Akumu-chan

Japanese title: 悪夢ちゃん

Aired on NTV
From October to December 2012
11 episodes
(A movie seems to be planned for 2014).

Main cast:

Kitagawa Keiko: Mutoi Ayami

Kimura Manatsu: Koto Yuiko

Gackt: Shiki Takashi

Yuka: Hirashima Kotoha

Kohinata Fumiyo: Koto Bannosuke

Update: Akumu-chan The Movie is to be released on May 2014.

Review: + !

Title: Akumu-chan is the nickname that Girl gives to a little girl who has predictive nighmares (akuma = bad dreams).

Girl: She's an elementary school teacher and pretends to be smiling all the time even though it's all fake. Her character is different from all the naturally nice girls in drama and the evolution of her character is really interesting. I love her (but I love Kitagawa Keiko).

Boy: He's a scientist and his true intentions are never clear. I was confused by his character who was nice but also slightly creepy. Maybe I would've been more interested in him with a different actor.

Plot: There is romance in this drama but it's in the backseat. The real stories are the story of Girl and also the stories of her pupils. One episode typically revolves around a pupil's problems and Little girl's dreams about it. There are interpretations of symbols in the dream and the stories are varied so it's really compelling. It's also slightly creepy and... really NTV? This is not a family drama. Though the mediocre special effects aren't scary, the themes can be disturbing for kids. The nighmares are really nighmares: there is physical and (more unsettling) emotional violence committed by children and/or on children. For grown-ups however, no problem.

Other characters: Little girl! So, so cute!! Can I adopt her (legally)?The other school teachers are typical comic reliefs. The nurse starts off weird but she becomes a real character later on.

Funny factor? See other characters.

Music: Serviceable.

Bottom line: At first, I stayed for the stand alone stories and the enigma of what these dreams are about. Then, I got engrossed in Girl's story as well. Though the finale was grandiloquent, I was impressed by how the stories told managed to make sense (I mean, once you've accepted that you can watch dreams in a TV). In the end, a + without question.

Coffee House

Korean title: 커피하우스

Aired on SBS
From 2010 May to July
18 episodes

Main cast:

Kang Ji Hwan: Lee Jin Soo

Park Si Yeon: Seo Eun Young

Ham Eun Jung: Kang Seung Yeon

Jung Woong In: Han Ji Won

Park Jae Jung: Kim Dong Wook

Jung Soo Young: Oh Hyun Joo

Ahn Kil Kang: Kang Jin Man

Kim Ji Young: Hong Bong Nyeo

Kim Min Sang : Kang Seung Chul

Hello Grandmother from Full House!

Review: Maybe a +? a +/- ?AND SPOILERS

Title: Coffee house. There is a coffee library owned by Girl and they talk about coffee. That's still random because it's not a plot point and they don't spend that much time in coffee houses. At least similarly titled Coffee Prince made sense.

Boy: He's a famous writer with odd habits. He hates promoting, doesn't own a mobile phone and just disappears when he feels like it.

Girl: She is Boy's publisher but also his friend of 10 years. She's likable. She has her own mind, she's vulnerable but not weak.

Girl: She is Boy's assistant. She is 25 years old at the beginning but she moves and behaves more like a child or a puppy. She's likable because you can't hate puppies. Boy is kind of abusive to her in their work relationships in that he berates her. I guess it is not as disturbing as it should be because Girl actually takes his words as advice to progress. In real life, her self-esteem would be crushed but hey! it's a drama.

Other boy: also known as Jackass Stalker. Girl's former boyfriend who had an affair. Yes, he is a cheater too. She dumped him and doesn't want to see his face but Jackass Stalker is persistent. And annoying. To the characters and to me. He gets humanised and bearable but it takes many épisodes. It's never really clear why he considers himself a friend of Boy who clearly doesn't like him. I guess he's delusional too.

Relationships: I have to say, I wasn't invested in the relationships but I was still looking forward to the next episode so something was right.
I wasn't invested because the drama takes several episode to hint at romance, some motivations are unclear or don't really make sense. I also wished for more flashbacks to have the full picture of what happened between some characters. Finally, there's another reason but I'll discuss it after the jump.

Other characters: Other other boy is interesting though saddled with an unnecessary development in the last part of the drama. Typical drama family for Girl but not annoying like it is in other dramas. Also, Girl's employees at her publishing company and at the coffee library.

Funny factor? Yes! Actually, the first episodes are more comedy than romance and I loved a 1st ep scene involving an outline and a glass of champagne. Comedy comes from various sources but mostly via embarrassing situations and Boy playing Girl who can be quite dense.

Music: As usual in Korean dramas, it's good.

What the? (it's a new category: random things that makes no sense) Boy studied medecine? Why? It's so random and it increases the mystery of how Boy and Other Boy got to know each other since Other boy definitely didn't study medecine (probably business or stalking).

Bottom line: It's the first time I'm not sure of a grade at the end of a drama. I know it should be a + because the comedy is quite good, compared to other dramas, and you want to know what's next, characters are interesting and evolve (though making it happen off screen is easy) and it plays on our expectations. But in the end, it plays too much on our expectations and it wasn't satisfying so I want to +/-.

To discuss it, let's head to the spoiler space after the jump.

Normally, I would say "do not proceed" but I was myself actually happy that I had been slightly spoiled before watching it. Had I not been, I would have felt stronger discontent. Anyway, you read this review, you might have noticed there is something different, that's because the drama tries something different. Now you can watch the drama with adjusted expectations.

OK, now, seriously, do not proceed if you haven't watch it. When you do, come back to vent or to defend the drama choices. I want to do both.

Hotaru the Movie

Japanese title: 映画 ホタルノヒカリ
Other title: It's only a little light in my life

Release date: June 2012
A movie (after 2 TV seasons)

Main cast:

• Ayase Haruka: Takano Hotaru
• Fujiki Naohito: Takano Seiichi
• Matsuyuki Yasuko: Saeki Rio
• Tegoshi Yuya: Saeki Yu
• Itaya Yuka: Futatsugi Sachiko
• Yasuda Ken: Futatsugi Shoji

Notes:
- Information was taken from Asianwiki.
- The movie was shot on location in Italy and now... I want to go to Rome ASAP.
- I watched it some hours ago so I still have feelings.
- I Fav the first TV season.

 

Review: - (but WTH is closer to my feelings right now.)

Girl: I don't know what to do with Hotaru. She's a very excessive, quirky character. It worked in the first season but it just felt too much in the second season and in the movie. I actually disliked her in the movie. Girl doesn't want to do anything except lazing around, not even going to Rome with her husband. And it isn't counterbalanced by her efficient self at work. Secondly, and it's a huge problem for me, it also plagued the second season of the drama, well... I'll talk about it in the "Relationship" part of the review. In fairness, Girl also does her dumb but earnest actions, only it's too late.

Boy: He's perfect. So perfect that I want to scream: "Leave her. At least, tell her off. She's so annoying."

Relationship: Boy and Girl are together, they are married in the movie, and supposedly so have been for two years. Yet, (spoiler for the great 1st season -underline to see:) she still calls him "Boss" (Buchou). I can deal with that, that's like "Darling" for them.

But Girl freaks out when she finds out that they're going to sleep in the same bed in the same hotel room. And this is their honeymoon. And she's 29. For anyone who has seen season one, it's even more stupid (spoiler for 1st season: (since she lived for some time in a tiny apartment with her then-boyfriend and there was only one bed).

Moreover, their relationship looks unbalanced: Girl hasn't changed at all in all these years and doesn't seem to bring anything to the relation whereas Boy has adopted some of her quirks and always puts up with her. She loves him because he's perfect (how could you not?) and he loves her... I'm not sure why... because she's nice to him after she thought he was dead?

Plot: It's a mess. Like in drama specials, the movie introduces new characters whose stories echoes the main characters'. It usually isn't subtle. But the movie goes further trying to discuss the meaning of life. It's clumsily hammered and I'm not convinced. This happens after shenanigans involving mysterious suitcases, suspicious white powder, Mafia kidnappings, dancing to 'I will survive", a roundabout of hell, ruining a dress, hijacking someone's party... You get the picture.

Funny factor: Hits and misses. Some scènes are genuinely funny: in the airplane, each one involving the other Girl and Girl... Others are totally ridiculous. I can find dumb jokes funny (Exhibit A: I Fav Brown Sugar Macchiato. Exhibit B: I watched all episodes of Anna-san no Omame and Mendol Ikemen Idol) but these ones feel out of place. Over-the-top dancing scene which almost ruined the actor in my mind, I'm talking to you. To end on a good note, I loved the credits' banter-over.

Music: Continuity with the drama.

Bottom line: I'm so disappointed. You know how they say it's a good thing we don't know what happens after they get married in a fairytale. I kind of wish I hadn't seen what happens after the first season. It almost makes me question the coupling of these two characters. I still feel they could be great together... but not like that. I didn't talk much about the plot of the movie because it's thin and just a pretext. Minus.

Love Shuffle

Japanese title: ラブシャッフル

Aired on TBS
From 2009 January to March
10 episodes

Based on a manga

Main cast:

Tamaki Hiroshi: Usami Kei

Karina: Aizawa Airu

Matsuda Shota: Sera Ojiro

Tanihara Shosuke: Kikuta Masato

DAIGO: Oishi Yukichi

Yoshitaka Yuriko: Hayakawa Kairi

Kojima Hijiri: Kamijyo Reiko

Kanjiya Shihori: Kagawa Mei

Hello Karina! I'm watching your last drama Summer nude!
Hey Ceramic boy from Hana yori dango!
Hola Girl's best friend from Buzzer beat, you're quite different here!

 

Review: +

Title: So four strangers meet in an elevator, bond, realise they live on the same floor and decide to “shuffle” their partners every week. As you do.

Boys and girls: Therefore, there are eight main protagonists.
The four floormates:
- Shining loser
- Sassy interpreter
- Sweet dark photographer
- Mysterious psychiatrist
And their respective partners:
- Innocent fiancée
- Desperate billionaire
- Sexy older lady
- Strange painter

As you can see, a lot of these characters are weird and at least complicated with secret motivations for going into the love shuffle. Therefore it’s interesting and different. They are likeable but not really relatable.
 

Plots and relationships: The plot is relationships and learning about the characters, their past, their motivations for the shuffle or for life in general. Problem is: it is weird and therefore, it feels almost surreal at times, like it does not take place in our reality. So, just go with its atmosphere to enjoy. Actually, one of the most enjoyable parts is the friendship between the four floormates: it’s playful but they also really care for each other.

 

Funny factor: Yes. Also, lots of plays on words. YAY PANDA!

Music: Good. Enjoy these familiar songs.

Bottom line: I wasn’t forcing myself to finish this drama and I was not cringing so it’s a +. It’s original and different but also weird. Try the first episodes and see if you get into it!

Hotaru no Hikari (season 1)

Japanese title: ホタルノヒカリ

Aired on NTV
From 2007 July 11 to September 12
10 épisodes

Based on a manga by Satoru Hiura (2004-2009)

Main cast:

Ayase Haruka: Amemiya Hotaru

Fujiki Naohito: Takano Seiichi

Kuninaka Ryoko: Saegusa Yuuka

Kato Kazuki: Teshima Makoto

Takeda Shinji: Jinguuji Kaname

Itaya Yuka: Yamada Sachiko

Yasuda Ken: Futatsugi Shouji

Review: Fav!

Title : It means « glow of a firefly », a play on words since the main character is named Hotaru.

Girl : She’s a “himono onna”, meaning that she prefers lazing around at home rather than going out. As a result, she’s totally clueless in her relationships. But while she does absolutely nothing at home, she works hard at her job. Some will find her too much but that’s what is funny and  I can relate to her. (+)

Guy : Not « boy » because he’s older than Girl, he’s her boss and he’s mature. A serious, good-at-house chores man, he’s capable of silliness and can be sarcastic. (+)

Boy : Love interest of Girl. He’s really shy but really sincere. He’s a talented interior designer. For some reason he’s popular amongst girls. He’s cute but of the silent type, and not the charismatic one. So… wash.

Relationships : Interesting, progressive, with emotion. (+)

Other characters and plot : the plot is basically relationships but I want to underline the fact that the workplace is central in this drama. All the characters work together, in the interior design department of a building company, except Guy’s best friend who is in another department. Girl begins as an assistant but she earns responsibilities as a planner thanks to her good work. Though it’s unrealistic that everyone would be so friendly, I really enjoy the workplace dynamics . (+)
Update: Now that I have a job, I'm happy to say that, yes, relationships with co-workers can be really friendly. Without the drinking beer together. That should be cultural.

Funny factor: Yes. Funny characters, starting with Girl. Plus Guy’s sarcasticness. (++)

Music: Okay.

Bottom line: It’s really funny, we get to know the characters, their relations are interesting. Fav. No hesitation.
I was looking forward to the second season (2010) because you don’t want things you like to end. Unfortunately it wasn’t as good (a + maybe or gasp! even a +/-, I don’t remember enough of it), that’s why I distinguish the reviews. I have yet to see the movie (out in 2012) but I will if I can. Update: Ugh! The movie is a big minus.

Kurosagi

 Japanese title: クロサギ

Aired on TBS
From 2006 April 14 to June 23
11 épisodes + a movie (2008)

 Main cast:

Yamashita Tomohisa: Kurosaki (Kurosagi)

Horikita Maki: Yoshikawa Tsurara

Ichikawa Yui: Mishima Yukari

Yamazaki Tsutomu: Katsuragi Toshio

Okunuki Kaoru: Hayasa

Aikawa Sho: Kashima Masaru

Tayama Ryosei: Momoyama Tetsuji

Kato Koji: Shiraishi Yoichi

Note: This drama is based on a popular manga that I haven't read.

Review: +

 

Title: Kurosagi is the nickname of the main character, it means "black swindler" which is to say, the ultimate swindler, the swindler of swindlers.

Boy: He's like a super hero. Dark origin story: check. Disguises: various. Super power: being incredibly clever and self-controlled. Motives: taking revenge and helping victims. He is lonely, has turned off his emotions due to a tragedy and in order to devote himself to the destruction of swindlers but you can see glimpses of kindness. Glimpses. (+)

Girl: She wants to be a prosecutor so she's at odds with Boy's occupation which consists in breaking the law. She's very normal but I found her a bit bland. It's weird because she has her own agenda and expresses herself but I didn't find her interesting. I feel like she was more a token character because someone had to point out that there are laws etc. Besides, I didn't get why she loves him, just because he's hot and mysterious. She should be intrigued, maybe attracted to him but he's so indifferent to her, she ends up acting like a doormat. (-)

Relationship: Weak. Were the relationship between the two main characters a lot more compelling, it would have been a Fav but... as I said, Girl is boring, and there is no chemistry. The romance subplot isn't organic, it seemed like they had to add it. You know there is a problem when you ship another girl with Boy. (-)

Plots: Each episode, Boy takes down a swindler. Each time, it's a different scheme, with fake(s) identity(ies). It often requires suspension of disbelief but it's entertaining. (+) I just wish it would have been a bit more serialised.

 

Other characters: - Girl's best friend: I like her though she can be mean. We have some backstory, she's lively, she’s way more energetic than Girl. (+)

 

- Foe: A policeman who wants to arrest Boy. I just can't with him. His characterization is all over the place, his backstory is the least credible thing in the drama and he laughs maniacally for no reason like a villain in a C-movie. (-)

 

- Allies: I didn't really get them. There is a old man who is very important and I warmed to him in the latest episodes but in the first ones, he's just disgusting, kind of creepy, like he was supposed to be mysterious but ended up as annoying. There is a woman who cares for him and I didn’t really get her either. (-)

One backstory is dropped for each character and then almost never heard of again, except for Boy. Even for him, we see the same images again and again and only at the end, we get some additional flashbacks fleshing out the origins story.

 

Funny factor: Hmm no.

Music: I liked it.

 

Bottom line:

 

Two things saved this drama for me and made it compelling to watch:

1) Yamashita Tomohisa is magnetic in this drama, I just can't take my eyes off him in this drama. (Corner of superficiality: his hairstyle in this drama suits him and his character perfectly. Look at the picture above! It's actually promo for the movie but I like it better -except for the tear...- and anyway, it's closer to how he looks in the drama, since his movie hair is less black.) 

2) Swindling plots: original, interesting guest characters, new and distinctive challenges.

However, I can't deny the shortcomings: Most characters are uninteresting and you feel like you don't know them and can't understand them. A romantic subplot is shoehorned.

It also feels like they wanted to keep stuff for a second season that never happened.

But a movie happened. I was hoping resolution, Boy finally taking down the big boss that ruined his family and I was disappointed. It was like a random episode of the drama stretched to two hours (so too long) only with less Girl (she has maybe 5 minutes of screen time but she doesn’t do anything), an obsession with Julius Caesar by Shakespeare I didn’t totally get and an added emphasis on Old Man which would have been interesting if I, you know, was interested and not grossed out by him.  Movie:  -

Proposal Daisakusen

Japanese title: プロポーズ大作戦

Aired on Fuji TV
April - June 2007
on Monday at 21.00

11 episodes + a Special (March 2008)

Main cast:

Yamashita Tomohisa: Iwase Ken

Nagasawa Masami: Yoshida Rei

Fujiki Naohito: Tada Tetsuya

Eikura Nana: Oku Eri

Hiraoka Yuta: Enokido Mikio

Hamada Gaku: Tsurumi Hisashi

Mikami Hiroshi: the Yosei/Fairy

Notes:
- I rewatched it for the second time and my opinion hasn't changed.
- Hello Manager and one of the coworkers of Hotaru no Hikari.

Review: +/-

Title: Like I ended up doing in most reviews, I’ll  actually use this section to give a short synopsis. In this drama, Boy attends his childhood friend’s wedding. He loves her but never confessed and is full of regrets. Every episode, he returns to a point in the past, starting in high school, to change his actions and better convey his feelings to her hoping she won’t get married to another man.

Girl: She’s nice. Though she has liked Boy since they met as kids, their relationship is based on teasing and she has never managed to confess to him.

Boy: He’s a quiet guy. His present self works hard to change the past and does really cute things for Girl but his past self was at best, totally clueless and more likely but worse, a tool. Therefore it’s too easy to understand why Girl would move on.

Other boy: He’s socially awkward but very earnest.

Friends: I talk about them early in the review because they are important in this drama. Though it’s in the background of the romance story, the friendship theme is indissociable. Girl’s best friend is energetic, joyful and she likes to go out with boys. Boy has two friends: one of them is sincerely in love with Girl’s best friend and has no shame expressing himself openly though he always gets rejected, the other is calm, mature, smart, in a word, cool.

Relationship: Ouch. This is where this drama falls apart. My opinion.

1^st: No chemistry between Boy and Girl. I buy them as friends but not as lovers. Their interactions are mostly teasing and I get that it’s hard when you grew up together to change the relationship you have but the will-they/won’t-they tension was lacking.

2^nd: There is no deep discussion between Boy and Girl, like discussing their dreams, their problems. Emotion only comes from their repressed feelings towards each other and common memories of their school years. Which is not enough to make me believe that two people are endgame.

3^rd: Past Boy didn’t seem to care that much about Girl’s feelings and she was right to move on to Other boy with whom she has better chemistry and who is a great guy.

4^th: Boy is actually quite selfish. He realises he has loved Girl for 14 years, which I’m not convinced of, and decides to win her back. But their love seem childish while her relationship with Other boy feels more mature. Indeed, their characters go better together while her feelings for Boy are kept alive in part by nostalgia.

Funny factor: Running gags. Also Boy keeps talking about events or using catchphrases before they happen, which is fun if you are really familiar with these Japanese pop culture references.

Music: Okay.

Bottom line: This is a high-concept drama. Bonus point for originality but the format of each episode gets tiring. Introduction: he goes into the past. Conclusion: he comes back. Seeing only “moments” in their lives was a bit superficial. I didn’t root for the main couple but I have to say that the returns to the past were well-handled and interesting, as a concept. I don’t know how it could have been better but it could have been way worse so +/-.