Voice
ヴォイス
Episode One
First Aired: Winter 2009
Carlie’s Rating:
Rate This Episode: Note: There is a rating embedded within this post, please visit this post to rate it.

In this episode a man collapses in the street with his grocery shopping. He has somehow been electrocuted. His wife worries that he died hating her. Meanwhile, our gang seems to be into food and cooking and their antics revolve around getting Kanako to cook something.

I feel sorry for Kanako. She is the most dedicated and serious one of the group. However, people tell her she’ll end up an old maid and seem to put her down. Well, one would rather be single than date someone who is like that!

My gripe with this show is that the characters and their past are interesting, but the “discover what really happened” angle is not. It is too sentimental, there doesn’t feel like there is any tension. I like some “investigation/medical” sort of shows that the US brings out that has a mix of great characters yet engaging story line, but this… As I said, it is really twee.

That being said, next episode seems to be more about Kanako’s past so I’m excited by it. It looks like there will be a case that is similar to her mother’s death. So, I am looking forward to the next episode!

I do like the characters.

Don’t like the whole point of the show though! eep.

So, I’m giving it

Voice
ヴォイス
Episode One
First Aired: January 2009
Carlie’s Rating:
Rate This Episode: Note: There is a rating embedded within this post, please visit this post to rate it.

A group of five medical students take on the task of conveying the “voices of the dead.” Eita plays Daiki, who fails to get into a popular heart surgery seminar but is somehow accepted into a seminar on forensic pathology. When he approaches the professor Sagawa (Saburo Tokito) and asks him why he ended up in the seminar, Sagawa challenges him by asking why he wants to study heart surgery. Daiki replies that medicine is meaningless after the heart stops, but Sagawa counters that medicine also applies to the dead. Along with fellow students Ryosuke (Toma Ikuta) and Kanako (Satomi Ishihara), Daiki begins to explore the mysteries of death.

from TokyoGraph

Let me start by saying Colonel Sanders haunts me. I must want chicken. As far as I can tell, it’s a different man than the Colonel Sanders linked above, but still, I’m making connections… I think my subconsciousness is trying to tell me something.


I am not really a fan of medical shows unless they are a comedy like Scrubs, but since I Eita and Toma, this show is a must!!

Still, my unlove (but not hate) of medicals means that this show will probably never make it on to my “Most Awesomest Dramas Ever!” list, but may be one that I just enjoy.

This episode revolves around a man who died from something heavy falling onto him from a construction site, but there is no sign of the object that hit him. It is an over all introduction to the characters and the show. I think some scenes felt really cheesy, but over all I did like it. It was sweet.

I do like the overall chemistry of the characters. There is one guy who is a bit too silly – however, the other guy who is “tough”, even though he was over the top I didn’t mind it. Over all, I think what will make this drama a pleasure to watch isn’t the story line but the characters themselves.

I hope that it doesn’t just have the same pattern week after week. I get the feeling it will. That may be tedious.

The Leading Men!!!

Not really a fan of medical dramas.

It was good but it wasn’t great, so I’m giving this one

• Official Website

Last Friends
ラスト・フレンズ
Episode Four
First Aired: 1st May 2008
Carlie’s Rating:
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Michiru stays at the share house while Sousuke stalks Ruka to find out where Michiru is. Meanwhile, Orugin and Eri go pair cup shopping.

They cut the opening sequence! Poo! I really enjoy the opening, I just feel it is so powerful, and they cut it! I don’t mind so much, it means an extra 30 seconds or so of action. But Poo!

It is refreshing to see Nishihara Aki acting like such a bitch after only seeing her in “good girl” roles such as Hana Yori Dango’s Yuki. I can’t help wonder if there is something going on with her bullying though…

I also feel sorry for Ruka. Why can’t we all be treated as equals? It’s stuff like that that pisses me off.

Ogurin is cute in a wall-paper kind of way. Yeah, his character is very bland. I like Eri, but her voice is so irritating! I can see her staring in a Japanese version of The Nanny.

In this episode we learn more about Sousuke from Michiru’s point of view. I feel so bad for Ruka that Michiru doesn’t even see her pain or how she worries for her. Michiru is blind to it all.

Is waiting all night in the rain for someone sweet or sinister (or stupid!). I can understand what they were trying to do at the end of this episode. Someone standing in the rain, waiting for me… that is a stupid yet sweet action. We see this kind of thing in Hana Yori Dango. However, because we know Sousuke’s history, we see it as a sinister action. I can see how Michiru could interpret it as an action of someone who cares for her very much.

BillyWest alerted me to this Mainichi news article (not currently accessible) where the author can’t understand why Michiru went back to Sousuke at this point. I think that the author of this article doesn’t fully understand what women can go through when they are in this situation. In fact, I can’t either, but I do know someone who has gone through this situation. In this show I see all the “classic” or “cliche” things that people in a domestic violent situation go through. I have seen someone go back to a violent man two times, something that I only understand on the surface. This news article thinks that this show isn’t an accurate portrayal of DV, but in my limited experience I think it is.

Another episode that I really enjoyed.

Um… Perhaps the whole Sousuke drama is getting a bit too melodramatic. A bit repetitive?

I am still enjoying this show a lot.

Densha Otoko is the story of a nerd who saves a girl on the train from a drunk man. He then undergoes a transformation with help from his internet friends to woo the girl. It’s the classic story but this movie goes to show that the old stories still are the best.

The drama series was the first drama that I watched. It was OK, and I really enjoyed the first special.

It was back in the days before I paid attention to Oguri Shun and Horikita Maki. It was back in the days when it took me a moment to realise that “otoko” and “otaku” aren’t the same words. It was the beginning of something fantastic that would take over my life. Who knows how much spare time I would have now if I had never watched that show.

But it wasn’t until recently that I finally got around to watching the movie. I should say now, I know this movie, as well as the TV series is very popular. As I watched it, I couldn’t help compare it to the series.

In the series Densha Otoko was much more nerdy than Yamada could ever be. As for Hermes, well… I thought she didn’t display/command the awe that the Hermes in the series did. Ito Misaki, while very emotionless in her portrayal, does win over the movie Hermes, played by Miki Nakatani. However, Nakatani’s Hermes felt much more human, something that I quite liked.

Eita’s hair, always a character in itself, is two very enthusiastic thumbs up from me. Slick and sexy. Ooooh yeah.

Overall, this is such a sweet tale that has been told many times before. Looser boy falls for dream girl – I think this is the basis for a lot of shounen manga. This movie is a nice modern spin on it. Plus the “true story” tag, I can really understand why this movie has mass appeal. And it appeals to me as well.

I liked the ASCII art. I like that they explained what it is that Hermes likes about Densha Otoko.

I laughed during their “sweet” kiss. It was just awkward, and like in the series, he cries too much. Some bits dragged on for a bit.

What’s up with Orange Range? They have to be the kings of theme songs.

I like how the movie and the tv series are somewhat connected. A nice touch.

Overall, I give this

Buy Densha Otoko

• Densha Otoko – US Version
• Densha Otoko – Japanese Version – Standard
• Densha Otoko – Japanese Version – Special Edition

Trailer

Ruka and Takeru see Sousuke about to abuse Michiru – so her secret is out. Takeru gets an unwanted phone call, and becomes the newest member of the share house. And the cups become a pair…

During the first scene, where Ruka and Takeru see the Sousuke and Michiru incident no.34, the music felt really upbeat somehow. It was a bit distracting in some parts. Music should compliment, not be distracting! How ever, it was good to see some of the same moments of last week’s episode from a different perspective.

A bit more is revealed about Takeru’s past – not much, but enough to wet our lips.

Ruka and Michiru have a girl talk, where Michiru reveals that she has never felt loved before by anyone, until now with Sousuke. Which explains a lot of her behaviour, how ever she completely disregards everything Ruka has felt and done for her. It must have also been painful for Ruka to hear her defending him.

Takeru joins the house and he and Ruka have “pair cupts”. Very cute. We know that the cups are important, as they are featured in the opening sequence, they are a what everyone was shopping for in the first episode when the three main characters “came together” – even if they didn’t know it themselves at the time – and well, Michiru and Sousuke also have pair cups. I could go on and on. In fact, we have at the d-addicts forum.

Michiru asks for help from Ruka which is a fantastic step. She calls Ruka and says she wants to see her. Having to sneak behind your boyfriend’s back should be a warning sign, but nothing is ever clear when you are living it.

Michiru realises that she needs both Sousuke and Ruka in her life. And so she stands up for herself when Sousuke tries to forbid her to see Ruka. Yay! This was, in my opinion, a very powerful scene. It crossed between the verbal fight between Michiru and Sousuke, and a card game between the share house. Watch carefully from when Ruka gets a good card or a bad one.

In the end, you could say, Ruka wins both fights. It felt like a very powerful ending for the episode. I cried. I don’t know how anyone could not be affected by this episode. It felt like Michiru made some “progress”, some how.

Very powerful episode.

Pass…

OK, you already know I liked this one.

Last Friends
ラスト・フレンズ
Episode Two
First Aired: 17th April 2008
Carlie’s Rating:
Rate This Episode: Note: There is a rating embedded within this post, please visit this post to rate it.

Michiru is bullied at work on top of being harassed by her boyfriend. Eri meets up with a workmate whose wife is having an afair and he’s too chicken to do anything. There is something wrong with Ruka – perhaps she wants a sex change, perhaps she has a bladder infection. And we learn a bit more about Takeru. But not much.

Having known people who were in a similar situation to Michiru, I can really sympathise with her situation. At the same time, I’m screaming at the TV that she doesn’t need to apologise! And that she should realise that if she is feeling creeped out knowing he’s watching her from her work window then something isn’t right!!! Nothing in life is ever simple…

However, I have to say that this feels like one of the most realistic portrayals of domestic violence. The camera angles are excellent in this, really making the scene more threatening. If you don’t feel awkward watching it, I think there is something strange about you!

The Australian movie! I haven’t seen it, but I’m pretty sure they are watching Candy. It is here we see Takeru squirm a little, but we still aren’t sure what’s up with that. I can’t wait to discover more about Takeru. Awesome to see some Australia culture there, never the less.

Nothing I can think of…

I really like this show. One thing I really love is the opening sequence, I feel like it is really powerful and full of symbolism. Anyway, I rate this:

Last Friends
ラスト・フレンズ
Episode One
First Aired: 10th April 2008
Carlie’s Rating:
Rate This Episode: Note: There is a rating embedded within this post, please visit this post to rate it.

It starts at the end. Michiru is pregnant and someone has died. She is writing a letter to Ruka, but ends up throwing it into the bin. We then travel back before everything took place. Michiru’s life seems to be looking up. She’s going well at her job as an apprentice hair dresser, and her boyfriend Sousuke, who works in child welfare, has just asked her to move in with her. As she is shopping for homewares, she runs into her best friend since junior high, who she hasn’t seen in four years, Ruka.

What follows is a bit of an emotional roller-coaster ride. No one’s life is ever simple and everyone has problems. However, the five main characters are all tied together in some ways, as the opening sequence shows us. This is the kind of drama that comes along every so often that makes watching Japanese dramas worth it. In a word, this show is brilliant.

Sorry, I may gush about this show. But I knew from the moment of the powerful opening sequence of this show that I would probably love this. And I did. This isn’t your average drama. So far, in this first episode, it deals with domestic abuse, homosexuality, friendship and love. Who knows what else it will bring.

I really loved the characters, and found their responses to situations realistic. I haven’t dealt with domestic abuse myself, but I know people who have, and I know how people can manipulate you into thinking you are at fault for them hitting you. In Michiru’s case, I can see strongly that she is searching for someone who loves her, some one who pays attention to her in the way that her mother doesn’t. At the very beginning of the episode we see Sousuke waiting for her from her work window, an action we interpret to mean that he is a great guy for waiting for her when she is late to an appointment. As the show moves on we know that it is possibly a darker motivation for him being there.

Ueno Juri as Ruka is awesome. I love this character ten times better than her Nodame character. Sexual harassment and gender discrimination still happens people! I like a character who isn’t afraid to be different, especially in a culture where being different isn’t so favourably looked upon (well, who am I kidding, my own culture is somewhat the same).

Takeru, I felt, we didn’t get to see much of this character, but I have to comment that Eita’s hair is as crazy as ever.

I don’t know what it is about this show, but it has really grabbed my attention and I can’t look away.

I’m not sure what to fault this episode on. There was nothing I didn’t like.

I’m really looking forward to the rest of this series and I hope that it keeps the standard it has set in this first episode!

Su Ki Da is an acquired taste. It tells the story of Yu and Yusuke who live near each other and often see each other on their walk home from school. Yusuke quit the basketball team and wants to work in the music industry. He plays the guitar each day after school, writing his own song, but so far had only worked out one tune. He promises her that he’ll play the song for her when it is finished.

Skip forward 17 years and the two meet again by coincidence.

Su Ki Da is slow paced. It often shows only one character in shot, with many things occurring off camera. The movie is defined by its silences, shadows, shots of the sky.

The first half of the movie focuses on Yu, with the second half when they are grown up focusing on Yusuke. It’s nice to get both perspectives, however I some how feel like I don’t really “know” the characters.

This movie is good for language learners as the lines are said slowly, in small chunks. It makes it easy for the language learner to break it all down, and time for them to process what is being said. At least, it was that way for me.

I enjoyed Yusuke’s song. It is now in my head, and I don’t mind. It was a nice tune.

It is a little two slow paced for me.

It was nice to watch something a bit different from the norm, but over all it was waaay too slow paced for me to really enjoy it.

Buy Su Ki Da:
from YesAsia -
with English and French Subtitles
Image DVD

Websites:
Asian Media Wiki

Plot: It’s a hot summer. The Sci-fi club and the Photography club share the same club house. A string of events happen, and the remote to the air conditioner is destroyed. They can’t turn on the air conditioner without the remote, so they are forced to suffer the hot summer heat.

That is, until a time machine arrives in their club house. What would you do if you had a time machine? Why, go back in time to try and stop the air conditioner’s remote from getting broken of course!

no spoilers follow »

Carlie’s Thoughts: This is such a fun film! I admit I’m a bit fan of time travel movies, and comedy movies, and this is both.

The movie starts out with some strange things, some of which I’m like “ah yes, this will get sorted out later” and other times I’m was like “did I really just see that?” Of course as the movie goes along everything gets explained.

I think this movie has it all to make it five stars in my books: comedy, fun storyline, likeable characters, a bit of mystery that all comes together with no loose ties, and a little bit of romance. I highly recommend this film!

Buy Summer Blues Time Machine
From YesAsia.com -
Standard Edition
Premium Collectors Edition

Websites:
Official Website

Rate Eita: Note: There is a rating embedded within this post, please visit this post to rate it.

Where did I first see him?
The first time I saw him was in Kimi wa Petto, but I admit I didn’t really take notice until Nodame Cantabile.

My Opinion:
I really like him as an actor. He some how seems to play the same character in a lot of what he does, I wonder if he has just been typecast of if that’s a bit of himself coming through. I like his wild hair that always seems to be different, and I don’t think I’ve been disappointed in anything I’ve seen of him.

TV Shows:
Voice (2009)
Last Friends (2008)
Tokyo Daikushu (2008)
Loss Time Life (2008)
Nodame Cantabile (2006)
Tokyo Friends (2005)
Orange Days (2004)
Water Boys (2003)
Kimi wa Petto (2003)
Lunch no Joou (2004)

Movies:
Dororo (2007)
Su-ki-da (2005)
Summer Time Machine Blues (2005)

Links:
Official Website
Japanese Wikipedia
Drama Addicts Wiki