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Thread: Ikebukuro West Gate Park (J-Drama)

  1. #1
    Moderator Suet Seung's Avatar
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    Default Ikebukuro West Gate Park (J-Drama)

    Based on a manga by Ishida Ira

    Episodes: 11 + 1 Special
    Broadcast period: 2000-Apr-14 to 2000-June-23
    Theme song: Boukyaku no sora by SADS

    Living in an area known for its juvenile crime, 21-year-old Makoto has become a member of a youth gang called the G-Boys. Known for his cool head and ability to get things done, Makoto becomes a key trouble-shooter for the gang by diffusing tense situations and keeping his friends out of harm's way. However, the death of his girlfriend and an escalating turf war with a rival gang threaten to be more than Makoto can handle. —TBS

    Cast:
    * Nagase Tomoya as Makoto Majima
    * Kato Ai as Hikaru
    * Kubozuka Yosuke as Takashi (King of G-Boys)
    * Morishita Aiko as Ritsuko Majima (Makoto's mother}
    * Yamashita Tomohisa as Shun Mizuno
    * Sakaguchi Kenji as Yamai (Doberman)
    * Yazawa Shin as Chiaki
    * Koyuki as Matsui Kana
    * Kitaro as Yoshioka
    * Watanabe Ken as Yokoyama
    * Tsumabuki Satoshi as Saitou Fujio
    * Sato Ryuta as Masa
    * Sugita Kaoru
    * Abe Sadayo as Hamaguchi
    * Watanabe Tetsu Tetsu (Takashi's father)
    * Maehara Kazuki Sakurai (police officer)
    * Waki Tomohiro (member of G-Boys)
    * Nishijima Kazuhiro
    * Takahashi Issei as Kazunori
    * Yusef Lotfi as Ali


    Guest Appearances

    * Kawasaki Mayo as himself (ep1)
    * Sakai Wakana as Nakamura Rika (ep1)
    * Oguri Shun as Yoshikazu (ep2)
    * Endo Kenichi as Hidaka-san (a yakuza) (ep3,11)
    * Murasugi Seminosuke as Satou Tsukasa aka Gomi-san (the stalker) (ep5)

    Source: http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Ikebukuro_West_Gate_Park

    Heheh Just look at the interesting cast! Nagase and Yamapi in the same drama together, although Yamapi's role is 4th in the cast list, I wonder how meaty his role is here? Anyone seen this drama? Comments?
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    I think Lady Zhuge has seen this before. she commented that Yamapi looked very innocent here. I think it could be his first drama, he was I think 15? I know that Yamapi won for best supporting actor with this role. I didn't know that Ken Wanatabe is cast here as well.....

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    Moderator Suet Seung's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by strawberry
    I think Lady Zhuge has seen this before. she commented that Yamapi looked very innocent here. I think it could be his first drama, he was I think 15? I know that Yamapi won for best supporting actor with this role. I didn't know that Ken Wanatabe is cast here as well.....
    Actually according to his profile this drama should be his 7th role in a drama. Although this is probably the first drama where his role is bigger than the previous roles?

    I think I'll watch this after I finish Mukodono (currently loving it ).
    Last edited by Suet Seung; 01-30-07 at 01:25 PM.
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    Quote Originally Posted by Suet Seung
    Actually according to his profile this drama should be his 7th role in a drama. Although this is probably the first drama where his role is bigger than the previous roles?

    I think I'll watch this after I finish Mukodono (currently loving it ).
    Oops..sorry about that...could be his first major role then...because he mentioned in his diary entry that people started recognizing him from this drama.

  5. #5
    Senior Member Lady Zhuge's Avatar
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    This is a quality series and very different from your usual slew of dramas. I guess that can be said about most of screenwriter Kudo Kankuro's works. There's mystery, violence, comedy, drama, you name it. Nagase's skin was quite bad in here, but his acting's good. SS, I trust you'll eventually watch Tiger & Dragon as well now that you seem to be completely taken by Nagase?

    The summary provided is a little off in that Makoto isn't actually a member of G-Boys. Yamapi's role is pretty meaty for a supporting character, although not in every episode. His character is an introverted, but gifted young artist.
    (\__/)
    (='.'=)
    (")_(")

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    Junior Member huongduong's Avatar
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    After finish this drama, i just realized that I love Kubozuka Yosuke so much. He's my most fav J-actor now. I have to say I don't have any feeling for Yamashita Tomohisa's character. How the heck did Yamapi got the Best Supporting Actor award for this role ? Shun (Yamapi's role) didn't talk much, thus this required him to act out his emotion but I couldn't feel his emotions at all. Recently, after Kurosagi and Byakkotai , I've doubt about his acting. The only one that I think Yamapi acted well in is Nobuta wo Produce. Nagase Tomoya is same old same old (I loved him in Tiger and Dragon, he truly shined in T&D. By the way, it's the drama with the same writer as this one.) In conclusion, this drama is unique, violence, funny and weird. But Tiger and Dragon is always one of the best .

  7. #7
    Senior Member Lady Zhuge's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by huongduong
    After finish this drama, i just realized that I love Kubozuka Yosuke so much. He's my most fav J-actor now. I have to say I don't have any feeling for Yamashita Tomohisa's character. How the heck did Yamapi got the Best Supporting Actor award for this role ? Shun (Yamapi's role) didn't talk much, thus this required him to act out his emotion but I couldn't feel his emotions at all. Recently, after Kurosagi and Byakkotai , I've doubt about his acting. The only one that I think Yamapi acted well in is Nobuta wo Produce. Nagase Tomoya is same old same old (I loved him in Tiger and Dragon, he truly shined in T&D. By the way, it's the drama with the same writer as this one.) In conclusion, this drama is unique, violence, funny and weird. But Tiger and Dragon is always one of the best .
    I agree, Yosuke stole this show although Tomoya was good too. In T & D, much of the acting felt very overexaggerated even though I enjoyed that series as well. In IWGP, I did feel for Shun, not so much because of Yamapi's acting, but because of his awkwardness and air of vulnerability. I don't know who else Yamapi was up against that year in the supporting actor category, but yes, his acting was nothing to write home about.
    (\__/)
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    this also ranks as one of the best doramas in my book.
    Ken Watanabe
    Nagase Tomoya
    Yosuke Kubozuka..
    those three names above already spell GREAT acting prowess.

    plus there's YamaP.. (well, there's not much to brag about, acting-wise.. but IMO, his IWGP days were the peak of his cuteness. LOL)
    it's his first big dorama role.. and for a kid who can't understand the depth of IWGP, and be in the cast.. i guess it's kinda hard to get into character.
    (does it sound like i am defending him? LOL.. don't worry, even if i am a VERY big fan of his.. i know that his acting skills are nowhere near the top. but i'm seeing improvements..)

    Yosuke.. ahh~ my heart bleeds everytime i watch a dorama of his.. seeing so much talent and knowing that i won't be able to see any of it anymore. it's really a pity that he retired from the business.

    Nagase in his early twenties.. out of the schoolboy roles most JE talents still have. hahaha..
    This is where i first saw Tomoya.. and despite Watanabe, and Yosuke.. and YamaP.. i saw still able to see this guy shine.
    Last edited by morai_naki; 10-10-07 at 02:38 PM.

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    I liked Shun, his character is very different then the rest of the guys in the series. To the point that he didn't belong there with them.

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