Shizanmono

I was about to start on Ghostwriter, but skipped it as this dorama caught my eye. Shinzanmono is the name meaning "new comer". I think this is the best dorama that i have seen this year ( not seen moon lovers nor team batista 2 yet ) but i find this dorama intriguing. The japanese are the best writers for crime and medical dramas, beating the hong kong tvb dramas ( which can be pretty lame in this 2 genre ) And Shinzanmono comes from a comic adapter to a TV Drama. Checking the blogs around, apparently this show is a top dorama for this year.

Shinzanmono features one of my favorite actors, Hiroshi Abe. An extremely tall and rather witty actor, despite looking a bit gangly at times. Over the years of watching him, he has grown to be an actor you like because he really can play a role well. From a teacher who suffers from a stutter, to an annoying Media wizard for a future Japanese premier, Abe can carry a role well. And he plays the part of a quiet, observant and clever detective impeccably in this show.  Shinzanmono is a story about a new detective in Nihonbashi's small area called Ningyo-cho - or Doll Town.  A lady dies in her apartment, strangled to death but who is the killer in this small and quaint little town.  ( I miss japan terribly, while watching this dorama especially the walks along quaint places like this )

Hiroshi Abe plays Kaga Kyochiro an investigator on his first day in Nihonbashi's district police station investigating the death of Mitsui Mineko. She was estranged from her son and divorced her husband quickly and seems to have moved to Ningyo Cho to start a new life. The story focuses on the people who have met or come across Mitsui Mineko before her untimely death on April 13th.

Mitsui Mineko- The victim

I thought Mineko looks like an older version of Charmaine Sheh! We get to see her views and her life before her untimely death and her character will remind a lot of people of decisions they make but later regret and find it hard to turn back.

The story takes the view of Kaga investigating all the suspects in the show and there are many suspects!  At least 20 of them!

The suspects.

In fact some rather prominent and popular stars make their appearances through out this 10 episode show. Each episode , there will be a suspect, from the son, to the baker to even the accountant, each suspect is cleared till the last episode.

I think this show will keep you riveted. I especially like the Ma-kitty episode where the story line is based on a shop owner's wife who is hooked on Hello Kitty.  I like the fact Ma-kitty ( which is the name of the character ) who seemed shallow at first, is apparently not and was much more than what is made up to be her outward appearance.

Detective Kaga is added through his investigation by a young detective Matsumiya Juhei and a rather bumbling head of Metro police Kojima Kazumichi, who turned out to be not so bumbling in the end.

Queuing to buy Taiyaki

There are also funny bits in the show like the running joke of Kaga-san being never able to buy Ningyo-cho's famous Taiyaki dessert even though he queued for 50 times since his first day at work.  In fact this shop is super well known to have long queues in Ningyo-cho even before the movie itself. I have eaten Taiyaki in Tokyo during my first trip there and actually it is quite a nice thing to munch on during a cold day in Tokyo. However, didn't need to suffer the queue above as  I got mine in Asakura. Oh, also a note, Ningyo-cho is famous for it's senbei or rice crackers :)

And Kaga's take in elaborating his explanation can be quite physical. Like his explanation of how he found the name card of a suspect in the victim's apartment.

Crime Scene Demonstration!

What i like about this dorama:
-  Keeps you guessing who the criminal, i swayed from the son, to the husband to everyone even at the last episode! Superb acting from all the stars make the show interesting.
- You get a minor tour of Nihonbashi without having to go to japan.
- And you feel you know the people of Ningyo-Cho, how close knit these people are within the city of Tokyo

What i don't like about this dorama: 
- nothing really, it is quite good on it's own. I hope it gets this year's top dorama award! However, i can't really tell if this is the end as there seems to be a history of Kaga-San that seems hidden. Oh well, we will see.

My cutest suspect ever! Hope to get an Akita next time. Probably needs his own aircon room.

Cute Suspects Everywhere -I think i need to make a trip back to Tokyo soon and visit Ningyo-Cho

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Next in Review: Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood

2009's most anticipated Anime. Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. Oh Chibi-chan, you are up next in review.

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Kimi Ni Todoke (君 に 届け) - A review and there are spoilers.

I make a horrible anime blogger because ... it's a heck more effort then being a food blogger! But i have decided to restrict my writing for anime based on shows i really really really like. Which is quite little at times. Some of the anime are not worth watching or putting a blog post up. But 2009 and 2010 has been a good anime year as i have seen quite a few number of good ones. This one is one of my favorites this year. Kimi Ni Todoke or in english, Reaching out to you.

This is actually an anime based from a manga as they always are and it's superbly converted to an anime. It's also going to be out as a dorama this year but i will hold me excitement on that as very few anime to dorama shows have really peaked my interest. For example, Honey and Clover, in my opinion plays better as an anime rather than a dorama.

Do you all remember the time when you were in high school, you feel like the social outcast? The gawky kid that no one wants to talk to or everyone throws a slushie at you ( this is so from glee :) ) Well, if those kind of awkward teenage moments come rushing back to you, then Kimi Ni todoke will bring you down memory lane. Set in Hokkaido, this is a story of a young girl who is considered a social outcast by her peers, mainly because of her name and her keen resemblance to a Japanese horror icon familiar to many.  Remember Sadako? Meet, Sawako Kuronuma. :) With that long long black hair and that ability to "sneak" up on people quietly,  the kids in her school thinks she is a freak actually. They even talk about her so called ability to curse people. Sitting next to Sawako was like sitting next to death itself.  Everyone takes to calling her Sadako instead of Sawako until people mistakes it for actually being her name.

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Confusion

I so don't understand pirates of the caribbean @ world's end....

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Yamada Taro Monogatari

Frankly, i am never a fan of Japanese Boy bands so normally i stay away from movies or any shows which are starring members of boy bands. I am not against them but just normally does not pique my interest.

So when i came upon the above title - i was not so interested as it starred 2 members of the band ARASHI, however turning to the back of the DVD it was the story line that caught my interest. I love shows of complete opposite. Poor kid in rich school.. Hehehe .. now that is what i call complete contrast- that goes to show why i find shows like Ouran High School Host interesting.

Yamada Taro(nimomiya kazunari) is a story of a poor boy who goes to an extremely fancy and snotty school. He gives the impression he is actually rich but unknown to his classmates he is as poor as a church mouse. ( How come church mouses are poor?? ). He's family even lives in a room house - where his 6 other siblings and his mom stays in happily despite the poorness. His unreliable father appears once in a while to add on to Taro's money woes. Despite being poor ( or bimbo in japanese) Taro's life is still very happy go lucky and nothing seems to disrupt his positive attitude in life. That also explains why his classmate mimura takuya(sakurai sho) is very intrigued by him

At the same time- he is the object of most of the girl's in his school especially Ikegami Takako. Her ambition is to get a Tama-No-Koshi which means to marry rich. I can't remember the literal translation but tama means jewel. She comes from a middle class family as well, so she is hoping to live a more pampered life. Now through out the course of the show - she discover the real Taro and also the true meaning of being in love with a person despite their background. I found her truly annoying in the beginning but after that, i got to see her in a different light.

What's good about this:

• It's funny! Hilarious at times and over the top at times. Check out the portion where Taro dresses as a girl, here is a teaser picture *cackle*. There are also times where Taro flashes his megawatt smile and all the girls in the room faint.
• In fact when Takako realizes the simplest things in life such as eating hot cakes with your family is a joy- i thought that was quite a good point in the show.
  

What's not good about this:
Sometimes, the over the top-ness is a bit kwa-cheong. Like the race for the Croquet or the beef race in the supermarket... :P Furthermore- i am just wonder how people can be so poor like the Yamada... sharing 1 bowl of dish every night. THAT is a bit kwa cheong.

Well, i wouldn't pass up this show. I find it interesting and have not stopped watching it. That is how i qualify if the show is good :)

Some interesting facts:

• Nimomiya is one of the first members in Arashi to star in a Hollywood movie. He had a part in the show Letters of Iwo Jima
• Taiwan has a similar series starring Vic Chou ( of F4) and the title is Poor Prince Taro.
  
• Sakurai Sho- is one of the few members of Arashi- who has gone to KEIO University
  

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