6 posts tagged “drama”
Title: Tantei Gakuen Q
Also known as: Detective School Q
Broadcast date: 7/1/06
Genre: Detective Drama
Cast: Kamiki Ryunosuke, Shida Mirai, Yamada Ryousuke, Matsukawa Naruki, Kaname Jun, Nakao Akiyoshi
Plot: Junior high student Kyuu (Kamiki Ryunosuke) wants to be a detective. In order to fulfill his dream, he must get into DDS, the Dan Detective School. While taking his entrance exams, he joins up with some other potential students his age.
What is good: It's interesting to see these kids puzzle through crime scenes.
What is bad: There were some changes made to the characters.
Letter rating: B+
Overall: I loved the Tantei Gakuen Q anime series. While I haven't read the manga that both the anime and this live action special, this did follow the entrance exams of the anime pretty closely. There were some changes made though. Minami Megumi (Shida Mirai) was turned from a junior high student into an elementary school student while Narusawa Kazuma (Matsukawa Naruki) looked more like a junior high student instead of an elementary school student. (It is not specifically stated what grade Kazuma is in.) Luckily, none of the changes detracted from my enjoyment of the show. It would be nice if there was a little more suspense but the special is only 90 minutes long. I'd recommend this to anyone that enjoys detective shows.
Also known as: Detective School Q
Broadcast date: 7/1/06
Genre: Detective Drama
Cast: Kamiki Ryunosuke, Shida Mirai, Yamada Ryousuke, Matsukawa Naruki, Kaname Jun, Nakao Akiyoshi
Plot: Junior high student Kyuu (Kamiki Ryunosuke) wants to be a detective. In order to fulfill his dream, he must get into DDS, the Dan Detective School. While taking his entrance exams, he joins up with some other potential students his age.
What is good: It's interesting to see these kids puzzle through crime scenes.
What is bad: There were some changes made to the characters.
Letter rating: B+
Overall: I loved the Tantei Gakuen Q anime series. While I haven't read the manga that both the anime and this live action special, this did follow the entrance exams of the anime pretty closely. There were some changes made though. Minami Megumi (Shida Mirai) was turned from a junior high student into an elementary school student while Narusawa Kazuma (Matsukawa Naruki) looked more like a junior high student instead of an elementary school student. (It is not specifically stated what grade Kazuma is in.) Luckily, none of the changes detracted from my enjoyment of the show. It would be nice if there was a little more suspense but the special is only 90 minutes long. I'd recommend this to anyone that enjoys detective shows.
I know I'm doing a lot of status updates lately but that is just to let everyone know that I'm not abandoning the reviews. I am now better so I can get back to typing up my reviews. I am currently watching the Great Teacher Onizuka jdorama. If everything goes as planned, I'll be wrapping that up in early June. Maybe I'll make that a Father's Day review ^_^
My previously listed backlog has not changed. I'm hoping to rewatch the first season of Trick this weekend. Since this is a holiday weekend, I should be able to motor through it pretty quickly. Expect that review to pop up by Monday or Tuesday.
Title: Ikebukuro West Gate Park
Also known as: IWGP
Broadcast date: 4/14/00 - 6/23/00
Genre: drama
Cast: Nagase Tomoya, Kato Ai, Kubozuka Yosuke, Sato Ryuta, Yamashita Tomohisa, Watanabe Ken
Plot: Majima Makoto (Nagase Tomoya) tries to live a quiet live in Ikebukuro West Gate Park, a place infamous for gangs. One of his best friends from high school, Takashi (Kubozuka Yosuke), is the leader of one gang - the G-Boys. When he tries to solve the murder of a friend, Makoto finds himself solving everyone else's problems. Gang tensions begin running high in IWGP putting Makoto, who refuses to join any gang, directly in the middle of it all.
What is good: Kubozuka Yosuke is very entertaining as the king of the G-Boys.
What is bad: The show loses direction almost immediately.
Letter rating: D+
Overall: I spent the entire first episode trying to figure out what was going on. There were these murders but no one seemed to really care about them. Sure, the cops said they were looking for the killer. It just didn't seem to go anywhere beyond talking about it. From the second episode on, the series goes in an entirely different direction. Makoto, who is supposed to be trying to find who murdered his friend, spends all his time helping just about everyone in Ikebukuro. The yakuza, the prostitute from the sex shop across the street, his own mother....the list goes on. About two-thirds of the way through the series, another gang is introduced - the Black Angels. The end of the series brings us back to solving the original murder and adds in the tension between the G-Boys and the Black Angels. I think that the final episode was the only thing, besides Kubozuka's antics, that saved the show from a lower rating. As a whole, the series is very violent. I wouldn't recommend this to anyone who couldn't handle gang violence and the blood that goes along with it.
Buy it here!
Also known as: IWGP
Broadcast date: 4/14/00 - 6/23/00
Genre: drama
Cast: Nagase Tomoya, Kato Ai, Kubozuka Yosuke, Sato Ryuta, Yamashita Tomohisa, Watanabe Ken
Plot: Majima Makoto (Nagase Tomoya) tries to live a quiet live in Ikebukuro West Gate Park, a place infamous for gangs. One of his best friends from high school, Takashi (Kubozuka Yosuke), is the leader of one gang - the G-Boys. When he tries to solve the murder of a friend, Makoto finds himself solving everyone else's problems. Gang tensions begin running high in IWGP putting Makoto, who refuses to join any gang, directly in the middle of it all.
What is good: Kubozuka Yosuke is very entertaining as the king of the G-Boys.
What is bad: The show loses direction almost immediately.
Letter rating: D+
Overall: I spent the entire first episode trying to figure out what was going on. There were these murders but no one seemed to really care about them. Sure, the cops said they were looking for the killer. It just didn't seem to go anywhere beyond talking about it. From the second episode on, the series goes in an entirely different direction. Makoto, who is supposed to be trying to find who murdered his friend, spends all his time helping just about everyone in Ikebukuro. The yakuza, the prostitute from the sex shop across the street, his own mother....the list goes on. About two-thirds of the way through the series, another gang is introduced - the Black Angels. The end of the series brings us back to solving the original murder and adds in the tension between the G-Boys and the Black Angels. I think that the final episode was the only thing, besides Kubozuka's antics, that saved the show from a lower rating. As a whole, the series is very violent. I wouldn't recommend this to anyone who couldn't handle gang violence and the blood that goes along with it.
Buy it here!
Title: Strawberry on the Shortcake
Also known as: SOS
Broadcast date: 1/12/01 - 3/16/01
Genre: drama
Cast: Takizawa Hideaki, Fukada Kyoko, Uchiyama Rina, Kubozuka Yosuke, Ishida Yuriko
Plot: Irie Manato (Takizawa Hideaki) has withdrawn into himself, creating a 'false self' that he displays to everyone around him. One day, he meets Misawa Yui (Fukada Kyoko) and his life is forever changed. Manato finds himself falling in love with Yui but she has fallen in love with Saeki Tetsuya (Kubozuka Yosuke), who is in love with his teacher Asami Mariko (Ishida Yuriko). Meanwhile, Manato is the target of the affections of Sawamura Haruka (Uchiyama Rina). Is it possible to find happiness with the person you love or should you settle for the second best?
What is good: Once you are drawn into the series, it is easy to stay emotionally wrapped up in it.
What is bad: It's pretty depressing through a majority of the episodes.
Letter rating: B
Overall: I recently re-watched SOS with my friend, Cori. At the end of most of the episodes, she's say how sad or depressing something was. I had to keep promising her that it would get better. This really is a good series. All of the actors do a wonderful job of pulling at your heartstrings and the writing makes this love pentagon easy to understand yet still complicated enough that it's difficult to predict exactly how the series will end. It would be nice if there were a few more happy moments, though I understand why that wasn't done. The writers intended to show a somewhat darker side of teenagers in love instead of the stereotypical love-at-first-sight-and-everything-is-wonderful side that a lot of shows highlight. It's very difficult to say who I would recommend this show to. It would have to be someone who can handle watching absolute heartbreak while still believing that everything will be OK in the end. Or at least someone who can just watch the show for what it is - a really good drama.
Buy it here!
Also known as: SOS
Broadcast date: 1/12/01 - 3/16/01
Genre: drama
Cast: Takizawa Hideaki, Fukada Kyoko, Uchiyama Rina, Kubozuka Yosuke, Ishida Yuriko
Plot: Irie Manato (Takizawa Hideaki) has withdrawn into himself, creating a 'false self' that he displays to everyone around him. One day, he meets Misawa Yui (Fukada Kyoko) and his life is forever changed. Manato finds himself falling in love with Yui but she has fallen in love with Saeki Tetsuya (Kubozuka Yosuke), who is in love with his teacher Asami Mariko (Ishida Yuriko). Meanwhile, Manato is the target of the affections of Sawamura Haruka (Uchiyama Rina). Is it possible to find happiness with the person you love or should you settle for the second best?
What is good: Once you are drawn into the series, it is easy to stay emotionally wrapped up in it.
What is bad: It's pretty depressing through a majority of the episodes.
Letter rating: B
Overall: I recently re-watched SOS with my friend, Cori. At the end of most of the episodes, she's say how sad or depressing something was. I had to keep promising her that it would get better. This really is a good series. All of the actors do a wonderful job of pulling at your heartstrings and the writing makes this love pentagon easy to understand yet still complicated enough that it's difficult to predict exactly how the series will end. It would be nice if there were a few more happy moments, though I understand why that wasn't done. The writers intended to show a somewhat darker side of teenagers in love instead of the stereotypical love-at-first-sight-and-everything-is-wonderful side that a lot of shows highlight. It's very difficult to say who I would recommend this show to. It would have to be someone who can handle watching absolute heartbreak while still believing that everything will be OK in the end. Or at least someone who can just watch the show for what it is - a really good drama.
Buy it here!
Title (romanji): News no Onna
Title (english): Newswoman
Broadcast date: 1/7/98 - 3/18/98
Genre: drama
Cast: Suzuki Honami, Takizawa Hideaki, Nagatsuka Kyozo, Fukikoshi Mitsuru
Plot: Aso Tamaki (Suzuki Honami) is the anchor for the evening news on Channel 2. When her husband dies in a car accident, she must stonily report the news herself. After the show, her husband's lawyer, Kubata-san (Nagatsuka Kyozo), arrives at her apartment. He asks her to take care of her step-son, Ryu (Takizawa Hideaki), until he can find the boy's only living relative, his aunt. Can a hardened news professional care for a teenage boy?
What is good: The interaction between the characters in the later episodes is quite heart-warming.
What is bad: The early episodes of the show are just plain boring.
Letter rating: C
Overall: Suzuki Honami and Takizawa Hideaki (the Tackey half of the duo Tackey & Tsubasa) perform beautifully. However, they are given very dull material to work with. The 'behind-the-newroom' scenes don't accomplish much beyond setting up where everyone stands in the politics of the workplace. Aso-san talks big in these scenes but she doesn't seem to actually do very much. Poor Ryu is stuck in the 'emotionally tortured teenager' characterization so he barely speaks through the first half of the series. Once the characters break out of their normal routine, everything changes and the series gets pretty interesting. Unfortunately, by that point, there's only 3 or 4 episodes left. I would have a difficult time recommending this series. Mostly because it takes so long to get to the good episodes that is doesn't feel like it was worthwhile overall.
Title (english): Newswoman
Broadcast date: 1/7/98 - 3/18/98
Genre: drama
Cast: Suzuki Honami, Takizawa Hideaki, Nagatsuka Kyozo, Fukikoshi Mitsuru
Plot: Aso Tamaki (Suzuki Honami) is the anchor for the evening news on Channel 2. When her husband dies in a car accident, she must stonily report the news herself. After the show, her husband's lawyer, Kubata-san (Nagatsuka Kyozo), arrives at her apartment. He asks her to take care of her step-son, Ryu (Takizawa Hideaki), until he can find the boy's only living relative, his aunt. Can a hardened news professional care for a teenage boy?
What is good: The interaction between the characters in the later episodes is quite heart-warming.
What is bad: The early episodes of the show are just plain boring.
Letter rating: C
Overall: Suzuki Honami and Takizawa Hideaki (the Tackey half of the duo Tackey & Tsubasa) perform beautifully. However, they are given very dull material to work with. The 'behind-the-newroom' scenes don't accomplish much beyond setting up where everyone stands in the politics of the workplace. Aso-san talks big in these scenes but she doesn't seem to actually do very much. Poor Ryu is stuck in the 'emotionally tortured teenager' characterization so he barely speaks through the first half of the series. Once the characters break out of their normal routine, everything changes and the series gets pretty interesting. Unfortunately, by that point, there's only 3 or 4 episodes left. I would have a difficult time recommending this series. Mostly because it takes so long to get to the good episodes that is doesn't feel like it was worthwhile overall.
Since I've decided to post reviews on JDoramas, I should have started by explaining jdorama but it didn't occur to me that people wouldn't know what I was talking about. Of course, I was wrong ^_^ So here it is: your introduction to JDorama!
JDorama is a (live action) Japanese drama television series. J is for Japanese and Dorama is a Japanese pronunciation of 'drama.' All of the major TV stations in Japan produce a variety of series. The series tend to run for three months per season. New dramas debut every season. There are morning/afternoon dramas that are broadcast daily and tend to run longer than the 'standard' three month season. A majority of dramas are evening dramas, which are broadcast weekday evenings between 8PM and 10PM with a new episode being shown once a week. If a drama is extremely popular, it will likely have a special episode after the run is over.
Dramas cover every genre - comedy, horror, romance, detective series, spy series, historical - you name it, there's probably a jdorama for it.
Um, I think that should cover JDorama 101.
