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?

Backdancers! (バックダンサーズ！-2006)

Starring:
Hiroko Shimabukuro - Yoshika
Aya Hirayama - Mihu
Sonim - Tomoe
Saeko - Aiko
Yu Hasebe - Juri
Takanori Jinnai - Jotaro Suzuki
Yoshino Kimura - Reiko Mihama
Masahiro Komoto - Takahashi
Kuroudo Maki - Teru
Kei Tanaka - Akira
Hiro Tsunoda - Rota
Kazuma Suzuki - Seiji
Yukiya Kitamura - DJ Kem
Zen Kajiwara - Isobe
Kosuke Toyohara - Takikawa
Mako Ishino - Naomi Saeki

When their star singer, Juli, suddenly decides to abandon her career for marriage, her four back-up dancers are at a complete loss. Miu is passionate and serious about dancing, while Yoshika is the most talented, and a natural leader. Tomoe is slightly older than the others, and wants to get married, but Aiko hopes to achieve her own stardom. They expect Juli's eventual return, but meanwhile their agency assigns them to a young manager, Chano. However, he cannot obtain sufficient work to prevent them from breaking up. But then he comes up with the idea of teaming them with a washed-up rock band called Steel Crazy (another burden on the company), which to everyone's surprise turns out to work quite well! As Chano starts to look for a bigger chance for them, the agency decides to disband the group for a newcomer, Mayu Kisaragi, with Super Tigers. Ultimately, the four are fired after having an on-stage fight with Mayu's group. In the hopes of reuniting them, and because of his love for Miu, Chano struggles to land a big-time stage for the Backdancers!



This was a pretty good movie. Not the best but it was a nice boredom buster.

An average movie with the main characters who are supposed to be great dancers. In my opinion, they weren't all that. The competitors were waaaaaay better than they could ever be.

Not overly dramatic with bits and pieces of the characters over acting.

A nice surprise was seeing Tanaka Kei protraying Chano, the girls' manager. Cute, sweet, and innocent....the best part of the movie.

The old man playing Jotaru...well, they could have found someone else for his character. He just gave me the eebie-jeebies. Kind of perverted or something. He just didn't fit well in that character.

But the fun factor was there in the movie. The typical movie with a group of wayward, not understood teens who want to make it big...........

Water Boys 2005 Natsu (WATER BOYS 2005夏)

Starring:
Eita as Tanaka Masatoshi
Koide Keisuke as Uehara Kensaku
Hiraoka Yuta as 名嘉尾悟
Emoto Tasuku as Koma Shunichiro
Konishi Manami as Uehara Kyoko
Sakai Ayana as Kakihara Rena
Takizawa Nonami as Buritani Michiru
Ukaji Takashi as Koma Toshimichi
Matsushige Yutaka as 名嘉尾大悟
Masuoka Toru as Uehara Kosaku
Watanabe Misako as Kakihara Haru
Kubo Akira as the head teacher
Mori Yoshiyuki as the principal
Nagumo Yusuke (南雲勇助) as Hotta Zenjiro
Tonesaku Toshihide as Hatori Manabu
Kashii Yu as Hanamura Kyoko
Ishii Tomoya as Ishizuka Futoshi
Tanaka Kei as Yasuda Takashi
Manabe Kaori as Sakuma Megumi
Nakayama Katsumi
Sekiguchi Kimiko
Nakajima Ben
Kanbe Hiroshi
Kumabe Youhei (隈部洋平)
Fuwa Hisashi (不破央)
Hiraizumi Sei
Ishihara Yoshizumi
Yajima Kenichi

Synchro Participants
Pe Jyonmyon (ペ・ジョンミョン)
Sano Yasuomi
Fujii Atsunori (藤井貴規)
Kawagishi Ginji (川岸銀次)
Sugiura Yugo (杉浦由悟)
Tashiro Koji
Tomikawa Kazuhito
Nakano Shintaro (中野真太郎)
Takahashi Mitsuomi
Taketani Atsushi (竹谷敦史)
Yanagibashi Tomonori (柳橋朋典)
Ueda Shinsuke (植田真介)
Kawasaki Ryuichi (川崎龍一)
Tamaari Yoichiro (玉有洋一郎)
Iwato Hidetoshi (岩戸秀年)
Sato Yuki
Kora Kengo
Kan Yuta (菅雄太)
Okada Yuki (岡田雄樹)
Takeuchi Tomoya
Nokubo Naoki (野久保直樹)


Tanaka Masatoshi is having troubles getting into medical school, something he blames on all the time he spent on synchro two years earlier. While on a research trip to a remote southern island of Japan, he is forced into coaching a newly formed three member boys synchro team. Tanaka has to come to terms with his past and begins questioning his future, while the three boy synchro team dream of life off of the island.



Can I be any more in love with Hiraoka Yuta? I'm not joking here. He is soooooo cute. OMG! I was in heaven watching this film. Yuta-kun in really, really, really skimpy speedos. I can't keep my tongue in my mouth. Let's just say the pause button was used tremendously just so I could get really good visuals of him. OMG! Yeah, Yuta-kun is now in my top 5 "I gotta have" list. Why does he have to be so young? I wonder if he likes older women....LOL! Okay, okay, okay....I'll stop dreamin'.



This film, other than eye-poppin'-candy galore, was just another Water Boys film. Same story, different time, with different guys other than Eita. The only difference in this movie was that not only did they have to save the festival but the town as well from land grubbers. Of course, there was a little bit of romance.....poor Yuta-kun didn't have a girl....and great choreography in the water. The ending sequence, to me, was just a little bit more risque than the last few series and movie. But nothing rated "R" about it.



Just a fun movie but nothing to get overly excited about (well, other than Yuta-kun in an overly skimpy outfit).



If I lived in Japan, I would be his #1 stalker fan. LOL! YUTA-KUN!!!!!!!!!!!

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

Ushi ni Nagai wo: Love & Farm (牛に願いを Love & Farm -2007)

AKA: Wish Upon a Cow: Love & Farm


Starring:
Tamayama Tetsuji as Takashimizu Takashi
Koide Keisuke as Mano Tohei
Nakata Atsuhiko as Wakamatsu Ryuta
Aibu Saki as Fujii Ayaka
Karina as Suenaga Mihoko
Toda Erika as Chiba Kazumi
Tanaka Kei as Ashizaki Katsuya
Arimura Miki as Takashimizu Yuri
Hamada Mari as Tsumura Kyoko
Aijima Kazuyuki as Yoshida Muneyuki
Ichige Yoshie as Ashizaki Fukiko
Kohinata Fumiyo as Teranishi Yutaro
Osugi Ren as Takashimizu Hiroki
Asaka Mayumi
Nakajima Tomoko as Miyamoto Natsumi
Nakamura Shido as Kato Akira
Fujimoto Shizuka
Kanai Yuta
Kurita Yoko
Tachibana Ayano (ep01)
Hiraizumi Sei (ep04)
Oka Mayumi

Six agriculture students travel north to Hokkaido for first-hand training and experience in a farm setting. The story focuses not only on their daily life and their growth as young men and women, but also on the economic situation in the region, which received national attention earlier this year when the national government cut off aid to the struggling city of Yubari. -- Tokyograph

This was suprisingly a very, very good drama. I cried a few times during some of the episodes. I laughed at their simple but sweet comedic moments.

Tamayama Tetsuji has done it again! I'm so in love with this guy. He's amazingly versatile. I would never have thought he would play a dairy farmer. What was so amazing was...he seemed in his element milking cows and helping birth a calf. OMG! He stuck his hand up in there. I'm pretty sure that was a real cow!!!

All the players were wonderful. Koide Keisuke is amazing always when he plays the sweet, shy, naive characters. He's very comfortable as an actor.

I'm always telling everyone I know....Japanese (mainly) dramas have metaphors of life. They teach and believe in the way of living. I really like these most. I don't feel drained after a drama. So I smile as I type this because this drama believed in the symbolism of family and the live of a dairy farmer that are becoming extinct.

A definite must see......................

Spring Story (2004)

Starring:
Shun Oguri
Aki Nishihara
Kei Tanaka

A tale of two high school students who like each other, but have difficulties expressing their feelings for each other. The guy always seems to make the girl angry and they fight often.

The guy wants to be a super star basketball player, the girl inspires to be a designer, each trying to find their own path in life.

This being only an hour long, follows the life of 3 friends starting from their senior year in high school into adulthood. It was quite amazing actually how the story flowed so well in just that short amount of time.

Again, it's another movie about fate. This gave me chills at the end because we discover what happens from the time they meet again from the beginning of the movie. *SIGH!!* You just have to love how the hand of fate work and how true love stands against the hands of time.

You just want to reach through the TV screen (or the computer screen as that is how it is for me....LOL!) and just want to grab onto Oguri Shun and never let go.....................

Oguri Shun