Border eps 1+2

April 20, 2014, 2:24 am

WHAT IS IT?

Oguri Shun is a section 1 detective who sees dead people.

THE GOOD

+ Since Oguri Shun can talk to the dead, we know who the killer is but since the police can't connect the killer to the crime, Oguri goes to see Furuta Arata to get a false witness. Thumbs up for grey area morality.

+ Episode 2 has the dead killer taunting Oguri Shun. Nice. As long as the writer takes the premise and keeps coming up with stories we don't see in everyday cop shows, it should be watchable.

+ Oguri Shun can act.

THE BAD

- In episode 2, the killer tells Oguri Shun that the girl was kidnapped 2 days ago and he doesn't look to see if someone's filed a missing person's report to ascertain who she is?

- Serial killer smashes his laptop against table. Why not take out the HD and put it in the fish tank/set in on fire?

- As the subber wrote in the comments, why not check the killer's phone for e-mail? Why not have someone from forensics say they couldn't recover anything from the pc or his phone?

- As the HD was damaged that was pretty quick HD recovery. Reminds me of Bloody Monday where the writer had no idea how the internet worked and things just magically happened.

- How come none of the girls appeared to Oguri Shun at the place they were killed? Does he have to come into contact with the bodies for them to appear?

THE UGLY

- Haru's agency demanding that she not wear the usual coroner outfits and that she show skin during autopsy. How old is she btw cause one would need years to get a medical degree, work experience and then acquiring a coroner's qualification? One line about her carrying a mensa card could have solved a lot.

SUMMARY

Watchable cause its something different. The writer has to come up with various stories to keep things interesting when the victim can give information to Oguri Shun.

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Umomeru

April 21, 2014, 8:45 am

≫ Next: Silent Poor Ep 1

≪ Previous: Border eps 1+2

Umoreru is from on the screenplay which won the 6th WOWOW Scenario Grand Prix. First time I've heard of it but having a competition to where the best screenplay is made into a dorama special is a great idea as opposed to tv stations commissioning doramas to push some powerful agency's latest talento.

Umoreru starts off with the aftermath of Kitami (Kiritani Kenta) blowing the whistle on Kanameru foods mislabeling their products. Kitami is ostracised by his colleagues and his wife Ito Ayumi and he returns to his hometown to work at the city hall where he is faced with the mayor's corruption.

While at first Umomeru starts off feeling like yet another WOWOW whistleblower/cover-up dorama, its a lot more than that. I would describe it as a psychological dorama, looking at Kiritami's state of mind as he grapples with the fallout of his actions and confronts his beliefs.

Kuninaka Ryoko is so perfectly cast as his first love and the criminally underused Ito Ayumi is his ex-wife. Surprisingly, Kiritani Kenta who usually plays supporting characters with a lot of ever-acting can act. Not Higashiyama Noriyuki OMFG he can be very good level but Kiritani Kenta does a decent job.

A lot of excellent scenes in Umomeru including the dinner scene, autumn besides the lake scene and the moment of truth scene. I wasn't sold on Umomeru as a must watch at first because I could see the ending a mile away but it stayed in my mind long after because the story is more about Kitami's psychological battle with the truth and its cost. Umomeru is not the heroic story of a whistleblower but about a man struggling with the consequences of his actions where there is no right or wrong. Must watch for me and thanks to Chuks for subbing it!

SPOILERS AHEAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!: WHAT I LIKED

- According to Umomeru, Japanese women are more pragmatic than idealists. Being an ally of justice will not nab you Japanese women!

- I like that Kitami kept struggling with whether he did the right thing and there was no one tell him he had done so. In order to justify his actions at Kanameru, he had to speak out against the mayor.
- The mass media only wants to make use of Kitami because at the end of the day, no one is there to protect the whistleblower.

- I like that Kitami's old classmate called him out for having a holier-than-thou attitude which could be partially true but in the end chose having pride in his work over getting in the inner circle.

- Kuninaka Ryoko telling Kitami that he was only running away from the truth of his actions while she wants him not to uncover the truth about her past and create this fake truth him with.
- I like how the violins slowly go a bit crazy everytime Kitami has to confront his feelings mirroring his internal turmoil.

- Kitami admitting that he was not ready to lose everything again to expose the mayor's corruption yet he could not live a happy life with Kuninaka Ryoko and her son without knowing the truth. For the record I would happily ignore a murder for Kuninaka Ryoko.

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Silent Poor Ep 1

April 24, 2014, 8:45 am

≫ Next: Watashi to iu unmei ni tsuite

≪ Previous: Umomeru

Fukada Kyoko eating a burger without putting the top on. lol You can see on the tray the top bun and lettuce that she ignores.

Disregarding the fact Fukada Kyoko can't act (dodges eggs from Fukakyon fans), Silent Poor is a horribly written and boring moral show aimed at 10 year olds. Can't be stuffed criticizing Silent Poor cause it put me to sleep. The only thought that I had watching this was that Fukada Kyoko must have something in her contract that says any scene that was a full shot of her face must be lit up with the power of 10 suns.

So many much better shows to watch this season. I am checking all the time now for Mozu ep 3 to be uploaded.

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Watashi to iu unmei ni tsuite

April 25, 2014, 8:52 am

≫ Next: Coffee-ya no Hitobito eps 1-3

≪ Previous: Silent Poor Ep 1

The bubble economy has just burst in Japan and Fuyuki Aki (Nagasaku Hiromi) works in company where women can't get promoted and bosses would say things to her like, "If only you were a man." Fuyuki used to date Satou (Eguchi Yosuke) who works in the same company and Satou is about to get married to another colleague.Watashi to iu unmei ni tsuite follows Aki as she is led along by fate.

WHAT I LIKED

+ Its based on a novel which I assume is aimed at women but I enjoyed most of it.
+ The role of Aki is one of those juicy female roles that any actress would kill for.
+ Nagasaku Hiromi has planted her flag on the best actress mountain for 2014. She does a really awesome job and no overacting from Eguchi Yosuke.

+ Awesome movie-like direction and music. I have no idea how much budget WOWOW has for their doramas compared to your run of the mill idoru doramas but this looks so good.
+ Watching mobile phones/fashion change from the early 90s till today.

+ The dorama also deals with huge events and there's one that made for pretty exciting sequence.
+ Okada Yoshikazu (Saigo Kara Nibanme) adapted the novel and the dialogue felt natural and real, especially when the show sometimes threatens to give way to soap opera conventions.

+ This one seemingly soap opera-ish thing that I thought was going to happen in episode 2 turned into an interesting incident.
+ Amachan's grandmother.
+ Aki and sister-in-law talk.
+ The long no cut scene between Aki and her brother.

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE

- The ending. Let's just say if it weren't a real event, I would be even more pissed off. Female viewers might love it but I found it deflating.
- Bloody obvious they voiced over the Malaysian taxi driver. lol

SUMMARY

Ending aside, great job by WOWOW. I was reluctant to call it must watch but considering the source material, it is what it is and they did a awesome job executing it. Plus its nice to see WOWOW doing something that's not about a cover-up. Must watch for Nagasaku Hiromi's acting IMHO and the direction, just watch out for the soapish ending.

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Coffee-ya no Hitobito eps 1-3

April 27, 2014, 9:48 am

≫ Next: Zoku Saigo Kara Nibanme no Koi eps 1+2

≪ Previous: Watashi to iu unmei ni tsuite

Coffee-ya no hitobito is one of those small shopping street human stories aka Mahoro Ekimae Bangaichi or Shinzanmono. Takahashi Katsunori plays the Coffee-ya-san who went into prison for killing someone and Kimura Tae is the wife of the deceased. With their main story in the background, every episode we have a story about one of the residents of the shopping street.

WHAT I LIKED

+ Can't go wrong with Takahashi Katsunori and Kimura Tae.
+ Kurashina Kana!!! She's playing a woman who's motto is 'time is money'.

+ Coffee-ya-san isn't the meddling defender of justice who preaches moral lessons at the end of the episode. Sometimes he is involved more but the dorama never feels like its talking down to the viewer.
+ The problems do get solved by the people involved themselves.
+ Absence of narration for some scenes doing a running commentary to the viewers, for eg end of ep 3.

+ I had great fun watching and 3 episodes flew by so fast.
+ Relaxed feeling to the dorama but the pacing is constant.
+ Dan Mitsu is in this show but she doesn't have to act.

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE

- Kimura Tae's husband was basically a debt collector and Coffee-ya killed him when saving a widow from getting raped. Waaaaaaay to easy. I know shades of grey don't exist in human life doramas but.

SUMMARY

Another one of those shows where I loved it but can't really call it must watch, yet. Sort of on par with Mahoro Ekimae Bangaichi for me. Coffee-ya no Hitobito is a feel good dorama that doesn't make me feel dumb. Very watchable.

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Zoku Saigo Kara Nibanme no Koi eps 1+2

April 29, 2014, 9:50 am

≫ Next: Black President eps 2-4

≪ Previous: Coffee-ya no Hitobito eps 1-3

I wasn't really eager to watch Zoku Saigo Kara storyline-wise, there wasn't really anything interesting in the first season and it was entertaining on the strength of Koizumi Kyoko and Nakai Kiichi's chemistry along with Okada Yoshikazu's dialogue.

Episode one was pretty funny and reminded me of the strengths of the first season. Chiaki (Koizumi Kyoko) and Wahei (Nakai Kiichi) can argue about the most mundane of things and make it entertaining. Storyline-wise, Chiaki's moved up to management and is bored stamping documents while Wahei is now known for losing the world heritage bid and is in charge of two departments.

Uchida Yuki is now a full fledge writer, Asada Ryutaro is getting married to Satsukawa Aimi and Ijima Naoko suspects her husband of cheating on her. To add some spice to the story, Kase Ryo returns to Chiaki's life as her former failed scriptwriter boyfriend and Hasegawa Kyoko shows up to be Wahei's friend while looking for the angel of Kamakura, Asada Ryutaro.

There's going to be relationship triangles and quadrangles and what will make this show good is whether Okada Yoshikazu can make it consistently funny until Chiaki and Wahei get together in the end, or not. I like the addition of Kase Ryo and Hasegawa Kyoko but I don't have confidence in the story because in season one, other than the two main leads, everyone else was pretty boring.

More of the same watchable stuff from first season. Hopefully Zoku Saigo Kara doesn't get too drawn out.

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Black President eps 2-4

May 1, 2014, 10:58 am

≫ Next: Alice no Toge eps 1-3

≪ Previous: Zoku Saigo Kara Nibanme no Koi eps 1+2

Is it a coincidence that Dan Mitsu is appearing in both my two favourite doramas at the moment, Black President and Coffee-ya? lol. Ozaki Masaya is on a roll with his writing.

WHAT I LIKED

+ Mitamura shachou's argument for mini-skirts. lol

+ Mitamura's reason for coming to university.

+ The look of horror on Kuninaka Ryoko's face (not pictured) when shachou picked up the pen at the end of ep 2 expecting him to give the pen argument. lol A great example of Ozaki Masaya writing great jokes without punchlines or explanation.

+ Black President vs White President in ep 3. I love that the answer in the end is not so black and white.

+ The Yuri character played by Kadowaki Mugi. She's the go with the flow character who's looking for some direction in life. She's very different from your archetypal characters.

+ The president doing good things for selfish reasons. That's how you keep a progatonist 'bad guy' interesting plus finding out his true motive is fun.

+ The president's people manipulation reminds me of Doctors. In the above shot, he says wearing an apron will make a girl 30% more popular. lol. He forgot to mention hadaka apron is a 100% increase.

+ Mitamura losing control when confronted by things he doesn't like and his entertaining preaching.

+ Black President has plenty of eye candy and brains, the perfect combination. I'm talking about the show of course.

THE BAD

- Still not feeling the chemistry between Kuroki Meisa and Sawamura Ikki.

THE UGLY

- My stomach rumbling like crazy at in ep 4 with all the yakisoba and continuing to do so as I write this.

SUMMARY

Absolutely must watch dorama. Can't believe no one is subbing Black President. This season is so good, I haven't had time to do anything else.

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Alice no Toge eps 1-3

May 4, 2014, 10:30 am

≫ Next: Coffee-ya no Hitobito eps 4+5

≪ Previous: Black President eps 2-4

Alice no Toge is surprisingly not bad. Its not without its faults with its details like how much time it it take Ueno Juri to stick all those papers in episode one without being found out or why reveal her identity to everyone else besides humpty dumpty and risk her plans being derailed? She could have easily gotten her message through without showing her face.

The thing is, watching a badass Ueno Juri on the trail of vengeance is fun. I can't believe they've got Kuriyama Chiaki playing such a minor role. However, Ueno Juri seems to be running out of people to get revenge on and I'm guessing the second half of Alice no Toge will turn into a different show.

I went in with low expectations because of the writers but Ueno Juri is someone who can elevate mediocre material. She can definitely act rings around those overpushed Oscar agency talento and the supporting cast of Alice no Toge is good. Surprisingly watchable so far.

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Coffee-ya no Hitobito eps 4+5

May 7, 2014, 12:44 am

≫ Next: First Class eps 1+2

≪ Previous: Alice no Toge eps 1-3

Edit: Should have mentioned the song tsuzuku can be downloaded here. Credit to whoever uploaded it.

At the beginning of ep 4, I was wondering why I was enjoying Coffee-ya so much? Is it my love for Kurashina Kana? Why does this feel good show make me happy? Is it because I might enjoy screencapping Kurashina Kana more than watching her?

At the beginning of ep 4, the the old lady that Kimura Tae looks after asks her to describe the shopping street. Kimura Tae says that its a shopping street that gives off an old lifestyle vibe and the old lady immediately says, "like the showa-era."

A lightbulb went off in my head. I had found my answer! Its as if the old lady was answering the personal thoughts. The reason why I so enjoyed Coffee-ya no Hitobito is that its a showa era feel good dorama. Generally, I can't stand the more modern feel good shows because they try too hard.

As mentioned in the previous review, Coffee-ya feels more sincere because it doesn't try to over-explain or milk sentimental scenes for all they are worth. Soap opera things still happen but the story quickly moves on. I have no idea whether this equats to showa era dorama but at the end, I don't feel like Coffee-ya is trying too hard to emotionally manipulate me.

I was goin to proclaim it must watch after episode 4 but decided to wait for ep 5. Unfortunately Dan Mitsu is required to act in ep 5. She didn't destroy the episode like in Hanzawa Naoki but Dan Mitsu didn't convince me this was a must watch series.

I really enjoyed Coffee-ya no Hitobito, maybe more than I should. Its a nice and short feel good showa series that even a cynical old bastard like me can enjoy. If you've got basic Japanese, its very easy to watch. Very watchable.

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First Class eps 1+2

May 8, 2014, 7:34 am

≫ Next: Off to Japan!!!!

≪ Previous: Coffee-ya no Hitobito eps 4+5

First Class is, as the narrator says in the beginning of episode 1, a super cheesy show about good looking women backstabbing each other. I love backstabbing shows like Game of Thrones but I've never seen backstabbing so boring until First Class.

To dress the lack of story up, the writer gives the bitchy infighting this hip name of mounting; where women compete with each other over their social status based on love life, money etc. It could possibly be a real word and if so, its a very thought provoking word. I suffered through two stupid episodes hoping to see some physical mounting, preferably on the desks to no avail.

To make things worse, whoever wrote First Class decided it would be a good idea for the audience hear the characters' internal bitchy thoughts thereby eliminating any need for any bitchy acting. The problem is, the internal thoughts don't tell us anything new, interesting or contrary. Someone needs to tell the scriptwriter one of the main rules of script writing is if an actor can say with a look what needs two lines to do, you go for the look.

At the end of the day, this show is written solely for those Japanese women who worship Erika-sama for her looks. I should review a show for what it wants to be but it just wants to be pure trash. I love eye candy but this show is not even mediocre. For the love of all good jdoramas, First Class must not be subbed so that it can be forgotten.

If you want to see a good jdorama with great acting and a good script about girls bullying each other, go watch Life starring Kitano Kii and Fukada Saki. If you want to perv on Sasaki Nozomi, watch Tenshi no Koi. Avoid this crap.

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Off to Japan!!!!

May 9, 2014, 4:10 am

≫ Next: Day 1 Akihabara

≪ Previous: First Class eps 1+2

Finally! The wait has been torture and for the first time ever, direct flight to Tokyo! w00t! No more 3 hour wait for connecting flights! No plans to fly Skymark cause the timing for the uniform campaign doesn't mesh with my schedule.

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Day 1 Akihabara

May 10, 2014, 1:14 pm

≫ Next: Day 2 : Shinjuku

≪ Previous: Off to Japan!!!!

Feels good to be back.

Nemo on 24 win streak with Rolento.

Stupid tree blocking rabu raibu.

Taketasu Ayana!

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Day 2 : Shinjuku

May 11, 2014, 2:22 pm

≫ Next: Consumption Tax increase

≪ Previous: Day 1 Akihabara

Spent whole day in Shinjuku playing Ultra copy and paste fighter 4. I need to figure out how to okizeme delayed standing asap. The only two game centre I know in Tokyo so far with best out of 5 rounds are in Shinjuku: Sega West and Taito. The gyutan can't compare with the one I had in Sendai.

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Consumption Tax increase

May 12, 2014, 10:48 am

≫ Next: Thermae Romae 2

≪ Previous: Day 2 : Shinjuku

The one thing I was scared of, well not really scared but dreading was the consumption tax going up from 5% to 8% and I was told that its going to go up to 10% in 2 or 3 years.

Ramen with the lot/tokusei/zenburi is always 1000円. Breaching that number takes it from normal food to luxury food though to be fair, I usually add another 100円 for kaedama.

The good news is, special ramen prices haven't gone up at least two favourites, tonkatsu ramen ogi and fuunji. Cigarettes have gone up 20円 but I can still easily find vending machines selling 100円 drinks.

Maybe its just a matter of time or maybe the shops are willing to absorb the increase for customer loyalty.

Except for Pepper Lunch. The 300g steak with rice used to be 1000円 but its gone up to 1240円。That is a lot more than a 3% increase.

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Thermae Romae 2

May 13, 2014, 3:58 pm

≫ Next: Artnia Square Enix Cafe in Shinjuku

≪ Previous: Consumption Tax increase

No Thermae Romae poster inside Wald9. If it weren't for an Oscar Promotion girl, I would be very excited for this movie.

Long story short, basically a repeat of the first movie except half as funny. First half is basically Abe Hiroshi being tasked with building baths for gladiators, Kitamura Kazuki, kids etc as he flies back and forth between ancient Rome and modern Japan.

Abe trying out modern gadgets is funny like Abe at the women's toilet or at the water slide but the Roman stuff is not. The Roman sets do look impressive though with lots of extras speaking in dubbed Japanese. Unless you absolutely loved the first one, there's nothing newfor it to be worth your time. Be warned that you might leave the cinema with the chant from the song Yusaku in your ear.

I guess the translation of Days of future's Past is Future & Past.

I was so tempted to pulk out my phone and look up words during the movie but I didn't want to get on trouble and had to make mental notes to look things up later. I guess I won't forget what 疫病 means anytime soon.

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Artnia Square Enix Cafe in Shinjuku

May 15, 2014, 1:36 am

≫ Next: Rest of first week in Tokyo

≪ Previous: Thermae Romae 2

Ah Square. The company that used to make turn based RPGs and is turning Final Fantasy into an action game. Its taken me so many years to get around to coming here. Too bad I never got to see the Sepiroth statue.

The cafe is about a 20 minute walk from Shinjuku station along Meiji Dori.

For some stupid reason they were playing christmas songs instead of Aeris' theme.

Not my favourite FF but I'm going to get the remaster cause turn based RPG are rare nowadays.

This shirt is so awesome but unfortunately only one ladies size L left.

Oooh. Keyblade!

The chocolate box says: A slime has appeared!

The left box says: Hero
Eat
Run
Defend
Tools

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Rest of first week in Tokyo

May 16, 2014, 12:43 am

≫ Next: Japan Day 7: Yokkaichi

≪ Previous: Artnia Square Enix Cafe in Shinjuku

Was in Ikebukuro and decided to give Muteki another go.

As before a long queue.

When I had it the first time, I found it lacking.

Char siu is good but that's it. Overatted.

Two cute girls called Hachimitsu singing in Akiba. Had to wait to buy their CD but my stomach was rumbling.

Decided to try Furyu in Akihaba. Normal charsiu is 750円 and extra charsiu 200円. The best part is you can have kaedama aka extra ramen for FREE! This is godsend for students. Order the cheapest ramen for the free double kaedama. Not bad.

Unfortunately Hachimitsu were gone after my dinner. ：（

You can find them at facebook.com/hachimitsu.info

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Japan Day 7: Yokkaichi

May 17, 2014, 12:33 am

≫ Next: Madoka Magica exhibition at ATC Hall Part 1

≪ Previous: Rest of first week in Tokyo

As always stopping at Naoya for Yabaton. I think the portion for the teppan miso katsu has gotten smaller but the sample size is too small.

Train view on way to Yokkaichi.

I remember reading that most agriculture in Japan are small scale and you can see plenty of rice fielda along the train tracks.

View from outside hotel room.

Went out with bframe and two of his colleagues and a blast except the parts where my Japanese wasn't good enough to follow the conversation. I'm so far away from where I bframe's level.

Was surprised Yokkaichi had a kyabakura maid cafe and the uber hot Kobe girl is back at the gundam bar. She is absolutely smoking in that uniform.

Thanks to bframe and his colleagues for an unforgettable time. ☺

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