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Let's talk about Japanese Dramas!

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Kurita

Member
Though sometimes (male) idols can be surprisingly good. I think Ninomiya Kazunari from Arashi is the best Johnny's actor.
 
I've just started getting into some of these, but it seems that the only reliable way to get hold of a lot of these titles is buying subbed DVDs from abroad. (I'm from the UK).

Is this whole thing a little shady, or is it fine? I have no idea if customs will hunt me down or something stupid like that...
 

LordCanti

Member
Though sometimes (malej) idols can be surprisingly good. I think Ninomiya Kazunari from Arashi is the best Johnny's actor.

Some of them definitely rise above, but others have that dead eyed stare and completely deadpan delivery that drives me crazy.

I've just started getting into some of these, but it seems that the only reliable way to get hold of a lot of these titles is buying subbed DVDs from abroad. (I'm from the UK).

Is this whole thing a little shady, or is it fine? I have no idea if customs will hunt me down or something stupid like that...

Subbed DVD's are almost always bootleg. You're better off watching a stream (or doing other things that we can't discuss) and not contributing towards that side of the industry. I'm sure there are some legitimate subbed DVD's out there (for movies mostly, like the Densha Otoko movie) but they're in the minority.

Basically, check to make sure something is legitimately licensed before spending money on it.
 
Some of them definitely rise above, but others have that dead eyed stare and completely deadpan delivery that drives me crazy.



Subbed DVD's are almost always bootleg. You're better off watching a stream (or doing other things that we can't discuss) and not contributing towards that side of the industry. I'm sure there are some legitimate subbed DVD's out there (for movies mostly, like the Densha Otoko movie) but they're in the minority.

Basically, check to make sure something is legitimately licensed before spending money on it.

Ahh, okay. Thanks for the information :)
 

John Dunbar

correct about everything
I watched two more series, Rich Man Poor Woman and Kekkon Dekinai Otoko.

I liked Rich Man Poor Woman. The leading actress was a bit hyper for my liking, but still likable enough. The main dude was good, though the whole tech world came across as TV movie-ish, but it wasn't really the point I suppose. Though I have no idea why anyone would want a Personal File or whatever. Anyway, good show. That was some grade A bromance between Toru and the partner dude.

Kekkon Dekinai Otoko on the other hand was pretty much brilliant. Might be a knee-jerk reaction, but it's probably one of my new favourite shows now. While I like how short these shows are, this is one that I wouldn't actually mind having a second season (of course it's so old there's no chance of that. Too bad there wasn't even a Special Episode as far as I can tell). Kuwano was boss, and it's just a show where you like everyone, especially Ken. Please continue stirring with that in mind.


Thanks, that's probably it. I've never seen it where I live, so I guess I'll never know how it tastes. Sob.
 
So glad to read that more people are watching Amachan. If you need a boost in your day, watch this drama. No wonder they air it in the morning. I almost caught up, I still have like 4 more episodes(episode 130 is being aired atm and semi watching it). Although this is the feel good Japanese drama of the year, I feel bad for Hiroshi.
Gets friend zoned by Aki early on and countless times later on, finds out that his Mom was seeing another guy(but he was a former co-worker she knows or something around that, I forget), loses his girlfriend to Yoshida, etc

Has Japan been successful in any attempts at western style dramas to compete with the western shows they import?
I don't think they even attempted a western style drama really. Are those dramas even popular over there that they need to compete with it?
 
So glad to read that more people are watching Amachan. If you need a boost in your day, watch this drama. No wonder they air it in the morning. I almost caught up, I still have like 4 more episodes(episode 130 is being aired atm and semi watching it). Although this is the feel good Japanese drama of the year, I feel bad for Hiroshi.
Gets friend zoned by Aki early on and countless times later on, finds out that his Mom was seeing another guy(but he was a former co-worker she knows or something around that, I forget), loses his girlfriend to Yoshida, etc


I don't think they even attempted a western style drama really. Are those dramas even popular over there that they need to compete with it?

I don't know if they're "popular" over there or not, but I think shows like CSI might be. I remember seeing Japanese adverts for Homeland, as well.
 

I'm an expert

Formerly worldrevolution. The only reason I am nice to anyone else is to avoid being banned.
Alright episode 8 was pretty good- asahi is asexual man, hikaru deserves the women because hr knows what he wants.

I really hope the show can pull a few twists like around ep 5 because otherwise this show will end up being mediocre at best. I have a feeling Yamapi doesn't have much magical shows left in him anymore. If anything, I will remember this show for making Erika into a real actress.
 
I really hope the show can pull a few twists like around ep 5 because otherwise this show will end up being mediocre at best. I have a feeling Yamapi doesn't have much magical shows left in him anymore. If anything, I will remember this show for making Erika into a real actress.

Well it's going in a different direction, that's for sure. It felt like a whole new drama.
 
So glad to read that more people are watching Amachan. If you need a boost in your day, watch this drama. No wonder they air it in the morning. I almost caught up, I still have like 4 more episodes(episode 130 is being aired atm and semi watching it). Although this is the feel good Japanese drama of the year, I feel bad for Hiroshi.
Gets friend zoned by Aki early on and countless times later on, finds out that his Mom was seeing another guy(but he was a former co-worker she knows or something around that, I forget), loses his girlfriend to Yoshida, etc


I don't think they even attempted a western style drama really. Are those dramas even popular over there that they need to compete with it?

Feel good is spot on. I don't know about anyone else, but I'm trying to learn how to play the damn theme on piano for fun.
 

faridmon

Member
Many of the JDramas I have watched have been quite terrible. maybe I have a knack of watching rubbish ones.

The best actor, me thinks; Hiroshi Abe
 

survivor

Banned
Have there been any surprise hits from the summer season? I'm already watching Woman and catching up slowly on Amachan. I guess there is Yamada and the Seven Witches, but I refuse to watch it. We could have had a great waifus anime, but the drama just fucked it up.
 

Laughing Banana

Weeping Pickle
Only J-Dramas I watched are Tokyo Love Story and Densha Otoko.

Any similar stuff to the latter, in particular? I enjoyed it immensely.
 

Kurita

Member
Have there been any surprise hits from the summer season? I'm already watching Woman and catching up slowly on Amachan. I guess there is Yamada and the Seven Witches, but I refuse to watch it. We could have had a great waifus anime, but the drama just fucked it up.
Hanzawa Naoki I guess. But most people knew it was going to be good so it's not really a surprise. It has the highest ratings of the season so far.
 

zeroshiki

Member
Have there been any surprise hits from the summer season? I'm already watching Woman and catching up slowly on Amachan. I guess there is Yamada and the Seven Witches, but I refuse to watch it. We could have had a great waifus anime, but the drama just fucked it up.

Hanzawa Naoki is the biggest drama of the season (of the year). It is picking up so much steam that it has a legit chance to beat Kaseifu no Mita's crazy ratings.
 

LordCanti

Member
Hanzawa Naoki is the biggest drama of the season (of the year). It is picking up so much steam that it has a legit chance to beat Kaseifu no Mita's crazy ratings.

It's one of the only things I'm watching thus far this season. I might pick up Summer Nude because of some of the people in it, but I haven't yet.
 

Shouta

Member
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"For the sake of the future where we were together"? I've started watching this recently. It's about a 22 year old guy (Atsushi Horigami) who's not all too happy with the life he's currently leading. He appears to have a lot of regrets etc. On new years eve 1999 something happens to him and he somehow finds himself in the past, 4 years earlier as his 4 year younger self with all of his memories in tact. He decides to take this opportunity to lead a perfect life and fix his mistakes. During he rise to fame Atsushi one day meets a mysterious man who tells him to remember his face. He thinks nothing of it. Anyway, he gains fame and fortune but will he get the happiness he seeks? Also, what is the meaning of this mysterious man?

Good, someone mentioned it. This was one of the best J-Dramas I ever saw. It's REALLY good from what I can remember. I'm due for a rewatch eventually.
 

zeroshiki

Member
It's one of the only things I'm watching thus far this season. I might pick up Summer Nude because of some of the people in it, but I haven't yet.

Summer Nude bored me. Yamashita Tomohisa plays the same character over and over and over in all his dramas and its gotten really annoying. At least Kimura Takuya has two types of characters when he does drama, Yamapi is as one note as you can get.
 

I'm an expert

Formerly worldrevolution. The only reason I am nice to anyone else is to avoid being banned.
Summer Nude bored me. Yamashita Tomohisa plays the same character over and over and over in all his dramas and its gotten really annoying. At least Kimura Takuya has two types of characters when he does drama, Yamapi is as one note as you can get.

I get what you're saying when it comes to older, love interest Yamapi roles, but go back to younger Yamapi with stuff like IWGP, Stand Up, and his amazing back to back trilogy of Dragonzakura, Nobuta, and Kurosagi (I'll admit Zakura is primarily held up by Abe) and you get to see why he became so popular. It's actually hard to believe I watched Stand Up a decade ago and been watching Yamapi ever since..also makes Nino really old in my head.

Anyway, Proposal was really where he got pushed into the mold he's in now. And I felt him and Iseya were way too focused on getting cut for Joe to really make it believable. They needed a bit more mass. Code Blue is also decent but not completely free of the same old Yamapi feel. I always felt like they pushed him and Kamenashi into the same kind of roles roles, but Kamenashi got fed up and went a completely different direction. Yamapi just does what sells him the most.

The latest ep of Summer Nude was actually decent, but it's definitely a hit and miss show.
 

zeroshiki

Member
I get what you're saying when it comes to older, love interest Yamapi roles, but go back to younger Yamapi with stuff like IWGP, Stand Up, and his amazing back to back trilogy of Dragonzakura, Nobuta, and Kurosagi (I'll admit Zakura is primarily held up by Abe) and you get to see why he became so popular. It's actually hard to believe I watched Stand Up a decade ago and been watching Yamapi ever since..also makes Nino really old in my head.

Anyway, Proposal was really where he got pushed into the mold he's in now. And I felt him and Iseya were way too focused on getting cut for Joe to really make it believable. They needed a bit more mass. Code Blue is also decent but not completely free of the same old Yamapi feel. I always felt like they pushed him and Kamenashi into the same kind of roles roles, but Kamenashi got fed up and went a completely different direction. Yamapi just does what sells him the most.

The latest ep of Summer Nude was actually decent, but it's definitely a hit and miss show.

My two favorite Yamapi shows are Nobuta and Proposal. His acting in Nobuta was great but that was when he was still young and trying to get a big hit so he was willing to do crazy shit. His acting in Proposal was so-so but that show was saved by the plot and premise.

I get your point about Kamenashi and I appreciate that he tries different stuff but Kamenashi is way less popular than Yamapi which most likely fuels the decision to let him play the same character again and again.

There aren't very many actual good actors of the younger crowd. I guess Ikuta Toma and Ninomiya Kazunari are decent but they rarely do drama.
 

faridmon

Member
Abe Hiroshi is the best.

Anyone else just like him? someone who doesn't dwel in melodrama and act normally without any force in his acting?

Or for that matter, any Drama without any melodrama?
 
My two favorite Yamapi shows are Nobuta and Proposal. His acting in Nobuta was great but that was when he was still young and trying to get a big hit so he was willing to do crazy shit. His acting in Proposal was so-so but that show was saved by the plot and premise.

I get your point about Kamenashi and I appreciate that he tries different stuff but Kamenashi is way less popular than Yamapi which most likely fuels the decision to let him play the same character again and again.

There aren't very many actual good actors of the younger crowd. I guess Ikuta Toma and Ninomiya Kazunari are decent but they rarely do drama.

I really don't like the main character at all- he seems so apathetic. He is the same guy from buzzer beater right? He seems to be the Same character though I've only seen the first few episodes of buzz beater. I'm also no feeling the female lead, the cook, especially this past episode , 10.

I didn't know the main character was in stand up, I have to watch that again.

I was really enjoying Summer Nude but the last 2 episodes were pretty mediocre.
 

I'm an expert

Formerly worldrevolution. The only reason I am nice to anyone else is to avoid being banned.
God.. used to have friends over every week for Buzzer Beat. So bad but so good.
 

ЯAW

Banned
Due to Hanzawa Naoki' immense popularity I decided to see what's all the rave is about. Not impressed, sure I can understand it's popularity but for me it did very little. I'm on episode six and I will finish the show since I'm already half way there.

Kimi to Ita Mirai no Tame ni might be a show I would enjoy, I'll try to get my hands on it.
 

Akito

Member
So Mother has come to an end, the ending was as I expected but the dialogues remained as powerful as ever. The scene where
Koharu forgives Shiori
, you have to be dead inside if you didn't feel anything watching it.
A small part of me is bummed that the second half of the series is nowhere as depressing as the first half but overall I'm happy for Koharu, she deserves any small happiness in this world.
Also Woman > Mother.
 

Cizard

Member
So Mother has come to an end, the ending was as I expected but the dialogues remained as powerful as ever. The scene where
Koharu forgives Shiori
, you have to be dead inside if you didn't feel anything watching it.
A small part of me is bummed that the second half of the series is nowhere as depressing as the first half but overall I'm happy for Koharu, she deserves any small happiness in this world.
Also Woman > Mother.

Seriously? that good huh. Maybe I should watch Woman then. Been kinda out of japanese dramas lately, haven't even watched the latter half of Suzuki-sensei yet... Crap subs plus nothing really catching my interest made my kinda stop watching D:

Mother is still one of my all-time favorites though, so fucking good.
 
So Mother has come to an end, the ending was as I expected but the dialogues remained as powerful as ever. The scene where
Koharu forgives Shiori
, you have to be dead inside if you didn't feel anything watching it.
A small part of me is bummed that the second half of the series is nowhere as depressing as the first half but overall I'm happy for Koharu, she deserves any small happiness in this world.
Also Woman > Mother.
Woman is OK. I found Mother way better.
 

pants

Member
I've been out of the game for ages, could someone recommend me some dramas that have completed their run that I could watch please?
 

I'm an expert

Formerly worldrevolution. The only reason I am nice to anyone else is to avoid being banned.
Gah Summer Nude.. so disappointing. It really feels like the last 3 eps or so were a complete waste of time. After ep 6/7 the show essentially ended. Not exactly surprising but these shows really have a hard time nailing the length. Korean dramas are the same.. the longer episode counts can hurt them when they just stretch shit out or recycle. Summer Nude would have been a great little show at around 8 eps.
 
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