Tuesday, October 06, 2009

Buzzer Beater

Now that's a decent looking jumper.

I wasn't going to review this show because I haven't really watched it. What I have done was skimmed through it, suing the forward button a lot and subjecting myself to the cruel and unusual torture that it Buzzer Beater. The most important element of sports doramas/ movies is that it must look real. The actors don't need to be pros but they need to look like pros. For 'sports' like golf and bowling where the type of movement is fixed it much easier for the actors as long as the swing, throw looks decent. For ice hockey they just need to be able to skate competently.

I blame you three for making me watch this!

For basketball, it is much harder to look decent because there's no fixed ranged of motion and looking at someone dribble the ball for 5 seconds you can tell whether they have a good handle. Yamapi cannot dribble the ball. Neither can Hachi one and the long haired Yamapi rival. That would not have been a problem if they had run more catch and shoot offense in the show. Worse is that Yamapi, playing a SG, cannot fucking shoot. Super low release point. Pushes the ball instead of stroking it. Can't even fucking do a decent looking jumper or fadeaway. WTF ever heard of a SG who doesn't even have a decent jumper? WTF is he going to shoot over with his low and slow release?

Denwa bango oshiete kudasai!

The one on one game with Yamapi and long hair dude is atrocious. It is like listening to someone running their nails against a blackboard. That super lame scene with Yamapi and Hachi-one at the last episode was pathetic beyond belief. Yamapi's super slow motion baseline drive in the beginning of ep 1 where the defence parts like the red sea. OMFG. Defenders just disappear everytime he drives to the hoop. Whoever the basketball coordinator was in this show needs to banned from playing ever again. Compare the 'actors' with the extras in the show in terms of dribbling, shooting and passing.


Basically all the guys with talking parts can't even look like they know how to play. Except for Nagai Masaru. Watch him dribble and you can tell he was a confident handle. He drives towards the hoop hard and fast and watching him pass to Yamapi for his slow and weak jumper is just horrible. Nagai Masaru's actually got a nice looking jumper too. Like his dribble to right jumper at the last episode. Seriously, he should have been the main character. Or at least got most of the bball screentime. I don't know whether he actually plays ball but props to him.

The only guy who can talk and ball in this show.

There's no use complaining cause most Japanese can't tell the difference despite Slam Dunk's popularity. The show wasn't aimed at bballers as evident from the bright purple uniforms which no one in their right mind would wear. Speaking of wearing, the wadrobe person should have at least had Yamapi wearing bball type clothes instead of his bright clothes which makes him look like he drives on the other side of the road.

Sailor V!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Gaaaaahhh. I knew I should have stayed far away from this show. The holy combination of Kitagawa Keiko, Aibu Saki and Komatsu Ayaka in the same show was too much to resist! Sailor Mars and Sailor V in the same dorama!!!!!! Yes, I did watch the Sailor Moon live action series so my endurance of bad shows is pretty good. Its hard for me to separate the bball stuff from the rest of the show. Its nice to see Aibu Saki playing the bad girl and I think Kitagawa Keiko overacts too much as this show is not a comedy.

Yamapi's sister's fake smile creeps me out.

Buzzer Beater is like a car accident. There's nothing nice to see, I knew it was going to be horrible but I just had to slow down my car and have a look. Writing about this has been thereupon for my anger I guess. I can't really blame jdoramas for placing emphasis on stunt casting instead of getting the best actors but I just wanted to see a basketball show where the actors looked like they can play. Is that too much to ask?

9 comments:

pcurve said...

And I thought this was the only watchable show of the season... though I have to say, I started losing interest midway, especially after the coach dropped out. The ridiculous video conferencing scene with an American flag in the background was priceless...

Anyway, I'm not really into basketball, so I was able to gloss over their skill, even though Yoyogi's girly two-hand throw from his chest was too much even for me.

Well, kudos to Aibu for taking a chance on the role. I think she did a great job. Maybe too well of a job... I hope she doesn't get typecast into this role...

Anonymous said...

You can say whatever you want, I'd give anything to be in a love triangle with Kitagawa Keiko and Aibu Saki...

Aarrrr said...

Sugimoto Yumi is in your last screen cap!

Anonymous said...

Hey, this show is historic for featuring the first lesbian love triangle on Japanese prime time.

dueng said...

if you got complaints bout the bright purple jersey, you seriously yet to watch French League Rugby. For Christ sake, the wear florescent yellow and there are team wearing pink. Men playing rugby wearing pink jersey on field? God bless.

I rather understand the disappointment but clearly...they don't make sport movies like Golden Bowl anymore which both sports and love mixed perfectly, chemistry couldn't be better between leading roles and awesome soundtrack. yeah..that kind of dorama gone for good..buried together with golden age actors and actresses.

Akiramike said...

Lol, the lesbian love triangle comment is the best description of Buzzer Beater ever.

Buzzer beater is not even qualified to stand in Golden Bowl's shadow. Golden Bowl is what Buzzer Beater is not. A good show with fun verbal jousting between the characters, fun games that tie into each episodes' storyline and nice supporting storylines.

Jung, if you really want to torture yourself, fast forward to the 48 min 20 sec mark of the last episode. Its almost enough to make one swear of watching jdoramas forever.

Anonymous said...

The good sports dramas that came into my mind are Rookies and Golden Bowl. The characters look confident, they look like they can play and I'm not surprise if they are good enough to get a strike (yes, for both baseball and bowling)

But Buzzer Beater? I'm already miffed they stole the title from Buzz Beater, the manga by Inoue Takehiko (Of Slam Dunk fame, this guy knows about basketball) and watching the basketball action? Ergh! No matter what, there's no way some skinny ikemen can shoot 3-pointer with that arm.

Anonymous said...

Rookies?

Good sports drama??

I think you mean H2

Anonymous said...

There is that Taiwanese one "My MVP Valentine".
I thought the story wasn't all that great but at least the main character really knew how to play basketball.