Nankyoku Tairiku (南極大陸) ep1
Finally watched the whole episode in a very decent quality. Guess I'll just post some screencaps and my theories. You're very welcomed to share your ideas with me. You know, discussing dramas is a really NICE hobby... :P
I'll not write summaries and this and that 'cause I know you'll watch it sooner or later... xDD... I just wanted to share the beauty of the cinematography (well, I don't know how to call it since this is not a movie... maybe dramatography?? xDD). Anyway, the images they used in this very first episode is simply gorgeous! The dog on the right picture looks so cold I feel sorry for him (yeah... they are prepared for those temperatures it's just me that is having these foolish thoughts :P)
The BGM for the series is real music and a paradise for my ears. Arano Yori (荒野より) is perfect for the ending theme ^^
Kuramochi Takeshi (Kimura Takuya aka Emperor) is a geologist/assistant professor at University of Tokyo. His wife died 10 years ago in the 2nd World War. The first scene with him is right in the beginning with those piercing brown eyes. So much will on that glare. One of the things I like the best in Kimura is that he can act with his eyes. People can make him a deaf/mute person in a possibly drama in a recent future and he still have a lot of impact just because of those eyes!! (yeah, this is me proposing Kimura to do a drama where he won't utter a single word... haha).
I loved the rock-climbing scene and my heart skipped a beat when he fell. I immerse too much in drama... :P. Now, I would like to know who died in the expedition he led in the past (the one we always see on a flashback). Maybe I'm too dumb to have not figure it out yet (if it's the case please tell me... :P).
Another strong point of this episode were the children. The poor innocent kids living the hell after the war but yet curious, smiling and full of dreams. Ahhh... I really envy them. Kuramo-chan seems to have a liking to them too. His biggest dream is to get to Antarctica to Japan can raise from the ashes and reborn as a capable country in the eyes of the world so the children will be able to have a future they can rely on. Somehow this drama fits Japan now quite well. Of course they couldn't foresee the tsunami this year but I think this drama will unite the Japanese people and give them courage to rebuild their homes once again. Ganbatte Nippon!
Ahhh... I almost forgot Takaoka Miyuki (Ayase Haruka); she's Kuramo-chan deceased wife's younger sister, an elementary school teacher. Nothing much is said about her, only that she was rejected in an omiai (arranged marriage) and was quite reluctant about his brother-in-law decision to go on the expedition.
From left to right: Himura Haruhiko (Sakai Masato), Shirosaki Suguru (Shibata Kyouhei), Hoshino Eitaro (Kagawa Teruyuki) and Utsumi Noriaki (Ogata Naoto).
Himura apparently shares a past with Kuramochi and Shirosaki sensei. And the person that died in the expedition in the past must have been someone close to him. He seems to be always opposing Kuramochi but I kinda sense a little bit of jealousy from his actions. Like he always longed for his freedom (his father is a politician). And he might ask Miyuki to marry him in the future. Shirasaki is the typical sensei who will probably give his leader position to Kuramochi or at least rely on him for a lot of decisions. I'm quite sure that he'll be the one to order the expedition crew to come back, even without the dogs and Kuramochi will disagree. Hoshino has a funny way of speaking and I like it! Especially when he call Kuramo-chan... haha. Finally, Utsumi is a journalist striving for the coverage of this journey to the iced continent. He has a great chemistry with Kimura and they really look like two good old friends (or is it because of the Yamato duo?) xDD
Beautiful!! *_* It's so peaceful I could stare at it for hours... :P
While the adults rejected the Antarctica expedition, the kids were the most excited ones. When Haruo gave him that 5 yen coin, I was almost tearing up. They may not understand the importance of the expedition in a political view but they crave adventure and dream with a Japanese flag on the ice. Their gesture is so naive but so encouraging too.
I'm 100% sure they will have more dogs at the drama but these are probably the main ones. So we have Shiro, Bekku and Anko (I really want to have one too). My deceased Lon Lon *tears* with very similar to Anko, but slightly bigger.
Pesu, Jakku and Monbetsu no Kuma
Aka, Tetsu and Pippu no Kuma
And probably the main dogs: Riki, Fuuren no Kuma and the siblings Jiro and Taro. I got a feeling that Riki will be the first one to suffer a not so good fate. He's considered the leader of the pack and when the kids asked Kuramochi to bring him back safe and sound, it sounded like a hard promise to keep.
I can't wait to see these pretty boys at the ice. And Kimura must have had a lot of fun filming these moments.
Inuzuka Natsuo (Yamamoto Yuusuke) is a high school student who lied about his knowledge of dogs just to belong the the crew. Kuromachi suspected him in the beginning but keeps quiet. Inuzuka sees in Kuramochi (or at least this is how I think) an older brother or maybe a father figure. (And what are you doing Taro?! We can only dream of biting that man and you already did!!) xDD. Looking at Kuramo-chan and Miyuki, they don't look so bad together. I'm finally accepting them... haha.
Isn't Furatachi Haruka (Ashida Mana)so cute??
And I was glued to the TV during the final speech and actually said quite loud: "Yeah! This is Japan's dream! Go put the japanese flag Kuramochi!!" xDD
Hope this drama won't disappoint me in the next episodes. And just some extra information, this drama is not based or adapted from Disney's Eight Below. The Hollywood movie was the one to use these Japanese story (and their version was really soft too).
Puniyo
I'll not write summaries and this and that 'cause I know you'll watch it sooner or later... xDD... I just wanted to share the beauty of the cinematography (well, I don't know how to call it since this is not a movie... maybe dramatography?? xDD). Anyway, the images they used in this very first episode is simply gorgeous! The dog on the right picture looks so cold I feel sorry for him (yeah... they are prepared for those temperatures it's just me that is having these foolish thoughts :P)
The BGM for the series is real music and a paradise for my ears. Arano Yori (荒野より) is perfect for the ending theme ^^
Kuramochi Takeshi (Kimura Takuya aka Emperor) is a geologist/assistant professor at University of Tokyo. His wife died 10 years ago in the 2nd World War. The first scene with him is right in the beginning with those piercing brown eyes. So much will on that glare. One of the things I like the best in Kimura is that he can act with his eyes. People can make him a deaf/mute person in a possibly drama in a recent future and he still have a lot of impact just because of those eyes!! (yeah, this is me proposing Kimura to do a drama where he won't utter a single word... haha).
I loved the rock-climbing scene and my heart skipped a beat when he fell. I immerse too much in drama... :P. Now, I would like to know who died in the expedition he led in the past (the one we always see on a flashback). Maybe I'm too dumb to have not figure it out yet (if it's the case please tell me... :P).
Another strong point of this episode were the children. The poor innocent kids living the hell after the war but yet curious, smiling and full of dreams. Ahhh... I really envy them. Kuramo-chan seems to have a liking to them too. His biggest dream is to get to Antarctica to Japan can raise from the ashes and reborn as a capable country in the eyes of the world so the children will be able to have a future they can rely on. Somehow this drama fits Japan now quite well. Of course they couldn't foresee the tsunami this year but I think this drama will unite the Japanese people and give them courage to rebuild their homes once again. Ganbatte Nippon!
Ahhh... I almost forgot Takaoka Miyuki (Ayase Haruka); she's Kuramo-chan deceased wife's younger sister, an elementary school teacher. Nothing much is said about her, only that she was rejected in an omiai (arranged marriage) and was quite reluctant about his brother-in-law decision to go on the expedition.
From left to right: Himura Haruhiko (Sakai Masato), Shirosaki Suguru (Shibata Kyouhei), Hoshino Eitaro (Kagawa Teruyuki) and Utsumi Noriaki (Ogata Naoto).
Himura apparently shares a past with Kuramochi and Shirosaki sensei. And the person that died in the expedition in the past must have been someone close to him. He seems to be always opposing Kuramochi but I kinda sense a little bit of jealousy from his actions. Like he always longed for his freedom (his father is a politician). And he might ask Miyuki to marry him in the future. Shirasaki is the typical sensei who will probably give his leader position to Kuramochi or at least rely on him for a lot of decisions. I'm quite sure that he'll be the one to order the expedition crew to come back, even without the dogs and Kuramochi will disagree. Hoshino has a funny way of speaking and I like it! Especially when he call Kuramo-chan... haha. Finally, Utsumi is a journalist striving for the coverage of this journey to the iced continent. He has a great chemistry with Kimura and they really look like two good old friends (or is it because of the Yamato duo?) xDD
Beautiful!! *_* It's so peaceful I could stare at it for hours... :P
While the adults rejected the Antarctica expedition, the kids were the most excited ones. When Haruo gave him that 5 yen coin, I was almost tearing up. They may not understand the importance of the expedition in a political view but they crave adventure and dream with a Japanese flag on the ice. Their gesture is so naive but so encouraging too.
I'm 100% sure they will have more dogs at the drama but these are probably the main ones. So we have Shiro, Bekku and Anko (I really want to have one too). My deceased Lon Lon *tears* with very similar to Anko, but slightly bigger.
Pesu, Jakku and Monbetsu no Kuma
Aka, Tetsu and Pippu no Kuma
And probably the main dogs: Riki, Fuuren no Kuma and the siblings Jiro and Taro. I got a feeling that Riki will be the first one to suffer a not so good fate. He's considered the leader of the pack and when the kids asked Kuramochi to bring him back safe and sound, it sounded like a hard promise to keep.
I can't wait to see these pretty boys at the ice. And Kimura must have had a lot of fun filming these moments.
Inuzuka Natsuo (Yamamoto Yuusuke) is a high school student who lied about his knowledge of dogs just to belong the the crew. Kuromachi suspected him in the beginning but keeps quiet. Inuzuka sees in Kuramochi (or at least this is how I think) an older brother or maybe a father figure. (And what are you doing Taro?! We can only dream of biting that man and you already did!!) xDD. Looking at Kuramo-chan and Miyuki, they don't look so bad together. I'm finally accepting them... haha.
Isn't Furatachi Haruka (Ashida Mana)so cute??
And I was glued to the TV during the final speech and actually said quite loud: "Yeah! This is Japan's dream! Go put the japanese flag Kuramochi!!" xDD
Hope this drama won't disappoint me in the next episodes. And just some extra information, this drama is not based or adapted from Disney's Eight Below. The Hollywood movie was the one to use these Japanese story (and their version was really soft too).
Puniyo