What dramas are you currently watching?

Two episodes into Hanzawa Naoki, it's pretty gripping so far. I'd not wanted to watch it initially because I wasn't interested in banking stories, but I'm quite liking this underdog fight. Sakai Masato has been real solid, and I'm also liking Ueto Aya as his wife. Not much yet of Kagawa Teruyuki. Kataoka Ainosuke is a terrible actor, but I try to ignore him.

junny wrote: Kataoka Ainosuke is a terrible actor, but I try to ignore him.

Yeah, he drove me crazy as well. His problem is he's always been a kabuki actor. Unlike some other kabuki actors that have done dramas, Koshiro Matsumoto (aka Somegoro Ichikawa) and Ebizo Ichikawa that learned with TV you just play to the camera, Ainosuke thinks he's still doing kabuki and has to play to the guy back in the 37th row.

gaijinmark wrote:

Yeah, he drove me crazy as well. His problem is he's always been a kabuki actor. Unlike some other kabuki actors that have done dramas, Koshiro Matsumoto (aka Somegoro Ichikawa) and Ebizo Ichikawa that learned with TV you just play to the camera, Ainosuke thinks he's still doing kabuki and has to play to the guy back in the 37th row.

Yes, you're right, it's that kabuki thing, and he's doing it every scene he's in, so frustrating. His role is so... I dunno, a little pointless too.

I'm on episode 6 and the setting has gone back to Tokyo, which is a bit of a pity, since I liked the Osaka setting a lot. But finally we get to see more of Kagawa Teruyki, and Hanzawa has new buddies he can count on.

At Unsung Cinderella ep 4, and it's as unrealistic as ever, sigh.

Started Watashitachi wa Douka Shiteiru, it's okay though a bit dramatic as the plot is revenge-y. The wagashi are so pretty though!

junny wrote:
Started Watashitachi wa Douka Shiteiru, it's okay though a bit dramatic as the plot is revenge-y. The wagashi are so pretty though!

The setting's interesting and the photography's great, but I wish they'd kept it a straightforward noir without the silly, lowest-quality-shoujo-esque "romance" bits (I noticed a "kabedon" in the next episode's preview...I'ma hurl, seriously... :bleh: )

On a totally different note, I've watched the first two episodes of "Tantei ga Hayasugiru" and it's very, very good: such an interesting mix of comedy and suspense, with many hilarious scenes; Hirose Alice is getting better and better with age like a great wine, and also Mizuno Miki and Takito Kenichi are great in this dorama so far! Great script, nice acting! :applaud: :victory:

Finished "Good Morning Call" (a solid "8", I would've given it even more, hadn't it been for the fact that 17 episodes felt like a tad too much + the ML was plainly terrible - sorry but even Toei Co.'s reefs are more expressive: https://www.toei.co.jp/en/images/main_v.jpg :mrgreen: )
Binged (4 episodes, 19' each, it's not that difficult) "Mousou Kanojo" (avoid, it's really cr@p :bonk: )
Finally watched "Tamagawa Kuyakusho of the Dead" which is, quality-wise, a bit of a rollercoaster (one moment you climb up high, the next you plunge into the abyss), but still plenty enjoyable and with a very original and deeply humane take on the "zombie" genre...
Started "Furo Girl" (with that premise I wasn't expecting a masterpiece, but it's pretty bad).
I'm considering dropping "Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinju", "Watashi, Teiji de Kaerimasu" and "Naniwa Shounen Tanteidan"
p.s.
I so much hope subbing for "Joshi Kosei no Mudazukai" will be taken over sooner or later (only 3 episodes to go and it was positively hilarious)...does anybody here know of fansubbers who take requests? :sweat: :fingerscrossed:

Finished Hanzawa Naoki, what a brilliant drama. So intense and truly an underdog fight. That ending! No wonder a season 2 was called for. Looking forward to watching season 2. Sakai Masato was fantastic throughout and I really enjoyed Hanzawa's relationship with his wife, and his friendships with Tomari and Kondo.

Finished Alibi Breaker, which is a bit of a brainless watch and is short at 7 episodes if you don't mind some overacting from the cast. Almost every character outside of Hamabe Minami's is stupid.

Two episodes into Watashitachi wa Douka Shiteiru. This is quite the melodrama and Tsubaki's family is so fucked up. I wish Yokohama Ryusei had a better hairstyle, I can hardly see his face.

Five episodes into Unsung Cinderella, and I'm not sure if I want to continue. The show is playing up the pharmacist being super important, to the point where pharmacists are playing doctor, nurses are nonexistent and doctors are being unreasonable. It's a bit too much to take.

Almost halfway through "Cheat"....question for those who know better: does Honda Tsubasa always "act" like that? :banghead: :bleh:

Currently watching the second season of Hanzawa Naoki.

Recently finished Okusama wa, Toriatsukai Chuui. Was pleasantly surprised with Ayase Haruma's action scenes.

pash wrote:Almost halfway through "Cheat"....question for those who know better: does Honda Tsubasa always "act" like that? :banghead: :bleh:

What do you mean?

(I liked her in Ando Lloyd.)

WhiteHawk wrote:

What do you mean?

(I liked her in Ando Lloyd.)

Sorry, I haven't watched "Ando Lloyd" nor anything else with her... :sweat:
I mean that I had never thought that anyone could surpass Naka Riisa in the (not so) fine art of overacting, but Honda Tsubasa in "Cheat" indeed reaches new ̶h̶e̶i̶g̶h̶t̶s̶ depths... :banghead:

Started Banjo no Alpha, which is pretty interesting despite my knowing nothing about shogi. Lovely seeing Tamaki Hiroshi in the lead again :inlove: The subs are great.

Started "Youkai Sharehouse"...I liked the first episode, but then the second and the third ones seemed to me like carbon copies of the first (like, literally, the same plot over and over with just minor variations)... :grumble:

Halfway through "Konna Mirai wa Kiitenai!" which is plainly terrible (I'm only watching it for Tanabe Momoko whom I find both a good actress and a beautiful girl, so I can't complain too much I suppose :sweat: )

Watched the SP "Akiko's Piano", it's good although not a masterpiece...

I'm watching Hanzawa Naoki 2, which so far (just finished episode 5) is a worthy successor to the original. It continues to have many of the fine characteristics junny noted above.

Finished Watashitachi wa Douka Shiteiru. Well! The drama is not embarrassed to insert just about every melodramatic trope there is in 8 tight episodes, so it is soapy, dramatic, but also oddly addictive. I quite enjoyed it and thought the leads did well.

Finished Hanzawa Naoki 2, loved it. Hope it doesn't take seven years to make season 3.

Now looking for something else to watch...

Started Yami no Bansosha season 2. First episode was still as good, and it was great seeing Daigo and Mizuno working together again. Can't wait for the rest!

Edit: finished Banjo no Alpha, good watch even if you know nothing about shogi.

junny: the 1st episode of "Gokushufudo" has been subbed ;)

p.s.
In case anybody's wondering, I haven't disappeared, it's only that I've been watching C-dramas recently... :sweat:

pash wrote:junny: the 1st episode of "Gokushufudo" has been subbed ;)

I just finished watching episode 1, it was hilarious! :rofl: Tamaki Hiroshi is so good at those outlandish expressions. Not liking the addition of the daughter though, and what's up with the orangey filter? But that shibainu apron cracks me up. All good. Looking forward to the next episode!

junny wrote:
...and what's up with the orangey filter?...

Hmmm...maybe I'm seeing too much into it, but I wonder whether it isn't 'cause the main character is always wearing glasses with yellowish/orangey colored lenses and the production wanted the viewers to see things the way he does...? :sweat:

pash wrote:

Hmmm...maybe I'm seeing too much into it, but I wonder whether it isn't 'cause the main character is always wearing glasses with yellowish/orangey colored lenses and the production wanted the viewers to see things the way he does...? :sweat:

That could be it. Episode 2 was very funny too and I enjoyed it.

What j-dramas are you watching?