Japanese Drama Recommendations

[jade_frosts]

The Psychometrer Eiji Series (starring Masahiro Matsuoka, Yoshihiko Inohara, Yuki Kohara, etc) is a MUST watch if you love the detective/mystery genre.

As the title suggests extrasensory powers are involved. The first series starts off with Eiji, the lead character using his powers to visualise scenes or items related to crimes to help solve police cases together with his two buddies - although his ability to harness his powers are rather limited. The second series continues in the same vein as the first but Eiji has greater control over his psychometrery ability.

Cool cast and great chemistry, consistently interesting cases that sometimes take unpredictable, disturbing turns.

[tInoltin]

You should watch
- PRIDE
- Antique
- Gokusen
- Kisarazu Cat's Eye
- The Queen Of Lunch Cuisine

THis are my top 5 favourites...

[tingtongbell]

Highly recommended :

Over Time - cos of the inperfect ending, and the blur line between platonic relationship and love

Sleeping Forest _or_ A Million Stars Fall from Sky - both by Takuya Kimura, some kind of mystery cum hopeless love story, with a sudden twist. Full of suspense.

[chrishelle]

Can't agree with you more - OVER TIME is my All-Time favorite~

Love for a friend that develops into something more...the dilemma of loving someone, yet it's best to remain friends - hence, the ending, a mere example of complexity in life

Unlike most Korean series (though I enjoy watching), which are overly sappy, Over Time combines sentimentality with humor and subtlety. Have a different taste the 1st, 2nd, 5th time I watch it (I know, pathetic eh, I probably have seen it 10 times, but it still remains my favorite)

Love the scene which Sorimachi calls Esumi from the phonebooth after he has just broken up with Kimura. Love that conversation. Love Sorimachi's slightly annoyed, yet appreciative feelings towards Esumi

Love the theme song. Love the beautiful tokyo tower. Love the cute fun things like the egg game, the little turtles, the life boardgame and cheese fondue parties

Didn't mean ramble on...

[tingtongbell]

Chrishelle,

the main reason i like overtime is because of its less-than-desired-ending.

i also like the gradual transformation from friends to lovers. this always happen in real life. i like the fact that the love transcends age, altho he is younger than her by 3 years (?)...

the love Sorimachi had towards Esumi is so 'perfect' that he is willing to give her up to the doctor because he believes she will lead a better life with the doc. I find this hard so difficult to comprehend, perhaps Chrishelle u have any interpretation ?

[eliza bennet]

Guys at the moment I'm watching a very sweet Japanese drama/comedy series, bu since it is not subtitled I do not know what it is called.

There is a 23 year old school teacher who is also a yakuza leader but her students does not know, they call her Yan Kumi (her character's name is Yamaguchi Kumiko) and eventually get to love and respect her.
These series are full of only in TV moments, but they have a feel good quality that is infectious. Some scenes make your eyes fill with tears but at the same time feel happy.

Sorry I can not tell the name but please try to watch it if you can - it is not romantic (so far, I'm at the 8th episode yet) but very fun and sentimental

[jade_frosts]

Guys at the moment I'm watching a very sweet Japanese drama/comedy series, bu since it is not subtitled I do not know what it is called.

There is a 23 year old school teacher who is also a yakuza leader but her students does not know, they call her Yan Kumi (her character's name is Yamaguchi Kumiko) and eventually get to love and respect her.
These series are full of only in TV moments, but they have a feel good quality that is infectious. Some scenes make your eyes fill with tears but at the same time feel happy.

Sorry I can not tell the name but please try to watch it if you can - it is not romantic (so far, I'm at the 8th episode yet) but very fun and sentimental

The drama's called Gokusen. It's doing stupendously well in its second season in Japan...although its rehashing the same storyline. Must admit it is charming though totally predictable and preachy.

[summersakura]

Itazura na kiss, Big Wing, S.O.S. (not that great a story... but I liked the dialogue and interaction)

[eliza bennet]

Thank you so much jade_frosts

The drama's called Gokusen. It's doing stupendously well in its second season in Japan...although its rehashing the same storyline. Must admit it is charming though totally predictable and preachy.

I guess it is not too hard to find new troubles which would be solved by Yan Kumi in a most just and loving fashion

Yes it is a bit preachy but there is always an ending which is happy for everyone and this fact appeals to me very very much.

[jade_frosts]

Itazura na kiss, Big Wing, S.O.S. (not that great a story... but I liked the dialogue and interaction)

Yeah I liked Itazura na kiss!!!...but solely for Kassy. My grouse is that the scriptwriters made his character so aloof for 95% of the drama, it was difficult to digest his sudden about turn into a warm, passionate Naoki. It felt more like a "kataomoi" (one-sided love) all along for Kotoko, I was so disappointed for her

[jade_frosts]

Just finished watching Tobosha (Runaway) last week and it's a smashing, suspenseful thriller...well I'm also biased 'cos I'm nuts over Yosuke Eguchi and Abe Hiroshi.

Tobosha is the Japanese adaptation of the American movie The Fugitive, and Yosuke Eguchi plays a counsellor for juveniles whose idyllic life is plunged into tragedy with the brutal murder of his wife and near fatal attempt on his son. All evidence points against him, but opportunity presents itself and he chooses to become a fugitive to unravel the mystery and mastermind behind this sick turn of events (an immensely lucky fugitive, I must add)...Abe Hiroshi stars as his dogged police pursuer, maniacal gleam and demeanour. There are parallels with the The Fugitive but those are the general points. In Tobosha, nothing is as it seems...lines are blurred. I was left guessing right up to the very end with its numerous but believable twists in plot (probably because I didn't dare believe it possible). Yosuke Eguchi had to run for 11 eps compared to Harisson Ford's 3 hours (how inept can police get?), but it's a riveting one complemented with a nice soundtrack and theme song by Matsu Takako.

A big thumbs up!

[eliza bennet]

that sounds very interesting jade_frosts but I think the inspiration came not from the U.S film but the U.S TV show to which the film was based on. In that show Dr.Kimble kept running non stop for one season!

[jade_frosts]

that sounds very interesting jade_frosts but I think the inspiration came not from the U.S film but the U.S TV show to which the film was based on. In that show Dr.Kimble kept running non stop for one season!

Oh thanks for pointing that out. I've never watched the drama version. Was it interesting?

I just have a weakness for Japanese detective/mystery dramas, in general. They normally have a great cast and chemistry, interesting cases (though sometimes too predictable), kooky/moody atmosphere.

[velvet_ice]

I wanted to revive this thread so ---

I'm watching the following doramas now:


Gokusen 1 (finished, actually)
Starring: Nakama Yukie, Matsumoto Jun, Oguri Shun

There's been lots of comparisons between this dorama and GTO. I haven't watched GTO yet so I can't compare, but judging this dorama by itself, it's not bad at all, and induced quite a bit of laughter from me... especially the manga-esque influence in the show.... where Nakama Yukie portrays the exaggerating parts... it can be quite funny.

----------------------------------

Tiger & Dragon
Starring: Nagase Tomoya, Okada Junichi, Misaki Ito

A dorama based on Rakugo (comedic storytelling), I'm glued to this one. It's a good dorama, really. Not your typical classic love story, and yet it's so intriguing. Its distinguishing feature is that it subtly intertwines the Rakugo stories with the lives of the characters, and you're really blown away by how they even thought of linking the Rakugo and the characters' life stories. Requires a little thinking on our part to understand the link, and it's a real hoot.

If that doesn't persuade you to watch the dorama, maybe the attractive leads will. Hehe.

--------------------------------------------

Lunch no Joou (Queen of Lunchtime cuisine)
Starring: Tsumabuki Satoshi, Takeuchi Yuko, Eguchi Yosuke

I'm still watching this one, and so far it's been wonderful...

--------------------------------------------


Kyumei Byoto 24 Ji 3 (24 hrs Emergency Ward 3)
Starring: Matsushima Nanako, Eguchi Yosuke

Still watching as well. Part 1 and 2 have been successful, and this time Part 3 takes on a fresh view of how the medical field is really like during times of disaster (an earthquake in this case).

I've only watched 1 episode, rather slow moving but otherwise quite interesting.

----------------------

That's all for now... hope others share in this thread what they've watched and whether they'd recommend it.

[Zech]

- GTO
- To Heart
- Long Vacation
- Beach Boys

Personally I thought GTO is definitely better than Gokusen 2. (i've nv watched Gokusen 1 b4 so can't compare with that ) Gokusen 2 is pretty funny... but i thought some parts were a bit overdone esp the parts when she goes to the rescue of her students whereby she'll let down her hair, remove her specs and then come the horrendous background music... hahaha.... it was quite funny for me the first few times I saw that but when it starts repeating over and over again.. it kinda gets to me.
It has its funny moments as well. my fav was the part when one of her students almost accidentally revealed to the whole class that she was the successor to a mafia group!
Overall the storyline isn't as good as GTO, but it's a good alternative to a similar storyline of GTO. One thing I've got to give it to Nakama Yukie... she's really really funny esp when she was acting out those exaggerating moments! Oh yes... anyone knows the title to the song which they played when there are sadder moments?

[tanteun]

i've watched a lots of dorama but the recents i watched

- Gokusen 2 (Nakama Yuki, Akanishi Jin, Kamenashi Kazuya)

It's so entertaining, as long as u don't compare it to the original version The story not so deep unlike the 1st one but morelike frenzhip. So much laugh n baka moments but also sum touching parts.

- Anego (Shinohara Ryoko, Akanishi Jin, Tomasaki Rie)

adapted from the popular novel. 'till now only watched till eps 8, tonight in Japan will aired the last eps, eps 10.It's good story taken in the working environment. Very touchy n funny too.

Zech,

u meant this song?

http://s34.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=0...83MRPKUL5C4A4T

If yes it's called KIZUNA, by Kamenashi Kazuya (KAT-TUN) and now always being sung by KAT-TUN in their performances.

[Zech]

yup yup!! that's the song!

[jade_frosts]

Whoa way to go velvet_ice!

Just finished watching
GTO
Takashi Sorimachi is a natural, and very believable as the rebel teacher. I felt that his philosophies didn't come across as pushy and preachy like in Gokusen, so I enjoyed this one much better. And there was an awesome cast to back him up. No wonder the show ranks as one of the all-time dorama favs. It was also great fun spotting who's who among those acting as the students.

Highly recommended doramas
Koi no Chikara (Power of Love)
I'm totally in love with this dorama. It's a light-hearted romantic drama about 30-somethings finding new hope in their love life and career. Eri Fukatsu plays the main character Tohko, who has just turned 30 and given up on any future career hopes and romance. A series of misunderstandings finds her ending up in a small advertising firm started by Tsutsumi Shinichi's character Kotaro (who was also her ex-colleague). Unfortunately for Tohko, Kotaro isn't anything like the suave, confident colleague she thought he was. Instead he's insensitive, immature and arrogant.

What makes this show riveting is the awesome cast of heavyweights Eri Fukatsu, Tsutsumi Shinichi, Nishimura Masahiko. Together with Kenji Sakaguchi, they form a potent combination that makes Koi addictive. Watching it, I just couldn't help feeling that the cast had a really enjoyable time on the set. There's great chemistry, good acting, humourous scenes, lovely upbeat soundtrack. Each episode just leaves me with a fuzzy feeling. If you thought Itsumo Futari De was good, this is terrific (I didn't quite fancy Kenji Sakaguchi as the lead in Itsumo)! Btw, both are by the same scriptwriter.

Team
Team is a police drama, but about juvenile crime. It stars Nishimura Masahiko (he's absolutely not cute and rather old, but I find I love the dramas he appears in) and Kusanagi Tsuyoshi as the leading characters. Kusanagi stars as Kazumi a career elite from the Education Ministry who is sent to train in the juvenile crime section under Tanba, played by Nishimura. Kazumi and Tanba are total opposites. Kazumi is trusting, believing that juvenile offenders are influenced by their environment and convinced that ways should be found to engage them so that they open up and confide to the adults; Tanba, on the other hand, is mistrusting (haunted by a past incident) and always inclined to use violence. Together they make a rather interesting pair as they investigate juvenile crimes together while trying to accomodate their differing views.

It is a rather underrated show that deserves more attention because Kusanagi Tsuyoshi and Nishimura Masahiko make a good pairing and the cases are interesting. Not your typical action-packed police drama since this involves juveniles, but good enough to stick around till the end.

Psychometrer Eiji I & II
I've raved about it in a previous post, and I'll say it again: It's definitely worth watching (simply because it's different from the usual crime fare that one gets in doramas! Matsuoka Masahiro as Eiji, Inohara Yoshihiko and Kohara Yuki as his sidekicks are a total hoot. They are the soul of the show. Eiji II is sleeker and darker, and Matsuoka Masahiro is whinier but other than that I love them both!!! Keep watch for Mrs Takuya Kimura - Shizuka Kudo in II.

Now watching
- Kyuumei Byoutou 24 Hours
- Love Revolution
- Engine
- Koi ni Ochitara

[junny]

Ooh, there's an Eri Fukatsu drama? I'll keep a lookout for it!

jade frosts, I hope you like "Love Revolution" too. I loved it!

[velvet_ice]

Personally I thought GTO is definitely better than Gokusen 2. (i've nv watched Gokusen 1 b4 so can't compare with that ) Gokusen 2 is pretty funny... but i thought some parts were a bit overdone esp the parts when she goes to the rescue of her students whereby she'll let down her hair, remove her specs and then come the horrendous background music... hahaha.... it was quite funny for me the first few times I saw that but when it starts repeating over and over again.. it kinda gets to me.

Buahaha... you've reminded me of that particular scene in Gokusen. It was done in season 1 as well. Yeah, it was funny at first but kinda became ridiculous later. Makes you wonder if let-down hair gives her special powers or something.

I think the best manga-esque moments were when she gets stood up for anything... like washing the Head Teacher's car, I could never forget that scene. And the head teacher himself! Oh my, I actually liked him (and he was quite a villain)!

OK. I'm going off track.

Koi ni Ochitara - I'll watch that soon, since it has Tsutumi Shinichi in it, it shouldn't disappoint me.

BTW where do you guys get your dramas?