(J-Drama) Atashinchi no Danshi

I wrote a few months back about my anticipation for the then latest drama starring my fave Maki Horikita. Well, for me the wait was over after I finally watched it. 

As mentioned before, the drama revolves around Chisato, played by Maki,  who lost her mother at an early age and was rendered homeless as her father incurred a very large gambling debt and skipped town. She moves from park, to field, to a net cafe owned by her highschool friend dodging the men who her father owes money.

When the bad guys catch up with Chisato, she was rescued by an eccentric millionaire Shinzo Okura, paying off her father's debt. In return, she has to be her wife for the remaining few months of his life. Along the series, she reminices their time together, through flashbacks, where he teaches Chisato a lot of things about life and family. 

After Shizo's death, Chisato learns that along with other conditions she failed to read in their agreement, she has to perform motherly task to Shinzo's 6 adopted sons. This is to relieve Chisato from paying back the money Shinzo used to pay off her father's gambling debt.

The problem is, the children don't recognize her as their step-mother and shrug off any attempts to get them together and be a family. But slowly, she accomplishes feats that earns her their trust and affection.

Within the series, the 6 adopted sons also had to face their difficulties in relating with their siblings, getting a grip on the concept of 'family' and facing their own past.

The amusing theme in the series is, as the boys warm up to their step-mother, they get into circumstances that , may appear common place in families, becomes humorous since the boys are used to being with just guys, and because of the fairly young age of their step-mother.

As things go crazy at the least few episodes, there were a lot of plot twists and shocking revelations that made the series very intresting. In the end, the boys decided to return to their roots, face their past, go their seperate ways and move on. They left the house as Chisato was finally feeling that she now has a family of her own.

As Chisato gloomily sits by herself at the dining hall, the doors burst open with the noisy banter of her 'sons' returning with each having a different story that things didn't go as planned and they needed to return to the house. 

So continues the life of Chisato in the house of her new family and with another story, albeit romantic, on the sidelines.

As the series was a bit dragging in the middle, it was quite a watch in the early parts and the ending. Maki does a good job in her potrayal of the role with her unique quirps and expressions. Although it is a good series, I didn't watch it again afterwards, unlike her other series which I watched again and again.

J-Drama: Teppan Shoujo Akane

やっと見ました！！！

I finally saw it...at long last.

The first starring role of Maki Horikita (so I heard). I was also surprised to see some members from 'Kekkon Dekinai Otoko', 'Attention Please', 'Densha Otoko', 'Gokusen' and 'Operation Daisakusen' in one drama.



The story centers around the 17-yr.old steel plate fry cook Kaguya Akane, whose mother died at least two years before the events in the series and his father runs away as he lost his strength and will to cook. As her store falls into a tight spot due to some debt incurred by her father, she goes around the country searching for him. Through different packages sent by her father, Akane searches for the address where they were sent from...which ends up in various cook battles to test that tests her skills, creativity and will.

The plot goes through a lot of twists and surprises which I come to expect from Japanese dramas..that's why I enjoy them so much. Every episode shows an underlying message of giving importance to family and tradition, to fight for your beliefs and to develop ones self to find their identity.

My wife and I muse at the fact that 'Kekkon Dekinais' "Eiji-kun" (I forgot the actor's name) and Maki Horikita looks good together as a pair. The only thing my wife didn't like in the drama is the scenes where Akane call upon the power of her father's steel plate 'Ittetsu'. Well, I find that scene amusing and cute...like straight from an anime.

Over all, I find the series a very good one to watch not only because of the chemistry of the "Eji-kun"-Maki Horikita pairing, but also because of all the twists and turns the story goeas along. Be sure to pack some food while watching as you tend to get hungry as you see various tender and juicy morsels being cooked.

(J-drama) Koisuru Nichiyoubi (Love on a Sunday)

starring:
Takami Mizuhashi (as Akira)
Ryuya Wakaba (as Nao)
Yuria Haga (as Tamaki)
Kazunori Sasaki (as Gaku)

Koisuru Nichiyoubi (Love on a Sunday) chronicles the love story of Akira and Nao that happened within the a period of 24 hours. On the last term of her junior year in highschool, Akira is slated to follow her father to Tokyo, leaving her childhood friend Nao. She is pondering if she would confess her love for him on their last day together. She even went far as to orchestrate a fake farewell party so she could be alone with him the whole day. Telling Nao that everyone else cancelled.

However, at the "party", Tamaki, the most popular girl in their class, showed up at Nao's invitation, obviously flirting with him. When the girls were alone together, Tamaki told Akira that this is her way of getting back at her since she and her boyfriend, Gaku, broke up so he could have a chance to go out with Akira. Earlier that day, Gaku already confessed his intentions with Akira.

The rest of the movie became a competition for the 2 girls to get back the boys that they love, who is in love with the other. It came to the point where Akira challenges Gaku to an archery match to iron things out. If he looses, he will make-up with Tamaki, giving her the time she desperately needs to be alone with Nao. If Gaku wins, Akira will instantly become Gaku's girlfriend.

The theme of the movie is derived from the TV drama series of the same title; chronicles of different love stories that happened within the span of 24 hours. The movie takes a 'third-person' reality TV approach as the pivotal scenes go by without any pause, and the camera following their moves like another person tagging along, following them.

Overall, this heartwarming tale of young love will surely appeal to viewers of all ages. It even made me intrested in the TV series which this movie is based on.

On a different note, this series also spawned a second movie "Koisuru Nichiyoubi: Watakushi Koishita" (Love on a Sunday: I Fell in Love) with one of my fave actress, Horikita Maki-san, as the lead role.

Pagbabalik ni SHAIDER!!!

Mamangha sa Pagbabalik ni SHAIDER!!! (Behold at the return of Shaider!!!)

Just like anyone who was a kid in the Philippines during the 80's, I grew up watching Japanese Super Sentai or Henshin Hero series after school. We'd race home to catch the latest episodes of our favorite shows. Its become a ritual, watching those series along with my siblings and cousins. So while I was looking around some DVD stalls, I was surprised to see 'Space Sheriff Shaider' (known here simply as 'Shaider'), one of my favorite shows. Excited, I bought it and watched at home.

Dai (known here as 'Alexis') is a space police cadet from Earth sent back to our planet to protect it from Fuuma's army, whose sole purpose is to enslave planets in various star systems. Those who doesn't bow down to their will gets their homeworld destroyed. After destroying many planets, Earth is next.

I admit I was blown away by the effects and fight scenes as a kid (For us guys, it was a chance to see some upskirts of Annie ,she's like Shaider's deputy or something, hehehehe), but as I watched recently, it seems mundane. But I got to say, it was cool to watch it again.

I was amused with the first episode. The bad-ass conquering jaggernaut that is Fuuma started its plan to take over the world by abusing a little girl's puppy (a puppy?!! how devious!!! how diabolical!!! is there no one there to stop them?!). 

Also, this series was in a time when English in Japan was used just to make something sound cool. What we came to know here as the 'Shaider Blaster' was really 'Video Beam Gun' (eh? but later on I leaRned that its due to the fact that there is a video screen on top of the gun). But at least I got to know the real names of other stuff. Like Alexis is really Dai, Battle Tank is really Battle Shaian, Shaider Cutter is really Laser Blade, Aida is really Po. 

Other technical jargons used is somewhat out there. Like the explanation for Shaider's transformation sequence. It was said to be due to Blue Plasma...Plasma is superheated matter, hotter than the surface of the sun, everytime he'd transform, what will be left is a mass of charred carcass and a molten body armor.

And the mysterious realm that makes the monsters stronger...what's the relevance of it being 6000 degrees celius inside? And that its made of atomice molecules, I mean, everything is made of molecules aren't they?

Fuuma's army seems to use some underhanded ploys rather than military tactics in its campaign for conquest. Like making people lazy, turning kids into animals and getting back on bullies using telekenesis. This is because the series focuses on human values and morals, taking it upon itself to entertain and educate the youth on valuing friendship, family and a path to righteousness.

J-drama to watch out for: Atashinchi no Danshi

Its been a long time since I saw the talented Horikita Maki in a TV series. I was delighted to find out that she will be starring in a family-comedy entitled 'Atashinchi no Danshi'.

As indicated in the net, the story goes that Chisato (played by Horikita) was forced out of her home due to some gambling debt of her father amounting to 1 million yen. As her mother died at an early age, and her father has taken into hiding, she then wanders around the city as a homeless person, hiding from the debt collectors, sleeping in internet cafes. But, although she encountered such great misfortunes, she never let it get her down. She then encounters this president of a large company who offers to pay off her father's debt if she becomes his wife. Ok, overused plot, rags to riches kinda deal, albeit a hint of 'tama no koshi' to it. But, her benefactor has 6 children, all male and most of them have grown up to be a quagmire of conflicting personalities. There are some sources that says these children are adopted by that company president, so I'm not sure. Anyway, Chisato has to overcome a new set of trials and test on her person as she strives to make this family whole.

I've seen the TV spot in youtube and I must say, I'm getting excited about the series. No other series has garnered this much anticipation in me since...well, never...except for that part of me which hopes that there will be a second season of 'Kekkon Dekinai Otoko' or 'Kannagi. 

A series involving one of my fave actresses, Horikita Maki-san, and a comedic plot to boot. AAArrgggHHH...I wish I haven't seen the preview so I don't have to agonize this much in waiting. The Japanese site indicated that the series will start from April 14. So it would take some time before the valiant soft-subbing warriors of the net get these babies out for the non-Japanese enthusiasts.

For Horikita-fans, here's a link to keep you updated on the series.
Atashinchi no Danshi thread in D-addicts.com

(J-Movie) Tenkousei: Sayonara Anata

starring:

Misako Renbutsu (Kazumi)
Naoyuki Morita (Kazuo)

After the divorce of his parents, Kazuo returns with his mother to the town where he spent his childhood in. In his first day as a transfer student, his childhood friend Kazumi, coincidentally becomes his classmate. She began spurting embarassing stories of them as children, how they took naps together, how he wet his pants and promising to be married to each other when they grow up. Kazuo tries to avoid her but Kazumi keeps on clinging and hanging around him, eventhough she already has a boyfriend.

While visiting Kazumi's house, her parents told her to bring Kazuo to the spring to refresh his childhood memories because he seems to have forgotten everything about them.Messing around beside the spring, both of them fell into it and as they came out, their bodies have switched. After that, everything goes crazy as they tried to live each other's lives since they cannot fully explain to their families what happened.

Although the movie is a funny comedy in the first half, it becomes a melancholic drama on the second half as Kazuo, in Kazumi's body, started to manifest symptoms of a serious illness that threatens his life...in her body...coz you see..the switching...oh, you get the picture. In the end, Kazumi professes her love for Kazuo and is happy to die for him. In fact, they are both willing to accept the same fate for each other.

The movie ends with a note "...human life is short, but the stories they leave behind lasts forever. To the youth of today, what stories are you going to leave behind?"

The english title of the dvd is "Switching: Goodbye Me". But the direct translation of the title is "Transfer Student: Goodbye You". It seems they took some artistic liberties in titling the movie. The 'Goodbye Me' part came from the night they were alone together, saying farewell to their bodies, seeing their bodies for the last time. Saying "Goodbye, me".

The cinematography and sound mixing of the movie is very good. The angles and transitions makes for a smooth flow of the story as the insight on the different characters are developing.

I was also impressed with how well and cute Misako and Naoyuki played out each other's personality in their own persona. I was especially amused on how Misako acted out Kazuo's character, the way she walks, her speech pattern, her personality were totally different in her 'Kazumi' role. Naoyuki also did good but did not potrayed Kazumi's energetic personality and overactive imagination that well. Based on their overall performance, these two are actors to watch out for in the future.

Here are some links about them:

Tenkousei's official site
Misako's Dramawiki profile
Misako's yahoo blog