J-Dramas for ya (with vague descriptions and virtually no summaries)
(Drama Wiki was down when I wrote this, but if you want summaries, you should hop over there. Maybe I'll retroactively provide links. These are just some thoughts on a few points.)
1 Litre of Tears (Drama) (2005)
Ouch. Yeah, I kind of cried like a baby. Nearly every episode. It's probably unhealthy to marathon it--keep water and tissues on hand. I think Sawajiri Erika did a good job portraying the illness' progression and I loved the focus on how it was a family ordeal, as well as the insight into the larger community's mixed reactions and ill-equipped means of accommodating the disabled. It is sad and inspiring, though one must keep in mind that many changes were made to make Kitou Aya's story more suitable for a drama.
Beautiful Life (2000)
What's with the girl-who-is-sick falls for the guy-she-can-change plot? Works here, though I think the female protagonist could be bratty at times (though understandably so, it could just be a little annoying). However, I do like the adult, mature feel of the drama. Sometimes the pacing was slow but its deliberate slowness is actually a little refreshing. It's the little interactions and concerns that I think made the drama. (Also, lol, the lead is from SMAP, which I found out afterwards. He did well, though.)
Mop Girl (2007; only subbed up to episode 5)
I looked into this because of Kitagawa Keiko, aka Live Action Sailor Moon's Hino Rei (no, I haven't watched PGSM . . . it might be so bad that it's good, but I can't do it). Very formulaic, but it does some surprising things that I didn't expect in terms of, not plot, but the type of people involved. Look out for the random gay, S&M, and/or other sexually "deviant" people (as well as annoying people you think should die anyway). It's an interesting look into the way they are portrayed--stereotypically yes, but the humor does take off some edge. Kitagawa is definitely not Sailor Mars in this drama. She's way clumsy but with a big heart (more like Sailor Moon) and unfortunately seems to actually get clumsier with each episode. *sigh* But I think her hair here is better than the Rei haircut she was sporting! Also, this is one of those dramas that adds to my confusion of Asian actors usually playing characters close to their own ages. This happens, too, in Kitagawa's more recent drama Taiyo to Umi no Kyoshitsu, where she plays a young high school teacher . . . but looks like she could be a student. LOL.
Sawajiri Erika
Her work in 1 Litre of Tears made me curious to see more, and browsing Taiyo no Uta (Drama, 2006) shows that she can still play the girl-who-is-sick-that-changes-a-guy but with more spunk rather than angelic kindness. Also, the longer hair in Taiyo makes her more beautiful rather than cute, I think. I like her but I have to say that every time she smiles I fixate on that snaggle tooth. Also random!: She does the opening song for Mop Girl mentioned above, which I found out later when I Drama Wiki-ed her. Coincidental!
1 Litre of Tears (Drama) (2005)
Ouch. Yeah, I kind of cried like a baby. Nearly every episode. It's probably unhealthy to marathon it--keep water and tissues on hand. I think Sawajiri Erika did a good job portraying the illness' progression and I loved the focus on how it was a family ordeal, as well as the insight into the larger community's mixed reactions and ill-equipped means of accommodating the disabled. It is sad and inspiring, though one must keep in mind that many changes were made to make Kitou Aya's story more suitable for a drama.
Beautiful Life (2000)
What's with the girl-who-is-sick falls for the guy-she-can-change plot? Works here, though I think the female protagonist could be bratty at times (though understandably so, it could just be a little annoying). However, I do like the adult, mature feel of the drama. Sometimes the pacing was slow but its deliberate slowness is actually a little refreshing. It's the little interactions and concerns that I think made the drama. (Also, lol, the lead is from SMAP, which I found out afterwards. He did well, though.)
Mop Girl (2007; only subbed up to episode 5)
I looked into this because of Kitagawa Keiko, aka Live Action Sailor Moon's Hino Rei (no, I haven't watched PGSM . . . it might be so bad that it's good, but I can't do it). Very formulaic, but it does some surprising things that I didn't expect in terms of, not plot, but the type of people involved. Look out for the random gay, S&M, and/or other sexually "deviant" people (as well as annoying people you think should die anyway). It's an interesting look into the way they are portrayed--stereotypically yes, but the humor does take off some edge. Kitagawa is definitely not Sailor Mars in this drama. She's way clumsy but with a big heart (more like Sailor Moon) and unfortunately seems to actually get clumsier with each episode. *sigh* But I think her hair here is better than the Rei haircut she was sporting! Also, this is one of those dramas that adds to my confusion of Asian actors usually playing characters close to their own ages. This happens, too, in Kitagawa's more recent drama Taiyo to Umi no Kyoshitsu, where she plays a young high school teacher . . . but looks like she could be a student. LOL.
Sawajiri Erika
Her work in 1 Litre of Tears made me curious to see more, and browsing Taiyo no Uta (Drama, 2006) shows that she can still play the girl-who-is-sick-that-changes-a-guy but with more spunk rather than angelic kindness. Also, the longer hair in Taiyo makes her more beautiful rather than cute, I think. I like her but I have to say that every time she smiles I fixate on that snaggle tooth. Also random!: She does the opening song for Mop Girl mentioned above, which I found out later when I Drama Wiki-ed her. Coincidental!