JDrama Review: Kurosagi

The Gist: Kurosaki (Yamashita Tomohisa) , under the pseudonym Kurosagi, became a swindler of swindlers after his family fell victim. Now, he plays Robin Hood, disguising himself to take back the money of innocent people and returning it to them. A woman in his neighborhood, Yoshikawa Tsurara (Horikita Maki) , takes notice of Kurosagi and can't seem to leave her interest alone. She quickly realizes that he's a con artist, which she can't accept as a burgeoning law student. Rather than try to expose him, she focuses her efforts on trying to help him give up the swindling life and depend on her.

Love:

1. The Swindling

As a core theme of this show, it's very entertaining to see how Kurosagi outsmarts people. Things don't always go off without a hitch, but the action is what makes this show enjoyable. It may not be entirely unpredictable, but there's a satisfaction that comes with seeing him take these people down. There's also an irony you really have to appreciate in Kurosagi becoming what he hates to take down who he hates (Batman?).

Meh:

1. Episodic

While there is definitely an overarching plot line, Kurosagi is not a story where you'd be lost jumping in the middle. Each episode has a similar plot of picking a villain, disguising Kurosagi, and taking down the bad guy. The plot with Tsurara does move along, slowly, but the general feel of the show picks a routine and sticks to it pretty closely.

2. No Memorable Side Characters

I guess this point is a little subjective, but having watches this show a few years back now, I really can't remember any characters beside our main pair. I think this show could have been strengthened with a good supporting cast. Still, I understand the choice. Kurosagi needs to be isolated to make Tsurara his only life boat. The strong focus on the two of them really highlights their relationship.

Hate:

1. The Romance?

 Really though, I feel like the show hinted at romance between our main protagonists, but nothing really develops between them. I think that Tsurara and Kurosagi come to understand each other, but there's not a lot of growth in the relationship. On some level, they're just as distant at the end of the show as when they started. Tsurara still can't accept what Kurosagi does and Kurosagi can't give it up. The two of them don't have a visible lasting impact on each other because they're each still alone by the end of the show. On some level, I'd say this show is more about a decent friendship between the two of them than an actual romance.

2. Too Moody

 Yes, things lighten up a bit during Kurosagi's endeavors, but overall, the show is just taking itself too seriously. I think it would have benefited from some lighter moments here and there. Kurosagi pushing Tsurara away for too long makes the show seem quite long, when at 11 episodes, it really isn't. Also, I mentioned that there's not a lot of growth by the end of the show, but that also means there's not a catharsis for the audience watching. You spend all this time trying to root for Kurosagi to get some meaning and happiness to his life and the end of it just isn't that satisfying.

So:

So... Kurosagi is OK. Not great. I think as far as con shows go, Liar Game is far superior as far as neat plot and interesting characters. I definitely wanted some more development between Kurosagi and Tsurara, which the show just never really delivers. I have a similar complaint about Liar Game, but Kurosagi doesn't have enough strength in other areas to make up for it. The pairing of Yamapi and Maki works better in Nobuta wo Produce.

Final Grade: C-

Jdrama Review: Nodame Cantible

The Gist: Chiaki (Tamaki Hiroshi) prizes himself on having his life together. He's working hard at a music university to follow in his father's footsteps and leave a great legacy in music as a conductor. His life gets thrown out of sorts when he meets Noda Megumi (Ueno Juri), known as Nodame, an immature piano player. While she doesn't like structure and tends to give in to her emotions, her skills at piano are recognizable, even by Chiaki. Nodame quickly falls for Chiaki, who has taken her on as something of a project, to try and get her to realize her full potential. It's not too long before Chiaki realizes that behind those piano skills is a person he actually might like.

Love:

1. The Music

If you hate classical music with a passion, turn around now. While I don't particularly love classical music, I thoroughly enjoyed all the performances in NC. The piano pieces were well played and fit into the story wonderfully, especially when Chiaki and Nodame played together. The violin pieces were excellent and I learned what a timpani is! It made me super knowledgeable. I have a feeling that people who love classical music will get more out of this, but it's done well enough to be enjoyable for everyone.

2. The Side Characters

While our main duo is duking it out, I was totally enthralled by the other students at the university. The violinists Mine Ryutaro (Eita) and Miki Kiyora (Mizukawa Asami) had a captivating romance that was a little like our main pair, but toned down. The tension between trying to be better than each other while falling for each other is lovely. I normally dislike super cartoony characters but timpani player Masumi (Koide Keisuke) was totally hilarious and his crush on Chiaki and therefore rivalry with Nodame was one of the best part of the show.

Meh:

1. Tamaki

I don't know if I just don't like this actor or if he just keeps taking roles that drive me crazy. I can not seem to take him seriously. He always has this look of "why is this happening to me?" on his face and I just want to smack him and tell him to go with it. Still, I watched the anime first and love Chiaki as a character and Tamaki's Chiaki isn't bad - it's just not great. This might be totally a personal issue though, as I just don't seem to get Tamaki as an actor.

 2. Franz Strezemann 

Played by Takenaka Naoto, Franz is supposed to be what, Austrian? German? Either way it's totally obvious that he isn't foreign and is totally Japanese, which is bizarre. While I love Masumi, Franz's cartoonish behavior started to grate on my nerves. I think that's mostly because he's a total creeper and obvious pervert. I think it's supposed to be difficult for us to like him because it's difficult for Chiaki, but I never really warmed up to him.

 Hate:

1. Non Linear Romance

So the romance between Chiaki and Nodame seems pretty standard drama fare, if not a little bit slow going. However, it's totally not obvious when they're supposed to have started dating. When they have their break up scene, I thought I missed an episode because I had no idea they were together. Let's get an obvious kiss or confession or something going! I'm all for subtlety but it sort of lets the air out of the tires when the audience can't even tell if they're waiting for them to get together or if they already are. It's not totally the drama's fault, the anime's a little confusing on this point too.

So:

So... I feel sort of ambivalent about Nodame Cantible. It got me really into classical music for a moment, which is unusual fare for your drama. The side characters are awesome, but the romance is slow moving and honestly, king of confusing, If you're looking for obvious intimacy and a straightforward romance, this isn't my highest recommendation.

Final Grade: C

JDrama Review: Ikemen Desu Ne

The Gist: Miko (Takimoto Miori) is all set to go to Italy to finish her training to be a nun, when her life is derailed by her brother’s manager (Yanagisawa Shingo).  He begs her to fill in for her twin, Mio, who has just signed on to be the fourth member of the mega famous pop band, A.N.JELL, but got into a fight and needs surgery overseas.  Learning that Mio wants to be famous to help find their long lost mother, Miko agrees. However, that puts her in the same house, working closely with the three existing members: the strict and icy leader, Ren (Tamamori Yuta), the sweet and kind Shu (Fujigaya Taisuke), and the ever cheerful Yuki (Yaotome Hikaru). Many obstacles threaten to expose Miko’s secret identity, especially with the harsh Ren refusing to accept her as a member. As she works for his approval, she realizes for the first time, she might be developing real feelings for someone. She’s not the only one, as the boys discover who she really is, they find themselves more drawn to her and more frustrated with each other.

Love:

1.The Chemistry

 

Sitting here, fresh off of watching this show, I’m amazed by how much more I liked this show than You’re Beautiful (the original Korean version). When trying to figure out why, I think it comes down to two things, the first of which is the natural chemistry between our leading actors. I was skeptical at the casting at first, as A.N.JELL just seemed to be knock offs of their Korean counterparts, but I grew to really appreciate the smart choices for each of their roles. Johnny’s boy Yuta is a new face for me, turns out IDN is only his third show! JACKPOT! Same with Miori, but IDN is only her second! I am uber impressed with both of them and I think their pairing works much better than Tae Kyung and Mi Nam’s. The scenes with the two of them have a natural energy that makes this romance surprisingly engaging.

2. Genius Rewrite

There’s a real fine line to walk when remaking a show – balancing keeping the things that people love, while trying to add something new and exciting. IDN hits this out of the park. The first and last two episodes stick pretty close to the original, but the middle wanders all over the place into new territory and I love it. Obviously keeping the same premise and character profiles, this show adds in some nice new moments. For example, the part at the orphanage was random, but totally endearing and really set a nice tone for the show. Also, when Miko is sick, but won’t let Ren take her to the hospital - I can’t remember if there’s something comparable in You’re Beautiful, but I was so taken with that scene. The script has just the right amount of new and old to make for a smash hit.  

3. The Ending

**SPOILERS** So, the ending of this pretty much matches You’re Beautiful exactly. Ren proclaims his love for Miko in front of 15,000 fans in concert in an effort to keep her from leaving him forever. Of course, Miko melts and loves him too and everybody’s happy. You get a lovely scene before she goes to Africa for a bit to volunteer, as was her original plan. Now, this is where You’re Beautiful stops, but that’s not where IDN stops. Brilliantly, we get an extra minute that pans across Ren’s room, showing the postcards and pictures Miko’s been sending him before seeing her return to Japan. We close on Miko meeting Ren at the airport, reuniting at the end instead of separating. This is the best part of the rewrite and leaves me feeling totally satisfied. Side note: the moment with Miko and the director was a nice touch too!

4. Jang Geun Suk’s Cameo

This is the actor who originally played Ren’s character in the Korean version and I thought it paid a nice homage to the show to have him appear. I had no idea that Geun Suk spoke Japanese and am ever impressed with him. It didn’t really add much to the plot, but it was a real treat for the fans of both versions.

5. Pacing

IDN has a feature length pilot episode, but is still 5 episodes shorter than You’re Beautiful, meaning that things move at a pretty incredible clip. There’s not really any downtime and things build quickly. Again, the scriptwriters nailed this though because it doesn’t feel too rushed, but rather just doesn’t feel stilted. Yes, I wish there was more for me to watch because I love this show, but I think if this show tried to cover the same ground in more episodes, it would have felt too lengthy. They should make a season two, though. They probably won’t, but they really should.

Meh:

1.The Music

I think part of my displeasure is that I’ve been spoiled by good music lately. This show has the disadvantage of me watching it on the heels of Mary Stayed Out All Night, which has a killer soundtrack. The songs weren’t great, but I really liked the score, that is to say the non-lyrical background music. For whatever reason, the accompanying piano to the serious scenes stuck out to me as key to the mood. Also, the final song, Miss You, was lovely and there’s no shortage of talent on either Ren or Miko’s part.

2.Yuki

I feel very perplexed about Yuki, who is the least observant observant person. He has feelings for Miko and realizes there’s some chemistry between her and his band mates before he realizes that she is a girl. Obviously the situation’s so bizarre that it shouldn’t be anyone’s first, second, or third thought, but I felt like he was so observant, that he should have put something together sooner. Also, Hikaru needs some serious dental work. For real, did he even know he was going to be on TV? Bless his heart though, he’s still a freakishly likeable character.

3.So Much Glitter

Ok wardrobe people, I understand the ridiculous outfits that stars wear when they’re put out on stage – they’re supposed to be over the top, but I have the hardest time believing that Ren would lounge around in a glittery silver hoodie just at home. No straight guy wears that much glitter. It’s a minor thing that kept me a bit quizzical. I got over it though because Ren just looks so damn good no matter what he’s wearing.

Hate:

1.The Brother Issue

Now I’ve mentioned in my You’re Beautiful review that it ticks me off that they won’t hire a different actor to play the brother. The reasoning for this is obvious: they need them to look so alike that they can be interchangeable. This causes a whole mess of problems for me, though. The first is the same complaint, when Miori actually has to be a boy, they do all these weird camera tricks and keep her mostly out of the scene, which is awkward and weird. Second, there’s never a scene between Mio and Miko, who love each other and have been separated for so long. It just doesn’t make sense plot wise! You want them to meet at the end, but they really can’t because they’re the same actor. It ends up feeling like they don’t really care about each other because they never get together and talk – even though they have a bazillion things to talk about (i.e., Miko’s relationship with Ren, their mother’s story, Ren’s mom, any necessary info to fill Mio in). Again, I understand it, but I think it would be better to hire a different actor and just take a little less believability for switching them out, for the reward of having a scene with the two of them together. Wow, that was ranting.

2.Miko’s Fame

So, of course, Miko needs to step aside for her brother to fill her place in the band, which was his place to begin with. Still, did anyone else notice how naturally Miko took to fame? She was stellar on stage, a quick learning dancer, and a natural model. All of her problems weren’t with being famous, but personal with the members of A.N.JELL. Obviously, she has the talent of an amazing voice. This isn’t a really big problem, but I still feel like Miko’s a natural at this and should have pursued her own career in showbiz anyway. There’s nothing to say she doesn’t, but there’s no proof she does – so I’m going to just choose to believe that’s what happens after the fact.

So:

So… I am unbelievably impressed with this show. I enjoyed this way more than the original version, which is not the conclusion I thought I’d come to when I started this show. The script adds a lot of things I love to the show, while keeping the things the fans hold dear (little pig nose!). The major win, though, is the great pairing of Yuta and Miori, whose Ren and Miko are infallibly romantic and meant to be. Rock on everybody! You did the almost impossible with this show and made it better :)

Final Grade: A+

JDrama Review: Bloody Monday

*Note: This review will be rife with spoilers as the show is built on plot twists*

The Gist: When Japan is threatened with the release of a deadly, contagious virus, anti-terrorism unit Third-I calls in skilled hacker Falcon to help catch those responsible and stop the attack. Falcon is actually Takagi Fujimaru (Miura Haruma), a high school student and son of one of Third-I's members. When his father is accused of being part of the terrorism group, things get personal for Takagi as he tries to protect his sister, a weak link the terrorists are happy to exploit. Flanked by overly supportive friends at school, Takagi is called up again and again as the terrorists start to release the virus into Tokyo in preparations for their ultimate attack: Bloody Monday.

Love:

1. The Action

The whole reason to watch a drama like this is to enjoy the suspense and the quick pacing. The structure of the show harkens other crime show formats, making me think of CSI or Criminal Minds. The threat is looming from the beginning and with the constant reveals, every episode keeps the tension running high. There's never a dull moment for Blood Monday and each moment builds smartly on the one before it. The plot keeps you wondering what's going to happen next, so I watched the show pretty quickly, luckily it's not that long.

2.J

While the villain in this drama is really every changing, Narimiya Hiroki's J was particularly striking. Many of the others were kind of difficult to understand, but I thought J was developed nicely with an interesting charisma. I like that the ending left a little wiggle room for J. Really, J was the only person who seemed to win at all at the end of the show and I'm ok about it.

Meh:

1. The Friends

I really wanted Takagi's friends to be more involved. Otoya (Sato Takeru) helped out with the teacher/terrorist, but until about episode 7, Takagi's pretty much dealing exclusively with agents and terrorists. I thought when we got to the episode when they were all held hostage at the school, that was one of the best episodes and it got much better after that. Also, Hide's (Hisano Masahiro)death was strong and Anzai's (Tokunaga Eri) betrayal, then death were also poignant, but I thought they would have been more striking if they had been more consistently involved. I also felt that Aoi (Fujii Mina) was underused. So ultimately, I would have like to see more of all of them. That said, I thought this role was one of the best I'd seen for Sato, much better than Mei-chan.

2. Plot Twists

Ok, Bloody Monday seemed to have a quote of plot twists it was trying to fill. While that keeps the story very interesting, when there's a plot twist an episode, you start to expect them and not trust anything, which I think takes some of the punch out of the later episodes. For instance, the leader being killed by Maya (Kichise Michiko) and K's identity being revealed were not as shocking as say Hosho's (Katase Nana) betrayal because we weren't really expecting it yet. So really the interest of the plot twists dulled just as they should have been more shocking. Still, the show is by no means predictable.

Hate:

1. The Fundamental Problem

I don't know if this is an over arching issue or if this is just me, but I really wanted to see some widespread panic. I think that if the show had opened with a terrorist attack rather than leading up to one, the tensions would have been better because I knew the terrorists wouldn't succeed. Watching eleven episodes of a show building up to Bloody Monday, I just wanted to see some damn Bloody Monday and I felt that the level of containment that Third-I was able to keep on the situation was kind of boring. The show did it's best, killing off some people and infecting key characters, but you never get to see the massive Bloody Monday. Of course, I might just be a little vindictive. It's sort of a problem when you kind of want your protagonists to lose for the sake of entertainment.

2. Miura

While I love Miura as an actor and he was generally a good fit for the role, I felt you could really see his limits as an actor in this show. Takagi needs to have pretty intense emotional scenes over and over and while I applaud the attempt, opening your eyes wide every episode doesn't convey a real meaning of shock and terror. I love Miura, but I think someone else may have been able to add a bit more depth to the character.

So:

So... Bloody Monday is all about action and it's definitely a well thought out story with a bunch of plot twists, but the story lags a lot in the middle. When your main guy's skill is hacking, his key scenes are a little boring, consisting of watching him hammer away on a computer and a poorly animated falcon. I thought some character development would have helped a lot, so we cared more about too many characters. Also, you never really get to see Bloody Monday, which is good for our protagonists and kind of sad for the viewer.

Final Grade: C-

JDrama Review: Gokusen 3

Ok, I'm not going to bother doing my whole routine for this review because it would be a total waste of everyone's time. If you like Gokusen 1 + 2, 3 is more of the same. Literally, it could almost be a remake of season one (still without Shin, not that I'm still griping or anything). There's still not major character development of recurring people, with the exception of Kuma, who is the only one capable of doing anything besides the same thing over and over again. Yankumi continues to pick a student, try to help them, they get in trouble, no one believes them, then she has to beat someone up. Well, that's pretty much it.

Final Grade: B-

JDrama Review: Mei-chan no Shitsuji

The Gist: Shinonome Mei (Eikura Nana) is devastated when her middle-lower class parents are killed in an accident. The blow is compounded when her estranged grandfather steps in and reveals that her family is mega rich and she is heiress. To groom her into a proper young lady, she is sent to St. Lucia's, a school where every student has a butler. Her butler is the revered Rihito (Mizushima Hiro), handsome and kind, who supports her as she integrates. Problems arise at St. Lucia's as the girls flirt with breaking the number one rule: romance with your butler is strictly forbidden! The students can't help but bond with the boys who work with them so close everyday, but the appearance of a mysterious girl threatens Rihito's place with Mei.

Love:

1.The Plot

For such a bizarre idea MNS does a great job of showing how much the students and butlers depend on each other. Many episodes takes an in depth look at the different relationships between the girls and their butlers. My favorite is probably the episode focusing on stellar student Izumi (Iwasa Mayuko) and her bumbling butler, Kiba (Yuki Jutta). Kiba is so happy to have Izumi as a butler and their episode shows the longevity of their friendship, not to mention how much they need each other. MNS almost has you believing that it's a good idea to give all teenage girls butlers. 

2.Rihito

Rihito is supposed to be totally irresistible, hence the problem for Miss Mei. But I think Hiro goes beyond just being good looking and plays Rihito with such sincerity that he is my favorite character by miles. Hiro is a popular actor, but I just love him in everything he touches and this show is no exception. You can see his attachment to Mei beginning to be a problem and his vexation over it makes him that much more likable. He wants to be honorable, but his dedication to Mei is the highest priority.

3.The Girls

I love how well developed the students in Mei's class are. Rather than just being an undefined blob of women, I felt that by the end of the show I knew each character well (their butlers too!). Her class is really a stand in family for Mei and the bonding between the girls is just as important as their bonds with the butlers.  

Meh:

1.Shibata Kento

Played by Sato Takeru, Kento is Rihito's younger brother and Mei's childhood friend. I feel in every show there's at least one character that gets shafted and Kento is one of them for MNS. Not nearly as good looking as his brother, he doesn't have Rihito's skills either. No matter how you look at it, Kento is pretty much inferior. He's also known Mei for much longer, but he doesn't really stand a chance at getting her. You have to appreciate just how hard he tries though.

2.Unrealistic

This is pretty much a problem for most dramas, but the premise for MNS is almost kinky. Let's get some high school girls and stick young men next to them as servants. It's so unrealistic it hurts, but at the same time, the show is so compelling that you can't help but enjoy it. It also leads to some fabulous comedic moments. This is one of those times where you have to look at this show like a cartoon.

Hate:

1.The Obvious Problem

How can you stick young men in rooms with young women (yes: they LIVE together) and then forbid them from messing around? It's just not practical. Isn't that entrapment? It's essentially setting the girls up for failure. I get that there has to be something stopping that to make their situations work, but the girl's closest relationship is with her butler. Unless your butler is mean and ugly, I'm just not seeing this as smart. This is one of those times where the setup is too far, even for a drama.

So:

So... if you're looking for something even kind of realistic MNS is probably not for you. If you can get past the totally bizarre premise, it's really a rewarding show that makes you appreciate the bond between girl and butler. Not to mention, Hiro is totally fantastic in it. I want a butler.

Final Grade: B-
Picture Credit: dramacrazy

JDrama Review: Kimi wa Petto

Picture credit: wikipedia

The Gist: Iwaya Sumire (Koyuki) is a driven career woman, who has trouble with men. When she finds a boy lying in a box outside her apartment building, she takes pity on him and decides to keep him as a pet. This way, there will be no unwanted developments in their relationship, allowing them to be friendly but strictly platonic. She ends up calling him Momo (Matsumoto Jun) after a childhood puppy, but his actual name is Goda Takeshi. The boy turns out to be an incredibly skilled dancer and despite the distance Sumire keeps between them (not to mention their age difference), the two grow a lot closer.  

Love:

1.The Relationship

 

 

 

 

 

 

Really, trying to figure out the relationship between Sumire and Momo is this entire drama. Now, notice I didn’t say Romance is what I love from this drama. While their relationship is definitely working towards a romance, I think the friendship/companionship aspect is the stronger one. Something simple like just wanting someone to come home to – husband, roommate, or pet – is expressed really clearly in their developing relationship. Also, since their relationship is a bit unusual, it’s very interesting to see the limits they set on themselves, and how those limits change throughout the series.

2. Hasumi Shigehito

 

 

 

 

 

 

Picture credit: elmarcapaginasdemislibros.blogspot.com

Played by Tanabe Seiichi, Hasumi is actually a pretty boring character, a little too perfect, but I like the obstacle he presents to Sumire and Momo. I feel like we learn just as much about Sumire/Momo when she’s with Hasumi than we do when the pair is together. The fact that Sumire feels like she just can’t give up Momo, even when the “perfect” guy shows up really shows that maybe she’s looking for something different than she thinks. Also, the level of comfort she has with Momo really can’t be achieved with Hasumi and that closeness is obviously important to her.

3.The Casting

 

 

 

 

 

 

Obviously, I am biased because I just love Matsumoto Jun no matter what he’s doing, but for an odd role, I felt like he embraced it fully. He was just like a little puppy sometimes, which made it just that much starker when he became bolder with Sumire. Somehow, he seems to get cast against older women a lot (Gokusen, that love shining rainbow thing), but it works for him. Koyuki is wonderful as the leading lady, often kind of a stoic woman. Again, this trait makes for a good contrast when she is able to relax with Momo.

Meh:

1.Little Bit Weird

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ok, a lot of dramas take reality with a grain of salt, but come on – how is keeping a young boy as a pet not kinky at all? The concept is definitely odd. However, if you can possibly get past that issue, the drama handles it very cleanly. It’s really more a story about friendship than it is about a dominant/submissive relationship. Still, your friends will probably be like… you’re watching what now?

2.The Age Difference

 

 

 

 

 

 

So, Sumire needs to be a bit older to really make the story work, but the age difference feels much wider than it is. In reality, the age difference between the actors is seven years, but to me at least, it appeared larger. I also felt that since Momo acted a bit childish, I thought he was a teen, but Matsujun was 20 when this was filmed. Sometimes, that difference came across a little uncomfortable because they’re in different stages of their lives. But again, the show handles it well enough that you can accept it fairly easily.

Hate:

1.Too Simple?

 

 

 

 

 

 

I’ve been trying to figure out exactly why this drama wasn’t one I was totally obsessed with. The characters are good and the relationship building was good, but I never really felt the need to re-watch or really dwell on it. I think that boils down to the fact that it’s a tad too simple. The plot never gets very complicated and perhaps I would have like to see more of the romance side of things. I feel like we build up to this moment and then, the story is over. I don’t have a problem with simplicity when done well, but this drama might just be a bit bland.

So:

So… I give Kimi wa Petto credit for being original. I don’t think I’ve seen another show where a boy is kept as a pet. The leads are wonderful and the relationship development between them is concise and pleasant.  However, the plot leans towards the simpler side, so if you’re looking for fast pace and intrigue, this is probably not the best choice. But also, Matsujun.

Final Grade: B

Picture credit for all uncredited: dramacrazy.net