Shinsengumi! (2004 NHK Taiga)

Oh just additions...for those who think that Shinsengumi is none other than just a slapstick comedy....it is NOT!! NHK would definitely not broadcast that kind of historical drama, of course...coz, somehow...NHK annually historical drama is somehow, an education too, for Highschool kids....teachers in Japan, usually would recommend their students to watch those NHK prime historical dramas to learn history.

Shinsengumi, like I said before...is just like a fujiterebi modern drama sets in the Edo period. You know those dramas that has comical elements, but also has depth, great dialogues and touching scenes too, rite?? Well, thats exactly what Shinsengumi is about^^

Please, do not underestimate Shinsengumi before you watch....at least, watch ep. 1! If you dont like ep. 1, than perhaps you wont enjoy the whole show, you can just throw it away ;P....coz I think so far, the best episodes of Shinsengumi are ep. 1 and 7 ^-^


bmwracer....hehe...we have different tastes ne ^-^

yanie_chan wrote:Please, do not underestimate Shinsengumi before you watch....at least, watch ep. 1! If you dont like ep. 1, than perhaps you wont enjoy the whole show, you can just throw it away ;P....coz I think so far, the best episodes of Shinsengumi are ep. 1 and 7 ^-^

I watched the first three episodes, but it never hooked me. I really wanted to like it.... Really! Maybe after 50 weeks of Musashi, I was expecting the same tone and drama. Oh well.

bmwracer....hehe...we have different tastes ne ^-^

Yeah, I guess so... :) Gomen nasai...

Personally, when I first saw the CM on KTSF and when the cast walked on stage on Kouhaku, I was very much like, "oh dammit, another musashi?!" I was hoping for manhattan love story (Tsukamoto, oy) or ANYTHING other than another samurai or doctor drama like that sunday "white tower" thing. Oh, boredom! That thing has caused me to miss a couple of EXILE heyx3 performance, dangit. But I thought I'd give shinsengumi a chance per Kenshin. ^_^;

NEways. I found the first epi boring. In fact, I found the first 2-3 epis boring, but it grew on me. It will grew on you too, I think, if you give it a chance. There're TONS of chars, and that's why it's hard to have a feel for everyone, but as the story progresses, the characters get well-developed, and you'll find yourself rooting for someone. And dare I say it? You know everybody's names!

Me, I adore Shingo's wife, she's just.... OH! SO SWEET! I thought the wife in Mukodono was the perfect wife casting ever, but not anymore, Kondo-wife beats her with an Edo pail. LOL! Shingo's mom is evil! But dang it's so natural. LOL! ^_^;

And now, I look forward to it everyweek! (it's on TONIGHT!!!) and SO, SO glad that I taped it!

Okay, and it's not just me, ^_^; cause I like wife characters, but my sisters, they love the drama, one because it makes her laugh (and she loves Yamamoto Taro), and the other because-... Heck, I dunno why she likes it, but she did say she likes everyone in the drama, and because there's no real villain in it. Just different political views, ne.

I suppose you won't like it if for some reason you're looking for the dark, serious type of drama (why??), or if you pledge serious allegiance to the shinsengumi, and you feel offended because they make it more light-hearted (for now, at least, cause I just KNOW there're going to be intense moments later) than you'd like it... This one's targeted for more mainstream audience, apparently, and for us living outside Japan to feel interest in the history.

NEways, I ramble too much.

Heard from a friend that it was stopped after the 1st season due to poor ratings...it can't be right? :sweat: Have yet to watch it coz it's not shown here, but was thinking of ordering it online.

wai wrote:Heard from a friend that it was stopped after the 1st season due to poor ratings...it can't be right? :sweat: Have yet to watch it coz it's not shown here, but was thinking of ordering it online.

I thought the rating were booming for Shinsengumi, especially with all that guy-power...

bmwracer wrote:
I thought the rating were booming for Shinsengumi, especially with all that guy-power...

That's what i was thinking too, and sure hope she's wrong! :beaten:

Someone just posted Shinsengumi episode 1 on the alt.binaries.multimedia.japanese newsgroup. However, it's in MPEG-1 VCD format. Didn't come from me!!! :hehe: (I'm capturing my own eps directly to DVD).

--- groink

vibius wrote:

Sukebe!

I prefer parodies of the genre like "Orgazmo" that was freakin hilarious. I think it even had Ron Jeremy in it.

Yes I am sukebe!!!!!!! And damn proud of it! :hehe:

ahochaude wrote:Yes I am sukebe!!!!!!! And damn proud of it! :hehe:

Well, everyone needs a hobby.

Just like Teppei in Love Generation. Hey, now if only Matsu Takako would call me "sukebe"!

vibius wrote:Well, everyone needs a hobby.

Yeah! And I love my hobby! :hehe: :beaten:

vibius wrote:Just like Teppei in Love Generation. Hey, now if only Matsu Takako would call me "sukebe"!

She would!

wai wrote:Heard from a friend that it was stopped after the 1st season due to poor ratings...it can't be right? :sweat: Have yet to watch it coz it's not shown here, but was thinking of ordering it online.

Nope....in last season, Shinsengumi average rating got in TOP Five, #3 precisely!^^ #1-Shiroi Kyoto, #2-PRIDE, #4 Boku to Kanojo, #5 Suna no Utsuwa....got the info from that [homepage.nifty.com] website^^

But yes....Shinsengumi DID get a lot of critics from taiga freaks and historical purists!! :sweat: I guess, Shinsengumi's target is those audience who usually dont have interest in taiga dramas ne....but nevertheless, it is still a very good drama to me....^-^

Have anyone heard? Next year NHK Taiga Drama 2005, will star Hideaki Takizawa, Okada Junichi, Aya Ueto and Ryoko Hirosue.....haha....omoshiroi!!! :sweat: Its a historical drama about Yoshitsune....who is he? A young samurai who die young? Coz i cannot imagine Takki act a 40 yrs old samurai x)

yanie_chan wrote:But yes....Shinsengumi DID get a lot of critics from taiga freaks and historical purists!! :sweat:

I guess that means me. :rolleyes: :hehe: :sweat:

Machida wrote:Personally, when I first saw the CM on KTSF and when the cast walked on stage on Kouhaku, I was very much like, "oh dammit, another musashi?!" I was hoping for manhattan love story (Tsukamoto, oy) or ANYTHING other than another samurai or doctor drama like that sunday "white tower" thing. Oh, boredom!

Wow!! I thought I'm the only odd one who thinks ShiroiKyoto[WhiteTower] is boring xD

Machida wrote:NEways. I found the first epi boring.

Maji de?!?!? Thats what got me hooked with it!^.^ Then, ep. 2, 3, 4...kinda turned me off....but it gets better and better, esp. ep 7!!!^o^ Last week's ep is also great, IMO! At last....the story of Shinsengumi starts!!^-^ Whereas the first 12eps should be entitled "Isami's Peaceful Life with Family & Friends" instead of "Shinsengumi"...*lol*...

Machida wrote:but as the story progresses, the characters get well-developed, and you'll find yourself rooting for someone. And dare I say it? You know everybody's names!

Yes, yes!! In Kaze Hikaru manga, a manga also abt Shinsengumi....I dont think the chars develope enough...it only centers in Okita Souji.... But, in this NHK drama, you can really get to know all the characters well!!!^_^ I find myself liking most of the characters here!! Even, the evil Isami's mom! haha!
However.....such an ironic, coz I think Isami Kondou[Shingo]'s character is so boring =( He's the leading char....but the character is just too serious and boring. The only times, I come to like Isami very much, is how he treats his wife soooo nice and sweet....^_^ I love Isami-Tsune couple!!! Such a sweet married-couple^^

Machida wrote:Me, I adore Shingo's wife, she's just.... OH! SO SWEET! I thought the wife in Mukodono was the perfect wife casting ever, but not anymore, Kondo-wife beats her with an Edo pail. LOL! Shingo's mom is evil! But dang it's so natural. LOL! ^_^;

Aww....too bad, u wont see more Tsune after last week's ep ne... Yuuka will replace her, in just another moments x) But yes, I like Tsune too!! And I seriously think Tsune is the most kawaii sou character in this drama :( He got married arranged by her parents, and when she, at last, can truly love her husband....he has to leave her.... Not to mention, if she knows that Isami will have a lover in Kyoto, later xD
She's really soooo nice knitting that skull to Isami's outfit ne....such a very good wife, she is! And she really deserves that hug frm Isami by the end of ep. 7!!^_^ Yup, yup....Tsune is such a perfect wife!
I cried watching last week's episode in the end....when at last, Tsune, in tears, have the courage to scream "okiotsukete" to Isami from afar......but, why Isami only took a glance to her?? Iyada....at least, give her a hug or sumthin....such sumetai eyes!!! x( What a bittersweet scene ne....

Machida wrote:Okay, and it's not just me, ^_^; cause I like wife characters, but my sisters, they love the drama, one because it makes her laugh (and she loves Yamamoto Taro), and the other because-... Heck, I dunno why she likes it, but she did say she likes everyone in the drama, and because there's no real villain in it. Just different political views, ne.

Yeah...every characters is likeable....even Hijikata....who is such a jerk, althou dang hot!!! x) But I dont like Yamanami that much....he's another boring character, IMO =P

I wonder if Shinsengumi will be available in Malay-subs? Coz, Toshiie to Matsu available in Malay-subs.....but not Musashi?? So, I'm getting worried Shinsengumi wont be release x(

yanie_chan wrote:Oh just additions...for those who think that Shinsengumi is none other than just a slapstick comedy....it is NOT!!

That is your opinion. We aren't stating facts here.
Some people think it's slapstick (namely, me). Let those people judge for themselves.

yanie_chan wrote:NHK would definitely not broadcast that kind of historical drama, of course...coz, somehow...NHK annually historical drama is somehow, an education too, for Highschool kids....teachers in Japan, usually would recommend their students to watch those NHK prime historical dramas to learn history.

Shinsengumi, like I said before...is just like a fujiterebi modern drama sets in the Edo period. You know those dramas that has comical elements, but also has depth, great dialogues and touching scenes too, rite?? Well, thats exactly what Shinsengumi is about^^

Good to know. Thanks for the update! :)

yanie_chan wrote:Please, do not underestimate Shinsengumi before you watch....at least, watch ep. 1! If you dont like ep. 1, than perhaps you wont enjoy the whole show, you can just throw it away ;P....coz I think so far, the best episodes of Shinsengumi are ep. 1 and 7 ^-^

We've watched episode #1. Bmwracer and I don't care for it. The Man likes it however.
So we've watched episode #1 like how you recomended, and we don't care for it all that much. Let us be and don't get all defensive when other people don't give a review which is up to par with your standards.
It's just a show.

Oh, and I'm not too fond of Shingo either. But that's not the reason why I dislike the show.

haha....hontou ni sumimasen ne...if i annoyed and irritated you that much :sweat:
Yes, yes, I agree that people have different tastes, and I just thought that you haven't watch it at all.... Peace!v^_^v

yanie_chan wrote:haha....hontou ni sumimasen ne...if i annoyed and irritated you that much :sweat:
Yes, yes, I agree that people have different tastes, and I just thought that you haven't watch it at all.... Peace!v^_^v

Peace!

Don't worry, I'm sure that users of this board aren't stupid enough to critique dramas that they haven't even "attempted" to watch. If they do, then they are the stupid ones for not being able to give their true and honest opinion on it.

I was hoping to like it, but unfortunately, I couldn't grasp the concept of the show and the "slapstick" (and goofy screen shots) kind of turned me off. Too bad.

btw, I'm still "trying" to grasp the whole Shinsengumi thing by keeping in touch and staying tuned every Tuesday night at 8:00pm. (So I haven't totally blown off the show.......yet)

ahochaude wrote:I'm sure that users of this board aren't stupid enough to critique dramas that they haven't even "attempted" to watch. If they do, then they are the stupid ones for not being able to give their true and honest opinion on it.

Sure I am!! :rolleyes: :beaten: :hehe:

bmwracer wrote:
Sure I am!! :rolleyes: :beaten: :hehe:

C'mon, you "attempted" to watch the first ep, right?

That counts!

ahochaude wrote:

C'mon, you "attempted" to watch the first ep, right?

That counts!

Three episodes.

And number three put me out: the cure for insomnia.

bmwracer wrote:
Three episodes.

And number three put me out: the cure for insomnia.

We won't get the third one until this coming Tuesday (07 of April).
(Is the date correct? :beaten: )