Story [10] - The story in this drama was interesting from beginning to end. I loved that it is based on a true story, this makes much of the content easier to relate to. Much of the conflict in this series is completely internal to the main character, something I expected to get old, but as you see Yamada Tsuyoshi grow as a person it never actually does get old. His growth seems natural and believable, and this makes every conflict and triumph meaningful to the series as a whole. The small side stories all eventually tie into the end of this series leaving the end feeling complete rather than lacking. I love that there aren't any major loose ends at the end of this series. Seeing some of the otaku culture is also quite interesting and really adds to the story.

Acting/Cast [10] - I felt that all of the characters were portrayed very well. The acting was great, even for the characters with very extreme personalities. It left the characters feeling real even though some of the personalities were very off-the-wall.

Music [8] - The music in this series while fitting, seems a bit dated to me. There isn't a large variety of music used but what is used fits the scenes well. I liked very much that the ending credit song is tied into the story as well.

Rewatch Value [9] - I'm not huge on rewatching but this series had such great characters that I can easily see myself watching it again. Knowing the story will allow me to pay more attention to details that I may have missed the first time through.

Overall [10] - This series left me with one of those warm connected feelings at the end. I love the way the main characters grew together and how that growth supported the entire story. The ending didn't leave me feeling like the story was incomplete so that is a huge plus for this series. Overall, I would recommend this series to anyone looking for something great to watch!

Leia Mais

Overall [6] : I think this series was cute in its own way, but it was really lacking in a few key points, at least in my opinion. The story certainly has its good points too though. At no point during the story can I recall feeling very attached to the series. Was is because of a complete lack of focus on the leading male? Or maybe it was the pacing? Shinohara Ryoko's character seemed to change her love interest too quickly from one guy to the other, and then back again, several times. To me, this dulled the story a bit because it seemed to be way too quick of a change. I honestly cannot say why this series didn't stick with me well, but I can say it had a few things worthy of praise.

Would I recommend this series - If you are looking for a "not so serious" series, this might be a good option. Jin is cute in the series so if you're watching for him, I'd say go for it. If you're looking for a good older woman-younger man story, this may not be the best choice, as the story veers away from that quite early on. Although it does return to it at some point, I don't think it will be satisfying in the older woman-younger man department.

Story [6] - I really liked that this story dealt with adults in adult relationships, its not something I've seen a lot of in dramas yet. Cheating, affairs, lying, love, revenge: this series had it all, yet it wasn't overly dramatic about it, nor was it very intense. If it makes any sense its almost as if this whole drama had a sepia tone to it, everything was...sort of watered down. I definitely didn't like how little of the story actually focused on Akanishi Jin's character, especially since he is the leading male. Katou Masaya's character had a much larger role in my opinion. I wanted to see Kurosawa get more of Naoko's attention. After the small amount of attention Kurosawa received, the ending was nothing to brag about.

Acting/Cast [7] - I felt like a majority of the cast did a good job with this series. I liked the supporting women in the office a lot, it was easy to see their distinct personalities even though they didn't get a lot of screen time. Shinohara Ryoko was great, her character seemed very natural and was easy to enjoy. The woman playing Eriko was also good. Akanishi Jin, on the other hand, well personally I think he is pretty "stiff" as an actor. After my first experience seeing him act, I watched this just to see him do a better job. I thought maybe it was just the character he's playing. I will probably watch a 3rd series with him, to confirm that its not just the characters though, and is indeed him. Although, he did seem sort of stiff on Cartoon KAT-TUN as well.

Music [7] - I gave this a 7 simply because I can't say anything special about it. I cant recall anything memorable about it. It was neither great no terrible.

Rewatch Value [5] - I gave this section a 5 because I cannot see myself watching this entire series over again. Its constant up and downs are far too much to justify such an unsatisfying ending. Though I may rewatch some parts of the series if I have an urge to Jin again. Even if I don't like his acting, he is adorable.

Leia Mais

I know it is a bit early to be writing a review for this show, but I'd like to write about it while my first impressions are still fresh. I do normally wait until I've completed a series to review it, but this show caught me totally off guard. If the series does not live up to what I'm now expecting, I'll be back for an edit, but so far I don't see that happening.

Overall [10] - The story is (so far) an epic mix of creepy, comedy, and mystery, with very fitting music backing it up every step of the way. By creepy, I do not mean scary in any way, so no worries if you have an aversion to scary stuff. I think Sakurai Sho is absolutely amazing in this role; his smile and voice fit the idea of a happy yet slightly twisted person so well that this drama really did catch me off guard. Not only is the story different from what I expected, but Sakurai's character is played so well that I somehow get the feeling that this series is going to have me rooting for a killer or something, and I normally don't go for the bad guys! But that's just a guess! If you're thinking about watching this series, do it! You wont be disappointed. It's quite different, but in a good way.

Story [10] - The opening episode to this series was amazing, imo. Based on the description of the show, I expected something more Onizuka-esque (GTO), or even Sakuragi Kenji-esque (DragonZakura) just with a more "at home" setting rather than being based in school. I was extremely surprised by the opening episode though, and pleasantly so. There is a mystery built around Sakurai's character from the very beginning that is built upon throughout the episode. There were some funny moments but the creepy-ness of this story is really what stands out for me. It is so different from any of the other student based J-dramas I've seen, but it's also amazingly done.

Acting/Cast [10] - Sakurai Sho is absolutely amazing in this role, period. When he smiles and says "????" "(iine~)" it is wonderfully creepy. He very much seems like a happy yet twisted maniac, and I can't wait to see how that plays out! The rest of the cast seems well chosen as well. The family dynamic is quite interesting and I look forward to seeing the rest of the cast play their roles out. Uragami Seishu also played his role very well imo, especially considering that this is only his 2nd(?) role. With a lot of the focus on him during the first episode, you can see his talent despite his young age. He portrayed emotions very well in a few particular scenes (which I won't mention for the sake of not spoiling this awesome episode).

Music [10] - Music isn't something I normally take extreme notice of in dramas. Normally I feel that it goes nearly unnoticed; the shows be awkward without it, but it also doesn't catch my attention. This is NOT the case in Kazoku Game. The music felt to me as if it sort of took on the role of an additional character, an awesome and necessary additional character. Without the music, this show would be completely different. The music really sets the tone for the scenes in a very good way, adding comedy to otherwise standard and/or plain scenes and adding the sense of creepy-ness to others. For me, this is something I've only seen happen in movies (rarely even Japanese ones), so I'm glad this drama is able to make such an impact.

Rewatch Value [10] - I can easily see myself watching this series over, multiple times even.

Leia Mais

Overall [9] - I started this series specifically because of Oguri Shun but I ended up really enjoying the whole thing. This series has a light feel to it, despite the subject matter, so it won't depress you if you are looking for something happy. I'd recommend this series to anyone looking for something just a little more "grown-up" than your average high school drama.

Story [10] - While a bit ridiculous at times, the story in this series was one of hard times, failures, and successes. It's not exactly a deep story, yet it still manages to cover some important lessons while progressing at a nice pace. The common theme in this story is one I feel many people can relate to in our times.

Acting/Cast [9] - To start, Shun was absolutely adorable in this series! I enjoyed seeing him in a role very different from what I've seen of him thus far. His ever positive attitude kept this series alive. There were a few characters I didn't care for personally yet they all fit together well and balanced one another.

Music [8] - I can't comment much on the music, as nothing really stood out in a way to make me remember it specifically. Though I can say what I do remember of it, the music was well placed and fitting of the scenes.

Rewatch Value [9] - I'll definitely be watching this series again. I loved the never-depressing feel of this drama. Shun was able to make every part of this drama enjoyable.

Leia Mais

Overall [7] - This drama was very cute, especially since Miura Shohei was adorable in it. The story is light but at the same time covers more "grown-up" issues than those of high school dramas. The short episodes didn't allow this series to live up to its full potential though, unfortunately.

Story [7] - The premise of this series really could have driven it further than it did. I enjoyed the story and was really looking forward to more, but the series is so short it simply didn't have time to deliver. The relationships were rushed because of this, but I enjoyed watching them none the less.

Acting/Cast [9] - I thought the cast in this series was great. The boys did a good job of playing their parts well while looking cute doing it! Miura Shohei was the reason I found the series and I'm glad I did find it. I only wish it went longer so each characters story could have been gone over in more depth.

Music [7] - I can't say anything stood out, but I can't say any music ruined scenes either.

Rewatch Value [6] - Again, mostly due to length, the rushed feel of this story probably won't lead me to watch it again, unless solely for Miura. While I would recommend the series, I don't see it being watched over and over.

Leia Mais

While this show lacks any real continuing story, it's still a great watch. Especially if you're looking for a break from some of the more intense dramas out there. If you're a Yusuke fan, it is definitely worth the watch, especially if you liked him in Ouran.
The episodes have little connection to one another and there is minimal character development throughout, but if you can appreciate silly comedy this is a great show. The acting is a bit overdone, but I felt that it fit the show as a whole very well. The extremes in acting keep the show interesting even though some of the stories get predictable.

Also, if you're a student of Japanese, this show can be great for learning. There is a lot of kanji and word play that could be very interesting for students that can understand them. The abundance of word puzzles was interesting for me and actually a highlight of the show. I enjoyed seeing them worked out and learned a few things in the process.

Leia Mais

I've been looking forward to watching this drama for quite some time, but since it has been so hard to find I've kept putting it off. I'm very glad I finally got to watch it though! While this short series is not what expected at all, I did enjoy it. This show is a bit better if you think of it as a movie that is broken up rather than seeing it as 4 separate episodes. This show has no relation to Puzzle (2008), so don't expect quirky comedy from this.

Story [7] - I was surprised to actually see noticeable character development in such a short series, that aspect was quite pleasing. The series is not as intense as the description makes it sound, but there is enough danger present to give the proper feeling to the show. I liked the story overall, as I wasn't completely expecting the ending. Once you get to a certain point the culprit becomes obvious, but its nearly the end of the story at that point so it's not a huge draw-back.

Acting/Cast [7] - While the acting isn't the absolute best out there, the characters are distinct and have noticeably different personalities. Plus, Yamamoto Yusuke! Even if he is only a supporting character!

Music [7] - I can't say the music was great, but it wasn't terrible either. There are certainly a few scenes where they could have used music to make it more intense but they did not do so. They also didn't ruin any scenes with badly placed music, so that's a plus.

Rewatch Value [6] - I would watch this series again, if I ever find a better version of it but I would not rewatch it for entertainment value. Then again, I'm not huge on rewatching these types of stories. It's definitely a good one time watch, but once you know the ending the rest may seem boring.

Overall [7] - Overall I did enjoy watching this show. The noticeable character development was a huge save for this series, that's something I sometimes don't even see in a longer series. I would recommend watching this series if you can find it!

Leia Mais