Summer Time PV and Drama Reflections
"I'm going to name my weeping cherry blossom trees after we plant them."
"You should name one Toma and the other Pi."
"Tomazakura and Pizakura....hmm...that would be awesome."
Yeah, we're totally getting two higan or weeping cherry blossom trees for the yard. I'm going to have my very own cherry blossom festival every year.
Getting to news, or NEWS:
THE SUMMER TIME PV--KITAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
(screencap courtesy of jesseski)
Everyone's been practically spazzing over it or dropping to the floor with foaming mouths and little passed out swirly things above their heads. For those who haven't seen (and how can you not have by now) or just want to see it again, here are some links to good quality vids:
Summer Time PV
Summer Time PV Subbed--FYI, the lyrics are frikking AWESOME
My thoughts: full of member ai and general ai. I love it when the boys act like dorks. And did anyone else detect a hint of the "Wahaha" PV in this? I think especially Ryo-chan was thinking of it when they were making this. These kind of PV's make me love them all the more. I loved the color and tone and overall feel of it. Very Hawaii-ish. Speaking of which, I just saw the segment for Pi's new Toshiba commercial where he's *animated Pi!* with Tamura-san. The reporters asked Tamura-san where he'd go, and he said New York. Pi (dorkily) replied, "Ahh~Kakkoii...Hawaii, desu ne?" LOL. Tamura-san called him "Kakkoi." XD I don't think much else can be said about the PV except that it's love. And "Summer Time" will be my official summer vacation theme song. I look forward to listening to this while driving.
So since Spring drama has started, there seems to be a consensus: THIS SEASON FRIKKING ROCKS. Last season I mainly stuck with Honey and Clover while working on the drama list I made last year. This time in between my new drama list, I've been keeping up with Last Friends, Zettai Kareshi, Gokusen 3, Rookies, Hokaben, and Osen. Truth be told, I have only seen Last Friends and Zettai Kareshi so far, but I keep checking on the others for subs.
Last Friends:
If this drama doesn't win an award, all of my faith in dramas will be lost. It is amazing and poignant and very real. The cast consists of Masami (Proposal Daisakusen), Juri (Nodame Cantabile), Eita (Nodame Cantabile), Asami (Nodame Cantabile, and Ryo-chan. In just the three episodes that have aired so far, there has been so much conflict and character development. I won't give spoilers, but there are some mysteries going on here. Also, Ryo-chan in a DV role...wow. He's VERY good. However, THIS DOES MEAN HE IS THAT WAY IN REAL LIFE. That is his character, not him, and actors constantly have to do roles which are completely unlike them. You can download from SARS-fansubs, and I believe someone has been uploading them with links at the news_jpop community.
Zettai Kareshi
Very different than the manga, but strangely in a good way. Riiko is older in this one and is actually working in an office for what seems to be a catering or dessert company. Soshi's character has been changed quite a bit to a more ladies-man type of guy, but he's still completely lovable (on a random note, I saw some vids on YouTube of Hiro speaking English, and he's amazingly good at it), and there is a definite dynamic you can feel between him and Riiko after just one episode. I'm rooting for Soshi! Mokomichi (Gokusen 2) plays Night and is incredibly hot, but I hope he becomes more life-like in later episodes. In the manga, he's pretty human-like, and this time he's kind of stiff. I look forward to it!
Edit: I just checked my flist, and the PV for ayaka's "Okaeri" which is the theme song for Zettai Kareshi can be found here.
Rookies
I saw approximately five minutes of the RAW episode, but my comp was going really slow. Even from what I saw, this drama will be awesome. Ryuta (Ikebukuro West Gate Park, Kisarazu Cat's Eye, Bambino) plays a teacher who takes charge of (what else?) a class of rebels. In this drama they're on a baseball team, so it's a school drama/baseball drama. So like Gachi Baka/Kisarazu Cat's Eye? Shirota Yu (Hana Kimi) is also in it, so that's probably why most people will watch it. Sorry, I'm not a big fan of his. I'm more a fan of Ryuta. Still, it looks amazing and intense.
Gokusen 3
In preparation, I watched Gokusen and Gokusen 2. Yankumi is soooo cool. You know when she pulls out her pigtails and takes off her glasses, she's about to kick some butt. The first season > second season in my opinion because it had Oguri Shun, Narimiya Hiroki, and MatsuJun all. Also, I noticed in the second season, there were a lot more fight scenes for Yankumi compared to the first season. Still waiting for SARS to release the hardsubs for the first episode.
Hokaben and Osen
Shige's and Uchi's dramas respectively. I'm waiting for subs. Apparently Shige isn't seen a whole lot in the first episode, but it'll be interesting to see how he has developed his acting skills since Sugata Sanshiro. Especially since this role suits him so well. I never really paid much attention to Uchi before his return except to miss him when he had to leave Ganbatte Ikimasshoi (I think he did way better than Junno in the drama), but he seems to be trying hard, poor guy. I'm definitely watching Osen. Especially since I just finished Bambino (a cooking drama), so I'm in a cooking drama mood.
WaT's PV for their new single Toki wo Koete~Fantastic World is up on Veoh, YouTube, and can be downloaded. Here's the link. I love the part where they look at each other (in a very member ai type way) and then burst out laughing. This song needs to be a theme song for a drama.
I've been very unproductive lately in the fan world due to stressful school things. On the bright side, the play I wrote for Drama Writing might get staged at the Public Theatre of Kentucky. YATTA! Also, I came up with a new idea for a story/book/possible random thing I might post here about a girl who secretly works for one of the world's most popular boybands. In her off-time, though, she's actually a fangirl of theirs and totally goes *headdesk* when she remembers how they really are. But she can't stop fangirling. Would this be of interest to anyone? FYI, this would not be a real-person story. As in, I am not going to use any JE or non-JE boyband, but various elements will be taken from them.
Also, please look forward to my first DMV (drama music video) which will be Honey and Clover with the song "Falling Slowly" by Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova from the movie "Once."
NEXT TIME ON THIS BLOG:
--More J-pop/J-rock ringtones (I absolutely MUST make one for Summer Time)
--Hopefully some discussion of Gokusen 3 and Rookies
--Manga and the Vampire Knight anime (because they have been long-neglected)
Ja ne!