What dramas are you currently watching?

junny wrote:Started the first two episodes of Mahoro Ekimae Bangaichi, pretty offbeat and funny. Surprised to find each episode was less than 30 minutes, and like the feel of it so far.

Those guys smoke so much I had the impulse to open all my windows after each episode.

junny wrote:
Started the first two episodes of Mahoro Ekimae Bangaichi, pretty offbeat and funny. Surprised to find each episode was less than 30 minutes, and like the feel of it so far.

I really liked that drama. Ryuhei Matsuda was great as the stoner/slacker. The only problem was, for about a week after I had finished watching it, that "Happy ja nai, Lucky ja nai" song was stuck in my head. :bonk:

Eyeyore said:

Otoko Menshi - It has been so many years since the last time a food drama makes me walk into a kitchen and cook something to eat. There is hardly any storyline though.

Started this one also. You're right not much of a plot but it was a good thing I was watching episode 2 late at night, otherwise I would have run right out and got some gyoza and fried rice. :drooling:

BuyMeThisDress wrote:
Those guys smoke so much I had the impulse to open all my windows after each episode.

I'm six episodes in and yes, they smoke too much! But probably not as much as Nishijima Hidetoshi did in MOZU... that was just terrible all around.

gaijinmark wrote:

I really liked that drama. Ryuhei Matsuda was great as the stoner/slacker. The only problem was, for about a week after I had finished watching it, that "Happy ja nai, Lucky ja nai" song was stuck in my head. :bonk:

Now you've got me thinking about that song, and then it's getting stuck in my head too! The song is lovely, as is the ending one. Matsuda Ryuhei has been great, although his Gyoten did take time to grow on me.

The "odd requests" are really, really odd, :hehe:

chibiladychoi wrote:Ouroboros
Death Note drama

I'm interested in Ouroboros, how is it?

maxcriden wrote:
I'm interested in Ouroboros, how is it?

I passed on this when it first came out, primarily because I wasn't a big fan of either of the lead actors. But since you guys mentioned it, I figured I'd give it a try and surprise!! I thought it was great! None of the actors really stood out for me with the possible exception of Kenichi Takito as Chono.

My only two complaints were Ikuta's character acting like his brains were melting and about to come out of his ears every time he remembered something from the night of the crime, and episode 7, you have to suspend your sense of belief to see a guy that had just been shot and on the verge of death suddenly getting so much energy to fight so well. Several great fight scenes in the drama also, btw.

This is very much plot driven, lots of twists and turns, they keep you guessing. Reading the comments, I guess some people didn't like the ending, I kind of get their point, but I don't see how they could have ended it any other way.

gaijinmark wrote:

I passed on this when it first came out, primarily because I wasn't a big fan of either of the lead actors. But since you guys mentioned it, I figured I'd give it a try and surprise!! I thought it was great! None of the actors really stood out for me with the possible exception of Kenichi Takito as Chono.

My only two complaints were Ikuta's character acting like his brains were melting and about to come out of his ears every time he remembered something from the night of the crime, and episode 7, you have to suspend your sense of belief to see a guy that had just been shot and on the verge of death suddenly getting so much energy to fight so well. Several great fight scenes in the drama also, btw.

This is very much plot driven, lots of twists and turns, they keep you guessing. Reading the comments, I guess some people didn't like the ending, I kind of get their point, but I don't see how they could have ended it any other way.

With your recommendation I'm definitely jazzed up to check out this drama, thanks Mark! I was on the fence about it so I'm so glad to hear praise for it.

In the meantime, after reading some reviews of it I decided to give Boku no Yabai Tsuma a chance. Have you (or anyone reading) seen it? Dang, it's good. It's super addictive. I'm watching one episode per day when exercising (well, took me a couple days to watch the 1.5 hr pilot) and finding it endlessly compelling.

I haven't seen Ito Hideaki in anything before this except for a few minutes of Tentai Kansoku I saw before deciding to wait for a better version. He's good in this. Seems Kimura Yoshino has been in a lot also but I'm not familiar with her. She's excellent in the show. I know Aibu Saki from Rich Man, Poor Woman and she's holding her own for sure. I'm a big fan of Sasaki Kuranosuke from his role in Shikaotoko Aonoyoshi, and my wife and I were just discussing last night how good that show was (Tamaki :D). I'm looking through these actors and trying to remember who Sato Ryuta played in Kimi wa Petto, one of the most under-appreciated jdramas I've seen....

BTW, anyone see Dr. Rintaro or Kounodori/Dr. Storks?

gaijinmark wrote:

I passed on this when it first came out, primarily because I wasn't a big fan of either of the lead actors. But since you guys mentioned it, I figured I'd give it a try and surprise!! I thought it was great! None of the actors really stood out for me with the possible exception of Kenichi Takito as Chono.

My only two complaints were Ikuta's character acting like his brains were melting and about to come out of his ears every time he remembered something from the night of the crime, and episode 7, you have to suspend your sense of belief to see a guy that had just been shot and on the verge of death suddenly getting so much energy to fight so well. Several great fight scenes in the drama also, btw.

This is very much plot driven, lots of twists and turns, they keep you guessing. Reading the comments, I guess some people didn't like the ending, I kind of get their point, but I don't see how they could have ended it any other way.

I didn't like Chono. I'd have silenced him if I could.

Ikuo having a brain fart when he had to remember something got old pretty soon, and I didn't like the excessive use of flashbacks. The ending's sappy factor was irritating, and the cops were inept. Ikuo and Tatsuya had no business meeting so openly in public given their respective statuses, but well, logic is not strong with these ikemen.

I'm glad you enjoyed it, but for me, this was just another average cop procedural. I wish they'd done more with Tatsuya.

junny wrote:

I didn't like Chono. I'd have silenced him if I could.

Ikuo having a brain fart when he had to remember something got old pretty soon, and I didn't like the excessive use of flashbacks. The ending's sappy factor was irritating, and the cops were inept. Ikuo and Tatsuya had no business meeting so openly in public given their respective statuses, but well, logic is not strong with these ikemen.

I'm glad you enjoyed it, but for me, this was just another average cop procedural. I wish they'd done more with Tatsuya.

then don't watch dramas or movies has Chono's actor in it. you probably wonder why no one subbing his drama, Ore no Dandyism.

not all dramas and movies are subbed you know anyways, if you like Ikuta then wait for his future works ok? yeah i like him, too i first saw him in Hana Kimi 2007 with Oguri Shun and Horikita Maki

i'm a huge fan of Johnnys lol

GaimRider wrote:

then don't watch dramas or movies has Chono's actor in it. you probably wonder why no one subbing his drama, Ore no Dandyism.

not all dramas and movies are subbed you know anyways, if you like Ikuta then wait for his future works ok? yeah i like him, too i first saw him in Hana Kimi 2007 with Oguri Shun and Horikita Maki

i'm a huge fan of Johnnys lol

You're assuming way too much.

Anyway,

Up thru episode 7 of "Hajimemashite, Aishiteimasu". The last two episodes were the best so far, so its gone from being not very good to okay.

As GaimRider said, the birth mother has shown up. They've pulled out a cliche they usually use in divorced parents dramas. One parent is rich and the other, not necessarily poor, but maybe middle class, just getting by. That's the case here. The birth mother's family is rich, runs a hospital. Keeping with the stereotype that rich people are jerks, the grandmother has a personality that makes you want to put a cigarette out in her face.

Also started "Boku no Yabai Tsuma". I hate it when they make the first episode twice as long. :beatyou:

First time seeing Saki Aibu as a b-I-a-t-c-h.

gaijinmark wrote:Also started "Boku no Yabai Tsuma". I hate it when they make the first episode twice as long. :beatyou:

First time seeing Saki Aibu as a b-I-a-t-c-h.

Yay, you took my recommendation. :) Thanks! I watched ep. 3 today and found the show continues to be quite compelling. I'll say regarding the double-length first ep I sometimes find it to be a drag but here I felt like they kept it moving at a good clip, so... I'll be eager to hear your thoughts.

Nagareboshi

maxcriden wrote:

I'm interested in Ouroboros, how is it?

Hi!

I gave it a 9/10. It was compelling especially towards the end, first few episodes could have been better. Ikuta was really amazing as usual, acting wise. Try watching too :)

gaijinmark wrote:Anyway,

Up thru episode 7 of "Hajimemashite, Aishiteimasu". The last two episodes were the best so far, so its gone from being not very good to okay.

As GaimRider said, the birth mother has shown up. They've pulled out a cliche they usually use in divorced parents dramas. One parent is rich and the other, not necessarily poor, but maybe middle class, just getting by. That's the case here. The birth mother's family is rich, runs a hospital. Keeping with the stereotype that rich people are jerks, the grandmother has a personality that makes you want to put a cigarette out in her face.

the hospital you mentioned is the same one where Shinji's mother stays. yeah i know, i feel sorry for her..

by the way

Spoiler — click to reveal

the boy talk very well

junny wrote:
I didn't like Chono. I'd have silenced him if I could.

Ikuo having a brain fart when he had to remember something got old pretty soon, and I didn't like the excessive use of flashbacks. The ending's sappy factor was irritating, and the cops were inept. Ikuo and Tatsuya had no business meeting so openly in public given their respective statuses, but well, logic is not strong with these ikemen.

I'm glad you enjoyed it, but for me, this was just another average cop procedural. I wish they'd done more with Tatsuya.

I understand. There was a drama about 10 years ago, "Tiger and Dragon". If you read the comments, almost everybody gave it an 8 or 9 or 10. Not me. I got about half way thru episode 3 or 4, hadn't laughed once (it was supposed to be a comedy) and gave up on it. One of the few dramas I thought was so bad I couldn't finish it.

If we all liked the same stuff it would be a pretty boring world.

maxrcriden

I finished "Boku no Yabai Tsuma". I thought it was great! I really liked it a lot! About halfway thru the last episode though I was starting to think, "Uh-oh, the writer's painted himself into a corner and can't get out. He doesn't have an ending." But he came up with a nice twist there at the end and it all made sense. I wouldn't trust any of those people though, as far as I could throw them.

I looked up the writer, Tsutomu Kuroiwa. He also wrote another drama I liked a lot, "Strawberry Night", a police drama.

Doctor-X SP.

Ugh, the softsubs are out of sync with the video for some reason. :grumble:

Looks like I'm gonna have to do some re-timing. :sweat:

Watching Gomen ne Seishun! again. It's really fun to watch, I laughed out loud at least once per episode. Writing is thought-provoking and wise at times, even better on re-watch.

HOPE episode 6 was extremely condensed, resuming after the Olympics. They crammed about 4 hours from the original Korean drama into 1 hour and predictably failed to reproduce the quality in the original. Yamamoto Mizuki is pretty, that's kind of the only reason I am watching.

bmwracer wrote:Doctor-X SP.

Ugh, the softsubs are out of sync with the video for some reason. :grumble:

Looks like I'm gonna have to do some re-timing. :sweat:

shift start and end end times for line 498 and on back by 0:00:15.12 if you want it to match the DOA v2 file.

creidesca wrote:shift start and end end times for line 498 and on back by 0:00:15.12 if you want it to match the DOA v2 file.

Thanks for the hint, but I already re-timed the subs to match furransu's raw video.

I also overhauled the grammar, spelling, and some of the dialog of the subs as well.

I'm annoyed. I tried Ishi no Mayu and really liked the first ep a lot. Then in the second ep something a bit disturbing happens involving animals. I'm more sensitive to this than most but after Hi no Ko (which was friggin' horrifying) I really am frustrated with animal harm in Japanese thriller dramas. What's up with that? Any other J dramas I should be avoiding if sensitive to this? I know I'm a softie in this regard but I don't think a thriller or crime drama with no animals harmed is too much to ask (like, I don't mean a Marley and Me kind of situation, I mean animals being put in situations where they're harmed so the show can show how edgy it is). I don't count something like Mother at all in this category.

Anyway, I would greatly appreciate any tips on shows to avoid, and on crime shows that are great and definitely don't have anything like this in them. :/ Thanks all.