14 Sai no Haha
Posted on February 7th, 2010
14 Sai no Haha
[Rating: 8/10]
Genre: Family, Drama
A junior high-school student finds herself pregnant and decides to keep the baby. The story explores the repercussions of this controversial issue looking at the reactions from various characters.
Filed under: ** jdrama, drama, family | No Comments »
Gyne
Posted on January 28th, 2010
Gyne
[Rating: 8/10]
Genre: Medical, Drama
Hiragi Nachi is an anti-social obstetrician who would do anything to save her patients, even if great risks are involved. Though her colleagues are dismayed by her attitude, they know she is one of the best in her field and is a genuine doctor who cares for her patients. Nachi also has her personal reasons for the way she conducts herself. One day a freak accident makes her re-evaluate things as the situation puts not only her career but the entire department at stake.
Filed under: ** jdrama, drama, medical | No Comments »
My Girl
Posted on January 28th, 2010
My Girl
[Rating: 8.5/10]
Genre: Family, Drama
About a young aspiring photographer who suddenly finds himself saddled with a young daughter he never knew he had. A heart-warming story about love, loss and persuing your dreams.
Filed under: ** jdrama, drama, family | No Comments »
Autumn 2009 Drama
Posted on December 4th, 2009
Wrote this post awhile ago so I’ve added new halfway-through-the-show views to some of them. This season has had lots of good drama!
In order of preference:
1) Gyne
For once a medical drama where the focus is not on cardio surgery or emergency rooms. That alone made me interested. I’ve only seen one ep, but it’s about a newbie male doctor who starts working in the gyne section of a university hospital.
— I’m halfway into it now and it’s getting pretty hardcore and heading into directions I never would’ve guessed. The story is getting deeper that from a each-ep-a-story plot it has progressed to a you-have-to-had-watched-the-others-before show. At first I thought it’d be more on the Code Blue vein but woah, this is turning into a rather Team Batista/Medical Dragon(Iryu) type drama. I love it.
2) Ohitorisama
I’m not usually into olderwoman/youngerguy relationships but Koike Teppei is so adorable as a substitute teacher (everyone is so taking advantage him… come to think of it this could make a harem anime/manga ahaha).
— Although it’ll probably develop into something romantic I hope it’ll just be implied at most because the two main characters have such a great mentor/trainee relationship. But I like that it’s not all flowery and shoujo-y. I think it potrays the life of an independant single woman quite well (without the angsting of Around 40, which was a good show too). Akiyama-sensei is awesome.
3) Shokojo Seira
This is basically a Japanese tv adaptation of the story ‘A Little Princess’ by Frances Hodgson Burnett. I had originally not intended to watch it because I’m a loyal fan of the original story and the 1995 film is one of my favourite movies of all time. Also I was doubtful of them having enough material to make a series without it getting draggy. However, I tried it and I’m hooked. It’s a pretty good adaptation, even though I’m not as emotionally touched as I was with the movie, most of the elements/events have remained the same (thankfully) expect Becky, the servant girl who befriends Sarah, has been replaced with a boy lol (it’s cute watching the two of them).
4) My Girl
About a young man who’s trying to find his niche in the career world. One day he suddenly finds out he has a daughter from a long ago relationship. All I can say about this show is CUTEST FAMILY EVER. I give everyone a huge wibbly warning.
– I haven’t watched enough of it to see if it’s going to be one of those repetitive ones where every ep has a happy ending but even if it is I don’t really think I’d mind because I don’t want to see anything bad happen to them. They’re just all so sweet, even the mother alkdjfalsfkj. Randomly: I’ve now come to the conclusion that pretty much most of the JE boys can act better than they sing =P
5) Tokyo DOGS
The token detective series for the season for me (I’m actually watching it for Yoshitaka Yuriko, who I liked in Love Shuffle) ~ I still don’t really know what to make of it but I got more interested in continuing it after the third ep, so let’s hope it continues to pick up~ It’s still strange seeing Mizushima Hiro with a goatee and Oguri Shun in a non-student role (I’ve only ever seen him in school/college dramas somehow lol). I kinda like that it’s not a really serious police show and isn’t a comedy either and the plot is interesting enough. Oguri’s character kinda reminds me of Booth from Bones, personality-wise *random*
– I was actually planning to drop it but it seems like thinks are heating up. Plus I want to see what happened in Yuki’s past. Her character is rather intriguing.
6) JIN
The premise is interesting, and so is the philosophy behind it – Modern day doc gets transported back into the Edo era and has to decide whether or not to cure certain diseases before they were meant to be because it will alter history and the fates of certain people. It’s a bit repetitive but it’s a rather refreshing change from the usual medical dramas.
— It’s a bit repetitive after awhile but I’m just curious to see if he’ll get back and I hope they’ll show the changes. Although I don’t like the idea of tampering with history I’ll be disappointed if all his efforts went to waste.
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Spring 2009 Drama
Posted on July 4th, 2009
Atashinchi no Danshi (complete)
It started off as what I thought would be a rather cliche comedy, but the characters and plot grew in the second half of the show. It’s a good family comedy. If anything the traps and tricks of the Okura mansion kept me entertained throughout.
BOSS
So far any show I’ve watched with Amami Yuki as the lead has turned out to be great, and this hasn’t disappointed. Probably one of the most mismatched criminal investigation crew you’ll meet in tv history, and some of the cases have been pretty chilling. My currently favourite of the season. The subs took awhile to come out, but it was well worth the wait!
Godhand Teru (complete)
I already had my doubts on this one since I personally don’t think any medical drama can top Iryu and Team Batista. It was rather cliche and a bit unbelievable. With only six episodes it was rather rushed at the end, and I really only liked the last two episodes.
Hanchou
This had a slow start and is not developing much even though it is drawing to the end. It’s rather repetitive and can be watched per episode. On the bright side, the cast works well together and instead of a detective show on serial killers or special crimes, this focuses on more ordinary criminals. I’d say it’s like a slice-of-life detective show with a bit of comedy thrown in.
Meitantei no Okite
The dark horse. I wasn’t expecting much of it really, but a detective series that blatantly pokes fun of the genre’s stereotypes? Not the best show in the world but it’s definitely unique – how often do you get characters discussing the what kind of roles they’re meant to play in the story?
Yako no Kaidan
Hm, at first glance I thought this would be my favourite – I’ve never had much to complain about dramas starring Fujiki Naohito. However the themes in this drama are kind of… not squick, but it’s not my cup of tea. The psychological aspect is intriguing but I fear it’s turning more and more into a train wreck. Like it’s trying too hard to be different and edgy.
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Let The Right One In
Posted on May 23rd, 2009
Let The Right One In
[Rating: 7/10]
Genre: Paranormal, Drama
Oskar is a meek twelve-year-old boy who often gets bullied. Secretly he’s into macabre and violent things. One day a middle-aged man and a young girl move into the apartment next door around the same time a string of bloody murders happen in the neighbourhood, and as Oskar befriends the girl, he comes to know out the dark secret she habours.
Filed under: ** movie, drama, paranormal | No Comments »
He’s Just Not That Into You
Posted on April 8th, 2009
He’s Just Not That Into You
[Rating: 8.5/10]
Genre: Romantic Comedy
While the movie revolves around the romantic entanglements of nine individuals, the main story is about a woman who is unlucky at finding love and ends up getting a dose of reality from an unlikely source.
Filed under: ** movie, drama, romance, romantic comedy | No Comments »
Mei-Chan no Shitsuji
Posted on April 8th, 2009
Mei-chan no Shitsuji
[Rating: 6/10]
Genre: Shoujo, Romantic Comedy
Mei is a simple girl enjoying her life with her schoolmates and helping out with her family’s little ramen shop. But all that changes when one day, a man appears at before her and claims that she is the heir of the rich and influential Hongo family, and he is her butler! She is forced to transfer to the prestigious St. Lucia Academy where all the students are filthy rich and have their own personal butlers as well! Mayhem and adventure ensues as Mei tries to adapt to this new world most girls only dream about, and has to quickly filter her friends from her foes as someone seems determined to stop her from succeeding the Hongo line.
Filed under: ** jdrama, drama, romantic comedy, shoujo | No Comments »
Lost in Austen
Posted on April 4th, 2009
Lost in Austen
[Rating: 8/10]
Genre: time-travelling romance drama
Amanda Price, a huge Jane Austen fan, thinks that she has gone crazy when she finds Elizabeth Bennet standing in her bathroom, claiming the cupboard where the pipes are is a portal of sorts. That is until she goes through the said portal and is stunned to find herself in Elizabeth’s world (aka the novel of Pride and Prejudice), and to make things worse, she is trapped there and cannot go back; and Elizabeth is trapped in her world. So Amanda has no choice but to live with the Bennets. Her presence causes chain of events that threaten to change the whole story, but as much as she tries to prevent that from happening, Amanda grows attached to the people there and wonders if she could just accept things as they are.
Filed under: drama, historical, romance | No Comments »