Missing in action..............

......well, not really. LOL! I've decided to post current, on-going, or recent programs, dramas, and/or movies. I not only blog about dramas, I read others as well. Why review dramas and movies that have been reviewed a thousand times....especially those that were made before 2007? I will blog about programs that are obsolete and that I have seen or luckily found. It's time consuming to write about things or interests that have been reviewed to the ground. Yes, I have my personal views on some dramas that might be of interest to someone else....but sometimes they are identical to others also. So..................

........anyway. What I'm watching and planning on reviewing:

City Hall~so far.....insanely hysterical and romantic
Romance Zero~sweet
Black and White~is still ongoing but will review it after this post. Why? You'll find out.
That Fool~started off good..........
Ghost Friends~another sweet Japanese drama
Tokyo Ghost Trip~eye candy galore
Prince of Tennis~so far, so good
Shining Inheritance~it's good but I think they have added toooooo many episodes, should only be an 18 or 20 episode drama....not 26.
Sons of Sol Pharmacy House~love this family drama so far.
Atashinchi no Danshi~didn't think I'd like it, but it's great

These are the only ones I could think off the top of my head.....so I might have forgotten a few. I watch soooooooo many a day that I do get befuzzled........sometimes.

Keitai Sousakan 7 ( ケータイ捜査官７-2008)

Starring:
Kubota Masataka
Ito Yuko
Tsuda Kanji
Okamoto Natsuki
Matsuda Satoshi
Mitsuya Yoko
Watanabe Noriko
Taguchi Hiromasa
Katsuno Hiroshi
Igarashi Reiko (五十嵐令子)
Katsuno Yosuke (勝野洋輔)
Mickey Curtis (ミッキー・カーチス)
Nagasawa Nao (長澤奈央)

Masaka Kubota plays high-school student Keita, who leads a secret life as a "network investigator" for a secret organization. In the introductory episode, Keita has moved to a new school in Tokyo but doesn't like it. His best friend from his previous school comes to Tokyo and they run away together. Passing through a construction site the pair are attacked by a robot, but are then saved by a man named Takimoto and his strange sidekick — a cell phone with arms and legs.
Notes
"Ketai Sosakan 7" is overseen by film director Takashi Miike.

I'm a freak when it comes to Japanese hi-tech dramas. I was a little let down in the first episode. I don't know why. I thought this show would be soooooooooooo stupid. A cellphone buddy? What-ev-ah.

Okay, I busted through it. Again, after watching it, the Japanese have set the standard on morals and family values. Who would have thought that THIS show would pull that off? The last few episodes...well, yeah, makes you think about robotics and man.

I won't lie. The story lost momentum in the middle. Some of the episodes weren't really necessary or just plain stupid. But once they got back to the storyline and really rallied the value of humanity and friendship, it was bliss.

Again, I won't lie....there just wasn't enough Matsuda Satoshi. The man is a freakin' hottie! Watch Vampire Host. Holy Enchilada!!! Every episode just about wet my panties. LOL! Anyway....where was I? Oh yeah. LOL! I thought he was going to be a main character but was more or less, here and there. His stories were about lost. Only a hand full of him in the episodes and there are 46 of them. Errrrgh!

In all, this drama was a great boredom buster. Very thought provoking but yet again it's not like we haven't seen movies and dramas that depict the inevitability of human nature verse robots. Need I say more. We can't live without our handy cellphone but then aren't we just a tad bit too dependant on anything that requires to live at the push of a button.......

Masatak Kubota


Matsuda Satoshi

Umizaru (海猿-2005)

Starring:
Ito Hideaki as Senzaki Daisuke
Kato Ai as Izawa Kanna
Nakamura Toru as Ikezawa Masaki
Sato Ryuta as Yoshioka Tetsuya
Sato Hitomi as Komori Chika
Suzuki Kazuma as Fuyushiba Kosuke
Natsuyagi Isao as Katsuda Kotaro
Iida Kisuke as Miike Kenji
Sakamoto Akira as Iwamatsu Daigo
Hirayama Usuke as Yamaji Takumi
Miyake Hiroki as Bessho Kenjiroh
Usuda Asami as Hoshino Rei
Ichiki Ami Ono Yui
Okunuki Kaoru Ono Eriko
Yoshimoto Miyoko as Ikezawa Naoko
Masuoka Toru as Tsuda Shinpei
Ibu Masato as Higo Daisaku
Tokito Saburo as Shimokawa Iwao
Sakamoto Makoto as Nagashima Kenta
Ito Atsushi (ep1)
Karina (ep1)
Aoki Munetaka (ep1)
Namioka Kazuki as Tokunaga Masaya (ep4)
Fuse Hiroshi
Suzuki Honoka
Tanaka Tetsushi
Yashiba Toshihiro
Abe Ryohei

A story of friendship, love and the brutal training of 14 Japan Coast Guard officers becoming rescuer divers. The rescuer divers, on the front line in rescue activities in heavy seas and always one step away from death, are a group of specialists in a profession that only 1% of all Coast Guard officers qualify for. In order to receive that qualification they have to undergo 50 days of grueling training in rescue activities. The young Cost Guard officers, including Daisuke Senzaki, take on the challenge of that hellish training. The story concentrates on the lives of the divers after having passed their examination.

OMG! No....OH MY FREAKIN' GOD! This was the most awesome drama. OMG! This was one spectacular heart-tugger. Just the right amount of comedy to keep it flowing. The action was nice...not the karate type stuff type action but real honest-to-goodness, make you wish you were in the coast guard kind.

Ito Hideaki....mmmm-mmmm-mmmm....deliciously cute. Kawaii!

I really want to see the movies. They are copywrited so their viewing is painstakingly hard. Just when I thought I found them......they were gone. "Poof!" I understand that you need to watch the first movie to understand the drama itself. That's not true. They gave us enough information at the beginning for those of us who haven't seen the movie....to enjoy this freakingly awesome drama. Now I want to see the last movie.......I just want more Umizaru because the drama just wasn't long enough. We need another season people!!!

Most definitely!

Nakamura Toru......Hello! The man.....maybe over 40....but is do damn gorgeous for his own good. And to think.....his character would be the one that had me crying myself to sleep. His last scene was the most unexpected..........

Bloody Monday (ブラッディ・マンデイ -2008)

Starring:
Miura Haruma as Takagi Fujimaru (Falcon)
Kawashima Umika as Takagi Haruka
Newspaper Club
Sato Takeru as Kujo Otoya
Fujii Mina as Asada Aoi
Tokunaga Eri as Anzai Mako
Hisano Masahiro (久野雅弘) as Tachikawa Hide
THIRD-i
Tanaka Tetsushi as Takagi Ryonosuke
Matsushige Yutaka as Kano Ikuma
Katase Nana as Hosho Sayuri
Ashina Sei as Minami Kaoru
Yoshizawa Hisashi as Kirishima Goro
Nakahara Fumio (中原文雄) as Sonoma Takao
Kubota Masashi (久保田将至) as Kudo Akira
Anan Atsuko (阿南敦子) as Sawakita Miki
Kudo Shunsaku (工藤俊作) as Okita Koichi
Harada Kana (原田佳奈) as Nakagawa Saori
Saito Ayumu (斎藤歩) as Kamata Junichiro
Terrorists
Narimiya Hiroki as J (Kanzaki Jun)
Kichise Michiko as Orihara Maya
TET as Demon Joichi
Yamaguchi Ryuto (山口龍人) as Bluebird (Ando Ken)
Takito Kenichi (滝藤賢一) as Shirota Manabu
Taniguchi Shota (谷口翔太) as Kobayashi Daisuke
Nagakura Daisuke (永倉大輔) as Tanabe Ryo
Tsuneyoshi Rie (恒吉梨絵) as Arimura Nozomu
Abe Marie (安部魔凛碧) as Miyamoto
Tozawa Yasuaki (斗澤康秋) as Nishida
Kojima Koichi (児島功一)
Kaneko Takanobu (金子貴伸)
Officials and Police
Hamada Akira as Yasuoka Keitaro (Chief Cabinet Secretary)
Nakane Toru as Osugi Kenichi (PSIA Chief Director)
Kokubo Joji (小久保丈二) as Ikeda Katsuhiko (Chief of Detectives)
Ryu Raita as Kujo Akihito (Minister of Justice)
Hotaru Yukijiro as Detective Funaki
Ozaki Usoh (尾崎右宗) as Detective Iba
Others
Shimada Kyusaku as Kamishima Shimon
Jinbo Satoshi as Shikimura Sosuke
Nomaguchi Toru as Ishikawa
Saeki Arata (佐伯新) as Asakura
Namiki Shiro as Hikage Kiyoshi
Miyazawa Miho (宮澤美保) as Tominaga Kyoko
Yananaka Atsushi (山中敦史) as Kurosaki
Watanabe Shiho (渡邊志穂) as Murakami Anri
Takeshima Yasunari (竹嶋康成) as Sada
Mihara Iona (三原伊織奈) as Ishikawa Matsuko
Wada Satoshi (和田サトシ) as Yoshioka Keisuke
Seki Keisuke as teacher
Eguchi Noriko as Yasuda Yukiko
Oyamada Sayuri as Yamamura Yoko

After a biological terrorist attack kills off the population of a Russian town; Japan's Public Safety Special Third unit, code name THIRD-i, believes that the terrorist organization responsible plans to unleash the same virus known as Bloody X into Tokyo. Subsequently, THIRD-i recruits the help of genius hacker Takagi Fujimaru to find out what happened in the Russia. However, as Fujimaru becomes involved, he soon finds out that he is in over his head and that the terrorist groups influence reaches not only his school but even the police. Fujimaru must now rely on his skill as a hacker to unravel the organizations sinister plot and find out the truth behind "Bloody Monday."

I don't know if these are tears of joy or happiness. From episode 10 to the end, I have been a blubbering idiot. It's not like this was a sad drama. Well, it was but not like a melodrama. I cried because of the fear of betrayal for Fujimaru. I cried because I couldn't believe his best friend would be "K". Man, I was sick and jittery to the bitter end.

This is by far the best damn DRAMA I have EVER seen. This is now my ranked #1 drama at this moment. The script had me on pins and needles. I couldn't wait find out the outcome. And you know what? They left an opening for a second season. PLEASE SAY IT IS SO! I really didn't want this drama to end. My favorite young actors and older as well were in this drama. The character portrayals were perfectly matched by the actors and actresses who played them.........

This....God!....this was just wonderful. Okay, and I balled and boo-hooed at the very end because there was a sad but beautiful ending to this story. Can I go on living?

The plot twist in episode 10 had me hook. line and sinker. You never really know who we can trust and we we can't. But I was so totally pleased to know that Fujimaru's instincts were true.

Such a smart drama. I might have to watch this again. I might have missed something.........

Now I'll go hide in the corner and suck my thumb because I can't go on living without more episodes of this. Please....oh, please....I hope they make another season.

Damn! This rocked my world!

Iryu Team Medical Dragon (医龍 Team Medical Dragon, 2006-2007)

Season One
Starring:
Sakaguchi Kenji as Asada Ryuutarou
Inamori Izumi as Katou Akira
Mizukawa Asami as Satohara Miki
Koike Teppei as Ijyuuin Noboru
Natsuki Mari as Kitou Shoko
Kitamura Kazuki as Kirima Gunji
Abe Sadao as Arase Monji
Sasaki Kuranosuke as Fujiyoshi Keishi
Kishibe Ittoku as Noguchi Keno
Ikeda Tetsuhiro
Mukaichi Mion
Kanai Yuta (ep5-6)
Shimizu Koji (ep8-11)

Ryutaro Asada is enjoying his peaceful life in the countryside, when he is visited by Akira Kato, assistant professor of the Faculty of Cardiac Surgery at Meishin University Medical Hospital.

Ryutaro is a genius surgeon who used to lead "Team Medical Dragon," a world-class NGO medical team. In harsh environments that lacked medicine and electricity, Ryutaro witnessed many lives pass away. At the same time, he saved many other lives, helping his matchless skill overwhelm other doctors.

As a female doctor, Akira managed to become an assistant professor. She has ambitions to be promoted to professor by succeeding in a surgery using the Batista technique — an extremely difficult type of heart surgery — and also by writing a paper on it. A year ago, Akira witnessed Ryutaro's skills when he was an NGO doctor. That's why she recruits him and asks him to use the Batista technique. Since Ryutaro's arrival, urgent patients who would have been abandoned in the past, are miraculously saved by the "hands of God." --Fuji TV


Season Two
Starring:
Sakaguchi Kenji as Asada Ryutaro
Uchida Yuki as Kataoka Kazumi
Koike Teppei as Ijyuuin Noboru
Otsuka Nene as Kodaka Nanami
Kitamura Kazuki as Kirishima Gunji
Abe Sadao as Arase Monji
Mizukawa Asami as Satohara Miki
Sasaki Kuranosuke as Fujiyoshi Keisuke
Natsuki Mari as Kito Shoko
Kishibe Ittoku as Noguchi Takeo
Ikeda Tetsuhiro as Kihara Takehiko
Sato Jiro as Matsudaira Kotaro
Shiga Kotaro as Zenda Hideki
Takahashi Issei as Toyama Seiji
Nakamura Yasuhi as Nomura Hirohito
Supporting Cast
Ryo as Togashi Yukari (ep1)
Tanaka Minoru as Togashi Tsuyoshi (ep1)
Itao Itsuji (ep1)
Kawahara Sabu (ep1)
Kikuchi Kinya (ep1-2,10-11)
Nakamura Keiko (中村慧子) (ep1,10-11)
Umishima Yuki (ep1-2,10-11)
Yoshino Maki (吉野真希) (ep1,3,10-11)
Aoki Hajime (ep1,10)
Asari Shogo (浅里昌吾) (ep1,4,10-11)
Okamoto Ryuta (ep1)
Tawaragi Tota (ep1)
Utagawa Shiko (歌川椎子) (ep1)
Otake Koichi (大竹浩一) (ep1,6)
Watanabe Kouhei (渡邉紘平) (ep1,5-7)
Minami Shuhei (南周平) (ep1)
Kobayashi Setsuko (小林節子) (ep1)
Nakazawa Junko (ep1,3-9)
Tsuchiya Fumiko (土屋史子) (ep1,3-9)
Nozaki Kazuma (野崎数馬) (ep1)
Hida Koji (飛田晃治) (ep1,5)
Fujita Sasami (藤田三三三) (ep1-5)
Imamura Koichi (今村公一) (ep1)
Komori Kotoyo (小森琴世) (ep1)
Kato Masato (加藤雅人) (ep1)
Michael (ep1)
Hershel (ep1)
Manfred (ep1)
Takeda Yuko (武田祐子) (ep1,6)
Muta Teizo (牟田悌三) as Nishizawa Takafumi (ep2-3)
Yamamoto Yusuke as Nishizawa Eita (ep2-3)
Kodama Raishin (児玉頼信) (ep2)
Tokunaga Atsushi (徳永淳) (ep2,6,11)
Saeki Arata (佐伯新) (ep2)
Hoshino Akiko (星野晶子) (ep2)
Miyashita Tomomi (宮下ともみ) (ep2)
Fujimoto Itaru (藤本至) (ep2)
Ogura Terukazu (小倉輝一) (ep2)
Hamachika Takanori (浜近高徳) (ep3-4,6)
Ichikawa Chieko (市川千恵子) (ep3)
Mitsue Takashi (三枝貴志) (ep3,5-8)
Hofuku Norihiko (法福法彦) (ep3)
Tsutsumi Masataka (堤匡孝) (ep3,10-11)
Ryu Raita as Onda Tetsuzo (ep4-5)
Kurokawa Tomoka as Ogata Miu (ep4-5)
Ono Ryo (ep4-5)
Yanagida Erika (柳田衣里佳) (ep4-5)
Yoshino Yoshiko (よしのよしこ) (ep4)
Otsuru Gitan (ep4-5)
Uchikura Kenji (内倉憲二) (ep4,10-11)
Haneda Yoichi (羽根田陽一) (ep4)
Okuwa Maimi (大桑マイミ) (ep4)
Ninomiya Satoshi (二宮聡) (ep4,7)
Deguchi Takashi (出口高司) (ep5)
Inaba Daisuke (稲葉大助) (ep5)
Hashimoto Chieko (橋本智恵子) (ep5)
Yamauchi Kumi (山内紅実) (ep5)
Kusamura Reiko (ep6)
Kawashima Umika (ep6-7)
Hiyama Takekazu (樋山剛一) (ep6)
Yamada Goichi (山田吾一) (ep6)
Sugiyama Ayano (杉山あやの) (ep6)
Kurana Rin (くらなりん) (ep6)
Kubozono Junichi (窪園純一) (ep6)
Takehatsu Shiro (武発史郎) (ep6)
Takahashi Hitomi (ep7)
Sunaga Kei (ep7)
Kugasawa Toru (久ヶ沢徹) (ep7)
Nakamura Keita (中村圭太) (ep7)
Inoue Ko (井上康) (ep7)
Nomura Hironobu (ep8)
Hongo Kanata (ep8)
Nakagome Sachiko (中込佐知子) (ep8)
Okazaki Hiroshi (岡崎宏) (ep8)
Arakawa Fumiko (新川史子) (ep8)
Kikawa Junichi (木川淳一) (ep8)
Takagi Ryo (高木涼生) (ep8)
Nagano Satomi (長野里美) (ep9-11)
Tanaka Oga (田中碧海) (ep9-11)
Shimazu Kentaro (島津健太郎) (ep9)
Mukai Osamu (向井修) (ep9)
Hisamatsu Nobuyoshi (久松信美) (ep9,11)
Nakamura Seiya (中村星哉) (ep9-10)
Kishibe Daisuke (岸部大輔) (ep9)
Kojima Yasushi (小島康志) (ep9)
Sugimoto Hitona (杉本妃音奈) (ep9)
Nakamura Makoto (中村まこと) (ep10-11)
Kumabe Youhei (隈部洋平) (ep10-11)
Mori Kouko (森康子) (ep10)
Nishiyama Shugo (西山周吾) (ep10)
Ishikawa Yasuko (石川泰子) (ep10-11)
Sugimoto Jyunya (杉本潤哉) (ep10-11)
Yasuoka Sunao (安岡直) (ep10)
Miyanari Ryuji (宮成竜二) (ep10)
Kishi Hiroyuki (ep11)
Hiwatashi Shinji (樋渡真司) (ep11)

In Iryu 2, Asada Ryutaro wages a new battle against the realities of Japan's medical care system. The government has drafted legislation to tackle the recent inflation of medical fees; hospitals have entered an era in which they will go bankrupt if they aren't independently run. At the same time, hospital mergers and takeovers are also taking place. Additionally, the obstetrics and pediatrics departments are being closed in succession, and there are inadequate doctors in the region - issues that are closely related to these hospital management problems. Now, hospitals, like the average corporation, face collapse if they are not profitable.

OMG! This drama rocked my freakin' socks off! Sakaguchi Kenji is so damn fine. You will know why in the first scene of the first episode in the first season. Naked + godlike body + sex scene = hentai thoughts. OMG!

From there on in, the drama was simply amazing. Both seasons. The second was more repetitive but that was okay. Really. I thought Code Blue was cool until I came across this and decided that Code Blue was a pansie-ass drama. Same idea but this drama was more indepth. OMG! A definite must see. The comedy was just right. You'll know why when you see Ikeda Tetsuhiro's character and Koike Teppei's character intermingle. Go Harry!! (You'll know what I mean by that once you see it......)

Truly touching drama! Truly. Truly!

Nanase Futatabi (七瀬ふたたび -2008)

Starring:
Renbutsu Misako as Tanaka (Hida) Nanase
Shioya Shun as Iwabuchi Kosuke
Miyasaka Kenta as Hirose Akira
Ichikawa Kamejiro as Detective Takamura
Sainei Ryuji as Detective Eto
Kaku Tomohiro as Henry (Kishitani Naoto)
Mizuno Miki as Sunadori Fujiko
Yanagihara Kanako as Mayumi Ruri
Kohinata Fumiyo as Hida Seiichiro
Kitamura Soichiro as Masuda
Imai Tomohiko as Nishio Masahito
Guests
Nakamura Kumi as Tanaka Shizuko (ep1)
Ito Yumiko (伊東由美子) as Akira's aunt (ep1)
Achiwa Satomi as Nanase's aunt (ep1)
Izawa Hiroshi (伊沢弘) as retirement home director (ep1-2)
Yasuda Sachiko (安田祥子) as Watanabe (ep1-2)
Tashiro Tadao (田代忠雄) as Shinozuka (ep1-2)
Mori Koko (森康子) as Takahashi (ep1-2)
Hirabayashi Kotaro (平林弘太朗) as bartender (ep1-5)
Hamada Michihiko (浜田道彦) (ep1-2)
Oshita Genichiro (大下源一郎) (ep1)
Sakamaki Takahiro (酒巻誉洋) (ep1)
Abe Shohei (阿部翔平) as assistant (ep2)
Nagasawa Nao (長澤奈央) as woman in red (ep2)
Cho Songha (チョウ・ソンハ) as serial killer (ep2)
Yamauchi Nata (山内ナタ) as bank clerk (ep2)
Karauchi Hideki (蔵内秀樹) as guard (ep2)
Shirakawa Masayuki (白川正之) as waiter (ep2)
Yoshida Natsumi as beautician (ep2,4-6)
Nakahira Yoshio (中平良夫) as Sakata (ep3)
Ito Eiko as Masuda Naoko (ep3,5)
Ono Ryo as real estate agent (ep3)
Hasegawa Hiromi (長谷川博己) as Takeda Yuji (ep3,6)
Waki Tomohiro as Sudo Takeshi (ep3)
Takase Misaki (高瀬岬) (ep3-4)
Higashiyama Mami (東山麻美) as Koyama Sayaka (ep4)
Kaku Chie (加來知恵) as woman at Yuji's home (ep4)
Ube Hiroyuki (宇部洋之) as Toshi (ep4)
Abe Shohei (安部翔平) as Kanzaki (ep5)
Miyamoto Yume (宮本侑芽) as Inoue Misato (ep5-6)
Hasegawa Mayumi as Inoue Kaori (ep5-6)
Mitsuishi Ken as Sakura Shogo (ep6-9)
Sakurada Seiko as Gomi Yuriko (ep7-8)

A suspense story about a girl with an ability to read people's mind. Together with her psychic friends, Nanase, the telepath, tries to save others from danger and fight those who try to abuse her power. --NHK

I really, really, really loved this drama. Something about the thought of all of us having a hidden talent like reading minds or controlling our surroundings or even crossing time is really not a new idea but the way it was brought out in this story was amazing. Every character was superb in their abilites. I even loved the "romance" between Nanase and Kosuke.

This scene was so beautiful. *sigh* I wanted to be Nanase!!!

The end....well, I can't say if it was a happy ending or a sad ending. Oh there were some really sad parts. I cried the last 20 minutes of the whole last episode. I was moved beyond to tears and then some. But most of all, the "thought" that Nanase narrated to everyone's mind was so moving.....*sigh* OMG! I think I'll tear up some more. I loved this drama so much I have it downloaded to my hard drive ready for DVD burning.

GiraGira ( ギラギラ -2008)

Starring:
Sasaki Kuranosuke as Nanase Kohei
Maya Miki as Sonobe Yuki
Hara Sachie as Nanase Momoko
Miura Shohei as Shoji
Sato Tomohito as Ichikawa Kenta/Hideyoshi
Abe Tsuyoshi as Eiji
Ashina Sei as Yuuna
Tanaka Yoji as Fukami
Kotegawa Yuko as Jinguji Rena
Ishibashi Ryo as Katsuragi Taisei
Yamazaki Hajime as Tahira Hiroshi
Yuki Jutta as Toma
Sakimoto Hiromi as Yuki
Sakuragi Ryosuke (桜木涼介) as Akira
Nishiyama Sosuke as Rikuto
Yuji as Ken
Matsumoto Hiroya as Ren
Nagamachi Taro as Ryo
Matsushita Kouji as Leo
CHIKARA as Sakuya
Suzuki Mie (鈴木美恵)
Fujisawa Karin
Shikanai Daishi as Haruki
Guests
Igarashi Shunji as Eagle (ep1-2)
Hara Mikie (原幹恵) as Sayo (ep1-2)
Toda Keiko as Asaoka Misa (ep1)
Mitsuya Yoko as Kyoka (ep3)
Kobayashi Emi (小林恵美) as Saki (ep3)
Nonami Maho as Kazuki Sarina (ep4)
Kikawada Masaya as Sachiel (ep6)
Nishihara Aki as Hime/Oohara Maiko (ep6)
Wada Masato as Kazuma (ep7-8)

Based on a hit manga, this adaptation depicts the life of a married man Nanase Kohei after he returned to his former job as a male host. He woos the clients with his gentle and caring nature, and soon retrieves his former credit as the ace of the club. However, the transition back for this middle-aged man is not without its challenges. Afraid that his wife will find out about this job, Nanase is also garnering jealousy and displeasure from the younger hosts. Throughout the course of his employment, he demonstrates to others that hosting should not be the vulgar occupation it has become where the entire goal is to make the women frivolously spend money, rather, it is about a human connection that is so often overlooked.

This was a pretty good show. Not the overly best. It started out really interesting but got sorta of boring near the middle. It was the same old, same old where Kohei had to save the day and the woman. I wanted to see more character development with Shoji and the other hosts at the club. More so of Shoji since he was the closest to Kohei.

The ending was sort of abrupt and ended differently to that I thought it would. It was a happy ending but sort of lame. This show was a great boredom buster if and when I ran out of my other dramas to watch. I will say there was plenty of eye candy galore and was pleasantly surprised to see Wada Masato (Shigeshoshi) in the last two episodes. I am so looking forward to his dramas. He is a great actor and hidden talent in the Japanese TV world. If I were to see him on the Tokyo streets one day, I'd be all over him like "a fly on poo."

Another talent, that is starting to show up more often than not is Igarahi Shunji. Cute, not handsome, but something about him draws your attention to him. And he, too, costarred with Wada Masato in Shigeshoshi.

Miura Shohei


Wada Masato

Shibatora (シバトラ -2008)

Starring:
Koike Teppei as Shibata Taketora
Ohgo Suzuka as Hosho Mizuki
Tsukaji Muga as Hakuto Shinsuke
Miyagawa Daisuke as Shinjo Toru
Minami Akina as Ayukawa Tamaki
Uchida Shige (内田滋) as Nanbara Kantaro
Sotaro (聡太郎) as Uzaki Tei
Matsuda Tamaki (松田珠希) as Manabe Yuna
Konno Narumi as Miyagi Mei
Maya Miki as Chiba Sakura
Fujiki Naohito as Fujiki Kojiro
Supporting & Guests
Imada Koji as Kinoshita Mitsuo (ep1)
Omiya Taro as Hosho Mitsuhiko (ep1,10)
Tsubaki Takayuki as Iketani Noboru (椿隆之) (ep1)
Yagami Ren as Urazawa (ep1)
Nishiyama Sosuke as Mizumoto (ep1)
Yamane Kazuma as Takagi (ep1)
Haru as Rumi (ep1)
Kawano Naoki as Kusunoki Yuji (ep1-4,7-10)
Daito Shunsuke as Kato Gakuto (ep1-4,9-10)
Miura Ryosuke as Kanazawa Takeshi (ep1-4,8-10)
Suenaga Haruka as Machida Rika (ep1-4,7-8)
Suzuki Ryohei as Mura Hiromi (ep1-4,9-10)
Kuranuki Masahiro as Mori Bunmei (ep1-4,8-10)
Suzuki Taku (鈴木拓) as Class 2-B Adviser (ep1,2,4)
Takahashi Tsutomu (高橋努) as their supervisor (ep2)
Karato Ryo as Mizoguchi (ep3)
Koike Ayame (小池彩夢) as Yagi Yuria / Mary (ep5)
Kono Yoichiro (河野洋一郎) as Yagi Yuria's father (ep5)
Takaku Chigusa (高久ちぐさ) as Yagi Yuria's mother (ep5)
Hiraga Masaomi as Ochiai Takeo's relative (ep5)
Tengenji Ryu (天現寺竜) as an artist (ep5)
Sakamoto Mitsunari (坂本三成) as as a police detective (ep5)
Ito Keita (伊藤圭) as a police detective (ep5)
Kawano Yoshiko (川野良子) as an announcer (ep5)
Hashizume Ryo as Ochiai Takeo (ep5-6)
Harada Kana (原田佳奈) as Chiba Yuri (ep5-6)
Shida Nanako (志田菜々子) as Ikushima Toko (ep5-6)
Aoki Shinsuke as Iwaki (ep5-6)
Ohira Natsumi as Ikuno Yayoi (ep7)
Yuge Tomohisa as Shishido (ep7)
Kohata Ryu (木幡竜) as Kanai Masaki (ep7-8)
Ideguchi Tetsuya (出口哲也) (ep7-8)
Kiriyama Renn as Igarashi (ep7-8)
Haruki Misayo as Machida Rika's mother (ep7-8)
Okouchi Hiroshi (大河内浩) as Kosugi (ep9-10)
Kyo Nobuo as Ino Takayoshi (ep9-10)
Sugiura Takao (杉浦太雄) as Wakabayashi (ep9-10)
Nakagawa Shingo as Fudo (ep9-10)
Toma Sora (藤間宇宙) as Masuda (ep9-10)
Inoue Waka as Tokiwa Ryoko (ep9-10)
Abe Ryohei (ep11)

No matter how you look at him, Shibata Taketora is just a quiet, ordinary junior high student. He looks so vulnerable that bullies try to rip him off on the streets, but he is actually a police detective and an expert swordsman in kendo. Taketora has a special ability to see the "hands of death" around people whose life is nearing the end. One day, Taketora is assigned on undercover operations. He sneaks into a high school, a maid cafe and a juvenile detention center... With the cooperation from his various friends, he gets to the bottom of the matters. --Fuji TV

This was a pretty good series but typical. Nothing spectacular really. The idea of the story was good though. Again another thought provoking Japanese series that left a huge moral to the story.

A good time waster but was hoping for a really good ending. I will say there was a twist that I wasn't expecting. I was really shocked. I really wasn't expecting it so that left a good feeling for this drama.

The acting was average and Fujiki-san looked horrible with that bleached hair. WTF? Go back to dark brown or black, leave the bleach behind. It made my eyes bleed.

I wish there had been more depth to this story and more money spent because this drama could have amounted to something............

.....and poor Teppei-kun. He will always be portraying a teenager as he ages. I don't think he'll ever look mature. Maybe he's lucky....or not.

Around 40 (アラウンド40 -2008)

Starring:
Amami Yuki as Ogata Satoko
Fujiki Naohito as Okamura Keitaro
Otsuka Nene as Morimura Nao
Matsushita Yuki as Takeuchi Mizue
Tsutsui Michitaka as Ohashi Sadao
AKIRA as Ogata Tatsuya
Sakura as Ogata Maki
Matsumoto Runa as Ogata Ruka
Hayashi Ryuzo as Ogata Tomoyasu
Kaga Mariko as Yoshinaga Haruko
Jinbo Satoshi as Takeuchi Akio
Kimura Haruki as Takeuchi Yosuke
Matsuo Takashi (松尾貴史) as Kawasaki Kengo
Matsumoto Wakana as Katayama Haruka
Hoshino Ryoko (星野涼子) as Uemura Asuka
Hiei Yosuke (日栄洋祐) as Yajima
Katagiri Hairi as Yanagihara Kazuko (Matchmaker)
Kato Masaya as Kanasugi Kazuya
Hashizume Jun as Kanbayashi Shozo
Maruyama Tomomi as Shinjo Takafumi
Oba Kumiko as Nakayama Michiko
Kichise Michiko as Minami Yukari

39-year-old Ogata Satoko is a highly capable psychiatrist who is single. She's forthright, a caring older sister and reliable in her job and in private. Her interests are staying in luxurious Japanese inns and watching stand-up comedy videos.

Satoko hasn't had a boyfriend in the past five years. Nevertheless, she derives satisfaction from work and isn't worried about her finances. Among her good friends that she hangs out with are 35-year-old Morimura Nao, her junior who proclaims that she won't marry, and 39-year-old Oikawa Sadao, her peer since high school. Satoko is happily enjoying the single life.

At an alumni reunion as everyone is on the verge of 40, Takeuchi Mizue, her good friend since high school who is now a full-time housewife, rushes Satoko into action. "If you want children, you should marry now" and "It's women's happiness", but both are lost on Satoko, who isn't convinced.

One day, Satoko attempts to cheer up Nao, who is downcast over a shocking incident, and goes to her favourite hot-spring inn. There she coincidentally encounters a breakup between a handsome but somewhat odd man, Okamura Keitaro, and his girlfriend...--jade_frost

I was only interested in this show because of Fujiki Naohito. That man is too damn cute for his age. *sigh*

This story line had promise but as the series progressed I felt that they focused too much on her profession. I thought this was about love in the 40's. In a way it was but I felt nothing in the progress of romance. So in a way, the story got depressing and lost its objective. Or so I thought.

I will say the character of Keitaro was amusing. He had his quirks but was really endearing and loveable. I never really thought of my trash and water they way they had him focused on. LOL! I guess I'm not environmentally friendly. Ooooops!

If you are of the younger mind set, this show really isn't for you at all. It might be even boring. I myself am pushing "Around 40" so I thought this would be great. Ehhh. It was okay. I was really down trodden about how they portrayed us at this age.................

Bara no nai Hanaya (薔薇のない花屋 -2008)

Starring:
Katori Shingo as Shiomi Eiji
Takeuchi Yuko as Shirato Mio
Shaku Yumiko as Ono Yuki
Matsuda Shota as Kudo Naoya
Motokariya Yuika as Shizuku's mother
Bito Isao as Hirakawa Tatsumi
Terajima Susumu as Shijo Kengo
Ikeuchi Junko as Hishida Keiko
Miura Tomokazu as Anzai Teruo
Yagi Yuki as Shiomi Shizuku
Imai Yuki as Hirota Shogo
Supporting Cast
Aoki Shinsuke (ep1)
Funaki Sachi (舟木幸) (ep1)
Nishiyama Sosuke (ep1)
Sekiya Kento (関谷賢斗) (ep1)
Chijiwa Yoshiyuki (千々和義之) (ep1)
Hanako (はなこ) (ep1,4)
Isono Arisa (磯野光沙) (ep1)
Kawanishi Mizuki (河西泉妃) (ep1)
Matsumoto Hinano (松本妃奈乃) (ep1)
Morimoto Seina (森本聖菜) (ep1)
Abe Ayuha (阿部歩羽) (ep1)
Tada Hikaru (多田煌琉) (ep1)
Kyo Nobuo (ep2)
Minami Yoshiko (南風佳子) (ep2)
Abe Minami (阿部未菜美) (ep2,4,7,10-11)
Ebisawa Kanna (海老沢神菜) (ep2,4,6,10-11)
Ueyama Naomi (上山奈織美) (ep2,4,10-11)
Yonezawa Shiori (米澤史織) (ep2)
Mihara Iona (三原伊織奈) (ep2)
Kawakura Keizo (川倉けいぞう) (ep2)
Yasuoka Nao (安岡直) (ep2)
Kawachi Namie (河内浪江) (ep2)
Yoneda Takuya (米田拓也) (ep2)
Minami Yoshihiro (南好洋) (ep2)
Urushibata Takeyuki (漆畑武征) (ep2)
Mizusawa Shun (水沢駿) (ep2)
Amano Hiroyuki (ep3-4)
Kubota Maki (ep3)
Izumi Takaomi (和泉貴臣) (ep3)
Watanaka Yuzo (渡仲裕蔵) (ep3)
Ninomiya Satoshi (二宮聡) (ep3)
Nishina Akiko (仁科亜季子) as Anzai Kumiko (ep4,8)
Sakamoto Makoto (ep4)
Takaku Chigusa (高久ちぐさ) (ep4)
Mitsunobu (光宣) (ep4)
Yamanashi Hana (山梨ハナ) (ep4-6)
Dangan Jacky (弾丸ジャッキー) (ep4)
Koichi Mantaro as Hayashi Hisanori (ep6-8)
Sueno Takuma (末野卓磨) (ep7)
Tomioka Masafumi (富岡真史) (ep7)
Izutsu Taichi (井筒太一) (ep7)
Tamayama Tetsuji as Kamiyama Shun (ep8-11)
Nakane Toru as Soma Fuyuhiko (ep9,11)
Maeda Ken (前田健) (ep9)
Matsuda Saki (松田沙紀) (ep9)
Shimazaki Nobuo (嶋崎伸夫) (ep9)
Yoshino Yoshiko (よしのよしこ) (ep9)
Goshu (剛州) (ep10)
Nishikawa Yoshiro (西川洋禄) (ep10-11)

Shiomi Eiji is forced to become a single father when his girlfriend passes away while giving birth to their daughter, Shizuku. Desolate after the loss of the woman he loved, Eiji has little time or desire to even consider remarrying, working part-time jobs just to make ends meet. The one thing that gives meaning and joy to his life is Shizuku, but even that begins to trouble him when Shizuku begins acting strange, hiding her face by putting a cloth over her head when around other people.

One day after opening his flower shop, Eiji comes across a blind woman standing by the door, taking shelter from the rain. When he invites her to come inside the shop, she at first refuses, but later gives in to Eiji's kindness. They become intimate friends and she slowly grows to depend on Eiji's sincerity and goodheartedness. After rescuing her a following evening when she walks into the street and is nearly struck by traffic, Eiji himself inexplicably discovers the cold of winter that has saddled his heart all these years slowly melting away...

This was an absolutely, wonderful, exciting, suspensful, fulfilling drama. OMG! Totally loved this. Okay, let's not forget that Shota-kun and my favorite actor of all-time Tetsuji-kun were in it. Some serious eye-candy for me. No joke.

Why, oh why, is my Tetsuji-kun always a bad guy? He sort of redeemed himself at the end but yet......I just wanted to jump through the screen and plant a wet-juicy one on him.

This story was a serious tear jerker with a happy ending. I won't lie....as you all who have read my blog know....I'm a big wuss. LOL!

There were a few parts that were slow but the show never lost its quality. Shota-kun was awesome as the young, immature Baka! I wasn't sure how they could redeem him from his orneryness at the beginning. But, his story came out well in the end. Ahhh.....KOI.

All the characters were well played. I loved them all. Really a truly touching, loving story.

Matsuda Shota

Battery (バッテリー -2008)

Starring:
Nakayama Yuma as Harada Takumi
Takada Sho as Nagakura Go
Morimoto Shintaro as Harada Seiha
Saito Yuki
Horibe Keisuke
Miyazaki Karen (宮崎香蓮)
Nagashima Shugo as Sawaguchi Fumito
Matsukawa Naruki
Kim Ji Sun (김지순, ちすん)
Nakao Mie (中尾ミエ)
Ishibashi Renji
Kajiwara Hikari (梶原ひかり)
Chihara Koji

A story about a teenage pitcher and catcher who develop a firm friendship through their battery. Harada Takumi, an aloof junior high school boy who has a great arm, meets Nagakura Go, who can catch Takumi's fastball. Together, they build up a trusting relationship among the teammates. --NHK

Another story about baseball. Hmm? I guess the twist on this story was about the relationship between pitcher and catcher. I will say that this story, out of all the baseball stories so far, touched me the most. Why? I used to be a member of a battery. I was a catcher. If you don't understand or trust "your other half", then there is no battery. As I catcher, I believed in my pitcher and I believe she trusted me.

So this story really delved into my heart. Then almost every episode I had to look back to my high school years and remember................

There wasn't any overly dramatic scenes or exceptional performances. This wouldn't get an Oscar or Emmy (in the Japanese equivalent). But for some reason, I will download this and keep. It really touched me here.......<3

Nakayama Yuma

Cute kid!!!

Jikou Keisatsu ( 時効警察 -2006-2007)

Starring:
Odagiri Joe as Kiriyama Shuichiro
Aso Kumiko as Mikazuki Shizuka
Toyohara Kosuke as Jumonji Hayate
Fuse Eri as Matarai
Mitsuishi Ken as Morosawa
Eguchi Noriko as Saneie
Iwamatsu Ryo as Kumamoto
Hida Yasuhito as Hachisuka
Guests
Azuma Chizuru (ep1)
Takada Seiko (高田聖子) (ep1)
Ikewaki Chizuru (ep2)
Shioyama Misako (塩山みさこ) (ep2)
Tanaka Yoji (ep2)
Katagiri Hairi (ep2)
Onishi Takeshi (大西武志) (ep3)
Tanaka Tetsushi (ep3)
Ogawa Tamaki (ep3)
Nagasaku Hiromi (ep4)
Hirota Reona (ep4)
Okina Megumi (ep5)
Azuma Mikihisa (ep5)
Nogi Ryosuke (ep5)
Iizawa Momo (ep5)
Yoshitaka Yuriko (ep6)
Moriguchi Yoko (ep6)
Hazuki Riona (ep7)
Matsui Ryoko (松井涼子) (ep7)
Moro Morooka (ep7)
Tayama Ryosei (ep7)
Noguchi Kaoru (ep7)
Sakurai Atsuko (ep8)
Maki Yoko (ep8)
Hirokawa Mitsunori (廣川三憲) (ep8)
Ayata Toshiki (綾田俊樹) (ep8)
Nomaguchi Toru (ep8)
Inuyama Inuko (ep8)
Negishi Toshie (ep8)
ROLLY (ep9)
Ryo (ep9)
Tsugumi (ep9)
Sasano Takashi (ep9)
Muramatsu Toshifumi (ep9)

Kiriyama Shuichiro works as an information management officer in the prefectural police station. As he is very observant and has interest in the unresolved cases which have gone past the legal time frame (statute of limitations) i.e. the culprit cannot be charged even if he/she is caught, he investigates the cases without permission with the aim of "confirming" the culprit only. Some charateristics of this character would be his dark green spectacles, his wallet containing 20,000 yen at all times and he likes udon and nyuumen.

This drama was sort of a disappointment. Don't get me wrong. As usual, Joe-kun rocked my world. This man is a talent beyond anyones imagination. Why isn't he world reknowned? Dunno.

Anyway, the disappointment stems from the fact that both seasons of episodes were sickeningly repetitive. Then there is the fact that they hint to a "romance" and then the second season just blew it off like a north winter wind. What the.....?

This had a good start and then it fell apart as the series continued and I got bored as hell. I watched in angst just hoping that since the story was repetitive they would heat up the romance....but that failed me too.

There is only so much that Joe-kun can do. What a waste of perfectly superb acting skills that got flustered in this weak drama. *sigh*

With Love (1998)

Starring:
Takenouchi Yutaka as Hasegawa Takashi
Tanaka Misato as Murakami Amane
Oikawa Mitsuhiro asYoshida Haruhiko
Fujiwara Norika as Imai Kaori
Asada Miyoko
Kawaoka Daijiro as Kinoshita Kentaro
Hara Chiaki
Hara Sachie as Midori
Shibuya Kotono
Shirai Akira
Sato Hiroyuki
Sada Marie
Kitamura Soichiro
Fukazawa Kuniyuki
Hiraga Masaomi (ep8)

It all started when Takashi (Takenouchi), a talented composer who could not write a love song ever since his girlfriend Rina left him suddenly, accidentally sent an uncompleted piece of his latest work to Amane (Tanaka) via email. Deeply touched by his music, Amane wrote back to him, without getting a reply. Amane continued writing to him, pouring out her thoughts. Only when she signed as "Teru Teru Bozu", did Takashi responded with a mail saying "WHO ARE YOU?", because what Rina left him as a farewell gift was a teru teru bozu! --JDorama.com

How do I go on about this drama? This one is it! This is my #1 favorite Asian drama, as of right now!

This drama had so much going on. It had a mix of the Korean dramas Soulmate and Who Are You? in it. Geez-a-lou! I watched the final episode last night and I'm still reeling from it all. I cried. Damn, did I cry.

This is one freaking beautiful story that touched me on so many levels that it's not even funny.

Can you find true love on the internet? Do you believe in destiny or fate? Could your true love be closer than you think? I'm tellin' you people this was one helluva a story. And, I'm officially declaring that Takenouchi Yutaka as my favorite actor of all time. Why in the hell have I put him off so much?

I thought he was great in Tomorrow and thought I would hit some of his dramas and.....well....here ya go. I found my ultimate favorite.

This whole drama put love in perspective. That sex isn't everything its cracked up to be. COMMUNICATION is the keyword here people!!!!

I'm so in love!!!

Takenouchi Yutaka