Water Boys ( ウォーターボーイズ -2003)

Starring:
Yamada Takayuki as Shindo Kankuro
Moriyama Mirai as Tatematsu Norio
Eita as Tanaka Masatoshi
Ishigaki Yuma as Takahara Go
Ishii Tomoya as Ishizuka Futoshi
Miyaji Mao as Onishi Asako
Kashii Yu as Hanamura Kyoko
Tani Kei as Mr. Ozaki
Fuse Akira as Mr. Yamaoka
Sugimoto Tetta as Mr. Sugita
Manabe Kaori as Miss. Sakuma
Kikuchi Maiko as Miss. Onogawa
Emoto Akira as Mama (of a bar)
Tokui Yuu as Chi-mama
Takenaka Naoto as Mr. Isomura
Yashima Norito as Isomura Kiyomasa
Tamaki Hiroshi as Sato Katsumasa
Takahashi Hitomi as Shindo Miwako
Asano Kazuyuki as Shindo Kanichi
Ikari Yukiko as Shindo Hitomi
Nishida Naomi
Katayama Reo as Kitajima Daichi
Aibu Saki as Hayakawa Atsumi
Hiraizumi Sei as Mr. Tatematsu

Synchro Boy Group
Hojo Takahiro
Fujisawa Yosuke
Arakawa Yu
Kato Koki
Nozaki Tenma
Tanaka Kei
Shiozawa Hidemasa
Isaka Tatsuya
Hamada Hiroyuki
Abe Atsushi
Ebata Hiroki
Ichitaro
Chikada Shintaro
Takeuchi Taiyo
Kawamoto Takanori
Sekita Atsushi
Hyuga Takashi
Namiki Nobuyuki
Washizu Isanori
Shin Shinichiro
Wakizaki Tomohito
Watanabe Dai

Two years ago, five high-school boys brought fame to a small town in Japan. What was so unique was that they formed a "men's synchronized swimming club." Their involvement and struggles while learning synchronized swimming - known to be a sport for girls - brought much attention to their school and town.

Two years have passed since that summer, and the boys of Tadano High School are still in the club. The Fuji Television drama "Water Boys" shows how these young boys fight to learn synchronized swimming, fall in love, and enjoy friendship with one another.

I cannot believe I put this show off for so long! I watched the movie (actually I think the movie was the first Asian movie I saw for the first time. I'm almost positive because I did a Tamaki Hiroshi search and that came up. I'm STILL looking for Rockers! Errrr)

Okay, I loved this. Oh yeah, Eita in a speedo! Hello!?!! Ishigaki Yuma in a speedo. Oh yeah baby! LOL! This is probably the only drama where I thought Yamada Takayuki looked decent. Yeah, he's a great actor. Really great! But his looks don't give me the.....*sigh*. Ya know?

This was a great family comedy/drama. I loved the end with all the choreography and stunts. The music was cool too! This wasn't the greatest of all dramas go but it was really fun to watch. Oh and Moriyama Mirai didn't disappoint in his comedic role. His facial expressions crack me up. He, also, isn't a "looker" but he too has that "somethin', somethin'", aura, appeal.......whatever that draws your attention to him. Love him! I'm never disappointed in his roles whatsoever.

Have fun. Sit down. Grab a soda. Watch the show.

Hojo Takahiro


Tanaka Kei


Tamaki Hiroshi


Eita

Yukan Club (有閑倶楽部 --2007)

Starring:
Akanishi Jin as Shochikubai Miroku
Yokoyama Yu as Kikumasamune Seishiro
Taguchi Junnosuke as Bido Granmarie
Minami as Kenbishi Yuri
Kashii Yu as Hakushika Noriko
Suzuki Emi as Kizakura Karen
Kaga Takeshi as Shochikubai Tokimune
Kataoka Tsurutaro as Kenbishi Mansaku
Kato Kazuko as Kenbishi Yuriko
Shirakawa Yumi as the School Director
Hasegawa Hatsunori as Principal Kurata
Hankai Kazuaki as Head Teacher Murakami
Okayama Hajime as Officer Soma
Sumita Takashi (住田隆) as Officer Katori
Kubo Akira as Godai
Yamada Shintaro (schoolmate)

Guests
Iwata Sayuri as Shiina Saki (ep1)
Hagiwara Nagare as Daka Shimizu (ep1)
Matsuzawa Ren (ep1)
Chinen Yuri as Ryota (ep2)
Fuse Hiroshi as Tasuke (ep2)
Iriyama Noriko as Yoshinagawa Ayumi (ep3)
Oshinari Shugo as Tamatsukasa Seiji (ep3)
Kurosawa Toshio as Shirafuji Goro (ep3)
Anan Kenji as Shirafuji's underling (ep3)
Masana Bokuzo as Shinkame Keisuke (ep3)
Takasugi Ko as Shinkame's underling (ep3)
Yoshiyuki Kazuko as Sakuragawa Kinu (ep4)
Matsuda Nanase as the child from the magazine (ep5)
Nakada Aki (中田有紀) as Seishiro's older sister (ep5)
Izumiya Shigeru as Master Unkai (ep5)
Koyama Keiichiro as Kariho Yuya (ep6)
Hashimoto Satoshi as Kongo (ep6)
Waki Tomohiro as Saburo (ep6)
Sasai Eisuke as Noriko's father (ep6)
Mike He as Prince Cassar Garcia (ep7)
Akiyoshi Kumiko as Shochikubai Chiaki (ep8)
Tsurumi Shingo as Keiko (ep8)
Hosoyama Takane (細山貴嶺) as Hiraizumi Ryuichiro (ep9)
Yamazaki Hajime as Midorikawa (ep9)
Maeda Gin as Dewazakura Kinzo (ep10)
Nakamaru Shinsho as Takachiho (ep10)
David Ito as the Samejima gangleader (ep10)


Shochikubai Miroku (Akanishi Jin) is the son of a police commissioner (father) and also a traveller (mother). Miroku has lots of connections and is a very good fighter. His interest is his motorcycle.

Kikumasamune Seishiro (Yokoyuma Yu) is the rich son of a large hospital. He also fights as well as Miroku. He is a good fighter with smarts.

Bido Granmarie (Taguchi Junnosuke) is the son of a Swedish ambassador. He's also a playboy, dating many girls at once. Granmarie can't see himself going steady because he thinks the world can't handle it.

Kenbishi Yuri (Minami) is the rich daughter of a world-renowned president of the Kenbishi Business. She loves to indulge on eating. She's also a good fighter, but can never beat Seishiro.

Hakushika Noriko (Kashii Yu) is the daughter of a famous japanese painter (father) and her mother is from a tradition tea ceremony family. Her only hate is men and can get very violent when they touch her.

Kizakura Karen (Suzuki Emi) lives with her mother, a rich jewel dealer. Her dream is to marry into a rich family using her attractive body and style.

Together, they formed the Yukan Club, solving mysteries to pass time.

Okay, this is my second time to post this. Eeergh. Blogger didn't save. Damn them!

This is a teen drama. It was cute. It was adoring. It was simple. But it was just a little bit tooooooo cheeeeeeesy for me. The first episode was like chewing rawhide. I can chew and chew and chew but not get anywhere. But after the first episode and every episode afterwards it got better. Not the best but definitely better than the first episode. I'm assuming this drama is based off a manga because of its cheesy goodness. The girl who played Yuri annoyed me to no end. I want to stuff a bloody cow in her mouth because of her inability to be hunger satisfied. Aaaaagh! Just thinking about her makes me want to stab myself. The other cast mates were humorous and sometimes endearing. I'm sorry but Junnosuke-kun had me laughing so much. I know some people who are just like him....narcissistic. LOL! Jin-kun was just as handsome as well but yet his character just wasn't as tough as I was led to believe. He easily let the tears come loose but yet in a way that was endearing. I love a man who cries.

I don't recommend this for most people because the quality isn't what would be expected of a comedic drama of that genre but it had enough eye-candy to keep us females glued to the tube..........hehehe!

Akanishi Jin


Koyama Keiichiro


Taguchi Junnosuke

Yellow Tears (Kiiroi namida / 黄色い涙-2007)

Starring:
Sho Sakurai - Ryuzo Mukai
Masaki Aiba - Shoichi Inoue
Kazunari Ninomiya - Eisuke Muraoka
Satoshi Ono - Kei Shimokawa
Jun Matsumoto - Yuji Katsumada
Yu Kashii - Tokie
Hirotaro Honda - Teikichi
Hanae Kan - Yasuko Muraoka
Chieko Matsubara - Kinu Muraoka
Mariko Miyamitsu - Mikako Yoshino
Kotaro Shiga - Hayashida
Kin Sugai - Yone
Tomoko Tabata - Kaoru Nishigaki
Mai Takahashi - Yumiko

The movie is centered around five friends as they end up spending the summer of 1962 shackled up together in a tiny studio apartment in Tokyo. The five friends are Eisuke - the manga artist, Shoichi - the singer, Ryuzo - the novelist, Kei - the painter and Yuji – the 5th wheel (?). The friends spend the summer in pursuit of their own ideals of personal freedom - being able to do what they want. In the process of pursuing their dream they learn firsthand that however ideal it may seem, its not as easy as they think. -- Lunapark6

Hmm? This movie was a little slow. No action, no sex (only by implication), no drugs, lots of silent moments and talking.

This movie was a growing-up/coming-of-age movie. It was really four guys with Matsomoto Jun making small appearances. Lessons learned, the guys realize that sometimes dreams can't make money.

I wouldn't recommend this for everyone. Even all the Arashi fans might not like this. It was not made for eye-candy visuals and for teenage thrills.

I really can't say if I like this movie or not. I feel like the story was trying to go one way but the movie didn't make the trip. Or it was made that way. Don't know. In actuality, this movie had it's poignant moments and wonderful quotes that (damn, I wish I had written down) at one point near the end, made me tear up. Okay, at that point, I was like "ahhhh!" *wipes wet soaked eyes*

Yeah, I guess I liked it. It started making more sense near the end. But in a way, it was sad.....sometimes growing up makes life a little difficult.

Arashi