brad2 wrote:

Well the thing that makes it hard for me is that I can't understand why they have a man in his thirties or so, playing a 14 yr old boy. I know that at that time Japanese boys were regarded as mature once they had their name given officially. However Kiyomori is such a retarded person when it comes to his attention to his father and his family and what his future is going to be. He is forever rushing madly out of the house when something new is said or done. He just can't grow up yet. Why do they do this casting ?? Same with GOU. I hated that beginning stuff with Ueno playing a nine year old girl. They have plenty of really good child actors in Japan so it doesn't make much sense.

Kiyomori is still only in his teens in the first 10 eps or so?? I must really start playing catch-up with the eps I'm missing (stuck at 4). Matsuyama is only 27, but I didn't realise he'd be playing teenage Kiyomori as well...

I can't relate to Kiyomori in the eps I've watched, he's so annoying and stupid. He just fails at seeing the big picture for even one second and that makes it very hard to root for him to succeed. Sometimes I wonder why Tadamori even bothered with him...
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Matsuyama appears to be playing the same character that he did in Sexy Voice and Robo where he was an otaku that collected robots. I'm hoping he'll outgrow it, if he doesn't we could be in for a long year.

junny wrote:

I can't relate to Kiyomori in the eps I've watched, he's so annoying and stupid. He just fails at seeing the big picture for even one second and that makes it very hard to root for him to succeed. Sometimes I wonder why Tadamori even bothered with him...

Maybe it has to do with the performance and not the actual character...?

I think you may be right about it being the performance. I can't see how a man who is almost thirty, who is married and has a child, can take himself back into the mindset of a fourteen year old kid.
At that age there is rebellion and still a gormless boy who hasn't yet grown into his skin.
I think once they let him get past this now sixteen year old wannabe samurai, we will see a man who finally gets his life on the road so to speak.

Yes, it's the performance, although it doesn't help that I never thought Matsuyama capable of leading a taiga. He just doesn't look competent enough.

How is Tamaki Hiroshi doing as the would-be villain?
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Frankly they all look like villains most of the time... and half the time Kiyomori does not stand out and I forget who he is until the scene makes it clear with dialogue. I mean his face is not one to pull the attention for his looks.
I wonder if they will ever take a shower or dip in the river.

Kiyomori is also technically a villain himself.
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WD
That's so true. It's amazing how many successful men were once vagabonds and thieves. Once all the requisite dead bodies are behind them , they become highly regarded members of society.

And so it goes.

Fukada Kyoko is supposed to show up in the next episode. I'm just curious if/when Kiyomori gets married does that mean he'll finally take a bath?!!?

gaijinmark wrote:

I'm just curious if/when Kiyomori gets married does that mean he'll finally take a bath?!!?

Not one of the times you would want Smell-O-Vision.

Apparently the story gets better after Fukada Kyoko appears. Will wonders never cease...
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junny wrote:

Apparently the story gets better after Fukada Kyoko appears. Will wonders never cease...

Haha.

Usually the opposite happens, ne?

This may be the "good actresses all die off" Taiga. First it was Kazue Fukiishi and now Ai Kato.

Which is not helping me maintain my interest.

every time I see matsuyama I always remember Krauser and Kyoko as Doronjo.

I want to see them both wear the Krauser and Doronjo costume!!!!

Krauser x Doronjo will save the day!

"korosu korosu korosu! sukapontan!"........lol!

I saw this posted on another forum which explains a lot:

"Kiyomori is star packed, yes, but the best actors can't do anything if the script sucks monkey balls."

Concise and to the point.

Rating for last Sunday's episode is only 0.01% away from being the worst in history.
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Ran across this link, it's got some nice pictures, just click on the thumbnails and they expand: http://www9.nhk.or.jp/kiyomori/special/index.html

Up thru episode 22 it is slowly growing on me. I really liked Koji Yamamoto as "Yorinaga".

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying this Taiga is great, or even good. It won't make me forget "Dokuganryu Masamune". It won't even make me forget "Shinsengumi", but I think in the long run it's going to be better than it's predecessor. (Which isn't too hard.)

brad2 wrote:

Kiyomori is getting so depressing and so violent. It is showing the worst side of what the samurai life was in those early days. Once again the lead is not helping matters. The supporting cast is doing the job of acting. .

They do seem to be killling off all the good actors on a regular basis. I'm wondering if there will be anybody left by the time they get to the end.

gaijinmark wrote:

They do seem to be killling off all the good actors on a regular basis. I'm wondering if there will be anybody left by the time they get to the end.

I haven't been watching, so is Fujiki's character Saigyo still alive in there?
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