TwDrama Review: Easy Fortune Happy Life (2009)

Easy Fortune Happy Life
福氣又安康
4/10

Three quarters into this drama, I complained and got scolded by a Chinese-speaking friend, for watching a Taiwanese drama I’d never heard of, that wasn’t directly recommended to me. She’s right. I started this on a whim, and it sucked so badly, so I think I’ve learned my lesson.

Country bumpkin and herbal medicine specialist Xie Fu An (Joe Chen) meets the cold and ruthless Yan Da Feng (Lan Blue), presumed heir to a billion dollar corporation that sells eastern medication. It’s not exactly love at first sight because he’s looking to buy protected herbs off the black market, and our spunky lead girl just won’t stand for such things. However that’s nothing a quick plunge into quicksand won’t fix. While our leads are stuck in an awkward position plagued by caterpillars, Xie Fu An’s grandmother’s home is being burned down by black marketers. The OST switches between love-inducing happy sounds to dramatic chords as grandma tries to run to safety. Should I be amused by our future happy couple, or concerned by grandma dying? And this was only the first time I thought to myself, “wtf.” 

And why am I still sitting here watching this crap?

Easy Fortune Happy Life is a basic love story with your basic characters: good second leads, conniving bitches, remorseful grandpas, caricatured aunts and uncles, evil hapless ‘financial advisors’, a curly haired kid, a dog and a sugar glider. Take out the sugar glider and it’s like every other rom-com out there, except that I haven’t seen a drama with such bad acting, atrocious production, or asinine plot devices since… ever.

Yes, those are fighting kiwis.

No, this wasn’t some kind of side plot. This was a legitimate knife fight and one of these kiwis ended up hospitalized. I wish I was making this up. For all the lameness I decided to go ahead and marathon the rest in ultra-fast forward mode. I even found a few things to like about it, and a ton more to hate. Because sometimes a bad drama is just as much fun to talk about as an awesome one.

Vague spoilers ahead, but seriously – it’s not like no one knows how a drama like this is going to end.

Un-reviewable Dramas 3: Last Cinderella and Otomen

Oh please save me from these boring dramas... 

Just so I can say I’m done with these, I bring you two more “un-reviewable” dramas. Translation #1 – I didn’t like them, and I briefly want you to know why. Translation #2 – I need a soap box for a moment, and an audience to rant to. Translation #3 – I don’t actually need to rant, because neither of the dramas really got to me emotionally, but still, here I am. 

On the chopping block this week: Last Cinderella (2013) and Otomen (2009)

Jdrama Review: Kami no Shizuku (2009)

Kami no Shizuku
神の雫
6/10

Kami no Shizuku, or Drops of God, stars Kamenashi Kazuya as Kanzaki Shizuku, the son and presumed heir to a fortune – to a world famous wine collection left by his late father, a renowned wine critic. However his estranged relationship to his father left Kanzaki with a distaste for wine in any form. When a rival heir appears to take over the wine collection, Kanzaki is spurred on to take the challenge set by his father to win the inheritance. Along with spunky new girl buddy Shinohara Miyabi (played by Naka Riisa) sets off to discover the “Seven Apostles.” His only weapons are the written descriptions of each vintage, his own memories, and an inborn taste for wine.

Sound awesome? If you have a thirst to see KAT-TUN’s Kame and/or you want to learn something about wine (and the eloquent prose of wine critics), then this is the drama for you. If you’re also in the mood for a slow, sentimental story with a ‘feel good about family and friends premise’, then this drama is for you. If you get slightly bored by mostly plot-less dramas, overly characterized side characters, and a subdued main lead, I recommend a skip. 

Kami no Shizuku plods along at a pace that is just unhurried by anyone, and seems almost to take itself too seriously. I love reading a good wine description, but it’s mostly for the humor value. Hence, I got a lot of comedy out of what’s not exactly a comedy. The story is honestly not that intriguing, but it’s only 9 episodes! And I was in it for the wine. 

Un-reviewable Dramas 2: Mr. Brain and Maou

What’s this?? Rosie doesn’t love me anymore!?

After last month’s introduction to my unreviewable dramas (aka, the dramas I just don’t care to write much about, but don’t want to forget about entirely), this time I half discuss two J-dramas that… just didn’t do the trick for me: crime scene investigation drama with the brainy KimuTaku and creepy murder revenge supernatural(?) detective story with Ikuta Toma. 

That’s right, Mr. Brain (2009) and Maou (2008) are the next to join my list of totally meh dramas. 

Jdrama Review: Orthros no Inu (2009)

Orthros no Inu 
オルトロスの犬 
10/10 ♥♥♥♥

It’s a little whim I had: to watch something completely different. Given a choice between several different Jdramas by a friend, I decided to venture out of my comfort zone, and into the territory of supernatural thriller. Orthros no Inu, or The Dog of Orthros, caught my attention, and not only for the stunning gorgeousness of its two male leads. 

The Plot

Takizawa Hideaki is Ryuzaki Shinji, and Nishikido Ryo (1 Litre of Tears) is Aoi Ryosuke – two sides of a coin and each blessed/cursed with a unique power. One wields the “God’s hand” and can heal people with just a touch. The other has the “Demon’s hand” with the power to kill. Where this seemingly basic synopsis veers into the unknown, however, is in the portrayal of these two powerful figures. Aoi Ryosuke may have a devil’s curse, but he is terrified of his own abilities, while his counterpart Ryuzaki Shinji is a devil himself, with the gift of god. When they are brought together through female detective Hasebe Nagisa (Mizukawa Asami), the game begins. It’s a cat-and-mouse thriller, as the two battle and compete against each other and their insecurities, and try to uncover the hidden past. And all the while, the threat of exposure haunts them both. 

Nishikido Ryo and Takizawa Hideaki

From beginning to end, the mystery behind their powers drives the plot of the drama: just how much they know about each other and what are the implications of their gift. Is it a curse or blessing, or both, and how are they to be used? What is their purpose on this world? While a larger mythological background is hinted at, I actually appreciated how the drama focused more on the immediate repercussions. This isn’t a tale of gods and demons. It’s the story of two men who behind their powers are just as human as you or me. Their entanglement with Detective Hasebe gives this even more of a humanly-backing as she struggles to learn more about them - to trust or fear, protect or arrest. 

“If I were able to change this world, would God be the only one who could allow that? If humans were able to hold God’s powers, would they be able to change the world? There is only one problem. To be on par with God, there’s only one way. That is, just like God, to become heartless.” 

Thus begins the story, in voice-over form as Ryuzaki, the devil with a God’s hand, stands overlooking a city drenched in rain. The camera pans down to reveal Aoi, the angel with a devil’s hand, as he walks into the nearest police station and turns himself in for murder. 

“Coming here on my own makes the distinction, of what sort of person I, who has taken away that life, will become.” 

The "devil" and the "angel" 

It should be a story that is black and white, but as the picture above depicts – the demon wears white, and the angel wears black. Only their respective gifts are reflected in outside appearance. While I can’t say that I really agree that to be on par with God, they must become heartless like Him – that that is their image of God reflects the disconnect our characters feel from whatever being gifted them with god-like powers, and then abandoned them to make their own way. In a microcosm it’s the same walk that every human being has to go through: how to live their life, and how to use their own judgments to make or shape the world around them. It just so happens that Aoi and Ryzuzaki have the potential to make even greater impressions on a much larger scale.

The Dog of Orthros

The name comes from Greek mythology. Orthros was a two-headed dog beast (brother of the more famous 3-headed dog Cerberus), and minion to a giant. I'm sure other comparisons could be made between drama and myth, but there's not much known about the dog (other than that he eventually gets slain by Hercules). Rather, it's more interesting to me that nowhere in the show does it say which man, the angel or the demon, is the actual beast. Both are just two parts of the same whole. 

Not to ignore the drama’s political plotline (because, in this kind of scenario unfortunately one just has to exist), but that part was a little more on the predictable side of things – the only questionable outcome is which man, if either, would align with the greedy and power-hungry parties and politicians. What was more subtly done I thought were many of the side characters, including Detective Hasebe’s young daughter (who often seemed to understand important things better even than her mother), and delinquent youth Kumakiri Masaru (Yaotome Hikaru). *Note: All three of this drama's aforementioned male actors were all J-Pop idols. I may not have listened to their music (J-Pop’s not really my thing), but I do so love it when I get to praise idols for being great actors. Good job, boys! 

Or is he really just a devil?

Should you watch it? 

*coughs* Well, just look at my score. I could barely turn away from this drama, and not even the political plotline bored me for more than a few minutes at a time. Like most Jdramas, the romance may be a tiny bit lacking, but the relationship between the three main players was anything but lacking in overall chemistry. The thriller/mystery aspects were also extremely well done (if not completely perfect) but enough that even knowing the outcome, I’d be likely to watch it again.

Jdrama Review: Buzzer Beat (2009)

Buzzer Beat

ブザー・ビート
7/10 ♥

It’s been awhile since I watched this Jdrama, but since I’ve been mulling over some recent Jdramas (and their complete lack of credible romance stories), I’ve been thinking more and more about Buzzer Beat, and its extremely capable and compelling love story. Yes, you heard it right. This drama brings out all the stops – or at least most of them – with romance, hugging, kissing, cuddling, and a million other “awww”-worthy moments. Also, there’s some basketball. I actually like basketball, so this drama is pretty well set in my books. Minus a few irritations, side characters, and cliché plot holes, Buzzer Beat’s 11 episodes are a fun watch, and well worth the time.

Want proof about its watchability factor? On the few nights where I couldn’t access my real computer, I savored this drama (meaning, I totally marathoned it) on youtube with Spanish subs. Note to self: my freshman high school Spanish is completely not up to scraps. I needed a dictionary to translate the Spanish subs of a Japanese language drama. Now that’s obsessed.

Buzzer Beat stars Yamapi, or Yamashita Tomohisa, as Kamiya Naoki, a less than stellar pro-basketball player with a low salary and no fans. Kitagawa Keiko is our other lead star Shirakawa Riko, a bummed, single violinist without a job. Both are struggling to stay confident about their sport/art when circumstances throw them together. What follows is a halfway original story of personal growth as the two develop a sincere friendship with one another, and perhaps the chance of something more.  

Up even past the halfway mark, both the story and the romance (aka ‘Total Cuteness-ity’) are riveting. Unfortunately, the show’s failings lay in the last few episodes, where the writers throw on heavy doses of angst and lost almost all of my attention. I mean, I figured there would be a nice sweet ending, but must it really be necessary to suffer so much to get there? It’s a little sad that a perfectly wonderful show was ruined by Kdrama-esque plot holes and noble idiots pandering about in circles, but overall the strength of the earlier episodes (at least 82% of the drama) were fine and dandy. Buzzer Beat even does a good job at not turning every side character into an exact stereotype, a feat for which I am I always grateful.

If only this show was perfect. Our characters were already
great. I guess that'll make up for most of it. 

My vote is that you watch it for the leads, and turn your brain off by episode 9. That should make things all better. Read more for a not totally spoilery episode-by-episode account, and some of my favorite Buzzer Beat drama quotes.

Jdrama Review: Love Shuffle (2009)

Love Shuffle

ラブシャッフル
7/10 ♥

After reading endless praise-worthy reviews, and reading the synopsis, Love Shuffle seemed to be offering up something unique.  Four strangers who live on the same apartment floor meet one day in a stalled elevator, and after this plus a few other chance meetings, decide that each of their respective love lives are something of a mess.  Borrowing their own partners, they devise the ‘love shuffle’.  Each week a different couple is paired together, compatibility and chemistry are measured, true and fake loves abound, and everybody seems more confused about their destined partners than when they started.  It’s a true OTP-guessing drama, fun and sexy, with a healthy dose of quirky characters and plot twists.  All that, and I still couldn’t love it. 

"Say it ain't so.. Joe!"

Maybe I’m hung up on the idea that there is, or should be, something wrong fundamentally with casually switching partners every week.  Or maybe this is too much fiction for me to be able to accept that a psychiatrist would really put his suicide-prone patient into the mix.  Not that these are even serious flaws for a TV drama, but something from the get-go was telling me, “I don’t like it.” I nearly dropped the show at only two episodes.  A week later, and after some serious consideration, I picked it up again. 

I’m happy I did so, because there are good themes to this drama.  For one, it doesn’t hurt to analyze what’s at the heart of a basic human relationship.  These are not your typical marriage-obsessed characters.  Indeed, some of them are quite the reverse, and some don’t seem to care one way or the other.  In Kdramaland, everything seems to scream of that one fated lover.  Miss your OTP, and you might as well resign yourself to a lonely, sad existence.  Here is where Love Shuffle breaks a few boundaries.  These are human beings yearning for one other, yes, but not necessarily or exclusively via typical romantic outlets.  If I loved anything about this drama, it’s in the friendships that were forged and honed throughout.  The foursome that live on the same floor, drinking wine each evening in the hall in their PJs.  The women who come together, alternately snarky and supportive.  The men who bond both in jealousy and in commonality.  The couples who are not destined, but can still inspire. 

Where I think Love Shuffle misses the mark though is in the fairly grey area of delivery.  It’s as if the drama can’t decide if it should be a comedy or a melodrama, an inspirational tale of life over death, or a social commentary of the emasculated young male figure in a patriarchal country.   Sure, the drama tries to tackle some issues in fairly creative ways.  The most relevant would probably be Matsuda Shota’s character Sera Ojiro, introduced to us as a former wartime photographer who had become disgusted at his own insensitivity. In a turnaround moment, Ojiro purposely starts a fight with a gang of men, who had just the day before beaten him senseless. Reinvigorated, he knocks down the greatest offender, looks around with satisfaction, and then calmly snaps a picture of the man’s bloody face.  

Not that I’m making too much of this parallel (or am I?), but Ojiro is also adept at using his camera to maneuver his models into the exact position and level of vulnerability he wants them in. 

Exhibit A:



Exhibit B:

Love Shuffle is commendable in its uniqueness, and multiple-plot driven storylines. It's even at times hilarious, though be sure to watch with decent subtitle translations, as oftentimes the jokes are Japanese-specific. I’m not sure why, but every now and then I find myself walking around thinking, “Yay, panda...” Sadly, that’s about as much enthusiasm I had overall, though that is not meant to be a discouragement.  I thoroughly recommend Love Shuffle, as I don't doubt that I am one of the few people out here too picky for my own good. So what do you think?