Itzura Na Kiss (イタズラなKiss -1996)

Starring:
Sato Aiko as Aihara Kotoko
Kashiwabara Takashi as Irie Naoki
Ozawa Maju as Matsumoto Reiko
Naitou Takashi as Aihara Shigeo
Asada Miyoko as Irie Machiko
Tokui Yuu as Irie Masaki
Akashi Ryotaro (明石亮太郎) as Irie Yuki
Aoki Shinsuke as Nakamura Kinnosuke
Uehara Sakura as Komori Jinko
Miyauchi Tomomi as Hayashi Satomi
Izawa Ken as Watanabe Junichi
Toyama Toshiya as teacher in-charge of class F
Nakama Yukie as Yada Sonoko
Hoshino Aki as one of classmates

Late for a meeting, Kotoko was running along the corridor in school and bumped into Naoki, their lips meeting. Naoki showed his disgust, but Kotoko started to idolise him, who was good at everything from studies to sports. When Kotoko's house burned down, her father's good friend Machiko invited them to move in with her family. It was then that Kotoko realised Naoki was the elder son of Machiko, who took up the role of a fairy-godmother to bring the two together...despite the fact that Naoki was disgusted. Not discouraged, the clumsy and not-so-bright Kotoko started to do everything that would change her impression on him. Gradually, the icy-cold Naoki who disliked girls started to feel for Kotoko...

Move over It Started With a Kiss.....this is the original!!

I had to watch this again for the second time since I watched this a long, long, long time ago. I was disappointed.

ISWAK is a good drama but totally overacted. Kotoko is definitely funny trying to woo Naoki. But the actions are more believable and tender hearted. I just wished they had finished the drama with the manga but as I look at the date of the film, the manga wasn't even finished. I wish Japan would remake this....since they started it.

*sigh*

Kashiwabara Takashi

Look how much he has grown up! Even more gorgeous. His latest drama Celeb to Binbo Taro, which I'm currently involved in. *sigh*

Gokusen 3 ( ごくせん -2008)

Starring:
Nakama Yukie as Yamaguchi Kumiko (Yankumi / Ojou / Kumichou) (Math Teacher/Class 3D adviser)
Namase Katsuhisa as Sawatari Goro, Kyoto (School Vice Principal)
Enami Kyoko as Akagi Ryoko (Board Chairman)
Utsui Ken as Kuroda Ryuichiro (Kumiko's grandpa / 3rd Generation Oedo Yakuza Boss)
Anan Kenji as Wakamatsu Hiro
Kaneko Ken as Asakura Tetsu
Uchiyama Shinji as Tatsukawa Minoru
Ryogoku Hiroshi as Sugawara Makoto
Takaki Yuya as Ogata Yamato
Miura Haruma as Kazama Ren
Ishiguro Hideo as Honjo Kengo
Nakama Junta as Ichimura Rikiya
Kiriyama Akito as Kuraki Satoru
Miura Shohei as Kamiya Shunsuke
Waki Tomohiro as "Kuma" / Kumai Teruo (Former student of Yankumi)
Azuma Mikihisa as Baba Masayoshi (PE Teacher)
Koizumi Kotaro as Natsume Seichi (School Doctor)
Hirayama Aya as Takano Aoi (English Teacher)
Hoshino Aki as Ayukawa Sakura (School Nurse)
Sato Jiro as Yajima Hosaku (Japanese Classics Teacher)
Sakigake Santaro (魁三太郎) as Hatoyama Yasuhiko (World History Teacher)
Ishii Kota as Tsuruoka Keisuke (Physics Teacher)
Ishihara Atsumi (石原あつ美) as Kumai Ami (Kumai Teruo's wife)
Yamada Yu as Kazama Kaoruko (Kazama Ren's sister)

Class 3D
Ito Ryusuke (伊藤竜翼) as Ashida Ryusuke
Uefune Hiroto (上船弘人) as Ikeda Hiroto
Kanno Atsumi (菅野篤海) as Ishibashi Atsumi
Kido Yuya as Okuma Yuya
Kujirai Kosuke (鯨井康介) as Ohira Kosuke
Kobori Shinpei (小堀慎平) as Okada Shinpei
Koyanagi Shin (小栁心) as Katayama Shin
Shimizu Ryotaro (清水良太郎) as Katsura Ryotaro
Chiba Keisuke (千葉恵佑) as Saito Keisuke
Terada Shinya (寺田慎矢) as Suzuki Shinya
Totani Kimito (戸谷公人) as Takahashi Kimito
Nakayama Masei (中山麻聖) as Tanaka Masei
Hamao Kyosuke (浜尾京介) as Terauchi Kyosuke
Maeda Goki (前田公輝) as Hamaguchi Goki
Mayama Akihiro as Gen Akihiro
Maruo (まるお) as Hosokawa Maruo
Yazaki Hiroshi (矢崎広) as Matsukata Hiroshi
Yamada Ryohei (山田亮平) as Miki Ryohei
Yuki Jutta (夕輝壽太) as Murayama Jutta
Yuji (ユージ) as Yamamoto Yuji
Wakaba Ryuya as Yoshida Ryuya
Warabino Tomoya as Wakatsuki Tomoya

Guests
Omiya Taro (ep1,4,11)
Hojo Takahiro (ep3)
Kaneda Akio (ep5)
Shindo Gaku (ep5)
Kusumi Kaoru (楠見薫) (ep5)
Hirayama Keiko (平山慶子) (ep5)
Mashita Yuuki (真下有紀) (ep5)
Kojima Haruna (ep6)
Masu Takeshi (ep6)
Suzuki Hiromi (鈴木ひろみ) (ep6)
Matsuda Satoshi (ep7,11)
Fukuda Moe (福田萌) (ep7)
Kudo Aya (工藤亜耶) (ep7)
Miyazaki Yoshiko (ep8)
Takiguchi Yukihiro (ep8)
Shibuya Momoko (ep8)
Yagami Ren (ep9)
Nadaka Tatsuo (ep10)
Tokoshima Yoshiko (ep10)
Take Yutaka (武豊) (ep11)
Aoki Sayaka (ep11)

Miura Haruma, Nakama Junta, Kiriyama Akito


OMG! I'm shocked this has ended so soon. It seems like yesterday I just started watching this. Ugh!

Again this was pretty much the same theme, different year with the exception that this year didn't end with everyone knowing that Yankumi was yakuza. I was hoping that finally that Yankumi would finally find love with the doctor. Why do they make her suffer so? Does this mean we might get another Gokusen? Who would the main guys be this time if there was? I wish..........

I was surprised that I caught myself tearing up near the end when Ren got hurt and was in critical condition. To watch Yankumi break down.....yeah, it got me good. Damn tears!

Another good year, another set of good kids, and another round of teaching the basics in self reliance, self worth, friendship, and love of school. This show should be shown in schools because of the set of values it teaches.....in the States especially.

I really loved this season because I'm so in love with Haruma-kun! Just got done with Binbo Danshii too. Now I have to go on the hunt for more of this cute guy! He's got the looks and he's got the ability to become great!

Miura Haruma

Satomi Hakkenden (里見八犬伝-2006)

AKA: 南総里見八犬伝 / Nansou Satomi Hakkenden

Starring:
Takizawa Hideaki as Inuzuka Shino-Moritaka
Komuro Yuta as young Shino
Ayase Haruka as Hamaji
Kanno Miho as Tamazusa & Myouchin (2 roles)
Nakama Yukie as Fusehime
Watabe Atsuro as Chuudaihoushi - Kanamari Daisuketakanori
Nagatsuka Kyozo as Satomi Yoshizane
Ohsugi Ren as Ougigaya Tsusadamasa
Kyomoto Masaki as Ashikaga Shigeuji
Takeda Tetsuya as Komiyama Ittouda
Jinnai Takanori as Akaiwa Ikkaku
Sano Shiro as Makuwari Daiki
Tomosaka Rie as Funamushi
Izumi Pinko as Kamezasa
Oshio Manabu as Inukai Genbachi-Nobumichi
Yamada Yu as Inusaka Kenotanetomo
Katsuji Ryo as Inumura Daikakumasanori
Ozawa Yukiyoshi as Inuyaama Dousetsutadatomo
Shouei as Inuta Kobungo-Yasunori
Yamashita Shoon as Inue Shinbeemasashi
Sato Ryuta as Inukawa Sousuke-Toshito
Yamashita Shinji as Sugikura Kisonosukeujimoto
Sasaki Kuranosuke as Yamashita Sadagane
Kaneda Akio as Yokobori Arimura
Sakaguchi Taku as Ootasuke Tomo
Kohinata Fumiyo as Ootsuka Hikiroku
Tanabe Seiichi as Oboshisa Mojiro
Watanabe Ikkei as Higami Kyuuroku
Sugimoto Tetta as Inuzuka Bansaku
Miura Rieko as Kumi
Kurokawa Tomoka as Nui

Known as the "greatest samurai novel in Japan", this drama is based on the novel. The tragic romance of a princess and the adventure of eight heroic samurai.

The story takes place during the beginning of the Sengoku Jidai in Awa, a tiny province that is currently a part of modern-day Chiba Prefecture. Fuse, princess of the Awa-based Satomi clan, spiritually gives birth to eight warriors who are scattered across different areas of the region. Because the spiritual father of these warriors was a demonically-possessed dog, these warriors came to be known as the Hakkenshi (八犬士), with hak (八), or hachi, meaning "eight", the ken (犬) meaning "dog", and the shi (士) meaning "warrior". (The word "den" (伝) at the end of the title means "legend", so the title of the series translates out to "The Legend of the Eight Dog Warriors".)
Throughout the series, each dog warrior recognizes the other through three distinguishing features: a last name starting with the word "inu" (meaning dog), a birthmark in the shape of a peony (the emblem of the Satomi clan) and a bead containing a kanji character that reflects eight of the fundamental virtues of Confucianism. They are:

kō (孝) - filial piety; devotion
gi (義) - duty and obligation, but it can also be translated as righteousness
chū (忠) - loyalty
shin (信) - faith
tei (悌) - brotherhood; brotherly affection
jin (仁) - sympathy and benevolence, but note that, according to Confucianism, "jin" is also the greatest and most perfect virtue of all. It should come as no surprise that the bearer of this bead also happens to be the most powerful warrior of the eight.
chi (知) - wisdom
rei (礼) - courtesy, but this can also be translated as proper form, i.e. an extensive knowledge and proper observation of tradition and manners

Inuzuka Shino Moritaka (犬塚 信乃 戍孝) - Bears the "kō" bead of filial piety; his birthmark is on his right arm. His father bore the responsibility of returning the Murasame sword to the Ashikaga Shogun, but before doing so, committed seppuku in protest of the local feudal lord, thereby transferring the heavy responsibility onto Shino's shoulders. He is engaged to Hamaji.

Inukawa Sōsuke Yoshitō (犬川 荘助 義任) - Bears the "gi" bead of duty; his birthmark is on his left arm. At the age of 7, his father was forced to commit seppuku after criticizing the Ashikaga Shogun, and his mother perished from the cold winter during the resulting pilgrimage from Izu. This left him under the cruel parentage of Hikiroku and Kamezasa, who gave him the undignified name of "Gakuzo" and forced him into indentured servitude to pay back the debt of his mother's funeral. He secretly loves Hamaji, thereby making him Shino's main rival.

Inuyama Dōsetsu Tadatomo (犬山 道節 忠與) - Bears the "chū" bead of loyalty; his birthmark is on his left shoulder. His father was killed by rival lord Uesugi Sadamasa, making him hell-bent on revenge for the sake of his clan. In addition, he is Hamaji's half-brother. His mother was assassinated by Hamaji's biological mother (his father's second concubine), who became jealous due to her inability to bear a male heir. Particularly during the beginning of the series, Dōsetsu is ruthless, selfish, and a reckless loose cannon in the group.

Inukai Genpachi Nobumichi (犬飼 現八 信道) - Bears the "shin" bead of faith; his birthmark is on his left cheek, underneath his left eye. The stereotypical "crazed enforcer" of the group, he is introduced as an inmate in the Shogun's prison, most likely jailed for his uncontrollable behavior (or perhaps just his sharp tongue). He is allowed a chance to win back his original post if he is successful in killing Shino. Compared to the plot exposition of most of the other major characters, not much of his origin is revealed or even implied during the series.

Inuta Kobungo Yasuyori (犬田 小文吾 悌順) - Bears the "tei" bead of brotherhood. Kobungo has been friends with Genpachi for several years prior. He is of large stature, but silent demeanor - a stark contrast from his darker past, when he would succumb to fits of alcohol-induced rage and random violence. His father's death was the unfortunate result of just such a brawl, causing his nature to become passive and non-confrontational.

Inue Shimbei Masashi (犬江 親兵衛 仁) - Bears the "jin" bead of benevolence. He is Kobungo's nephew, and was originally known as Inue Daihachi. Following the skirmish at the Shogun's palace, Shino is given refuge at Kobungo's inn, but Kobungo's brother-in-law (Daihachi's father) offers to turn Shino over to the authorities in return for a reward that would help keep his family afloat. Kobungo refuses to sacrifice Shino, and a fight ensues, resulting in the deaths of Daihachi's parents. Kobungo takes it upon himself to raise the child along with Genpachi and Shino, but sometime after the group temporarily splits up, a vision of Princess Fuse and Yatsufusa appears. Telling Kobungo that the child will be safe under their care, he willingly hands Daihachi over to be raised in an otherworldly realm. Some time later, the child returns, fully grown, extremely powerful, and with the new name of Inue Shimbei.

(Note: The name of this character is actually Shimbee (しんべえ), but this produces somewhat of a conflict as far as Hepburn romanization is concerned. Since the bee sound is similar enough to the bei sound, he will be referred to in this article as Shimbei.)

Inuzaka Keno Tanetomo (犬阪 毛野 胤智) - Bears the "chi" bead of widsom. When he was a child, a local feudal lord murdered Keno's father in an attempt to obtain the two legendary flutes in his possession, but was only able to find one of them after the incident. The other had been presumed lost. Since then, Keno has sought to regain both flutes and has also plotted an elaborate revenge against the family that killed his father. He is a celebrated flautist and dancer, but is disguised as a female under the pseudonym of "Asakeno", which is most likely a means of evading suspicion of his ultimate intent.

Inumura Daikaku Masanori (犬村 大角 礼儀) - Bears the "rei" bead of courtesy; his birthmark is on his buttocks, much to his embarrassment. He is first introduced in the story as Kakutarō, son of Akaiwa Ikkaku, a talented swordsman who, unbeknownst to everyone in the village, was demonically possessed by an evil cat spirit many years ago. Kakutarō's wife, Hinaginu, was given the "rei" bead as a keepsake memento, but swallowed it down when Kakutarō's stepmother demanded that she relinquish it. Since that incident, Hinaginu's stomach bulged, as if pregnant, sparking talk of an affair with another man. When confronted by Akaiwa about her "unborn child", she mortally stabbed herself in the stomach with a knife to prove to everyone that she wasn't pregnant. Meanwhile, the cat spirit's possession of Akaiwa had advanced rapidly, forcing Kakutarō to execute his own father. With no one else left in his life, he renames himself Daikaku and joins the Hakkenshi.

Wow! Wow! Wow! Wow! I loved, loved, loved, loved this made-for-TV movie. This was a beautiful story.

This story....wow! A great cast, story, cinematography......wow! I highly recommend this to everyone.....EVERYONE!

I truly don't know what to say because I don't want to give away any of it. Just watch it. I truly felt this story and the magic behind it. *giddy*

Takizawa Hideaki

Oshio Manabu

Yamashita Shoon

G@ME

Starring:
Fujiki Naohito-Sakuma Shunsuke
Nakama Yukie-Katsuragi Juri



Advertising executive Shunsuke Sakuma (Naohito Fujiki) is at the top of his game. Winning numerous advertising awards, the cool Shunsuke lives a life most men only dream of. He luckily lands a new massive product campaign for Mikado Beer, Japan's largest conglomerate corporation. Working on the project for almost two years with an estimated three-billion Yen invested, the project would "make" Shunsuke. But in its final stages, the project is suddenly dropped by a single man - Katsutoshi Katsuragi (Ryo Ishibashi) the son of the original founder and Vice President of Mikado Beer.

Declared "incompetent" by peers in the world of advertising and replaced by a nobody on the project, Shunsuke gets drunk and drives to Katuragi's mansion to "tell him off." But instead, he sees a girl climbing out from the house and trails her. The "girl" happens to be Juri Katsuragi (Yukie Nakama), Katsutoshi Katsuragi's eldest daughter from a mistress. Shunsuke approaches Juri, threatening that he would tell her father if she did not come with him. Initially, Shunsuke planned to bring her back to Katuragi to win his favor, but after thinking things through, he plots a "payback" scheme by kidnapping Juri. Juri, not wanting to stay with her father, goes along with the kidnapping. Scared of the media frenzy that would result if they found out that he had an extramarital affair, Katsutoshi Katsuragi goes along with the kidnapping. . . or does he? In a world of players where everyone is playing a game, who is the one to pull the strings? . . .

LOL! This one had me fooled and then some. Just when I thought I had it figured out. Duh. It was a great cat-and-mouse game to the finish. I definitely liked this one. Seeing "Yankumi" in another role other than her role as the teacher on all the Gokusen episodes was a bit strange. I knew something wasn't "quite right" with her character. Definitely hiding something but that something wasn't anything to what I had expected. Wow! And might I add that I sooooo wanted to be the recipient of that first kiss. I just know that Naohito-san has got to be a good kisser...something about those lips just had me starry-eyed..........*sigh*

Fujiki Naohito