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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Akai Ito -Red Thread of Destiny

I have watched this for some time and haven't really found the "mood" to post things up on my dorama blog but hey. This is a good one to catch. If you guys don't already know, there is a movie out of the same name with the same cast of the show. The movie covers a condensed version of the dorama while the series ( by Fuji TV ) goes into more details.

The story is as most people know based on the mobile phone novel that had 36 million readers ( wow ) and i didn't initially pick it up because after watching Sky Of Love - i was thoroughly depressed. However, when the lead actor popped out on Astro... i thought i decided to check it out ( yes i am that shallow at times ).

Do you remember when you were in your teens, you had many friends but there is a small group which you were much closer to? Well, watching Akai Ito will bring back memories of such times. The red thread of destiny ( akai ito ) revolves around Atsushi Nishino and Mei Takemiya who from birth were bounded together by destiny and met when they where 15 going to 16 years of age.


Mei first met A-kun ( pronounced ah-kun and short for Atsushi ) in class when she picked up his chocolate bar. Theirs is a funny meeting at first, they keep bumping to each other in akward moments -such as, A-Kun, witnessing Mei being told that Yuza ( the person she originally liked before A-Kun ) was interested in her sister, her jumping around trying to get a phone reception on the school rooftop etc. ( That was a bit hilarious in some sense )


A-kun is initially a bit withdrawn from everyone and always seems to be having some chores or rushing off somewhere - and when asked by everyone he will say " i have things to do or" his favorite - "some adult situations to handle ... " however the group dynamics of mei's friends pulls him towards them.


The show does a flash back of how Mei and A-kun met 6 years back at a front of a cake shop and A-kun discovers a photo which gaves him indication they have met before. A little by little he realizes she was the little girl at the cake shop and slowly starts to fall in love with Mei. Check out the bit where A-kun asked Mei out on a first date- that was so cute! Lol

However, things turn a bit drastic after this, after the initial lovey dovey feel. As young teenagers, hormones raging, love affairs don't normally restrict to just a couple but there are others that interested in our hero and heroine. Taka, one of the guys from the group is interested in Mei, while Sara, ( the goth lolita girl ) was interested in Taka. Mei and A-kun themselves had a history in their family that has embedded deeply in drugs. A-kun's "adult situations" was actually his mother's drug problem that requires her to be in and out of rehab and hospitals as well. He hides his family problems from everyone including Mei, except with only the help of a guardian and Mami a girl he met when he was younger.

During a field trip to Nagasaki, Mei and A-kun set themselves up for a date which gets cut short 1/2 way as A-kun's mother gets admitted to hospital again this time. Leaving her alone with her friends in Nagasaki, Taka tries to make a move on her however, Sara who was having a crush on Taka feels betrayed and thought that mei was going out with Taka. She then decides to commit suicide unable to bear the hurt caused by this revelation. Here's where the story goes very fast pace here.

A-kun's mother's problems requires him to leave town for her rehabilitation to kick in and Mei, struggling to come to terms with Sara's attempted suicide starts of a series of misunderstanding that tears the 2 young lovers apart. Unable to understand A-kun's sudden departure from town ( he refuses to explain why to her and decides that the best way for her is to be cruel to her ) and also being blamed in school for Sara's suicide attempt, Mei, moves closer to Taka, the only person she thought understands here.


You need to watch the series as to what happens to A-kun and Mei from then on and whether these two star crossed lovers really get back together. The story will delve deeper into drug abuse and what happens to families when it happens, abuse ( yes, there is and i will not spoil your story you need to find out who ) and teenage pregnancy. I promise you at the end of the show your eyes won't be dry.
The 2 young thespians in this show deserve credit for this show. Junpei Mizobata plays the young A-kun. Now, when i watched him Hachi One Diver, i was not so impressed with him there. But in Akai Ito, he shines. A-kun is not one person who speaks a lot, but a lot of his emotions, feelings and thoughts are conveyed through Junpei's facial expressions. Also A-kun's character belies the maturity of a person so young bearing all his mother's problems stoically on his own. In someways, A-kun has become quite emotionally detached, that he rather put up with Mami liking him rather than to honestly tell her how he feels. There are some angles he looks a bit like a young takuya kimura with very expressive eyes, given the right drama, i think he can make it to takuya's level.

Mei was initially one character i thought who was pretty spineless but she turned out to be one of my favorite characters- her strength grows from each episode. The girl who plays mei looks sweet ( not very gorgeous but fits the story well ) and would love to save everyone except her self. The bits that really irked me in her character though when she accepted abuse from Taka ( aha- spoiler ) with reasons that i cannot fathom why one should. Possibly she blamed herself for his anger or insecurities. However despite what fate has thrown to her, unlike those around her that resorted

The other characters were well played, all likable yet characters with distinctive issues with each one of them. Only one i really do not like is Taka. I am not sure why they pick a guy who looks like a girl... what's with the over plucked eye brows for guys... Some how or rather he ended up not being my favorite character.

I have read some comments, this show is just for teenagers only but i don't really think so. A story if well told, will get audiences from all ages. The storyline maybe familiar but the actors and all carry the story to a point everyone can enjoy. If you start feeling any of the emotions any of the characters in show feel, i think it's a good show in my books. If you don't have anything to do this long weekend, catch this show.

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Last Friends

I must say, i am not into dark and deep dramas. Last Friends is such a drama but despite the darkness of the theme, i must say i did enjoy this drama. Does this sound twisted to you all?. This is particularly a difficult drama to watch as it deals with domestic violence in relationships. Not that i am in or was in that position but having witness a housemate many years ago, go through a similar situation was actually painful for some of the scenes.

Despite the cheery front cover, i bought the show not knowing the details behind the show. The story line is about young adults going through issues such as gender identification, incest ( of sorts ), domestic violence and finding the "right" one.

Michiru

Aida Michiru is a hairdresser in tokyo who is a sweet and simple girl. Michiru comes from a broken home and is looking for settling down with a nice young man. She thought she had found the right man in Oikawa Sousuke - a local councillor. The day of her moving in with Sousuke sets up a chance encounter with her school mate Kirishimoto Ruka. Michiru moves in with Sousuke and things seems peachy keen initially.

Ruka

Eri

Ruka, on the other hand while trying to chase Michiru, strikes up a friendship with Takeru a make up artist. She bumps into him in a department store, where she dropped her cup and he tries to return the item to her. Friendship grows from there and Takeru moves into a share house with Ruka and her housemate Eri. Who is later joined by Ogurin. The four live quite a happy life on the outside but each person has a deep dark secret within themselves.

Ruka who is a motorcross racer, has a day job as a mechanic and competes in motorcross races to gain access to All Japan male dominated championship. She does not see herself as a female but rather a racer or a rather sexless character. Her disdain for her own gender is shown when her trainer refers to her as a girl and does not have the ability of a man. However, when someone whom she does not like, tries to kiss her, she shows disdain as any normal girl would.

Creepy Sousuke

The story revolves around Michiru and Ruka who come to terms with a difficult relationship Michiru is going through with Sousuke. She finally becomes the 5th member of the share house when she appeals for Ruka to help her. That was quite a poignant moment for me because in cases of domestic violence the first break through is when the victim actually puts her/his hand out for help. Ruka, gladly offers. All is not as innocent as it seems as Ruka, is in love with Michiru. **shocker/spoiler**.

Difficult Topic #1

Takeru who seems like a gay make up artist isn't so actually as he is later diagnosed with the fear of sex. Wow. Men actually fear sex. Rare. Having been abused in his younger years, he cannot stand to touch a woman as it reminds him of his past - hence making every woman think he is gay. Until he spots Ruka. Now this is as complicate as you get. And to add on the complexity, later Michiru falls for Takeru.

The story dances around these topics and actually what's good about this show is how much detail goes into the show about the issues at hand. I have not seen an asian show that actually deals with such details before.

What i like about the show:
* The feel good factor when you are living as housemates- kinda reminded me of me uni days many many years back
* Friendships sometimes transcend all other aspects - sex, love, etc.
* How you stick out for one another - this is totally lacking recently in my work environment.
* Deals with difficult topic as bare as possible without being nauseating.
* Stunning acting from Ueno Juri- can you believe she is the girl in Nodame? Ditzy as she was in Nodame she completely plays the role of Ruka very well in this show.

What i dislike about the show
* Can't say much as i really cannot pint point anything i do not like about this show. It's good. I can see why it won many awards and also have a SP out.

Takeru

So who was my favorite character:
* Takeru for some reasons. I like the fact he is so thoughtful and caring- malaysian men - please. Watch this show. Take a book out of takeru's characters. Much as he knows Ruka loves Michiru, he rather be happy for ruka then to be happy for himself. So.. selfless... /:)

* That evil sousuke - my goodness. Such a good actor. I really found him so creepy and scary. I was at one stage not able to watch this character without having goose bumps. I still cannot understand what really motivated him to ill treat Michiru- besides the fact of an unhappy childhood, let alone what he did at the end. However, i did feel sorry for him in the end.

I would recommend this show for those who like deep and dark subjects. I for one, ( good as it is ) emotionally draining on me. I was exhausted after the whole series. Now. I need to go and un-depress myself with something more - lighter.

p/s: Utada Hikaru's song Prisoner of Love is so appropriate in this show. And the song is stuck on my head.

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Tomorrow(2008)

Dun talk with your mouth full, Dr Moriyama.

Like i mention, dorama season this year is pretty good in Japan. I have watched a few excellent ones this year. Well i am not complaining if there is such a windfall for me. I have been more of a japanese dorama fan than any other as you can see. Korean dramas are way to melodramatic for me and taiwanese - well i cannot really understand mandarin so i stick to my jdramas.

I was quite excited when YY said this drama was coming out. Reason being, i have not seen Yutaka Takenouchi in 2 years since his last show Kazoku. Which i think i reviewed before. Or did it. Here he plays a former doctor called Moriyama Kohei ( i so love the name - it sounds like those really traditional japanese names ) who left the profession due to a medical mistake. Moriyama decided to leave the city to forget about the medical profession and work as a civil servant in small town ( that looks like the town of Ise but actually filmed in Chiba prefecture )

The location of filming of the dorama.

Now, in japan medical mistakes are seriously taken ( unlike in malaysia ) where there is actually someone held responsible for the mistake. Sorry i find malaysia lacks a lot of things at times. And in this case, Moriyama took responsibilty of the death of a patient due to misdignosis of the condition. That was 8 years ago.

One day, a small accident in town makes Moriyama rethink his position as quiting. All this is due to the tenacity of a nurse Tanaka Aiko. Aiko works in small community hospital called Nishiyamamuro Hospital. It is a small somewhat run down hospital with many patients but few doctors or nurses. Yet the hospital serves this whole community whole heartedly regardless of this problems. Impending restructuring of the hospital sees that they need to turn away some patients but Aiko accepts them as the need to serve them is more. And Moriyama was impressed by her steadfastness.

A series of events leads to Moriyama finally donning the white doctor's coat where he had to save a pregnant woman from drowning in her own blood (SPOILER ) and he rethinks his decision to become back a doctor. Spurred by this event, he starts his part time job at Nishiyamamuro . But things don't end there so smoothly. Nurse Tanaka is connected to him in more than one ways. (SPOILER #2) and the arrival of a rather cold Endo Saya who is in charge of turning the hospital around to a more profitable enterprise.

Of course running a small town hospital means you have:
* Upstart young doctors trying to run the hosptial their way and privatise everything possible.
* Why so few doctors one?

I must say this story is a nailbitter. I sat through the show and could finish within 2-3 days. The story line intrigues you as it makes you fight for the underdogs in this show and there are many:

Underdogs:
* Moriyama Kohei himself- he struggles to gain confidence in himself and the people around him
* The hospital itself - it is such a stage of despair and lacking some human resources you feel for them
* The people of this small town itself - if the hospital goes bust they go bust!


The so- called challengers:

* Endo Saya

* The money eyed deputy mayor who cannot decide if he wants to be good or evil -:)

Now there is some truth in the show itself- alot of hospitals around Japan and around the world especially community hospital lack the funding that private hospitals has and it show cases problems faced by doctors and patients alike when money becomes a key factor in healing people.

What i like about this show:

I like this scene-part 1

I like this scene-part 2(spoiler!)

* Yutaka of course ! I must say i always prefer him short hair and clean shaven he looks very.. serious in this show but he is another one of the really great actors in Japan. Able to play many roles convincingly i find his role as Moriyama Kohei intense. You can see him struggle within himself - should he put his hand out to help or hide in his shell to avoid his own emotional lackings.

* Kanna Miho- superb actress here. Not the usual stricking beauty but her spunkiness in this show, challenging doctors and also her self to help people whom she sees is in need. I especially love 2 bits where 1) when her sister was seriously ill ( SPOILER #3) and her anguish was clearly written on her face. 2) when she fessed up she likes someone - hehehe -so sweet! This appears in the last bit but as you clearly know japanese dramas sometimes you can predict their ending.

* The small town feel. Call me old fashion but i love that feeling of being in a small time where you are quite close to everyone. Check out the bit where a major accident happened and there was not enough people to help out. I was like rooting for the poor doctors and nurses of the hospital.

* The show highlights common problems faced by a lot of people - many urgent and critical things with poor resources.

* Small touches like the sub story line on Endo Saya.

What i don't like about this show:
* Its too short- could have a run a few more episodes and this kitteh is happy.

* Quite a number of characters in the show that could be developed more. Of course this is only 10 episodes in shows so there is very little character development except for the leads.

* Kohei's character is something really too good. I won't be able to find any malaysian like him here. We unfortunately do not have such characteristics - and that sadly makes me think we don't have similar people in the world.

Those who are interested in medical dramas, do check out Tomorrow.

P/s: one more shot of Yutaka for the road - lol. Now, go back to work everyone.

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Upcoming Review:Tomorrow

Mmmm... dorama season this year is very good - here is a slight teaser - someone who disappeared for a few years and suddenly comes back with a rather good dorama. I haven't seen Yutaka in ages and boy... he does look good still. *kakkoii!!* It will be my next dorama review :)

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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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