bluemarine wrote:I thought that Musashi was one of the worst Taiga productions over the past decade... would not have lasted till epi 41 if not for Sasaki Koijiro cos i'm a huge Tokio/Mabo fan. My interest died when he died. :P
Wow. Okay. This was the first Taiga drama I've seen, so I can't compare it with others. But I am surprised. :(
Most Taiga viewers comments online on the Japanese msg boards are not positive either. Common consensus was that Ichikawa Shinnosuke lacked the presence to hold the series together. Furthermore, it did not help his cause when his ex-wife/GF scandal broke in the same year.
Again I'm surprised. Sure, he doesn't have the presence of Mifune, but who does? As far as the scandal goes, I don't see how it affects his performance as Musashi other than how others perceive him as Musashi... I thought he did a fine job.
Ryoko-chan was very much critised for being too "wooden" by the viewers. I adore Ryoko-chan but can't help but feel that it was a mis-cast... she had great momentum going for her after Seikei Bijin, if she chosen another role in a trendy drama wisely.... she would have a better shot at the chance of being the next drama queen.
I can see why Ryoko-chan could've been called "wooden" in her role of Otsu because her character is chaste and passive, a "goody-goody," if you will... To play it differently would've be contrary to how the Otsu character has always been portrayed, though...
Okay, I'm biased, but she made the riskier choice in playing out of type as Otsu rather than another Seikei Bijin-like character and trying to be a "drama queen." And for that, I applaud her. :D
FYI, the production team of Musashi also got into trouble cos of the "similarities" between the first episode and Seven Samurai. I have not been tracking the lawsuit so don't know if they had settled it out of court with Akira Kurosawa's widow.
Yeah, I read about that and it seems sorta frivolous, but I don't know all of the particulars. Unfortunate.
I really like how this show's going after seeing Shinsengumi's episode 3 tonight (in Hawai'i, on KIKU-TV). Ummmm hmmm! Short and sweet -- you know how Spidey's Uncle Ben mentioned, "with great power comes great responsibility"? Well, with Kondo, Jr. and the rest organizing their own crew, it's beginning to dispel the need for swordsmen to take a pro-Shogun or pro-Emperor stance; Musashi does this too, in his own way. You might come from humble beginnings and because of your lineage, you may never be slated to become samurai. "Slated." Remember that. Doesn't mean you can't train to compete on that level. Doesn't mean you can't become a Mrs. Fields treat just because the conventional wisdom instructs those all to conform to the cookie cutter.
Indeed, they break through the conventional wisdom. They have more in common with Old Glory, and the black ships, and Commodore Perry than they realize. Amen.
This Taiga drama, along with Musashi, does well -- no . . . is effective -- toward according how some of those easily born into "samurai-dom" might end up being pompous, silk-wearing charlatans instead.
Yeah, the Shinsengumi ganged up on those who DESERVED to get ganged upon; doesn't mean the Shinsengumi weren't skilled in their own right. And they used their skill to do right, not just chop off heads of those who looked at them the wrong way.
With great power comes great responsibility.
I don't care if I'm stating the obvious. Like I said, I knew the Shinsengumi as an Edo-era Eliot Ness and the Untouchables. I'm beginning to see them from a different point-ofview.
Would like to know....what does evryone think abt Toshiie to Matsu?
The first taiga drama I ever watched is Takuya Kimura's Chuusingura 1/47 and that was DEAD-BORING xD sumimasen! Kimura and Takako Matsu are my fave actors...but it didnt really help even with them in it! The plot goes slow.....none of the characters developed, except Kimura's Yasube.....and the language is chotto-muzukashii x) well....it is only 3-eps length^^
The 2nd one is Kimura's Oda Nobunaga....another boring taiga special...except, young-Oda Nobunaga mischevious actions!!^^
This is why, I almost give up taiga dramas....and decided its really not my cup of tea...until Shinsengumi comes along, and I got interested....would like to compare with another taiga dramas....and only Toshiie to Matsu available locally(originally looking for MUSASHI, but to no avail =()...so i bought it....
And turns out....its pretty good!!^.^ The jokes and funny dialogues are kinda old-style...and there are lots of war and government matters that I dont understand or hard to follow...nevertheless, it is still an enjoyable taiga drama for me^^ I actually love the non-government matters....family, friendship, marriages, heritance, Oda Nobunaga's relationship with Toshiie&Matsu...interesting^^ And Nanako Matsushima give a SUPERB performance!!!^o^ Love her character here!! However, I'd give the show 7.5 points out of 10...while Shinsengumi, I think a 8.5-9 ^_^
yanie_chan wrote:Would like to know....what does evryone think abt Toshiie to Matsu?
Why didn't you start a new thread for Toshiie & Matsu, rather than talk about it in another series' thread? If someone's going to create a thread specifically for a series like Shinsengumi, let's make sure EVERY posting sticks to the topic.
wha? the sensei of muasashi died?!?!? oh well, i stopped watching that crap...
so from this thread, i take it that ppl "like" shinsegumi? i watched maybe 5minutes of it and turned it off...but i did watch the hon ikegami station thing that shows before this. anyone watch that? sorry about being off-topic
bmwracer wrote: Musashi didn't have someone from SMAP in their cast. :hehe:
haha....nope, I dun think SMAP members or any of the Johnnyz idols are the reasons of high ratings. Most important things are script, dialogues and scenes which acceptable for most audience. And thats why, Toshiie to Matsu got 26% ratings, I guess(not sure whether its the 1st ep rating or overall average rating, thou).
bluemarine wrote:
I thought that Musashi was one of the worst Taiga productions over the past decade...
Shinsengumi, on the otherhand is a tad too "humourous" for me.
wow...it seems none of the Taiga dramas can win you over, ne?^^ You said Musashi is the worst taiga production?!? So, what is your favorite taiga drama??
Gomen ne...for being off-topic x) I promise it'll be the last time!!^______^ I just thought its still related a bit...coz its a 2002 NHK Taiga drama^^
yanie-chan wrote:haha....nope, I dun think SMAP members or any of the Johnnyz idols are the reasons of high ratings. Most important things are script, dialogues and scenes which acceptable for most audience. And thats why, Toshiie to Matsu got 26% ratings, I guess(not sure whether its the 1st ep rating or overall average rating, thou).
Yes I think so, the popularity of Shingo helps the rating. Toshiie to Matsu got high ratings because of the casts..i.e Toshiaki Karasawa, Nanako Matsushima, Yutaka Takenouchi, Takashi Sorimachi, Masaya Kato, Noriko Sakai ..phew.. :sweat: who wouldn't want to see all of stellar casts put into one big drama. :rolleyes2:
I'm really surprised with the bluemarine's comments about Musashi, specially with the ones about Ichikawa Shinnosuke :(.
OK, he's NOT Toshiro Mifune, but I think we did a great job. "Musashi" was his first TV drama and he was only 25 when he played the role. I didn't read in the web much negative opinions about his acting. In opposite: I'd read a lot of praises.
I don't think "Musashi" was that bad, although it was the first complete Taiga Drama I'd watched. I liked the series.
Just like you, bluemarine, I'm a huge fan of "Mabo" (one of the most handsome and charming japanese males I'd seen in my whole life), but my interest for this Taiga didn't die when his character got out of scene.
Talking about "Shinsengumi", the text is good, the plot seems to be interesting, the supporting cast is not bad, but I just can't stand Shingo Kattori in the main role. I think he is not "actor" enough to play a character like the Isami Kondo one. He didn't convince me. And he's not even handsome (at least for my taste). That's why I hadn't got really hooked in this drama yet. At this moment, I think "Shinsengumi" is just "OK".
Akakage wrote:
Yes I think so, the popularity of Shingo helps the rating. Toshiie to Matsu got high ratings because of the casts..i.e Toshiaki Karasawa, Nanako Matsushima, Yutaka Takenouchi, Takashi Sorimachi, Masaya Kato, Noriko Sakai ..phew.. :sweat: who wouldn't want to see all of stellar casts put into one big drama. :rolleyes2:
Yes....but that works only for the first few eps.....the rating will drop if the story is not consistently good....even with that big casts!!^_^ oh well....that's my theory anyway...hehe....
I also kinda disagree with bluemarine. I've watched MUSASHI ep.1 and the highlights of the serial on NHK, and I dont think its that bad....I think I may quite like it, if I give it a chance....the only reason that I havent watch Musashi coz I havent find the drama in subs =(
Afterall....MUSASHI novel is VERY popular!! So, the adaptation cant be that bad :sweat: Hmm...but maybe its just a matter of taste...^_^
The worst taiga production I've ever seen is nhk's ONMYOUJI 11-eps drama, starring Goro Inagaki. Man! I cannot enjoy the show, even for a sec!!!O_o Such a terrible, terrible production! But, oh well....then again, maybe its just about taste....I find Onmyouji's story is just too dark and weird....and the adaptation is kinda corny...soooo boring!
Yes....but that works only for the first few eps.....the rating will drop if the story is not consistently good....even with that big casts!!^_^ oh well....that's my theory anyway...hehe....
I like Shingo Katori very much..but *cough* I'm being very objective, Shinsengumi does not give each episode the kind of tingling curiosity although I do admit some of the comments and actions are pretty hilarious. Overall story so far was ok but not great.
Betsy Hayashi wrote:but I just can't stand Shingo Kattori in the main role. I think he is not "actor" enough to play a character like the Isami Kondo one. He didn't convince me.
That's my feeling too, Betsy... Heh, I didn't know that this guy was part of SMAP, but he just doesn't have the presence to convince me that he's the leader of this group...
bmwracer wrote:That's my feeling too, Betsy... Heh, I didn't know that this guy was part of SMAP, but he just doesn't have the presence to convince me that he's the leader of this group...
it might have been a part that was more than he can chew. shingo (as i guy, i thnk he's cool, too. more so than the other 4 smapers) is known for his funny characters and may/maynot be ready for this part. then again, i'm just speculating b/c i've never seen this series. :beaten:
niko2x wrote:it might have been a part that was more than he can chew. shingo (as i guy, i thnk he's cool, too. more so than the other 4 smapers) is known for his funny characters and may/maynot be ready for this part. then again, i'm just speculating b/c i've never seen this series. :beaten:
maybe it's because he's most remembered as "Shingo Mama" which is like a brand for life that he will carry. This means that most ppl will not see him too convincing playing Kondo Isami. IMO Katori is a good actor..too bad that the Shingo Mama image has always been in most ppl's mind.
Akakage wrote:maybe it's because he's most remembered as "Shingo Mama" which is like a brand for life that he will carry. This means that most ppl will not see him too convincing playing Kondo Isami. IMO Katori is a good actor..too bad that the Shingo Mama image has always been in most ppl's mind.
that's the main reason i dig shingo! That and all his corny-a$$ jokes (he might be stealing my material :beaten: ), not to mention that's who i look like (or at least most my friends in JPN say so).
niko2x wrote:that's the main reason i dig shingo! That and all his corny-a$$ jokes (he might be stealing my material :beaten: ), not to mention that's who i look like (or at least most my friends in JPN say so).
You look like Shingo? :muack: hehehehehe :hehe: :beaten: Yeah, I really like him as Shingo Mama..so funny.
Found this link at metafilter, it looks interesting:
http://www.blackshipsandsamurai.com/
On July 8, 1853, residents of Uraga on the outskirts of Edo, the sprawling capital of feudal Japan, beheld an astonishing sight. Four foreign warships had entered their harbor under a cloud of black smoke, not a sail visible among them. They were, startled observers quickly learned, two coal-burning steamships towing two sloops under the command of a dour and imperious American. Commodore Matthew Calbraith Perry had arrived to force the long-secluded country to open its doors to the outside world.
Thus begins the extraordinary story that follows. In 1854, Commodore Perry returned to Japan to complete his mission. The events of 1853 and 1854 constitute a pivotal moment in the modern encounter between gEasth and gWest.h
For those who love Shingo Katori, I'm not questioning his acting skills or his talent. As bmwracer said, he doesn't have the presence to convince me he's the Shinsengumi's leader. He doesn't fit in this role. He's just not prepared enough to face a role like the Isami Kondo one. But I think he might be fine playing another kind of character (although I've never seen the dramas in which he acted before "Shinsengumi").
Betsy Hayashi wrote:For those who love Shingo Katori, I'm not questioning his acting skills or his talent. As bmwracer said, he doesn't have the presence to convince me he's the Shinsengumi's leader. He doesn't fit in this role. He's just not prepared enough to face a role like the Isami Kondo one. But I think he might be fine playing another kind of character (although I've never seen the dramas in which he acted before "Shinsengumi").
I think we're in the minority, Betsy. It's tough fighting the SMAP machine... :hehe:
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