What Japanese Series Are You Watching?

[Suet Seung]

I like Eita too, but am not enthralled with Voice. I find it quite superficial and repetitive with each "tearjerker" episode so far trying to make the victim into someone with only the greatest of intentions. Call me cynical, but give me a break.

So far I'm enjoying the mystery element of Triangle. The soundtrack is solid too. The main characters are a little flat, but maybe that's intentional to build the mystery.

Yeah, I understand what you mean with Voice. It does get repetitive, but I guess I'm watching for the interaction of the five Forensic students/friends.

I just started watching A Sleeping Forest (1998) and the opening scene is quite similar to Innocent Love's opening scene. Both have a family that was killed on Christmas Eve, both feature What a Friend we have in Jesus song, except in A Sleeping Forest, the parents and the oldest sister dies and leaves a sole survivor the younger sister. The person who is suspected as the killer is the older sister's boyfriend whereas in Innocent Love, the older brother of the main character is prime suspect and was arrested as the murderer. Oh and Innocent Love didn't have a rainy Christmas Eve. But the similarities are there;however, the plot is different.

[auroragb]

Started watchin Love Shuffle and I like it alot!
It's the ensemble drama of this season (prev season was the Room of King). But I think Love Shuffle has pretty good chemistry and pretty looking cast

I think that drama work well when you only want to suspend one disbelief that you establish clearly early on. Then it works well

I also like the music. Very... fitting

Also started watchin Kiina. Rather underwhelming. Really weak writing and unsympathetic characters. Horrible waste of Kanno Miho's talents (she's been my fave for 10+ years)

[eeyore]

Yeah, I understand what you mean with Voice. It does get repetitive, but I guess I'm watching for the interaction of the five Forensic students/friends.

I just started watching A Sleeping Forest (1998) and the opening scene is quite similar to Innocent Love's opening scene. Both have a family that was killed on Christmas Eve, both feature What a Friend we have in Jesus song, except in A Sleeping Forest, the parents and the oldest sister dies and leaves a sole survivor the younger sister. The person who is suspected as the killer is the older sister's boyfriend whereas in Innocent Love, the older brother of the main character is prime suspect and was arrested as the murderer. Oh and Innocent Love didn't have a rainy Christmas Eve. But the similarities are there;however, the plot is different.

I watched Sleeping Forest and I have to say I don't really like it. not my type of story, but Kimura's acting was great. Scary, similar with Sousuke in LF.

I want to see Change! seeing Kimura and Eri reunited will be good.

[huongduong]

eeyore: Change is good and the chemistry of Kimura and Eri is still there. awww , how I miss One Million Stars Falling From the Sky.

I'm starting to lose my interest in Triangle after ep. 5. I hope they will pick it up or else it'd be a waste with a stella cast like that . I love Triangle's OST though .

Innocent Love sucks big time. No wonder, it's the same scriptwriter of Last Friends.

[Suet Seung]

I watched Sleeping Forest and I have to say I don't really like it. not my type of story, but Kimura's acting was great. Scary, similar with Sousuke in LF.

I want to see Change! seeing Kimura and Eri reunited will be good.

Ah...from episode 3 or 4, I could tell who the true murderer is and how the main character is related to Naoki(Kimura). I guess, I'm getting too good at guessing mysteries. Kimura is not at all like Sousuke in LF. The one who's scary is the one who is actually the true murderer. The culprit always seem to be the person you know and is not a stranger, that's why its so shocking. But I guessed it early on.

Hmm...are there any other j-dorama worth watching nowadays? I started on Slow Dance, but even the first episode is so slow.

[eeyore]

Ah...from episode 3 or 4, I could tell who the true murderer is and how the main character is related to Naoki(Kimura). I guess, I'm getting too good at guessing mysteries. Kimura is not at all like Sousuke in LF. The one who's scary is the one who is actually the true murderer. The culprit always seem to be the person you know and is not a stranger, that's why its so shocking. But I guessed it early on.

Hmm...are there any other j-dorama worth watching nowadays? I started on Slow Dance, but even the first episode is so slow.

sorry... I was mixed between Sorakara and Sleeping forest. I haven't watch Sleeping forest although it's been eon I own them hahahahahahaa.. I meant Sorakara when I said Kimura's character like Sousuke.

Slow Dance is gooodddd.. oh I love Satoshi Tsumabuki and Eri in here, Fujihito was cute but I don't really like him. I think I re-watched it 3 times already now.

Yes, it's hard to find new good j-dorama. If you like Nino in Ryusei, maybe you can try Haikei, chichiu sama, I feel sorry for his character here .. and the story line is similar with Osen, with traditional restaurant and cooking.

Has anyone try Shiroii Kage? with Nakai from SMAP and Yuko Takeuchi, I haven't pass episodes one for a long time.

aahhhh how can I get 'Change'?

[strawberry]

Yeah, I understand what you mean with Voice. It does get repetitive, but I guess I'm watching for the interaction of the five Forensic students/friends.

I feel the same way though I am only halfway thru episode 2 actually....

[Suet Seung]

I'm drama hopping....looking around for a good drama to watch. Just started Nanase Futatabi, I hope it is good.

Anyone watched it before?

[Lady Zhuge]

Has anyone try Shiroii Kage? with Nakai from SMAP and Yuko Takeuchi, I haven't pass episodes one for a long time.

Too slow for you? I actually liked that series, but hated the ending.

I watched A Sleeping Forest awhile ago, but found it overrated. If One Million Stars Falling from the Sky is anything like it, I'm giving it a pass.

Hmm...are there any other j-dorama worth watching nowadays?

Try Sasaki Fusai no Jingi Naki Tatakai.


I just started on Bara no nai Hanaya.

[remember_Cedric]

For anyone who enjoys the seemly intense but ultimately comedic kind of J-drama, try watching 33 Pun Tantei. It's so unintelligently funny.

Everything seem to be so intense....alas, the joke is "underneath".

The cherubi Tsuyoshi Domoto's Kindaichi Shonen and Rokuro Kurama have each of their own charm of unintelligent appeal.

BTW, should a lady be known as -Kun in any event, in Japanese culture? Rokuro actually addressed this close friend, a lady (his assistant, i think), as Rukika-kun (in non-joking manner, absolutely serious!)? I was like "Are?"

Hmmm, I find Tsuyoshi Domoto is the most goodlooking J-actor.

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[jade_frosts]

This season's dramas are rather forgettable.

Triangle is getting no where and certainly isn't my idea of suspense although there's some decent acting there. It reminds me why I love Gonzo so much. That's how suspense should be done!

Zeni Geba is attempting a dark and gritty mood revolving around a character who is a money grubber with such a dark heart but lacks realism and consistency.

Kiina is dreadfully bland and irritating.

Mei-chan no Shitsuji is rather silly and fluffy but I must say that Eikura Nana beats Horikita Maki anytime.

Hissatsu Shigotonin strikes a weird balance with a sometime serious and a sometimes light-hearted mood. The cases of injustice are never difficult and challenging for our protagonists and given the episodic nature, there's never really a reason to watch every episode faithfully unless one can suspend belief that assassins can go about meting justice without fear of being prosecuted. They should have just kept to doing drama specials.

I wonder what hope there can be for the spring season after so many seasons have proved disappointing.

[Lady Zhuge]

I'm watching SCANDAL. So far it's living up to its name.

[auroragb]

I wonder if something happened to NTV. Used to be, NTV would always have a series that is gripping, but past two seasons they've been very underwhelming.

Scandal, imho, was the best executed series of last season. In the way they did set up, to the twists. Unfortunately, the weakness was in the subject matter relevance and over-reaching of some subplots. But, with last season being so weak it was pretty easily the best done.

[Lady Zhuge]

I'm about to start on Shinsengumi. A brief glance over the cast list indicates that there is no shortage of eyecandy in this epic. My latest obsession erm I mean admired actor is Sakai Masato. First I was a bit creeped out by the fact that he almost always looks like he's smiling, but now I'm intrigued and completely drawn in by that same characteristic! Any recommendations for some of his best works would be appreciated. I couldn't believe they

click to show/hide spoilers

killed off his character in Triangle!

[Suet Seung]

I'm about to start on Shinsengumi. A brief glance over the cast list indicates that there is no shortage of eyecandy in this epic. My latest obsession erm I mean admired actor is Sakai Masato. First I was a bit creeped out by the fact that he almost always looks like he's smiling, but now I'm intrigued and completely drawn in by that same characteristic! Any recommendations for some of his best works would be appreciated. I couldn't believe they

click to show/hide spoilers

killed off his character in Triangle!

Where are you watching Shinsengumi? I've tried watching episode 1 from an online source and the audio and what's happening onscreen is out of synch. I don't know if the other episodes are like that. But the problem in episode 1 has been a problem I have yet gotten over. But I will, if I really want to watch it, which I do.

[Lady Zhuge]

Where are you watching Shinsengumi? I've tried watching episode 1 from an online source and the audio and what's happening onscreen is out of synch. I don't know if the other episodes are like that. But the problem in episode 1 has been a problem I have yet gotten over. But I will, if I really want to watch it, which I do.

I'm watching it on my computer, but not online. Blurry images are just not going to cut it for me for this type of drama.

[eeyore]

Too slow for you? I actually liked that series, but hated the ending.

I watched A Sleeping Forest awhile ago, but found it overrated. If One Million Stars Falling from the Sky is anything like it, I'm giving it a pass.

perhaps because Shiiroi Kage is an older drama but I will give it another go later .. I finally watched Change.. oh man, Kimutaku really deliver good acting and body language. I like the way the picture taken too, hard to describe it for me. And of course the story was superb. I watched it straight for almost 10 hours and finished 11 episodes .. love it!

I think I prefer Triangle over Voice, Triangle is more adult story and alot of older actor that I like. I dropped watching QED, I think I'm kinda over school setting at the moment.

Also currently watching Tomorrow, another hospital drama, just watched ep 1 so far, not sure yet.

I also got a chance to watch Suspect X (Galileo Movie) and the story is quite good. I was kinda disappointed at the beginning how they start the movie, but the obvious is not that obvious. Good plot, the acting is OK.

I tried to watch Love Revolution, Puzzle... but not interested with the plot or acting yet.

[Dagger Lee]

I'm watching Garo now.

[eeyore]

I'm finished watching Uta no Oniisan, it was ok, the beginning was better, but at least they keep it short and sweet, only 8 episodes.

Now I'm watching Hotaru no Hikari, although I don't really like Haruka Ayase and Naohito Fujiki. The story too a bit repetitives. hehehehee.. I'm watching with hiccups. ...

I hope Voice last episodes will not be an anti-climax. Can't wait for watch Triangle.

[f.alchemist_freak]

just finish watching Mei-chan no Shitsuji. Definitely very shoujo-ish, not quite my taste though. The jokes are quite flat and eventhough these shows are all about making the impossible look like a reality, this drama didn't manage to do it. I find everything too fake.

Now for the drama which I am watching halfway:
Voice: Repeatable storyline - it's all about a new case every episode, but i like the chemistry between the 4 students. It's really much like me & my university's coursemates/friends, where we hang out together all the time both in our coursework as well as outside.

Also catching Kami no Shizuku now. I really like the story and eventhough every episode is repeatable - solving a challenge every episode, unlike Voice, I don't felt bored at all. The scriptwriters (or is it the author of the manga this drama is based on? I heard that the manga was a big success in japan) has done a great job. I'm now interested in reading the manga itself.

Finally, Love Shuffle. I'm surprise this drama is not all that popular. I find it really interesting myself. The storyline's quirky and kind of refreshing. The chemistry between the main cast is good - I like it when they have those conversations which sometimes are not really understandable to me (maybe because it's to do with the japanese culture among the young working people?) but it's something new to see 4 friends who are completely different in personality & also in their career interact with each other. It's like getting 4 main actor/actress instead of the usual 1.