Tengoku to Jigoku ~Saiko no Futari~ Episodes 1+2

By the jdorama gods, we actually have a show with a female detective over 25! It is amazing!

WHAT IS IT?

Tengoku to Jigoku is a body swap jdorama featuring a detective played by Ayase Haruka and a serial killer played by Takahashi Issei. The twist is that the detective in the killer's body has to stop him er herself from getting caught and forever ending up in prison so its a story of both helping each other to cover a crime and at the same time plotting their each other's downfall.

WHAT'S GOOD ABOUT IT?

There's nothing particularly good about Tengoku to Jigoku except I am happy to see Kitamura Kazuki and Nakamura Yuri who are my favourites. The tone of the show is slightly comedic but not really funny despite the heavy subject matter of a serial killer.

WHAT'S BAD ABOUT IT?

Nothing really except I don't care about either character after two episodes. Might give it another episode before giving up.

 WHERE CAN I GET IT?

You can get the raws from dramahd.me and the softsubs from softsub.net.

SUMMARY

Very meh first two episodes. The subtitle Saiko no Futari is actually 'the two psychos' so hopefully the series might get crazy after episode 3. For fans of Ayase Haruka and Takahashi Issei but otherwise nothing to see here.

Anonymous Episodes 1-4

One of the biggest news in Japan last year was the suicide of professional wrestler Kimura Hana after receiving a lot of online bashing from appearing on Terrace House. The case highlighted the fact that the barrage of anonymous online criticism can have detrimental effects on people and Anonymous seems to me is a response to that case.

Anonymous is special department that deals cyber bullying and trolling with Katori Shingo as the main character Banjo. Its a great acting gig for him because all he has to do is look grumpy and and not say any lines until the end of the episode.

The other main character is played by Sekimizu Nagisa and I just hate it when they cast yet another early 20s actress as a detective. I call it the Ueto Aya syndrome; casting actresses who are way to young to be surgeons/doctors etc because Japan can't possibly have a 30 something actress acting alongside an ojisan. Its bloody annoying because it must take years for a police officer to go from koban duty to detective.

Besides the annoying and idealistic main heroine, there is not much to complain here. The subject matter of online bashing is of interest to me. Nowadays we can see how powerful and how dangerous this online mob mentality is and should people be able to hide behind the veil of anonymity when spreading lies and venom?

Storyline wise, nothing stands out yet. I would say its a watchable jdorama for the subject matter but the show is nothing special. Watchable if the subject matter interests you.

Dance with me Jmovie review

I have been anticipating this movie since I read about it some time ago. After all, its not often you find a Japanese musical. The last one I remember seeing was Sono Sion's Tokyo Tribe which I hated.

Anyway, Miyoshi Ayaka is the main character in this movie who goes with her niece to see a hypnotist and is actually hynotised so that she must sing and dance whenever she hears any music.

Unfortunately for her, once she realises what had happened, the hypnotist has run away it basically turns into a road movie about finding oneself. 

There is one thing I don't like about Dance with Me and that is I don't think the movie makes full use of the concept. I expected it to go crazier and it felt like they could have made most of the movie with something else.

Its still a fun, feel good movie in the same vein as Swing Girls about being true to yourself and I had a fun time but keep your expectation low and don't expect too much from the concept. Watchable.

Cold Case Season 3 Episode 9

 

It is not often that the topic of race comes up in jdoramas. After all, Japan is a mostly homogeneous society. However racial issues are everywhere and its interesting whenever it comes to the forefront.

The murder victim in episode 9 of Cold Case is a Japanese war orphan. Left behind in China as a child, the victim was raised by a Chinese foster parent and discriminated by the Chinese for being Japanese.

The victim returns to Japan with his son and is discriminated by the Japanese for being Chinese and being able to work because he can't speak nor write.

It is the sad story of someone who is not accepted by both countries and does not have a place to belong.

Not a must watch episode but I found the war orphan thing interesting especially the Chinese foster parents who took the Japanese kids in the Japanese orphans going back to Japan even though they were culturally Chinese. 

Not must watch but I found the subject matter fascinating. I wonder what the story of the original series was about? I have to mention that I love the camaraderie between the characters.

Uchi no Musume wa, Kareshi ga Dekinai Episodes 1~3

Uchi no Musume wa, Kareshi ga Dekinai which translate to My Daughter can't get a Boyfriend is set in an alternate reality where Kanno Miho and Hamabe Minami are unlucky in love. 

Kanno Miho is a successful writer of love stories well past her heyday and Hamabe Minami is the daughter who is an otaku. 

Sawamura Ikki is Kanno Miho's childhood friend who runs a taiyaki shop and he looks like Toda Erika dangerous levels of skinny.

I did not find the three episodes funny, only slightly amusing but our two mains have decent chemistry.

Its not boring but its not exciting either as we watch the romance writer who is not good at romance fret over the romance problems of her otaku daughter.

I am watching because I like Kanno Miho and Sawamura Ikki. If you want an easy to watch mother daughter jdorama, this might be for you. Slightly watchable and thanks to aonousagi for the subs!

Kyouen NG Episode 1

 

Its a mystery how a show like Kyouen NG is not subbed Nakai Kiichi and Suzuki Kyoka in it as former lovers and famous actors who have never acted together since they broke up many years ago. Now they have to act together for the first time in ages in a new dorama and can the two actors who hate each other manage to work together?

I can watch Nakai Kiichi and Suzuki Kyoka fight all day. The question is will I be interested in all the other characters? The twist of the show is every other pair of actors in this new dorama are also kyouen NG aka hate each other and don't want to act together.

Looks like the hook of the show will be our main couple solving each pair's problems per episode. I am not super excited about the concept but I am willing to give it a shot. There is a version on Avistaz with Japanese subs so I recommend that one to make watching easier.

Toshi no Sakon Episodes 1~4

 

Toshi no Sakon is about the marriage between a 24 year old Wakana Aoi and a 44 year old husband. I thought that this show might be interesting with the age gap stuff. Toshi no Sakon is also similar to Romance Doll in that the couple gets married after a quick courtship and problems don't appear until later.

However, unlike Romance Doll, there are two major problems with Toshi no Sakon. First is that there is no chemistry at all between Wakana Aoi and the husband. The second reason which is related to the first is that the writing is very shoujo aimed at 14 year old girls style.

The dialogue and characters are super stilted and fake and it is neither realistic nor funny. You need no further proof of the fakeness of this show than the details around Wakana Aoi's job.

I gave it 4 episodes but this is the fakest marriage jdorama which I have ever seen, which is saying something. Unless you are in the target audience, avoid.

Romance Doll Jmovie review

 

Aoi Yu is in a movie about sex dolls. Do you need any other reason to watch this movie? If you don't, then the movie is available on Netflix. If you need more reasons to watch then, keep reading.

Takahashi Issey is an unemployed sculptor who stumbles upon this factory that makes sex dolls.

The boss played by Pierre Taki is not happy with Takahashi Issey's sculpt of breasts so they have a plan where they hire a model on the pretense of making fake breasts for cancer survivors and that's where Aoi Yu comes in.

Things happen quickly, Takahashi Issey and Aoi Yu get into a relationship and get married.

However, Takahashi Issey can't tell Aoi Yu the truth and their relationship based on a lie starts to crumble and he can't even go home on time to his wife.

At this point I start to wonder why do I even care about Takahashi Issey's character who is just running away from his wife?

Stuff happens and the couple are forced to finally confront each other and wow, I can see why Aoi Yu did this movie because the scene and dialogue between the couple is so real and raw.

It is a story about how people can be together but not be together and about how a wife is not a love doll.

Good movie to watch and I really enjoyed Takahashi Issey's subdued acting in this. Very watchable and memorable.

Cold Case season 3 Episodes 1~5

I thought about proclaiming the following after the first two episodes of season 3 but now I can say this is turning out to be the best and must watch season of Cold Case!

First two episodes and episode were really, really good. Episode 5 really scared me because of the villain. 

If you are looking for a no-nonsense police show to watch, you can't go wrong with Cold Case especially with the quality of season 3. Hopefully the 2nd half is equally as good! Thanks to earthcolors for subbing!

Shitteru Wife Episodes 1+2

WHAT IS IT ABOUT?

Shitteru Wife is a jdorama about a Wife who does not allow husband to play video games and he has to secretly play in closet room. 

Husband runs into kouhai who confesses that she used to like him and husband is thinking if he had made a different choice in life, he would not have to secretly play video games in his own home.

Husband runs into Yabe Kenzo with the fakest stuck on facial hair ever and is given the keys to time travel. 

Husband buys a PS4 with his secret savings and wife drowns the PS4 so husband decides to travel back in time to get him a wife who will let him play his PS4.

WHAT'S GOOD

+ Its a typical time travel feel good jdorama. Husband finds out that the grass is not always greener on the other side and messing with the past also messes with the life of others blah blah blah.

+ Hirose Alice is fun to watch.

+ You can't go wrong with the time travel formula because we already know how the character development beats are going to be. 

+ Teaches all wives to let their husbands play video games or husband will time travel.

WHAT'S NOT GOOD

- Nothing bad so far.

THE MEH

= I don't think Shitteru Wife will rise above watchable for me but it doesn't need to as long as it is feel-good fun.

CONCLUSION

Shitteru Wife does not reinvent the wheel but as long as it can give me a smooth ride, I am onboard. Watchable.

Alice in Borderland review

WHAT IS IT ABOUT?

Alice in Borderland is a Netflix tv show which is a cross between Gantz and Liar game. The story is about a bunch of people are transported to an empty Tokyo where electronics do not work to participate in deadly games in order to extend their visas and continue living.

Our main character is a chap named Arisu, the black sheep of his family who spends his time playing smartphone games and his smartphone game skills help him to survive the Borderland because every game as a solution like Liar Game. So if you parents are nagging you about being on your phone all the time, point them to this show.

THE GOOD

+ Its an action suspense jdorama with a very significant budget. Normal jdoramas can't get this type of budget no matter how many Johnnys you throw at it.

+ Great suspense because anyone can die similar to Gantz.

+ The Shibuya scenes in the first episode and scenes are empty Tokyo are so real. Rarely do I think about how good the CG is when watching jdoramas.

+ Tsuchiya Tao makes for a pretty good action heroine. 

+ The action scenes are really good. Better than the crap that Miike Takashi shoots.

+ I watched the whole 8 episodes in one day. Super engrossing.

THE BAD

- The ending ends in a cliffhanger and how I view the series on the whole will depend on what the truth about Borderland is. I am not going to lie and I wish they could have put the money into a Gantz live action series but it would have cost twice as much.

SUMMARY

Alice in Borderland is a well done action suspense jdorama and I am so happy to see one that is not constrained by budget and has good actions scenes. Well done to the director Sato Shinsuke who did the Gantz movies and Inuyashiki. Must watch and please support it on Netflix.

Jmovie review Mother (2020)

After The Forest of Love, the next Netflix movie on my list is Mother starring Nagasawa Masami and Abe Sadao and written and directed Omori Tatsushi who directed the Ravine of Goodbye.

Mother is one of the most depressing movie you will see because Nagasawa Masami plays a horrible mother who does not care for her son at her.

You are just watching this weak excuse of a person treat her son like garbage and as the viewer I was hoping she would show him some kind of love and that he would grow up ok because he has every single excuse in the world to be a horrible person.

From young, the mother teaches the son how not to listen to authority and how not to work and to steal.

I won't spoil what happens but I could not stop staring at this movie and there is a line that the son says at the end that is just so gut wrenching. 

As much as I dislike Nagasawa Masami's acting she does a decent job playing the no good mother.

This movie will haunt me for a long time and if you are into dark and depressing movies, its a must watch. Thanks to Faiz Ikari for recommending Mother. I should check out the rest of Omori Tatsushi's movies because he is very good at telling stories.

Please watch Mother on Netflix so that they can make more great Japanese movies!