Fan reviews: Engine

schol3s · 15 Sep 2006

woowww... the drama is damn nice man....
is very funny & touching to watch....

Susan · 5 Aug 2006

This was my first Kimura Takuya drama. Seriously! I knew I'd end up watching one eventually, though. I have to admit, he IS a great actor. Engine was such a great drama, as well. It was so cute seeing Jiro (Kimura) interact with the kids and help them out, when what he really wants to do is ressuerct his racing career. Heh. Koyuki shines, once again in a somewhat "geeky" role. Overall the drama was a nice story with plenty of comedy, excitement, and even a bit of romance. I really enjoyed the series, and its conclusion probably couldn't have been better.

saintbe · 20 Jul 2006

I realy liked Kimura in this role. Acting cool with a sensitive edge towards the kids ... Not a great love story but I didn't mind. The story brought me to tears several times ... especialy when Kimura cried :'( ... I cried buckets.

I didn't like the roles of Koyuki and Sakai... they were too uptight ... but this was probably how the characters were supposed to act.

This was my 2nd drama I saw with Kimura in it (I saw Pride also) ... I liked Pride more but this drama was also very good and I'll recommend it to anyone !

youhei_mito · 27 Mar 2006

quite good drama. kimura was as usual on par with his superb acting skills. (who would've expected less?)

however, the story was kinda bland. the title itself suggested a fast-pace drama. well, so much for tat. o_o but i do admit it does serve its entertainment purpose to an extent. the kids in the drama were all so adorable ^_^. never liked kids, but the kids were seriously lovable.

would've been better if it showed more racing (come on, stick to the title) and a little more romance.

Catono Minamoto · 20 Mar 2006

this is a best japanese drama that i have been seen. takuya is awesome as one of the best family. he was doing well. i got something from this movie.. "angel" and "i can see clearly now" are good songs and perfect for this drama. so this movie waa awesome drama..

Lancome · 26 Jan 2006

Hoi !

You can tell that Kimura-san is already long in the business. He pretty much carries the story but in my opinion one person alone can not make a series great. So it deserves only a six. If it wasnLt for Takuya Kimura the rating would even get below average.

kiimura+akuya · 10 Dec 2005

this drama perfected the bond between kimura and the orphans... as they progress together, kimura and the childrens overcame many obstacles... a very touching story.. especially when kimura crys..

Tatakau · 8 Nov 2005

This is better than Pride in some ways, I really liked Pride until the plot went to crap (read my pride review for what I mean) at least this series waited until the last episode before it went stupid, like a review above says, the spoiler coming off when and how it did was just stupid and there Jiroh is feeling bad and letting everyone down, he should go and give the mechanics a kick up the back side for doing such a poor job on the car. There isn't much chemistry at all among the cast either. The music was rubbish, nothing original at all. An enteraining drama but it's not something that will keep you thinking for a time after you have finished watching it.

yukino2002 · 3 Nov 2005

I've seen almost all of the KimuTaku's dramas and I still love watching him act. It's the charisma thing I'm sure. Engine doesn't really strike me as extraordinary moving or unique, but if you have time, it's alright. KimuTaku plays his usual cool i-don't-express-my-feelings-but-i-care-a-lot-and-i'm-really-nice protagonist. Koyuki plays a rather subservient caretaker that has feelings for KimuTaku. A lot of the episodes in the middle focus on one orphan. Something happens to draw attention to the orphan, and then, we find out why he/she acts a certain way. Again, watch if you have time, but not a mandatory drama^_^.

shelf · 22 Oct 2005

(7.5)

Overall it's a good, but not great drama. A bit slow at times, but Kimura keeps things interesting when his character has focus. The kids are cute... unfortunately their stories are pretty sedate for the most part. This is a shame since they are the true focus of the drama.

The female lead, played by Koyuki is also a bit of a let down. She is kind and wants to help, but her nagging behaviour and clumsy stumbling-around is kind of annoying. So it's no surprise that the romance is kept to a relative low. While there is potential from Jiro's (Kimura) ex-girlfriend to create some kind of love triangle, the opportunity is mostly missed. There is a sort of 'missed potential' overall with the characters... looking back it feels as though you really don't get to know them too well. This could just be the result of having such a large cast.

Despite the shortcomings, it's entertaining enough to warrant a watch-through. Though it starts off slow, the ending episode is very good, and will leave you with a positive vibe.

shu sha · 20 Oct 2005

yep, it's takuya kimura for pete sake, and watching him is like an obligation. He might not be the epitome of japanese dorama, but he has starred in enough doramas to gain that respect. Dont be mislead by the title, it's more of the poor kids then the racing. Engine meant to tell a story about -more or less- life, emotional struggle, will power, and obviosly love, and not someone dies racing. Japanese are good with this storyline, they make you weep and smile easier then flipping a coin. No one dies, no nasty grandma to oppose the lovebirs, no one suffers from cancers, but nonetheles, you'd cry. Who needs those almightly disasters anyway?? guess the korean need to learn more... jodann...

beryl_28 · 12 Oct 2005

Maybe i'm a little biased but I'm really a takuya fan so i think this drama rocks a lot!!! The plot heads off to a slow start but the climax builds up slowly and i just can't stop watching!!! The younger casts can easily compare themselves with other actors given their superb acting skills! Kimutaku has done it once again!!

jalen · 23 Sep 2005

ENGINE is one of Kimura's best drama and one of my fav. Just nice and touching, nothing more to say. MUST WATCH

Tu_triky · 17 Sep 2005

An enjoyable dorama about a race car driver's life and the children whose lives he touches...the show steers clear of the conventional and is well-served by a great cast, Kimura Takuya & Koyuki not least among them. Kimura Takuya's character, is refreshing as a protagonist that is not imbued with the stereotypical qualities of the male lead. A well-paced show that picks up slowly but gains speed and draws the viewer into the lives of the characters in a meaningful way. The insight into the lives of each of the individual characters in the show, both adult and children, will surely touch upon aspects of life that most viewers will be able to personally relate to on some level.
So start your engines and take a few laps around the tracks!

chin5 · 11 Sep 2005

Jiro Kanazaki was tailor made for Kimura Takuya. A race car driver by profession with a heart of steel yet is compassionate.
The story itself gives importance in the building of character yet shows humanity in emotion. Entertaining and very heart warming- especially the children. This contains all the elements of a good drama - can make you laugh and cry at the same time. Highly recommended for all ages.

momoechan · 25 Aug 2005

Overall, I enjoyed this dorama, it's very heartwarming (seems like Spring is the time for children-related doramas, this and Ruri No Shima) and the children are so adorable.

Kimura Takuya, as always, is very convincing in his role as a former F3 champion who's trying very to bring back the joys from his glory days.

Everything in this dorama is perfect except for the forced romance between Kimura Takuya & Koyuki. I got a feeling that the writers were just trying to bring the 2 together quickly in the last episode eventho there weren't much romantic developments between the 2 of them throughout the dorama. It'd have been better left as a platonic relationship between the 2 of them. Hence, a 9 for this dorama instead of a 10.

zai · 22 Aug 2005

Overall, the drama presents a new facet to kimura's diverse range of acting talents. I find no fault in his acting nor the casts. Koyuki was a stand-out in her role, acting flustered & lost that I find her irritating in the first few episodes (that's a sign of good acting!). However, I cannot say the same for the storyline. It's not too original to focus on each child's story for the different episode. I also find everytime there's a point to be made regarding the main story plot, the camera will focus on each child's face. This too was most irritating. Next, I think what was most on everyone's mind was the irrisistable duo-pairing of Kimura & Koyuki. So most had expected that a super-duper romance between the two would have exploded on-screen. But sad to say, this didn't happened either. Next, I think Koyuki's make-up and her wardrobe was very bad, making her look rather unflattering. This was poor handling since Koyuki is such a beautiful actress and have always have classic sense of dressing that it would have been a great asset for the drama to capitalise on her attributes. Next, of course was the racing aspect - where did it go? Lastly, I would love to see Kimura & Koyuki & the children reprising their roles in a sequel but with all the added potentials that I've suggested. Agree with me? Can't wait for Engine 2.

Kirari Ililah · 16 Aug 2005

I think this is more fun for Kimura than one of his best work. It's more relaxing than his other roles, and the kids were so ADORABLE!!!
The story was not as predictable as I thought, and Kimura's character is just like him, but the chemistry between Koyuki and Kimura wasn't as strong. Although the final page of the two's relationship was creatively performed, I still think they lacked a bit of chemistry in placing a shy relationship...
However I think this is a nice drama for anyone who loves kids, a fmaily drama, or love watching Racing! A story of triumph and failure, but there's always something to learn from it all, especially for Kimura's character...
It's a three Johnny's in one drama, what a special treat as well...^-^

Deceased · 31 Jul 2005

Sigh! The title of the drama was quite misleading. I was expecting more racing than dealing with human relationships. Nonetheless, it was quite an entertaining show.

I guess of the success of this drama and the hype of it, is because of Kimura. Without him, this drama will go unnoticed. But then, i guess the kids' acting performance is quite amazing. In fact, they act better than kimura?! Yes? No?

Overall, the acting of the actors & actress were quite good but i guess the story is kinda underdeveloped. I don't see much racing except the starting, one in the middle episode and the last. Only 3 racing scenes throughout the whole story?

Guess should rename the title to: The story of an orphan racer.

selphie086 · 30 Jul 2005

If you're looking for some element of romance in this drama,there is little in here.It focus around the kids in the orphanage and Jiro.The car racing part was exciting,even though it was towards the end.I enjoyed the connection Kimura had with the individual kids.

I'm definately in love with Kimura's character in here.He's like a big kid not wanting to grow up,which probably explains why the kids are able to click with him more than Koyuki.

Something I'll recommend to fans or non fans of Kimura and Koyuki.An excellent drama worth watching.