Synopsis: I think most of you already know what this is by look at the opening picture. In any case, this is the Live Action version of Sailor Moon, and it retells the first season of the original anime by adding more interesting subplots to the already-awesome show. Among the changes are that Luna is a talking stuffed animal, the girls actually have normal Japanese (i.e. black) hair when untransformed, and the series includes the presence of Sailor V. Oh, and Minako is a pop star among other crazy, unexpected things. Queen Beryl is still trying to steal Prince Endymion, the Ginzuishou and all that crazy stuff. It’s sparkly, it’s cheesy, and it’s ridiculously hilarious.
Notable Cast: Most of the cast are new to the drama scene.
Sawai Miyuu as Tsukino Usagi (Sailor Moon)
Hana Chisaki as Mizuno Ami (Sailor Mercury)
Kitagawa Keiko (The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift) as Hino Rei (Sailor Mars)
Azama Myu as Kino Makoto (Sailor Jupiter)
Komatsu Ayaka (Bambino!) as Aino Minako (Sailor Venus)
Shibue Joji as Chiba Mamoru (Tuxedo Mask)
Positive Points:
Loved the story!
The costumes are beautifully awesome! And the props.
The monsters are so cheesy-looking
The whole thing is cheesy
LOL USAGI’S MOTHER. What did they do to her? XD
The Shitennou have a greater role in this, which I love because I love them to death. Yes, their backstory is included. <3
KAME. KAME. KAME. And Motoki. <3
So overly ridiculous that it’s really funny.
Negative Points:
Sailor Luna. KILL IT.
The acting mostly stinks.
Minako’s singing. Oh my god my ears.
Low budget, much? XD You just have to laugh at the monsters of the day. They’re so bad. XD
Opening Song: Sae – Kirari Sailor Dream
By the way, this is one of the few songs on PGSM that isn’t sung terribly. XD It’s a cute bubbly, poppy song .
Insert Song: Komatsu Ayaka – C’est la vie
Haha the pun in the title. Yeah, what did I say about her singing? She has something worse than this, but I forget the exact song. I just remember listening to the OST for the series and laughing at the song (not this one. This one’s vaguely cute).
Synopsis: If one enjoys bittersweet, tear-jerking dramas, Summer Snow would be one to watch. It features the main character, Shinoda Natsuo, who was “forced to grow up too quickly” because of the death of his parents. Him and his little brother and sister own and live in a bicycle shop. Katase Yuki is a woman who suffers from a sort of heart condition, but tries everyday to do her best. Boy meets girl, boy likes girl, both their lives start to change. Of course there’s always the empending threat that Yuki will collapse!
Notable Cast:
Domoto Tsuyoshi (Part of KinKi Kids), as Shinoda Natsuo
Hirosue Ryoko as Katase Yuki
Imai Tsubasa as Suetsugu Hiroto
Ikewaki Chizuru as Shinoda Chika
Oguri Shun (Hana Kimi, Hana Yori Dango, Gokusen, Stand Up!!) as Shinoda Jun
Positive Points:
Despite being cliche, the story is still very beautifully told and rather bittersweet throughout
A nice mix of a bit of comedy, romance and ~drama~
All the characters are interestingly well developed in the story
The soundtrack. Seriously, it’s one of my favourites.
Oguri Shun. One wonders why I’m a fan of him. This is why. Unlike most people, I didn’t find him through HanaKimi or HYD. It was Summer Snow. Oguri Shun plays a deaf person particularly well.
Negative Points:
Cliche story and ending
Average to poor acting from some of the cast
Theme/Ending Song: KinKi Kids – Natsu no Osama
How are we not surprised? It’s a KinKi Kids song. While the track is a nice summery-type of song, I can’t help being a bit annoyed at the “Oh Eh! Oh Eh!” parts, especially when they pop up at the end of the drama. Talk about slightly awkward. Oh, and the PV still doesn’t make sense. The rest of the song is okay, but I don’t particularly care for the boys. It’s the accompaniment that I find rather cute.
Opening Song: Sissel – Summer Snow
Sissel isn’t Japanese by any means (she’s Norwegian), but this is probably one of my favourite opening tracks from all of the dramas I’ve seen (which is about only 10-ish XD). It’s a beautiful, calming acoustic song with an excellent vocalist that I should definitely listen to sometime. She has a beautiful, clear soprano voice <3.
Insert Song: Sissel – Seven Angels
I actually might like this track a bit more than “Summer Snow”. Like the previous track, it’s a calming, soft track with beautiful vocals.
Synopsis: Set in college, Orange Days is an examination of five particular characters in their final year. Yuuki Kai, the main character, is a student studying social welfare psychology, and meets Hagio Sae, a violinist who had recently lost her hearing. The drama focuses on the group’s (named the “Orange Society”) struggles through life and love during college, and their difficulties of transitioning into the work phrase of their lives.
Notable Cast:
Tsumabuki Satoshi as Yuuki Kai
Shibasaki Kou (Battle Royale, Good Luck!!) as Hagio Sae
Narimiya Hiroki (Gokusen, Stand Up!!, Innocent Love) as Aida Shohei
Shiraishi Miho (Nodame Cantabile) as Ozawa Akane
Eita (Last Friends, Nodame Cantabile) as Yashima Keita
Konishi Manami as Takagi Maho
Positive Points:
A beautiful, bittersweet story
The character development and creation — all of the characters have their own individual obstacles in life to go through, and their own well-fleshed out personality
Shibasaki Kou is fantastic as the never-speaking, very unhappy violinst
One of the few media to focus on Japanese Sign Language
Beautiful music to complement the story
Negative Points:
Cliche ending
Ending Song: Mr. Children – Sign
As much as the lead singer’s voice bothers me, the song is absolutely gorgeous. It’s such a perfect song for this drama with its bittersweet sound, and beautiful piano accompaniment. The song is very soothing, and almost made me check out Mr.Children’s discography (Almost. The size of it scared me away XD).
Insert Song: Orange Range – Shanghai Honey
This song is so irritating, but so catchy. Seriously WTF.
This is a more serious version of whatever I wrote at Fated Light. As serious as this drama can let me be, really… which isn’t really that serious, honestly.
Title: Gokusen (abbreviation of “Gokudo no Sensei”, meaning Gangster Teacher) Episodes: 12 + Special (Graduation) Broadcast period: 2002-Apr-01 to 2002-Jul-03
Synopsis:
Yamaguchi Kumiko, or Yankumi (her nickname from her students), and idealistic, passionate teacher takes on her first job as a teacher at Shiroken Gakuen, and becomes the homeroom teacher for the worst class in the school, 3-D. The class is full of rebelious students who do not trust adults, and in turn, try to bully Yankumi to quit her job within the week. Unbeknowst to them, Yankumi is actually the 4th generation heir to a yakuza group, and she must keep this a secret to make sure she does not get fired from school.
Notable Cast:
Nakama Yukie (TRICK) as Yamaguchi Kumiko:
Namase Katsuhisa (TRICK) as Sawatari Goro (School Vice Principal)
Matsumoto Jun (Hana Yori Dango, Kimi wa Petto) as Sawada Shin
Oguri Shun (Summer Snow, Hana Yori Dango, Hana Kimi) as “Uchi” / Uchiyama Haruhiko
Waki Tomohiro as “Kuma” / Kumai Teruo
Narimiya Hiroki (Orange Days, Stand Up!!, Innocent Love) as Noda Takeshi
Ishigaki Yuma (Hana Kimi) as Minami Yoichi
Positive Points:
A thoughtful drama with a strong emphasis on comedic elements
The randomness of this drama. AND THE FACIAL EXPRESSIONS. Namase is a fantastic comedic actor!
The over-exaggerated scenarios!
The mobs!
Focus on living life to the fullest, regardless of one’s academic position in life
Viewing those who seem to be “poorly raised” not as trash of society, but as thoughtful, good people
The craziest teacher I’ve ever seen
Negative Points:
The formulaic structure of the episodes, including a few episodes that do very little in character development
Yankumi’s extremely long speeches
The ending song.
Ending Song: V6 – Feel your Breeze
This is possibly one of the most annoying ending songs I’ve ever come across in the few Jdramas that I’ve seen. Engrish is the first thing that you head in the snippet for the episodes, and it’s just really painful. The rest of the song isn’t so bad, but can you really get past the Engrish opening lines? I know I can’t. I try to stop the song one the dialogue in the show stops. The song itself is just RIDICULOUSLY cheesy beyond words. Do not want.
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