Natsu no Koi wa Nijiiro ni Kagayaku: Summer Love Shines in Rainbow Color

Okay, there is one big reason why I watched this series.  MATSUMOTO JUN!  My first Asian Drama love... or was that Kame...  I think it was Matsumoto...  That was before this blog began so I can't go check.  Dang it.  Anyway, I just love him!

And this show was so gosh darn cute.  It was cute and silly Matsumoto Jun, adorable and lovable Takeuchi Yuko.  Two of my fave Japanese actors to watch.  No seriously, put them in anything and I will just stare at their cute smiles and awesome facial expressions.  Put them together as a couple, and I am melting into a warm pile of happy goo.  So what else can I say.  The story was cute, but not remarkable.  It was touching and ended happily.  It made me laugh.  I won't say it was the best thing I have ever seen, nothing epic or shocking, but it is one I would love to own and watch again.  And its short.  10 episodes.  I was surprised that she was finally admitting her love, and then I realized it was episode 8 already.  I'd just gone along with the current and got swept away.

If I keep writing, I will just keep saying the same things over and over again.  So 10/10, but realize that this is a personal preference rating.  Its largely influenced by my adoration for the actors.  I do not expect anyone else to feel the same way I do.

Jotei

Jotei means Empress.  This show is about a girl named Tachibana Ayaka who suffers tragedy in her life and rises above it to become something greater.  Basically, she joins the world of Hostess Clubs to follow her dreams of greatness and revenge.  Matsuda Shota plays a young man named Date Naoto who befriends her and follows her along her path.
This show is Drama!  Pure pure drama.  And boy the story swept me along.  It was powerful and full of triumph and defeat.  I really enjoyed watching it.  Really can't say much more, because I'm left with that 'wow' feeling.
7/10

Buzzer Beat

Romance, Music, and Sports!  I love, love, loved this show!  I mean, it didn't hurt that is had Yamashita Tomohisa in it, but this time I get to see him in a true romantic role.  And Kitagawa Keiko is adorable as Riko!  Which makes a beautiful couple in my book.

The show is about two people trying to follow their dreams, and feeling a little downhearted about their lacking ability.  Riko loves to play the violin, but she just can't seem to find a way to live off her music.  Naoki loves to play basketball, but he's low on confidence and feeling off his game.  These two dreamers find strength and support in each other that quickly grows from friendship to love.  But life and love isn't easy.

There, that's my summary.  Its a great show that stays on track, gives a believable and adorable romance, and best of all, a happy ending!

9/10 and an immediate add to my Amazon wishlist!

Liar Game 2

Told you that I had to watch it!  Now I've finished the second season and have to wait for the movie to be subbed.  Since it came out in March, I'm going to be waiting a while.  GOSH DARN IT!
Anyway, this season is as good as the first one.  Same intensity, same mind boggling games, same awesome Akiyama.  Only thing that changed for me was that I was less anxious because my faith in Akiyama coming through for Nao was solid.  I mean, the trust between those two is so strong.  And anyone who complains about the lack of romance, myself included, needs to realize that trust is where the emphasis must be.  It would be so easy to cross the line and make these two obviously in love with each other, but then trust isn't front and center like it needs to be.  Hopefully the movie will cross the line a little for us.
So yah, do you really want to hear my whining for lack of movie?  I'm trying desperately not to.
Some last notes.  Katsuragi is just as great a villian as Yokoya was, only we trade Y's evil laugh for K's cheshire cat smile.  But Nao is just as adorable as ever, with just a touch more backbone.  Just watch that stationary roulette.  AWESOME!

9/10

So, here is the Finale.  Just so you know, the trailer is all teasing.  Terrible, terrible teasing.  ARGH!  Yes, I'm disappointed but only because I wanted more of a bang.  Well... mostly a bang between Nao and Akiyama.  Sigh.
Really though, the movie is just like the episodes only there is plenty of time for a nice long drawn out game of backstabbing and lying.  So it's great.  And everything ends satisfactorily.
Sigh...
8/10

Liar Game

I have to hurry and write up my opinion because I want to start watching the sequel right away.  Not that the ending left a terribly dire cliff hanger, but because I just enjoyed this show.  Don't go looking for romance here.  I know that most of the dramas I watch are because of the romance.  This show is more about the thrill.  I would get so nervous for Nao, but I knew Akiyama would take care of it.  I love that!  Don't get me wrong, Nao and Akiyama forever!  But romance just isn't a big thing.  More focus on trust.

And thank goodness that I had all the episodes to watch.  You can't stop.  It's like Pringles!  There are 3 distinct arcs, or rounds, that split the 11 episodes.  Then for some reason the 11th episode goes and recaps them all...  Weird.  That's the only time I fast forwarded.  Now there is a second season and a follow up movie.  Here's hoping that they do a good job staying true to the feel of the show.
Also, there is a manga that this show is based on, but I haven't read it so I can't compare.

9/10

One Pound Gospel

Talk about your winning combination.  Rumiko Takahashi's (Ranma 1/2, Inuyasha) manga One Pound Gospel turned into a Japanese Drama with Kamenashi Kazuya!  I was simply destined to love this show!  Its full of laughs, full of Kame being cute, full of heart, full of Kame shirtless, full of... I am so distracted by the Kame-ness!
Come on!  It's a drama about a gluttonous boxer who falls in love with a nun.  Hijinks and awesome-ness are bound to take over.  Sister Angela is simply adorable, and Kame is just so energetically cute.  So go watch it while I try to dig up the manga and read it.

10/10 (P.S. I bought it.  The subtitles aren't wonderful, but I'm still so happy)

P.S. The theme song for this show, Lips by KAT-TUN, is awesome!

Kurosagi

Kurosagi is a Japanese Drama about a boy on his quest for revenge.  He becomes a swindler in order to swindle other swindlers and return the money to those they swindled.  Its that Robin Hood kind of justice.

I absolutely love Yamashita Tomohisa in this role.  I've seen, and loved, him in other roles (especially Akira in Nobuta wo Produce) but this one is my favorite.  I can't really explain why.  Its the silliness seriousness oxymoron that he creates.  Not to mention that he is very, very good looking.  And I really do love him paired with Maki (plays Tsurara), but she's my favorite Japanese actress anyway so there is an element of bais.

If you're looking for romance, this one is far too subtle without any rewards.  The smiles are the highlights, but the relationship is adorable.  The action and humanity of this show is what really shines.

And the ending, lets just say don't expect a big life altering finale.  It gets intense, but when all is said and done, you could easily expect the series to simply continue on to the next episode... nothing changes.  Of course, this does leave lots of room for the imagination.  Its easy to think that these characters will keep going long after the credits finish.

I have to give it a 8/10 because I would watch it again and again.

BUT... be careful.  This series also has a movie continuation and I do not give it the same review.

Kurosagi, the Movie

Did I expect too much?  I watched it right after I finished the drama, but the movie just didn't have the same spirit.  I grew bored, actually fast forwarded through most of the swindle.  I was confused by strange portrayals of time and flashback.  There wasn't enough Tsurara, not enough comedy, not enough fun to balance out the seriousness.  A few scenes were worth it, but I was overall disappointed.

Maybe my review and rating would have been more favorable if I hadn't just finished the drama.

4/10 I just can't justify going any higher.

Yamato Nadeshiko Shichi Henge

So... you've probably heard this enough if you've been reading this blog, but... KAMENASHI KAZUYA! Yah, he's in this one.

Really, this drama is really fun, a little out of this world at points, but fun.  It's a Japanese Drama, based on the manga Wallflower. I am not a fan of the manga, mostly because of the crazy heroine, but she is much more likeable in the drama adaptation.
My favorite things:
I love the characters who have individuality despite being based on popular stereotypes: Ranmaru=playboy, Yuki=Prettyboy, etc.
The repeating themes (i.e. "Ugly Sunako, Ugly Sunako") aren't too repetitive and tie the series together.
The romance was so cute. To name a few favorite scenes: the comfort hug and that last kiss. Whoooo! Liked that.
And Takeru! What a cutie!
Do I need to mention Kazuya again?

I give it a 910!

Nobuto Wo Produce

I totally should have seen this one earlier. It has some of my favorite Japanese actors in it. Kamenashi Kazuya, Yamashita Tomohisa, and Horikita Maki. Its a fun school story, made even better with the dynamic duo that KK and YT as Akira and Shuji become.

This story made me laugh and smile and worry, but romance is sparse and not really that important.

kon kon!!

It gets a 9/10 for fun, and hotties!

Innocent Love

I have been avoiding this J drama simply because it looked to be too depressing. So, I'm not a real drama drama fan. I like happy endings and laughter instead of suffering and such. Thats why some dramas make me mad, and some I avoid. However, I was finally in the mood to give this one a try, and I am so glad I did.

The best thing about this drama is the story. I was riveted, had to keep watching. Or, as I said before, maybe I was just in the mood for it. Sometimes thats all the difference for a good or bad review.

I felt for the heroine and although I at first thought the hero was bland, he proved himself to be a strong character. Anyway, the drama swept me along so that I didn't even notice that romance had taken a side role. That is, until the last episode where I really got emotionally involved.  Luckily, the ending was great.

However, because I liked the story so much, its re-watch-ability suffers. I will not want to watch this again for some time now that I know all that happens.

8/10

Boys Este

Okay, Boys Este is a Japanese Drama about a beauty salon run by a full male staff especially for women. Hibiki is a down in his luck poor boy suffering from inferiority and the lack of money. He answers an add for the Salon, and is hired because of his 'God Hand'. Shizuka just got dumped by a super jerk of a boyfriend because she had a tubby tummy. So she is invited to the Salon, and Hibiki is assigned to work with her.

Shizuka is not my kind of heroine, which is sad because I should relate with her weight problem. She has a crazy imagination and is overly emotional, but throughout the show I couldn't help but like her. And Hibiki is a typical stupid boy, but lovable as well.

I really enjoyed this show, despite the fact that the subtitles were really wonky on the last several episodes. Nevertheless, it wasn't too hard to figure out what was going on.

8/10

Over Time

Okay, I'm ticked. Another one of those lousy endings. Gah, and I was really into this one.

Over Time is another more mature drama, with older characters and a more serious storyline complete with a huge range of emotions. The friendship between Natsuki and Soichiro is so well depicted, and that kind of friendship is what I like to see in the couple. But Kuga... no. I did not feel that he was developed in the way that would make us (spoiler alert) happy to see him with Natsuki in the end. I mean Soichiro was always open with her and Kuga kept her at arms length because of his own issues that, if he really did want to marry her, should be shared in a relationship. UGH!!

It's somewhat the same as the feelings I got at the end of Boys over Flowers. Except in that one I knew she would choose the side of the love triangle that I didn't want her to pick. In this one, I was hopeful to the very last second. DANG!

Well, if you couldn't tell, I am not happy so the rating will obviously be lower. I'm sorry, but I like a happy ending. A truly happy ending. Not one where the girl dies, but at least they loved each other (can't stand A Walk to Remember, which makes me the enemy of all). Maybe I will change the rating after I calm down, but right now I already feel that I am being generous.

4/10

Virgin Road

Out of all the dramas I have watched, this has been the deepest, most mature, and most beautiful. Even though, or maybe because it is an older drama. I can't say much. I always watch these things too late and then I am so tired. However, the depth of emotion in this series is breathtaking.

Maybe they are just good actors. Maybe the ending was so good that it shed a good light on every episode. Anyway, I feel warm and happy. The characters were dynamic, having faults and making mistakes, but ever true to themselves. I can imagine a happy life for them.

This is a Japanese drama. I may change the rating later, but right now it is 10/10.

P.S. I totally saw Namie (appears in and sings the opening theme) in an old recording that my Rowley cousins had. I was so happily surprised. I think I also saw the leading man in a commercial, but I can't be sure.

Mei-chan's Butler

After finishing Absolute Boyfriend, I absolutely needed more of Mizushima Hiro! Probably because I felt his character was cut short in the romance category. So I decided to try Mei-chan's Butler again. I started watching it once, but I guess I wasn't in the mood.

Call me childish, but I love a happy story about a hard working heroine (or maybe I just like the letter h?). Between the laughter, hot boys, and great heroine, this series rose quickly up to my top favorites. In fact, and I know you are expecting this, I WANT IT! I want to watch it again and again!

I'm very picky about endings lately, but this one was entirely satisfying. Plenty of room for dreaming of the future, but everything else is tied up neatly.

I also loved all the supporting cast. So witchy in the beginning, they turn into a lovable group of people. And I will try not to spoil it, but I was very happy with the way Mei-chan handled the Shiori situation in the end.

So 10/10 and a listing on my Amazon wishlist!

Absolute Boyfriend

Okay, once again I am tired, and just not really worked up about the ending of this Drama. I mean, it even had an extra finale, and I still wasn't satisfied. Don't get me wrong, it was fun to watch, really fun, but the endings of these shows are important to me. That's what sticks. It determines if I can continue to dream of possibilites for the couple like in When Its At Night, or if I want to watch the show again and again like in Hi, My Sweetheart. So no, in the end Absolute Boyfriend isn't one I want to own, but it gets high ratings for the hotties and the fun.

Plus, once again I find a drama that is actually even better then the manga. I mean, this is my personal opinion, but that is what I say.

8/10

Supari!

Dang it all! I finished this one and forgot to post. This is a Japanese drama, another younger guy falls for older girl. And maybe that premise is cliche, but if handled properly... you get something really fun!

It also helps if the couple works well together. Which this one does!

And most important of all, this series introduced me to Kamenashi Kazuya!  He is one good looking guy, plus a fun actor to watch.

7/10.

Ohitorisama

Phew! This has been a hard series to get through, and it was only 10 episodes! Well, Viikii and I don't like each other, so sometimes I'd miss big chunks of it, and other times I would be so desperate for it that I would watch it without subtitles.

But, I officially recognise my love for older woman/younger man stories. It started with What's Up Fox, and now this one. I just like it for some reason. Maybe its because of the attitudes of the older women, or the strength such a relationship must have to progress. Whatever it is, I like it.

And this series I liked mostly because of its main characters. Didn't care too much about the story except where it furthered their relationship. Still, it was fun to watch, and only 10 episodes.

Also, I loved the episodes where the two guys were fighting over her. AWESOME!

So, I give it a 6/10, but know that I really did love this series.

P.S. The opening song by Big Bang is awesome!

Lunch Queen

I passed this drama by so many times, but I finally decided to watch it. This is another Japanese Drama, like Long Love Letter. In fact, 2 of the characters are in both. I could tell right away! But don't get me wrong. They play their characters very well in both shows.

I loved this show. The heroine was my kind of girl. Someone who understood suffering, but also found her own happiness and shared it. Throw in a reverse harem that was as fond of her as I was, and we have for funny, touching, beautiful drama.

The guys were all cute and quirky with their individual personalities!

Once again, I got hungry everytime I watched the show. Someday I have to try that omurice!

8/10 officially!

Long Love Letter - The Drifting Classroom

First let me tell you that I watched this drama 12 hours straight. I've only ever done that once before with a drama called The Devil Beside You. My only excuse, this show completely enthralled me.

It's Japanese, taking place in a high school in Yokohama. Basically, and the official summaries tell the story differently, a space time anomaly warps the school, just the school, into the future. This happens Jan. 7th, 2002 at exactly 11:15 am. Its a day before the school officially opens for the new year, so only a few students and faculty are there.
The future world all around them is a wasteland of sand. The only things they have to survive with are what can be found in the school, the only food, the only water.

So, that is the Human Drama, Sci Fi aspect of the show. The characters are very real, with a variety of personalities and pains. The acting is believable, sucking you into the story of their struggle and hopes. I became very emotionally evolved.

Now, don't get me wrong. The show has its flaws. It isn't perfect, fancy effectwise, or completely believable, but I really liked it.

The best part is, of course, the romance element which I have obviously waited to comment on last. Yuka is a former teacher at the school, who resigned because of an incident involving a fight with a student. Now she works at her parent's flower shop. A year before, she runs into Akio and they totally hit it off, but that night Akio's cell phone is stolen. He can't remember her number and thus loses the ability to contact her.

He finally runs into her again a year later, and now he is the math teacher at the high school. They have a few encounters, good and bad, before Jan. 7th. Then, that day, she is at the school trying to get payment from a female teacher for a flower delivery. Before she leaves for an important appointment, she pauses to talk with Akio at the entrance to the school. Therefore, she just barely happens to be there when the school vanishes.
Akio and Yuka find themselves the support of the frightened children, and their relationship grows as they work together to make the best of a bad situation.

That's all I am saying story wise. Their romance is absolutely adorable. Akio is cool and reliable, but also sweet and adorable. Yuka is so strong in spirit. It's a great combination.

Overall, I give it a 9/10. But that is a personal score. You probably won't see it so high anywhere else. If I could find a copy, I would buy it, just so I can experience it again sometime. Not too soon. Whew, I am tired.