Musashi

I haven't seen any other Abe-san's drama, but he's a great actor for sure !!!!!!! :applaud:

Now, a "behind the scenes" pic of Ichikawa Shinnosuke (nice smile !!!! :D ):

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Betsy Hayashi wrote:I haven't seen any other Abe-san's drama

Oh man, you've gotta get a hold of Trick and Trick2... Abe-san and Yukie-chan are terrific! :D

These are great pictures. They all look so alive and interesting. Yes I adore Matsuoka and he does make a beautiful samurai. If they put that drama on again I would watch it again. Does Mabo look that good when he playing the drums with Tokio I wonder??

bmwracer...sorry but that quote that puzzled you..it was sort of an answer to a posting way back and it is completely out of sequence. Too late to explain now.

I can still hear the flute music played by Otsu in the woods.

I also enjoyed the small 'travelogues' after each episode. Made the history come alive.

Ganyru Island was the place Musahi met with Kojiro and where he died. I think it was then called by his name. I may be wrong. He warned Musashi if you remember not to go back along the beach to where the court was waiting. Mushi would have been killed there and then despite winning the match.

brad2 wrote:I also enjoyed the small 'travelogues' after each episode. Made the history come alive.

Yeah, those were great. And I didn't even understand a single thing the woman narrator said. :D

Oh man, you've gotta get a hold of Trick and Trick2... Abe-san and Yukie-chan are terrific!

I would like to, but, unfortunately, these aren't avaible in Brazil ... :(

These are great pictures. They all look so alive and interesting. Yes I adore Matsuoka and he does make a beautiful samurai. If they put that drama on again I would watch it again. Does Mabo look that good when he playing the drums with Tokio I wonder??

Thanks !!!! :D Mabo was really terrific as Kojiro. I fell in love for him !!! :love_eyes:
He looks good playing the drums, but in "Musashi" he's just flawless !!! :applaud:

Ganyru Island was the place Musahi met with Kojiro and where he died. I think it was then called by his name. I may be wrong. He warned Musashi if you remember not to go back along the beach to where the court was waiting. Mushi would have been killed there and then despite winning the match.


Yep, you're right.

My today's last pic: one more "behind the scenes" pic of Shinnosuke:


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Check out some of the NHK merchandise featuring Musashi, all found on Yahoo Japan:

http://page7.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/g17390337

http://page3.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/c56957772

http://page7.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/g18559538

http://page7.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/g16553890

http://page5.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/e35776116 <-- Otsu

http://page7.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/g18365462

One or more of these links will eventually disappear, so don't be surprised if the links no longer function.

--- groink

More images of Matahachi:

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--- groink

Somehow, he doesn't match with a sword. I don't know. (IMO) he was better off as the goof ball merchant.

groink wrote:Check out some of the NHK merchandise featuring Musashi, all found on Yahoo Japan:

http://page7.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/g17390337

http://page3.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/c56957772

http://page7.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/g18559538

http://page7.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/g16553890

http://page5.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/e35776116 <-- Otsu

http://page7.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/g18365462

One or more of these links will eventually disappear, so don't be surprised if the links no longer function.

--- groink

Oh man, that's cold-blooded Groink. Some good stuff there, but you know we can't bid on it, and if we could, they won't ship it internationally. :(

I wish they had some of that stuff at Asahiya or Kinokuniya...

Kojiro battles one of Hosokawa Tadatoshi's master spearmen:

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Musashi battles and easily defeats Inshun:

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bmwracer!

Hey bud.

I have to say, after watching all 48 episodes (one of them was a pure clip show and doesn't deserve to be counted) I'm still pretty ambivalent about this series.

I loved, and still love the Samuri Trilogy. I think it's brilliant.

I've really enjoyed the last four NHK historical dramas.

And I'm deeply and passionately in lust over Ryoko.

So I was really looking forward to this show.

But I have to say... I was disappointed.

The good stuff, for me, is that they kept showing Ryoko. The character of Otsu is (IMO) dull as dish-water, and could actually be played by Lassie with few script revisions. But Ryoko was still beautiful, even though she didn't have much to do that was of any interest.

And the show introduced me to so many terrific Japanese actors.

I thought Tsutsumi Shinichi as Matahachi stole the series. And since seeing Musashi I've gone out and gotten some of his other work, and I'm glad I did.

And I first saw Nakama Yukie, and Rina, and Abe Hiroshi in this series, so I'm the richer for having seen it.

But...

I thought the guy who played Musashi was in over his head. If he was bringing anything special, anything original to the part... man, I couldn't see it.

I thought the fight scenes were poorly staged, and rather amateurish (a very bad thing in a show about Musashi).

And I thought the script was too shallow to be believed. They had so much time, and so many characters they could have developed.

For me, it was like watching a really really long cliff notes version of Musashi.

Geezer wrote:I loved, and still love the Samuri Trilogy. I think it's brilliant.

I agree. It's impossible not to like especially with Mifune Toshiro in the lead.

And I'm deeply and passionately in lust over Ryoko.

Leave to the lust for Ryoko-chan to me. :hehe:

The good stuff, for me, is that they kept showing Ryoko. The character of Otsu is (IMO) dull as dish-water, and could actually be played by Lassie with few script revisions. But Ryoko was still beautiful, even though she didn't have much to do that was of any interest.

This has been brought up time and time again... Not much you can do with the Otsu character if you're gonna stay true to the Yoshikawa novel. Ryoko-chan's Otsu was considerably stronger than the Trilogy's version...

I thought the guy who played Musashi was in over his head. If he was bringing anything special, anything original to the part... man, I couldn't see it.

Ichikawa Shinnosuke's Musashi was more introspective than Mifune's interpretation, IMO, but both showed the same drive to master The Way of the Sword...

I thought the fight scenes were poorly staged, and rather amateurish (a very bad thing in a show about Musashi).

I sorta agree with this observation. It doesn't have nearly the fluidity and choreography that Chiba Shinichi's Shadow Warriors or Yagyu Conspiracy had. But even the swordplay in Inagaki's Samurai Trilogy was all that great, either. In all the Musashi incarnations that I've seen, the emphasis has been on the characters, not the action.

And I thought the script was too shallow to be believed. They had so much time, and so many characters they could have developed.

Maybe too many characters. And to bring the Tokugawa story into the mix just complicated things.

For me, it was like watching a really really long cliff notes version of Musashi.

Despite all that's been discussed, I still enjoyed the series immensely. The entire life of Miyamoto Musashi is just so fascinating. :D

bmwracer wrote:Kojiro battles one of Hosokawa Tadatoshi's master spearmen:

[image] [image]

That is a GREAT scene! See, the pretty boys of J-pop can be effective to those of us who, uh, don't necessarily call on them to be effective. In any case, the scene's great, make you wanna fight someboty like that!

bmwracer wrote:Musashi battles and easily defeats Inshun:

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This one too!

Hi bmwracer,

I have just been struck with the thought that in the time of Musashi everyone walked everywhere. I mean long distances. That in turn reminded me that in the early days of colonizing USA..everyone walked everywhere. People would think nothing of starting out from ..say.. Boston to go north to New Hampshire. Houses out in the country were few and far between and the doors were never locked. This meant that travellers could come in and rest even in the middle of the night. No problem. Did this happen in Japan? Seems to me places were buttoned up tight at night. Musashi went and knocked on doors to ask for shelter however, and usually was taken in for a night. He didn't have a happy time with the chainmaker if I remember, and eventually had to fight him and the wife.

Walking is definitely the best way to see what is going on around you but too hard to do it these days in the modern world. Have to drive somewhere to get away from the bustle.

Peg

Regarding Abe Hiroshi...

He has always been one of my favourite actors. He was just right in "Ex Lover" with Noriko and Osawa Takao. That's also where I first got a crush on Osawa. Really good actor and played a sizzling bedroom scene. He was also in "Story of a Century" (?). Played a Japanese American G.I in the middle segment.
Hiroshi was so funny in 'Shotgun Wedding. Good group in that show.

Peggy

bmwracer wrote:Musashi battles and easily defeats Inshun:
...

Thanks, that was my favorite battle in the series. :applaud:
They mix it up briefly, then break apart, during which time you can see Musashi thinking "Aha! I've got this guy figured out!" Then he strolls in and puts the man at sword-point!

Looks like you guys enjoyed the various duels/battles.... What's your response to Geezer's comments that they were poorly staged?

I thought some of the swordplay was so-so, but others were quite good, particularly those with Kojiro... That "clothes-line rod" is pretty awesome. Until Ganryu-jima. :D

Oh I hated to see him die. I think it was a tragedy. However it was also true history. These things really happened didn't they. My beautiful Kojiro......... :(


Peggy