Change

I watched this drama way before Moonlight Resonance came out but was a bit lazy to blog about this as i was - lazy to blog in general. This is an aptly titled drama in my case, since Malaysia is also having it's political disagreements. Now, if our political leaders will take a look at this drama and maybe learn something from it.

This vehicle is Takuya Kimura's much anticipated drama of the year. KimuTaku has played everything from pilot, to investigator, tycoon, hockey player, pscyhotic killer and and this would be his other first of playing the youngest prime minister of japan. Not to mention most good looking. I kid you not.. Yup, you did not see the picture wrongly but that's takuya. All the time he plays good looking suave characters but this time a round he is a nerdy school teacher to start off with.

"You mean the afro hairstyle does not suit me??"

A nerdy school teacher in Nagano with a shock of hair that the kids mercilessly call him MOJAKURA. Keita Asakura( takuya) likes the life in Nagano, it is quiet and the clear skies allow him to indulge in his passion of astrology. Unknown to a lot of people, keita is the son of fukuoka legislator. The latter's untimely death leads an opening in the party elections.

Scheming leader of the ruling party decides to promote Keita as a potential choice to boost the party's poor ratings. (Sounds familiar doesn't it) He gets his right hand woman -Miyama to help run and boost Keita up to contest in Fukuoka.


Keita is initially not interested as he and politics are like oil and water and only reluctantly agrees when his aged mother says she wants to campaign he subsequently agrees. Poor Keita, a teacher's life is so simple and running for office is a complete change for him. In the next course of the first 3 episodes, you will see how Keita gets voted into becoming a member of parliament. His simple and straight forward nature makes him a magnet for the normal people. A complete different air to the people who are into politics. Not to mention a good hair cut and some preening did change his final appearance.

Keita's ascend to parliament does not just stop at being a member of parliament. The leader of the ruling party- Kanbayashi Masaichi has other plans in mind. He feels that Keita can be a puppet and ratings for the party greatly improved with a simple minded and straigh forward, why not take it a step further?? Push keita to be the prime minister and hey, if he fails, Kanbayashi can always be the next prime minister.

I, mojakura, swear to be your ...

You will get to see the inner workings of politics how people jostle and cajole at the same time push their own interests before the interest of the people. And my, how at that point of time when i was watching this some few weeks back, really makes it a parallel comparison to what is happening in malaysia. Keita finally gets to be prime minister somewhat uncomfortably and miyama acts as the prime minister's special assistant.

What i like about this show:


1) The new prime minister's interest to sincerely listen to the people's interest or complains. Take the case of the moon jelly - Keita personally read each of the documents given to him to assess the real issue and insisted on a apology to the people for not listening to their complains. How many of our politicians would really do this?




2) He treats his staff as his family. They may be his driver, body guard or even his personal assistant but they are still normal people to him. His father's house ( the unofficial prime minister's residence ) is the house every one goes to and he works from there to get his ideas.


3) Some realistic portrayal of politics - i hate the hidden messages politician plays to get points across - why not just say it directly. hey, this could be also not just malaysia that has this problems.


4) They did not focus too detailed on any on screen romance, just simple hints which is good for this kind of show. Had they delved too much into it, i would have find it a bit out of place.

I give this show my thumbs up. It was slow to start of at the beginning, with him trying to adjust to life in politics but things quickly pick up pace once keita moves to tokyo. This is not all a serious movie as there are some comic relief along the way in form of Abe Hiroshii who plays Keita' special assistant to the prime minister. Keita realized that he needed someone in the team Asakura who not only is honest but believes in the same ideals as him. I found the bit below hilarious where Abe had to pretend to be Keita for a day.



What i don't like about this show:
1) Will there be anyone whole really stands up for the people?

2) Can we have politicians so honest to bear mistakes of their past and admit they were wrong - Nah!!!

However, for me the show had some home truths. In our country's recent political bickering, i realized as with this show, people do not fight for the underdogs or the people who are poor. Most politicians are only fighting for themselves. Hardly any would actually say they are fighting for the party or for the rights of the weak. I might sound idealistic or naive but if we had a bit of keita in all of us, maybe we will all be in a better place.

Do catch change if you want to watch some political upheaval. This is TK at his finest. I wonder what else can he play next?

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Sweet Rain ( Shinigami no seido ) Accuracy of Death

Sounds like a completely scary title all in one. However it is not a scary movie though. This is a japanese movie that recently hit town, amidst their usual horror movies and love stories, this one represents one that is not part of the norm.

This movie also hails the return of Takeshi Kaneshiro to the japanese silver screen after 6 years of working overseas in foreign production. I am ecstatic though, for many reasons and quite obvious reasons - lol.

Title of the movie, in japanese translates to Shinigami no seido and it is adapted from a novel by Kotaro Isaka. Kaneshiro plays a shinigami or the grim reaper named Chiba. When i first heard that, my first thought was .. ah.. Meet Joe Black! I was a bit put off by that thought. However, this version is a complete and different view point of death and life.


Chiba, normally appears 7 days before a person is to die and he observes the person's activities, interacts with them ( this is the creepy bit for me ) and decides if the person is to die ( proceed ) or can continue to live ( suspend ) . He is followed in his adventures by a dark black golden retriever who acts as Chiba's guide and rational mind. Chiba, is child like in some instances taking a keen interest in things we take for granted, like music. At the same time he is a complete dufus in human interactions. Take one example when Kazue Fujiki thinks she is being "picked" up by him. His reaction is immensely funny.

He meets 3 different characters in the space of the movie, a lonely and unwanted Office Lady, and has been gangster who is no more in favor with his bosses and and old lady of 70 who is a hair dresser.


The Office lady is played by Manami Konishi. For those who watched japanese doramas, she is already a well known name in that area. Her dreary job includes answering the help line for a electronics company and her life is mundane and dull. To make it worse, she is harassed by a stalker who calls her daily just to hear her voice when one day, she meets Chiba. He rescues her... sort of... well, he was the one that sapped the life out of her for a minute ( note. shinigami's cannot touch people with their bare hands will turn them gray, so notice the people with white gloves ) and he sort of changes her life and a her view of life. It's funny though, he asks her what is her thoughts on death but eventually ends up changing her life giving her a whole new perspective of what to life for.

For one, Sweet Rain, is a show you must pay attention to what people say and read in between the lines. ..... this is a broad hint here. :) Oh, btw, the show is covered with rain, it rains practically every scene.

Takeshi shines in this show. Rightly so as he uses more of his expression to convey the child like Chiba. And thought the title sounds heavy, this is a show that is funny as well. Trust the japanese humor, it is simple yet all due to timing.

I must say that black dog is somewhat of a character as well. He could stand in the rain dripping wet given my dog, he would have run for cover. The dog does not however say anything in the show, but all his thoughts are conveyed to Chiba via telepathy. You get to read the "thoughts" on screen and some are pretty hilarious. Like the one Chiba asks how people are chosen to die, the dog answers "you draw lots"... and waits... but Chiba was a bit shocked to reply. Dog adds on.. you are suppose to laugh here. That bit had everyone in the cinema roaring with laughter.

I truly like this show. This show is not like the normal shows you see out there. it is thought provoking as well gives you a viewpoint of if you have to change your life, you are also part of the change process. Also, you get some quick history of japanese cultures and beliefs. Ever wondered why crows are not welcomed in japanese house holds? they are the harbinger of death .

I highly recommend this movie. Watch it if not to just drool at Takeshi but get your thoughts thinking on this one.

Credits of pics go to mtime.com. I took most of the picts there. Thanks a lot.

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