Sunday, October 16, 2011

Hello! Gosh It's Oct!

Just gotten back from a lovely holiday from istanbul and Greece.

Thought I will hop over here and then with shock...OMG! I just realised I havent blog here for ages! Has it been 4 months since I last wrote anything?!!! Crap!

 Well, I was still watching drama but just not blogging them...lol. I mean nothing much to write since I canx translate Korean dramas and it's like a dry up pond in the Japanese drama Alley.

 However, there was a rather interesting recent award winning manga adapted Japanese drama titled "I.S-Otoko demo Onna no demo nai Sei" which means "inter-sexuality -neither male nor female gender".


The story involves 2 lead actress which depict how they had to cope with social and family pressures on dealing with the fact that they are born with the reproductive sexual organs of both genders. The thing I like about Japanese drama over Korean is that they do come up with edgier scripts, covers more interesting topics rather than just sticking to romance and historical or family stuff like the Koreans.

Unfortunately there seem to be a dearth in the "good looking young and able to act" talents in the current Japanese entertainment circle. I cannot stand the AK48 girls and all these new young people they are dishing out in the youth category. Just look at the reprise of the "花ざかりの君たちへ イケメン♂パラダイス, Hanazakari no Kimitachi e: Ikemen Paradise" and you can tell... Why on earth did they even bother to redo Ikeman Paradise is BEYOND my comprehension. Firstly, it's too soon and secondly but most important of all, they will NEVER BEAT the original Ikeman Paradise with all the hotties! Dont bother trying!

The actors and actress in the original drama were too well picked and perfect for the character they play! Seriously, no one played the role as perfectly for Mizushima Hiro as Nanba Minami and Ikuta Toma as Nakatsu Shuichi And I cannot envision any one else who played Mizuki as well as Horikita Maki. 

Then there is the Japanese version of "You Are Beautiful". Dear lord, I nearly died when I watched the first 2 episodes. It's like waiting for the train wreak to happen. When you have seen a good drama series, you want to bang your head in frustration when you see a super bad remake... I couldnt bring myself to attempt to watch them butcher one of my fav past manga "Ouran High School Host Club" either. Sometimes...some manga are just best left to anime and drawn work without adaptation to drama...

 That said. Watched another Japanese (2010) movie played by Ikuta Toma, titled Ningen Shikkaku / No Longer Human. 

It's adapted from a super famous Japanese novel from one of the master novelist. While I like Ikuta in Ikeman Paradise, I am not so sure about his performance here in the movie. I think while he was adequate, I didnt think that he fully grasped and portray the role very well. In the movie, he came across as a pure drunk and alcoholic who squandered away his artistic talent through his vices addiction rather than someone who was pained at his inability to blend and fit into the society and seek to find solace in drinking, and the love hate relationship he had with his senpai. It's hard to explain unless you read the book but still, it's a good movie to watch to pass time.

And then I had also been keeping busy with watching Japanese Anime...(are there any other? Lol!) Been following "Blue Exorcist" and "(青の祓魔師(エクソシスト)(Link to episode trailers), Ao no Ekusoshisuto," It's a good fun anime to watch and not to mention I LOVE the song Take off (dwnldby 2PM (yes the Korean boy bands are taking over Japan by storm!)


A second on my watchlist as well is Nurarihyon no Mago (ぬらりひょんの孫) season 2.

With the change in producer, the season 2 is way cooler and more intriguing than season 1, not to mention better draw and less "cutie pie". I wont go into the story plot since you can google that easily but yes, they are certainly entertaining!

In terms of manga,  havent started on any new works but I did manage to find time to complete reading the not so recent series of "Shiawase kissa 3-choume". I must have mentioned this before in my older post, that is, if you have not started on this, I really recommend this to you guys. The characters are beautifully drawn and adorable!

 Truth is, I have kinda wean myself off Korean drama for a while. Alot of stuff on my plate and kinda short of time to do the other stuff I needed to do and also been travelling...It's bad to think of all the hours I had been spending on watching drama! Lol! Then again if I dont, what will I have to share with you folks right? 

Let me know if you think there are any good stuff I had missed and really shouldnt for the love of "drama" (wanted to say love of god but sounded kinda blasphemy..hahaha). Meanwhile, here's a friendly wave to all my other blog regulars...hope you gals are still hanging around and I havent lost you girls yet!

9 comments:

Kerstin said...

Hi ooh you posted something again...
yeah...I'm watching ikemen, hana kimi 2.0 and Ouran...and I really have to say I actually enjoy these dramas.
When I heard of the remake of hana kimi I couldn't believe it as it's way too early for something like this, but it's not a lukewarm copycat of it. All characters are known but somehow new and fresh again, the story revolving around our lovebirds is different from the 2007er one. The tone is totally different a little more serious but then again heartwarmingly silly ^^ and cute, really cute. The guy who plays Nakatsu is gorgeous, he really made me a fan...and so did everyone else. The cast from 2007 was hot&perfect, but this one is also hot&perfect and the fact that they don't just copy their forerunner is a major plus....so you should try it out, it's really good.
I'm also watching Ikemen and I like that too. I really like how tight they fill the 45 minutes episodes. It took me awhile to love the actors but it's all good now.
And Ouran is soo good, it's sad that the length of an episode was only 22 Minutes but I'm happy I saw it. Being a big fan of the manga and the anime I really doubted, that they can pull it off. And Yunsuke's casting as Tamaki wasn't my cup of tea - till I saw him act as Tamaki. So good, I love love love him and Shunsuke als Koya...the cast is so well cast, I'm really happy I saw it!!! Can't wait for the movie!!!!!

Nomad said...

haha! Yes! I m like "yeah!!! someone replied!!" Finally someone is reading my new post! LOL! For a min there, I thought I lost everyone!

After reading your comment, makes me feel I ought to give those 3 dramas a retry. Because the first time round I did, I stopped at ep 2 for all 3 and the fact that I was still shuddering at disbelief did entice me to want to go further... Guess maybe I should give it a chance. Like u, being manga fan, I love Ouran high and seeing the trailers it didnt feel like they pulled it off. It was like at the back of my mind thinking, who on earth can pull Temaki off? LOL!! U know what I mean right?!

Meanwhile I caught an old anime Vampire Hunter D adapted from another novel. Dint know how I missed it but after watching it, I felt like it was a good material for a hollywood flick!

Anycase back to drama, any new and good ones on lately? I have been a little slag on the uptake and browsing:)

Kerstin said...

I used to frequently visit your site but then the posts began to disapear so I only came by the site once in a while.
Hmm so you already tried 2-3 eps of each drama and still didn't like it? That's sad, by that time I was already hooked on...Hana Kimi is closer to the manga than the one from 2007 actually, and I love that one...why isn't it adapted to an anime??? I'd die to see that one!!! Haha that's too exaggerated but I'd still would want to see it.
Gosh Ouran....what can I say? It so made me a fan so I started watching older stuff of Yunsuke and found this baby which I treasure...Tumbling...by chance Shunsuke is also in this one.... :-) I raaaawwww this guy ^_^
I've been away from doramas for a while but some time ago I came around again and watched some shows with miura haruma...bloody monday 1 and 2, taisetsu na koto..., Hi wa mata noboru and all seasons from gokusen!!! Yeah afterwards I watched binbo danshi and Asuko march, which was really sweet...aww I heard Zenkai Girl was good but I'm actually not interested in that story..it's just bla for me....

Nomad said...

Yeah... I know my post decreased tremendously as I moved from JP to Korean drama.... plus after my pc died on me...it took a while for me to get back to buying a new mac etc and trying to find time to blog. Somehow, the time passes so quickly that I just got too tired to blog.... hopefully I will get more regular again with my afternoons free again!

I really didnt like Hanakimi and YAb remake after 2 episodes but I will try Ouran high once again since I think the cast is more captivating for me. haha

Yeah Bloody monday was good. I thought about watching Taisetsu but I read somewhere that it was a sad ending so I abandon the idea. I hate watching something sad....I am an escapist of reality! hahaha!

Hi wa Mata Noboru - first time I heard of it. Guess I dont follow TV asahi very closely...is it anygood?

Kerstin said...

Is it good? Good question...haha
I only watched this for Haruma only for him....I can't say that it's bad but it's not good either...neither of the characters really captured my interest, I actually don't know what the drama wanted to tell. At first I thought it's about the progress the guys make, than bout developing bromance...than about the growths of their instructor...in the end I guess it was a bit of everything but somehow not really my cup of tea...but then again it's Haruma!!!
I don't think that Taisetsu is a sad story with a sad ending. It's an actually interesting topic. I liked the first episode enough to watch more, but I didn't like the ending. And Erika Toda's pairing with Haruma was a total failure for me. She plays his fiancée but she looked and acted like his older sister, I never once saw her as his lover. He had so much more chemistry with Ebi who played the complicated student....and Haruma as Teacher?!?!? Really?! ^_^
I so hope you're going to like Ouran, as it's really good - at least for me.
For the last month I'd only watched doramas, no korean drama really catches my interest, maybe I watched too many of them d*_~b ...the next dorama I want to see is IS and maybe Arakawa under the Bridge when its completely subbed.

Nomad said...

lol... i speed bulldoze through Ouran high these 2 days! Gonna write abput it tomorrow. I only kinda got into it abit more after ep 5 and that's like halfway towards the end! I dont dislike it as much as I thought initially I would but it still left me less than satisfied. I can now understand why you said 11 epi is too short! I wish they covered the manga part on the "game" part!! Ok...better save more on my next post else this comment gonna end up like review! lol!

and yes I do recommen I.S. I think it's good. I cannot say its excellent but I think it's a good series to watch just to pass time but not in a bored way:)

I m just wondering how come for all the wild support for skip beat, that the Jap drama had not think to shoot a JD for it...though i wish they would hurry up with season 2 of the anime. wonder why there is a hold back...

Kerstin said...

Aaaargh now I have to write everything again!!! That happens when your not concentrated enough. I forgot to push the publish button...it seems...
Anyways I'm watching IS at the moment I'm on Ep 4 right now. The long-haired girl creeps me out...but she's good, she was also in Taisetsu and Asuko March!!!
Ouran episodes are too short and the series too..I really wish there were more episodes. Do you mean the game between Kyoya and the captain of the footballteam? Because they were funny as hell and cute...I doubt that the games will be part of the movie but I'm looking forward to it anyways!!!
I'm so waiting for the season 2 of Skip Beat, the manga is still going on so there is enough story for a second season. Hope they do it soon. I actually ask myself why there is no live adaption for this one. I know Taiwan is going to show it sometime soon, but I want Japan to do one as well.

Nomad said...

LOL! I thot the long hair gal was creepy too in her mannerism and the fact she felt so needy! I had never seen her before, havent been watching too many drama! haha. But her character do get better!

I wanted to talk more about ouran high but my aching neck and arm isnt permitting me much, not sure if u saw my shouout box message for u but I was refering to the campus game where the group tried to bring these 2 "blur" love birds together. Hope my memory did serve me right! lol!

Yeah I share the same sentiments! I didnt understand why Japan isnt going into drama for Skip beat when it has such a huge following and like u said, the manga is sooo far ahead that I dint know what is the hold up.'

since you also read skipbeat, what do u think of Ren's development? I didnt realise his past is soooo dark!!! Why did he become so violent is what I didnt understand. I only rem he went away to states to get away from the baggage of his famous parents but why and when was he ever so vicious came as a surprise twist actually. I am missing shou actually....much that he is such a douche in the begining but somewhere along in hi jealousy after the MTV angel demon music video scence, I kinda like him from there! That was my fav scene between them.

okie..writing too much, shoulder complaining. i will be back next few days. I just finished another old drama, tumbling, not too bad. Watched it mainly for shunsuke! hahaha!

btw, dont u think shunsuke looked alittle similar to the guy who like Nodame? i cannot rem his name offhand

Kerstin said...

oopsi I haven't looked at the shout box....my bad...so sorry to hear your in pain. Hope you get well soon^^
Yeah Shunsuke is hella hot but its really interesting I saw him first in Hana Kimi 2007 where he played Izumi's brother...back then I just thought that he was well cast because he really looked like Shun's little bro...you're watching Tumbling?!?! So sweet the bromance...swoooooon hahaha...I dl another drama with Shunsuke and Yosuke...but I can't watch that one, I started but had to stop because it was so cringeworthy...the storys about a group of elite firefighters or emergency rescue squad...with the guy who like Nodame you mean the one who also studied in paris? I don't think they look alike.

I'm reading Skip beat in German and the translations here are only at book 19...so I'm way behind on Ren's background...but I'm soo rooting for Sho...somehow I can't help it I want them to be together...aaaarghh...anyways I meant the sports competition as last "match" between Kyoya and the guy who lead the football team, the guy who was obsessed with oranges, who knew Kyoya from way back when they were first grades, ah and he was the one who was engaged to the girl from the student body...anyways they made two teams and had several games and Team Kyoya won...so much fun...the game you meant was another one...in that one they all worked together - but also again the same football captain guy...it was to get the big hall for some kind of event...
I finished IS and it was good...call me old-fashioned but I actually liked the pairing with the guy...the long-haired girl really creeped me out...man that actress is really good at making me hate the characters she plays...in Asuko March she was also a b*tch....I found it especially b*tchworthy when she send the letter to the guys father...I mean wtf??? This has nothing to do with her...