Its over 4TBs and jdorama file sizes

Earlier this year, I ran out of space on my 4TB portable HD which I use to store my jdoramas. It was time to upgrade and unfortunately the biggest size portable HDs is 5TB. Now there is only 726gb left on the 5TB which is actually 4.54TB.

One day the 5TB will fill up and I will have to make a choice. Whether to split my jdoramas alphabetically into two 5TB HDs? Or just go pure desktop HD backup? It doesn't seem like portable HDs will get bigger than 5TB because of size limitations.

The time to decide is coming faster and faster because jdorama sizes are just getting bigger. I just downloaded the latest season of Keiji 7-nin because it comes with Japanese subs and the files are 1.7gb per episode. It seems like file sizes are getting exponentially bigger and every time I see a 1gb file size I want to cry.

Recently I have been getting my raws from dramahd because their file sizes are smaller but I want to try to watch more shows with Japanese subtitles.

My other option is to cull my jdoramas. There are plenty of shows that I probably won't watch again like Semi-Double so maybe I'll have to sacrifice them to make space. I can't imagine I have that many bad shows in my collection. 

We have come so far from when I burnt jdoramas onto cds and had multiple cd folders around my room. Now I have years and years of jdorama in one portable HD and I am too lazy to decide what's going to happen when that space runs out.

Koi ni Chikara Episodes 1~3

I watched Koi no Chikara a very long time ago and I think its not one of the more remembered ones from the golden age of jdoramas unlike Love Generation or 101 Proposals. Recently GreGG released the subs for the DVD rips and kuroyuki released 720 rips to avistaz so I thought it was a good time to rewatch an old jdorama.

From the beginning, I could feel the golden age magic coming through the screen. Fukatsu Eri is the main character a 30 year old with a dead end job who split up with her ex with the excuse of wanting to work and looking for something more.

Tsustumi Shinichi is the brash advertising guy who decides to go independent.  He effortlessly plays this rough and cool that Nakai Kiichi fails to do in Semi-double.

Asada Ryutaro is Tsutsumi Shinichi's partner in crime. They both go independent and he is the cheerful  guy who has a way with women.

Yada Akiko is the secret weapon. This was her at the height of her powers during the Yamato Nadeshiko era. She is the perfect supporting actress. 

So pure that half the audience doesn't mind if she wins in the end and no one can hate her. She's almost too good to be a supporting actress and would overshadow lesser actresses but put her with someone like Fukatsu Eri and Matsushima Nanako and its just magic.

The story is a fun triangle. Fukatsu Eri and Yada Akiko both like Tsustumi Shinichi but he responds differently to both of them and there are of course plenty of misunderstandings.

Just want to say I miss this dude. He always plays everyman ojisans in classic jdoramas. 

 First 3 episodes are near flawless. I never wrote a review for it and I can't believe I never wrote a review for 101 Proposals either. I have some collection of writing a review for that one but it doesn't show up in search. If there is only one complaint is that the advertising designs are really bad.

If you have not seen Koi no Chikara, watch it. Its so good. I am kind of worried the second half might suck and I don't have much memory of this show but the talent on this show is so good. Must watch.

Kioku Sousa seasons 1+2

Just finished two seasons of Kioku Sousa recently. The reason I watched two season of this police jdorama is not because its I enjoy watching generic police shows or because Kamishiraishi Mone is a good singer but because its been a while since I watched a jdorama with Japanese subtitles.

The last one I watched with Japanese subtitles was 24 Japan and it helped me greatly with understanding the show. Sometimes I watch shows raw but there's always bits that I cannot catch and with Japanese subs even if I don't know a word, I can guess the meaning with the kanji.

I find watching with Japanese subs also helps me learn and remember words better. I used to time Japanese subs back in the day but I have gotten lazy and its annoying watching and pausing every 10 minutes to retime subtitles. 

The Japanese subtitle thread at d-addicts is not really active. Japanese subtitles can be downloaded from jpsubbers although they have not updated since July. I suppose one answer for me is to watch more jdoramas on Netflix since they come with Japanese subtitles. Might think about doing that for one month end of the year.

Anyway back to Kioka Sousa starring Kitaoji Kinya, Kimutaku's dad from Karei Naru Ichizoku (Kimutaku version). He plays a detective in a wheelchair who has all of Shinjuku memorised and supporting him are Kamishiraishi Mone and Oshii Keiji himself, Kazama Shunsuke.

The second reason I lasted two seasons was that the stories are set in Shinjuku so there are a lot of easily recognisable locations. Kioku Sousa also talks about the histories of various areas in Shinjuku so there are enough 'gimmicks' to keep things interesting.

Thanks to carameltz for retiming the subtitles! In the world of generic police jdoramas I've seen worse but if you like Shinjuku, Karishiraishi Mone or Oshii Keiji you might find this forgettable jdorama and ok way to pass the time. Meh.

The Blood of Wolves jmovie review

I have so many jmovies to watch I don't know where to start. I need to be in a frame of mind to dedicate two whole hours to a story. With jdoramas, its just 45 minutes and I can pay half my attention and decide not to continue. Somehow I felt compelled to finally watch The Blood of Wolves and here we are.

Matsuzaka Tori aka Mr Toda Erika is the young new detective who is partnered up with the veteran Ogami played by Yakusho Koji.

Ogami does a lot of questionable things and is rumoured to have ties to the yakuza. Matsuzaka Tori is of course sent to find out of this is true and its a story about the veteran showing the young one how things work in the real world.

The Blood of Wolves is a very standard cops and yakuza story, the characters and stories basically write themselves. 

In that sense, the movie doesn't stand out but somehow the producers managed to get a lot of big names for minor roles with Maki Yoko as the mama of a kyabakura and Pierre Taki, Eguchi Yosuke and Takenouchi Yutaka as yakuzas. Its weird seeing Takenouchi Yutaka as a a bad guy.

I think Yakusho Koji's performance is Ogami is what holds the movie up. He looks like he's having a lot of fun playing this detective of morally questionable character.

Decent movie with plenty of violence. If you like yakuza movies, you'll have a fun time, just don't expect anything special. Watchable.

Cold Game jdorama review

 

WHAT IS COLD GAME?

In the future, the world has frozen solid. Cold Game is set in a school shelter where a bunch of people have evacuated to and a politician is running this school shelter. In this shelter, families are given priority over single people and 4 people led by Hada Michiko have grouped together as a fake family for their own purposes.

If you have watched Snowpiercer or any wasteland survival movie, Cold Game is the same except its not as dark and its more feel good.

WHY YOU SHOULD WATCH IT?

+ Hada Michiko is very good in it. I have always been a fan since and she has always been relegated to supporting roles but its so good watching her do a meaty leading role. She is so good in the role of Kimura Shoko.

+ Pacing is brisk and the 8 episodes finished in no time!

+ So easy to root for the Kimura family.

+ Lots of twists and turns, betrayals and revelations but its so fun.

+ For a low budget jdorama, they have been able to do a convincing Snowpiecer set in a school.

WHY SHOULD YOU NOT WATCH IT?

- There is no reason not to watch Cold Game unless you are in winter at the moment and your heater is dead.

 

SUMMARY

Very fun and watchable jdorama and great performance by Hada Michiko. I got the subtitles for Cold Game from d-addicts but I can't find the subtitle post anymore. Has it been deleted?

Tokyo MER Episode 1

Tokyo MER is a medical drama with the gimmick of a Team with a large vehicle which can function as an ER hence the name mobile ER.

Its a big budget show with Suzuki Ryohei, Naka Riisa and Ishida Yuriko in it but I have a problem with the show. The problem is the main character played by Suzuki Ryohei loves to jump head on into dangerous situations to save lives.

Its cool to want to save lives but risking one's life without the professional firefighters first making sure things are safe etc? Its just unsafe workplace practice and he could have easily added to the body count and made it more difficult to save both people.

I know the writers want to make him heroic and heroes in jdoramas are usually people who don't stick by the book but its just stupidity when doctor tries to do the firefighter's job.  The handbook on health and safety wasn't written overnight. 

I really couldn't enjoy Tokyo MER. I haven't given episode 2 a try but I know the moment  Suzuki Ryohei dashes into a crumbling building I will be hoping it collapses on him so he can learn his lesson. Do not watch unless you don't mind main characters taking unnecessary risks.

Oshii Keiji and Yappari Oshii Keiji

 

Somehow I managed to miss Oshii Keiji which was subbed back in 2019. Like Daifugou doushin, Oshii Keiji is a detective show with a twist.

Detective Oshii is very smart and has a 100% clearance rate for solving cases. Its just that he always jumps to the wrong conclusions ie, accusing the wrong person and someone else ends up solving the case and taking the credit.

He is also very nervous around beautiful women and is a virgin but that is ok becauseit means that this show has plenty of eye candy.

Like Otoko wa Tsurai, Oshii will never get the girl.

Since this is a comedy, I won't complain about the sometimes bad acting and early 20 actresses playing detectives. 

The first episode went by so fast with only 4 episodes. It felt like they could take tacked on 2 few more episodes. 

I finished the second season within 2 days. In terms of fun factor, I would rate Oshii Keiji more fun than Daifugou Doushin and Shinjuurou. 

Watchable, especially if you want a comedy detective show with light eye candy factor. Big thank you to carameltz for subbing seasons 1 and 2. Bring on season 3!

Daifugou Doushin

WHAT IS IT?

Daifugou Doushin is the Edo version of Meiji Kaika Shinjuurou Tanteichou, ie it is a detective show set in the Edo period. Like Shinjuurou, the main character comes from a privileged background or rather his super power is that his grandfather is filthy rich!

The gimmick is that the main character Unokichi cannot fight and cannot run and his grandfather literally buys him a job as a Doushin which is similar to a police officer in Edo times. The comedy comes from Unokichi, for all his weakness will somehow manage to save the day and solve the cases. If you an anime/manga fan, its an Edo version of Captain Taylor mixed with Angel Densetsu.

WHAT IS GOOD

+ It is pretty funny from Unokichi constantly being misunderstood and how his legend keeps on growing.

+ Unokichi is a more fun character to watch than Shinjuurou

+ Shinkawa Yua

+ My favourite jidaigeki is Yoshiwara Ura Doushin so anything with Yoshiwara and oiran, I like.

 

WHAT IS NOT GOOD

- The whole fainting and enemies being scared at Unokichi's hole filled stance got boring after a while. 

SUMMARY

More watchable than Shinjuurou Tanetichou but not good enough to reach good status. Watch it if you want a feel good police show with an Edo twist. Thanks to evasive for subbing and you can get the raws from nyaa.