WD wrote:

Well for me, Aiba Masaki is just the worst actor in his group and it clearly shows. Though I won't be surprised if he wins Best Actor in the upcoming popularity-based Nikkan Awards due to the voting power of Arashi fans. It will be one of the misplaced award of the season (like how Yamapi keeps winning even though he's clearly a bad one) but hey, that's Japan for you.

Seems every season there's a bunch of bogus awards handed out.

Cori

Quote:

Hey, I'm not "dori" anymore??

It's all about conversational context. We were talking about how gorgeous Miki looks in "JIN"... so of course my fantasy image of you turned to "Cori" who is luscious, wearing a brightly colored, traditional, Japanese Kimono.

Dori, on the other hand favors the traditional, American, spiked heels and tight black leather.

Not to let the cat out of the bag but you do go through a lot of costume changes in my little fantasy world.

On topic... I'm half way through "JIN" and gobbling it up like there's no tomorrow. Miki is, of course, the main selling point for me. But boy, this is some amazing cast of characters.

I could do with a little less hammer and chisel surgery (I'm basically as squeamish as your average 11 year old girl) but even that's not bothering me as much as I'd expected it to.
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Manga is to Literature
what Graffiti is to Art

Just finished Love Shuffle and Jin, i gave an 8 to Love Shuffle and a 9 to Jin, but just because i enjoyed Jin better than Love Shuffle. But overall Love Shufle is the better dorama.

Jin is really cool and i never got bored of it, it will probably win all the awardes of the fall season, specially the best actors for Osawa Takao and Uchino Masaaki, they really outshined everyone else.

Love Shuffle on the other hand sometimes is really slow, but the plot and the dialogue are really great, the dorama has so many twists and turns, and some really unexpected ones(which is rare on jdorama today). The only problem of Love Shuffle to be popular is the lack of star power, which i don�Lt mind since i prefer good acting instead of Jonhy�Ls "boards" all over the place.

Now i started Shiroi Haru, first episode was good, Abe Hiroshi was good as allways and some eye candy in Yoshitaka Yuriko and Shiraishi Miho.

Thru two episodes of Hataraki Man:http://www.jdorama.com/drama.1221.htm

Obviously, Kanno is the only reason to watch this. It's not a bad drama, but it's not a real good one either. You know you've got trouble when:

A) The supporting cast is so non-descript the person that sticks out most is Mokomichi Hayami (aka "Robo-actor")

and

B) The high point of each episode is the ending credits so you can see Papaya Suzuki and the Oyaji Dancers.

Ohitorisama ep 9, I'm not buying the 'romance' aspect of this show, luckily one more ep to go.

gaijinmark wrote:

Obviously, Kanno is the only reason to watch this.

My sentiments exactly.

Just finished Shiroi Haru, the polt was nothing new but the acting really made it more enjoyable(Abe Hiroshi rocks), i really liked the pace, it never felt boring and i really liked most of the characters, even the minor ones.
The ending was cliché but i think it was the best way to end this(and i like this kind of endings ).

Started watching BOSS, the first episode was damn awful...i hated Toda Erika�Ls character and all the other ones seemed so forced and unfunny(specially the gay one).

I�Lll keep watching this beacuse of Amami Yuki. And Yamada Takayuki and Sorimachi Takashi will be guest stars in some episodes, just saw on Drama Wiki that those episodes were the one ones with highest ratings(5 and 11).

I really hope this gets better...

Ashita no Kita Yoshio Ep. 5.
I actually fell asleep at the end of this ep. I was sleepy already, but that isn't a good sign. I couldn't even tell you what happened during the episode.

Sorata wrote:

Just finished Shiroi Haru, the polt was nothing new but the acting really made it more enjoyable(Abe Hiroshi rocks), i really liked the pace, it never felt boring and i really liked most of the characters, even the minor ones. The ending was cliché but i think it was the best way to end this(and i like this kind of endings ).

Yeah, I guess it was cliche, but

Click on button to reveal/hide spoiler:

I would've preferred a happier ending.

Anime Dad wrote:

Ashita no Kita Yoshio Ep. 5. I actually fell asleep at the end of this ep. I was sleepy already, but that isn't a good sign. I couldn't even tell you what happened during the episode.

I don't blame you one bit.

Finished Keizoku, plus the special and the movie. A very good series, good characters and very interesting stories....and when I say interesting, I should also say, sometimes, quite bizarre....sometimes after some scenes, I was left scratching my head.

Nakatani Miki is very good in it though.

-dave
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watching Zeni Geba
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desert-raven wrote:

Finished Keizoku, plus the special and the movie. A very good series, good characters and very interesting stories....and when I say interesting, I should also say, sometimes, quite bizarre....sometimes after some scenes, I was left scratching my head. Nakatani Miki is very good in it though. -dave

I've just started watching this, and enjoyed the first episode greatly. I totally agree with what you say about it. The direction is very odd in places also, with off centre framing and many wide angle shots. It also reminded me of Trick quite a bit.

Anime Dad wrote:

Ashita no Kita Yoshio Ep. 5. I actually fell asleep at the end of this ep. I was sleepy already, but that isn't a good sign. I couldn't even tell you what happened during the episode.

Click on button to reveal/hide spoiler:

Kohinata tells Yoshitaka's manager that he wants two million in ransom paid to the Red Cross. Even though Matsuda had called off the hit on Kohinata, Rika calls the hit man behind Matsuda's back and tells him to go ahead. Meanwhile, turns out there's something suspicious about the accident that killed Manami's husband which gave her control of the company and the cops want to talk to her. Kohinata meets an old couple at the inn, turns out the old man was a teacher of his from middle school and he tells Kohinata, "As long as you're alive, good things will happen." It doesn't seem like Kohinata believes this. The hit man does get a chance at killing Kohinata but Matsuda thrwarts the attempt and finds out Rika is the one behind it. It also turns out Rika's father had huge debts and some gangsters may force Rika into prostitution if she can't pay them off. Yuriko's manager finds out she's in Hokodate, they show up at the inn but Yuriko, Kohinata and Matsuda manage to get away just in time.

I didn't remember all that, just went back and watched that episode again. Had to watch something else because Hataraki Man is becoming a major test of my faith in Kanno.

Thanks GM After reading that, some of it did come back to me

One thing I do have to say: very few photos do Konishi Manami justice. You really have to see her in action to appreciate her beauty. I can only imagine what it would be like to meet her in person

KAZdoramma wrote:

watching Zeni Geba

It's dark, and potentially depressing. But I like it.
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Kanjani8's 18th single, "365 Nichi Kazoku" out June 8th, 2011!

colorbar credits to nannandesuka@LJ

gaijinmark

Like you, I'll watch just about anything Kanno Miho is in. But as far as Hataraki Man goes... now that I think about it, I can't remember much of anything about it. I know I watched it. I think her best friend in the series was a dentist. But that's honestly all I retained from the series.

I don't think I was as annoyed with it as I was with Kiina, but that might just have been a mood thing.

Cerebus

Good eye. Keizoku & Trick were both created and directed by Tsutsumi Yukihiko. He also directed Jigyaku no Uta (Happily Ever After) & 2LDK, H2, and he directed the series version of Sekai no Chuushin de, Ai wo Sakebu "Crying out love at the Center of the World." And lots of others. He's one of my favorites.
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Ashita no Kita Yoshio ep 6 & 7.
It's still a weird-ass series, but i'm enjoying it more

WD wrote:

It's dark, and potentially depressing. But I like it.

yeah it does look dark, but looks like a dorama thats quite thoughful and deep so thought i`d give it a try
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Geezer wrote:

gaijinmark Like you, I'll watch just about anything Kanno Miho is in. But as far as Hataraki Man goes... now that I think about it, I can't remember much of anything about it. I know I watched it. I think her best friend in the series was a dentist. But that's honestly all I retained from the series.

Yup, that's the one. It's not a bad drama, it's just that there's no real substance to it.

Now that Keizoku is done, I'm going to be starting Otousan yet another drama featuring the lovely Nakatani Miki this time with the addition of Hirosue Ryoko, I'm thinking it will be nice to watch.

Oh, and speaking of Keizoku if anyone has seen the finale movie Beautiful Dreamer can you please explain what the heck happened at the end?? I was completely lost.

-Dave
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