Where In the Dramaverse Am I?

Hello bloggers,
Remember me? 

I know. I barely remember myself either. I used to blog about dramas. I used to watch dramas with some regularity. Now I consider it a feat if I watch a few episodes of at least something a week. The world has turned for me, as I always knew it would, and once feared it would. Several years ago my thoughts were, 'What a sad day when I no longer find dramas so entertaining and/or thought-provoking as I do now!' A year ago, 'This can't be the end. I won't let it be the end.'  A few months ago, 'Yep, I'm passed it all. Such is life.'

I think I thought the process would be more depressing than it is. I still watch some things, I still find things entertaining, and I have not retreated entirely from this world I've created from myself. I just show it differently. Much differently. For anyone interested, here's a recap of my life for the last few months:

The Best of Asian Drama Moms (aka Happy Mother's Day)

So let me say something before we even begin:

 

Happy Mother’s Day!

This a gentle reminder for everyone with moms to give her an extra special hug today, and for those of you lovely ladies who are moms, well… as I said before, Happy Mother’s Day! What am I doing for Mother’s Day? I’m leaving the state and going on vacation without my mom (aiigoo.. eoma mianhamnida!) But because I knew this was happening, I decided to make this special tribute to her and great moms like her, who just so happen to be from the dramas. No evil conniving women in this post - this is dedicated to the best moms of Asian drama (that I have had the fortune to meet with).



Read on for my list of favorite NICE and FABULOUS drama moms on Mydramalist.com

The Best of Asian Drama Moms

 

Jdrama Review: Last Friends (2008)

Last Friends
ラスト・フレンズ
8/10 ♥♥

There are days where I'm in the mood to watch something absolutely miserable, where I need to put the woes of my life into deep perspective and focus on other peoples' fictional problems - and sit in wonder that there are actually people in this world whose lives do mirror what I see onscreen. Then I cry and sob for a good while, stifle the urge to throw something, and reinforce my willingness to keep watching. Why? Because in adversity, people shine through. Or they are vanquished, and I wasn't certain what the result would be for these last of friends.

The Cast

In a role that will absolutely terrify you, Nishikido Ryo is Sosuke, by day a child welfare social worker, by night an attentive boyfriend - and by attentive we mean the emotionally and physically abusive kind of boyfriend. Nagasawa Masami plays Michiru, a girl victimized not just by her boyfriend but also by a childhood worldview she believes in where life is cruel and you just have to get used to it. Enter a cluster of friends old and new to her rescue, including Ruka (Ueno Juri), a motor-cross racer devoted to Michuru's protection; and Takeru (Eita), a hair stylist and kind friend, with a deeply troubling past.

Creeper Alert.

At its ugliest, Last Friends explores the day to day consequences and psychological effects of domestic violence, gender identity crisis, and sexual abuse. "Lesser" hit topics include suicide, adultery, and plain old sexual harassment. Could this drama have been any more emotionally involving? It's from Japan- in a society that apparently doesn't care to whitewash such issues on national television. More power to them because, Last Friends is a hard-hitting depiction of equally traumatizing existences; more importantly though- how the relationships of its characters are pulled to and fro, towards the light and back towards the darkness. 

Best of friends?

Is it Watchable? 

YES. Because unlike other misery-laden dramas I've had the misfortune to sit through (both Korean and Japanese), Last Friends deals with this horror in a fashion more situated to real life than dramaland-ish antics. Bad things don't just happen for the sake of it, to the point where you sit around imagining a writers' brainstorming session: "And what shocking plot device should we insert in this week's episode?" Instead, we see our characters reacting is familiar, humanly ways. It's that much more stressful because of this fact - but not every battered girlfriend makes one clean dramatic break, without ever falling and returning to the scene of abuse; deep revelations between friends don't always make everything right; and not every person can completely overcome childhood trauma. Which makes their compromises ever more understandable, and their friendship that much stronger for it. 

Bonus points because after Ryo scarred me for life, I still understood his character. Try making that happen again, dramaland. I'm going to go now and pick out a nice bubbly drama of his to make me forget it ever happened.  

More up on Last Friends, the strength and bonds of friendship, and a how a home sets the difference. No Spoilers

Jdrama Review: Kazoku Game (2013)

Kazoku Game
家族ゲーム
9/10 ♥♥♥

As usual, I make sure I receive good recommendations on Jdramas before I watch them – and supposedly Kazoku Game, or The Family Game, is one of the year’s best? I think can understand why now this drama was winning awards left and right, particularly with respect to its casting and the myriad of complex characters.

I looked into the plot as little as I could before diving straight into this, but it might be worth knowing that Kazoku Game is no easy breezy drama. At its heart is the character building, or un-building, of those who would be bullied, and those who would be bullies. Granted, the theme of school bullying is hardly unheard of in Asian drama (it’s basically got its own genre), but what sets this apart is in the unique perspective of family life and how it effects not only the children but the parents themselves.

Meet the ‘home tutor’ of a lifetime, Yoshimoto Koya (Arashi’s Sakurai Sho) and his charges. 

He’s going to help the Numata boys Shigeyuki (Uragami Seichu) and Shinichi (Kamiki Ryunosuke) do better in school, and train their parents to help them become a more loving and caring family. 

Or is he?

Welcome to the mystery, and the ride – whatever it is.

What’s crazy about Kazoku Game is that we really have no idea what’s going on, or what’s going to happen from minute 1:00 to the ending scene. What’s real, who’s genuine? Starting with Yoshimoto, the biggest creeper of the entire drama – I should admit that he scared the shit out of me. What’s his story and what’s his game? No one knows, and no manner of digging ever seems to unearth the real personality underneath. It’s a great thriller. Is he a psycho teacher/tutor or just a really unconventional do-gooder? And just how much will he push his charges until they become just as psycho as he is (if they weren’t already before?)

Spoilers Beyond + Thoughts on Character Relationships 

Jdrama Review: Akumu Chan (2012)

Akumu Chan
悪夢ちゃん
7/10 ♥

Taking another foray out of my comfort zone (I admit, my zone is pretty limited to rom-coms and the occasional K-melo) comes Akumu Chan. Nightmare Chan, or My Little Nightmare, is a bizarre little original drama about an elementary teacher and her student who have prophetic dreams. Throw in some science fiction technology that makes dreams viewable via a 'dream card' on a TV screen for perusal once a subject is awake, and you’ve got the makings of a what’s sometimes a creepy thriller-paced storyline. Yes, it’s a Jdrama and therefore episodic, but the overall arc is terribly fascinating and each character just nuanced enough to make their growth appealing, and their pasts gripping.

Kitagawa Keiko (Buzzer Beat) plays Ayami-sensei, a cheery faced teacher who behind her smile hides a thorny personality and general distaste for her profession, kids, and of course love. But she’s destined be a mentor for transfer student Koto Yuiko (child actress, Kimura Manatsu). This child’s eyes literally wobble inside her head when she ‘connects’ to another person’s subconscious, and she sees the future. They’re almost always foreshadowing dire consequences, but to change future she needs a dream interpreter. 

And.. is he the hero or the villain?

Rounding up the cast was a new face for me, but very recognizable I'm sure to a few people: Gackt. He's a bit weathered now, and those curls... Ack! But as the male lead in our drama here he is quite something. Is he the Dream Prince, who literally appears in Ayami's dreams riding a white horse? or is he a sinister, ambition driven scientist who only wants the secret to the dream card? He's alternately creepy and endearing, and so makes it difficult to guess. Props to Gackt. And his curls.

Read on for more non-spoilery thoughts, Episode Guide and Episode Reviews. 

DRAMA CLUB: Mischievous Kiss, Episodes 15-16

One of my favorite shows of the year is over.. *sniffs*

But at least it gave me the best non-back hug hug ever seen in a drama. Ever.

Read here for reviews of Episode 15 and Episode 16 Part 1 and Part 2 on DramaFever.

DRAMA CLUB: Mischievous Kiss, Episodes 13-14

Two more roller-coaster episodes! How much longer will I be able to last?

Answer: Just two more episodes! Oh noes!

Read my double review of Episode 13 here and here, and Episode 14 on DramaFever.

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)

DRAMA CLUB: Mischievous Kiss, Episode 12 + Furukawa Yuki's Q&A

Another episode, and boy was it a strange one. 

Not sure how I think, but at least we're thinking about life here... 

Read my review of Episode 12 on DramaFever. 

But wait! Guess who read my fan letter (drafted in the middle of the night with Cherry and Heisui) and answered the questions we helped to compile for DramaFever! 

It's Furukawa Yuki himself, answering In English!! Kyaaa! By the way, I can't help but relate this fan letter writing experience to Kotoko's carefully crafted love letter from episode 1 of Mischievous Kiss. She says she oh so carefully checked her spelling to make sure the letter was just perfect, while the 3 of us gals also went through multiple drafts and rewrites of our letter (to make sure it was just perfect!). No, he doesn't read our letter out loud but he says he got it, AND he addresses his thanks to "the drama club" [OMG that's me! asdfghjkl!!] Happy fangirl moment. It doesn't happen often. :) :)

Jdrama Review: Bara no nai Hanaya (2008)

Bara no nai Hanaya

薔薇のない花屋
8/10  ♥♥ 

Need a shockingly good, slightly melo-ish but mostly heartwarming slice-of-life Jdrama with an excellent cast, beautiful and deep characters, that doesn’t feel like work to watch, but still keeps your interest? Can I come up with a longer sentence to describe how gorgeous this drama is inside and out? (Given another 5 minutes, I could probably achieve that.) If your answer is yes, then please do sit down and watch Bara no nai Hanaya, or The Flower Shop Without Roses.

SMAP’s Katori Shingo is single dad Shiomi Eiji who earns a meager living from his small flower shop. When he meets a blind customer Shirata Mio, played by Takeuchi Yuko (Pride), it’s obvious that these two need each other. With a hodgepodge cast of characters, including Shiomi’s young daughter Shizuku (Yagi Yuki) and misfit ruffian Kudo Naoya (Matsuda Shota), it seems evident that all are destined to become one happy family unit for each other. Except more lies under the surface than can ever be seen.

Bara no nai Hanaya is such a lovely atmospheric drama, featuring real and recognizable human beings. Eiji is a simple man with a hidden past, and Katori absolutely does not overact in his characterization. He is slow and plodding, and of the kindest, most selfless creatures you’ll ever see. Yet the drama weaves his past in such a way that the slow unveiling of his life history and the history of the woman he loved is almost as integral to the story as the events that happen in real time. Throw in his obvious affection for Shizuku, and their own adoption of a neighborly grandmother, another loner desperate to feel needed and loved, and just try not having any feels for this beautiful little family structure. 

"O Hanaya-san?"

Keep in mind, all this is even before the lovely Mio steps into their lives, cane in hand, full of anxiety and uncertainty about this new direction in her life. And maybe just a few secrets of her own, hidden behind a web of lies. And perhaps she’s not the only character to have more than one secret.

Read more for some SPOILERY thoughts on the inner workings of this drama. 

DRAMA CLUB: Mischievous Kiss, Episodes 10-11

Two episodes of lovely. How will my heart survive this onslaught of feels?

Yet another mischievous kiss-su!

Read my double reviews of Episode 10 Part 1 and Part 2, followed up by Episode 11.

As an aside, I love how very different this type of blogging is for me. I don't recap dramas, because I'm not nearly that industrious, but I also have never really reviewed episodes one at a time as they air. Now, when I write overall reviews, I almost miss getting to pay attention to the fine little details every episode has to offer, but I'm so lazy that if I'm not personally motivated by deadlines, I'm not sure I'd be able to keep it up. Perhaps in the future I'll pick another drama to cover at least in short doses here on my blog. 

In the meantime, thank you DramaFever for giving this opportunity to spazz over and review weekly over Mischievous Kiss: Love in Tokyo with 2 fellow bloggers, Cherry from Jdrama Reviews and Heisui from My Drama Tea.

Jdrama Review: Zenkai Girl (2011)

Zenkai Girl
全開ガール 
5/10 

Hardworking, ambitious lawyer-to-be Ayukawa Wakaba (Aragaki Yui), meet stay-at-home daddy Yamada Sota (Nishikido Ryo). Add some kids. Watch the sparks fly. Then fizzle. Then die away. Add more cute kid scenes, and you’ve got a Jdrama. Oh, Zenkai Girl, how I wanted to like you so much. You were sharp, fast-faced and totally fun for the first few episodes. You had a completely adorable nice guy who’s destined to get the girl. Why we gotta get so boring and episodic? Why must our lead girl be so silly and anti-love for sooo long? 

I jumped ships. 

Hey, take my hand and let's go make our own show!

Maybe this is just where Jdramas fail me. If there’s a hint of romance, it’s usually not enough – but when the genre is primarily rom-com, they always spoil it being lame and adding so many “plot twists” and backwards character development that I can’t stand it. Now I admit that this isn’t a fault found exclusively in Jdramas. But when it’s coupled with the standard set-back of the episode type storytelling, some occasional overacting, and wait until the very end love stories, I’m guaranteed to check out emotionally well before the end. 

Just what does Zenkai Girl have going for it though? 

DRAMA CLUB: Mischievous Kiss, Episodes 8-9

Love is full speed ahead, with some heavy congestion.

Alert! Love crisis detected!

Read my reviews of Episode 8 and Episode 9 on DramaFever.

DRAMA CLUB: Mischievous Kiss, Episode 7

So, who's excited about tomorrow's episode? 

 Kotoko must be excited! That's practically a date! Woot! 

But first, check out my episode 7 reviews here and here on DramaFever

Other members of the Drama Club (Jdrama Reviews and MyDramaTea)

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. 

DRAMA CLUB: Mischievous Kiss, Episodes 5-6

Walking... stalking... Score! 

Annyeong! Yes, I've been a little quiet of late. Busy life, being sick, having company, and most of my writing time devoted to what is gearing up to becoming [hopefully] one of my favorite dramas this year! Itazura na Kiss: Love in Tokyo, or Mischievous Kiss as DramaFever is calling it. 

Here are a couple of my latest posts from the last few weeks. Btw, can I just say: Thank you, Japan for seriously testing my patience by making me wait TWO whole weeks between eps 5 and 6? If you wanted to kill me, it nearly worked. Yours Truly, Rosie. 

• Episode 6 Review

• Playful Kiss vs. Mischievous Kiss (Only a slight comparison through ep 5) 

• Episode 5 Review

So who's watching this [totally awesome!] drama?

DRAMA CLUB: Mischievous Kiss, Episodes 1-4

Hello everyone!

Just a heads up - starting today I am participating in a new 'round table' discussion with two other bloggers, to be published over on the DramaFever Blog. If you are watching the new Jdrama Mischievous Kiss, or Itazura na Kiss, keep an eye out for us weekly!

Read my First Response: 

Mischievous Kiss Episode 4 - Part One - Part Two

**My fellow writers will be Heisui from MyDramaTea and Cherry from J Drama Reviews, both of whom are really fun to work with and have great blogs, so go and check them out too!**

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: Majo no Jouken (1999)

Majo no Jouken 
魔女の条件 
8/10 ♥♥

Prepare yourself for a ridiculously young Takizawa Hideaki. I’m not kidding. The man I fell in love with in Orthros no Inu was indeed once a baby – 17 at this time playing high school student Kurosawa Hikaru who, falls in love with his homeroom teacher Hirose Michi played by the 26 year old Matsushima Nanako. Is the love returned? Would it be a drama if it wasn’t? 

If you’ve been around Kdramas long enough, you’ll know that younger man/older woman genre dramas are there in plenty. There’s also no lack of on screen student-teacher relationships, whether they’re played up just for added storyline, or if we’re talking about the main OTP. Where Korea fails in its depictions though are in the specific, gritty details. Lots of denial, skirting around the problem, and random time jumps are the norm (Biscuit Teacher Star Candy, Big). Japan spares no details apparently. Majo no Jouken, or Forbidden Love, is a fully fledged love story that jumps right into the story, the romance, and all the icky taboos and consequences. 

In some ways, Majo no Jouken was a predictable roller-coaster ride as the ‘forbidden’ couple struggle to find acceptance in a society that doesn’t legally forbid their love, but certainly doesn’t know how to handle it. However, a variety of side characters add to the battle, including Hirose-sensei’s one time fiancé and Hikaru’s young and possessive single mother. And between these two, we get the feeling that there are some things even sicker and twisted than the relatively innocuous age difference of our show’s main lovers. 

On a Technical Note:

This drama had me asking questions I never thought I'd worry about. The amount of time I spent surfing the internet studying Japanese legal age of consent; wondering if Japan really does consider it a psychological disorder for a woman to love a high school age boy; curiosity if Japan would really go to such lengths to depict one of the creepiest mothers ever before hinted at; confusion as to why I could care so much about a couple that seems so destined to suffer one crisis after another...

All fruitless efforts, really.  Half mushy, half gritty, Majo's romance was a hot whirlwind of a mess, and not afraid of delving into serious life questions.  What does a woman do when her boyfriend is uneducated and unemployed, and how does said boyfriend take care of a woman 9 years his senior? There is no instant maturity, no immediate solutions, and not every expectation will be fulfilled as first it was conceived. Kind of like... life.

I almost find it hard to recommend this, because unless you’re in the mood for a torturous road of almost Kdrama level proportions (though at least not in length), Majo no Jouken is a painful drama to watch. Even the initial sweetness of the romance is very nearly spoiled by a traumatic second half. However, if you love seeing actors portraying their characters well, and those characters being well-handled over the course of the drama, or if you just want to see Tackey back when he was young and adorable (as opposed to the older version which is just plain hot), then I guess you should watch it sometime. ;) And hardships aside, the characters really do make a sweet couple. I say that even remembering just how young he is here. At least that much is quite believable. 

P.S. Tackey getting hotter as the years go by...

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.