What dramas are you currently watching?

I finished Kaze No Garden last night.

http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Kaze_no_Garden

It was a show that I avoided for months because I knew it would be sad (I don't watch TV to be depressed... and I don't really understand the concept of a "good cry"). And because the main characters were Doctors. And that's one of my major rules. I avoid Japanese shows about doctors like the plague.

But the show featured Nakai Kiich & Ogata Ken, two of the finest actors I've ever seen.

And most importantly, it was written by Kuramotto Sou. The guy who wrote all of Kita no Kuni Kara. He wrote Yasashii Jikan. He wrote Haikei, Chichiue-sama. I had to watch it.

Thing is... as sad as it was (It's about a Doctor going home to Hokkaido to reunite with his estranged family -- and to die of cancer) it's the best TV show I've seen in a very long time.

Kaze No Garden offers up the same sort of gentle, lyric beauty, honesty, and insight that are the hallmarks of Kuramoto's stories.

And the performances... by Nakai... by Ogata... by the whole cast (the kid who played Gaku was terrific)... Jeez, even Kuroko Meisa showed that she's been taking lessons and doing her homework... will stay with me for a very long time.

Oh, and doubling the sadness... this was Ogata Ken's (One of the legends of Japanese film) final performance. He died shortly after filming finished.

If I've been too subtle here let me shorten it up by saying, Kaze No Garden was brilliant.

Eyeyore wrote:I thought Shiroi Haru already has its own thread with massive comments ??

I'm relying on this thread to find 'new' dramas to watch. Just began on the Phantom Chef (1995) because of Kuitan but was sorely disappointed. Quite disgusted by the way he cooks as a genius. I meant in one scene he started a fire with kerosene to barbeque food...

I chanced upon Investigator Mariko and had a good time watching this 1999 drama. I was surprised by this first series. Great cast, dry humour ("Sensei, you can't die because a coroner cannot conduct her own autopsy"/ a coroner telling her nemesis, "My time is very precious. However if you really need it[autopsy], I can reserve a time slot for you").

I remember faintly that i had watched one of the later sequels of Investigator Mariko, I don't remember getting past the first episode because it was too dry with forgettable characters.

I was watching Investigator Mariko in the last weeks, and totally agree with your comment. Season one is fun but then they keep replacing MarikoLs team each season without explanation. Each season is more like an alternate universe rather than an evolution or continuation :shakehead:

Tonight, ILll be watching the first episode of Oyaji. :victory:

desert-raven wrote:I'll come back to Gokusen 2 & 3 eventually just to see more Nakama-san.

Even she couldn't save the sequels.

Geezer wrote:I finished Kaze No Garden last night.

http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Kaze_no_Garden

It was a show that I avoided for months because I knew it would be sad (I don't watch TV to be depressed... and I don't really understand the concept of a "good cry"). And because the main characters were Doctors. And that's one of my major rules. I avoid Japanese shows about doctors like the plague.

But the show featured Nakai Kiich & Ogata Ken, two of the finest actors I've ever seen.

And most importantly, it was written by Kuramotto Sou. The guy who wrote all of Kita no Kuni Kara. He wrote Yasashii Jikan. He wrote Haikei, Chichiue-sama. I had to watch it.

Thing is... as sad as it was (It's about a Doctor going home to Hokkaido to reunite with his estranged family -- and to die of cancer) it's the best TV show I've seen in a very long time.

Kaze No Garden offers up the same sort of gentle, lyric beauty, honesty, and insight that are the hallmarks of Kuramoto's stories.

And the performances... by Nakai... by Ogata... by the whole cast (the kid who played Gaku was terrific)... Jeez, even Kuroko Meisa showed that she's been taking lessons and doing her homework... will stay with me for a very long time.

Oh, and doubling the sadness... this was Ogata Ken's (One of the legends of Japanese film) final performance. He died shortly after filming finished.

If I've been too subtle here let me shorten it up by saying, Kaze No Garden was brilliant.

Timeles subs finally released the soft subs for this a little while ago. Finally.

hellOo everyone!i'm new here and also very excited^^
yesterday i finished watching Akihabara@deep the series,
so owesome!! my belly hurt from lauhing! ;D
have u seen it??

A quickie clean-up on aisle 5.

The other day I was in here singing the praises of The Chef

http://jdorama.com/drama.53.htm

Man, I gotta learn to watch the whole show before I say it's good. Or even decent.

I got through 6 episodes of the show, and it just kept getting worse with each episode. It's like the writers simply had no idea where to go with the goofy premise... so it descended into a series of dull, contrived cooking competitions, mixed in with a few melodramatic, soap opera style action scenes.

I haven't checked but I suspect the writer went on to a career in children's TV... writing about bad guys in bizarre rubber costumes.

I might finish watching the series someday, but only if my to watch spindle is empty, and there are no dishes to wash.

Hi Sukkkiko. Welcome to the page.

I did watch Akihabara@deep and I thought it was a cute little show.

A lot funnier than "The Chef".

Watching Ai Nante Irane yo, Natsu... A little gloomy but characters' parts are very deep.

Ryoko Hirosue seems to be fitted for playing characters suffering from an ailment or shy (like in Summer Snow and Long Vacation). However I hardly recognized her from Yasuko to Kenji where she played a former yakuza :hehe:

Geezer wrote:Hi Sukkkiko. Welcome to the page.

I did watch Akihabara@deep and I thought it was a cute little show.

A lot funnier than "The Chef".

thx Geezer :D

yeah it was fun to watch^^ Daruma FTW!!!!! ;D

I haven't seen "The Chef" yet but from what I read in your comment seems I don't miss much ;P

Geezer wrote:A quickie clean-up on aisle 5.

The other day I was in here singing the praises of The Chef

http://jdorama.com/drama.53.htm

Man, I gotta learn to watch the whole show before I say it's good. Or even decent.

I got through 6 episodes of the show, and it just kept getting worse with each episode. It's like the writers simply had no idea where to go with the goofy premise... so it descended into a series of dull, contrived cooking competitions, mixed in with a few melodramatic, soap opera style action scenes.

I haven't checked but I suspect the writer went on to a career in children's TV... writing about bad guys in bizarre rubber costumes.

I might finish watching the series someday, but only if my to watch spindle is empty, and there are no dishes to wash.

Well, it must have taken a lot of stamina, patience, and an incredible amount of suspension of disbelief on your part to have gotten through six episodes; I threw in the towel after just two.

My suggestion is to rewatch Ohsama no Resutoran to erase any lingering residue; it worked for me.

shin2

I'm always sure there's a pony in there somewhere. Especially when the premise makes me laugh.

I think I'm gonna suck up some movies for a few days. Right now anything I watch is going to be compared to "Kaze No Garden" and I suspect whatever it is, it's gonna be found wanting.

Geezer wrote:A quickie clean-up on aisle 5.

The other day I was in here singing the praises of The Chef

http://jdorama.com/drama.53.htm

I might finish watching the series someday, but only if my to watch spindle is empty, and there are no dishes to wash.

Don't bother to go on unless you are fasting or wanting to lose weight.
'
While googling Investigator Mariko, I unexpectedly discovered an uploaded drama, Sawaguchi Yasuko's Channel Marker (Mio-Tsukushi) ! Someone had helped me to identify this drama some years back(separate jdorama thread).......And from Channel Marker, I found the 1980's version of Ogata Ken.

Watched the first and last episode of Ninkyo Helper last night......still find the Yakuza cum Old Folks combination a bit weird. I would rather have a bold drama just on homelessness in Tokyo. One thing I am glad. Tsuyoshi Kusanagi is taking on a role that is more befitting to his charisma and age. Well, I did discover one other thing. In comparison with other SMAP members, it's more difficult to find a female cast that looks compatible with him.

Anata no tonari ni dare ga iru, Ep 4, last night while checking the subs. I really hope they explain the goings-on eventually, but I'm really wondering how.. :sweat:

Anime Dad wrote:

Timeles subs finally released the soft subs for this a little while ago. Finally.

Fab. Now I have to find a copy of that.

@GEez- Now youve persuaded me to watch something sad too.

I adored both of his earlier dramas. And his loving treatment of the Hokkaido area.

@shin2- I made two eps of THe Chef. :beaten:

Eve wrote:

Fab. Now I have to find a copy of that.

It's gonna be a while before subs are done :sweat:

Eve,

Your list says you have "Kaze No Garden".

Without reservation, I say watch it.

(How about that. I actually remembered to check your list before I burned you a copy. I'm getting better at this.)

Geezer wrote:Eve,

Your list says you have "Kaze No Garden".

Without reservation, I say watch it.

(How about that. I actually remembered to check your list before I burned you a copy. I'm getting better at this.)

Very together of you Geez. :applaud:
I do but the subs arent great.
Apparently I need to get over it. :beaten:

Eve wrote:I do but the subs arent great.
Apparently I need to get over it. :beaten:

That bad?

Geez managed to make it through....

I watched the first episode of Ninkyo Helper. It was ok, didn't really blow me away, I'm hoping the drama picks up a little. Of course, Natsukawa Yui looked smokin'. She definitely plays a different role than I'm used to...

-Dave

bump.