[Movie] Kisarazu Cats Eye: Nihon Series

2003

Starring: Okada Junichi, Sakurai Sho, Sato Ryuta, Tsukamoto Takashi, Okada Yoshinori, Sakai Wakana, Kohinata Fumiyo, Yakushimaru Hiroko, Furuta Arata...

[Warning: Lotsa spoilers. Beware.]

Half a year passed and Bussan found himself alive and kicking. The quintet yet again found themselves involved in crazy shit and getting out of trouble illogically easily.

Bambi retains his Mr. Kisarazu title for two years. The future scene where the four became crazy old men pestering a pizza delivery guy who looks exactly like Bussan showed that Moko and Bambi remained together - or not. Really I cannot tell which is the truth and which is crap in the Kisarazu Cats Eye series. But yeah, Bambi and Moko are still tight... Moko still seems to have a thing for Bussan. Anyways, Bambi seems to have beaten Bussan to the title, yet again.

Master, still married. Still horny despite marriage. Still manage to retain his wife's affections by saying "I love you".

Ani... we now know Ani's real name and it is too complicated to call therefore, Ani is fine with being Ani. Ani is still stupid.

Ucchie is no longer such an enigma. It has been revealed in the previous series that his dad is a spy for the CIA. Well, I'd think that his dad is an English-speaking wacko who loves the sea and Ucchie's mom probably have kinky games to play with his dad while his dad dresses up as a sailor.

Ozzy is back!!! T_T But there's a twist! xD

Kishidan is back too! xD This drama is getting more and more hilarious with every spawn it throws out.

The moment they sing the Kisarazu Cats Eye theme song. I choked. I seriously choked. xD OMFG like... Okada Junichi is not like this~ unless when he is high. I think he gets high before filming such characters.

The boysies' adoration for Aikawa Sho is just... I can't even begin to express how ridiculous this is. This reminds me of Stephen Chow and his ridiculous movies which I just cannot tear myself away from. Though nowadays, I cannot hold an interest for more than a month. Sad. Me.

Anyways, xD CAMEOS are great.

So, this time, there will be Korean hostess club, money forgery, an old flame of Mirei's and lots and I mean LOTS of Yassai Mossai. xD Oh yeah and their other worldly experience of sex and crabs. (Not pubic lice, the crabs you eat. Like the ones with the hard shell.) And... how can I forget the Gomingo Monstaaa...

Yeah, to sum it all up in a few words: Pure Crap.

Rating: 2.5/5 I am extremely entertained. Extremely. But... seriously? I don't get it at all. xD Its kinda like... its so bad, its good.

[Drama] Utahime

2007

Episodes: 11

Starring: Nagase Tomoya, Aibu Saki, Sato Ryuta, Ohkura Tadayoshi, Koike Eiko...

A young man named Akira traveled to a rural countryside on behalf of her mother to watch a movie when a really old, broken cinema was to put up its last showing. Akira's mother, a songstress who decided that she would retire after her father, Akira's grandfather's death. She expressed that it would be a meaningful, life-changing movie that Akira will be watching, called "Utahime". As Akira arrived at the cinema, he found out that the cinema was closing because the owner's mother passed away the month before and it was written in her will that this movie - written by James Taro, about a man who lost his memory and the women who loved him - be the last movie the cinema will show. As Akira was looking at the pamphlet of the movie, the scene switches to a 1950s Japan and a man who looks exactly like Akira was riding on a bicycle, delivering reels of films.

Taro, Akira's grandfather, turned out to be a live-in worker at the local theater - Orion za(the one Akira was to visit half a century later.) The owner of the restaurant gladly took him in to live with the owner's wife and his young daughter - Suzu. It was later revealed that Taro was in the army before he arrived in this small town, he was found by Suzu and her father, drifting in the river and was saved by them. He woke up remembering nothing of his past and the war, not knowing where he was from. His only hint was a broken pocket watch without a chain. The family took Taro in and the four of them lived happily together but was often interrupted by the local Yakuza gang.

The drama follows Taro and Suzu's life in the small town, how they overcome the problems of everyday life and how Suzu loved Taro, how Taro avoided her love for fear of complication if and when he remembers his past... and then there is a little but expected twist. This is the negative point of flashbacks. You can tell what will happen because the fragments of the future often contain hints. And I am a master at flashbacks as I realized, back in high school, I wrote a lot of essays and about 90% of the stories I wrote are flashbacks. Oh how I loved the hint dropping incorporated at the beginning. ^^

*****

O_O I actually thought Nagase Tomoya and Aibu Saki look cute together. To think I was always on Team Ayumi. Tsk tsk tsk. The love between their characters is apparent very early on. The ending I can also pretty much predict.

Nagase Tomoya seems to be playing a character with a wee bit more depth than his previous characters that I have seen such as that "Mukodono" dude and the "My Boss My Hero" dude. Dual personality. Savvy.

Ohkura Tadayoshi's James prances around with a lovely hairstyle. I like! His character's obsession with James Dean is absolutely hilarious. xD Am starting to remember him already! Yes, I had a period of time where I forgot Ohkura. xD He is always rebelling without a cause in the drama. xD

The theme song "SEISYuN" by none other than TOKIO has a nice retro feel to it. Though I have to say... in episode 2, when Nagase was trying to sing "Jailhouse Rock"... what the hell?! Its... T_T horrible. The pronunciation, I mean. He could have spent a few more days learning it, really. It turned out to be a complete joke. And I know I am being hard on him, but still...

The viewership rating is a stunningly LOW 7.9% on average in the Kanto region. WOW. xD That's something... Anyways, I do not start something I don't finish. (Well, not really. Just thought it sounded cool to say that.) So I finished it.

Sato Ryuta playing a bad guy... I was pessimistic from the beginning. A person with that face cannot play a bad guy. Turns out, I was right. His character is the perfect idiot.

[Spoilers from episode 7] Taro's wife, played by Koike Eiko appeared, I think that its really selfish that the family kept it from him. Sure, James and his determination to fix the ideal couple up is admirable, sure, of course you would want the person you are closer to to be happy instead of some unknown stranger. BUT, BUT, BUT, its just unfair. Let Taro make the choice! Taro should have the right to make his own choices. No one would be happy if they have to keep the secret from Taro, definitely not Suzu. She might have to live in fear of Taro remembering the past suddenly and blaming them for not telling. Suzu is too selfish and stupid for keeping Taro like that, praying at the temple for Taro to stay. Even if he stays, she won't be happy knowing that he might remember anytime. Its so annoying that people are no farsighted enough to see that secrets are crap!

[Spoilers from episode 10] Miwako is so great that she could have been wrapping up her husband and giving it to Suzu graciously and Suzu is so selfish that she did not tell Taro that he has a daughter. Bitch. Miwako~~ thou art great. She understands, you see, that if she forces Taro to go back, neither of them would be happy. She could even admit that he fell for another girl and accepted the fact that he doesn't love her anymore. Hows that for being mature? T_T Poor thing.

[Spoilers from episode 11 - finale] Its so unfair that they portray Taro to be someone who just go back to his life pre-war for his daughter and his daughter is the sole reason for him to go back. Its unfair. Does Miwako mean nothing to him? Yeah, yeah the main characters have eternal love. Whatever. I think I will gag. Taro wrote a script based on their love story which was to be the film that Akira traveled so far to watch. James added the finishing touch, thus the James Taro~ double first names. xD I kinda had a feeling that Akira and Ruriko were to resume the story that their respective grandparents failed to complete earlier on. I was right! And I knew Suzu was going to marry Croissant. Croissant is such a great guy inside, despite being a crybaby. Sabako outlived all of the others. Sabako is great.

Now what does this drama tells you, kids? You don't always marry Mr. Right. Life is about compromise... even if it means that you will marry a crybaby named Croissant. T_T

Rating: 3/5

Was a bit slow for my taste.

[Drama] Kisarazu Cat's Eye

ada2002

Episodes: 9

Starring: Okada Junichi, Sakurai Sho, Sato Ryuta, Tsukamoto Takashi, Okada Yoshinori, Sakai Wakana, Kohinata Fumiyo, Yakushimaru Hiroko, Furuta Arata, Narimiya Hiroki...



This drama follows the story of Bussan (real name Tabuchi Kouhei) who was diagnosed with cancer when he was 21 years of age. It was then that he decided that he was going to do some serious shit, since he had only 6 months to live, he might as well just go around and do all sorts of shit along with 4 of his pals, Bambi, Master, Ani and Ucchie. Set in a town called Kisarazu, hence the title and the name of the group, the story is laced with eccentricity and um... wackiness.



Actually, the idea sprouted when Bambi asked Bussan if he has anything that he wants to do before the half a year passes by, besides what he had been doing up till that point in time - which is drinking and baseball and that is about all. After considering the alternatives at hand... such as finding a girlfriend, debut in a band and being a pornstar, Bussan settled on the idea of doing suspenseful crap.



Bambi is a university student, Master is a father, Ani is the loser elder brother of a future baseball star, Ucchie... he is an enigma. And Bussan is a dying man. This is the story of how friends support each other through doing meaningless stuff when one of them is dying. ^^


*****

Frankly, I have no effin' idea what the story was actually conveying or where the story was heading. Its a weird one, sort of like young people doing meaningless crazy shit kinda story. The money they got from their adventures are never used for themselves.

You know... weird stuff.

Young Sho. xD Back when he wasn't that stupid. Young Okada, before he becomes the hotshot that he is today. Tsukamoto Takashi, whom to this day, isn't really as big as he should be.

I like the cast, I like the concept of young people doing crazy shit. I like how Bussan decided that he should do something different before his death. I like the weirdness of the drama. But above all, I like the idea of friends sticking together through thick and thin. You don't get that in real life. NO YOU DON'T. Plus there is a hint of humanity in the drama. Just a hint. Amongst all the crazy stuff.

Yeah, and when did Okada become the sex-oozing mancandy that he is today? I would say around the time he starred in Tiger and Dragon eh? He should always have black hair, with black hair, he has that refined... perfect look. I said it before and I will say it over and over again. I think Okada is the hottest man that has debuted under Johnny's Jimusho and is still in the industry. Because the early old farts, I am unsure of how they look with proper grooming, I will begin only with SMAP. KimuTaku's looks eroded through time and him, at his peak, to me, is still not as hot as Okada. Period.

I look at Okada and the image of a boy born with a silver spoon stuffed up his ass came to me. He lost almost all of his Kansai accent hasn't he? Wonder why. T_T Back then, he was totally stupid. As was Morita and Miyake. Watching V6's early shows is extremely entertaining.

Sakurai Sho... what can I say about the man?

Rating: 3.5/5 - Solely because of the hotties. I don't get the first few episodes. The eccentricity threw me off. But, the cameos are great. Aikawa Sho, Kishidan. xD And the name dropping. From The Blue Hearts to Yoshiki of X Japan to Komuro Tetsuya. xD Luv it. References to pop culture of Japan... though a wee bit outdated... but yeah. Tsumabuki Satoshi!!! xD

[Drama] Bambino

2007

Starring: Matsumoto Jun, Karina, Sato Ryuta, Mukai Osamu...

Ban Shogo is a naive wannabe chef from Fukuoka who was very proud of his dishes and skills, that is until he was sent to a high class Italian restaurant in Roppongi, Tokyo for exposure. Ban slowly learned that he boasted about his skills too soon. From his fellow colleagues in the kitchen of the Baccanale restaurant, he slowly sharpened his skills and improved his efficiency.

*****

I kinda like this drama because of the cast, and the theme song and the food. I like to watch people cook. Makes me happy. Cos well, you know how girls really can't stuff their faces with food... especially when you don't exercise... and... this isn't the place to talk about it. xD Back to the drama...

But yeah, its a good drama, I like it very much and I can't stop watching it. Its cliched, of course. It that familiar storyline that you seem to know very well yet cannot pinpoint where is it that you have seen it before. Most probably because every story about a determined young man with an ambition follows the same formula.

Young cocky man has ambition, thinks he's close to achieving something big. Young cocky man realizes the competitive world out there and his own uselessness. Young cocky man works hard. Young cocky man succeeds. Everyone warms up to young cocky man. Somewhere along the line, young cocky man is no longer young cocky man but young almost-omnipotent man. xD Okay, not omnipotent, but extremely skilled and stuff.

And oh crap, is that Nobuo Kyou that I spotted in episode 10? I am not sure cos there isn't any record or anything of him on the cast list. Is it? I am convinced it is. That S.O.B. is plaguing me, ruining Oscar and Ren for me... now he keeps appearing in small roles here and there. RAWR HIM. RAWR.

Rating:
4.5/5 (May be biased... Can't help it though. ^^)

[Drama] Tsubasa no Oreta Tenshi-tachi

The title literally means the Angels with Broken Wings and the theme song is "Resistance" by Nakashima Mika. We like Nakashima Mika.

Season 1


Tsubasa no Oreta Tenshi-tachi has two seasons, the first stars Ueto Aya, Horikita Maki, Yamada Yu and Ueno Juri as four girls who messed up in their lives and then got enlightened. Each girl are troubled by either money, regret, ambition and men respectively but eventually found their way back.

Episode 1 - Celeb (Ueto Aya)


Komine Nanako is from a modest background. Like every girl from a modest background, she looks up to the lives of the rich and famous. Nanako works hard everyday, including bedding men, but on a particular day of the week, she is able to live her dream as she becomes one of the special customers of a glamourous clothing shop. Dressed in her best, she visits that shop and befriended the owner who would bring dresses from the fashion capital of Paris just for Nanako. Every week, Nanako would spend her hard earned money on the expensive clothes. That is until one day, she befriended a young rich girl and learned that money cannot always buy happiness.

Episode 2 - Live Chat (Horikita Maki)


In the world of live chat, a girl known as Yuna has a job that requires her to chat to whoever that wanted to chat with her through the webcam. For some reason, this pretty girl is unwilling to go out into the real world and work there, thus she chats with people through a webcam for a living. When she goes out, she hides her face with whatever means possible and is extremely reclusive. That is until one day, a man came and chat with her and gave her encouraging words. She began to brighten up and is starting to be able to raise her head up high when she goes grocery shopping. That is until she found out who the man on the other side of the conversations is...

Episode 3 - Actress (Yamada Yu)


Yoshii Nao had an exchange of angry words with her parents when she decided that her family's doll-making business is not going to be part of her future. Nao had always wanted to be an actress and is prepared to move to Tokyo to try her hand in the acting world. But looking for opportunity is easier said and done as produces and casting directors everywhere decided that she isn't right for any major roles. Sick of being cast as an extra all the time, Nao ventured into the world of AV. Supporting herself by having a job as a hostess and having a hair stylist as an understanding boyfriend, she struggles to hide the AV job that she did. One day, her supposedly senile grandfather reunited with her in Tokyo and changes appear in her life.

Episode 4 - Slot (Ueno Juri)


Ryoko grew up without parents. She found herself being treated horribly by many of her boyfriends yet is willing to do anything just to be loved, such is the behavior of a child that grew up without the love of parents. One day, like any other day, Ryoko went home to see his boyfriend cuddling another girl, as angry as she was, she let it go. The next day she woke up to find her boyfriend gone and a little boy was left in his care. Convinced that this is the boyfriend's child she tried to contact the boyfriend, Kenji but failed. With no choice left, she had to take care of the child for a week, as mentioned by Kenji in a note on the table. Little did she know that this child will change the direction of her life and teach her things that she never knew about herself.

Season 2


This season tells the life changing story of four more young girls. At this point, it becomes a rather repetitive thing and kinda bores the shit out of me but then I have to finish it. And of course there's Oshinari Shugo in the second episode... la~ la~

Episode 1 - Impulse (Ishihara Satomi)


Yuri always sought for means to end her life. With a cold and uncaring single mother whom she thinks doesn't want to see her and her mundane convenience store job, she felt that she has no reason to live. Every time Yuri felt that she has to reason to live, she would climb to the top floor of a particular building and then hang at the corner, it is at that point between life and death that she decides which too choose. One day, a seemingly cheerful young man approaches her over and over again, often at the point where Yuri almost chose death, he saved her from it. Yuri soon learned a whole new perspective of life from the man named Hiroki.

Episode 2 - Sakura (Toda Erika)


Haruka is a girl that is dissatisfied with her poor parents and her father who seems to be too honest and stubborn. Because of her father's honesty, he got fired and the family struggles to send Haruka to university. This is when Haruka decided that she would become a 'Sakura' that is a girl who swindles the geeks at internet cafes. She would juggle a few men and have them buy her gifts which she would resell and earn money from that. By chance - or so she thought - she met Kouki, a handsome young man who is rich and ambitious. Haruka thought that she has found the man of her dreams but...

Episode 3 - Time (Kato Rosa)


Kana is a young competitive swimmer that is under a lot of pressure to be successful in the sport. With pressure from her father (her two siblings are swimming champions) and her coach, she seeks to release her tension by stealing goods for fun. She felt that she never had time for anything as her priority is swimming. One day, as usual, Kana does her theft-therapy at the same convenience story and she was caught by her childhood friend, Daisuke. The string of events that happened later that day will have an effect on her aim to win the competition. Kana slowly learned that she is striving blindly towards an aim that isn't really what she wanted.

Episode 4 - Merchandise (Karina)


Satou Yoshimi became Misaki when she went under the knife, threw away the face that she was born with and thus threw away her past. She became beautiful and is currently the top hostess at a hostess club. Her every wish will be made reality by her client, Maekawa who seeks to fulfill her wishes for his own pleasure. Even though she has many things that she didn't have before, somehow, she felt that something is missing. One evening, after work, she stopped by a pet shop and befriended one of the employees and a puppy at the shop. Slowly, she discovers what is the one thing that she desires most.

[Drama] Gal Circle

Starring: Fujiki Naohito, Toda Erika, Suzuki Emi, Aragaki Yui, Yaguchi Mari, Iwase Mayuko...

One day, a cowboy from Arizona named Shinnosuke was sent to Shibuya, Japan by his friend Geronimo III to search for a 17-year-old girl named Imoko. Not knowing the reason behind his search and not having any information other than the ones mentioned above, Shinnosuke sets out on his mission.

He traveled using a helicopter and when he arrived in Shibuya, he jumped off the helicopter with a parachute. While viewing Shibuya from above Shinnosuke saw a group of girls dancing the Para para. Convinced that Imoko should be one of them, he searched around for the group of girls.

After a series of events everyone around the area warmed up to Shinnosuke because of his innocence, kindness and his ability to solve problems.

*****

WTF?! Fujiki Naohito? I never knew you could be this stupid!

I don't know what to say about this drama.

The sight of Fujiki wearing the cowboy costume and speaking English is just odd.

And, and, and he uses the word "Shit" like ten times in here.

The first episode had me laughing a lot, but then they just stop the make sense. The stories, I mean. Oh well, I missed episode 6 because of some reason...

Anyways, yeah okay. Whatever.

Rating:
5/10

Its not that its bad... its just odd.