Drama

24

Late by a few years but never too late for a show that never moves more than 7 days (in storyline) since it's debut.


I can boldly say that it's very difficult to reproduce it's format (storyline via actual hours). Plotline however is a more less composition of the regular stuffs except you will never know the end because of the rabid twist and that, within minutes, changes can be drastic. They say it's absurd but really, you can do alot of things in a very long day.

Fuurin Kazan

The legendary Gatck make an appearance for around 5 seconds in episode 1 to foretell his coming as Uesugi Kenshin, feudal warlord of Sengoku of Japan.

However this is much not about him but about rather on Yamamoto Kansuke and his master Takeda Harunobu (later known as Takeda Shingen).

Yamamoto Kansuke was a hapless ronin, lose his eye and a leg due to a childhood disease. Despite so he was keen to be a samurai. Lady Luck wasn't on his side and for that, he remained a ronin. Until a bizarre arrangement of fate propel him to work with a man who truly recognised him abilities and not his appearance. (althought in a weird fashion...one retainer was actually hired based on his looks...I think....*cough cough*Butt Sex is Encouraged in Feudal Japan...I think)

If you happen to asked.....where's Gatck??? I guess you need to progress to the next season of broadcast to hear the name "Uesugi Terutora (or whichever he is known at that point of time " be uttered on screen.

Watched

Shimotika Sundays

http://www.tv-asahi.co.jp/shimokita/


Yes. I am watching it strictly because Ueto Aya is inside.

Yup it's another of those occupational/hobby drama where some knowledges can be imparted. This is one about stage performances (play).

Aya-chan plays an undergrad who's from the countryside. She doesn't smile and seems happy until Shimotika Sundays gatecrash the Freshman Speech and that eventually finding her true destiny on the stage.

She had an awful haircut for ep2 but it tones down to acceptable at the end of the series. Not a very recommended series but Shimokita Sundays is lovable and enjoyable nevertheless.

The Theme song is also great. Aya-chan's latest single collection album had her singing a version of it too.

Watching....

Suppli
http://www.fujitv.co.jp/suppli/index2.html

Whatever drama I am watching recently is from a manga?
Suppli is another occupation drama.
This one involves TV Advertisement (or CMs in Japan). The world of 15 seconds.

It's stars Itoh Misaki who dwarfs most of her male co-stars when she had the heels on (or off. You don't get woman that tall to star in J-drama usually.LOL)
Previously noted for dwarfing the Densha Otoko.


And Kamenashi Kazuya (of Kat-tun. Those Johnny created male groupies.) as a part-timer/office boy.

It's a nice office themed drama with everything almost focused in the office setting.
There's the complex In-office relationship between the characters which of course makes the otherwise rather "focused" (very focused on Itoh and Kamenashi's characters) drama to be slightly relaxed (which otherwise is the charm of Japanese Drama. Unlike Sg made or k-drama).
Suppli also tried to introduced the world of CM production to viewers, which is very informative too.

Itoh Misaki is more lovely and real over in Suppli compare to the dream-like woman in Densha Otoko. And there's the funny 4 panels that comes to her mind whenever she is considering some of her personal (romance) things. Which shows....CM is never off her mind???

A note to be taken........there's no picture of Kamenashi on the official website......AT ALL. Weird huh???Is it a Johnny's thing??????
But that's good because you get lotsa Itoh's.......*drools*

Shimokita GLORY DAYS

Granted that watching anime, South Park and playing Persona 3 isn't enough, I started randomly choosing drama to watch. Since Uramiya Honpo is ongoing (I seldom watch ongoing drama), I choose another Tv Toyko production that Uramiya Honpo preceded over on the same slot (meaning a 20++ mins feature that slated for adults late at night).

Shimokita Glory Days is also a manga drama. Difference is that it's a harem title. And it's not a Youth or Teens title (Lol!!!) I guess.

Effects are quite good. A comedy involving a caretaker cum student looking after/living with embodiment of sexual fantasies archtype. And boobies. Yes sir. You actually get to see boobies.

I mean what else do you expect?Blatant examples are unnecessary exposure and omake sequences during ending sequences.

Cast wise, other than the lead actor (who isn't especially good looking. Rather ugly but adorably ugly. LoL.) are an ensemble crew of gravure actress or AV actresses.


Ichitarou as Ono Yuta
- Nothing. I refuse to oblige to research on him.
- Alright. He is actually from the Synchro Boy Group (meaning the swimming boys who actually did that for a living.)

Seto Saki as Tajima Minori
- Gravure/swimsuit model
- Tv actress (actually the rest of them had experiences of TV serial roles.)

Mashiko Rie as Muroi Chiho
- Gravure/Bikini Model

Honoka as Nishina Natsume
- AV
- Provides the fanservice/gratuitous nudity

Asami Yuma as Komori Miha
- AV
- Provides the fanservice/gratuitous nudity

Yabuki Haruna as Okazaki Kaori
- Gravure/Bikini Model

Hashimoto Manami as Uehara Mao
- Gravure/Bikini Model

Sugimoto Aya as Enoki Tsuyako
- In anime otaku sense, she is better known as Queen Beryl in Sailormoon Live Action.
- Other than that, she is a versatile actress/idol singer/gravure & photography model.
- Oh and she did nude shots too (lol. Yes I know it's irrelevant)

Aoi Sora as Ichimonji Nozomi
- Sora Aoi is AV actress who also did several gravures and currently acting in other TV shows. Guess a classic case of AV actress turns good. She is winding down on her AV career I guess. She gets to keep her clothes on for this (sniggers)


Because this is considered an "adult" show so kiddos who still are regulated by ma and pa on what they are watching on tv/desktop to keep the volume down and google cast names with care (except Ichitarou. Lol.)

Thanks and references:
http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Shimokita_GLORY_DAYS
http://www.google.com
Official Site:
http://www.tv-tokyo.co.jp/shimokita/cast.html

Uramiya Honpo

Uramiya Honpo
http://www.tv-tokyo.co.jp/uramiya/

It's a manga serial by defination.
Serious and heavy stuff.

Uramiya is a woman who helped people with grievence and wanted revenge.
A mysterious woman that is extremely haunting played by Kinoshita Ayumi who is having a weird hair day (I dunno the hair looks weird) and put on too much make up.

Her daytime job consist of coping people with the subject of revenge. And damn sweet when it comes.

Not suggested for small children.

Or people who cannot stand Kinoshita Ayumi looking like a hooker.

And oddly a suppose seducing scene by Kinoshita Ayumi looks awkwardly disgustingly funny.

J-dramas

oh post-Haruhi wise, I got to admit, I neglect Anime and Tokusetsu altogether. When you see a series batch around, well, just take it.

Gal Circle (gyarusa/galcir)
http://www.ntv.co.jp/gal/
http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Galcir

A cowboy in Shibuya.
A hilly billy Japanese Cowboy (don't take it as a profession. He is a screen cowboy. Kinda like Screen Ninja. They don't exist and purely stereotype) went in search for a girl who his friend an Red Indian (a Japanese Indian to be precise. Althought It's a Screen Red Indian) wants to seek before he is dead.
His search comes to Shibuya which is plagued by Para Para Girls who does nothing but create trouble to the residential shop owners (another silly stereotype).

Really the story is darn simple althought the twist and turns are hilarious and the lesson of the day was some what helpful but you just cannot help but think that only in Japan can you draft such a crap expect people to still watch it. Then again Taiwan creates more Crap than that and you still got it showing on your S'porean TV.

Fujiki Naohito is one of the actors from my generation (I guess) and he was always in Suits and Shirts as far as I can remember seeing him. So it's kinda refreshing to see him in a Cowboy suit and acting hilly billy silly.

In Shibuya (in this show) and from Sh15uya is Aragaki Yui whose face recently pops on Gundam Ace due to her involvement with Keroro Gunsou as a seiyuu (more actresses are jumping on the bandwagon. Including toku ones.)

And Toda Erika (as Saki. Every episode is about her literally) is in Death Note. Well, I will watch the movie if I want to see her on the big screen.

And there's Musume's alumni Yaguchi Mari. Still pint size as ever.



Attention Please
http://wwwz.fujitv.co.jp/AP/index.html


Profession Dramas are always a good watch but it's always been a stale format.
Get a very different rookie/newbie with a passionate attitude. Kicks aways bad habits and keeps the bond stronger. You know. That kinda stuff. Attention Please isn't any different from the Sports Manga serials Aya had been doing except rather being the bullied goody 2 shoe, she is the Punk Gal who is the Rebel.

This is one about how she turns the odds of Impossible to EXcellent (as usual).

The nice part about this is that Aya gets to be in a JAL Uniform. If you are patient enough, sit back and watch the credits as she prances about and give her megawatts smile in JAL's line of uniforms for Cabin Attendants through out the years. This is also the usual spanky, genki Aya so it's closer to who she is compare to the Sports Drama.

The supporting casts are great fun to watch. And there's the Japan Premier's (Koizumi) son in it.
He got a recurring role (but not at all meaty) as a trainee pilot who is in the job just to hook some chicks. Lol. I mean who wouldn't too?

The totally over due update...

This Update comes really late. I didn't expect anyone to read anyway but just update because got people ask. Even just one, I will update. Haha.

My excuses this time round........work.

And also because I spent more time reading comic scans and playing Growlanser 2 and SRW Alpha 2. Strategy are tough to time with all those random abnormality that might affect the scores and such.

Work wise, I do slightly a bit more without Siti around because she had to cut her tonsil and only came back on the last week of August. Then after that David goes for a trip with his family to Genting. However in between that, David and me was suffering from health problems. His, being on the back and me the usual cold, fever, cough and throat whatever hybrid.

It was a tough 2 weeks and there wasn't room for MC because it would put the Suntec store in a disadvantage. Haiz. What to do.


Maybe a media update....


Hinokio

I watched this with Yuki @ Tiong Bahru GV on the 15th. At first I worried about the tickets. Then I realised that I don't have to because tickets aren't moving. So I worried about the movie instead (sweats) since Night Watch and No Regrets are opening on the same day.

Anyway we ought to stick to what was agreed to (although I was the ONE who wants to watch it.). I think I wasn't really awake after I watched that German movie on ch56 that afternoon so despite being asked to buy seat at row G, I bought row H. Haha.

Hinokio is about a boy Satoru who lost his mother in an accident. Upset with the demise, he confines himself in the room, ignoring his father and refused to get treated for his legs. His father (don't all fathers are) made him a robot (603) to get back into the society by 'remotely' going to school through it. Through 603 (nicknamed Hinokio), Satoru rediscovers friendship and kinship in this 110min movie.

Oddly, the pacing goes into a fast forward motion once Satoru installed a Sensory Feedback program into Hinokio. Everything spirals to a quick end unexpectedly with a totally odd reference to 'afterlife' and it's connection to a random web game.

Maybe it's for the kids or the director decided not to overload us with nice to know stuffs so certain elements in the story remain untold.

House of Flying Daggers

I bought the vcd on April but I didn't really watched until last month on a sleepy wed afternoon. (Zheng Yimou's previous Wuxia effort was given the same treatment. I waited like 6 months after purchase before viewing.)

House of Flying Daggers ,in short, is a love triangle that is unfolds in a professional arena.
It was beautifully shot and strangely the real action to the story is the love scenes. The rest of the WuXia Grande is taken as a sideliner.

Watch if you really want to have a break from regular Fighting/WuXia genre.

Crying for Love in the Center of the World

Is a Tale of 2 Love of a Man that somehow interwine.
It's standard tearjerker fare but make to a style only Japanese can pull off (the koreans can make you cry but it's the Japanese that grips the soul.)

Beware it slips critical details in the most unexpected moments so try not to take breaks in between.

Swing Girls

Bewildering funny but if you watched Water Boys before, somehow you get ahead of the storyline. A tale of underdogs getting it fit. Recommend for a Boring and lazy afternoon and when you are in -_- mood .

The Proof of Man (Ningen no Shoumei)

A gripping and intense drama about a hard boil cop in a murder case involving an American that doesn't looks Japanese. Takenouchi Yutaka looks angst and angry most of the time
In brief 10 episodes, pieces of the puzzle are obvious although you wouldn't guess it til the 9th episode. Watch if you can spare lotsa time on the TV. Best to go through in 3 or less sitting.

Jewel in the Palace.

Now this is the one that is responsible for my lateness to work almost every weekday. I didn't watch until ep 20 but it's all so easy to carry on as there are plenty of Back reference moments. Of course I will go back the village for Changjin if I am Min.

LoL. I mean who wouldn't?


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I changed the header pic and profile pic. I am not entirely satisfied with the header pic but it's a temporary measure since WC points out to me it's long over due. I sit down and try to tell if there's anything I need to change about this blog. I am the type who didn't welcome unnecessary change. After all, it's not really for the traffic that I started the blog.



For those who actually read all this,

Thanks. It's a motivation that there are people actually reading all these and looking for more. Appreciate it.

Xian Jian Qixia Zhuan (Chinese Paladin)

About 8 years ago or even more, I was hooked on a chinese RPG game.
The story was one of the best I ever encountered and yet it wasn't too complicated as in the style where nowadays shown on the Final Fantasy Series.

The name was Xianjian Qixia Zhuan and it was installed on the root directory [PAL] (now I realised it stands for 'Paladin').In total I completed the DOS edition twice and without an FAQ. It's also the only RPG I actually tried to complete.

A few years back I got my hands on the New Windows version but it didn't really make much of an impact as it was before. Also there's problem playing it as I got kicked out at EXIT point of one map. After a long time, the sequel was released but it didn't live to expectation. Another gaming sequel and a side story edition based on it and an Online version was made available.

And Now. The TV drama series.

In a strange way, it's another title picked up because of nostalgia.
And it also features Nu Wa and Fu Xi.Such coincidence.

Anyway I was glad and sad on picking up the TV series.

For one thing, they made Li Xiaoyao into something rather repulsive. I really like the character in the game but in the Tv....he is just a rotten hooligan?

Casting are really the Young and Beautiful. Hu Ge (playing Li Xiaoyao) might have crooked teeth but why not?It's not like heroes in the past gets excellent dental services like we does. Cameos and support roles are played by known veteran in their own sake (Sam Lee, Xu jinjiang, Zheng Peipei, Loletta Lee and etc).Also Channel U artiste, Bryan Wong got a rather prominent role at the begining stage and he is joined by Gou Liang and Fu Fangling.

Story wise, quite a bit of changes was done.For one ,the plot of the sequel to the Original Game cannot be followed because Xiaohu is demoted to be a sidekick of Xiaoyao and one of the same age. He also happens to be played by Sam Lee. There's also Time Traveling in this drama....it didn't happened in the game either. The director tried to include certain scenes from the game. While rather strange, it's nice to know he did his best to smuggle some minor details from the game puzzles and gameplay.

So far I am at episode 8.

Visual effects are definately better than MDwaV III but you can tell it has a bigger budget. Costumes are rather well-made and brings out the character personality. The logic of Martial Art skill is however irrelevant. Li Xiaoyao's ability to fight is straightly progressive with the storyline without any explaination.Kind of like in the same way as an RPG character would and it sucks because his ability isn't governed by Levels. He could be like Level 18 at episode 7 but he jumps Level 21 at episode 8 althought all he did was teasing Yue-ru. Or teasing gals is actually a way of raising experiences?

The comedy value is up here. It's suppose to be a pop idol Wuxia drama but not of the Jin Yong kind so the seriousness isn't there.

Total 38 episodes. If you are interested, maybe wait for the dvd edition or for Channel U. I believe it will on free local channel within this year or the next.

Here's the site to go to look for more info (Drama edition Game package)

My Date with a Vampire III

The direct sequel to My Date with a Vampire II (A.k.A The Ultimate Sappy HK Drama with Vampires, Exorcist and Cheap Matrix-like SFX) or simply the HK Answer to Buffy : Vampire Slayer.

The rule of the game is simple.
-Get a Vampire and pair it up with a slayer ( which is already done for 2 series already)
-Get a catastrophe that will destroy the world (as in the 3 realms in Chinese Mythology) and set it in Hong Kong.
-Gods and Demons. Ghost and Ghouls. Vampire and Slayer. Endless fighting action in the form of Cheap Affordable CG without style or form.

Plotwise, MDwaV III tried to simulate the brain by trying to be clever. Or too clever resulting in a bored viewer if he/she cannot catch on. The last 'clever' plot device results me in a yawn because it's too dumb and anyone who saw it would agree with me.

The script crosses Back to the Future, a standard brotherhood HK SDU movie, a movie about SARS (YES!IT IS!), a warring state period romance drama and the pretty standard Vampire/Slayer "My Date with a Vampire" stuff.

Xiaoling and Tianyou were brought into the Realm of Pan Gu after II ended. Their bliss is short-changed after a rogue goddess, Yaochi Shengmu, broke free from the seal that imprisoned her. She casted a plague, killing all Pan Gu ( vampires are genetical descendants of Pan Gu) and fled to the mortal world. Hope now lies on Xiaoling, the sole survivor of the ordeal. She is entrusted to go back to Song Dynasty and to bring Jiantou, the previous incarnation of Tianyou to 2004.

Apparently that's when the logic collapse for Vampire III since it's apparent that if Jiantou never dies....how can there be Tianyou???And so the series degress into one which is "I don't care how you do it, just do it - Entertain me" show.

The script writer nevertheless tried to cover their ass by saying that Timeline is governed by the Book of Heavens. It records everything from the Start to the End and when Xiaoling brought Jiantou back, she totally 'hang' the Book of Heavens and that the future will start to change because the Book of Heavens will have recompile itself.

The plot is engaging nevertheless because the storyline shifts around, making it fresh and entertaining at every turn. The main focus is actually on Xiaoling as her screen time is relatively high compare to other characters.The other focus will be on Yaochi Shenmu the Beautiful Female Villain who would in the near future destroy the entire 3 realms just because of a word - LOVE.

Sappy and perhaps even naive the chief concept is.
But the worst part is of the cheap special effects. In fact I prefer the SFX style in Vampire I rather than II and III.
Luckily the fights are brief and few in between.The drama factor is higher in this one and I suspect the producers rather spent more money on clothes and cheap SFX rather than hiring stunt co-ordinators. If you think the SFX in Feng Yun is ridiculous, wait till you see Vampire III. It's embaressing.

And on the wardrobe factor....if you see the picture above...it's actually costumes meant for the last episode. The fun part is that these costumes are like suits in Sentai. Costumes and normal wear can be switched with a blink of an eye.

Cast wise, the casting is good except Yi Tianzhao is losing it. He looks like a bloated middle aged man and Chen Haonan is equally bad as a donkey faced middle aged man with a tuned body ( Simon Yam looks way better even he is slightly older). I cannot imagine a part IV because Yi Tianzhao will look....I cannot imagine.

Overall this series is ok to pick up if you watch the previous series. However the interest will die if you jump straight into this one.

PS: If you watched the VCD, the ending is 'open'. However the ATV ending is a step closer to 'Close' rather than 'open' with an additional scene. I suspected due to religious/moral sensitivity, that scene was obmitted from the VCD edition.

J-drama....

J-drama Review

Coincidentally I watched finished 2 J-drama with Fujiki Naohito in it.

One was Oni no sumika or Don't be a Cry Baby.
It's a tailored for Kyoko Fukada Cinderella drama so how it will be a like is actually very easy to figure out what it will be like. The story starts with Ayumi (Kyoko Fukada) having to deal with separation with her younger brother after their parents perished in an accident. Ayumi is the standard drama high school girl from the city, used to be pampered by her parents and willful in nature. Alas Ayumi had to face hardship as she was adopted by her aunt's family and forced to work in the Water Inn run by their family. The fun fact about Fukada's shows are that she often the Strong-willed girl with a sense for justice. Yet no matter what she did, somehow happiness tend to slip out of her hand just minutes before the show ended/started. This is that ONE show I believed that started it all. In fact the character she played here is very similar in thinking to Fighting Gal however she was more abused than abusive here). So what's the catch about this show? Dramatic twist. Every episode Ayumi had to face a new problem/demon as she continues to struggle for a decent acceptance in the Water Inn or rather in the 'House of Devil' (The other Title it is commonly known to be). Ghosts of the Water Inn's past binds Ayumi to a descending fate. Will she escape from her impending doom?

Major support comes in form of the Devils....mainly from her adopted family,the Kurokawas....Mr kurokawa,owner of Aomori, husband of Ayumi's Aunt,Shoko. He is often verbally abusive to Ayumi and seemingly in rage every time he saw Ayumi. He slaps his wife, yell at her and threw Ayumi's brother out into the cold. Simply the typical Big Man of the Family. One reason why I continued watching after the 1st episode. Next in turn is Yuriko, the daughter. Typical villain girl who comes in between Ayumi and Yuzuru (played by Naohito) the son of a politician. Then there's a pervert of a son who wanted to get down and dirty with Ayumi or was it just perverted expression of love? The staffs of inn are no kinder to her except for Lee (played by HK idol Kelly Chen Huiling), an illegal worker from China. Yuzuru's father, a lecherous and twisted politician make up part of her misery too.

Wonderful soap but not really engaging. Most people would have given up at episode 6 or 7.Acting wasn't really fantastic althought the older folks managed to carry their role out quite well. Yuzuru is the worse character scripted, there for the sake of having a token 'Prince' character.

Fast forward to 2003,looking not really the same from Oni no sumika which was made in 1999, Fujiki Naohito, more haggard and weathered and seasoned here, plays a teacher in Kou Kou Kyoushi 2003.Considered more of a spin-off than a sequel, this is still about illicit love between teacher and student. Technically it is not, as Kuga (Fujiki Naohito) met Hina (Aya Ueto) even before he became a teacher and even slept with her (as in sleeping together). Hina is the average girl at the background (or so she proclaims) and she hang out with one of the 'Bad Hats' of the school, Beniko, a girl isolated by the rest simply because of her eccentric behaviour. Kuga however was prominent in the school, a young man with good looks in a female high school. However deep down, Kuga was a lonely figure that was driven to suffer by a tumor that was on his head. An unintentional misunderstanding by Hina gave Kuga an opportunity to exploit Hina as his mirror. A mirror which he sees to lessen his pain.It sounds all so perverted but some how once you watched it, it's more of a beautiful, tragic love story.

The drama is divided into two intertwined plots. One about Kuga and Hina. The other is about Fujimura (Kyomoto Masaki) and Beniko. Fujimura's story seems to be a continuation from the Kou Kou Kyoushi, he was a twisted teacher that raped his students before.Guilt caught up on him and he saw a chance to redeem himself when Beniko is caught up in a game which Yuji, a male host, is forcing young girls to voluntarily selling their body out of 'LOVE'.

It's a nice show and even when the nice soundtrack which was used in the original Kou Kou Kyoushi , is used in the updated version, it's still hauntingly engaging even when you know what will happen in the END. However there's a Special for '2003 and maybe I had not seen it all yet. Some of the ideas could be a bit sick but over the presentation itself was good.

I give 2 out 5 stars for Oni no sumika and 3.5 stars for Kou Kou Kyoushi 2003.

TV,Twins and Initial D

Just bought a New Monday magazine (hk).While this issue had no Twins cover (I just love Twins Covers), I bought it simply for the extra, The Twins Effect digest.Oh look it even got an mmorpg!Unbelievable( yea sure...even The Sly Guy A.K.A Young and Dangerous got online game)...the Helen(Charlene Choi) drawing is so cute....haha...I will try to reproduce it so that I can start posting Twins drawings on SGAnime forum (yes but 1st get scanner).The cast of <The Twins Effect> will come to Singapore on 27th and 30th.Hope Charlene will be there...even though I hate crowds....but I will do it for Charlene!

Just went gaga on Initial D again I bought 3 books in a row just wants to go down and get the other volume but wait till tomorrow then...

The Rose ,TW drama..always like Ella from S.H.E....such a talent...although may look odd (miles away rom Charlene), she had one less thing in her way(her looks) from developing into a good actress in compare to her two other group members Hebe and Selena. Selena was once again typecast(as we expected...was it her 1st acting effect?) as an Angel of gal..well she was to Heaven before the actual plotline started as a gal who died from an Unknown Disease (a great plot device for dramas).Her death devasted her boyfriend Jin (Male Lead)who got into a drinking habit and became a weirdo 'who became very gentle to girls once drunk' (as described by elder 'sister' Furong to Baihe acted by Ella).Hebe acted as a cousin to Kui (2nd male lead)...so far appeared in the Opening Credits only....maybe she will still kick up a big fuss like in the previous drama,Magic Love,with members of S.H.E (Selina was not in this one) acting in it. Singapore may not get to broadcast this proper due to some questionable scenes (gay or yaoi and incest) but do hope they sell vcds anyway because it's still a good show.