Someday I'll catch up. :|b
You know. For the past couple of days I've had about five tabs with posts from the flist open on them and, every single time, I sit and stare at my half-formed response and think, "Man, I sound dumb. There is no way I can post that comment, ugh, I'll come back to it later." And I come back to it later and not much has changed. You would think that I would get over this kind of thing eventually and yet. :|q
Anyway.
Yeah, why am I not surprised the ones with Hidenori in them are the ones dorking it up in the SMILE promotions? (Not that they're not all a bunch of dorks, but.) ....still not sure what I think of that hair, though. .__.
I can't say that I love this drama season the way I instantly loved the previous one, there was something ~*magic*~ about that one for me that I don't think will be the same this season, but. Well, I'm definitely enjoying it. I wish I'd gotten more watched, but holy crap after Door to Door, I was kind of wrung out. In a good way, I think. But still. orz
Anyway, spoilers for anything listed.
Door to Door: They might as well have just titled this "Ninomiya Thinks Your Tears Taste Delicious". I swear, it's like Nino chooses scripts based on what will make fans cry the most. And then probably laughs his evil devil laugh, the little bastard. (ilu, Nino! never stop making me cry!) I pretty much only watched this one because it was on the same dvd I burnt as the new season and I figured, hell, as long as I have it in the machine. But I'm really glad I did, Nino once again impresses me with his acting.
And, okay, I still haven't watched Nino's other two tear-jerker SPs, but I'm glad I watched this one, despite that it had a bit of a rocky start for me. The first 15 minutes hit my embarrassment squick hard, I had to keep pausing it and coming back after channel surfing for a bit. And the story is kind of slow at first, it took me almost half an hour before I was really into it.
But two things helped it along--one, the acting is fantastic and, two, it didn't hit my embarrassment squick button as hard as I thought it was going to. Once you get used to the style of it, once you get past the initial reactions everyone has to Hideo, it sort of settles down and it's about his strength of will and strength of character and determination, rather than about how everything beats him down. Of course there are scenes that made me cry, his mother's "I'm sorry." note very nearly broke me and then the ending totally had me in tears, but it was (for the most part) a good sort of heartbreak. Hideo's life was hard, but it wasn't totally full of suck all the time. He was determined and he was a good salesman and things worked out for him!
Except, of course, that tragedy was doomed to strike. I knew his mother was a goner and it was really wrenching to watch, when he put her makeup away for the last time, that's when I fully broke watching this SP, but he was strong enough to go on without her. The ending was bittersweet, seeing how much he could do for himself now, how he had other people in his life, how he could connect to other people more openly now, but living without his mother, the rock in his life that he could always count on was gone. Just. Ouch.
I think it worked better because the acting wasn't too over the top, there weren't too many scenes that were trying to wring every last bit of happiness out of you and that Hideo's journey wasn't fraught with too many backslides. Watching him win people over, the older ladies in the neighborhood, the apartment manager guy (who was seriously one of my favorites in the drama, the scene with the clip-on ties was just as;ldkjalskj oh my god so sweet), his co-workers, his bosses, etc. Nino didn't try to oversell the role, either, and he's just. A good actor. Kato Rosa was adorable as all get out, too. (Is it wrong that I kind of wanted to ship their characters, despite that I think that was entirely not the point?)
And, overall, it's one of those dramas that I don't think I'd have watched without Nino being in it or it just being on the disc I was already watching, but I'm really glad I did. I was hesitant at first, because I knew it was going to be a heartbreaker, but it was actually not nearly as soul-ravaging as I expected! In a good way!
Atashinchi no Danshi - episode 01: I really didn't have any idea what to expect from this one going in, aside from that the summary of it was pretty cracked out. And also there were a couple of actors in it that I really wanted to watch for. (Maki! Seto Koji! Kaname Jun! *__*) And overall... it's pretty much what you'd expect from Japan and yet still manages to be somehow charming.
There were a bunch of things I wanted to get annoyed by/find super-creepy, but I just. I don't know. Somehow it all worked out for me. The marriage to Shinzo sort of made me "........." a lot at first because he basically blackmailed her into it and didn't really give her a choice and the big looming question of whether or not he expected her to share his bed, which they sort of never really addressed! I think they glossed over that part on purpose and I think that that wasn't part of the deal because Shizo really did seem to just want someone to be there in an emotional way, someone he could talk to every day.
Shinzo was quirky enough that I can buy that he wouldn't have slept with her and I think that, towards the end of their marriage, you could see that she... maybe it wasn't love, but she seemed to genuinely care about Shinzo. They slowly connected and she opened up to him a little. I don't think that could have happened if they were sleeping together, I think she'd probably have been a lot angrier at the deal if she'd been forced into that.
....and, okay, they were kind of adorable together?
And that's what made the other aspect of the contract work for me, the way she was backed into trying to get her "sons" to open up to her. Because it could have been super annoying, it was fraud (but good luck proving that in court!) and yet. Chisato herself was the one to realize that she was shutting herself away from people and that Shinzo had provided her with the chance to open up these people who were like her just a short while ago. That she still wants to connect with people, rather than just hiding herself away. The older uncle-like guy reinforces this, but it's Chisato's words themselves that show her determination.
And then she goes to bomb her son's door off. And when that doesn't work, SHE GETS OUT AN AXE. And when that doesn't work, she GETS A CHAINSAW.
OMFG AWESOME. I don't care how ridiculous it was, that was TOTALLY FUCKING AWESOME. Doubly so because it was a diversionary tactic to distract him away from the "Cold Sleep" she was putting him into (really just the air conditioning being turned up) and she actually did get him out of his room.
I think that's why the other three sons--whom I wanted SO BADLY for her to just haul up and smack them across the face for being such bullies to her--don't ruin the drama for me. Obviously they're all going to get their turns, but she stood up to their bullying, she was strong enough to keep coming back (when she'd only ever run away her whole life) and strong enough to kick their asses. Sure, she had her moment of weakness, but she's stronger than them and that's clear from the beginning. So it works okay for me.
Also, Chisato's dad being kind of a total dick (and Japan's whole thing about making your kids responsible for your debts) drove me up the wall, but she obviously wanted to belt him across the face, too, so I'm hoping that storyline turns out well.
I think I'd have watched this just for the actors, so I'm glad it's charming me a lot so far. I may have gone in with low expectations and that may have helped, but it is pretty enjoyable, the cast is hot/likable, and I'm genuinely eager for the next episode. I'm interested in the characters we didn't get to see much of (Kaname Jun's character and the host son, who I'm curious to see where his character goes) and I'm tolerating the ones we've seen be obnoxious so far, so it's a thumbs up from me so far.
Hanchou - episode 01: a;sdlfkajs;lkjaslkj oh my god, if there are no other MAJOR DRAMAS this season, I think Hanchou could very well be my favorite of the season. I cannot even express with mere words how smoking hot Sasaki is in this drama. *__* The whole cast is pretty damn awesome and hot, but it was honestly a really enjoyable first episode.
The writing wasn't trying too hard and the actors were fantastic in their roles, Sasaki especially. I was instantly in love with his character for being just so full of delight at the world around him, even if I'm sure there's probably heavier things going on with him. But when he had this odd bond/connection with Ooto Toyo-san, it was just so great.
When he laughed at her comments over the bullhorn, when he laughed during her interrogation because, "You're a young woman in love. :D" and he was just delighted at this and she laughed, too, because it was true, just. ;alskdjf;alksjl;aks I kind of loved the whole world in that moment. Their moment in the park after she was let go and he obviously wanted to comfort her when she was so devestated, just the body language of it was so bittersweetly wonderful.
A lot of it was that the guest actress for the first episode was fabulous, her character kind of grated on me at first because she's the kind of character I don't usually like, but her actress just pulled it off brilliantly. Her line about how money can't replace balled up socks in the corner? Her break down when she wanted to at least do this much with the rest of her life? When you could just see how incredibly lonely she was? als;dkfjalskj I loved the actress in the role.
While I hope the guest starts continue to be as good in the following episodes, I think I'll enjoy the cast themselves a lot, too. Nakamura Shunsuke is hot in this one and I hope we see more of his character. But also I totally want more on the motorcycle cop guy (I don't think I caught his name or which actor plays him?) who would send out a hundred cops if Azumi-chan wanted and then was kind of super gay at him when the reporter came out. Also, I could totally be intrigued by Azumi/reporter lady if they went there, because she was kind of awesome in her brief scenes, too.
The plot was actually pretty good, too! It was sort of super easy to predict (there were only so many possibilities and the extensions sort of made it obvious) but no less charming for it and I do enjoy Japanese procedurals, even if I'm not really taking it that seriously. But it was better than a lot of ones I've seen, especially since it was very clear that the emphasis was on the emotional aspect of the case, not the thrill of the hunt for the real culprit.
I'm a little sad that the episode was only the standard ~45 minutes instead of an hour long (is it just me or dramas getting constantly shorter?) because it just flew by and it's only the beginning, of course, but I think I can safely say that this is going to be one of my favorites of the season.
Anyway.
Yeah, why am I not surprised the ones with Hidenori in them are the ones dorking it up in the SMILE promotions? (Not that they're not all a bunch of dorks, but.) ....still not sure what I think of that hair, though. .__.
I can't say that I love this drama season the way I instantly loved the previous one, there was something ~*magic*~ about that one for me that I don't think will be the same this season, but. Well, I'm definitely enjoying it. I wish I'd gotten more watched, but holy crap after Door to Door, I was kind of wrung out. In a good way, I think. But still. orz
Anyway, spoilers for anything listed.
Door to Door: They might as well have just titled this "Ninomiya Thinks Your Tears Taste Delicious". I swear, it's like Nino chooses scripts based on what will make fans cry the most. And then probably laughs his evil devil laugh, the little bastard. (ilu, Nino! never stop making me cry!) I pretty much only watched this one because it was on the same dvd I burnt as the new season and I figured, hell, as long as I have it in the machine. But I'm really glad I did, Nino once again impresses me with his acting.
And, okay, I still haven't watched Nino's other two tear-jerker SPs, but I'm glad I watched this one, despite that it had a bit of a rocky start for me. The first 15 minutes hit my embarrassment squick hard, I had to keep pausing it and coming back after channel surfing for a bit. And the story is kind of slow at first, it took me almost half an hour before I was really into it.
But two things helped it along--one, the acting is fantastic and, two, it didn't hit my embarrassment squick button as hard as I thought it was going to. Once you get used to the style of it, once you get past the initial reactions everyone has to Hideo, it sort of settles down and it's about his strength of will and strength of character and determination, rather than about how everything beats him down. Of course there are scenes that made me cry, his mother's "I'm sorry." note very nearly broke me and then the ending totally had me in tears, but it was (for the most part) a good sort of heartbreak. Hideo's life was hard, but it wasn't totally full of suck all the time. He was determined and he was a good salesman and things worked out for him!
Except, of course, that tragedy was doomed to strike. I knew his mother was a goner and it was really wrenching to watch, when he put her makeup away for the last time, that's when I fully broke watching this SP, but he was strong enough to go on without her. The ending was bittersweet, seeing how much he could do for himself now, how he had other people in his life, how he could connect to other people more openly now, but living without his mother, the rock in his life that he could always count on was gone. Just. Ouch.
I think it worked better because the acting wasn't too over the top, there weren't too many scenes that were trying to wring every last bit of happiness out of you and that Hideo's journey wasn't fraught with too many backslides. Watching him win people over, the older ladies in the neighborhood, the apartment manager guy (who was seriously one of my favorites in the drama, the scene with the clip-on ties was just as;ldkjalskj oh my god so sweet), his co-workers, his bosses, etc. Nino didn't try to oversell the role, either, and he's just. A good actor. Kato Rosa was adorable as all get out, too. (Is it wrong that I kind of wanted to ship their characters, despite that I think that was entirely not the point?)
And, overall, it's one of those dramas that I don't think I'd have watched without Nino being in it or it just being on the disc I was already watching, but I'm really glad I did. I was hesitant at first, because I knew it was going to be a heartbreaker, but it was actually not nearly as soul-ravaging as I expected! In a good way!
Atashinchi no Danshi - episode 01: I really didn't have any idea what to expect from this one going in, aside from that the summary of it was pretty cracked out. And also there were a couple of actors in it that I really wanted to watch for. (Maki! Seto Koji! Kaname Jun! *__*) And overall... it's pretty much what you'd expect from Japan and yet still manages to be somehow charming.
There were a bunch of things I wanted to get annoyed by/find super-creepy, but I just. I don't know. Somehow it all worked out for me. The marriage to Shinzo sort of made me "........." a lot at first because he basically blackmailed her into it and didn't really give her a choice and the big looming question of whether or not he expected her to share his bed, which they sort of never really addressed! I think they glossed over that part on purpose and I think that that wasn't part of the deal because Shizo really did seem to just want someone to be there in an emotional way, someone he could talk to every day.
Shinzo was quirky enough that I can buy that he wouldn't have slept with her and I think that, towards the end of their marriage, you could see that she... maybe it wasn't love, but she seemed to genuinely care about Shinzo. They slowly connected and she opened up to him a little. I don't think that could have happened if they were sleeping together, I think she'd probably have been a lot angrier at the deal if she'd been forced into that.
....and, okay, they were kind of adorable together?
And that's what made the other aspect of the contract work for me, the way she was backed into trying to get her "sons" to open up to her. Because it could have been super annoying, it was fraud (but good luck proving that in court!) and yet. Chisato herself was the one to realize that she was shutting herself away from people and that Shinzo had provided her with the chance to open up these people who were like her just a short while ago. That she still wants to connect with people, rather than just hiding herself away. The older uncle-like guy reinforces this, but it's Chisato's words themselves that show her determination.
And then she goes to bomb her son's door off. And when that doesn't work, SHE GETS OUT AN AXE. And when that doesn't work, she GETS A CHAINSAW.
OMFG AWESOME. I don't care how ridiculous it was, that was TOTALLY FUCKING AWESOME. Doubly so because it was a diversionary tactic to distract him away from the "Cold Sleep" she was putting him into (really just the air conditioning being turned up) and she actually did get him out of his room.
I think that's why the other three sons--whom I wanted SO BADLY for her to just haul up and smack them across the face for being such bullies to her--don't ruin the drama for me. Obviously they're all going to get their turns, but she stood up to their bullying, she was strong enough to keep coming back (when she'd only ever run away her whole life) and strong enough to kick their asses. Sure, she had her moment of weakness, but she's stronger than them and that's clear from the beginning. So it works okay for me.
Also, Chisato's dad being kind of a total dick (and Japan's whole thing about making your kids responsible for your debts) drove me up the wall, but she obviously wanted to belt him across the face, too, so I'm hoping that storyline turns out well.
I think I'd have watched this just for the actors, so I'm glad it's charming me a lot so far. I may have gone in with low expectations and that may have helped, but it is pretty enjoyable, the cast is hot/likable, and I'm genuinely eager for the next episode. I'm interested in the characters we didn't get to see much of (Kaname Jun's character and the host son, who I'm curious to see where his character goes) and I'm tolerating the ones we've seen be obnoxious so far, so it's a thumbs up from me so far.
Hanchou - episode 01: a;sdlfkajs;lkjaslkj oh my god, if there are no other MAJOR DRAMAS this season, I think Hanchou could very well be my favorite of the season. I cannot even express with mere words how smoking hot Sasaki is in this drama. *__* The whole cast is pretty damn awesome and hot, but it was honestly a really enjoyable first episode.
The writing wasn't trying too hard and the actors were fantastic in their roles, Sasaki especially. I was instantly in love with his character for being just so full of delight at the world around him, even if I'm sure there's probably heavier things going on with him. But when he had this odd bond/connection with Ooto Toyo-san, it was just so great.
When he laughed at her comments over the bullhorn, when he laughed during her interrogation because, "You're a young woman in love. :D" and he was just delighted at this and she laughed, too, because it was true, just. ;alskdjf;alksjl;aks I kind of loved the whole world in that moment. Their moment in the park after she was let go and he obviously wanted to comfort her when she was so devestated, just the body language of it was so bittersweetly wonderful.
A lot of it was that the guest actress for the first episode was fabulous, her character kind of grated on me at first because she's the kind of character I don't usually like, but her actress just pulled it off brilliantly. Her line about how money can't replace balled up socks in the corner? Her break down when she wanted to at least do this much with the rest of her life? When you could just see how incredibly lonely she was? als;dkfjalskj I loved the actress in the role.
While I hope the guest starts continue to be as good in the following episodes, I think I'll enjoy the cast themselves a lot, too. Nakamura Shunsuke is hot in this one and I hope we see more of his character. But also I totally want more on the motorcycle cop guy (I don't think I caught his name or which actor plays him?) who would send out a hundred cops if Azumi-chan wanted and then was kind of super gay at him when the reporter came out. Also, I could totally be intrigued by Azumi/reporter lady if they went there, because she was kind of awesome in her brief scenes, too.
The plot was actually pretty good, too! It was sort of super easy to predict (there were only so many possibilities and the extensions sort of made it obvious) but no less charming for it and I do enjoy Japanese procedurals, even if I'm not really taking it that seriously. But it was better than a lot of ones I've seen, especially since it was very clear that the emphasis was on the emotional aspect of the case, not the thrill of the hunt for the real culprit.
I'm a little sad that the episode was only the standard ~45 minutes instead of an hour long (is it just me or dramas getting constantly shorter?) because it just flew by and it's only the beginning, of course, but I think I can safely say that this is going to be one of my favorites of the season.