 Crowns

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

PAPADOL!



Spring 2012

Papadol! is a drama about a Japanese idol named Ryo Nishikido (who plays himself). He is part of a popular idol group called Kanjani8. Idols have strict rules to live by and one of them is to be single. But on a fateful day, Ryo meets Haruka Hanamura (Yuka) and they fall in love. Haruka is a single mother, taking care of her three children, Mei (Umika Kawashima), Yuto (Yuki Imai), and Kana (Kanon Tani) and her own mother, Natsu (Atsuko Takahata). Due to Haruka's mother being ill, Ryo desperately seeks to reassure her. He suddenly proposes to Haruka and they get married. Ryo is confident that he will be able to juggle his idol duties while taking care of his new family. Will he be able to keep his private life secret? And will his new family accept him as their father?   

Recommendation: I was recommended to watch this drama by commenter: ashappyasiget. I would first like to state that I'm not a huge fan of Ryo Nishikido nor am I a die hard fan of idol groups. That being said, I was surprised by this drama. The story may have been done before, but this was the first drama that I've seen where the main character plays himself. To put Ryo in a difficult situation, he gets involved in a relationship that is strictly prohibited. This was an interesting idea and I thought it was unique. Idol groups are popular in Japan and it was fun to get a glimpse of what they go through even though Ryo's strict schedules may have been over dramatized. I liked the cameo appearances by popular idols and celebrities too. 
The acting was good, I wasn't blown away particularly by any actor, but I think Ryo Nishikido did well in playing himself. The actors had good chemistry and Kanon Tani was really cute. 
The directing was okay for me as well. I found myself having a hard time believing that Ryo was able to keep his secret unexposed for most of the drama. Also, the pattern of convincing each family member that Ryo is actually a decent human being and having to face the ex-husband was probably necessary, but has been done a lot in other dramas, so I wasn't too thrilled by that.
Still, the drama offers fun and tear jerking moments. I think if you are a fan of Ryo Nishikido, this is a must watch. I liked the portrayal of a man experiencing growing pains and really finding out what it takes to be a responsible idol, husband and parent. It also provided an interesting perspective on the choices that a person makes and the consequences/sacrifices that need to be made to live the life you want. 

To ashappyasiget: Hope you enjoyed my review. I think you may have liked the drama more than I did, but I still thought it was a solid family drama! Thanks for the recommendation.

Story: 1.0
Acting: 0.5
Directing: 0.5
Character Development: 1.0
Emotional Factor: 1.0

4.0 Out Of 5.0 Crowns




Saturday, November 16, 2013

SAIKOU NO RIKON ~ THE GREAT DIVORCE! (最高の離婚)






















Winter 2013

Saikou no Rikon ~ The Great Divorce! is a romantic comedy about a couple who constantly argue and bicker about every little thing. They don't see eye to eye and their personalities are so vastly different that it's hard to contemplate how they got married in the first place. Nearby, a seemingly happy couple suddenly encounters a major problem when a secret is accidentally revealed. Why do people get married? and why stay married when it's so hard to do so? Could the only solution be...divorce?

Recommendation: (Spoiler alert!) The screenwriter and directors of "Soredemo, Ikite Yuku" return with another high quality drama, this time working on a romantic comedy. I wanted to write a review sooner, but I didn't have access to the last few episodes for a long time. I'm so glad that I was able to finish watching this drama though. It was well worth it from start to finish. The story of two couples going through trials and tribulations and their coincidental run-ins with each other complicates an already difficult situation. It was fun to see how these characters interacted with one another as they all had different personalities and views on marriage. The story really gets to the heart of what marriage actually is. The acting was great especially by Eita who played Mitsuo Hamasaki, a high strung yet kind and caring young man and Ono Machiko who played Yuka Hamasaki, a careless free spirit. They had great chemistry and I'm starting to believe that Eita may be the most versatile Japanese actor right now in the drama world.
I enjoyed the directing and I'm a fan of the screenwriter Yuji Sakamoto. This drama is not fast paced and there is a lot of dialogue, but most of it is not meaningless banter. Also, there are a lot of dramas that have this "cliche" shooting style which I despise and I'm grateful this style is avoided. Obviously, directing is very important and I felt the difference in this drama. The directors begin the story with quarreling couples that evoke a feeling of hopelessness. Many times, as a viewer, I can "predict" or sense that the ending is going to be happy or sad, but even though you know the outcome, a good director will keep you on your toes. It was great to have some funny scenes that were not outright hilarious, but quite subtle and quirky. For example, I loved the scene in episode 4 when Mitsuo is cooking cabbage rolls and his eye glasses fog up. The beer scene in episode 6 when all four main characters are sitting at the table having a serious conversation was really good. I also liked the contradictory scenes like when Mitsuo needs to blow off steam and rents pornography, but later begs Yuka to refuse becoming an actress in that field or when Ryo Uehara (Go Ayano) talks to a senior citizen at the park about protecting his yet-to-be born daughter from scandalous men, when he himself acted the same way. The drama was able to project what it means to grow as a person. Again, this is very subtle, but I think it mirrors what happens in real life. In the real world, it's hard to change who you are once you reach adulthood and I think by trying to make marriage or even your everyday life to work, you need constant reflection. That reflection was manifested in the last scene when Mitsuo gets his routine dental check up and states that he used to get irritated and corrected people who called him "Hamazaki" instead of "Hamasaki" but now he doesn't mind being called by either name. The last episode was nice to include a scene in which Mitsuo and Yuka walk back to their apartment for the whole night which was similar to the scene where they first met after a major earthquake. In my opinion, this was a smartly written and well executed drama. There is no perfect drama, but this one was a gem. 

Story: 1.0
Acting: 1.0
Directing: 1.0
Character Development: 1.0
Emotional Factor: 1.0

5.0 Out Of 5.0 Crowns


Sunday, November 3, 2013

DOCTOR X ~ GEKAI DAIMON MICHIKO















Fall 2012

Doctor X - Gekai Daimon Michiko is a drama about a talented freelance surgeon named Michiko Daimon (Ryoko Yonekura) who is hired at Teito University Hospital during a time when the medical landscape is undergoing drastic changes. Specifically, university hospitals are suffering from a drop in talented medical staff including surgeons who are quitting due to harsh working conditions. Dr. Daimon has amazing skills as a surgeon, but she hardly cares about office politics and the power struggles that other doctors are intently focused on. Due to her ill-mannered nature and her unwillingness to do work that is not necessary for anyone with a medical license, she quickly develops an image of being anti-social and selfish. Still, her skills as a surgeon is unmatched and the hospital must turn to her for help. Unfortunately, as she tries to go about her business, the medical staff tie her to a dark mystery which may lead to her downfall. Is she the infamous Doctor X?

Recommendation: (Spoilers are contained below) This was quite an exciting medical drama and I do recommend it because it's definitely not boring. After watching it, I really wanted to give it 5 crowns, but something about it was amiss which I will delve into later. I really liked the story due to various themes about power struggles, hierarchical structures, ethics, and gender roles in the workplace. There is also an interesting mystery aspect to the drama that played out well. The character, Michiko Daimon grew on me and I empathized with her situation and why she chose her current lifestyle. Each episode ended in a way that left me wanting to watch another episode to see how she could help save another life. I think the acting was average though and I wasn't sure why Yonekura Ryoko won the academy award for best actress. She wasn't bad, but I thought she wasn't really great either. I also couldn't stand Kaneko Terayama, the HR manager played by Shigeru Muroi. She was just annoying. The director did do a good job making this an exciting drama, especially since the viewer cannot tell what is going on during surgery scenes. Of course this drama is fiction and I'm not a doctor so I don't truly know how talented Dr. Daimon really is and whether or not other doctors could diagnose and perform surgery the way she does, but the drama pulled me in and I was hooked. I don't want to be picky but, there were some specific things I didn't like about the drama which I blame the director for. I got a little tired hearing the narration about the current challenges facing university hospitals during every episode. I didn't think that was necessary. Also, in the last episode, I just couldn't believe that Chairman Teshihagara could prevent every media member observing the surgery done by Dr. Daimon on Dr. Torii from printing it in the paper. I mean one media member did print it, but that member was from a gossip magazine and he was paid by the chairman to do so. Finally, what really gets to me is the fact that Dr. Busujima had ample opportunity to destroy the surgery consent form signed by Dr. Torii, but instead he hid it in a book? That to me was a strange mistake and one that I just couldn't excuse. Dr. Busujima knew how valuable that document was and hiding it was just foolhardy. So, despite the drama being a must see in my opinion, I can't give it a top notch rating. I am going to watch the second season which is currently airing. I hope the script is a bit tighter than the first.

Story: 1.0
Acting: 0.5
Directing: 0.5
Character Development: 1.0
Emotional Factor: 1.0

4.0 Out Of 5.0 Crowns

Saturday, October 19, 2013

BEAUTIFUL LIFE




















Winter 2000

Beautiful Life stars Takuya Kimura as Shuji Okishima and Takako Tokiwa as Kyoko Machida. Shuji is an up and coming talented hairstylist at a salon called Hot Lip. Raised in a family connected with the medical field, they basically disown him for chasing his dream to cut hair. Kyoko on the other hand is a librarian doing the best she can with an illness that robbed her legs and bound her to a wheelchair at the age of 17. On a fateful day both Shuji and Kyoko confront each other during a minor traffic incident. Their first meeting was a troublesome one, but gradually, their curiosity grows and they soon find themselves attractive to each other. They start a relationship, but with Shuji's popularity growing and Kyoko's disability hindering their lives, will they be able to overcome the onslaught of obstacles ahead?

Recommendation: Please don't read any further if you haven't watched this drama yet. First of all, Takuya Kimura is my favorite actor and when I was in high school, Takako Tokiwa was my favorite actress. I still remember when this drama debuted and I was so excited because I felt the timing was perfect for these two to work with each other. Now, don't get me wrong, this is a great drama and is a must watch, but it is probably also around the top of the list for the most saddest drama of all time. I actually watched this when it came out, but I was so worried about the ending that I actually stopped watching it around the 7th episode because I knew there wasn't going to be a happy ending. It was obvious because of the narrations by Shuji and Kyoko in every episode that this was going to be a sad drama. Still, the story, acting, directing was all great and it is a deep love story with a unique perspective. The final episode was truly heartbreaking. Interestingly, somewhere inside me still had hope for Kyoko. In a way I think the drama was meant to make the viewers feel this way. The drama made me think how life is precious and fragile. It also sent a message that it really isn't about how long you live, but what you experience that is important. I don't think I will be watching this again, but it was definitely worth it.

Story: 1.0
Acting: 1.0
Directing: 1.0
Character Development: 1.0
Emotional Factor: 1.0

5.0 Out Of 5.0 Crowns

LOVE SHUFFLE












Winter 2009

Love Shuffle is a drama about four young people (Kei, Airu, Ojiro, and Kikuta) with different personalities and occupations who happen to live on the top floor of an exquisite apartment building. One day they coincidentally take the elevator at the same time during a storm and end up getting stuck due to a black out. With nothing else to do, they get acquainted and begin conversing about their love lives. With each of them questioning the purpose of love, they decide to "shuffle" their partners or acquaintances with each other as a test to find out if they can fall in love or affirm that their former relationships were indeed the best for them.

Kei Usami (Hiroshi Tamaki) works for a highly regarded corporation, but was offered the job mainly because his fiance, Mei Kagawa (Shihori Kanjiya) is the daughter of the chairman of said corporation. Airu Aizawa (Karina) is a multilingual translator who is contemplating the meaning of love and marriage. Yukichi Oishi (Daigo) likes Airu, but he tends to buy friendships and anything else he wants with money. Ojiro Sera (Shota Matsuda) is a talented model photographer and a womanizer. He brings along a model, Reiko Kamijyo (Hijiri Kojima) who tends to see men from a physical perspective. Masato Kikuta (Shosuke Tanihara) is a psychiatrist and the mastermind of the love shuffle. He brings along a suicidal patient named Kairi Hayakawa (Yuriko Yoshitaka) as a form of treatment, hoping that she stops attempting to kill herself if she finds a lover. Will the game of love work or will it cause more harm than good?

Recommendation: This drama had a good cast of characters but a sub-par cast of actors to play them. The story of switching partners every week to find love was interesting and the chemistry between the characters were fun to watch. The script was ok too and I found myself laughing quite hard during some silly scenes but some of the puns were hit or miss. I felt that this drama could have been better in terms of the selection of actors. Also, the story in my opinion fizzled in the end and I just didn't feel emotionally attached to the outcomes of each character. I blame the directing for this especially the last episode in which all the stories for each character needed to be resolved. So due to time constraints it felt like the outcomes were squeezed in to fit the length of the episode. Since Kei and Airu are basically the main characters I would have liked to see the other character's problems solved in episode 9 and have their issues worked out in episode 10. That would have created more drama in my opinion and probably a more "natural" ending. This drama wasn't bad, but it isn't a must watch. If you want something lighthearted with a lot of puns this drama is for you, but for me, the frequently used phrase, "say it ain't so Joe" sums it up for me.

Spoiler alert: I wasn't happy with the last two episodes. The final episode in particular seemed like it was edited without much thought. Problems were resolved in a cut and dry manner which sucked all of the emotions I had for the characters, especially when Mei and Yukichi got married. That was certainly a surprise, but it felt rushed and came out of nowhere. They didn't even seem good together. That said, episode 7 was the funniest for me especially when Kei and Airu find out Kikuta was gay.

Story: 1.0
Acting: 0.5
Directing: 0.5
Character Development: 0.5
Emotional Factor: 0.5

3.0 Out Of 5.0 Crowns

Tuesday, October 8, 2013

KAGI NO KAKATTA HEYA (鍵のかかった部屋)

















Spring 2012

Kagi no Kakatta Heya (Locked Rooms) is a drama about a well known lawyer named Gou Serizawa (Koichi Sato) and his new assistant, Junko Aoto (Erika Toda) who inadvertently meets Kei Enomoto (Satoshi Ohno) who is an eccentric security expert working for a security firm in Tokyo. Serizawa is a corporate lawyer and only cares about the bottom line and his image, but Aoto works towards seeking justice. The lawyers end up becoming involved in a locked room case in which they hire Enomoto to help them determine whether the case involved a murder or suicide. Enomoto is not interested in any crimes, but is curiously drawn to the locked room as he believes he can unlock its secrets. Gradually, the group takes on similar cases as more locked room scenarios come to light.

Recommendation:

First of all, this drama wasn't great, but it was good. Every episode involved a new locked room case besides the last two episodes. The fun part of this drama was figuring out how the criminals hid their true intentions in these locked rooms. It isn't a drama specifically geared toward finding the culprit because there is enough foreshadowing, that I basically knew who the criminal was in almost every episode before the locked rooms cases were solved. The cast was pretty good and it was the first time I saw Satoshi Ohno act and I think he did a good job playing an introverted and insightful character. Koichi Sato and Erika Toda also did a good job in their respective roles. This is not a bad drama in any sense, but it also lacks certain qualities, mainly character development, to make it a very good drama. Despite the drama involving crimes, it is quite upbeat and has its humorous moments.

Spoiler alert: Although it was fun to watch, I think a lot of these types of dramas lack in character development. I guess it can't be helped because it is really just focused on solving cases, but I wish I could feel like I cared more about these characters. Sometimes it seemed like both lawyers were (almost) useless despite their hard work and research (mostly done by Junko Aoto). Enomoto basically solves every case and it just lacks in background information on all three main characters. Why is Enomoto so good at what he does? Why did he end up working for a security firm? What drove Junko Aoto to feel so strongly about seeking justice and why is Serizawa a photogenic money loving corporate lawyer? I think if they answered some of these questions throughout the series I would have loved it. I have to say the twist in the end wasn't bad, but I still wish we knew more about these characters. I know there will be a special episode coming out soon, so yes, you will hear the phrase, "mishitsu wa yaburemashita" (the locked room has been solved) one more time.

Story: 1.0
Acting: 1.0
Directing: 1.0
Character Development: 0.5
Emotional Factor: 0.5

4.0 Out Of 5.0 Crowns

Monday, September 30, 2013

HANZAWA NAOKI (半沢直樹)
















Summer 2013

This drama is about a man named Naoki Hanzawa who is the head of the loans division at the Osaka Nishi branch of the Tokyo Chuo bank. After being labeled a scapegoat for a 500 million dollar loss for providing an unsecured loan to Nishi Osaka Steel which files for bankruptcy protection, Hanzawa must face an internal investigation team that is seeking to oust the person responsible for the mishap. Hanzawa denies responsibility and rushes to recover the 500 million dollars before he is shipped out of the banking industry.

Recommendation: So most people have probably heard about this drama since it trended upwards in TV ratings basically every week. The final episode received a 42.2% rating which was the highest since 1989 and the 4th highest rated drama episode in history. It surpassed Kaseifu No Mita which aired two years ago as the most popular drama since 2000.
My initial thought about the drama was that it would be a little complex to follow since it deals with financial corruption, banking regulations and the like. However, it was quite the opposite. Voice-overs were quite common in the show to explain certain financial concepts to make it easier to follow. From the very first episode, the show was quite exhilarating. I was taken by surprise with the depth of the characters and the story-line with all its twists and turns. Also, the final episode is a nail-biter and quite intriguing. The acting wasn't superb, but I give Masato Sakai who plays Naoki Hanzawa a lot of credit for making this drama popular and great. The antagonists were also quite good especially Kagawa Teruyuki who plays Owada Akira. This drama truly lived up to the ratings it received. I think above all else, it was truly entertaining to watch. This is definitely a can't miss drama. I wouldn't be surprised if there is a second season.

Spoiler alert: The final episode lived up to expectations and Masato Sakai gave a powerful performance worthy of an Academy Award. I thought the last scene was perfect when the chairman demoted Owada and transferred Hanzawa to a different division. I believe the chairman felt threatend by Hanzawa especially since he could not be controlled when interrogating Owada. It was a shrewd move by the chairman as he could still hold power within the bank safely without Hanzawa stirring up trouble. Owada in turn, becomes an ally of the chairman on the board as Owada has no other choice but to follow his orders since he basically saved his job.

Story: 1.0
Acting: 1.0
Directing: 1.0
Character Development: 1.0
Emotional Factor: 1.0

5.0 Out Of 5.0 Crowns

Thursday, September 26, 2013

SUMMER NUDE



















Summer 2013

Summer Nude is a drama about a young man named Asahi Mikuriya (Tomohisa Yamashita) who has been waiting patiently for a girl named Kasumi Ichikura (Nagasawa Masami) to return home after leaving the seaside town 3 years ago. Every day he greets a billboard with Kasumi's photo on it believing she will return to him one day. One day Asahi who is a professional photographer takes pictures of Natsuki Chiyohara (Karina) during her wedding. Unfortunately, Natsuki's husband-to-be runs away with cold feet. Later, Asahi asks Natsuki if she can help out at a small beach front restaurant since she used to be a cook. Natsuki befriends Hanae Taniyama (Toda Erika) who is in love with Asahi for the last 10 years, but Asahi only thinks of her as a friend. Natsuki decides to help Hanae capture Asahi's heart, but will he be able to forget his only true love?

Recommendation: So just a warning, but I'm going to be adding some spoilers so stop reading if you haven't seen the drama yet. I had high expectations for this drama. First of all, it was a "Getsuku" (Monday at 9 pm) drama from Fuji TV and second of all, it had a great cast. I couldn't wait to see Tomohisa Yamshita, Toda Erika, Nagasawa Masami, and Karina together in one drama. BUT, although it wasn't a terrible drama, it was disappointing for me. Even the title, "Summer Nude" made me think it was going to be quite exciting, but the whole drama was quite slow. I liked how the drama started off. You have a young man waiting for a woman that he's had a crush on for 3 years. You have a young woman having a crush on that same man for 10 years and then you have an out of town girl that was dumped on her wedding day who starts to have feelings for the same man. It seemed like an intriguing drama, yet, the direction and pace couldn't keep the tension up. I felt like the problems that were presented were solved too easily and I could see the outcome way before they actually occurred. I like Tomohisa Yamashita, but lately it seems like he's coming down to earth. I mean I don't know if it was his acting or his character, but he was too laid back and unexciting. There was hardly anything to like about him. I think this was the case for most of the characters so I blame the director and script writer for not having more scenes to develop the characters. I did like Toda Erika's character and I hardly ever see her in these types of dramas where she is not serious all the time, but her eventual lover, Kirihata Hikaru (Kubota Masataka) was hardly developed and I didn't care for him at all. Karina was good, but Yamashita and her characters just didn't build enough emotional equity that made me want to feel glad that they finally got together. There were a lot of scenes that reminded me of summer nostalgia, but those nostalgic feelings were not aroused in me when watching this show. Nagasawa Masami is hardly in it either. If you like the actors in this drama (and the acting wasn't bad at all) then take the plunge and watch it, but for others wanting even a tiny bit of excitement, skip it and go to the beach instead.

Story: 1.0
Acting: 1.0
Directing: 0.5
Character Development: 0.5
Emotional Factor: 0.5

3.5 Out Of 5.0 Crowns

Wednesday, September 18, 2013

WOMAN
















Summer 2013

Woman is a drama focusing on the life of a single mother and the struggles she encounters as she tries to take care of her two kids. Koharu Aoyagi (Hikari Mitsushima) plays the young mother. Due to certain restrictions, she doesn't qualify for welfare and desperately searches for a way to support her kids after her husband, Shin (Oguri Shun) dies in an accident. As her financial situation turns for the worst, Koharu's only hope is to reconnect with her estranged mother, Sachi Uesugi (Tanaka Yuko) who abandoned her when she was a child.

Recommendation: This drama was very difficult for me to rate. I really liked it. I think the screenwriter, Sakamoto Yuji, contributed to another great drama. Mitsushima Hikari is fast becoming one of my favorite actresses and the whole cast including the two kids do a really great job of acting. The story also is not what I initially thought it would be. It has a few twists that keep it from being an ordinary "single mother enduring life's struggles" drama.
After saying all these positive things about it, I have to say that it is a drama that I may never want to see again! It has its uplifting and cheerful moments, but it was quite heavy for me as well. Sometimes I just felt certain aspects of the story were too coincidental and would be overwhelming for any human being to go through. So my suspension of disbelief in this case ended before the drama was over. Still, my ratings are obviously subjective. This was a great drama and I'm sure Mitsushima Hikari will be a strong contender for the summer season's Television Drama Academy Awards.

Story: 0.5
Acting: 1.0
Directing: 0.5
Character Development: 1.0
Emotional Factor: 1.0

4.0 Out Of 5.0 Crowns

Friday, August 9, 2013

KAZOKU GAME (家族ゲーム)













Spring 2013

Kazoku Game is about an eccentric personal tutor named Yoshimoto Koya (Sakurai Sho) who claims a 100% pass rate into Tokyo University. Attracted by this specialist, Numata Kayoko (Suzuki Honami) and Numata Kazushige (Itao Itsuji) hire him to help raise their middle school son, Numata Shigeyuki's (Uragami Seishuu) grades. Yoshimoto agrees to tutor Shigeyuki on the condition that nobody interferes with his methods of teaching. The Numata's soon find out Yoshimoto is quite abrasive and tends to cause a lot of trouble that affects the family members. Curious and annoyed by Yoshimoto's presence, the elder son, Numata Shinichi (Kamiki Ryunosuke) searches for Yoshimoto's credentials and stumbles upon a dark secret that could get Yoshimoto fired. Who really is Yoshimoto Koya? What are his true intentions? Will Shinichi solve Yoshimoto's secret before his family is destroyed?

Recommendation: This is the second drama in which I've seen Sakurai Sho in a leading role. I was really impressed with his acting. To be honest, everyone did a great job. From the first episode I was hooked. I realized early on that this drama was more than a tutor teaching a kid how to study and so I knew what would basically happen in the end, but the way the drama was presented, with so much mystery surrounding Sakurai Sho's character and his setups made for a suspenseful and exciting drama. If you like dark comedy that twists and turns, this is a good one to watch. For me, I have to put in my favorite's list as I think this is a drama that I won't soon forget. Hopefully there will be another season in the near future. That would be...いいね~ (good).

Story: 1.0
Acting: 1.0
Directing: 1.0
Character Development: 1.0
Emotional Factor: 1.0

5.0 Out Of 5.0 Crowns

Wednesday, August 7, 2013

LEGAL HIGH

















Spring 2012

Legal High is about a young idealistic lawyer named Mayuzumi Machiko (Aragaki Yui) who seeks support for a difficult case and is inadvertently steered toward asking Komikado Kensuke (Sakai Masato); a veteran lawyer who has never lost a case. Unfortunately, Komikado is a selfish, greedy, irritable man who uses any means necessary to win. Begrudgingly, the two team up and after winning the case, Mayuzumi decides to work under the tutelage of Komikado. The two work well as a team even though their ideas of justice and winning cases are vastly different. Will Komikado's dirty tactics rattle Mayuzumi's strong moral values or will Mayuzumi's kindness and sense of justice melt Komikado's cold heart? It's a battle of total opposites!

Recommendation: I have to be honest in saying that I've somewhat lost interest in Aragaki Yui as well as Sakai Masato recently. I never really felt strongly about them in leading roles, but it goes to show what a good screenwriter and director can do for actors. There is no doubt that the two leads have talent, but after reading about the screenwriter Furusawa Ryota and Director Ishikawa Junichi winning the Television Drama Academy Awards, I got interested in watching this show. Unless someone has some major cache as a strong actor, I usually will look for dramas with quality writing and directing instead. In this case, I have to say I was quite surprised by Legal High. It is a comedy about lawyers and it is similar to watching an anime or real live manga. Taken in that context, I thought the show was great despite its extreme characters and situations. It was funny, witty, and entertaining. Sakai Masato does a really good job playing an eccentric lawyer and I would go crazy trying to practice talking so fast like he does in this drama. Aragaki Yui does well to support Sakai and the battle of morals and ethics between the two are quite fascinating. I had to give this my best rating because I think this drama is kind of unusual and so it should be seen because it's just weird and out of the ordinary. But that is why it was entertaining and I caught myself smiling after every episode. I watched the special episode as well and I look forward to season 2 coming this fall.

Story: 1.0
Acting: 1.0
Directing: 1.0
Character Development: 1.0
Emotional Factor: 1.0

5.0 Out Of 5.0 Crowns

Friday, July 5, 2013

DRAMA CRAZY SHUT DOWN

A few days ago, the awesome drama website, Dramacrazy.net shutdown. I've been studying for my licensure exam so I haven't been able to watch dramas on a continuous basis. Anyway, after a few hours of studying in the middle of the week I was looking forward to watching episode 9 of Saikou No Rikon (The Great Divorce) starring Eita. Man was I disappointed when I got the "file not found" message! I immediately thought something was wrong with my computer, but after a few more clicks and a few more days of getting the same result I looked online to confirm that it was indeed true that the website was shutting down. I do not know the fate of the other drama sites, but hopefully something positive will come out of this. I just want to take the time to thank the staff at Dramacrazy.net for providing free episodes of dramas that I used to pay for at video rental stores. You will be missed!

Sunday, June 23, 2013

LAST CINDERELLA




















Spring 2013

I apologize for the late entry, but I believe I will be posting more frequently as I graduated from my program last month, yay! Anyway, I just finished watching Last Cinderella which is a romantic comedy about a woman named Sakura (Shinohara Ryoko) who is a workaholic and never really focused on her love life. Because of this, she feels like she is losing her femininity and as she is closing in on 40, things are not getting any easier for her personally. One day, she suddenly meets a young man named Hiroto (Miura Haruma) who sweeps her off her feet. Around the same time, an old friend/rival, Tachibana (Fujiki Naohito) returns to town. She first struggles to understand why and how a younger man could be attracted to her, but she cannot resist Hiroto's charm at the same time. Sensing something is awry, Tachibana plays the role of the wise but cool friend pretending not to care about her decisions but keeping an eye out for her nonetheless. Will Sakura fall for Hiroto? Or will Tachibana come to her rescue?

Recommendation: I have to say it is always fun to watch Shinohara Ryoko act. She is one of the best in the business I believe that can carry a drama on her shoulders. She can bust out the witty sense of humor, but also be serious or sad when appropriate. I also liked the veteran Fujiki Naohito and both Shinohara Ryoko and Fujiki Naohito played off each other's roles well. I was surprised by Miura Haruma as this was the first drama that I've seen him in. He was quite a natural and I think he will improve. As for the story, there were very funny moments, but maybe because of watching so many dramas, I feel like I can easily get bored of the usual patterns. That said, I wasn't sure whether or not to be pleased or upset about the ending because it wasn't what I was expecting. I guess that is a good thing, but at the same time, it didn't seem like the "proper ending" and it was a bit abrupt in my opinion. Still, it was worth watching and the other cast members were good as well. There are some dark moments, but overall the drama is light and funny.

Story: 0.5
Acting: 1.0
Directing: 0.5
Character Development: 1.0
Emotional Factor: 1.0

4.0 Out Of 5.0 Crowns




Sunday, January 20, 2013

OSOZAKI NO HIMAWARI (遅咲きのヒマワリ ~ボクの人生、リニューアル~)















Fall 2012

Osozaki No Himawari or Late Blooming Sunflower is a heartwarming drama that follows the lives of 7 young adults. They all have dreams, but they live through their insecurities. One day, Kodairo Jotaro (Ikuta Toma) who is living an "average" life holding temporary jobs is laid off from a company that was supposed to provide him full-time work. He is also dumped by his girlfriend for his indirectness and laid back attitude. Desperately he looks for something he can do without much luck until he stumbles upon an ad that requires a volunteer to work in Kochi prefecture for 3 years to help revitalize Shimanto city. He decides to go for the job without really having any plans or knowing exactly what is expected of him. At first, he starts working like any other "job" but he begins to realize that there is something unique and special about this town. As he develops relationships with the locals, he begins on a journey toward self-awareness and a purposeful life.

Recommendation: This was a solid drama. It provided a good amount of humor, tension, sadness and joy as it followed the lives and relationships of 7 characters. The story of a young man floating through life, eventually finding something meaningful to focus on and influencing others with his positive energy is nothing new. I would put it in the inspirational category, but I often felt some scenes were forced. I think Ikuta Toma plays a good central character and the acting all around was quite good, but I felt they could have developed the love relationship between Jotaro and Kahori a bit better. They were definitely bonding, but their relationship was more friend like than love like in my opinion so the ending didn't work for me that well. The scenes of the Shimanto river and nature surrounding the city were really nice to see. I felt like I was involved in this rural town away from the hustle and bustle of big cities. The pace of the drama too was slow which was probably done on purpose to create a laid back mood. Overall, it's an uplifting drama about finding yourself and holding onto your dreams. There is no real closure in this drama and nothing gets completed in terms of external/physical accomplishments, but I think that is the point. So if that's what interests you than I recommend it. I've just seen plenty of dramas with similar story-lines and situations, so to me it was good, but not great.

Story: 0.5
Acting: 1.0
Directing: 0.5
Character Development: 1.0
Emotional Factor: 1.0

4.0 Out Of 5.0 Crowns

Saturday, January 12, 2013

PRICELESS



















Fall 2012

Yes I'm back! Actually, just on a little break before my last semester begins so I browsed through some recent shows and was glad to see a new Kimura Takuya one. The drama is called "Priceless" and it's about a salesman named Kindaichi Fumio (Kimura Takuya) who has a cheerful and positive attitude. His carefree life may seem out of ordinary to some, but one of the most important things he cares about is his unwavering loyalty and dedication to the people that he works with. He believes that relationships are the cornerstone to a successful business. Unfortunately he is confronted with unbelievable circumstances in which he ends up losing seemingly priceless possessions; a job, his apartment, and his girlfriend. Having to start from the ground up, he meets two poor boys which jump starts his life towards a path that only he could maneuver through.

Recommendation: So I know that Kimura Takuya is the king of dramas, but it is true that his ratings have gradually decreased over the last few years. Still, compared to others, he can still draw relatively  high ratings. I for one am always happy to see him act. I think there is still no other actor in Japan like him; he's a natural. That said I was a bit disappointed with this drama. The acting is great all around. Kimura, Nakai Kiichi, and Karina have good chemistry, and the subtle comedic scenes worked well for the most part, but the story comes off as a bit trite and pretentious in my opinion. It's subjective obviously and I know some people will love Kindaichi's character and the underdog story-line, but even a drama should be grounded in some reality. The story was too idealistic for me to care. Kindaichi is Mr. Goody Two-Shoes basically and the story falls flat when no matter how difficult a situation may be, he finds a way to succeed. I would have added a back story or a few situations in Kindaichi's past that helped develop his present character. It just felt like he was superhuman and unless the obstacles that a character faces don't inspire growth or change (he does inspire change in others though), it is just a boring character to watch. Oyashiki Toichiro played by Fujiki Naohito was the antagonist trying to take Kindaichi down. Fujiki is a really good actor and I was again disappointed that there wasn't a lot of major interaction between the two. I mean I wanted to see a brawl!...or at least a brawl of words. Anyway, enough of the negativity. I was relatively pleased and you can't go totally wrong with a Kimutaku drama. So Kimutaku fans rejoice! But is it priceless? Um, there's no such thing.

Story: 0.5
Acting: 1.0
Directing: 0.5
Character Development: 0.5
Emotional Factor: 0.5

3.0 Out Of 5.0 Crowns