What Japanese Series Are You Watching?

[Lady Zhuge]

Interestingly, Magararenai Onna is doing relatively well in the ratings. Probably third in rank after Aibou and Code Blue II.

That's another thing I don't get. I would have expected the initial rating to be high and then taper off towards the end, but that hasn't really been the case. Oh, and it turns out there will be 10 episodes of the show instead of 9 - I don't know why they advertised the last episode at the end of episode 8.

Auroragb: You seem to watch every drama of every season.

[jade_frosts]

The illogical trend of ratings ... heh

Yeah that's a lot of dramas in one season auroragb! I would say that it was a lousy winter. Spring seems slightly more promising ... and for people who love detective dramas, there are lots of them although the quality and storylines for some don't elicit excitement.

[auroragb]

I tend to watch everything I can get subs for. But with the Chinese crack down on subbing groups, I think it's gonna get harder in the future.

This was the first season in recent memory where I'm not really looking forward to following a j-series. I'm following a TW-series which seems likes a slight derivative of Propose daisakusen

One series I think is rather cute is: Tomehane! Suzuri Kōkō Shodōbu. The acting is atrocious, but the concept is silly enough to make that not matter.

I think one reason I don't like the currently higher rated dramas is that they have a lack of repercussion in the world around them
Code Blue 2: People come, people go. Thing happen, but the world remains the same.

Magerarenai Onna: Nobody seems to really care except for Kanno. She effects a few people around her, but just doesn't seem to matter.

Fumou Chitai - this is a remake of a established series. I agree that the distance that Iki has with everyone else is rather strange compared to the loyalty he magically engendered. After Siberia, I can't think of a place where Iki really sacrificed anything on behalf of those who follow him. I understand that sometimes people in established leading positions can engender such loyalties. But Iki was an outsider. So, gaining such loyalty is rather odd. Wrt world changing, it's more like Iki reacting to changing world than really changing it...

Hanchou 2 - it's a cop series, no character growth, just mystery of the week.

Massugu no Otoko - Kyoko is a catalyst. She changes the world around her, maybe not to her desire, but things "happen"

[eeyore]

Massugu no Otoko - Kyoko is a catalyst. She changes the world around her, maybe not to her desire, but things "happen"

I saw the beginning part of ep 1 and looks quite good. I like Sato Ryuta and happy that he's been having leading role lately (since Rookies) and Fukyokon is ok too, I find her acting a bit fake sometimes but in here she can really pull as annoying shameless freeter hahahahha.. and it has Kanjiya Shiori too! I'm not going to watch it now, I've watching too many different series at the moment, this one will need to wait.

btw, Lady Zhuge, I got Shiroi Kyoto but I'm not going to watch it until I finish Fumo Chitai

has anyone seen 20th Cen Boys : Last Chapter? It quite disappointing for me especially since I like the first movie very much! But I like a lot of the veteran actors in here, the story just got rushed and some just left without explanation.

[beanybeans]

Started watching Liar Game 2.

[mind_wander]

Started watching Liar Game 2.

This is definitely a great show for this season 2.Too bad its too short,luckily there is both an episode zero and the Movie.

[beanybeans]

This is definitely a great show for this season 2.Too bad its too short,luckily there is both an episode zero and the Movie.

There's an episode zero?

[jade_frosts]

I just started on Gaiji Keisatsu and enjoyed the first episode. It is a detective drama about police who work undercover to prevent terrorism. It was pretty well done and not silly like Boss. I can't get over that drama. The only reason why I hung in there was for Amami Yuki. NHK has been under the radar but if episode 1 is anything to go by, they deserve better recognition for their contemporary dramas.

[sehseh]

Finished watching JIN.

Highly recommended.

[mind_wander]

There's an episode zero?

Yes,but you have to pay per episode 12 in all.

[Lady Zhuge]

I just started on Gaiji Keisatsu and enjoyed the first episode. It is a detective drama about police who work undercover to prevent terrorism. It was pretty well done and not silly like Boss. I can't get over that drama. The only reason why I hung in there was for Amami Yuki. NHK has been under the radar but if episode 1 is anything to go by, they deserve better recognition for their contemporary dramas.

Gaiji Keisatsu sounds a little like ROMES, which I never continued past the first episode. Boss never took itself seriously, so I didn't either.

Yes,but you have to pay per episode 12 in all.

What do you mean "pay per episode 12 in all?" Who did you pay?

[jade_frosts]

Gaiji Keisatsu sounds a little like ROMES, which I never continued past the first episode. Boss never took itself seriously, so I didn't either.

That's true. But it was partly ridiculous because the cases were so half-baked, that I just couldn't stand it at times. I guess I expect more out of detective dramas. Heh.

2 more weeks to the start of spring.

[mind_wander]

Gaiji Keisatsu sounds a little like ROMES, which I never continued past the first episode. Boss never took itself seriously, so I didn't either.



What do you mean "pay per episode 12 in all?" Who did you pay?

You can watch Liar Game Episode Zero & Liar Game X: The Phantom Episode here,
http://www.showtime.jp/tv/fujitv_od/contents/0148/top/
But you have to have an Japanese IP Address to access to watch, plus pay $2 or if anyone lives in Japan, PLEASE PLEASE upload it for us foreigners to see. Thank you. Credit to El_lady @ D-addicts.

Unless you can read Japanese,please upload and share the episodes.No one seems to be able to upload them yet online.




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[Lady Zhuge]

has anyone seen 20th Cen Boys : Last Chapter? It quite disappointing for me especially since I like the first movie very much! But I like a lot of the veteran actors in here, the story just got rushed and some just left without explanation.

I just watched the first film recently. The casting is fantastic, and what a star-studded cast it is! The kid who plays young Kenji very appropriately bears an uncanny resemblance to Toshiaki Karasawa. I'll be watching the second part soon.

You can watch Liar Game Episode Zero & Liar Game X: The Phantom Episode here,
http://www.showtime.jp/tv/fujitv_od/contents/0148/top/
But you have to have an Japanese IP Address to access to watch, plus pay $2 or if anyone lives in Japan, PLEASE PLEASE upload it for us foreigners to see. Thank you. Credit to El_lady @ D-addicts.

Unless you can read Japanese,please upload and share the episodes.No one seems to be able to upload them yet online

Episode Zero looks like a spin-off or something. Not interested, but thanks for the info.

[jade_frosts]

Rinjo 2 which is back and just as good as the original. Minus the irritating reporter. There are many detective dramas this season ... too many in fact.

[mind_wander]

I just watched the first film recently. The casting is fantastic, and what a star-studded cast it is! The kid who plays young Kenji very appropriately bears an uncanny resemblance to Toshiaki Karasawa. I'll be watching the second part soon.



Episode Zero looks like a spin-off or something. Not interested, but thanks for the info.

Yeah,the Episode Zero is a spin-off,however I managed to find Episode X which is only 10min special.Pretty much an intro to the Liar Game:Final;there is going to be some resurrected character's from the first season.Which is nice to see,but I find the mushroom character[I forgot his name] is more on Nao's side since they been working along for awhile in the second season.Still,its very competitive.

Tsuki no Koibito,for the Spring season looks rather interesting I do like certain people in the cast;Kimura Takuya, Shinohara Ryoko,Kitagawa Keiko, Matsuda Shota,etc.Not easy to get this people into this type of show.

[jade_frosts]

I tried 20 mins of Sunao ni Narenakute and didn't feel very engaged. Too much posturing? Lack of depth in acting? Not sure if I've outgrown this sort of drama or if it's because I should give it time since it was only episode 1 and they were establishing the different characters that make up the quintet.

It's interesting to note that despite the unprecedentedly large number of detective dramas, quite a few pulled in respectable ratings above 15%. Zettai Reido (I can never understand the draw of Ueto Aya ... although I'd probably survive a drama with her where I'd be left catatonic by Fukuda Kyoko), Rinjo, Keishicho Shissou Sousaka and Shinzanmono.

[strawberry]

Just finished Koi no Chikara, the story is ok, I've seen Tsutsumi Shinichi did a silly role in Lunch no Ojouu, but in here, he's not exactly silly, but his image in my mind was his role in SP, although he's been alot of different character role.

I totally enjoy Code Blue 2, very good. Still trying to finishing Love Generation and Itsumo futari(re-watch) and Tomorrow.

I started on code blue 2. I wasn't up for high hopes since i didn't think part 1 was very impressive but i was actually impressed and in pretty high tension for 4 episodes, i thought P's acting had improved seriously!...but then it felt episodic and boring again after that...nevertheless I think i will finish this up. I do think yamapi's acting has seen improvement, i see Aizawa's coolness unlike in part 1 where it was superficially portrayed. But I don't really like his hair here and the drama was too heavy-going to make you want to keep chasing.

Next up, i will prob ramdomly check out kaibutsu-kun.

[eeyore]

Code Blue 2 is good, it will be better if Aizawa can talk smoothly instead of broken sentences when he tried to act cool.

I just finished Water Boys 2 just because I feel like watching silly, school kids mocking around and it works hahahahaha.. it's the same formula, but good chemistry between Ichihara Hayato and Ishara Satomi. I don't like their gay-like teacher... and the boys are good, more realistics scenes than the predecessor, although how the rest of the boys can catch up the first 5 boys mastering the technique is pretty unrealistic

I dunno what to watch next... ah, Shiroii Kyoto on the list.. but still finishing Tokujo Kabachii too. Massugu no Otoko and Bloody Monday as well... so many things to watch so little time.

[jade_frosts]

I feel like I'm a tv junkie this season. There are quite a few good productions.

Mother is a very touching drama that shows two wounded souls reaching out to each other. Matsuyuki Yasuko stars as Suzuhara Nao, an orintologist forced to become an elementary school teacher when her research lab is closed down. She has chosen to move away to Hokkaido and has not kept in touch with her mother or sisters. It seems that she hates her past and time has not healed the emotional wounds that possibly stem from childhood. Ashida Mana plays Michiki Rena, Nao's student, whose endearing, precocious, cheerful personality hides the constant abuse she suffers at the hands of her mother's boyfriend. It is so heartbreaking to hear the kid talk about noting down her favourite things and thinking about all of them, so she will be happy.