Wrapped up Shomuni 1 today. One of those rare dramas where the last episode was the best one! I don't know how many dramas I've watched, you're going along great, and then the final episode is a let down. Guess I should start Shomuni 2 now.

Half way through Shomuni 2 and liking it a lot! The only thing is, on my copy, the soundtrack goes off sync about half way thru every episode, kind of aggravating, but this drama is so good I can live with it. Did anybody else have the same problem with theirs?

gaijinmark wrote:

Half way through Shomuni 2 and liking it a lot! The only thing is, on my copy, the soundtrack goes off sync about half way thru every episode, kind of aggravating, but this drama is so good I can live with it. Did anybody else have the same problem with theirs?

Don't recall that synching problem when I watched it...this is the jem hardsub you're watching, right?
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runpup wrote:

Don't recall that synching problem when I watched it...this is the jem hardsub you're watching, right?

Hmm, I think so, "goggles" up in one corner and the number 8 in the other corner. Maybe I'm just spending too much time watching Esumi's legs!!

gaijinmark wrote:

Hmm, I think so, "goggles" up in one corner and the number 8 in the other corner. Maybe I'm just spending too much time watching Esumi's legs!!

Yeah, those are the copies I had...hmm, didn't have that problem.

As for Esumi's legs, I went crazy every time she climbed that ladder!!!

You might get a kick out of this...Esumi's MV of "One Way Drive", the ending theme for Shomuni 2:

http://www.sendspace.com/file/i8df20
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The Cutest Girl in the World!

runpup wrote:

You might get a kick out of this...Esumi's MV of "One Way Drive", the ending theme for Shomuni 2: http://www.sendspace.com/file/i8df20

Arigato runup!!! I was wondering where a video of that might be! Thanks again!!!

Not sure what this is all about, but it got posted today at d-addicts

Shomuni Spring [Eng Subs] (Special)

http://www.d-addicts.com/forum/viewtopic_6901.htm
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Just wrapped up Shomuni 2 and I don't know really know where to start, so I'll just start:

I'm always somewhat skeptical of sequels, it seems they either just recycle the original or go too far the other way, make so many changes it destroys the magic of the original.

Such was not the case with Shomuni 2 the writing picked up a notch (or two) and the acting kept pace with it. Every episode is so good, you could just watch it by itself and it stands on it's own merits. I always used Long Vacation as my "gold standard" for rating dramas, it was the only drama I had ever given a "10" to. Well, Long Vacation has a neighbor at the top!

(Now I have to find some "cannon fodder" to watch before checking out Shomuni 3 )

Dipping my toe in the Shomuni thread...but urk! I'm amazed there's only 3 pages.

Only on ep 2 of series 1, but wowee. There's not one character I think unecessary. Even the fat cat is great!

@ Gaijinmark - the discs I have sound like the eps you have (mine have "goggles" and an "8" in the corner, too), but so far I've noticed no problem with the sound. Did this problem begin from the first ep for you?

runpup wrote:

Nice thing about Shomuni is no lack of antagonists...Takahashi Katsumi as Terasaki Torao and Ito Toshihito as Nonomura...

@runpup -
What a great double act! Aw, that's so sad about Ito Toshihito (I had no idea). How did he die?

keps

Quote:

What a great double act! Aw, that's so sad about Ito Toshihito (I had no idea). How did he die?

If memory serves, he died of a brain aneurysm. Shortly before filming on series 3 began he went into the hospital complaining of headache. They ran some tests, thought everything was okay, and on the day he was to be released from the hospital, he collapsed and died.

There were a number of articles about it floating around at the time.

Mostly about how shocked the rest of the cast was, and how no one wanted to do the show after he'd died.

But he died either one or two days before filming was set to begin. Contracts had been signed, scripts written, sets built, and publicity had already begun. So they couldn't back out.

I've always thought that that's why #3 seemed a bit faster, a bit more high energy, a bit sillier and more fanciful.

I had the feeling the cast and the writers were pushing themselves, because they didn't want it to seem like they were just going through the motions.
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Keps wrote:

@ Gaijinmark - the discs I have sound like the eps you have (mine have "goggles" and an "8" in the corner, too), but so far I've noticed no problem with the sound. Did this problem begin from the first ep for you?

I don't remember right off hand, just finished epi 9 of Shomuni 3 don't want to venture an opinion yet, but I have to say, episode 7 (the "Best Couple/Golden Guy" episode) is one of the best of the whole 3 series!!

Thank you Geezer. How tragic. Ito didn't look that old either.

I'm at the beginning of series 1, so have yet to see how the 3 series compare. But Ito's death will now always be in the back of my mind whilst watching Shomuni.

@ Gaijinmark - it'll be interesting to hear what you make of Shomuni as a whole once you have completed this last series.
(but are you jealous that I am just starting out on my Shomuni journey?!)

Beautiful.

Just received this (series 1 and 2) from cori... now i'm really looking forward to it!

Keps wrote:

(but are you jealous that I am just starting out on my Shomuni journey?!)

A little. Once I finish Shomuni 3 I might go back and watch Shomuni 1 again. It took me awhile to get into it. At first I thought it was going to center on Kotomi Kyono's character, and I had never encountered a character like Chinatsu Tsuboi before, SHE took some time getting used to!!!

Some nice screenshots -

Tsuboi Chinatsu (Esumi Makiko) -





Tsukahara Sawako (Kyono Kotomi) -

Finished Shomuni 3 now the depression sets in. It was better than Shomuni 1 but not quite up to Shomuni 2's level. Which would have been damn hard to reach, but they gave it a good effort. There were times that it seemed like they were trying too hard and I was thinking, "bring it down a notch, let it flow more naturally" Kind of like a pitcher that tries to throw a real hard fastball and puts so much effort into it, instead of throwing a strike, it goes 2 feet over the batters head.

Episodes 7 and 11 were definitely classics, and I'm sure I'll be visiting them again. What's amazing to me is how rarely we get a drama that has 11 or 12 good episodes and here you have 36 episodes and there aren't any that I would call "forgettable" Truly great work by the writers, cast, and everyone involved.

^ Very nice review, gaijinmark.
It makes me excited about watching series 2 in particular.

I'm up to ep 5, and I thought this was the best ep so far. So very funny. Sawako's dad was brilliant.

Keps wrote:

Tsukahara Sawako (Kyono Kotomi) -

Momo-chan...!!!

Anime Dad wrote:

Just received this (series 1 and 2) from cori... now i'm really looking forward to it!

Hope you enjoy it! I saw it a while ago and from what I could remember, they were pretty good. And I'll be sending Shomuni 3 to you in my next shipment.
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Japanese drama trades (on hiatus)

Currently watching: Netflix stuff