Dorama Watch: Autumn 2007
It's kind of sad that I'm doing this now despite having not even started watching shows from the Summer 2007 season, but what can you do. It's always a lot easier to download shows as they're airing, so I need to try to be on top of the downloading (if not the watching). Here goes nothing!
Galileo: Eccentric genius physicist and rookie cop solve crimes. Looks more serious than it sounds. Stars Fukuyama Masaharu, who is very well-known, but I haven't seen him in anything. The slickest waiter ever from Bambino, Kitamura Kazuki, also has a role. I very well may end up checking this out. I feel up for some mystery solving.
Abarenbo Mama: A comedy. The plot description makes it sound like it's just Ueto Aya arguing with everyone... I don't know, tough to say whether this comedy would appeal to me or not. Might download the first episode and see I guess.
Swan no Baka: Another comedy, this one about a salaryman forced to live on only 30,000yen (less than $300) per month because his daughter is taking entrance exams. There isn't much of the plot up, so I can't really comment on that. I will admit to being mildly curious to see Maeda Atsuko's dorama debut though.
Yukan Club: ...more comedy. DramaWiki says it's about "six wealthy and popular high school students who solve mysteries and in their free time, amuse themselves lavishly". The group is helmed by three Johnny's Entertainment members. I've never seen Akanishi Jin or Yokoyama Yu act before, but I'm not exactly jumping at the thought, and although he was serviceable in Hanayome to Papa I'm not overly excited by Taguchi Junnosuke either. But, even though the male side of the cast is a bit of a bust, it's been a while since I've seen something with Kashii Yu or Suzuki Emi in it. Not overly excited, but we'll see.
Hataraki Man: A comedy about a workaholic woman with no time for romance. Err... no plot description, nobody I recognize in main roles... Work with me, Japan! Ain't happening.
Oishii Gohan: Kamakura Kasugai Kometen: No.
Joshi Deka!: Another mismatched detective show? Really? This one looks less serious than Galileo though. I think one will be enough...
Otoko no Kosodate: Irresponsible dad has to shape up after his wife passes away suddenly. A home comedy. The only person in the cast I recognize and care about is Koizumi Kotaro from Hanayome to Papa - I wonder how he would come across playing someone who isn't as cold as his character in that show. Still though... nothing catching my attention...
Utahime: Absolutely yes. Nagase Tomoya, basically my idol (ha!), and Sato Ryuuta, a favourite from Gal Circle and Bambino? A hundred times sold.
Mop Girl: I've been waiting to read one with a strange premise, and I think this is it: "Kitagawa plays the part of the slow but hardworking Momoko, a low-ranking employee at a funeral services company who carries a mop as part of her job. However, Momoko happens to possess a strange ability. Whenever she comes across the corpse of someone who has left strong feelings behind, she travels back in time to save that person from his or her fate." To this point it's been looking like a bit of a dry season, so I'll probably check this out.
Dream Again: A baseball player is forced to retire from injury, trains to come back to the game, dies, and is brought back by God and put into a wealthy businessman's body. Is this ringing mad bells to anyone else right about now? I'll give you a hint. WTF?
Judge: An inexperienced and unreliable judge gets moved from the city to an island and must deal with all the cases himself. Sounds like a quiet little drama about self-improvement. It's probably just the Phoenix Wright talking, but this doesn't sound too bad.
SP: Stands for "Security Police", apparently. About an anti-terrorism unit in an increasingly threatened Japan. This is kind of intriguing just because I don't tend to associate Japanese shows with this kind of subject matter. Could be interesting.
Hatachi no Koibito: A fifty-year-old falls for a 20-year-old. First, I think this is the first show I saw classified as a romantic comedy, which is very strange - like, where are the rest of them? Second, it stars Sanma. Sanma? Are you KIDDING ME? Good lord. I don't think I could stomach this. XD
And that would be it. What a strange season. I didn't notice any terminal illness dramas, and only one focussed on romance. That seems so strange... what an odd season. Recapping is going to be interesting, because I don't remember being that interested in too many shows...
Must Watch: Utahime
Will Probably Watch: Galileo, Swan no Baka, Mop Girl
Will Probably Try Out: Yukan Club, Judge, SP
Apathetic Towards: Abarenbo Mama, Hataraki Man, Joshi Deka!, Otoko no Kosodate
Really Apathetic Towards: Oishii Gohan: Kamakura Kasugai Kometen, Dream Again
Freaking Sanma?! ;_;: Hatachi no Koibito
Huh, for now looks like a very quiet season indeed. Well, at least I'll get a chance to catch up on the extremely busy Summer season!
Galileo: Eccentric genius physicist and rookie cop solve crimes. Looks more serious than it sounds. Stars Fukuyama Masaharu, who is very well-known, but I haven't seen him in anything. The slickest waiter ever from Bambino, Kitamura Kazuki, also has a role. I very well may end up checking this out. I feel up for some mystery solving.
Abarenbo Mama: A comedy. The plot description makes it sound like it's just Ueto Aya arguing with everyone... I don't know, tough to say whether this comedy would appeal to me or not. Might download the first episode and see I guess.
Swan no Baka: Another comedy, this one about a salaryman forced to live on only 30,000yen (less than $300) per month because his daughter is taking entrance exams. There isn't much of the plot up, so I can't really comment on that. I will admit to being mildly curious to see Maeda Atsuko's dorama debut though.
Yukan Club: ...more comedy. DramaWiki says it's about "six wealthy and popular high school students who solve mysteries and in their free time, amuse themselves lavishly". The group is helmed by three Johnny's Entertainment members. I've never seen Akanishi Jin or Yokoyama Yu act before, but I'm not exactly jumping at the thought, and although he was serviceable in Hanayome to Papa I'm not overly excited by Taguchi Junnosuke either. But, even though the male side of the cast is a bit of a bust, it's been a while since I've seen something with Kashii Yu or Suzuki Emi in it. Not overly excited, but we'll see.
Hataraki Man: A comedy about a workaholic woman with no time for romance. Err... no plot description, nobody I recognize in main roles... Work with me, Japan! Ain't happening.
Oishii Gohan: Kamakura Kasugai Kometen: No.
Joshi Deka!: Another mismatched detective show? Really? This one looks less serious than Galileo though. I think one will be enough...
Otoko no Kosodate: Irresponsible dad has to shape up after his wife passes away suddenly. A home comedy. The only person in the cast I recognize and care about is Koizumi Kotaro from Hanayome to Papa - I wonder how he would come across playing someone who isn't as cold as his character in that show. Still though... nothing catching my attention...
Utahime: Absolutely yes. Nagase Tomoya, basically my idol (ha!), and Sato Ryuuta, a favourite from Gal Circle and Bambino? A hundred times sold.
Mop Girl: I've been waiting to read one with a strange premise, and I think this is it: "Kitagawa plays the part of the slow but hardworking Momoko, a low-ranking employee at a funeral services company who carries a mop as part of her job. However, Momoko happens to possess a strange ability. Whenever she comes across the corpse of someone who has left strong feelings behind, she travels back in time to save that person from his or her fate." To this point it's been looking like a bit of a dry season, so I'll probably check this out.
Dream Again: A baseball player is forced to retire from injury, trains to come back to the game, dies, and is brought back by God and put into a wealthy businessman's body. Is this ringing mad bells to anyone else right about now? I'll give you a hint. WTF?
Judge: An inexperienced and unreliable judge gets moved from the city to an island and must deal with all the cases himself. Sounds like a quiet little drama about self-improvement. It's probably just the Phoenix Wright talking, but this doesn't sound too bad.
SP: Stands for "Security Police", apparently. About an anti-terrorism unit in an increasingly threatened Japan. This is kind of intriguing just because I don't tend to associate Japanese shows with this kind of subject matter. Could be interesting.
Hatachi no Koibito: A fifty-year-old falls for a 20-year-old. First, I think this is the first show I saw classified as a romantic comedy, which is very strange - like, where are the rest of them? Second, it stars Sanma. Sanma? Are you KIDDING ME? Good lord. I don't think I could stomach this. XD
And that would be it. What a strange season. I didn't notice any terminal illness dramas, and only one focussed on romance. That seems so strange... what an odd season. Recapping is going to be interesting, because I don't remember being that interested in too many shows...
Must Watch: Utahime
Will Probably Watch: Galileo, Swan no Baka, Mop Girl
Will Probably Try Out: Yukan Club, Judge, SP
Apathetic Towards: Abarenbo Mama, Hataraki Man, Joshi Deka!, Otoko no Kosodate
Really Apathetic Towards: Oishii Gohan: Kamakura Kasugai Kometen, Dream Again
Freaking Sanma?! ;_;: Hatachi no Koibito
Huh, for now looks like a very quiet season indeed. Well, at least I'll get a chance to catch up on the extremely busy Summer season!