Show Show Show (쇼쇼쇼-2003)

Starring:
Jun-Sang Yu - San-hae
Seon-yeong Park - Yun-hie
Seon-gyun Lee - Sang-cheol
Jae-hwan Ahn - Dong-ryong
Se-a Kim - Suk-ja
Bo-eun Choi - Kyeong-a
Yong-geon Kim - Yun-hie's father
Byeong-gi Jo - Dong-shik
Eun-pyo Jeong - Yong-man
Seo-rin Cha - Maeng Suk
Min-a Jang
Seon-mi Yeon
Su-hyeon Kim (02/20/1970)
Cheol-jin Shin
Ji-su Shin
Moon-sik Yun
Hye-ok Kim

San-hae has a habit for chasing unreachable dreams but never attaining them. His best friend, Sang-chul, is yet to find direction in his life but always lives by his life motto: to live and die for his friends. Dong-leung, a naive and timid student, consistently lacks the courage to live on his own and always submits to his father's orders. Although radically different in personalities, San-hae, Sang-chul, and Dong-leung are the best of friends. Then one day, while gambling on a card game, they inherit a run-down bar. Initially excited about their earnings, the three friends later realize that running a bar is far from easy. Then San-hae comes up with an idea to bring in customers; he decides to create a bartending extravaganza entitled "The Show", a brand new concept in Seoul during the 1970s.

Hm. This movie was actually pretty boring at the beginning. It was rather stupid. Sang-chul and his farting was ridiculous, NOT funny. If that was supposed to be a comedic act...it wasn't.

There was a supposed romance between Sanae and Yun-hie but I felt nothing. He started out indifferent towards her. I have no clue when it became love. It was too weird. All of a sudden it was a Romeo and Juliet love story but I can't figure out when it happened. It wasn't a fun romance that left a bitter taste in my mouth.

The bottle tricks...were okay. Some came out clean where the others were fumblish.

Okay, this movie, after I've read what I've typed....sucked! Suck is a harsh word. This movie just wasn't fun like I hoped it would be.

Watch at your own risk. You've been warned.

Love Generation (ラブジェネレーション -1997)

Starring:
Kimura Takuya as Katagiri Teppei
Matsu Takako as Uesugi Riko
Fujiwara Norika as Takagi Erika
Uchino Masaaki as Katagiri Soichiro
Junna Risa as Mizuhara Sanae
Moriguchi Yoko as Shiroishi Nami
Hirata Mitsuru as Kurosaki Takeshi
Kawabata Ryuta as Yoshimoto Tamio
Izutsu Shinsuke as Sasaki Taisaku
Kishi Hiroyuki as Ootemon
Fukiishi Kazue as Uesugi Midori
Nakamura Ikuji as Ishihara
Inoue Takashi as Yoda
Yamazaki Naoki as Hosaka
Kondo Kyozo as Tsuji
Harada Shuichi as Hioki
Nomura Shinji as Shimamura Mitsuru
Shiina Kippei (guest) as Ogasahara Korekiyo
Igarashi Izumi as Uesugi Youko
Suzuki Mie as Uesugi Sachiko
Kurotani Tomoka as Harumi
Igawa Hisashi as Uesugi Ken'ichi
Namase Katsuhisa as Ando-san
Sato Tamao
Shinagawa Toru

Katagiri Teppei (Kimura Takuya) is a promising creative agent, but whose attitude gets him transferred to the sales department. He has to learn to adapt to the new working environment, which includes cutting his precious locks of hair to create a neater and more appropriate image. Helping him along the way is Uesugi Riko (Matsu Takako), whom he tried to pick up along the street earlier but was tricked by her instead. Riko does not have a good impression of him at first, but falls for him gradually. However, Teppei runs into his ex-girlfriend Mizuhara Sanae (Junna Risa) who is now the girlfriend of his brother Soichiro (Uchino Masaaki). Consoling him is Riko, whom Teppei likes gradually. Just when Teppei and Riko start dating, Sanae realises that she still likes Teppei...
-- JDorama.com

This is the second time I have watched this. I think this was one of the first dramas I had seen. I think I had been on a Kimura Takuya kick then. I watched a bazillion of his dramas in a row. LOL!

This, too, is one of my favorites. You watch as Teppei slowly falls in love with Riko. Their first encounter was a bomb in a male pride way. LOL! Their friendship started as affible, grew, and grew. I will admit I wasn't all that with Riko's character at first but you eventually understand how her love became almost a possession but then yet her actions (even though a little extreme) were absolutely believable from a female perspective.

If by chance, you haven't seen this drama, give it a whirl. It is an oldie but goodie. And, he too, is a little younger (this being 10 years ago!) and oh soooo cute!!

Virgin Road (バージンロード -1997)

Starring:
Wakui Emi as Sakurai Kazumi
Sorimachi Takashi as Yoshimi Kaoru
Hosho Mai as Onda Kiri
Terawaki Yasufumi as Arikawa Jun
Kitahara Masaki as Sakurai Taku
Furuoya Masato as the bar owner
Sera Masanori
Yo Kimiko as Michi
Takeda Tetsuya as Sakurai Hikari

To pursue her dreams, Sakurai Kazumi quits her job and goes to New York to study jewelry design, against the objections of her naggy and stubborn but well-meaning father. As part of remaking herself, she changes from spectacles to contact lenses, even though she has problems adapting to them. When she accidentally drops her contact lenses, a mysterious man helps prevent them from being stepped on, but he walks away before she can talk to him.

Some years pass, and Kazumi is on a plane home after receiving a letter from her brother Taku saying their father is critically ill. She has morning sickness and has some run-ins on the plane with a sloppily-dressed man, and it is only when she drops her contacts and the man helps her in a similar way that she recognises him. She chases after him and asks, "would you like to do some work?" It turns out that Kazumi in her last letter from New York had written that she was in a relationship with someone and that they might soon marry, but since then she has broken up with him, and she didn't want to make her father upset by coming home alone. The man, a freelance journalist named Yoshimi Kaoru, agrees to pretend to be her fiancé.

On reaching home, Kazumi discovers that her father is not actually on his deathbed (he just had minor surgery), and everyone discovers that Taku had written that letter back to Kazumi where their father says he's happy about the relationship. But the biggest shock comes when Kazumi admits that she's pregnant, and that she wants to have the baby... ~All information taken from DramaWiki~

I started watching this a long time ago and I don't really remember why I stopped watching it. That was my bad.

This is probably now one of my most favorite Japanese dramas of all time.

No doubt about it, this had all the elements in it that drew my heart into it. Enough comedy, emotion, drama, and romance....definite romance, indeed. There were so many times that I had to hold my bladder because I didn't want to leave my computer screen. I had to keep going. I couldn't turn away. I had to know what was going to happen. Each episode was a pure delight to watch. ESPECIALLY the last!!!

Geez, I had enough tears to fill the Gobi desert. It was such a beautiful love story. The very end was a bit weak because you knew it was going to happen but yet I still had tears because I was so freakin' happy!

Sorimachi Takashi is the most gorgeous Japanese man I have EVER seen. This drama, well, you would just have to watch it to see him. His latest dramas, he is much older. This drama was created over 10 years ago...so imagine. But he is still a good looking man today. *sigh*

Rule Number One (第一诫 -2008)

Starring:
Ekin Cheng
Fiona Xie
Shawn Yue
Stephanie Che

A police officer after injured and killing a serious criminal gets transferred to another department called "Miscellaneous Affairs Department" where Rule Number One is " There Is No Such Thing Called Ghost".



This was one totally insane movie. It was cool!

At first it was like really weird. Then it got weirder. Then I thought I had it figured out. And I did really, but they twisted the movie and had me doubting myself. But then at the very end, I was right all along. Aaagh!

The movie pretty much tells you at the very beginning of the story the ending. Listen. And then figure it out at the end. I just gave you a hint.

This was totally freaking but totally thrilling.

I just loved Shawn' and Ekin's characters. I love them individually put when they are together, it's totally an awesome movie thrill ride.

"Nothing isn't at seems, or is it?"

Sweet Rain (死神の精度-2008)

Starring:
Takeshi Kaneshiro
Manami Konishi
Supporting Cast
Takuya Ishida
Ken Mitsuishi
Junko Fuji
Jun Murakami
Mitsuru Fukikoshi
Erika Okuda

Chiba (Takeshi Kaneshiro) appears seven days before a person dies an unexpected death. His job is to observe the person for seven days, and then decide either to ‘execute’ or ‘pass over’. Getting his work quickly out of the way, he goes to the listening booth of a CD shop and indulges in his favorite pastime, listening to ‘humanity’s greatest invention’: music. He is...a Grim Reaper. Today, again, in the rain, he waits. His subject, her death due in seven days, is Kazue Fujiki (Manami Konishi), 27. She works for a manufacturing company, in the complaints department. Exhausted after her day, she emerges from her office. It’s time for the Reaper to go to work.



Okay this movie had me crying at the very beginning. Well, not crying, teary-eyed...yes! The little girl reminded me of my daughter and I couldn't stop comparing the two.

I've read reviews of this movie where it's too slow and didn't make sense. I don't understand that. Okay, yes it was a bit slow but it wasn't boring at all. In actuality, this movie had 3 separate stories that correlated with each other. It's not until the last story that you are like "OMG!"

This movie, at first, has a depressing feel. The rain will get to you. Its really is a mirror image of Chibas emotions. Never having lived a human life, he never really understood what living was like. So not being able to live, he didn't understand what it really meant to die either.

This is a beautiful story of life and death. I think the story was meant to give hope to those that believe hope is lost.

This might be a story for everyone. Only because I think it takes a lot of thought and having lived a life to understand how to appreciate this movie. I think all should sit and think about what the author truly meant.

Bijo ka Yajuu (美女か野獣 -2003)

Starring:
Matsushima Nanako as Takamiya Makoto
Fukuyama Masaharu as Nagase Hiromi
Watanabe Ikkei as Kuze Teruhiko
Yashima Norito as Towatari Kantaro
Sasaki Kuranosuke as Kote Hiroshi
Shiraishi Miho as Shirai Yukino
Nagai Masaru as Yamamoto Takeshi
Papaya Suzuki as Kacchin
Fukaura Kanako as Akiyama Fujiko
Kodama Kiyoshi as Sakuragi Kyoichiro
Shimizu Shogo as Tamaru Reishi
Shiga Kotaro as Tsurumaki Yukio
Yamamoto Ryuuji as Sakamoto Daisuke
Morishita Tetsuo as Todo Seichi
Okada Tadashi (岡田正)
Guests
Katsurayama Shingo
Nakamura Ikuji (中村育二)
Matsuo Masatoshi
Tomoya Nanami (七海智哉)
Taguchi Mitsuhisa (田口光久)
Sano Mizuki (佐野瑞樹)
Tozawa Yusuke (戸沢佑介)
Masu Takeshi
Sahara Kenji (佐原健二)
Tsurumi Shingo
Ishida Taro
Michael Tomioka (マイケル富岡)
Mizukawa Asami
Kusabue Mitsuko
Watanabe Noriko
Ikari Yukiko
Komoto Masahiro
Anan Kenji
Ishii Kota
Kunimura Jun
Asanuma Shinpei (浅沼晋平)
Ogishima Shinichi (荻島眞一)
Aoki Kenji (青木堅治)
Okuno Tadashi (奥野匡)
Ryu Raita
Yamada Meikyo
Tokui Yuu
Hiraga Masaomi
Morishita Chisato
Kagaya Junichi (ep7)
Yamamoto Ryuji

After graduating from the Tokyo University School of Law, Takamiya Makoto (Matsushima Nanako) goes on to Harvard University where she earns an MBA. She later works at one of the "big three" networks in the United States as a news reporter. While covering a story on an international symposium in Paris, Makoto is scouted to work for JBC Television in Japan. The news producer at JBC wants to use Makoto to help raise low viewer ratings. He persuades her to work for him for an absurdly high salary, and also gives her the right to hire who she needs.

While Makoto is being brought in to be the savior of the News Department, one man gets transferred from the Variety Department. His name is Nagase Hiromi (Fukuyama Masaharu). Since joining JBC Television, all he has done is variety programs. Although Hiromi has done everything he possibly could to ensure his programs are a success, his boss just could not take anymore of Hiromi's behavior which ranged from getting caught up in scandals with female television personalities, punching-out assistant directors, to taking kickbacks from production companies. His boss finally tells Hiromi to make a fresh start in the "hard nosed" News Department.

So now the News Department has Makoto who thinks high ratings are the meaning of life, and Hiromi who values the success of a program as just a tool for the full enjoyment of life. These two totally different personalities mix it up and somehow reach a mutual understanding, creating a delightful "light comedy" for adults.

Okay, this drama took me atleast 4 tries. No joke. Not that it was bad but because the newer dramas were coming out and I kept puting it off to watch.

Anyway, finally finished it this morning. This was really, really, really cute. Okay, I had to start from the beginning because I kept forgetting the beginning but once I got on a role....this was a decent comedy/drama with a few popular faces we've seen before.

Fukuyama Masaharu is cute as a button. And he's my age!!!! Okay, he's a little older but dang if he ain't a hottie near the age of 40! Whew!

Anyway, back to the drama. Of course, it had the typical moral to the story plot. This was one that told the story of personal values and truth. Time and again, each episode showed the protagonist fighting her personal demons about what was "right or wrong". The stories were filling and endearing in many ways.

My only qualm from this is that the story ended well but didn't finish the story between Hiromi and Makoto. They were in love 9 years and 3 months ago. They come back together and help each other in many ways but yet......Makoto leaves for NY but we are left with a "Huh?" because we ( I was anyay) were led to believe that the soulmates would be back together. So I was romantically dissatisfied with that but in all....the show was top rate.

Yasuko to Kenji ( ヤスコとケンジ -2008)

Starring:
Matsuoka Masahiro as Oki Kenji
Hirosue Ryoko as Tsubaki Erika
Tabe Mikako as Oki Yasuko
Yagi Yuki as young Yasuko
Okura Tadayoshi as Tsubaki Jun
Yamaguchi Sayaka as Miyazono Kaori
Uchiyama Shinji as Mosu
Watabe Gota as Ajidasu
Higashi Ayu (東亜優) as Aki
Egashira Yui (江頭由衣) as Chisato
Kojima Haruna as Shingyoji Hiyoko
Nishida Natsumi (西田奈津美) as Rumi
Matsumoto Kana as Ayame
RIKIYA as Aota
HIRO as Akagawa
Shima Daisuke as Shibuya Masaru
Sakurai Atsuko as Hoshikawa Yukiko
Guests:
Sumita Takashi (住田隆) as Yasuko's class adviser (ep1-4)
Mochida Masayo (持田雅代) (ep1-5)
Fuse Hiroshi (ep1-7)
Yoza Eriku (与座重理久) (ep1)
Imamura Hirotsugu (今村浩継) (ep1)
Hiranuma Naruki (平沼成基) (ep1)
Tonaka Yuzo (渡仲裕蔵) (ep1)
Minai Satoshi (薬袋智史) (ep1)
Akashi Teppei (明石鉄平) (ep1)
Imakuni Masahiko (今國雅彦) (ep1)
Tanimoto Toru (谷本徹) (ep1)
Kataoka Tomie (片岡富江) (ep1)
Sato Yuji (佐藤佑四) (ep1)
Okubo Kazuma (大久保一麻 ) (ep1)
Inoue Chika (井上知香) (ep1)
Asada Yoriko (浅田よりこ) (ep1,3-4)
Ito Seika (伊藤聖夏) (ep1,3-4)
Okazaki Asako (岡崎亜紗子) (ep1,3-4)
Sasaoka Akari (笹丘明里) as Mizuki (ep1,3-4)
Kurihara Yurika (栗原夕梨花) (ep1,3-4)
Tokuta Kimika (徳田公華) (ep1,3-4)
Haruki Hiromi (春季ひろみ) (ep1,3-4)
Henmi Rena (辺見玲菜) (ep1,3-4)
Honma Risa (本間理紗) as Mao (ep1,3-4)
Mika (美華) (ep1,3-4)
Mukaino Mio (向野澪) (ep1,3-4)
Yamauchi Emiri (山内映美莉) as Yuriko (ep1,3-4)
Fujisaki Ran (藤咲らん) (ep1,3-4)
Yamazaki Nonoka (山崎野々華) (ep1,3-4)
Hirakawa Kentaro (平川健太郎) (ep1)
Kobayashi Kinako (ep2-3)
Tsuji Tatsuya (辻龍也) (ep2)
Ijima Hirokazu (飯島浩和) (ep2)
Yamaguchi Miki (山口幹) (ep2)
Serizawa Shigeo (芹澤新元祐) (ep2)
Takahashi Tomoya (高橋友也) (ep2)
Tamori Tatsumi (田盛辰実) (ep2)
Nagata Toshiki (永田俊樹) (ep2)
Watanabe Kankuro (渡邊寛久郎) (ep2)
Kubo Masatoshi (窪正寿) (ep2)
Akio (晃生) (ep2)
Tsunoda Akihiko (角田昭彦) (ep2)
Shimamura Shoji (嶋村昇次) (ep2)
Koyama Hironori (小山紘徳) (ep2)
Shindo Hiroshi (進藤浩志) (ep2)
Yamamura Hidekatsu (山村秀勝) (ep2,6)
Sato Eriko as Ai (ep3)
Oura Ryuichi (ep3)
Takahashi Keiko as Moriguchi Fumie (ep3)
Tani Ryuji (谷隆次) (ep3)
Naito Koji (内藤浩次) (ep3)
Nakazono Mitsuhiro (中薗光博) (ep3)
Kato Masaki (加藤マサキ) (ep3)
Tsumura Masayuki (津村雅之) (ep3)
Oka Kenji (岡憲治) (ep3)
Fukuda Takeshi (福田武史) (ep3)
Kato Teruo (加藤照男) (ep3)
Nihei Koichi (二瓶鮫一) (ep4)
Kataoka Tomie (片岡富枝) (ep4)
Watanabe Michiko (渡辺道子) (ep4)
Yasuda Shota as Yamada Mikio (ep5)
Anan Kenji as the doctor (ep5)
Endo Kaname (遠藤要) as Mikio's friend (ep5)
Minami Shuhei (南周平) (ep5)
Sato Yutaka (佐藤裕) (ep5)
Tamura Saburo (田村三郎) (ep5)
Tamura Shunsuke (田村駿介) (ep5)
Kameda Keita (亀田啓太) (ep5)
Kikuchi Takashi (菊池隆) (ep5)
Morita Ryu (森田龍) (ep5)
Nakamura Yuuichi (中村裕一) (ep5)
The Touch (ザ・たっち) (ep6-7)
Takuma Takayuki (ep6)
Ito Koji (偉藤厚次) (ep6)
Asami Kazutoshi (浅見和俊) (ep6)
Okura Hiroya (大倉弘也) (ep6)
Katou Hiroaki (加藤宏章) (ep6)
Kono Fumio (河野文雄) (ep6)
Hoshina Koji (保科光志) (ep6)
Sato Hiroaki (佐藤博秋) (ep6)
Hongo Ryo (北郷良) (ep6)
Yamada Kenichi (山田顕一) (ep6)
Kaji Takeshi (梶武志) (ep6)
Ogi Shigemitsu (ep7)

TOKIO's Masahiro Matsuoka will star in a new NTV drama series called "Yasuko to Kenji." It is based on a comical manga by artist Aruko that was serialized in Bessatsu Margaret between April 2005 and November 2006.
The show focuses on a man named Kenji and his younger sister Yasuko, whose parents died in an accident 10 years earlier. Kenji was once the leader of a gang, but in order to support him and his sister, he began making a living as a shojo mangaka. His character normally wears glasses and appears to be a gentle guy, but he throws off his glasses and reverts to his violent side whenever he tries to protect Yasuko from danger. Part of the story follows Yasuko's romance with an intelligent and good-looking man named Jun Tsubaki. Jun's older sister Erika now runs a flower shop, but Erika was once a leader of a female gang, and she used to be in love with Kenji during those days. --Tokyograph

This was a delightful...I mean it seriously...DELIGHTFUL drama! This had all the perfect elements to make this a hit. I seriously fell in love with this the first second I tuned in. Drama, comedy, romance, fighting, and serious manga-esque visualizations.

Tabe Mikako was brilliantly cast as the young sister, Yasuko. Okay, I wasn't overly sure of the character of Kenji but eventually understood why he was cast. He had me laughing so hard. Those facial expressions were a freakin' riot.

Having seen Hirosue Ryoko before, I knew she would be wonderful. I've liked her in many a drama. She was too cute as the wannabe girlfriend of Kenji. Gosh! I can't really say enough about this brilliant comedy. I was seriously in tears the last episode. I wasn't expecting the letter that Yasuko read about her brother. Geez, I was seriously all teary eyed. I didn't want this drama to end because it was just too good.

Damn! All my favorite dramas are coming to an end. What am I going to do this Fall season? Shoot me in the head because I'm beginning to get bored from nothing to watch now. Come on new season.....start me up!!

And for all you Kanjani8 fans....look below.............

Okura Tadayoshi

Ummm.......WHOA!!!

Style! (スタイル!-2000)

Starring:
Motoki Masahiro
Takeuchi Yuko
Sakai Maki
Sato Yasue
Hoshino Yuka
Arita Teppei (有田哲平)
Bando Eiji
Ishida Taro
Murakami Rikako
Toda Keiko
Sano Shiro
Ueda Shinya (上田晋也)
Okada Masumi
Aijima Kazuyuki (ep1)
Sakaguchi Kenji (ep6)
Murakami Rikako (ep8)
Ozawa Maju (ep9)

It's about life in a department store. Its stars Motoki Masahiro and Takeuchi Yuko. Motoki heads a personal shopper's department. This department recommends shopper's what to wear at no extra charge. The management wants to remove the department so people in the special department tries it's best from not being removed.

Okay, sorry no picture for the drama. It's pretty old. So it's hard to come by. The pics I did find were soooooo small it would have wasted my time to copy to the blog.

This was a very funny drama. Motoki Masahiro was freakin' hilarious as the department's manager. He's egotistic when it comes to women. As we watch, we learn that he was dumped by his first love who married his best friend. So his interactions with women were that to forget her.

As the story unfolds, he learns more about women as his charges are all women with the exception of one man who is gay. His love for his job becomes more apparent and he starts to care about his employees and himself who he seemed to forget.

This was truly delightful. The story didn't really end the way I liked it. Yuko-chan's character left him a note but we never got to find out what it said and I truly wanted to know. A second season will never come to conception since this drama is over 8 years old. Too bad. It truly could have expanded more so and finalized his relationship with Yuko-chan.

Happy Boys (ハッピィボーイズ / ハッピィ★ボーイズ -2007)

Starring:
Seto Koji as Segawa Kyoichi
Kamakari Kenta as Akasaka Junta
Kato Keisuke as Kitamura Kosuke
Shindo Gaku as Inada Gen
Nagashima Shugo as Tsuruoka Kokoro
Sugawara Eiji as Fukawa Kiichi
Fujimura Shunji as Shikawaichi Kura
Tanaka Tetsushi as Katano Sakatoru
Guests
Komatsu Megumi (小松愛) (ep1-2)
Ueno Natsuhi (ep3-4)
Morishita Hisae (森下仁佐恵) (ep5-6)
Uemura Takahiro (植村好宏) (ep5-6)
Ikeda Kaori (池田香織) (ep7-8)
Hashimoto Atsushi (ep7-8)
Minemura Rie (峯村リエ) (ep9-10)
Toyonaga Toshiyuki (豊永利行) (ep9-10)
Kino Hana (木野花) (ep11-13)

A comedy following five young men who work at Lady Braganza, a shitsuji kissa (butler café).

This was a classic Japanese comedy about young men coming of age. To spice it up, add five good-looking guys and let the saliva drip off your chin. Okay, only two of the guys did it for me.

I was hoping for something more dramatic at the end, but I had the end figured out at the next to last episode. With all these cute guys and girls visiting the parlor, where was the young love? A little confusing to me because...well...they are in their prime of life. Some sugar and spice should have been happening.

Okay, so maybe they were trying to delegate the theme of the story without lust involved. Okay, so I sat there dreamy eyed looking at cute guys who had lessons to learn and life to live without hormones controling the whole story. Got it! Ahhhhh, but young love...............

This wasn't my favorite nor my most disliked. It kept me interested, killed time, and left me a little bereft but nothing I couldn't get over. And well, the eye-candy was fetching.............

Kamakari Kenta


Kato Keisuke

Ashura-jo no Hitomi (2005)

Starring:
Somegoro Ichikawa - Izumo Wakuraba
Rie Miyazawa - Tsubaki
Kanako Higuchi - Bizan
Atsuro Watabe - Jaku Abe
Fumiyo Kohinata - Nanboku Tsuruya IV
Takashi Naitô - Nobuyuki Kuninari
Yukijiro Hotaru - Magotaro
Hanae Kan - Emishi
Kazuo Kuwabara
Sarutoki Minagawa - Takiji
Koji Ookura - Hyozo
Erika Sawajiri - Yachi
Kumiko Tsuchiya - Oiran

"Prepare to gaze into Hell."

Set in 19th Century Edo, the story begins with demons, led by the beautiful and nefarious Bizan, plotting to wreck havoc in old Edo with the ultimate aim of bringing their queen, Ashura, back to life and taking over the world. Who can stop them?

The government forms the Oni Mikado, an elite government force dedicated to defending the capital from demons.

An original - and most talented - member of the elite, Izumo "Demon Slayer" Wakuraba, has since resigned and become a kabuki actor with a travelling troupe. Meanwhile the Oni Mikado leader, Nobuyuki Kuninari, and his fierce, canny lieutenant Jaku Abe carry on, slaying demons along their way.

However, a troupe of female acrobats is wreaking havoc of another kind by turning thief at night and fighting running battles with the authorities.

One of their number, Tsubaki, stays free with Izumo's help, but as their acquaintance blossoms into love, a painful red scar appears on her shoulder: the mark of Ashura.

She struggles to remember an incident five years earlier that holds the key to her current dilemma and eventual fate.

Then Jaku falls under Bizan's erotic spell and goes over to the dark side. She sends him after Tsubaki to bring about the horrific transformation of Tsubaki.

Based on Kazuki Nakashima's famous kabuki play.



This was a fascinating movie. From the get go, excitement. Totally entertaining.

Izumo's jokes and sword play kept me invigorated. I couldn't turn my eyes away. He wasn't the prettiest of men but his presence and charisma made him handsome...extremely.

I can't explain the movie. It wasn't high tech. It didn't have "A" class actors but yet this could be one of my favorite movies. I can't understand it myself.

The story was reminiscent of an old American 80's flick. It kind of reminded me of the movie Legend (the Tom Cruise movie). The story is not even close but yet the effects and acting were about the same.

This movie has gotten a bazillion mixed reviews...some can't stand it. Where as, I totally thought this movie rocked my socks off. So I guess this movie would be for discriminating tastes. You either love it or hate it.

If I were to ever find this movie at the store, I would definitely pick this up and buy it.

Aquarian Age: Juvenile Orion The Movie (アクエリアンエイジ 劇場版 -2008)

Starring:
Dori Sakurada
Rakuto Tochihara
Takuya Uehara
Keita Kimura
Akio Fukuhara
Nao Nagasawa
Gou Ayano
Masami Horiuchi

The story of Aquarian Age revolves around the war between secret organizations who have been fighting each other since the beginning of human society.


Alice Nine-Mirror Ball~~Theme song to the movie..........


Ummm.....this movie was alright. But it wasn't all that either. Too many cuts to different still shots. Slowed the pace of the movie which left some moments left unanswered or it could have had more dialogue. Something just wasn't right and it left a bitter taste in my mouth.

The guys were cute but they couldn't save this movie. The story could have been better written. It's based of a Japanese manga which they could have followed but didn't. The jumping of the movie really ruined the theme. This could have been a really good movie..even great. The idea was there. The guys were cute and ready to act. Somebody in the editing, writing or directing department f***ed this movie up.

The only really good part out of the whole movie was watching Alice Nine perform Mirror Ball. They are an awesome Visual Kei Japanese rock band. So I got atleast something out of this decrepit movie. Oh....and they screwed up the ending or they did it on purpose to leave us to believe there is a second movie. I hope so....or they screwed that up too.

Kids (キッズ-2008)

Starring:
Teppei Koike - Asato
Hiroshi Tamaki - Takeo
Chiaki Kuriyama
Shigeru Izumiya

Asato Teppei Koike is a sensitive young man with the ability to transfer other people's wounds to his own body. His strange healing powers lead to friendship with the troubled Takeo Hiroshi Tamaki.



Woohoo! I've have been going nuts wondering when this movie was going to be subbed and released. Insane craziness for this movie. My first love being Tamaki-kun! *goosebumps* He looked so different in the most absolutely, best wonderful way! LOL! Oooooh, so HOT! I loved the scruffy look. So....mmmm....manly!

At first, I was concerned about the first 20 minutes of the movie. It was slow and nothing was really interesting. *Blah* But I held on because "my man" was in this. Oh, I knew it would get better and it was more terrific than I had hoped for.

This movie was absolutely amazing. Again, I will repeat, this being a Japanese movie, there is a hidden moral to the story. Of course.

Asato has a gift. His mother thinks it's a curse. Evil. The movie revolves around this gift but it's more about the aspects of forgiveness and friendship.

I was really scared about the ending because of Asato's gift....it could have been either/or. But the ending was sweet and suffice it to say.....hopeful. *smiles*

Taming of the Shrew (Nallari Jongbujeon / 날나리 종부전 -2008)

Starring:
Jung-ah Park - Yeon-soo Jeen
Jin-woo Park - Jeong-doo Lee
Supporting Cast
Sang-gu Jo
Won-jong Lee
Hyeon-ki Kim
Geum-seok Yang
Il-hwa Lee
Il-jae Lee


Inspired by Shakespeare's classic of the same name. Beautiful and rich, Yeon-su (Park Jung-a) lives a life of freedom and indulgence, having any man she wants. That is, until she meets and falls for her polar opposite in Jung-do, an awkward and polite young gentleman. Meeting her future in-laws is a baptism by fire as she learns to become a proper lady. Little does she know that the family is actually the head of a notorious mob, setting up a blood feud.




LOL! This was a very cute movie. I will say the beginning was a little messed up. I couldn't figure out why she was meeting up with Jeong-doo. Something about him having her phone or something. That had me a little confused. Ah well.....

.....Other than that, this movie was a cute Korean comedy. Mainly about family, trust, and learning to live with the in-laws. I would say that this could be another "never judge a book by its cover" movie. Yeon-soo was a little spoiled brat at the beginning but genuinely good at heart. Eventually she wins the in-laws over, but more importantly she learns that maybe, just maybe, she loves her father.

This was something fun and sweet. More of a girly movie....luckily I'm a girl. Totally enjoyable and Park Jin Woo was freakin' darling in this movie. He's got such sweet and innocent features.....he's just got to be a good boy. LOL!

Park Jin Woo

Sleepless Town (Fuyago-1998)

Starring:
Takeshi Kaneshiro
Mirai Yamamoto
San Boon Mei Loi
Eric Tsang Chi-Wai
Sihung Lung
Kathy Chow Hoi-Mei

Kenichi (Kaneshiro) is a half-Japanese, half-Chinese man of the underworld. You can sell him anything except children's organs. His domain is in Kabukicho, a gangland controlled by various Shanghainese gangs intent on taking overall control. Things are calm, however, his former partner-in-crime, Fu-Chun, is rumoured to have returned to Kabukicho, having fled years earlier after killing the number two to gangland boss, Yuan (Tsang). Yuan wants to get even and attempts to do so by using Kenichi. Meanwhile, Fu-chun's girlfriend, Natsumi Sato (Yamamoto) turns up to sell something to Kenichi.

Sleepless Town was a pleasant surprise for me, a well-written and well-executed film, with a gangster storyline containing enough twists to win a dance contest.

I'm a totall Kaneshiro fan. Another actor whose movies have never failed me in their aptitude, drama and action.

The fast paced setting actually started me out quite confused. Mainly, I couldn't read the subs fast enough to save my life. I'll admit I ended up having to pause many times to read what they were saying. So fast the pace....the subs couldn't keep up...so neither could I. But that actually had nothing to do with the movie in itself.....just the viewer who had to read at a 100mph. LOL!

The beginning mainly began with a lot of talking (hence my dilemma). Eventually, once I caught on, the story unfolded so fast but there were sooooo many twist and turns that once you thought you had the movie figured out...*poof*...something else would happen leaving you to scratch your head.

The best part of the movie was the end. OMG! It was a beautiful ending. I sat there gasping. I wouldn't really call this movie a romance but the ending was so moving that it had me wondering all along. I didn't cry but oddly sat there in awe...............

Maou (魔王 -2008)

Starring:
Ohno Satoshi as Naruse Ryo/Mannaka Tomoo
Kouno Hiroki as young Tomoo (11 years ago)
Ikuta Toma as Serizawa Naoto
Kimura Haruki as young Naoto (11 years ago)
Kobayashi Ryoko as Sakita Shiori
Masuyama Kayano as young Shiori (11 years ago)
Tanaka Kei as Kasai Hitoshi
Uemura Yuto as young Hitoshi (11 years ago)
Oshinari Shugo as Soda Mitsuru
Honma Haruo as young Mitsuru (11 years ago)
Waki Tomohiro as Ishimoto Yosuke
Nakamura Ryunoshin (中村竜之慎) as young Yosuke (11 years ago)
Uehara Misa as Takatsuka Kaoru
Shinohara Mai as Nishina Eri
Shimizu Yutaka (清水優) as Yamano Makoto
Horimoto Takaya (堀本昴弥) as young Makoto
Iida Kisuke as Ishihara Kanrikan
Tonesaku Toshihide as Kurata Takashi
Kichise Michiko as Serizawa Mari
Gekidan Hitori as Serizawa Noriyoshi
Miyake Yuji (三宅裕司) as Nakanishi Hiromichi
Ishizaka Koji as Serizawa Eisaku
Takeuchi Toshi (竹内寿) as Mannaka Hideo
Guests
Ninomiya Kazunari as Kumada Masayoshi (ep1)
Asaka Mayumi as Mannaka Yoshimi (ep1,2,4)
Morishita Tetsuo as Kumada Takahiro (ep1,2)
Kitaro as Hayashi Kunio (ep1,2)
Okunuki Kaoru as Shintani Tae (ep2-)
Ono Momoka (大野百花) as Shintani Sora (ep2-)
Musaka Naomasa as Ikehata Takahiro (ep4-7)
Yuka as Naruse Makiko (ep4-7)
Tanino Ota (谷野欧太) as the real Naruse Ryo (ep5-)
Shimada Kyusaku as Osumi Kazuma (ep5-)

This drama is a remake of the popular suspense drama The Devil that was aired in Korea last year. Ohno Satoshi will be playing the role of a two-faced lawyer, one of which is a kind hearted soul and the other who is plotting revenge, using his brilliant mind, on the person who killed his relative. On the other hand, Ikuta Toma will play the double lead role of the man, who has become a detective due to his dark past, who is pursuing the mysterious series of murders and fighting against the devil (maou).

OMG! OMG! OMG! This drama rocked my world and then some.

This was the very first drama that I had to wait patiently for but it was so hard. I would check all drama websites for updates. I would scream and curse if it wasn't posted yet. *Nothing against the subbers. I swear!* I just loved this drama so much. I loved Arashi's opening theme. I loved the actors. I loved the script. I loved the whole damn thing from the bottom of my heart.

It was sooooo hard to hate Naruse (Ohno). You understood his dilemma, his pain, and his revenge. Ohno-kun was perfect for this role. He balanced the evil and angelic parts so well. His face was the perfect picture of self-righteousness and fallen angel. As the story went on, it got so hard to see the evil in him but only the spiral of the hurricane that had swept him out into the abyss of retribution.

I wasn't at all sure how well Toma-kun was going to pull off the character of Serizawa Naoto. All I can see is the dumb, goofy guy from Hana Kimi. Well, taking on the serious role of the rebellious but yet law abiding detective fit him perfectly as well. Every episode, I would silently weep for him and the travels he had to take to receive redemption. *sigh* It was like, how much more should he suffer after carrying the weight of guilt of his past sins? How much more did he have to suffer?

I will say that as I watched the ending...the last episode...I felt myself tense up. I wasn't sure how this would play out. I didn't want a crappy ending. But there was hope...this is a Japanese drama after all.

As it got closer and closer....my heart ached. Then I got angry. Then I cried some more. Then this "whoosh" of air was expelled from my chest as I realized I was holding back my breath and the pain of my tears. The ending became PERFECT. I won't say if it was a happy or sad ending but will say that I now have a runny nose and tear stained cheeks. Tears of joy? Or happiness? You decide.

Ohno Satoshi

Look at this pretty face.......*sigh* Can I keep him?

Yoiko no Mikata (よい子の味方 -2003)

Starring:
Sakurai Sho as Suzuki Taiyo
Matsushita Yuki as Mita Shizuka
Fukiishi Kazue as Sakai Minako
Endo Shozo Sasaki Shuzo
Yazawa Shin as Kojima Kaoru
Yoshida Hideko as Yoshikawa Kiyoko
Hamada Mari as Yokoyama Sayuri
Matsushima Nahomi as Tanaka Rie
Itaya Yuka as Arai Erika
Otoha as Omoto Rumi
Matsumoto Jun as Sawada Shin (Gokusen)
Waki Tomohiro as KUMA (Gokusen)
Aiba Masaki
Ohno Satoshi
Saito Ryusei
Hirooka Yuriko

Ask any nursery-aged little girl what she wants to be when she grows up and she's bound to say nurse, florist, or ballerina. Ask any nursery-aged little boy what he wants to be when he grows up and he's bound to say policeman, fireman, sports player, or pilot. As for 20-year-old young man Taiyo Suzuki, however, he's had different aspirations all his life. Moved by his elderly nursery school teacher, Taiyo decided then and there that he too would also become one. Now, having passed the nursery school teacher examination, bright-eyed and eager Taiyo is out to make his mark on a totally female-dominated world. Posted at the Himawari Nursery School to cover for another teacher on maternity leave, Taiyo has but a few short months to prove himself to the female teachers and children's mothers who are arrayed against him that he is every bit as capable as the women. And more importantly, along the way, he'll make his mark with his sparkle and energy to be a true best friend to the children at the school as well. --- NTV



I love, love, love, love this drama. Why, oh why, was it so hard to find online? Well, because the fansubbers specifically pulled all those episodes off because they weren't giving permission to do so. Soooooooo..........................

I got a wild hair. I found the subbers. STORMY fansubs. I found their blog site. They had all episodes there ready for downloading. So I did. I'm so glad I made the effort.

Imagine Gokusen. Then imagine Gokusen in kindergarten. Yeah, Sakurai Sho is our beloved teacher. He himself had pretty much the same hang-ups as Yankumi. You wouldn't really imagine Sho-kun as a kindergarten teacher...but damn if it didn't work. He was wonderful. I think I cried every freakin' episode. They were so sentimental and happy. So happy that you couldn't help but tear up. Oh....episode 6 you'll cry not because of happiness. Sooooooo sad. Ugh!

If you have the time, Winamp, and HJsplit......download this freakin' drama! It's so wonderful. Sho-kun is excellent. So excellent enough to cry on a freakin' dime. I couldn't spill that many tears like he can....and they seem truly sincere!

Can I say I loved it? Yeah? I LOVED IT!!!!

I love you Sakurai Sho! Ohhhhhh, and Aiba, Ohno, and Matsumoto-kun made some guest appearances. Ohno-kun! I love you, too!

Sakurai Sho

The Drummer (Jin. gwu / 戰·鼓 -2007)

Starring:
Jaycee Chan - Sid
Tony Leung Ka Fai - Kwan
Angelica Lee - Hong Dou
Supporting Roles
Roy Cheung - Ah Chiu
Josie Ho - Sina
Kenneth Tsang - Stephen Ma
Hei-Yi Cheng - Carmen
Ruo-yu Liu - Lan Jie
Chih-chun Huang - Sifu
Glen Chin - Uncle Tak
Ken Lo - Long
Eugenia Yuan - Kwan's wife

Cocky Sid insults Ma in front of the latter's men, leading Ma to demand both of Sid's hands on a platter from Sid's father, Kwan (Tony Leung Ka-fai), who runs a rival gang but owes Ma a favor. Kwan tracks down Sid and dispatches him for safety to Taiwan, in the company of deputy gang leader Chiu (Roy Cheung).

Third reel finds bored Sid and ever-watchful Chiu in a Taiwanese village, above which Sid one day finds a reclusive community of Zen drummers who also practice tai chi and martial arts. Mesmerized by their open-air exercises, Sid asks to join -- and is tentatively accepted. He's equally mesmerized by their most junior member, Hong Dou (Lee Sinje, aka Angelica Lee, from "The Eye"), but she coquettishly snubs him.

Bi injects a fair measure of light comedy, leavening the gangster material and also making Sid a likeable ne'er-do-well. Latter's inauguration into the live-rough community is handled with charm and humor, and tight editing (with copious fadeouts) keeps things moving along. By never taking itself too seriously, pic manages to stir a spiritual element -- the mystical properties of traditional drumming -- into what is basically a genre movie.



Bravo! Bravo! Bravo! This was an excellent freakin' movie! I was so stupidified. I couldn't believe that Jackie Chan's son could act so admirably. I've seen him act before but it was the usual kung-fu Hong Kong hype. That's okay in itself but this movie was not anything close to the Hong Kong norm, in that their wasn't a bit of martial art action other than Tai-Chi.

This movie was about patience and loving yourself. Sometimes life gives you a door that you wouldn't normally take but sometimes that door is the better door to open even if it leads to climbing your way up than taking the easy way up on an elevator.

You could say this was about drumming but yet......no.

The movie, yes, did get slow sometimes but it was pleasant and I loved the way it flowed. It didn't stop and make you watch a scene for seconds....stop....another pretty scene....stop. Nope. The story started out fast......slowed....but stayed at a good pace...and then climaxed. Wow! Jaycee...I have more respect for you than ever.

Princess Princess D (プリンセス・プリンセスD - 2006)

Starring:
Kamakari Kenta as Yutaka Mikoto
Fujita Rei as Shihoudani Yuujirou
Sato Takeru as Kouno Tooru
Saito Takumi as Arisada Shuuya
Adachi Osamu as Sakamoto Akira
Nakamura Yuichi as Hanazono Otoya
Shibuya Kento as Minamoto Kurou
Kazuma as Mori Ranta
Ishiguro Hideo as Kujouin Haruka
Minami Shota as Koshino Masayuki
Sato Haruhiko as Harue Wataru
Yoshihara Hiroshi as Tadasu Takahiro
Yamamoto Kohei as Nadashou Kaoru

In all-boys school with a tradition of Princesses (boys chosen to attend school functions dressed up as girls to alleviate the tension between the students), Yutaka Mikoto, Shihoudani Yuujirou and Kouno Tooru are this year's chosen Princess team. Dissatisfied with the half-hearted efforts of the current Princesses, Hanazono Otoya creates his own team of Dark Princesses to rival for the students' attention.

Based on the shoujo manga Princess Princess (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princess_Princess_%28manga%29), by Mikiyo Tsuda.

Hmm? This was an average drama. It was okay. Not the best. In actuality, it bored the crap out of me the first few episodes but held on for improvement which it did.

It wasn't overly funny. I guess you could say this was a boredom buster since all my favorites have completed already or I'm waiting for updates of new episodes. I don't think I would have held on for those few episodes but had nothing else to do.

The guys were cute. That wasn't a lie. But the story wasn't all that intriguing. A little yaoi here and there but nothing that had my heart go pitter-patter.

This drama, to me, had no focus, no moral to the story, no learning experience. It was okay fun...thankfully the story picked up or I would have killed 4 hours of my not-so-exciting life.

Kamakari Kenta