Last Friends

And just when you think there's only so many ways a guy can be a total ass, episode 9 comes along to show us how wrong we can all be.

I'm not sure I can ever recommend this drama to anyone else I know. It's been excruciating, these past few ones...

:shakehead:

ash_ton wrote:Hehe.. Nice..

The ninja juri was also brilliant.. :hehe:

No one messes with Juri-chan and lives... :beaten:

Okay.. I guess it's time to pull the bandaid off. Wish me luck :)

FarOutFreak wrote:I'm not sure I can ever recommend this drama to anyone else I know. It's been excruciating, these past few ones...

I begrudgingly agree with you... :sweat:

It's not one of those dramas that you can re-watch over and over again...

bmwracer wrote:
I begrudgingly agree with you... :sweat:

It's not one of those dramas that you can re-watch over and over again...

Spoiler — click to reveal

There's just been so much riding on it at the start... and I think we've seen how much of the hope we hold out for it seems to trickle away every time they pander to the violence aspect of the series. I thought the preview was it... and then it ended with... jeez.

I do like the occasional shock sometimes, but the experience has been more like finding worse angles to pick away at a scab. Is that really the way you're supposed to get people to watch TV now?

:grumble:

You guys are gonna hate me.. but I thought that Ep. 9 was a really great direction: it's forcing the issues that are required to end the series. On top of that, I think it may be the best ep. yet.

Spoiler — click to reveal

The series is so much about power and control and you just had two powerful players come head to head at the end - it's good conflict.

Now that we've gotten used to the relatively thin character archtypes they've employed - at least they're using them within their means. Takeru is still smiling after being beaten. Michiru is still codependant. Sousuke is still agressive and controlling. Ruka is still.. well:

I also have to say, this is the first ep. where I was really excited to see Ruka (and Juri as Ruka). I like Juri in that roll - authoritative and over-confident but incredibly vulnerable. It's a curious mix which I think would grow awful tired if she did it again and a gain. I think she'd make a great love or character antagonist though and I hope she can try that kind of role in the future.

But at the same time, I realized that it's a common favorite role for the up and coming (the challenged tragically flawed or disabled heroine who can't cope with her feelings, and who finally gets a voice towards the end). Now that she's had her moment, it's actually just fine if she dies. She confronted her fear.

They won't likely kill off Ruka.. but they could, and I actually think it'd be just fine.

Interesting the way that Ruka and Sousuke's interaction goes: Ruke comes in confident and strong, trying to hide any fear from Sousuke. And of course, that's exactly what angers him with Michiru (her defiance and independance), so it's not suprising that agreesion and dominance become his goal for the end of the meeting. The insinuated sexual assault (a second in the series!) was pretty bold and elevates the tension for the finale (which will likely just be two episodes tied together, so I'm guessing there will be 11 sessions total)

I'm definitely looking forward to seeing how this one is going to end up. Lots of possible endings brewing in my mind at this point.

bmwracer wrote:
I begrudgingly agree with you... :sweat:

It's not one of those dramas that you can re-watch over and over again...

I'm not sure what I'll finally rate the drama as. So many weaknesses in the middle. I've been at around 6/10 in my mind, but the ending could definitely elevate it to 7...or even 8 if they pull off something fantastic.

I would say 8 is my threshold for recommendation. So right now, this will be a recommendation for people who really like the actors. Story and presentation though don't merit it a full recommendation.

And I agree completely, I don't think it's a rewatcher..

phlargo wrote:

I'm not sure what I'll finally rate the drama as. So many weaknesses in the middle. I've been at around 6/10 in my mind, but the ending could definitely elevate it to 7...or even 8 if they pull off something fantastic.

I would say 8 is my threshold for recommendation. So right now, this will be a recommendation for people who really like the actors. Story and presentation though don't merit it a full recommendation.

And I agree completely, I don't think it's a rewatcher..

True.. Its not a re-watcher..

But I guess the different character portrayals is what makes this drama unique.

FarOutFreak wrote:

Spoiler — click to reveal

There's just been so much riding on it at the start... and I think we've seen how much of the hope we hold out for it seems to trickle away every time they pander to the violence aspect of the series. I thought the preview was it... and then it ended with... jeez.

I do like the occasional shock sometimes, but the experience has been more like finding worse angles to pick away at a scab. Is that really the way you're supposed to get people to watch TV now?

:grumble:

Dammit, I agree with you again... :mrgreen:

Spoiler — click to reveal

I find the violence in the entire series to be brutal, excessive, and gratuitous... And it does seem to pander to everyone's baser instincts...

It really sickens me. :bleh:


People who are so off put by the slapstick in Nodame will probably puke their brains out watching this drama...

Okay, I'm totally sure and positive that Sousuke is a huge retard after watching episode nine. I was very sure before this, but now I'm perfectly convinced.

Alright I sat down some more and watched 8 & 9 today. The tension is building and expectations are growing high, at least for me they are. So can we assume what happens at the end of 9 does happen? :shakehead:

Did anyone else initially not like the intro song? At first I didn't like it but the voice in my head is humming Prisoner of Love nonstop today. :crazy:

Well, it looks like there will be 11 episodes ( :crazy: :crazy: :crazy: ):

The text at the end of seri's subs says: "[Note: It says last chapter, but just of this part of the story. Still one more story after (Episode 11). Plus a special compilation episode to come as well!]"

This drama is screwball. :grumble:

I actually figured out an interesting cultural point about the intro after watching the first episode of Galileo. According to that drama, Japanese culture, when people fall in love, there is a thin red ribbon which connects them together: prisoners to the connection. As most of the characters are related in some way or another through love, it makes sense that the intro ribbon weaves around all of them.

I mean, I saw the metaphor before knowing the cultural background, but it would appear it has a greater cultural meaning than I knew.

Neat, huh?

Watched Episode 9 last night, and someone please call the pol...eh, never mind.

deseipher wrote:Watched Episode 9 last night, and someone please call the pol...eh, never mind.

Maybe the police realized they were in a drama as well, and have voluntarily stopped answering calls to facilitate the storyline.

They've become self-aware, if you're going to go all meta anyways.

:nut:

phlargo wrote:I'm not sure what I'll finally rate the drama as. So many weaknesses in the middle. I've been at around 6/10 in my mind, but the ending could definitely elevate it to 7...or even 8 if they pull off something fantastic.

I would say 8 is my threshold for recommendation. So right now, this will be a recommendation for people who really like the actors. Story and presentation though don't merit it a full recommendation.

And I agree completely, I don't think it's a rewatcher..

At best, it's an 8... And a rather disappointing 8, in some respects.

To beat the proverbial dead horse, the drama could've done without Sosuke and dealt with all the other angsty issues full-time... It woulda been more thought-provoking and humane.

It reminds of Taxi Driver: for a majority of the movie, it dealt with Travis Bickle's introspection and psychological trauma, then it turned into an ugly, gory blood-fest... :sweat:

I've never seen the movie since.

I'm kinda suprised no one has responded to my post about Ruka after I saw ep. 9. I think it's a pretty profound discussion of the purpose of a character.

Sure, I know it's hard to separate yourselves from the emotional attachment that comes with a drama character and the actor who plays her (obviously it's much harder here, cause it's Miss Juri), but I'm curious what people think about that "right of passage" role and the subsequent obselescence of a character.

I'm curious if others have noticed this kind of role as the hallmark of an actor/actress in japanese drama at a certain stage.

phlargo wrote:I'm kinda suprised no one has responded to my post about Ruka after I saw ep. 9. I think it's a pretty profound discussion of the purpose of a character.

Sure, I know it's hard to separate yourselves from the emotional attachment that comes with a drama character and the actor who plays her (obviously it's much harder here, cause it's Miss Juri), but I'm curious what people think about that "right of passage" role and the subsequent obselescence of a character.

I really don't want to think/talk about it... It's hard to watch, probably for the reason you mentioned above... It's brutal and like FarOutFreak says, it panders the violence in the series.

bmwracer wrote:
I really don't want to think/talk about it... It's hard to watch, probably for the reason you mentioned above... It's brutal and like FarOutFreak says, it panders the violence in the series.

well, I would say it's kinda ancillary to the violence in the series (which I too find to be somewhat gratuitous) - I'm talking about the troubled character facing their problem head on and the effect of that on the character.

Spoiler — click to reveal

If Sae had spoken to Kai earlier than she did, it would have taken the wind from Orange Days' sails. If Kyoko had permitted Shuji intimacy with her early on, Beautiful Life would have lost a lot of meaning. If Chiaki had admitted his feelings for Nodame before the end, it would have made their relationship boring. And on and on...

My argument is really that once a character who faces a huge personal problem/hangup/disability/phobia conquers or acknowledges it, many of the primary purposes of a really good character go away and I think a well drafted character becomes obsolete.

I take my cue from improvisation: If you don't have anything to do or you've already done it, get off the stage. And from music - a quote from a favorite music teacher of mine: "Notes painted on a background of silence: if you ignore the rests, you're going to miss most of what makes the music wonderful"

phlargo wrote:
My argument is really that once a character who faces a huge personal problem/hangup/disability/phobia conquers or acknowledges it, many of the primary purposes of a really good character go away and I think a well drafted character becomes obsolete.

I take my cue from improvisation: If you don't have anything to do or you've already done it, get off the stage. And from music - a quote from a favorite music teacher of mine: "Notes painted on a background of silence: if you ignore the rests, you're going to miss most of what makes the music wonderful"

guess it's probably just me, but I'm still waiting for some resolution with Ruka's feelings towards Michiru. Perhaps it's been touched upon already and I just can't see it. I understand that we've reached a high point where perhaps the writers can't go any higher with Ruka's character, but I feel that there is a bit more to be fleshed out.