JDrama Recommendations

bmwracer wrote:
Must be a real slow connection using an acoustic modem. :beaten:

They must be using the Carterphone...

Kita no Kuni Kara (From the North), a 24-episode series airing in 1981-82. A simple hardworking father (Kunie Tanaka) separates from his Tokyo beautician wife (Ayumi Ishida) and takes their two young children (Hidetaka Yoshioka, who also narrates the story, and Tomoko Nakajima) back to his Hokkaido birthplace to live. The children, to their horror, discover their new home is a dilapidated shack, with no running water, no electricity, no phone, and no neighbors as far as the eye can see. The series recounts their first year struggles to survive in the harsh Hokkaido environment. But this series is not simply a back-to-nature story. It also encompasses a wide range of subjects such as divorce, puberty, discrimination, the generation gap, unrequited love, even UFOs. The series reflects life in a honest, realistic way running the gamut of human experiences: tragedy and joy; heartbreak and humor; confusion and clarity. Deliberately paced, it has none of the artifice, shallowness, and freneticism prevalent in much of the dorama of recent years.

I would recommend this series to those who:
A) enjoyed Yasashii Jikan (and not solely because Nino was in it) or
B) are not thrilled with the dorama trends of the 21st century or
C) would like to see some big-time names at various stages of their acting careers: for example, veteran character actor Kunie Tanaka in the middle of his six-decades long career; the iconic Ryutaro Otomo at the end of his six-decade career; Juzo Itami and Nobuko Miyamoto, only
several years away from their rise to the top of Japanese cinema and international fame; Mieko Harada, so youthfully pretty, in the early part of her accomplished career or
D) believe patience is a good thing in dorama or
E) appreciate a story well written and well acted.

I have read that this series is often ranked among the top three favorite dorama of all-time in polls of Japanese viewers, and after watching it, I can see why. BTW, over the next 20 years there were eight specials produced which updated the lives of the characters; since the original cast was used in each special, viewers got a chance to see them age in real time. I would love to see English subbed versions of any of these specials.

lol sorry you had to endure my noobishness

watch

My Boss, My Hero
My Boss, My Hero
My Boss, My Hero

I cant seem to say it enough.. hehe

kyouki wrote:watch

My Boss, My Hero
My Boss, My Hero
My Boss, My Hero

I cant seem to say it enough.. hehe

Excellent post! :applaud: :mrgreen:

trying to figure what dramas are worth watching from the spring and summer seasons.....

Shindou wrote:trying to figure what dramas are worth watching from the spring and summer seasons.....

SOS, Majo no Jodan, Boku no Moron, Shiwase ni Narimasen, Okama Boys, and Craposagi.

you forgot YoSHITsune :bleh:

gaijinmark wrote:you forgot YoSHITsune :bleh:

Indeed, I stand corrected.

Tu_triky wrote:

SOS, Majo no Jodan, Boku no Moron, Shiwase ni Narimasen, Okama Boys, and Craposagi.

what an inspired list :rofl:

i've gone thru the lists...the spring dramas don't look very appealing at all and i think i'll wait a bit on the summer ones - think i'll go back to reading HP for now, lol

the selection this year doesn't look too impressive unfortunately....not that i'm really surprised, with the lack of good dramas in recent years

Shindou wrote:

what an inspired list :rofl:

i've gone thru the lists...the spring dramas don't look very appealing at all and i think i'll wait a bit on the summer ones - think i'll go back to reading HP for now, lol

the selection this year doesn't look too impressive unfortunately....not that i'm really surprised, with the lack of good dramas in recent years

The most recent doramas that I really really enjoyed were Karei-Nariu Ichizoku, Kekkon Dekinai Otoko, Nodame Cantabile, and Tiger & Dragon....not to say there weren't others...but I really enjoyed those foure in the past couple of years.

Tu_triky wrote:

The most recent doramas that I really really enjoyed were Karei-Nariu Ichizoku, Kekkon Dekinai Otoko, Nodame Cantabile, and Tiger & Dragon....not to say there weren't others...but I really enjoyed those three in the past couple of years.

haha, all watched already..unfortunately :beaten:

Shindou wrote:

haha, all watched already..unfortunately :beaten:

I'd expect nothing less of you :) Though these doramas are not from the '07 season I will admit that I also enjoyed Haikei, Chichiue-sama as well as Brother Beat (basically a flip version of Otousan)


Though it's not a dorama I've been raving about the two Ultimate Sushi Restaurant torrents over @ D-addicts...subbed in English, delicious, and informative.

Tu_triky wrote:

I'd expect nothing less of you :) Though these doramas are not from the '07 season I will admit that I also enjoyed Haikei, Chichiue-sama as well as Brother Beat (basically a flip version of Otousan)


Though it's not a dorama I've been raving about the two Ultimate Sushi Restaurant torrents over @ D-addicts...subbed in English, delicious, and informative.

thx, i'll have a look into those :woot: i suspect harry potter will occupy the immediate future tho :victory:

Shindou wrote:

thx, i'll have a look into those :woot: i suspect harry potter will occupy the immediate future tho :victory:

well after smoking large amounts of harry pot you will be even more enthusiastic about seeing the sushi torrents! it all works out in the end!

Tu_triky wrote:Though it's not a dorama I've been raving about the two Ultimate Sushi Restaurant torrents over @ D-addicts...subbed in English, delicious, and informative.

I've downloaded all of part 1, but part 2 is taking a long time: not very many seeders. :sweat:

bmwracer wrote:
I've downloaded all of part 1, but part 2 is taking a long time: not very many seeders. :sweat:

Dude, I saw the first part again last night....I wish I had a jet at my disposal to dine in Japan :shamefulcry:

If you want I can seed the second part for you...let me know, dude.

Tu_triky wrote:Dude, I saw the first part again last night....I wish I had a jet at my disposal to dine in Japan :shamefulcry:

If you want I can seed the second part for you...let me know, dude.

Thanks, it's getting there... :)

bmwracer wrote:
Thanks, it's getting there... :)

Nah, fo' real, big brother...sempai I daresay...do you need me to seed...

In any event laugh at my addiction and please check out my ode to Shinsegumi in the food thread :nut:

Are there any good dramas that have a supernatural/fantasy twist to them??