Joined: 03 Dec 2006 Posts: 822 Location: England Country:
Posted: Mon Feb 15, 2010 4:34 am Post subject:
Series 2 of Liar Game (watched it all over the last week) Can't WAIT for the movie love that show a lot. You get so frustrated but then they win and you feel all smug with them XD
Watched ep 4 of Yamato Nadeshiko the other week will prolly watch ep 5 tonight... need to get my sakabun done first though GAH! I wish we didn't have such a stupid topic to write on in Japanese, I can't even think of anything to put in English let alone Japanese >><< _________________
Joined: 06 Sep 2008 Posts: 134 Location: United Kingdom Country:
Posted: Mon Feb 15, 2010 8:31 am Post subject:
I've just watched the last episode of Ninkyo Helper. The basic premise is dumb (a group of Yakuza work in an old folks' home) but it turned out to be one of the most involving and in sometimes intelligent and realistic doramas I've seen. It is at its best when it deals with the consequences of old age and dementia on people and their friends and family. This is done in a considered and thankfully non-overly sentimental way. Also, Kusanagi Tsuyoshi and Natsukawa Yui (as ever) are both excellent and their (and her son's) problems and relationships where handled expertly.
The Yakuza part of the show was just silly. This isn't helped by the fact that most of them where played by non-acting interchangeable pretty-boys (and one non-acting pretty-girl). I've never seen a bigger bunch of wimps in my life. There's no way they could survive a fight with a rival gang, in fact some of them would be lucky to survive a particularly strenuous bowel movement.
The good by far outweighs the bad, however. Recommended.
I've just watched the last episode of Ninkyo Helper. The basic premise is dumb (a group of Yakuza work in an old folks' home) but it turned out to be one of the most involving and in sometimes intelligent and realistic doramas I've seen. It is at its best when it deals with the consequences of old age and dementia on people and their friends and family. This is done in a considered and thankfully non-overly sentimental way. Also, Kusanagi Tsuyoshi and Natsukawa Yui (as ever) are both excellent and their (and her son's) problems and relationships where handled expertly.
The Yakuza part of the show was just silly. This isn't helped by the fact that most of them where played by non-acting interchangeable pretty-boys (and one non-acting pretty-girl). I've never seen a bigger bunch of wimps in my life. There's no way they could survive a fight with a rival gang, in fact some of them would be lucky to survive a particularly strenuous bowel movement.
The good by far outweighs the bad, however. Recommended.
Yeah, I pretty much thought the same...
And what can you say about Natsukawa Yui that hasn't been said?
Joined: 13 Feb 2010 Posts: 189 Location: Ontario Country:
Posted: Mon Feb 15, 2010 9:47 am Post subject:
Going to finish Code Blue along with the Special later tonight. I'll try to keep a straight face after the Yamapuppet comments when he comes on screen .
Joined: 11 May 2009 Posts: 479 Location: up hill and down dale Country:
Posted: Mon Feb 15, 2010 8:19 pm Post subject:
bmwracer wrote:
The likeness is stunning, eh Evie?
Actually, I thought the puppet looked more alive.
hypnosurf22 wrote:
Code Blue 1 was so so but there were some memorable moments. I think Code Blue 2 has so far been more enjoyable. As far as Yamapi goes I don't know why he gets dissed so much. He does a good job in his roles. I've pretty much enjoyed all his dramas. Btw, Yoroshiku Anime Dad
Good for you, that you're liking CB2 more. Oh don't mind the dissing, it's all done out of love. (Okay, maybe not by everyone here. ) I just think YamaPi's earlier work (NwP, Stand UP!, even Lunch no Joou) was lots more enjoyable than his more recent stuff.
OT:
NINKYO HELPER Ep. 4
@ Cerebus - Yeah, it's a dumb premise all right. But I'm also liking the realism in tackling the aging issues. (The Ep. 2 arc had me in tears. My fave episode so far.) I'm just finding the resolution of each episode a little too pat.
Click on button to reveal/hide spoiler:
The Senior Citizen du jour gets conveniently disposed of at the end of each episode--i.e. we don't need the obasan anymore, so let's make the relatives move to another town! the ojiisan's story is finished, so let's make him start a fight and get expelled! The episode endings feel too expedient, is all. I keep comparing the setup to ENGINE, where the kids were part of the foster home for the entire run, and only the story's focus shifted from one kid to the next every episode. But the interactions between the kids and the teachers/Jiro were what kept the story engaging, start to finish. I'm not seeing the same thing in NINKYO HELPER. Instead it's, goodbye old person! We learned a valuable life lesson from you! Now on to the next!
This drama feels like a procedural, with old folks' dilemmas in place of medical/legal cases. Anyway, I'm not halfway done, so maybe it'll get better later.
Kusanagi Tsuyoshi = I don't see the mild-mannered, soft-spoken, sweet, sweet-tempered SMAP dude anywhere! He totally disappeared into his character! (I keep wishing his character on this drama would go beat up the SMAP dudes *cough* KimuTaku *cough* who always pick on the real Kusanagi Tsuyoshi, lolz. )
qnuy wrote:
he's a great actor, but most people underestimate him because of his look
True that! But I think his weird face (lol) is a plus for him. If he were too cute or too hot, it'd be distraaaacting.
Joined: 19 Aug 2003 Posts: 3125 Location: S.F. Bay Area Country:
Posted: Tue Feb 16, 2010 5:01 am Post subject:
And... I haven't finished it yet.
Nakama fans will love it. Sei Ashina fans will say, "geez-oh, she's hot!".
But I need to see where they go with it.
Nakama has pretty much perfected her "comic but determined" character, and since I like the character it's fun to watch her work. But this one seems to want me to pay attention to the plot, and so far the plotting seems a bit thin. _________________
Nakama fans will love it. Sei Ashina fans will say, "geez-oh, she's hot!".
But I need to see where they go with it.
Nakama has pretty much perfected her "comic but determined" character, and since I like the character it's fun to watch her work. But this one seems to want me to pay attention to the plot, and so far the plotting seems a bit thin.
I hope this is better than Joshi Deka!... Man, that drama really tested my patience... And fast-forward button.
She's been in some mediocre dramas of late... Gokusen sequel curse, maybe?
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(I keep wishing his character on this drama would go beat up the SMAP dudes *cough* KimuTaku *cough* who always pick on the 
)
