27 posts tagged “japan”
Broadcast date: 6/19/06
Genre: Action and Adventure
Cast: Kazama Shunsuke, Ikuta Toma, Himura Yuuki, Hoshino Gen, Matsushima Hatsune, Kosaka Yuka, Honjou Manami, Kitamura Kazuki
Plot: A group of otaku come together to form a troubleshooting company. They try their best to solve the problems of the people in Akihabara.
What is good: Kitamura Kazuki is an awesome villian
What is bad: Maybe it's because the concept of Japanese otaku is so foreign but they seemed to overreact to just about everything.
Letter rating: A+
Overall: I went into this series expecting something along the lines of Densha Otoko. However, I think this is so much better because it doesn't revolve around the life of one person. You have six people, each with some sort of oddity. Each of them turned to a website, Yui's Lifeguard, in order to help them live their daily lives. It's through this website that they come together and become friends. It was really awesome to watch these people grow into something more than just otaku. They really become close friends.
On the other side, you have Nakagomi Takashi (Kitamura Kazuki) as the bad guy. Kitamura played the bad guy in the latest Densha Otoko special. I think he may be getting a little too close to his otaku side! While Nakagomi is a creepy character, Kitamura plays him perfectly. He really was my favorite character here.
I would recommend this series to anyone interested in the otaku culture. You may not understand a lot of things if you don't have at least a tiny grasp of what otaku means to the Japanese people. Otaku in America is very different from otaku in Japan. If you can make that distinction, I think you would really enjoy the series.
Release date: 12/18/99
Genre: School comedy
Cast: Sorimachi Takashi, Tanaka Rena, Kasahara Hideyuki, Fujiwara Norika
Plot: Onizuka-sensei goes to a small village in Hokkaido to teach. As usual, he ends up with a troubled class, thanks mostly to the rich girl, Katsuragi Ayano. He takes it upon himself to fix Ayano and make everyone happy again.
What is good: The acting isn't terrible
What is bad: It is pretty dull.
Letter rating: D+
Overall: Sadly, this franchise has gone downhill. The series was awesome, the special was OK but the movie is on the edge of terrible. Onizuka rescues two students from suicide and, despite being fairly mean to him, ends up as the depressed boy's best friend.
As he works his magic to make the lives of these two students better, he's being chased down by a reporter who mistakes him as a serial criminal. While he isn't guilty of the crimes she accuses him of, he does steal, kidnap and get involved in a police chase. (I'm hoping he borrowed the truck he was driving at the time since it isn't stated how he obtained it.) This doesn't feel nearly as light-hearted as the series or the special. Maybe it was the lack of Fuyutsuki-sensei's 'straight man' to Onizuka's comedian. Throughout the entire movie, I was hoping she would pop in at some point to tell Onizuka he's an idiot but she never appears. I suppose if you really love the GTO series it might be worth sitting through the 2 hour movi but I'm sure you could find a better way to spend your time.
Broadcast date: 12/98
Genre: School-related drama
Cast: Sorimachi Takashi, Matsushima Nanako, Kitamura Soichiro, Katase Nana, Shimizo Chika, Asami Reina, Hosokawa Shigeki
Plot: Onizuka is substituting at an all-girls school. Just when he's thinking this could be the perfect job for him, three of the girls in his class blackmail him into becoming their "Genie of the Lamp." That is when he finds out one of the girls is deeply troubled. While he is helping her, he also has to make a good impression for Fuyutsuki-sensei's father so he can marry her properly.
What is good: Sorimachi-san is still awesome as Onizuka
What is bad: This probably would have been a lot better as a second season instead of just a special.
Letter rating: B-
Overall: From what I hear, a lot of people didn't like this special. I thought it was pretty good, albeit a bit rushed. The subplot with Onizuka trying to get Fuyutsuki's father to like him was cute but this was a really good example of how things were cut short to fit into a two hour special. It definitely would have been a lot better if this was expanded into a full-fledged plot of its own. As for the class Onizuka is teaching, we don't get to see a lot of them as a whole class. The special focuses on three girls and, again, this is rushed as Onizuka is able to "transform" them into good girls within a half hour. GTO is a better show when Onizuka is able to work with the students one-on-one in order to help them get past their problems. Oh and for those fans of the series, no worries, the group of students from the old school do show up and hang out with Onichi for awhile. It was nice to see them still interacting with their teacher, even if he isn't their teacher right now. While this isn't a great show, it isn't terrible either. I'd recommend it to someone who enjoyed the GTO series.
Broadcast date: 7/7/98 - 9/22/98
Genre: School comedy
Cast: Sorimachi Takashi, Matsushima Nanako, Kubozuka Yosuke, Nakamura Aimi, Kirari, Ikeuchi Hiroyuki, Oguri Shun
Plot: Onizuki Eikichi dreams of being a teacher. He is finally hired by a strange director to teach a class of troublemakers at Seirin Gakuen. Of course, his antics always get him into trouble but he'll always believe in his students.
What is good: Sorimachi Takashi is awesome as Onizuka
What is bad: A lot of people will compare it to Gokusen
Letter rating: A
Overall: After watching the first episode, I said "So this is Gokusen but with a male teacher?" I was wrong. It is similiar to Gokusen but only because both are set in a high school class filled with troublemakers. Once you look past that, the two series are completely different. In Gokusen, Kumiko becomes friends with her students by keeping them from fighting and pretty much forcing herself into their friendships. Onizuka becomes friends with his students just by being himself. While he does protect his students, he has "They'll make the right decision" type of attitude when it comes to trying to get them to do the 'correct' thing. GTO is a really good series that I would recommend to anyone.
Real Name: Anzai Tomoko
Birthday: 5/26/77
Height: 5'7" (171cm)
Where do I know her from? Densha Otoko, Gokusen, Taiho Shichauzo (You're Under Arrest), Maison Ikkoku (live action drama), Ju-on: The Grudge
Tell me some more! Besides acting and modeling, Misaki is qualified to teach kindergarten. She also has a license to be a social welfare officer. Despite it being rather uncommon for Japanese celebrities, Misaki has drivers license as well.
What is your opinion of her? At this point in time, I've only seen a couple of her series. She seems to do well playing a "typical" quiet Japanese woman. I have yet to see her in a role where she breaks the rules or is more forceful with her feelings. It would be interesting to see her try out some different types of characters.
I know this isn't a jdorama or a movie but it is live action. Last night, I watched the second of the musical stage plays based on the manga Bleach titled Rock Musical BLEACH Saien. While it tells the same story as the anime (I haven't read the manga so I'll only be able to compare it to the anime) up through the beginning of the Soul Society arc, it takes a winding road to get there. You start off with Ichigo getting Rukia's powers and working through killing Hollows but then you end up in a flashback. Urahara tells the backstory of how Ichigo ended up in Soul Society. I'm not sure if people who aren't already familiar with Bleach would understand what is going on.
I found it interesting that there is no set on the stage. The entire musical is performed in a 'black box.' There are some risers and stairs so you can have different levels on the stage but that's it. The only props used are the individual Zanpakuto swords that each Shinigami carries. Effects are carried out through smoke and lights.
It was also rather disappointing that Ishida is not in any of the musicals. Most likely because his power (a soul bow and arrow) would be difficult to perform on the stage. Though I'll note that Orihime's power is used (fairy-type beings that combine to make shields), though there is nothing to show the fairies. There's just a light when the shield pops into place. It would have been nice to have the entire group together but nothing was really lost from his absence.
Overall, it wasn't a terrible musical. Yes, it had it's cheesy moments but I'm pretty sure that all musicals based on manga/anime will be cheesy.
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.
I know I have been really behind on posting reviews and I apologize for that. I have had some health-related problems for the past few weeks. Luckily, they should be fixed this week and I can be back to normal posting next week or the week after.
Here are the series I still have in my backlog to review:
Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon
Trick
Trick 2
Trick 3
I also have the first Nana movie, the Densha Otoko specials and Moon Child (movie). I will also try to post a few more mini-biographies of some j-actors. If you liked the concert review, I have 4 more Gackt concerts I can review as well as 1 Arashi concert and 1 L'arc~en~Ciel concert.
Please bear with me a little longer. The reviews will return full force as soon as possible!
Also known as: I'm Your Pet
Broadcast date: 4/9/03 - 6/18/03
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Cast: Koyuki, Matsumoto Jun, Tanabe Seiichi
Plot: Journalist Iwaya Sumire (Koyuki) has had a terrible day - her longtime boyfriend broke up with her and she got a demotion at work. On the way home, she finds an injured boy (Matsumoto Jun) in a cardboard box. After nursing him back to health, the boy claims that he will do anything in order to stay with her. So Iwaya takes him in as a pet and names him Momo, after the dog she owned when she was a child.
What is good: MatsuJun is pretty cute as Momo.
What is bad: The "ideal" man that all the girls want (Tanabe Seiichi) is a huge dork, whereas everyone calls him "cool."
Letter rating: B
Overall: Kimi wa Petto is a very cute show. However, there isn't a whole lot of depth to it. While you like the characters, there isn't anything to make you really feel for them. Iwaya seems to be stuck in this sadness, even when she's supposed to be happy. Takeshi shines when he takes on the Momo personality but is fairly dull as himself. This is something that you'd watch when you have nothing else to watch and you don't want to turn on your brain.
Buy it here!
