Love Generation (ラブジェネレーション -1997)

Starring:
Kimura Takuya as Katagiri Teppei
Matsu Takako as Uesugi Riko
Fujiwara Norika as Takagi Erika
Uchino Masaaki as Katagiri Soichiro
Junna Risa as Mizuhara Sanae
Moriguchi Yoko as Shiroishi Nami
Hirata Mitsuru as Kurosaki Takeshi
Kawabata Ryuta as Yoshimoto Tamio
Izutsu Shinsuke as Sasaki Taisaku
Kishi Hiroyuki as Ootemon
Fukiishi Kazue as Uesugi Midori
Nakamura Ikuji as Ishihara
Inoue Takashi as Yoda
Yamazaki Naoki as Hosaka
Kondo Kyozo as Tsuji
Harada Shuichi as Hioki
Nomura Shinji as Shimamura Mitsuru
Shiina Kippei (guest) as Ogasahara Korekiyo
Igarashi Izumi as Uesugi Youko
Suzuki Mie as Uesugi Sachiko
Kurotani Tomoka as Harumi
Igawa Hisashi as Uesugi Ken'ichi
Namase Katsuhisa as Ando-san
Sato Tamao
Shinagawa Toru

Katagiri Teppei (Kimura Takuya) is a promising creative agent, but whose attitude gets him transferred to the sales department. He has to learn to adapt to the new working environment, which includes cutting his precious locks of hair to create a neater and more appropriate image. Helping him along the way is Uesugi Riko (Matsu Takako), whom he tried to pick up along the street earlier but was tricked by her instead. Riko does not have a good impression of him at first, but falls for him gradually. However, Teppei runs into his ex-girlfriend Mizuhara Sanae (Junna Risa) who is now the girlfriend of his brother Soichiro (Uchino Masaaki). Consoling him is Riko, whom Teppei likes gradually. Just when Teppei and Riko start dating, Sanae realises that she still likes Teppei...
-- JDorama.com

This is the second time I have watched this. I think this was one of the first dramas I had seen. I think I had been on a Kimura Takuya kick then. I watched a bazillion of his dramas in a row. LOL!

This, too, is one of my favorites. You watch as Teppei slowly falls in love with Riko. Their first encounter was a bomb in a male pride way. LOL! Their friendship started as affible, grew, and grew. I will admit I wasn't all that with Riko's character at first but you eventually understand how her love became almost a possession but then yet her actions (even though a little extreme) were absolutely believable from a female perspective.

If by chance, you haven't seen this drama, give it a whirl. It is an oldie but goodie. And, he too, is a little younger (this being 10 years ago!) and oh soooo cute!!

Chuushingura 1/47 (忠臣蔵 1/47 -2001)

Starring:
Kimura Takuya as Hirobe Yasubei
Okada Junichi as Oishi Chikara
Fukatsu Eri as Horibe Hori
Sato Koichi as Oishi Kuranosuke
Matsuyuki Yasuko as Fujimi
Tsumabuki Satoshi as Takada Gunbe
Tsutsumi Shinichi as Asano Takumi-no-kami Nagonori
Matsu Takako as Aguri (Yozeii)
Kobayashi Satomi as Oishi Riku
Ohsugi Ren as Yanagisawa Yoshiyasu
Watabiki Katsuhiko as Kobayashi Heihachiro
Kaneda Akio as Ono Kurobe
Kamiyama Shigeru as Kanno Rokurozaemon
Ikeuchi Hiroyuki as Shimizu Ichigaku
Atarashi Katsutoshi as Hara Soemon
Harada Ryuji as Kataoka Gengoemon
Arai Yasutoshi as Maebara Isuke
Kawabata Ryuta as Takebayashi Tadashichi
Sugiura Naoki as Horibe Yahe
Tsugawa Masahiko as Kira Kozukenosuke
Washio Machiko


A story based on the popular kabuki drama. In 1701, Asano Naganori, attacked Lord Kira Kozenosuke with his sword in the Edo Castle after Lord Kira had taunted the young, usually mild mannered Asano. Although Lord Kira's wound was superficial, Asano was ordered by the Shogun to commit seppuku - suicide. Lord Kira, an important retainer of the imperial household, did not receive any reprimand. Asano's land and all the possessions of his family were confiscated.
Thus all this former retainers became Ronin (samurais with no lord).


In 1702, the 46 Ako Ronin (one was already dead) lead by Oishi Kuranosuke (Asano's chief adviser) came back to revenge on their fallen lord against Lord Kira and were victorious.

The 46 Ronin were ordered to commit seppuku later by the Tokugawa Shogunate.
~ http://www.nt2099.com/DORAMA/database.html

I didn't realize how old this was. Then as I'm publishing it.....2001! I thought it was recent since crunchyroll just put it out. I don't know why I thought that. Ehhhhh.

This was a really, really great film. It should be.....it's got Kimura Takuya. (I forgot to add him to my list. *blushes*)

This drama was a wee bit confusing. I should say a little bit rushed. Yasubei and Hori's story was almost non-existent. I understand this was about the Ronin's but if they were going to go all out about his betrothal and marriage to Hori....they could have atleast shown a little bit more about them. It was hard to except he loved her when he treated her like she was his servant only. I couldn't get that. It was obvious she loved him. And I know he was a samurai and lived like one but......ehhh, I don't know. Something was missing there.

I was disheartening to realize the conclusion of the story. You come to love the ronin and Yasubei and to know that their fate was to do harakiri....ehhhh. Whyyyyyyyy?

I love the early years of Takuya-san. He was such a cutey!!! And we all know his acting is superb!!!

Gift (ギフト~1997)

Starring:
Kimura Takuya as Yukio/Takehiro
Muroi Shigeru as Naomi
Baisho Mitsuko as Inspector Sakuhara
Imai Masayuki as Norasanei
Kobayashi Satomi as Shika
Shinohara Ryoko as Chiaki

Naomi, a middle-aged woman (Muroi Shigeru), goes to a house to meet her boyfriend with whom she had planned to skip the country, along with 50 billion yen in cash. When she gets to the house, there is no boyfriend, no money and a trail of blood leading to a closet. Opening the closet causes this nude, blood covered body (Kimura Takuya) to come falling out. She gets the young man into a hospital to revive him in hopes he can tell her where the boyfriend and the money went, but the guy from the closet has lost his memory. She gives him a new identity, calling him Yukio, and then employs him as a courier at her company to keep track of him in case he ever recovers his memory. As he works for Naomi, Yukio slowly discovers who he was and what has led him to the man he is now.

Again, another awesome one from KimuTaku! *clap, clap, clap* This one totally rocked. Not a normal drama, in the sense that it wasn't premised on a romance but on the fact that he was trying to remember his past that he had lost. Such a rich storyline. Hey, a naked KimuTaku in the first episode was totally worth it in the first place. Whew!

It was wonderfully drawn out. It left you questioning if your past was worth remembering or forgetting. How would you feel if you lost your memories and had to start over...be reborn? Wow! Too bad they didn't make another season because it would have been worth it.

Now I get to leave you all with more pics of the best damn Japanese actor...EVER!!

Kimura Takuya

Double Score

Starring:
Sorimachi Takashi-Tachibana Shinnosuke
Oshio Manabu-Kawamura Etsuro

This is the story of two cops. One doesn't care about getting promoted and wants to be like an American cop. His arrest record is 95% but he has to file a report for just about the same amount of cases because of the way he makes arrests. The other is a clean and cool cop that does everything by the book. The next chapter in this rookie's book is all but written.

These two very different personalities are assigned to work as partners on everyday, run-of-the-mill cases. At first, everyone thinks that they will never be able to work together. But they prove everyone completely wrong, as they go on to solve one case after the other on the streets of Tokyo. --Fuji TV

Okay, I came across this by accident. Really. You'd think all I watch are Takashi-san's movies and dramas. LOL! And he has a LOT! So don't be surprised that I find more. I'm on a hunt for Kimi wo Wasurenai - Fly Boys, Fly! I found the RAW on Veoh but no subs. Damn! It has Takashi-san AND Takuya-san. *If anyone reads this and knows where I can watch it...give me an email, comment, whatever!!!!*

Back to my personal review......this show, again, proved that my Takashi-san is one of the best male leads ever! He played the part of Shinnosuke perfectly. His seriousness and comedic timing are perfect. Then you add Oshio Manabu into the mix....GOD! These two together reminded me of Starsky and Hutch...the Tokyo version. LOL! You couldn't help but feel for Kawamura as he struggled with the seriousness of his job. I was saddened at the end. I didn't want their partnership to end. Damn, I wished they made a TV special or movie! I need them together again. But that won't happen because.........

.......Oshio Manabu quit acting to focus on his singing and band career. Ugh! I'm 3 years too late to pout! He now lives here in the states. I hope he in all seriousness makes it.

Oshio Manabu

Hero, The Movie

*giggles* I'm such an idiot! Baka! I knew there was the Hero drama, the Hero Special, and the movie. But for some reason I thought the Special WAS the movie. Baka! *puts an L over forehead!* I love the Hero series so much! I wasn't all that into the Special but I'm glad the movie wrapped up the story. I was concerned there for a bit! Whew! Problem solved.

The movie takes off from where the Special ended. Kohei Kuryu (Takuya-kun) is back! My heart-a-flutters. The prosecutor who shirks suit and tie for a pair of jeans but is never casual about his pursuit for the truth, is back! Besides the original TV series cast, Korean heartthrob Lee-Byung Hung is in it and was shot partly in Busan, S. Korea. This time, he is involved in an obscure case of manslaughter that turns into the trial of the century.

Failure here means the end of his career. He must solve it!

Lee Byung Hung

Nemureru Mori (A Sleeping Forest)

It's review time. And do I have a HOT, HOT, HOT one. Whew! I have already mentioned that Kimura Takuya is the all-time high hottest Japanese actor. Move over Ken Watanabe! Pshh! Puuuuhlease! Takuya-kun blew me away again with this thriller, suspenseful, loving drama. My heart beats wildly!

The movie starts out with questions of why Sleeping Beauty, after having slept for so long willingly, after being kissed, decides to stay by the Prince's side forever. She was asleep. How does she know what he went through to get to her? Does she even know if he's a good prince or bad prince? Ya know? Anyway, the story starts with a murder. A father, mother, and daughter are brutally stabbed to death. Another daughter, unharmed physically, witnesses the murder and is sent to live with her uncle. Before living with him, she is sent to a psychotherapist who hypnotizes her and puts her memories to "sleep". The son of the psychotherapist, Naoki (Takuya-kun), falls in love with her. As a young boy, he secretly writes her letters and promises her after 15 years to meet in the "Sleeping Forest". The girl, now a woman, named Minako, finds the letters and decides to go and meet the boy who had written her letters. Remember, her memories of the murder and before are "sleeping". Anyway, Minako thinks Naoki is weird at first because he confesses that he has been following her and keeping up with her life the whole entire time. I don't want to give out any more details but this......the murderer is set free and is looking for revenge. Can Naoki save her? This drama has wonderful twists and turns. So many things happen that you would never expect...........

You can never go wrong with a Kimura Takuya movie. NEVER! *sigh*

This pic is roughly 10 years ago.....*sigh*hard to believe he is my age.

Aishiteru! Saranghae! Wo Ai Nee! Means....I Love You!

Ah! I've decided to post some of the reasons of why I watch Asian dramas before I start posting links and reviews of my favorite shows. I have 3 reasons why I watch Asian dramas........

1. HOT Japanese men.
2. HOT Korean men.
3. HOT Taiwanese/Chinese men.

Aren't those good enough reasons. (My husband is rolling his big, brown eyes right now.) I know, I know, I know. Hey! There are some HOT chicks but I won't talk about them because I'm not that sort of gal. Hehe!

I spent most of my night in bed tossing and turning on how to put this into words into my blog. I wish I had a voice recorder because at that time in bed it sounded so much better. Who do I start with? What movies should I reference them to? Should I make it even and put the same amount of guys for each genre? But, nahhhh. I'll just put who I like and why. And for the record, literally, most of these guys started out in boy bands or were singers before starting out as actors, and/or doing both.

So let me start by saying that it will be the Japanese first since that is the genre I started with in the first place. And it will be the first guy that I liked from the beginning.

So let me begin.

JAPAN

Tamaki Hiroshi

My first drama ever was Nodame Cantabile. It's corny by American standards. That's only because it's based on a manga (comic). Some of the actions are exaggerated but if you can get passed that....you'll fall in love with the story. Hiroshi plays Chiaki. His character is an eccentric, clean freak compared to Nodame who is untidy, unstudious, and totally a marble head. Other notable dramas and movies I have seen him in........

Shikaotoko Aoniyoshi
Last Christmas
Remote
Waterboys
Tada, Kimi wo Aishiteru

Oh did I mention that he can sing too?!!!

Kimura Takuya

Out of all the actors I mention, he is the very best so far by my standards. Agh! I get the eebie-geebies, mushy, heart squeezy feelings for this man. He isn't the best looking of them all but damn if his characters don't make you fall for him.

The very first drama from this talented guy that I happened upon and ended up having a Takuya marathon was Love Generation. Katagiri Teppei...mmmmm,mmmmm,mmmmm. Maybe it was the bad boy image? Long hair? Attitude? From this drama on, I watched maybe 3-4 other of his dramas back-to-back. Oh, my toes curl with delight. Takuya-kun is a member of the boy band called SMAP. Here are few more of my recommended shows for viewing from this guy.

Hero
Engine
Pride
Good Luck!
Sora Kara Furu Ichioku no Hoshi

Oh damn! Just read that he's going to be in an American made movie called I Come with the Rain starring Josh Hartnett! Hot damn!

Kamenashi Kazuya

If only I were 10 years younger....*sigh*. So cute. Kazuya is a member of the HOT boy band KAT-TUN.

I never really paid much attention to this guy until I came across the drama called 1 Pound no Fukuin. This drama is another drama based off a Japanese manga. It's about a boxer who falls in love with a nun-wannabe. Very sweet. But the best out of his dramas, hands down, is the drama called Nobuta wo Produce (notice how my blog name resembles his...hehe! Here are few more shows from him that I recommend.......

Tatta Hitotsu no Koi
Suppli
Gokusen 2

Here's a song from KAT-TUN with Kazuya singing the theme to Gokusen 2....Kizuna!

*sigh*

.....and last but not least............

Matsumoto Jun

Mmmm,mmmm,mmmm! Kawaii (cute in Japanese!) *sigh* He is also a member of a boy band named ARASHI. I'm not much for their music, but hey, I can't like everyone.

This guy is a great actor. Something about him comes across as arrogant. Very tense for an actor and hard for me to see as a comedian even though he did have very many poignant, comedic moments in Bambino! and Gokusen (the first season....he was not in the second season with my Kazuya.) I first noticed this guy in the movie Boku wa Imouto ni Koi wo Suru. The movie is about a brother and a sister(fraternal twins) who love each other...and not in the sibling fashion. This might sound like a perverted movie but you forget they are related and you feel for them. A forbidden love that can't be accepted. Definite tear jerker. It makes you think about what is considered forbidden and accepted in society and why the rules are the way they are. What is even sadder is that they have loved each other since the day they were conceived. Man, tears are already forming. *sigh* Here's more from this great, young actor/singer........

Hana Dori Yango
Kimi wa Pet

KOREA

Oh yeah. This country produces the best dramas....EVER. You will find fan sites of Korean dramas and fanatics like myself who can't get enough. OMG! My Bi (Rain) is from here. *sigh, giggle, sigh*

Jeong Ji Hoon
Bi (Rain)

*saliva oozes from the corners of my mouth* I can't get enough of this man! My excitement mounts because a few months ago I found out that my main man will be in the Speed Racer movie coming out next month. It won't be a main part but who gives a damn! I'll be there in my theater seat drooling like a rabid dog in heat! He can act, he can sing, and damn if he can dance! *shivers*


Out of all of the Korean dramas, this one has been considered the best out of them all. There hasn't been another one that can compete with the ratings this one pulled out in the year 2004. The drama.....is called Full House! The ratings for this show went through the roof. Let's compare it to the year that JR got shot on Dallas kind of ratings. Whew! This drama is the drama that got me hooked. I've not watched American TV since. No more LOST, no more Desperate Housewives, no more Office. Why should I watch them when these dramas can't compare? They are more intense, more loving, more romantic....ahhhh. Bi (Rain) as he is called in the English language has this naive, childlike demeanor in his shows. He is so compelling. His face is so sweet. You can't help but be drawn into his innocence. Yeah, that is the word....innocence. There isn't any awkwardness, evil, mistakeness in his acting. It's sincere in it's primest form. Oh, let me count the ways I love this guy. If you want to start watching at least one Asian drama...this is the one to start you out on. Here's more from "my" guy. (The husband is rolling his eyes again..... ;) )

A Love to Kill
Sang Doo, Let's Go To School
I'm a Cyborg, but It's Ok

Lee Wan

Okay, this guy is gorgeous. Oh my! But that is not the only reason why I love this guy. I watched the most beautiful, saddest, romantic story with this guy as a main character. The story.....Heaven's Tree, or Tree of Heaven, depending on how that person wants to write it. I watched this story and afterwards cried so hard for so many hours. A+++++ is this show. OMG! You'll go through a year's worth of Kleenex in one sitting. Just thinking about it now, my nose starts to run and my eyes start to water. Story depicts the love of two step siblings. The girl is Japanese. Her father dies and her mother goes back to Korea and marries another man who already had a son from his previous marriage. The son is Lee Wan (Soon-suh). Even with language barriers, she only speaks Japanese and he only speaks Korean. They eventually fall in love. Oh God....the waterworks are going as I remember the story. All I can say is......if ever there was a true love....the story depicts it well!! I've seen him in only one other drama.....In-Soon is Pretty. This one was well-acted. A really good show. But because of Heaven's Tree, I had to put him in my blog.

Gong Yoo

Ummm.....yummo! Found that pic and had to post it up! Whew! *sweatin' bullets* LOL!

I've only seen one of his dramas and one movie. The movie he had a small supporting role...but it was quite funny. The movie was called.......My Tutor Friend. It was a cute, sweet film. Something fun to watch to get you out of your doldrums. The drama that shows his best ability was the drama called the First Shop of the Coffee Prince. This was actually my first Korean drama. The storyline catches ya like a shark on bloody meat. As soon as your hooked, all you can do is hang on because you aren't going anywhere. LOL! Definite must see, and hey, he's not bad to look at either. Hehe!

TAIWAN/CHINA

What is it about a guy, leather, and a crotch-rocket? Mmmmm. Why do I start with that question? Well, because the first guy I will talk about looked so damn good in a particular drama...that I've been following his shows ever since. And damn if he ain't the finest thing next to fine China.

Vic Zhou

OMG! He's the best looking out of them all! I swear! Another boy band member, he is a member of F4. F4 was created after Meteor Garden was created. Metero Garden is the Taiwan version of Hana Yori Dango...another Japanese manga. Does anyone see a correlation here?

And most of all, his hit drama MARS was out of this world (pun intended). Whew! MARS is highly recommended. Next to Heaven's Tree, this one will make you cry. Maybe not as long, but it will take you for one hell of a rollercoaster ride. That is for damn sure. MARS was another drama depicted from a Japanese manga. And this one my friends is why girls like guys on bikes. *fans self* Okay, okay....he's not just gorgeous but he really can act. He started out as an actor and continues to this day. I've seen almost all of his dramas............and they kick butt!

Love Storm
Silence~serious tear jerker....BEWARE!
Sweet Relationship
Wish to See You Again

Joe Cheng

This guy was the first Taiwanese actor I got to witness. I had just got done watching Itzura na Kiss (a Japanese drama and manga) and came across It Started with a Kiss the Taiwanese version of the manga. He was the main character. Mmmm, mmmm, mmmm! Kawaii!!! This drama is soooooo popular. It is the hottest thing searched on most video viewing websites. *cough, cough* Luckily, the Taiwanese decided to stick with the manga and have followed it pretty well. And with the drama being sooooo popular, they decided to continue the story further and have produced They Kissed Again (scroll down the page from the link to ISwAK). A very addictive show. The second show is still airing to this day.

Summer X Summer
The Rose

All in all, these are a few of my favorite men. Oh there are more. But I seem to come across these guys the most. There will be more to come...and I'll have new reviews to post. So keep a look out!

Sayonara!
Ahn nyung hee ke se yo!
Zài jiàn!
Bye!