Sunday, June 01, 2008

J-Drama Summary Puzzle Episode 1

Tis the season for one word titles - Puzzle, Rookie, Battery, Change...

puzzle ep01 
Wiki Entry @ D-Addicts

"Misako Ayukawa, a woman in her 30s, is an English teacher with ironically poor English skills. She values herself over her students, and money over love. She displays arrogance in front of her students, but acts pleasantly around her peers and family.
However, Ayukawa possesses a brilliant mind for solving puzzles. She ends up tackling various cases around the school along with 3 of her top students"
Wiki Entry.

Ishihara Satomi (H2, N's Aoi) stars as Ayukawa Misako.

Satomi is usually portrayed as a ditzy innocent young woman, but her she plays the role of a early 30's hopeless Substitute English teacher who is like cute and candy on the outside but to her students she is cold and hoarse. Makes you wonder which of her persona's and voices is the real deal?

That is the highlight of the show is Satomi's "anti" personality and the way she bullies her students around (much taller than her too).

Unfortunately the Japanese language being as complex as it is, doesn't make for understanding how they solve some of the word games easy.

The way they go about trying to solve the puzzles is hilarious and makes for a enjoyable show. I look forward to seeing more of it and it's being subbed by Querbeet who did Security Police so should be some prompt releases.

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J-Drama Summary Coin Locker Monogatari

Talk about strange!

coin locker monogatari ep1 
Kojima Haruna (Singer from AKB48 and also in Yamada Taro Monogatari) stars as Hayama Miki.

"Miki, a high school student, has a secret involving a coin locker."

That says it all, Miki - a spitely high school girl -hangs out at the lockers at Shijuku Station, hanging around and always having her eye on locker 56. She even starts helping the station manager so she can sleep in his office at nights. 1st episode she chases a university professor with a fetish for female students, 2nd episode she helps an idol who is leading a double life.

There are only 4 episodes in the series so her secret will be out soon, but a strange and pretty easy going drama is about 20 minutes each episode so this is worth a watch in between all the other 45 minute long dramas...

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Friday, May 30, 2008

J-Drama Watch: CHANGE Episode 1 summary

Yes I am back at long last!!

change ep01

Wiki Page @ D-Addicts

Kimura Takuya (Engine) plays Asakura Keita
Fukatsu Eri (Saiyuuki, Narito Rikon, Odoru Daisousasen) as Miyama Rika
Abe Hiroshi (Kekkon Dekinai Otoko, Dragon Zakura) as Nirasawa Katsutoshi
Kato Rosa (Jotei) as Miyamoto Hikari

"The story begins with the deaths of ruling party's Fukuoka legislator and his eldest son, his heir apparent, in an accident. It is decided that a by-election will be held, and Kanbayashi Masaichi, the leader of the ruling party, and secretary Miyama Rika conceive the idea of fielding the second son, Asakura Keita, who had been renounced by his father." Taken from D-Addicts Wiki.

Plucked from a easy going life and thrust in to the final week of a local election Asakura Keita, who is an unwilling candidate has to hit the ground running in this high tempo, high speed political drama.

Eri chan is back after her world famous stint as the monk in Saiyuuki (Journey to the West) and is pale and energetic as ever! She plays the secretary for the party's leader and is at the helm of the election campaign. While Abe Hiroshi puts completes the outing with a boot camp feel (Dragon Zakura all over again?) to add to the tension.

Looks good, and well scripted and the dialogs are fast and fluid, about time we had a good drama for the current season!

Special mention for Kato Rosa (previously in Jotei) who is very cute and fit in well.

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Monday, March 10, 2008

Lack of updates

Series cut short, others finished but nothing that exciting.

Dear all,

I apologise for the obvious lack of updates, seems I have lost all will the blog at the moment after seeing Prison Break and Terminator series cut short (13 and 9 episodes respectively), Smallville only showing 2 episodes this years, and a lack of quality hard subs for Japanese Dramas.

There has been some light though, LIFE subbed by SOS is moving along at a better pace, and Hanayome wa Yakudoshi has been finished, so expect a review soon.

I haven't progressed at all with Bara no nai Hanaya and One Pound Gospel is a bit too light weight to appeal to me at the moment (9 episodes in the series).

Naruto has been sooooo slow this season - they still haven't got to Sasuke after 49 episodes, while Bleach is charging towards the end of it's story arc.

Maybe Heroes will be back soon? Maybe there will be some good dramas this upcoming season?

Expect reviews for Security Police and possibly Nodame Special - look out for Proposal Diasakusen special in the Spring!

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Friday, February 01, 2008

Bara no nai Hanaya - J Drama preview

Finally I have something to bring you in 2008!

Bara no nai Hanaya ep1

D-Addicts Wiki page

Hard subbed by Love song (LS)

"

Shiomi Eiji is forced to become a single father when his girlfriend passes away while giving birth to their daughter, Shizuku. Desolate after the loss of the woman he loved, Eiji has little time or desire to even consider remarrying, working part-time jobs just to make ends meet. The one thing that gives meaning and joy to his life is Shizuku, but even that begins to trouble him when Shizuku begins acting strange, hiding her face by putting a cloth over her head when around other people.

One day after opening his flower shop, Eiji comes across a blind woman standing by the door, taking shelter from the rain. When he invites her to come inside the shop, she at first refuses, but later gives in to Eiji's kindness. They become intimate friends and she slowly grows to depend on Eiji's sincerity and good heartedness. After rescuing her a following evening when she walks into the street and is nearly struck by traffic, Eiji himself inexplicably discovers the cold of winter that has saddled his heart all these years slowly melting away... " - D-addicts Wiki entry.

Katori Shingo plays Shiomi Eiji (Saiyuuki)
Takeuchi Yuko plays Shirato Eiji (Lunch no Joou, Style, Pride)
Matsuda Shota is Kudo Naoya (Hana Yori Dango, Liar Game)
Yagi Yuki is Shiomi Shizuku

Yuko Chan is back! She plays a blind woman who accepts some help from the big hearted Eiji, but she seems to sense a lack of compassion from Eiji and wants him to forget his late wife and go out with her. Later in the first episode its revealed that she is in fact a nurse and is under orders from a superior to infiltrate Eiji's life and destroy him, how will this unfold - would Eiji ever find out?

Yuko still retains her elegance and looks but goes well with Shingo and the quick and witty dialogue suits the style of the show.

I was surprised to see Matsuda Shota in this series playing the bit part player of someone down on his luck and forced to leave his girlfriend and convinces Eiji to let him stay a while.

Point of interest is the young child Yuki, she plays her part well with strong delivery of her lines and solid acting, coupled with the fact she looks a bit like the deceased mother all adds to an interesting character.

The drama moves at a steady pace (apart from the intro which moves through (rather well made I might add) about 7-8 years of the father and child's life. Lines are good and the acting is pretty good throughout, the camera work is no slouch either with some fine night time shots and atmospheric shots during the raining scenes.

So far there are 2 episodes hard subbed by Love Song, I look forward to this show and the kind of stories that might evolve!

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Sunday, January 20, 2008

J Drama updates Winter 2008

Honey & Clover, 1 Pound Gospel and more news!

Hello, I haven't updated recently since I have been waiting for some hard subbed dramas to come out.

I have been filling my Xmas time with watching older dramas such as Mukodono 2003 (Sars-Fansubs) and Shiawase ni Naritai (soft subs).

There was one J drama special one off feudal era comedy with Inoue Mao called Anmitsu Hime which was good fun to watch even it wasn't subbed yet (accidentally started watching it thinking it was a preview!), expect a review soon!

There are some hard subs to note - Sars-Fansubs have subbed episode 1 of Honey and Clover! Check their site for the details.

One Pound Gospel or 1 Pound no Fukuin is a comedy romance starring the ever popular Kamenashi Kazuya of KAT-TUN fame and has had episode one hard subbed by Sailor Spork Productions, again check their site for the details.

I have updated my Google notebook with links to the D-Addict forums topics with Soft subs that are starting up:

http://www.google.com/notebook/public/11986609191240181779/BDUkRQgoQuYSGp6si

Only have Saito San, Ashita no Kita Yoshio and Koshonin to show for at the moment!

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