Oresama (2004)

AKA: Me

Starring:
Miyavi
Takano Hassei
Kubata Shouta
Hamasama Akane
Oogushi Erika
Matsushima Ryouta

Miyavi plays a rockstar in Japan (a role he should be comfortable fitting into) in the year 2003. After being ambushed by screaming fangirls he enters a van, in which he falls asleep and is *magically* transported back to the year 1984. Receiving various reactions from the locals for his "fake" Japanese bills and eccentric attire, he reads a newspaper and realizes he's no longer in 2003. Meeting up with a local musician, he makes some friends, forms a band and various amusing antics ensue, including Miyavi meeting himself as a child and playing a live show for a bunch of screaming fans. Before long, however, Miyavi realizes he can't stick around in 1984 and he has to return to his present. The movie covers the story of how the 'hero', who has no house and no money he can use, meets other musicians and forms a band so they can make money to live off of. It is a 'half-autobiography', meaning it's partly based on Miyavi's real experiences in the music industry.


I fell in love with this movie. It was simple. It wasn't made to win an oscar. It was a naive movie about the "almost" life of guitar god, Miyavi. Miyavi playing himself.

Miyavi amazed me with his wholesome image and naive character improvisation of himself. Having tired of the fandom, his van is transported 20 years back in time to 1984. Of course, if you know what Miyavi looks like, it would be a complete culture shock for those in that time period. Or not. At that time, punk rock was still mainstream.

Realizing that he was transported back to fix himself as a little kid, he comes to learn about himself as an adult also. It's really an endearing piece of work. You can't help but melt a little bit as he actually plays with the child (who is actually him as a kid).

He comes to play in a simple band where he is not known...yet. At this time, he comes to learn to like himself as a band member and learns to trust himself again. No longer afraid of the rockstar status.

Miyavi ROCKS!

Miyavi

Kamen Rider The Next (仮面ライダー The Next-2007)

Starring:
Takeshi Hongo/Kamen Rider 1 - Masaya Kikawada (黄川田 将也, Kikawada Masaya)
Hayato Ichimonji/Kamen Rider 2 - Hassei Takano (高野 八誠, Takano Hassei)
Shiro Kazami/Kamen Rider V3 - Kazuki Kato (加藤 和樹, Katō Kazuki)
Kotomi Kikuma - Miku Ishida (石田 未来, Ishida Miku)
Chiharu Kazami - Erika Mori (森 絵梨佳, Mori Erika)

Actors Masaya Kikawada and Hassei Takano are returning from MASKED RIDER THE FIRST as Takeshi Hongo (Masked Rider 1) and Hayato Ichimonji (Masked Rider 2) respectively, while Kazuki Katou steps into the role of Shiro Kazami (Masked Rider V3). 22-year-old Katou previously appeared in the MASKED RIDER KABUTO (Kamen Raidaa Kabuto, 2006) TV series as Daisuke Kazama, the alter-ego of Masked Rider Drake, as well as the series’ accompanying theatrical film MASKED RIDER KABUTO: GOD SPEED LOVE (Kamen Raidaa Kabuto Goddo Supiido Rabu, 2006).

2 years after the events of MASKED RIDER THE FIRST, rumours are spreading of vicious murders, which are always accompanied by the song of a young pop idol named Chiharu. After Chiharu disappears, her older brother Shiro Kazami goes in search for her, and inevitably finds himself in the hands of the organization “Shocker”. It is here, where a new generation of Riders are being created, that Shiro Kazami is transformed into Masked Rider V3.



I really wanted to watch atleast one Kamen Rider episode or movie. I wish I hadn't. Or maybe this was just a bad movie and I shouldn't judge just this one over the rest of the series. All I know is that it might have appeased my children but it was just a long, Japanese version of Power Rangers. Ugh! I've done my share of Power Rangers in my lifetime (I have 2 boys who have watched a number of series). And after doing research have learned that the American version of Kamen Rider IS the Power Rangers. (Damn, I admit we own a few episodes. Argh!)

If the rest of the series' are over-dramatized, over-produced, over-acted stunts, movemements, and dialogue. I don't want to watch it. To each his own. I know I might get hate mail for this one since the series' are popular in the Asian market. I was expecting more out of this because OF the popularity. Ehh! And so many popular Japanese actors have at one time or another been in one of the million episodes out there.

Kikawada Masaya


Hassei Takano


Kazuki Kato