Random pictures and comments of Japan

Tried to sing Guren no Yumiya last night. No furigana and lots of old kanji. Wtf.

Fried oyster.

Taking a piss at club Sega.

Hanzawa Naoki doing Ads for Softbank which is not a bank.

Wtf did we get a crappy version of Pepper Lunch in Australia?

Unsure to get this or the full body colour one.

Either I've been blind all this time or Hello Project just moved to Akiba.

Can't wait for 575. Its going to be a great Japanese study tool.

New Shinjuku South entrance.

Can't be stiffed watching the Spec movie. Is Mano Erina in this or the next one?

All good things must come to an end.

Ugh.

Girls Bar Emu

In my previos 4 trips, I've never been to a snack/girls bar in Tokyo. Reason being its more expensive. I needed to drink, smoke and karaoke after a whole day in Odaiba (pictures are coming) so finally decided fuck money, I should enjoy myself to the fullest.

Finally found the Mospoeda ending song! Woohoo. Anyway was telling this girl I saw Jigoku de naze wauir when the next girl exclaimed Sono Sion!

Omfg. I finally fucking met a Japanese who knows Sono Sion. So I had to stay longer so she would rotate to me. She hasn't seen his movies but knows him ny reputation cause she's a struggling theatre actress!

We got to talking about Japanese acting and how shit the acting in Hanzawa Naoki is. Omfg. Finally met a person who looks at acting critically and not to mention she acts instead of the I like Erika-sama because she is beautiful response. Plus she like Ama-chan which some of you have highly recommended to me.

Anways, we were talking acting, movies, Miike Takashi and she said she knows someone who worked with Mitsushima Hikari and the person said Mitsushima's acting is on a whole other level.

I was told that me views on Japanese dorama and movies are the same as the people who love jmovies/doramas. Its just your average Japanese sees things differently.

Nice to finally meet a critically minded Japanese. bframe doesn't count. :)

OMFG Idoling!!! mini live in Odaiba!

Waiting for Gundam light up thing but there were people gathered around the steps next to Gundam. 5 seconds later bunch of girls came out to perform. Was told no photos by lookout guy. Should have just press camera regardless. They are coming out again in 25 minutes. Guess no Gundam night show tonight?

I only know Idoling!!! by name but man, the girls are. Rather have cute girls than Gundam light show anyday! Guess I'm gonna stand around for another 15 minutes for another performance. They are coming out now. Buying the cd Mero Mero gets u a ticket to get close. Too late to line up now.....

Edit 1:
- Mistook Gundam time of 7.30 for 5.30 lol. Stupid 24 hr clock time. Glad I made that mistake though otherwise I would not have waited.
- Idoling!!! sang live cause the solo lines weren't that smooth.
- There was 1 second when they came out when I thought that can't be KojiHaru?
- They've also got a Maki Yoko look alike.
- Going to download Shout and Idoling.
- They said Odaiba was their home. If I'm not mistaken, they are a Fuji TV group.
- fark. cd also gets you handshake with all the girls. Gah.
- Is this a sign from the j-idol gods in the words of Hasegawa Horoki's director from Jigoku de naze warui?

Jigoku de naze warui review

Ok. Wtf did I just watch? Its going to take a while to digest everything as I ride on the Yamanote line back. Back to the beginning. There are only a few cinemas showing Jigoku de naze warui? and the only there's only one show per day at Shinjuku's Wald 9 where I saw Berserk last time.

Spent whole afternoon in Shinjuku pushing quarters and not once did I think of buying tickets early. Note to self, one show a day equals certainty of being sold out one hour before. Ggrr.

Got my ticket for tonight which thank the jmovie gods is slightly earlier so I didn't have to rush for the last train. Besides having only one screening there was a noticeable lack of promotion. Not one single movie poster at all. Wtf. Is Sono Sion so unpopular in his own country when he is critically acclaimed overseas and good actors want to work with him?

Jigoku de naze warui starts off slow setting up the story. You've got two rival gangsters anf their bit of history and this motley movie making crew led by this mad dreamer director wannabe played by Suzuki sensei who redeems his acting credentials after Mita and that stupid doctor dorama.

I didn't mind the low start cause the build up led to the great middle part where all the characters start getting together for the bloody finale and there are a lot of characters.

There are multiple layers to this movie. On the surface, there's Suzuki sensei's director character who pursues his dream with religious single mindedness. Perhaps a reflection of Sono Sion when the director proclaimed he would never compromise his vision.

Underneath that, the movie plays like Sono Sion's own love letter to movies. From the Bruce Lee action star wannabee played by the dude from versus which is a great casting decision to the Battle without honour and humanity theme with the title to the Kill Bill-ish ending and Kill Bill was basically a homage to Tarantino's movies.

Underneath that is an element of fourth wall breaking unreality. It is as if the movie were aware of itself. I feel like every comment the director character makes about movies is about the very movie he is in.

I loved the movie until the end when everything stops making sense and I became aware of what I think Sono Sion is trying to say. Making movies is hell. People would die figuratively in real life and unreally in the movie. The movie's story became so irrelevant that at the final scene I was thinking poor Suzuki sensei and how many scenea did he have to do and then we the fourth wall gets shattered.

I appreciate what Sion Sono is trying to do here but he sacrificed story for message. I guess one could argue the message is the story and the story was more about the why the people who make movies do what they do.

Probably the thing I dislike the most is the CG blood. There's a lot of non CG blood but goddamit CG blood never works. Tsutsumu Shinichi is awesome as the head of one of the yakuza gangs. One finale dislike is don't those movie  cameras can shoot 10 minutes of film?

I was so ready to declare it a must watch two thirds through and then everything goes to hell, just like making movies. Could have been the definitive Sono Sion film but I don't think anyone would not have fun watching this. Watcheable and be prepared to have a jingle stuck in your head. I ill rewatch if English subs come out.

Back in Japan

Edit: Just had my first minor earthquake! Woohoo.

This time its more of an R&R trip. There won't be a lot of photos though I've got some exciting stuff planned. Its been a long 8 months and now its time to continue my last trip. Can't believe I mistook my Vita portable charger cable for my 3DS one. Gggrr. Going to lose a lot of Street Fighter BP tomorrow.

Need phone with image stabiliser.

17th Japanese Film Festival is coming to Melbourne!

Looks like a good line up this year. Actually the festival is already halfway through its 'tour' of Australia with only Sydney, Darwin and Melbourne left. Was hoping for Sono Sion's Why don't you play in Hell but hopefully I can watch it soon. :) Tickets are $17 but its better to go for the 5 tickets for $70 combo. Unfortunately, the 5 tickets cannot be split between venues.

GOING TO WATCH

BLINDLY IN LOVE

Aka sheltered son falls in love with Kaho as blind girl? I am so there. One cannot have too much Kaho.

THE GREAT PASSAGE

Matsuda Ryuhei and Miyazaki Aoi in a movie about creating a dictionary. Was on the fence but reviews seem good.

THE APOLOGY KING

Abe Sadao, Inoue Mao and Ono Machiko in a comedy about the super dogeza? Should be good.

THE DEVIL'S PATH

Yamada Takayuki in a dark movie that has good reviews. Not entirely sure what its about since I just had a quick glance through reviews to see whether it was positive or negative. The less I know when I go in, the better.

SHIELD OF STRAW

Miike Takashi's attempt at a big budget action thriller. So-so reviews but I want to see Japan pull of a decent serious cop show instead of those shows that try to be too cool to the point of stupidity. I'm keeping my expectations low so hopefully it will surprise me. The climax better not be in an abandoned warehouse next to a harbour.

THE RAVINE OF GOODBYE

Maki Yoko and Suzuki Anne in a adult drama? Yes, please.

ORPHEUS' LYRE

Watching for Hirosue Ryoko and Fukuda Mayuko. Unfortunately, Inagaki Goro is in it. :( Hopefully his acting is more University of Laughs and less Nagareboshi.

NOT WATCHING

REUNION

Guaranteed everyone will be attacked by onion ninjas movie about the aftermath of the tsunami. Better to watch at home.

SUMMER'S END

I sooooo want to watch this. Mitsushima Hikari in a love triangle with Namakemono-san (which is going to be incesty weird after watching Woman) and Ayano Gou. Unfortunately somone decided it would be a good idea to screen it at the same time as The Apology King! WTF!!!! Why not screen it with something stupid like Gatchaman or a Johnnys movie? Gggrrrrr....

THE GOD OF RAMEN

The only way I would watch this is if I were boarding a plane to Japan straight after watching. Otherwise, its the equivalent of torturing myself for one and a half hours and not being able to relieve the pain.

Umi no Ue no Shinryoujo eps 1-3

In episode 4 of KDO where Kuwano and Hayasaka sensei board the tour bus, it was to tour the locations of this 48 Japanese movie series called Otoko wa Tsurai yo which was about a travelling salesman who falls in love but inadvertently hooking up the girl with another man. I've never seen the movies but I'd imagined it would be similar to 101 Proposals. The underdog who never succeeds and who the audience keeps going back wanting him to get the girl but they he'll never succeed because that would mean the end.

I would imagine the shadow of Otoko wa Tsurai yo hangs over Umi no Ue no Shinryoujo. Instead of the everyman travelling salesman, we have Matsuda Shota as a travelling super doctor thereby creating the most believable down on his luck protagonist who can never get the woman. So episode Dr Kota goes to an island, falls in love with a hot chick, gets into a medical emergency and get rejected in the end. 

Except for Kaho in episode 3, I found the series pretty flat. There is just no charm, no melancholy to this character. The slapstick jokes fall flat and the series as a whole feels too by the numbers, eg anything to do with the captain is so boring. Its tries too hard to be funny and ends up feeling not earnest for lack of a better word. I was tempted to give it a do not watch but its not like it sucks. I'll probably keep watching just for the women and Toda Erika. Umi no Ue no Shinryoujo just feels souless.

Rest of the Summer jdoramas of 2K13

Anyone noticed the action going in the background?

KEIBUHO YABE KENZO 2 EPS 6-8

Realised I forgot to do a write up about the rest of the series. Consistantly funny and I loved the last episode. Very 20th Century Boys like. Definitely deserves to be subbed because I probably missed half the jokes but I still found it funny as hell.

I am 100% sure there is no one in Japan who does not know what JK means.

AIBOU SEASON 11 EPS 1-8

Someone decided to sub this long running series and I thought I should go check it out. Aibou is basically Eccentric detective and young detective going around solving cases and division 1 people dislike them although the partners keep solving cases for them. The effort is there and its definitely better than Hanchou and your generic cop series but it never reaches the lofty heights of Furuhata Ninzaburo. Speaking of Furuhata, ep 6 from the second season was absolutely brilliant. Aibou is watchable and I managed to sit through 8 episodes but its lacking something. Probably won't continue watching.

KYUUMEI BYOTO 24-JI 5 EP 1

I have not seen Matsushima Nanako in anything in the last 10 years that made me remember why I thought she was so good back in the day. Her last performance that I can remember that made me go wow was Story of One Century. I decided  to give episode 1 of this long running series a try. Absolutely atrocious CG explosion, impressive long one shot of the hospital preparing to receive the wounded but Kyuumei Byoto didn't give me a reason to care and I couldn't even finish watching. Probably need to watch from the beginning.

LIMIT 7-12

I'm downgrading this from watchable to bad. I basically just skipped scenes until the end. It feels like a survival story created for little kids to teach them moral lessons and how to solve teenage angst. Ugh.

Kurokochi eps 1-3

Kurokochi is the most surprising dorama so far with the fact that it doesn't suck. This has a lot to do with the fact that the script does a good job of hiding the weaknesses of the two main actors. Firstly, the story is dark with a corrupt cop vs corrupt politician played by Watabe Atsuro but its part comedy as well so it excuses Nagase Tomoya's overacting as the cop Kurokochi. Its in contrast with Hanzawa Naoki which is completely serious yet has comedy-like overacting.

Secondly, Gouriki Ayame is there (so far) to strictly explain what is going on and Kurokochi's plans (and the comedy bit helps too) so I'm not hung up on htf she became a detective and stupid stuff like how the police won't charge into a house where the lone suspect is and instead send him a hostage.Gouriki Ayame's presence is to facilitate the story and she's not asked to do anything else.

The question is how long as the story keep the cat and mouse game between cop and politician interesting? I seem to recall watching a movie or dorama about the long unsolved stolen money case but I can't remember what it was. Watchable.

Jmovie review: Kita no Kanariatachi

Look at that cast! The Lady Joker duo, Moteki, Mitsushima Hikari, Miyazaki Aoi and Matsuda Ryuhei. The talent alone is crazy but Kita no Kanariatachi proves that at the end of the day talent can elevate a script but can't save it. The story is 20 years ago in a small town in Hokkaido, something happened and this teacher played by Yoshinaga Sayuri left the place.

One day, the cops come knocking at the teacher's door because one of the students got involved in a murder and she goes back and connects with each of the 5 students as the movie very slowly reveals what actually happened 20 years ago.

Sounds pretty interesting but the execution is lacking. Main reason is that whoever wrote this tried to force feed soap opera stories about each of the students while I was impatiently waiting for the main mystery to get going. Think your typical soap cliches and you'll find them here but it harms the pacing because of the lack of time. If this were a six episode series it might work but as a 2 hour movie, there is no time to build the characters and relationships up.

Its like the writer decided to do a soapie story every twenty minutes while dripping in bits of the main story. I was so close to stopping halfway. The only thing I enjoyed from this was the singing from the kids, especially some classic jpop songs. One of those tried too hard to be touching movies that it left me cold and hating it. I think Kita no Kanariatachi would have benefited from not having to spell things out so obviously in regards to the students' stories.

Dandarin eps 1-3

The many reasons why I loved the first two episodes of Dandarin:

1. Danda Rin is not an idealistic protagonist but rather an uncompromising labour standards inspector.

2. The show also talks about the negative repercussions of actions such as workers getting let go if they are identified as the whistle blower. Danda Rin is also aware of the possible effects but does it anyway.

3. Very socially relevant. I'm sure a lot of us have heard horror stories about working hours and restrictive leave conditions in Japan.

4. Danda Rin's colleague's don't hate her for no reason and are not inept but rather comfortable in the public service culture which the show makes fun of. Its not like without Danda Rin they would not be doing their jobs. Its just she's super proactive. The show doesn't ignore the fact that they already have their hands full without Danda Rin's special projects but it doesn't emphasize that as well.

5. Morning exercises are funny.... and probably true.

6. So many funny public servant lines such as 'the budget is our lifeline!'

7. Arguing about trivial issues in meetings.

8. Making fun of police doramas where the cast walk in a straight line trying to hard to look cool. That had me rofl.

9. Prosecution not wanting to take difficult cases and police not wanting to deal with minor white collar crimes and how Labour Standards people got them to help, lol. Not that you can blame them. Japan is a country where unpaid overtime and working weekends is normal.

10. Having to have an omiai with mothra to protect the chief's image.

11. John Romita Sr 70s style comic art intro to emphasis Danda Rin as a super hero and the old style marching woman woman.

12. Great cast. So happy to have a good Takeuchi Yuko show which Strawberry Night was not. Funny how the walking in straight line trying to look cool parody is exactly why Strawberry Night sucks.

Truer words have never been spoken.

13. The boss always says public servants shouldn't do this or that and a lot of it is true. Like if a teacher gets caught for drink driving, he can get fired etc.

14. Tied into what was previously mentioned, Danda Rin faces some difficult decisions like in ep 3 and I like that the show acknowledges both sides of the argument.

LOOKING FORWARD

Not enthused the teacher from Gekiryuu is in this show as a lawyer who has Danda Rin pictures as her screensaver. However Gekiryuu made everyone in it look like a bad actor. The writer did School!, Dragon Zakura and Last Present. Hope the quality of the writing continues to be good.

SUMMARY

Brilliant super hero cum parody dorama. As a public servant, I just find so many of the lines absolutely witty and hilarious.

Kagi no nai Yume wo Miru

Kagi no nai Yume wo Miru is a series of 5 short stories built around the title which translate to me as dreams without a key. 5 women with dreams that don't go exactly as planned or something like that.

EPISODE 1 (Karashina Kana)

Nice girl meets rich kid who has big impossible dreams and she falls in love. Nice girl faces reality and abandons her dreams but still has a thing for the dreamer. The good thing is we have a couple of sex scenes and love hotel action. The bad thing is its basically about a girl in love with a hopeless dude and I didn't care about the dream part.

EPISODE 2 (Narumi Riko)

Domestic violence episode. At this point I'm thinking is this series about nice girls and their abusive boyfriends? The first quarter was pretty funny with a nice dose of dark humour and the three friends competing sexually but I didn't really care about the story after that.

EPISODE 3 (Kimura Tae)

Now this is the dark humour story I want. Insurance woman investigates fire and interesting and funny stuff happens. We get to hear Kimura Tae's thoughts and she plays such an interesting character. Recommended.

EPISODE 4 (Takanashi Rin)

OMG, really good episode. I recommend everyone just watch this story of friendship. Its a flashback story about Takanashi Rin's character Michiru and a transfer student. Rumours start about around about transfer student's mom and usually in jdoramas, its just gossip but in this story, it turns out to be true. The interesting thing is that the mothers still allow their daughters to be friends with the transfer student. Quiet a change from the 'you are related to a criminal so you must be bad' thing we usually see.

I love the scene where Michiru faces the intruder and then realises that she was the only one who didn't know. Not to forget when Michiru catches the transfer student doing what her mom does. Transfer student not acknowledging her. The sudden ending got me pissed off at the beginning but after thinking about it, its very appropriate. Not because of the uncertainty but the emphasis their friendship and their failures to acknowledge each other in the past.

I can easily see them tacking on half and hour on this and turning it into a great movie. All the episodes are 50 minutes but this felt the longest in that so much happens and you can't summaries it in one sentence.

Before I had heard of the word ahiru guchi, I knew it as the Hirosue Ryoko smile.

EPISODE 5 (Hirosue Ryoko)

Mom desperate wants a kid, gets kid but kid won't stop crying. ZZzzzz.

SUMMARY

What would have made the series better is if the stories were sort of linked. Doesn't have to be in a meaningful way but more than just hearing about the previous story in the news. Just watch ep 3 and 4. If you like love hotel action, then eps 1 and 2 are for you.