Dorama Watch: Spring 2007
My last post about Tatta Hitotsu no Koi got me to thinking about what to watch next that's coming up. As I mentioned, once I get through Nobuta wo Produce and Teppan Shoujo Akane!!, I was going to start tackling the shows from the Spring season (April to June). I'm going to go through the list of doramas in the Spring season and take a look at which ones I want to check out. Later, I'll do the upcoming Summer season (July - September). I don't have very long to catch up on my watching, do I? Haha.
(I should note that I'm going to ignore anything not in its first season (unless I saw the first season) and any of the historical dramas).
Proposal Daisakusen: This one is doing really well in the ratings, and it's not a big surprise, as it stars the super-popular Yamashita Tomohisa, better known as YamaPi of NEWS. It's about Yamashita's character getting a second chance to woo his lifelong love (who was about to marry another man) by being sent back in time. Generally people's opinions of the show seem to be mixed, with complaints about it being repetitive and hackneyed. I liked Yamashita in Dragon Zakura, and it also features Fujiki Naohito, the lead in Gal Circle, and Hiroaka Yuuta, who played Ayuta to perfection in Tatta Hitotsu no Koi. With that cast alone I will probably check this out, although I doubt it will be first on my list to download.
Hanayome to Papa: I believe this is essentially a comedy, about a young woman with a domineering father who ends up getting married despite his ridiculously strict guidelines. The plot outline on DramaWiki is really thin, and the only cast member I recognize is Satsukawa Aimi who had a fairly small role in Gal Circle, but I've had friends recommend this as the funniest show this season, so I will check it out.
Sexy Voice and Robo: The entire synopsis on DramaWiki is "A girl that has an ability to alter her voice to manipulate men and a geek with an obsession with toy robots team up in solving various cases." Sounds good to me, but just about everyone I've heard talk about it trashed it. I'm curious enough to check out an episode or two and see how it goes, but sadly this one, which I was excited about before the season started, seems to have not lived up to expectations. It is also a total ratings flop.
Bambino!: This stars the most flamboyant boy band member known to Japan, Matsumoto Jun, as an aspiring chef. Apparently it features lots of delicious looking food and random Italian. High up on the cast list is Sato Ryuta who I loved as Ichinose from Gal Circle and I'm glad that he's gotten a bigger role (or so it appears at least). This should be silly fun, and so I'll probably check it out.
Sono Otoko, Fuku-Shocho: This is a crime drama that's getting pretty good ratings. Unfortunately, there's no summary and it doesn't look like anyone is uploading it :( That's a shame.
Fufudo: About a middle-aged couple who run a tea shop. That is the extent of the description of the plot. I don't know anyone in the cast and don't know anyone who's watched any of it. Not going to bother with it.
Hotelier: Someone described it as the most "adult" one of the season, with a generally older cast and somewhat darker tone I'm guessing. It didn't do too hot in the ratings and again I've heard mostly mediocre reviews. It does, however, feature Saeko, who was adorable in Nodame Contabile, and Takenaka Naoto, who underwent quite the transformation to play the German (iirc) conductor Franz Stresemann in Nodame Cantabile, and I'm really curious to see him in a more normal role. This would be far down the priority list, but if I end up with spare time I might check it out.
Watashitachi no Kyokasho ("Our Textbook"): It's a mystery/legal drama. I do like mysteries, but this one doesn't grab me and I don't know any of the cast. There are already a bunch I want to watch in this season, so unless I hear some stellar reviews of it then I'll probably skip it.
Kodoku no Kake: I raise an eyebrow at the plot description on DramaWiki: "...about a young businessman (Ito) who encounters a designer (Hasegawa) that will ask him for a 20 million yen loan. She will use her own body as the collateral.". I haven't heard anything about this drama elsewhere, and the ratings started pretty good and then tanked and keep on going, so I'll probably skip this. The woman in question is played by Hasegawa Kyoko, who was the resident English teacher in Dragon Zakura, which could be interesting to see, but still, plan to skip it.
Seito Shokun!: Another one that I haven't heard anything about. It's a school drama, and I do like school dramas, plus it features the great Horikita Maki. I might check this out.
Tokkyu Tanaka San Go: Tanaka Koki's first starring role. I loved his performances as a supporting character in My Boss My Hero and Tatta Hitotsu no Koi. I need to see this. As an added bonus, it has Kaito Ken, star of Xenos! He wasn't fantastic in it or anything, but still, haha.
Byouin no Chikara: Not that I'm super interested in it anyway, but it doesn't look like this one is getting uploaded :(
LIAR GAME: This is based on a manga series, and is about a game to win a hundred million dollars - while the loser is a hundred million dollars in debt. It stars Toda Erika, who was good in both Gal Circle and Tatta Hitotsu no Koi. I've heard good things about it, especially as it reaches its climax, so I will check it out.
Jodan ja nai!: A drama about a 40-year-old who marries a 20-year-old, only to find out that his wife's mother is a former lover. It's a comedy, and it stars Ueno Juri, who was amazing as the female lead in my current favorite dorama Nodame Cantabile. That alone should be enough to check it out.
...and that's all of them! Holy crap!
So, after all that, I guess my viewing list looks something like this:
Must-watch: "Hanayome to Papa", "Tokkyu Tanaka San Go"
Will-almost-certainly-watch: "Proposal Daisakusen", "Bambino!", "LIAR GAME", "Jodan ja nai!"
Might-check-out-if-time-permits: "Sexy Voice and Robo", "Hotelier", "Seito Shokun!"
Almost no chance: "Watashitachi no Kyokasho", "Kodoku no Kake"
Not a chance (or unavailable): "Sono Otoko, Fuku-Shocho", "Fufudo", "Byouin no Chikara"
So 6 that I really want to watch. Bugger. And the season after this one is just about to start...
(I should note that I'm going to ignore anything not in its first season (unless I saw the first season) and any of the historical dramas).
Proposal Daisakusen: This one is doing really well in the ratings, and it's not a big surprise, as it stars the super-popular Yamashita Tomohisa, better known as YamaPi of NEWS. It's about Yamashita's character getting a second chance to woo his lifelong love (who was about to marry another man) by being sent back in time. Generally people's opinions of the show seem to be mixed, with complaints about it being repetitive and hackneyed. I liked Yamashita in Dragon Zakura, and it also features Fujiki Naohito, the lead in Gal Circle, and Hiroaka Yuuta, who played Ayuta to perfection in Tatta Hitotsu no Koi. With that cast alone I will probably check this out, although I doubt it will be first on my list to download.
Hanayome to Papa: I believe this is essentially a comedy, about a young woman with a domineering father who ends up getting married despite his ridiculously strict guidelines. The plot outline on DramaWiki is really thin, and the only cast member I recognize is Satsukawa Aimi who had a fairly small role in Gal Circle, but I've had friends recommend this as the funniest show this season, so I will check it out.
Sexy Voice and Robo: The entire synopsis on DramaWiki is "A girl that has an ability to alter her voice to manipulate men and a geek with an obsession with toy robots team up in solving various cases." Sounds good to me, but just about everyone I've heard talk about it trashed it. I'm curious enough to check out an episode or two and see how it goes, but sadly this one, which I was excited about before the season started, seems to have not lived up to expectations. It is also a total ratings flop.
Bambino!: This stars the most flamboyant boy band member known to Japan, Matsumoto Jun, as an aspiring chef. Apparently it features lots of delicious looking food and random Italian. High up on the cast list is Sato Ryuta who I loved as Ichinose from Gal Circle and I'm glad that he's gotten a bigger role (or so it appears at least). This should be silly fun, and so I'll probably check it out.
Sono Otoko, Fuku-Shocho: This is a crime drama that's getting pretty good ratings. Unfortunately, there's no summary and it doesn't look like anyone is uploading it :( That's a shame.
Fufudo: About a middle-aged couple who run a tea shop. That is the extent of the description of the plot. I don't know anyone in the cast and don't know anyone who's watched any of it. Not going to bother with it.
Hotelier: Someone described it as the most "adult" one of the season, with a generally older cast and somewhat darker tone I'm guessing. It didn't do too hot in the ratings and again I've heard mostly mediocre reviews. It does, however, feature Saeko, who was adorable in Nodame Contabile, and Takenaka Naoto, who underwent quite the transformation to play the German (iirc) conductor Franz Stresemann in Nodame Cantabile, and I'm really curious to see him in a more normal role. This would be far down the priority list, but if I end up with spare time I might check it out.
Watashitachi no Kyokasho ("Our Textbook"): It's a mystery/legal drama. I do like mysteries, but this one doesn't grab me and I don't know any of the cast. There are already a bunch I want to watch in this season, so unless I hear some stellar reviews of it then I'll probably skip it.
Kodoku no Kake: I raise an eyebrow at the plot description on DramaWiki: "...about a young businessman (Ito) who encounters a designer (Hasegawa) that will ask him for a 20 million yen loan. She will use her own body as the collateral.". I haven't heard anything about this drama elsewhere, and the ratings started pretty good and then tanked and keep on going, so I'll probably skip this. The woman in question is played by Hasegawa Kyoko, who was the resident English teacher in Dragon Zakura, which could be interesting to see, but still, plan to skip it.
Seito Shokun!: Another one that I haven't heard anything about. It's a school drama, and I do like school dramas, plus it features the great Horikita Maki. I might check this out.
Tokkyu Tanaka San Go: Tanaka Koki's first starring role. I loved his performances as a supporting character in My Boss My Hero and Tatta Hitotsu no Koi. I need to see this. As an added bonus, it has Kaito Ken, star of Xenos! He wasn't fantastic in it or anything, but still, haha.
Byouin no Chikara: Not that I'm super interested in it anyway, but it doesn't look like this one is getting uploaded :(
LIAR GAME: This is based on a manga series, and is about a game to win a hundred million dollars - while the loser is a hundred million dollars in debt. It stars Toda Erika, who was good in both Gal Circle and Tatta Hitotsu no Koi. I've heard good things about it, especially as it reaches its climax, so I will check it out.
Jodan ja nai!: A drama about a 40-year-old who marries a 20-year-old, only to find out that his wife's mother is a former lover. It's a comedy, and it stars Ueno Juri, who was amazing as the female lead in my current favorite dorama Nodame Cantabile. That alone should be enough to check it out.
...and that's all of them! Holy crap!
So, after all that, I guess my viewing list looks something like this:
Must-watch: "Hanayome to Papa", "Tokkyu Tanaka San Go"
Will-almost-certainly-watch: "Proposal Daisakusen", "Bambino!", "LIAR GAME", "Jodan ja nai!"
Might-check-out-if-time-permits: "Sexy Voice and Robo", "Hotelier", "Seito Shokun!"
Almost no chance: "Watashitachi no Kyokasho", "Kodoku no Kake"
Not a chance (or unavailable): "Sono Otoko, Fuku-Shocho", "Fufudo", "Byouin no Chikara"
So 6 that I really want to watch. Bugger. And the season after this one is just about to start...