Cheer
The Morgue
The drama is based on a manga that I haven’t read so I can’t compare but from the overview, I am sure this story can make a fine anime if that’s ever planned. I always said that Japanese tend to pick interesting and different plots for their dramas; this is definitely one of those intriguing topics that invade Japanese seasons each year. The plot may seem a little heavy due to some episodic procedures but it’s smartly written to overtake certain sensitivity against the episodic pattern.
S - Saigo no Keikan (aka S - The Last Policeman) is about Special Forces in the Japanese police organization and their way of handling terrorist attacks or situations. The main focus of the drama is NPS, a new special force that gathers the qualities of two older Special Forces SAT and SIT. NPS’s purpose is to secure criminals without killing them, that’s the main belief of the force, its members and our main lead. The operations’ build-up feels quite real although the final outcome can be fairly dramatized for the sake of emotions.
Despite being a straightforward action drama with lots of gun shooting and explosions, the drama’s main focus was the ethics and the feelings behind each case. It’s indisputably not brainless action for the sake of entertainment, it’s also not action games for the sake of thrills, military techniques or the suspense; it’s action for the sake of human emotions and relationships. It was an interesting take of the police, its higher-ups and the power struggle between Special Forces.
Acting wise, this drama’s producers knew how to choose their leads, supporting roles and even guest stars. Mukai Osamu and Ayano Go had a good chemistry as opposites in the same line of work. Although Ichigo’s character would sound a little cheesy with his over-concentration on not killing any criminal but he managed to keep the character interesting until the very last end. However, Ayano’s Soga was more penetrating with a cold character and a detailed back story. Another interesting character must be Odagiri Joe’s Masaki Keigo, the actor does crazy roles so well; I am glad I will be seeing lots of him this year. If we talk about acting then we shouldn’t forget the veteran Omori Nao and other cast members that delivered so well no matter how small the role was.
The action department was quite intriguing at times, even though shooting and bombs’ explosions weren’t present each episode but the Special Forces techniques and operations’ codes were believably made. The OST and cinematography were also pretty fitting for the drama.
Watch if:
-You’re looking for a good Japanese action drama.
-You like dramas that focus on special themes.
-You’re looking for a good casting line-up.
Do not watch if:
-You can’t stand the episodic pattern.
-You dislike the Japanese way of making action dramas.
-You’re looking for romance.
S - Saigo no Keikan is an entertaining drama with lots of action to keep you entertained mixed with dramatic moments to stimulate emotions. I will be impatiently waiting for the film!
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It’s a shame that this drama didn’t get the right international attention despite the fact that this is one of the best produced K-dramas back in 2012.
This is a journey in the harsh world of political schemes and the higher ups power struggle where the jungle law is effective: “the strong consumes the weak”. However, a man defies that law and starts his own journey of justice to defend his beliefs accompanied by fellows and confronted by whoever who gets hold of power. The Chaser’s screenwriting is almost flawless if we exclude some events, nothing less from a genius writer named Park Kyeong Soo who never fails in delivering delicious witty dialogues full of wisdom quotes. The thrilling events will keep you at the edge of your seat; just get ready to throw yourself into a ride of consuming twists and endless turns because that’s the core of this drama: Extremely Intense screenwriting.
If I have to talk about acting, I would say it’s high-class and very penetrating especially the main leads’. With veteran charismatic actors like Kim Sang Joong and Son Hyun Joo, you’re bound to expect perfect roles’ portrayal and astonishing acting skills. Other actors were also fitting and quite enjoyable to watch.
As for the characters, you will find yourself compassionate towards the protagonist and not hating the evil figure mainly because he succeeds at making you understand his motives. The rest of characters were appreciated especially their development but if I have to mention the most absorbing character in this drama, I would say Chairman Seo Dong Hwan. He had such a complex character that can be described as a man of wisdom, who represented power but those qualities can also be interpreted as filthy power and misleading wisdom.
It's a given that intense dramas with several twists would lose its factor of surprise once it's rewatched that's why its value is low.
To summarize, you should watch this if you’re looking for a good thriller, unique plot, cliché-free storyline, top-notch acting, powerful screenwriting and deep characters. However, if you’re searching for a romantic plot, cheesy events, light drama or idol actors then you shouldn’t be reading this in the first place.
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A Better Tomorrow was the film that launched John Woo reputation as an action director after few failures in other genres. Through this film, Woo broke the usual Hong Kong ways of making action films that should always be either Kung Fu or Wuxia; he made a gangster film that became an absolute classic.
The film itself has a deep involving plot. It’s true that I admire John Woo films because I am an action junkie and I am forever in love with violent films but that’s not everything that I love about Woo’s films. What I also appreciate is his ways of making us feel the characters and care for their destinies as well as the relationships between them. The story within A Better Tomorrow is not some shallow action telling; there is the suffering of characters, the angst, the friendship, the brotherhood, the loyalty, the sacrifice and the rest of John Woo favorite themes that he never fails to make them shine.
If we leave the drama behind, we get an amazing action film with well-choreographed gunfights even if they were in a lesser amount than John Woo’s later films “The Killer” and “Hard Boiled”. You see, the usual John Woo pie of making action (heroic-bloodshed genre) is: guns, lots of guns, many people (preferably dead more than alive), two (or sometimes three) heroes who kill and kill then kill again, explosions, crazy gunplay and bullets flying everywhere. A Better Tomorrow was the film that started it all.
The acting was great, this was also the film that launched Chow Yun Fat’s stardom and made him take a big leap of success as a films’ actor. After this, he took the main role in almost all John Woo Hong Kong films. Then there’s Ti Lung and Leslie Cheng as a somewhat third lead; the three of them had a great combination but Chow Yun Fat had the strongest performance.
The characters weren’t always cool; they had their own pathetic pitiful moments which help the audience relate to them. And let’s not forget that their development was quite wonderful.
The cinematography was nice; I recently re-watched this film and it wasn’t even obvious that this was made in the 80’s. Needless to say, this is a great re-watching material especially after a long time of first viewing.
Watch if:
- You like John Woo action films because this is the one that started it all.
- You enjoy gangster films with brotherhood and friendship themes.
- You’re in the mood for a great action film.
Do not watch if:
- You dislike Action or violent films.
- You dislike John Woo’s work.
A Better Tomorrow is a classic out of its genre and a deep action film that still feels so good even after 30 years.
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Fumo Chitai is an unusual Japanese drama (19 episodes length) but I believe that goes back to the fact that this was made to celebrate Fuji TV’s 50 years’ anniversary. Whatever the reason was, this drama was pretty well-made. This drama tells the story of man who was a leader tactician for the Japanese Imperial army during World War II but when Japan surrendered, he was considered a war criminal and had to go through a hellish trouble to go back to his country. After war, when Japan was devastated by loss and had to find a way to survive, Iki Tadashi has to live a life where he can use his brilliant mind to set the future of his country. He practically exchanged military war with economic war.
Of course, the journey isn’t easy at all and Iki has to face many ordeals to accomplish good deeds for his society. Moreover, he was confronted by greedy politicians, influential figures, people with tricky minds and others who use unethical methods while he had to keep his principles and beliefs to achieve greater good.
The reason why I became surer about my tendencies to Business dramas through Fumo Chitai is the screenwriting, there’s more wittiness in business dramas’ scripts. The screenwriter has to be very capable to keep the thrills and make the audience always interested in what will happen next using the complicated business theme. This drama’s screenwriter was pretty successful at keeping the drama captivating from the beginning until the very last end. He used “arcs” where the main character had to overcome an issue and straightly move to the next one. Certainly, all of the arcs were business themed like the defense ministry’s plane choice, the automobiles contracts, oil exploiting and so on. Without any exception, all the arcs of this drama were stimulating and fun to follow.
However, the reason that forbids me from giving the storyline and the drama a perfect score is the romantic part. It annoyed me and I am not saying that because of my general dislike for the genre but it was unbalanced. I know that a serious heavy drama like this needs a light side to it but that wasn’t cool at all, I am sure if they just focused on the family part then everything would’ve been great.
The acting was absorbing, I know Karasawa Toshiaki from a very long time ago but this is practically the first time that I considered him a high-class actor. I only thought that he was a good actor before but his performance here just engraved his skills in my mind. He was also accompanied by other amazing actors that made the acting department feel so high.
The characters were pretty well written for a business drama and their interactions were also appreciated. And let’s not forget that many foreign characters took part in this drama. However, the only spot-light character during the whole drama was without doubt Iki Tadashi, one heck of a smart male lead who always knows how to get out of troubles and bring profits for his society, company and colleagues. He’s simply a splendid man.
The drama was set from 1945-1970 or so. Thus, you can expect time jumps and somewhat old visuals to fit the drama’s setting.
Watch if:
-You like business dramas.
-You like intense twisty dramas.
-You like brilliantly intelligent main characters.
Do not watch if:
-You dislike business dramas. Seriously this is the perfect definition of how a business drama should be like.
-You’re looking for something fluffy or light.
Fumo Chitai is a glorious story of a man who reformed himself from dust in order to build his country while protecting his noble beliefs. It’s absolutely recommendable for the fans of intense, heavy and entertaining productions.
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The plot description released by NHK got me at first sight (or more like at first read). I thought this drama seems intriguing and without second thoughts I started downloading it. Not long after that, I started watching it and finished the whole thing even without subtitles. It was certainly worth the while.
Platonic’s plot, characters and events’ flowing is very similar to the way Japanese used to do dramas back in the late 90’s to the beginning of the millennium. I surely had a nostalgic moment while watching this. That factor amongst others helped this drama to stabilize an interesting watch until the very last end. It wasn’t mind-blowing but it was attention-grabbing. I dislike tearjerkers and everything that falls under that category. Fortunately, Platonic didn’t take that “I am going to die but I love you *cries* *cries*” turn. Instead, the drama took reality’s turn and made feelings and sentiments sound so genuine despite their simplicity. It excels at throwing every surreal sensation and exchanging it with more down to earth and believable emotions
On the other hand, this drama was somewhat slow in depicting some developments. The wait made me impatient and eager to see the whole thing through. Furthermore, the ending didn’t surprise me a bit. I really hate it when the exact same thing I predict happens. However, everything was logical and real enough.
Nakyama Miho was a good fit for the role of a mother who stopped being a woman, this is the first time I see her in recent times since I was used to her performance in older dramas. She was a mature actress and she still maintains that quality very well. Her co-star Domoto Tsuyoshi was quite good for this type of role. Although their chemistry didn’t strike me, they were a possible nice match. I also didn’t mind the age gap that much.
Some other characters added spirit to this drama; they were an undeniable presence just like few of them were a waste of space. I can say that I liked the supporting set as a whole.
This drama’s Music was English, the type that I don’t usually hear but color me surprised! It was such a great fit for the drama, I won’t listen to it again but when watching the drama, you can feel the OST penetrating into you.
Watch this if:
-You like Slice of Life Japanese dramas.
-You like the older Japanese way of doing dramas because this is quite similar.
-You like some unusual terminal diseases’ dramas.
Do not watch if:
-You’re looking for a tearjerker, despite the feel of it; this is not one.
-You dislike Slice of life dramas.
-You’re looking for something dazzling.
Platonic is a slow-sailing drama that goes into the depth of many human emotions. It’s not a tearjerker although it may sound like one at first.
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Takashi Miike is one of my favorite directors. Being the lord of gore is one of the main reason why I like him and Ichi the Killer is absolutely the epitome symphony of violence Miike ever made. I am into bloody productions: mutilation, torturing, splatter-gore, cutting body parts to pieces, heads rolling and everything that belongs to the category; you can call me eccentric or a psycho but those are my personal references and a part of my real life job. However, the reason why I liked Ichi the Killer and many of Miike’s films is not the gore for the sake of gore, it’s true that I like that element but it’s not enough to make me like a film, there has to be a message and a meaning behind it all.
Ichi the Killer has a dark graphic storyline; it tells the story of Ichi, a psycho killer who split people to halves and sometimes to little pieces through razors in his shoes and Kagihara, the masochist who’s looking for the killer of his gang’s leader who happens to be Ichi. That’s the general plot but there’s much more behind the events and the characters’ development, the hidden meanings and the final reveal of the characters’ relationships was pretty amazing and let’s not forget the mind-boggling ending that keeps your imagination wild. None of this would have been done without the fantastic performances of the charismatic brilliant actor Asano Tadanobu and Omori Nao, who had to play a childish character at one second and a sadist killer at the next moment.
Now let’s talk about violence, the main lead in this film; it was creative and pretty well-made sadist type of violence. People call Miike a “cult” or a “sadist” director and he probably is, the way he shot the explicit gore scenes was truly brilliant with all of those cutting and blood’s splashing everywhere. It makes this film one of the kind if we consider how far he went with bloody scenes, I haven’t seen that anywhere before. What also makes the violence special is that it was entertaining, I found myself laughing at few scenes and no, it’s not because of my sick personality; there were some amazing dark humor moments inserted in this film because Miike can mix gore and comedy so well (think Dead or Alive trilogy).
Watch if:
-You like gory films with a meaningful storyline.
-You like Takashi Miike’s way of making films because this is probably his best work.
-You like bizarre Japanese productions.
Do not watch if:
-This is absolutely NOT for the faint of heart.
-You dislike anything that has to do with gore or you can only handle a little amount of it.
-You dislike over-the-top violence.
-You’re easily disturbed or grossed.
Ichi the Killer is the highest level of cinematically shot violence. It’s without doubt not for everyone, it can be a hit or a miss, some would find it a masterpiece and others would run away from the first few scenes. It’s bloody as hell and I completely loved it.
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2046 can be considered a loose sequel to the director’s previous smashing piece “In the Mood for Love” but it can be watched for its own merits as well. Despite its abnormal twisty narrative pattern, the film is simply the tale of broken love, unstable emotions and unbearable suffering in the past, present and the future. The protagonist’s monologue was the main focus of driving the plot forward; it held hypnotic significance to the characters’ sensations.
This film leaves a lingering impact. The time frame metaphors Kar Wai used for this film were too impressive for words. He simply tried to tell the past through the future but instead of giving it out bluntly, he went through all the trouble of making this a memorable artistic piece instead. This is the story of a miserable man with love; he can’t seem to keep the women he meets by his side. Is it his broken emotional state or what? He then starts to pour his personal experience and thoughts into his fictional erotic novels. But that’s not it, the writing and editing styles don’t work in an obvious manner, there are always hidden hints and even some transparent humour. Even the apparent limited space holds extravagant and wide meanings behind it.
My blame would be the slow pace sometimes but it never last too long to bore me.
Such a poetic piece had few of the better Hong Kong actors as its main performers plus a Japanese renewed face Kimura Takuya. Tony Leung reprised his role only with a different characterization. Zhang Ziyi led one of her most memorable performances while Gong Li, Faye Wong and Carina Lau had mesmerizing screen presence aided by the top notch writing of their characters. The female department in this film was everything that Wong Kar Wai pictures in women including his passion and his resentment.
That being said, it doesn’t take a genius to state that the best performer was undeniably Wong Kar Wai, the director, the screenwriter, the artist, the poetic, the ingenious and one of the finest filmmakers the world ever knew. His touch was all over the picture; whether it was his overwhelming emotional take, his challenging narrative pattern, his stunning characterization and especially his philosophic and psychological view of love and lust. Let’s not forget his special camera angles, fast cuts and slow motions that he excels at.
Using a specific range of colours, the film was visually dazzling; the cinematography was a drop of brilliance in each scene. Accompanied by a tremendous musical choice and a remarkable production value, the film was wonderfully done. That’s nothing less from Kar Wai, who always manages to impress through his unconventional pictures.
Watch this if:
-You like Wong Kar Wai films.
-You like poetically artistic love stories.
Do not watch if:
-You’re looking for a traditional love story.
2046 is a challenging emotional take about love. It extends from the past through the present and until the future. Such a complicated tale takes a masterful brilliant director like Wong Kar Wai to pull it though successfully.
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MOZU Season 1 - Mozu no Sakebu Yoru
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Don’t get the wrong idea, this drama is better than other Jdramas I saw this season; it’s also unique and quite exciting to follow but it simply couldn’t keep the pace. Mozu started amazingly; packed events, intriguing characters and an involving high-scale mystery. With such a promising beginning, you would draw certain lines in your head, such as “this drama will be some sort of masterpiece”. However, that never lasted for too long.
The problem with Mozu is the unbalanced events and empty parts that made concentration almost impossible. The screenwriting of this drama failed to keep thing coherent and well-built even with all the potential they gave it at first. Some episodes were too slow to ingest while others were too packed to fully understand, the screenwriter couldn’t spread his story the right way. Moreover, the high-scale conspiracy turned out to become too predictable for my taste; that was almost a criminal act against mystery/suspense lovers, I surely expected more than that from a drama co-produced by two of my favorite Japanese channels TBS and WOWOW.
The acting was superb; Nishijima was really good as Kuraki, he had an aura that I love to see in my male lead’s character especially with his tone and facial expressions. Maki and Kagawa were great main characters too; their acting was well suited for their characters. The remaining cast were remarkable, especially Ikematsu and Hisegawa; these two actors gave a chilling performance to make their character feel so complicated, hateful and even lovable.
The characterization for this drama was really nice especially with the back stories given to many characters in order to explain their behaviors. Although some characters weren’t that interesting and others didn’t maintain their involving traits until the end but overall, they were acceptable and even enjoyable.
The soundtrack for Mozu isn’t forgettable; I liked the way it connects with what’s happening. The cinematography was also dark and gloomy in a way that fits the drama’s tone.
Watch if:
-You like action, crime dramas.
-You like interesting characterization.
Do not watch if:
-You’re looking for a mind-blowing drama.
-You’re looking for a puzzling mystery.
On a personal level, I really didn’t hate Mozu despite all of its flaws. It sneaks into you somehow and makes you addicted especially if you’re into crime oriented stories. I enjoyed this and I certainly tried to overlook many of its obvious flaws. I call it a guilty pleasure but I surely liked this drama. I am only hoping that the screenwriter will revise his way of making events in the second season.
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There are no twists to follow in here, the film kept a steady pattern as it unravelled the complicated human emotions between two killers and their surroundings. While it’s not so common for Indonesia and Japan to co-produce a film, I must say that it turned out quite well. The Mo Brothers previously caught my attention through another gory film. I love directors who go through all the trouble of inserting a deep meaningful plot into their gory productions. Although that may affect the brutality of the picture but it’s still way better than a gore for the sake of gore pictures.
Just like it was co-produced by the two countries, Killers’ plotline was divided between Indonesia and Japan. The film took its time to become interesting, it tried to start with a blow but it was unbearably slow until it finally picked interest. Generally speaking, the film has its own pacing problems that are hard to ignore. However, it still succeeded at conveying a meaningful message. The psychological take on serial killers had a deep effect in the main characters’ development. At some point, you would understand the directors’ aim of bringing those conflicts into an open showdown.
The narrative pattern was inserted with short sequences of dark humour that brought me to laughs. I always thought that black comedy was one of the better elements of gore productions. Talking about violence, the amount of bloody killings wasn’t exactly that high and the methods weren’t extremely brutal. I know that most people find this type of gore sick, disturbing and over the top but it’s definitely not, and I am speaking from the point of view of a splatter gore fan. This wasn’t hard-core enough but it was acceptable and enjoyable.
The acting was spot on. Kitamura Kazuki was extremely good as a professional serial killer; his aura and unique vibe made him portray the character in a perfect manner. The Indonesian male lead was also convincing but Kitamura owned the show for me. The characterization was quite deep, it was clear that the screenwriting worked its way to build a controversial relationship between two different types of killers. Their dialogue was one of the most entertaining phases throughout the whole picture.
The cinematography and directing were fine. Nonetheless, I found trouble to cope with the camera-work in the Indonesian part of the story; some shaky camera and close-ups didn’t come out right. Other than that, the whole atmosphere was rather catching.
Watch if:
-You like films about psycho killers.
-You like gory pictures with meaningful plots. Be warned however, this is not hard-core enough.
Do not watch if:
-You dislike gory productions or you can’t handle them.
“Killers” is a deep take about the surreal psychological side of serial killers. It has its own weak points but it was successful at depicting a stylish type of gore in a brutal gripping manner.
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Hong Kong has been producing some cool action thrillers these years. Although most of them have been trying to unsuccessfully outclass Infernal Affairs but they merit great encouragement. Cold War is one of those films.
The directors Leung and Luk didn’t waste much time in building the thrills, ever since the first minute we get a badass explosion then the five cops were kidnapped triggering the beginning of the war. What I highly appreciated about Cold War is showing the ugly relationship between the higher-ups, some real life situations such as the greed for power and the corrupted systems. Rescuing the five officials became a war to both vice commissioners and those surrounding them. But then, a sneaky conspiracy comes to light making you suspect every single character that appears on screen.
However, that doesn’t deny the weaknesses contained in this film. Unfortunately, the film became quite heavy at the middle; pacing problems made some obvious flaws to ignore. It’s mainly related to the suspense part, it didn’t make the film dull but it’s bound to make the viewer impatient to what’s going to happen next. It was a somewhat long phase to ignore it. Moreover, the ending could have been better than that. The way they ended things implies a sequel that may never come. It would’ve been smarter if they cut things cleanly.
The acting department was downright penetrating. The versatile Leung Tony Ka Fai rocked so badly as M.B. Waise Lee, nothing less from such a high-profile Hong Kong actor. On the other hand, Aaron Kwok, who matured so well in recent years, did a marvelous performance as Sean Lau. The bickering scene between Lee and Lau at the first half is an absolute memorable piece. Charlie Yeung, Rahman Lee and the cameo of Andy Lau made this film such a good ground, acting wise.
Considering the fact that this is an action thriller, the action scenes weren’t always that well-made. But the shooting scene at the highway definitely got me; it was probably the best action sequence in the whole film. The cinematography was good enough. However, you have to keep in mind that this was Leung Lok Man and Luk Kim Ching’s debut film as directors and screenwriters. We all know how hard it is to write and direct an action thriller so both of them deserve all the encouragement.
Watch if:
-You’re in the mood for a watchable action-thriller.
-You like politics and higher-ups bickering inside crime thrillers.
-You want to see great performances by Leung Tony Ka Fai and Aaron Kwok.
Do not watch if:
-You’re expecting a great masterpiece.
-You want a flawless action thriller.
Despite its flaws, Cold War is a brave piece of work that’s bound to make you interested. It’s one of those films which make you feel that Hong Kong’s crime thriller genre is still vividly alive.
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Set in the peaceful Edo era, the film is a human drama instead of a straight chambara (swords play) film like the title displays so do not expect heads rolling and straightforward Samurai action the whole time. Once again, Kobayachi harshly criticize the ancient Japanese feudal system and the Bushido codes of Samurai honour that requires blind loyalty.
Screenwriter Hashimoto (Kurosawa’s regular) did a magnificent job with the story’s shades, turns and flashbacks in a way that would make you anticipate the developments of the story; it may feel slow paced at times but that’s the usual Kobayachi way of building strong tension to end it with a blow; heroism was created little by little until it reached the end. The term “Rebellion” isn’t exactly what you think when reading the title, it’s not the story of a samurai establishing justice or honoring his lord, this is the story of an elder samurai’s own codes of honour to help his son and daughter-in-law through the injustice caused by their clan’s lord and the closest higher-ups. Instead of blind loyalty and accepting unfairness without asking questions, they decided to go against their feudal lord, the system and the world they live in.
Samurai Rebellion is also viewed as a family drama with many displayed emotions and connections. It also contains the most touching romantic story I’ve ever seen in any Samurai film; the sacrifices, the mutual understandings and the painful injustice leading to separation. However, that doesn’t deny the presence of action especially at the end. The dual and the fight sequences were splendid considering the fact that they were used to get all of that intensity that’s been constructing during the whole film. It made the perfect finale of the film.
Is it really necessary to talk about acting? It’s Mifune Toshiro, the legendary best actor Japan ever knew and one of the better actors in the world; people usually know Mifune in Kurosawa’s films where he always shined but let me tell you, Mifune’s performance with Kobayachi was one of his finest works ever; he did a flawless job with the character of an elder samurai who built a hero out of himself to confront injustice. There’s also Nakadai Tatsuya, the second Japanese legend. Although he was only a supporting role, he delivered so well and I must say that I completely loved his character that sounded mysterious; he was someone who had to be torn apart between his greed to be the best swordsman in the clan, to be a friend or to serve his lord according to the samurai codes of honour. Someone else deserve all the praise is Tsukasa Yoko, she had one of the strongest female performances I’ve seen in the golden Japanese cinema. Her character Ichi was also one of the better female characters displayed in Samurai films.
The black and white cinematography was top-notch just like the camera angles and the smooth close-ups because Kobayachi is a masterful director after all. What also should be highlighted is the superb music choice to empathize the emotional involvement.
Watch if:
-You like Samurai films.
-You want to discover old Japanese films.
-You like Toshiro Mifune because this is one of his better works.
-You like Masaki Kobayachi’s way of making films.
Do not watch if:
-You dislike old films (black and white).
-You dislike Samurai films.
Samurai Rebellion is a timeless Kobayachi masterpiece that defies the usual definitions of samurai codes of honor in the most brutal tragic way.
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This drama’s story centers on revenge, action, friendship and romance: the ultimate combination to create various story’s developments all the time excluding any chance for dragging or slow moments. The intense events were always present to create cliffhangers at every turn in each episode. What I appreciated the most about this drama’s screenwriting was the action and revenge departments; they were really well done in a way that will make you believe they’re the core of the drama regardless of any other subjects. I also have to refer to the masked hero theme that was used in a great way.
The acting department was actually good. Lee Min Ho can be quite stiff but that doesn’t deny that his action scenes were pretty well done. Other cast were also appreciated since they could deliver feelings especially Kim Sang Joong who portrayed the villain role in a perfect way. As for characters, I believe they were nice to follow considering the fact that their developments were quite good.
As for music, I have to give this drama’s OST credit; not only they were well chosen but they were also put at the right moment creating an enjoyable atmosphere.
This drama can be watched by those who like action dramas mixed with revenge and romance or those who like the masked hero theme and thrilling stories. However, this drama should be avoided by those who dislike Lee Min Ho or those who are looking for a light drama.
If you’re willing to watch City Hunter, get ready to throw yourself in an endless circle of intense events without a drop of slow moments.
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Coming from the same director, producer, channel, screenwriter and the one and only genius novelist Ikeido Jun behind Hanzawa Naoki; you’re bound to expect striking similarities such as the general structure, the business related events, the suspenseful tries to get out of financial troubles, the directing techniques and even the acting style. To many viewers, this may seem like TBS’s desperate tries to follow the footsteps of last year’s mega-hit drama and even re-incarnate its successful ratings. However, Roosevelt Game was able to clearly distinguish itself. This is definitely not another Hanzawa Naoki so do not misjudge this as a copycat.
Roosevelt Game is driven by two main threads: Business management and Baseball. At first glance, you would wonder if those two different themes are able coexist. I had my careful doubts about that matter but colour me surprised! They weren’t only in perfect harmony but they were also smartly written to complement each other which gave the drama a strange yet a very solid balance. The fascinating part is that Aoshima Seisakujo followed similar policies in both company management and sports which made things even more connected and delightful to follow.
This drama excels at building the thrills, you will find yourself at the edge of your seat countless of times. Not to mention the “What the… What the heck was that?” moments. It’s no surprise since this comes from the brilliant novelist Ikeido who’s known of his thought-provoking corporate scripts. The reason why I came to favour the business genre is their highly intriguing scriptwriting and witty dialogues, that part wasn’t any different in here, I was completely satisfied with the financial suspense they built even if the outcome was somewhat predictable. The sports’ part was equally exciting; I never get that feeling unless I am watching a real game or a sports anime. To think that they got me rooting for them out loud is beyond belief.
Acting wise, I have nothing but praise. I never thought that a star-studded cast like this one can go wrong in any way. I was already fascinated by Karasawa Toshiaki in another business oriented drama “Fumo Chitai” and ever since then, I have huge respect towards him. Once again, he drew me to his fearsome ability of turning into an intense actor when his character demands him to. His character was smart, firm and penetrating. Egushi Yosuke’s performance was too mystic; the way his character was written didn’t allow him to show his body language like he’s used to. However, he held an important cryptic character that always attracted attention. Another main character was Kudo Asuka, a young talent that held the realms of the baseball team. He had one memorable performance despite his obvious inferiority to his older seniors mentioned above.
The rest of the cast members were quite fitting for the drama which is nothing out of line for a great business production like this one. Tezuka Toru and Kagawa Teryuki were the better supporting actors. The latter amazed me as usual although I really wished that his talent was exploited further than that. I think this drama is unique due to the human relationships the writer inserted between his characters. The heart-warming events don’t imply that this drama was set in the heartless word of economy and business. That’s definitely a plus point that distinguishes Roosevelt Game from its fellow business oriented productions.
The cinematography was dazzling, literally. The bright colours used for this drama added vivid feeling to the usual sombre business atmosphere. The directing was definitely too similar to Hanzawa Naoki with those famed close-ups and captivating angles. One more thing, that OST was definitely a master’s stroke. That instrumental music was such a perfect fit for this drama’s theme.
Watch if:
-You like highly intriguing dramas.
-You like business/corporate.
-You’re looking for something similar to Hanzawa Naoki but beware, this is definitely different.
-You like sports dramas because baseball was a major part.
Do not watch if:
-You dislike the business theme.
Roosevelt Game is by far, the better written and executed drama of 2014. It contains a daring yet a very successful combination of the merciless world of business and the exciting world of sports. It should be enjoyed for its own benefits. Do yourself a favour, don’t misinterpret this as another Hanzawa Naoki.
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Kurode Kanbe is an acknowledged figure of the Sengoku period –the most chaotic era of Japanese history. He came from a humble clan in Himeji Castle but he distinguished himself through his impressing battle tactics. I will stop here to not spoil those who are unfamiliar with the history of the main character.
This taiga drama illustrated the life of the historically-famous strategist. It wasn’t only a numeric retell of his life story. On the contrary, Gunshi Kanbei was more focused on the emotional side more than anything. Which implores that you will get to know the story without the clinical heavy/slow pacing.
Sengoku Jidai is known for its numerous battles, renowned generals, political clashes, lots of betrayals and utter turmoil. This drama didn’t only illustrate Kanbe’s personal battles but it also included all of the major events that occurred during his lifetime. And since he was close to several main figures of the era, Kuroda Kanbei found himself entangled in all of those continued wars. He was forced to make critical decisions and became a key character in the unification of Japan.
That aside, Kanbe’s familial life was also put in the spotlight. His relationship with his vassals, his wife and his offspring was vastly explored and beautifully dramatized. But the over-idolizing was probably a bummer. Kuroda Kanbei wasn’t exactly a selfless man like the screenwriting pictured him to be. He was known to be quite ambitious. They didn’t focus much on that side except near the end. But again this isn’t a documentary and the main historical points were left untouched.
As usual in Taiga dramas, the cast was relatively loaded. Okada Juichi was marvelous as Kanbe. He’s definitely a rare Johnny’s –an idol of high caliber. I am so glad I got to first meet him through this. Other cast members were pretty fitting. But the ones who stood out the most were Egushi Yosuke’s Oda Nobunaga (one of the best portrayals of the legendary character), the penetrating performance of Takenaka Naoto as Toyotomi Hideyoshi, Nakatani as Kanbe’s wife, Tanihara Shosuke short yet amazing portrayal of Takenaka Hanbe and other remarkable talents like Tanaka, Kuroki, Uchida, Ikuta, Matsuzaka, Hamada, Tsurumi and Takahashi.
The directing was noticeably improved from previous taigas but it’s nowhere near perfect. The cinematography was catching. The sceneries and outfits were as usual historically accurate despite some insignificant flaws.
The smooth flowing of events in Gunshi Kanbei proves that this is an impeccable example of how taiga dramas are supposed to be.
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Now, let’s leave my proud self aside and talk about the drama. This is the original root of both “Love Me Not” and “That Winter the Wind Blows”; the Korean film and drama are remade from this Ai Nante Iranai Yo Natsu. I always had this drama under my radar ever since I first saw the film few years back but the lack of subtitles pushed me away, luckily I had enough courage to pick it up lately.
If I compare versions; I would undeniably state that the original Japanese version is the most realistic one but not fast paced as I thought it would be. However, the flowing of events was quite smooth that the drama felt very addictive. Although I should’ve watched this drama slower, because after all, I had to be extra focused on what they say but I just couldn’t slow down. It didn’t even matter that I already knew what will happen next (except for the ending of course because I knew it would be dissimilar one way or the other).
What also lacked in the Japanese version is the skin ship; there was lots of skin ship in the Korean remakes especially the drama but in here, it was almost absent. Many people would consider that disappointing, as for me; I found nothing wrong with that because the genuine feelings spoke better than touches in here. Also, this drama’s ending is way better than the ending of Love Me Not and That Winter the Wind Blows combined.
For those who aren’t familiar with the plot, this drama had an enjoyable atypical story. It could have gone a little astray at some points but it always managed to come back to its usual pace in no time. What also catches the eye about this drama is the sincerity of emotions displayed even if some melodramatic moments were a bit too exaggerated.
The acting was pretty enjoyable and believable. I am somewhat having Watabe Atsuro’s phase and I am glad to see one of his older dramas where he did a great job with the role. As for Hirosue Ryoko, I really like to see that actress around; she always manages to attract me in. The rest of the cast did a respectable job.
The characters felt very real. For instance, the way Reiji was portrayed was straightforward in an almost perfect manner; the way he talks, smokes, acts around other people is the core of how that character should be like. As for Ako, she was also quite good and she didn’t show unbalanced contradictions which I truly appreciated. The side characters were also good but I am sure some of them could have been better than that.
It’s a given that the Korean remakes were more beautiful than this when it comes to visuals especially the drama because that’s what Koreans do best: their remakes are always glowing with dreamy cinematography and sceneries but you should keep in mind that this was produced back in 2002. I also should mention that this drama was set in the summer while the Korean film and drama took winter as their set. It’s a bit insignificant but I found the winter background way more appealing than the summer setting.
Watch if:
-You liked any of the Korean versions because this is what started it all.
-You like the Japanese way of making melodramas/Life productions.
-You want to watch something different and enjoyable.
Do not watch if:
-You dislike remakes; just stick with the version that you already watched.
-You dislike life and melodramatic dramas.
-You want to watch a vividly shot drama.
Ai Nante Iranai Yo Natsu is a well-made drama with a nice topic that deserves to be watched even if its Korean remakes got all the attention. It’s a loss that many are prevented from watching this drama due to the lack of subtitles.
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