I"s Episode 7

Just when I was starting to get sick of everything falling into Ichitaka's lap but him being this passive whimp, we get to the Izumi episode aka Ichitaka finally gets proactive.

First off, the casting of Izumi is great. I think all the casting in this show is great.

It really feels like the manga come to life.

Secondly, they swapped the hot spring scene into a karaoke room seen but I'm fine with it because it does the same thing, just with less titillation.

Most importantly, its the scene where Ichitaka is finally honest with his feelings in front of someone.

 That's what romantic comedies are about.

The need to see too characters say it to each other....

while the plot hurls obstacle after obstacle to prevent our two main characters from expressing their feelings.

Don't worry, despite modifying the onsen scene, there is still plenty of fanservice.

Did this happen in the manga? I can't remember.

 I love this show! Can't wait for the next episode! Must watch!

Shoplifters / Manbiki Kazoku is out!

What I consider to be Koreeda Hirokazu's greatest movie and one of the best jmovies I've ever seen, Shoplifters is out at avistaz and other places on the internet such as Piratebay with English subs. Stop whatever you are watching and get your hands on this movie because it is that damn good. I've already sung its praises here because its a movie that will linger in your mind long after watching.

Kono Koi wa Tsumi na no ka and Yuube wa Otanoshimi Deshita ne

I decided to review these two jdoramas together because they are very similar. In both shows, the main character is an inexperienced, socially awkward guy who in the process of falling in love with the main girl starts coming out of his shell.

Both shows also have different hobbies as a theme. In Kono Koi wa Tsumi na no ka, Kashiwagi Yugi's character is a professional shogi player and the main dude starts learning shogi to get close to her.

Yuube wa Otanoshimi Deshita ne is basically and advertisement for Dragon Quest X and the Nintendo Swith.

The two characters have been playing Dragon Quest X together for the past year with Tsubasa Honda playing a male avatar and the main guy played by Ichitaka from I"s, a female avatar.

Ichitaka invites Tsubasa Honda to be his housemate thinking she was dude and it was too late to back off when he found out.

I wanted to give up on this show cause I don't want to see a show about a guy who uses a nekama (guy who uses female avatar online) but Tsubasa Honda really stole the show.

Both shows are very light and fluffy with Kono Koi wa Tsumi na no ka finishing at 4 episodes and Yuube wa Otanoshimi Deshita ne clocking at 6 episodes.

I really like this shorter episode thing because both shows did not overstay their welcome and left me wanting more.

If I had to say which show I prefer, I'd have to say Yuube wa Otanoshimi Deshita ne because Tsubasa Honda is a better actress than Kashiwagi Yuki.

If you're after some light fluffy romantic jdoramas that won't take 10 hours, I recommend both shows. Don't expect too much depth to the shows and you'll have a great time. I wish Capcom would just sponsor a live action Street Fighter romance jdorama like a live action version of High Score Girl.

Jmovie review: Killing for the Prosecution

WHAT IS IT ABOUT?

Kimutaku is a prosecutor does some morally ambiguous things and his methods become more extreme when his personal business gets mixed up. Nino is the young prosecutor who looks up to Kimutaku but senses something is not right. Basically is a grey area anti-hero vs protege story.

WHAT I LIKED

+ Grey area jmovies are not so common so it was fun to watch Kimutaku play a not so nice guy for once.

+ Nino as always is good.

+ Yoshitaka Yuriko is in it.

+ The star of the show is the suspect Matsukura. OMG, he is the star of this movie. I could not take my eyes of this character.

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE

- Kimutaku's acting just cannot rise to the level required to make this really good. He tries but there's always something about his acting where it feels like he's trying to hard to look cool. I think if Tsutsumi Shinichi or Karasawa Toshiaki would have killed in the role. He doesn't suck but he doesn't elevate the role.


- From the beginning the prosecutors are actively participating in the crime scene investigations and interrogations. Is this normally what happens in Japan because I can see why they have a 99% guilty rate or is Kimutaku's character too cozy with the police? I kept asking myself is this show Killing for the Prosecution or Killing for the Cops?

- Side stories that didn't make sense to me like Kimutaku's grandfather and his good friend the policition.

SUMMARY

Looking back at this review, it looks like I'm nitpicking about a lot of stuff but overall, it was watchable movie that could have been great. If you're after a morally grey movie with suspense, nothing wrong with spending two hours with Killing for the Prosecution. Movie is out at avistaz.

Jmovie review: Destiny Kamakura Monogatari

Its been a while since I've reviewed a jmovie with so many jdoramas to watch. Destiny Kamakura Monogatari has been on my radar since I saw the poster of it in Kamakura more than a year ago. I've been putting off watching it because I was expecting the worst but Destiny is surprisingly decent.

Destiny is a family friendly love story set in a magical Kamakura where there are spirits and monsters with Sakai Masato playing an writer and Takahata Mitsuki playing his wife. The first half feels like a whole bunch of short stories strung together that would have been better served as a jdorama. I did not buy the need for Kamakura police to have this writer has an adviser.

The second half of the movie is where the story gets going and if you like youkai and spirits like me, its a fun ride. I really enjoyed the mix of CG and costumes.

Its not the best but I can feel the effort and detail put into this movie compared to something like the Attack on Titan movies. Great directing work by Yamazaki Takahashi who did the Always San Chome and Parasyte movies.

The main problem with Destiny is the lack of chemistry between the two main actors. Sakai Masato is too much of an eccentric ojisan and Takahata Mitsuki is just too childish for him. Their relationship which is presented in a platonic family friendly way doesn't help either.

If you like Japanese fantasy stuff like in Spirited Away, you'll have fun with Destiny as long as you don't expect too much. Watchable.

3 nen A gumi Episodes 6 - 10

WHAT I LIKED

1) I certainly did not see the face of the true enemy coming! It is a very bold and pertinent idea for an enemy, especially in this day and age. I like that the story acknowledges that his plan is pretty futile but he has to do it anyway.

2) I didn't hate any of the students. Happy to see Tomita Miu, the main girl from Switched in this.

3) So many things in this show don't make sense. The police are completely useless, the students do not look like they've been living in a classroom for 10 days and why did Hiiragi know something would happen at the end of episode 10 because if it did not, it would have had the opposite consequence. However its all in service to the crazy ending because I can't even begin to imagine how to write a better 10 episode plot to arrive at the same conclusion.

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE

1) If I hear that stupid phrase 'chanto mukiau' or any other variation with that mukiau word again, I'm going to go nuts. Its the most cliched jdorama/anime plotline dialogue bullshit ever. We get it! Japanese people don't like dealing with people directly and telling people what they actually think but why is this in every single freaking generic jdorama and anime?!

2) Hiiragi's constant preaching and super long freaking speeches full of abstract terms while the students try really hard to look moved. It feels like he is trying to use the Stockholm syndrome to brainwash his students.

SUMMARY

Surprisingly watchable show with interesting plot that has more leaks than the White House. I couldn't help thinking about Suzuki sensei while watching 3 nen A gumi because its the best jdorama on student teacher problems.

Pierre Taki arrested for cocaine

So the big news in Japan today is Pierre Taki (pictured on the right) getting caught for cocaine. He's been in a few jdoramas but I mostly know him from movies like Kyouaku. He's also recently been in the Kimutaku Game Judge Eyes.

Why I chose the picture above is that the actor on the left, Hirofumi Arai was charged for sexual assault and as a result, the release of his movie was cancelled.

What has happened is that Sega has immediately cancelled physical and digital sales of the game and this is driving up the price of the game. I am regretting getting the digital version of Judge Eyes instead of physical because who knows if I will be able to redownload the game.

The interesting question is whether sales of the game will officially be cancelled forever? Did Pierre Taki kill any chance of a sequel? Will Sega replace Pierre Taki in the game with a generic actor like they did with Narimiya Hiroki who was also caught in cocaine allegations. If they released an amended version of Judge Eyes, would it even sell? I doubt so unless the get a big name for it and the price of the original game will continue to go up.

Why I chose the picture above is that the actor on the left, Hirofumi Arai was charged for sexual assault and as a result, the release of his movie was cancelled.

I guess what I really want to talk about is should an actor's work be wiped out of existence because they committed a crime? Will Japan stop showing the Attack on Titan or Parasyte movies on tv because Pierre Taki is in them? Or worse, just cut his scenes so the movies don't make sense. Do you stop showing all movies and jdoramas with Hirofumi Arai in them because he has been in a lot of shows?

I don't know. I just find it a waste of so many people's hard work. I guess it depends on whether one can separate performance from a crime.

Black Scandal : So bad I could not take my eyes off it.

Black Scandal is tale of revenge.

5 years ago, actress Fujisaki Sara was framed and falsely accused of having an affair. As a result, her mother committed suicide and her career was finished.

However, in order to get revenge on the people who wronged her, Sara had plastic surgery turning into Yamaguchi Sayaka and managed to get into her former agency Florite as a manager.

Black Scandal is really bad. The acting is bad and there are way too many plot holes. However, it is also unabashedly trashy. I've always wanted a trashy jdorama about all the horrible things that happen in the Japanese entertainment industry.

I don't know why and how I watched all 10 episodes of Black Scandal without skipping.

Maybe I just enjoyed watching Yamaguchi Sayaka going all out in this show cause her character goes through the whole gamut of emotions in this.

I just could not quit Black Scandal the same way I ended watching the whole series of Black Revenge.

Its such a trainwreck of a show that I could not stop staring. Please avoid lest you be sucked in like me only to regret it in the end.

10 reasons to watch Tokusatsu Gagaga Episodes 1-5

1) Tokusatsu Gagaga is about being an otaku as an adult. While we have seen shows about anime and gaming otaku, I've not seen a show where the character is a female tokusatsu otaku.

2) Koshiba Fuka and Kurashina Kana meeting at the hero show and both having different reactions to their conversation.

3) The show is pretty funny and the characters endearing.

4) Tokusatsu Gagaga is a show for people who grew up being told by their parents what to like to dislike or that they are too old to like something.

5) The karaoke scene at the end of episode 4 is gold.

6) The story makes use of tokusatsu tropes against real life situations to great comedic effect..

7) And also plenty of fourth wall breaking jokes.

8) Did I mentioned Kurashina Kana is in it?

9) Tokusatsu Gagaga is just fun...

10).. and a labour of love and you can feel it coming through every scene.

SUMMARY

Very very watchable show and I heartily recommend it to fans of shows like Kanpai Senshi After V. Thanks to antspace for recommending it because I would not have noticed it otherwise. You can the series on nyaa. Big thanks to Big Nova and Lovegen Subs for subbing this series!