J-Drama List Yay!!
Currently watching:
*Liar Game Season 2
*Shibatora
*Room of King
Planning to watch in the near future:
*I Litre of Tears
*Taiyou no Umi no Kyoushitsu
*Kami no Shizuna
*Kurosagi
[And any other recommendations]
These are my thoughts about the dramas I've completed watching. Second seasons of a drama don't get a second entry.
Akihabara@Deep
I only watched this one because Toma was in it to be honest. I believe this was the second drama I watched. It starts off so slow I was so bored, but it picked up in the end thank goodness. I had a problem with Izumu because when they met her she had some eye problem i guess, her eyes were blue [contacts]. But right after that episode they turned normal and were never mentioned again. My favorite part was when they had the zombie episode. It blended in seamlessly with the show so that I was so confused and so relieved that it ended up being the telling of a story. All in all this drama was okay, I probably would've given it up after the first episode if toma wasn't in it though.
Bambino
Matsujun again. This time hes an arrogant chef, ouulala. So hes from a small town and the ower of the restaurant he works in sends him to one of his friends restaurants in Tokyo for spring break [which lasts like a month over there]So yeah he works there and it takes a long time to get used to it because its so different from the small restaurant he worked in. After the bruises he gets the hang of it pretty much right before spring break is over and he leaves. Being back home and bored he decides to break up with his girlfriend [because she didnt want to leave] and move to Tokyo to get further at the restaurant and make his own pasta. problem is they start him off in the hall and he is back to square one in order to work his way back into the kitchen.omg Jun is such a good actor I loved him in this drama. I thought they were going to make him fall in love with Asuka just because shes the only girl but they didnt, i wouldve been pissed because he had just broken up with his girlfriend. but all in all the best part of this drama hands down is when Katori lifts out the pasta in the opening song omg so funny
Buzzer Beat
Gokusen
Watched the first and the second season because of the Johnny's boys. Don't think Im going to watch the third season or the movie when it comes out unless I have a lot of free time. I guess the show was good for what it was but at many points it just seemed ridiculous and repetitive. Like really, Yankumi throws a few punches and then everyone is Oh so scared of this home room teacher? The fight scenes were almost painful for me to watch, but everything else about the show was okay even though from the beginning you know that these kids are going to graduate in the end so everything that happens inbetween seems like its just stalling the story. But they did a good job with the casting because if Jun, Jin and Kame were not in it I would not have wanted to watch it. But over all it was okay, just not anywhere close to one of my favorites.
Hachimitsu to Kuroba [Honey and Clover]
Ikuta Toma again. OMG i loved him in this drama, he looks so good. Its about five college students and their ~love triangles~. Sounds good right?? It was. Although I was upset at how completely naive they made Hagu-chan. Like she really couldn't tell that Yuta liked her? And for half of the season Morita's face bothered me. Its his mouth, its like its in a permanent pout, which I am not fond of. I loved how Yuta was searching for himself and his purpose in life and at the end I cried. I sobbed. I didn't know what to do with myself, Rule of Thumb: When Toma Cries, I cry. And he was crying at the end. Eating his bread with its honey and clovers.
Hana Yori Dango
LOVED THIS DRAMA. omg it was so epic, I adored it. Although for the longest time I wanted Tsukushi to end up with Rui since Doumyoji was being such a little bitch the whole time and not telling her his true feelings. This drama introduced me to the sexy Matsumoto Jun and that boy is damn fine. He is gorgeous. I loved the story line fell in love with Makino Tsukushi because she is adorable and yet very strong-willed. I'm glad that they did a second season because not only was I given more episodes to watch but, if it had ended like it was going to at the end of the first season I wouldve been pissed. But loved the ending of the movie I thought it ended perfectly, even though the whole premise of the movie was completely ridiculous. I doubt Matsujun could survive on an uninhabited island for more than one day without his beauty products. The guy that played Akira was just fug as hell, i get upset when I see him in stuff ew. he was also in Zettai Kareshi for a episode.
Hanazakari no Kimitachi e [Hana Kimi]
The one that started it all. I loved this show, because it was where I first met Ikuta Toma. But about the story, it was so hard for me to believe that no one knew she was a girl before either seeing her in the shower [Sano] or hearing it from someone else. I thought the cast was chosen really well, and they complimented each other. I loved Nakatsu's thought sequences and how he would get hearts in his eyes and start talking to himself. Sano on the other hand I was so pissed at how emo he was because he didn't deserve Mizuki, he kept pushing her away. NAKATSU LOVED HER EVEN WHEN HE THOUGHT SHE WAS A GUY, that is dedication. Oh yeah and the first time I saw Mizushima Hiro I was like ~OMG.
Kimi Wa Petto
OMG I LOVE THIS DRAMA.It is my absolute favorite and im watching the entire series on Sunday for the third time. The premise is ridiclulous.Takeshi [Matsumoto Jun] is a dancer and has gotten kicked out of his parents house. After some time he gets beat up and hides in a box outside of Sumire's [Koyuki] apartment. She brings him inside and takes care so him because he has a fever. He tries to stay with her and she says ok if she can keep him as a pet. And with no where else to go he says yes. There's one thing though. No sex. Oh yeah and she names him Momo. Sumire graduated from Tokyo University which is equivalent to our Havard, and does not want a man who is shorter than her, makes less than her, or is intimidated by her because she is a bitch. Of course Momo is none of those things and they fall for each other pretty hard, despite the presence of Hasumi-sempai who is an old flame of Sumire's. Although it takes Sumire the whole season to figure out her feelings for momo, things work out in the end. i loved the story I thought it was perfect, the cast was really good. I love Jun forever and he looked so cute omg. I find it interesting that I learn more about ~love from these ridicluous japanese dramas that have situations that could never exist in real life than from American movies which try to be based off of something realistic. I think this one will always be my ichiban.
Last Friends
I watched this one because of Eita. He's in voice as well and whenever I looked at the forums in d-addicts where I get my subs, everyone always compared his character from Voice to the one in Last Friends. Also the comm I get my dramas from, it had a shit ton of comments for this one. SO I thought it would be good. It was good, but it fell a little flat. But one good thing was that it introduced me to Nishikido Ryo. Ryo plays Sousuke, who is a woman beater. Then Michiru, the battered women goes to live with one of her high school friends and her roommates. The high school friend who is a girl, Ruka, develops a crush on her, but she starts to like Takeru [Eita]. Like I said this had potential but instead of developing characters they put a shit ton of voilence in it. So not only does Michiru get bitch-slapped like on four different occasions but Ruka and Takeru get it too. It got to the point of stupidity that Ruka went to Sousuke's apartment by herself, Why would she do that when it would be obvious that she would get beat up? Blame the writers. I do. At the end I was wondering about the status of their relationships, could they really get over liking each other and just be ~friends~? I didn't feel any closure with them as characters. The plot [I use that term vaguely as it only refers to the Violence]ended as soon as Sousuke offed himself. But one very good thing about this dram I fucking loved the opening sequence its so powerful, I wished the drama itself lived up to it. [seems I have a lot of feelings about this one.]
Liar Game
Love Shuffle
Majo Saiban
Another Toma drama. I loved the concept but how everything played out seemed really unrealistic to me, but that's probably because it was a Japanese trial and not an American one. For example in American trials I'm pretty sure you're not really allowed to meet with lawyers at all outside of the courtroom if you are a jury member, and Toma did that so many times during the show. Also at the end when Haruka says she killed him and then he finds out she was actually somewhere else, shouldn't that have been one of the first things mentioned at the trial? Something like, "She has a daughter but she was away that weekend for a school trip." Toma's gf went crazy in this, personally I wouldn't talk to someone again after they faked their own kidnapping just because the person was jealous. But I will agree that Toma was spending way too much time with Izumi. Whatever, it's over and the Witch screwed everyone over. Overall I enjoyed the twists with everyone changing to guilty and them not knowing what the truth is, and when Izumi's husband ending up being Kurokawa that was gold. So yeah it was a good drama but I'm glad it's over so that Toma can stop having that stupid curly hair.
Maou
This one had toma and ohno in it. Omg I was so pissed at the beginning because it seemed like all toma was going to do is run around and yell. But by the middle he calmed down and I was happy. Ohno on the other hand, I was not impressed at all with his acting. All he did was his blank stare when he was being "evil" and said his lines with a smile when he was the "nice lawyer." I don't understand why everyone thought this was so amazing. Another the plot was okay I guess, I haven't watched the korean version so I cant compare it. But it was predictable, at the end everyone dies, pretty much. But I liked toma's hair in it OH MY GOD. his hair was amazing, if he kept it like that forever I wouldve been so happy, but no, sadly no. Back to Maou the girl in this I can't remember her name, her eyes were huge and it kinda freaked me out but she was okay. Overall I thought it was alright.
Mei-Chan no Shitsuji
This drama was really cute. I watched it because I had heard a lot of good things and Mizushima Hiro is delicious. The plot was way over the top especially when Mei's Sobaya blew up right in front of her face. I had to pause that scene and i dont know. I was just like WHAT!?!? So anyway she goes to the school and Hiro is her butler. Soon Mameshiba comes and becomes a butler as well and hopes to become Mei's butler. Oh and he's Rihito's brother. Conflict!?!? the correct answer is yes because they both like Mei. Personally I was rooting for Mameshiba becausehe liked her forever and gave up on everything to come to this school and become her butler, but I knew she would end up with Rihito in the end because that's just the way it goes. Sigh. The whole plot with Lucia was interesting, I liked it if I was in her shoes I would never have given up on getting Rihito back either.I enjoyed watching this drama, which is a mark of a good drama in my opinion.
My Girl
Nobuta wo Produce
Awwww. This was a really cute drama and probably the only one where I liked Yamapi's acting. Don't get me wrong I'll watch his stuff because I love him but his acting is really terrible in my opinion. Also Maki completely redeemed herself in my eyes, I loved her as Nobuta she wasn't annoying like she was in Hana Kimi. Kame was good. He usually is though. The plot was really cute and I loved it even though there were plenty of parts that didn't actually make any sense, for example when the "ghosts" of those working alumi came to the festival and helped with the haunted house. I was like wait, what? that can't actually happen...But it did...in the show. Even though the ending pissed me off because Nobuta shouldn't have been by herself, I understand why they did it that way. When I get better with reading my kanji I want this book to be one of the first ones I read. Overall it was a good drama, I loved it. I already watched it twice and I will probably watch it again soon.
Nodame Cantabile
The Quiz Show 2
Ryusei no Kizuna
Smile
Stand Up!!
Uta no Oniisan
Voice
So this drama has Ikuta Toma in it so of course I was going to watch it. It also has Eita in it, hes pretty cool.The premise is that these are all college medical students taking a forensics lab. Daiki [Eita] was put on the list for this class unwillingly and Toma's character Ryosuke only signed up to do something unexpected, because his father is the head of a hospital and he was tired of blindly following him. [the rest of the cast doesn't matter] so Daiki takes it upon himself to find the ~voices of the dead that they are performing autopsies on. So they find clues and he always is the one that figures it out. That kinda annoyed me. The fact that it was always Daiki who was the only one smart enough to figure it out. There was a little love thing going on between Daiki and Aki with so much tension omg. and at the end they didn't even kiss i was like WHY?!!? just get it over with. and In the correlation chart on drama wiki it showed Ryosuke liking his teacher but nothing really happened. it was mentioned once and then alluded to at the end. All in all it was a very formulatic show and for what it was, it was good. Nothing amazing though, and I dont think i'll burn this one to a dvd. There were a few episodes where I cried at the end because some parts got sad.
Yamada Taro Monogatari
Yukan Club
Zettai Kareshi [Absolute Boyfriend]
I watched this one because of Mizushima Hiro. He can speak English and is sexy as hell. Also, some of my friends in Japanese class had watched it and said it was good so I gave it a shot. I loved it, I loved Naito-kun he was so sweet. At first I was rooting for Soshi because hes the human in this situation but I found myself leaning more towards Naito-kun at the end. That only meant that I cried at the end and I did, I was a mess at the end of this one as well. Apparently this drama was completely unlike the manga ,which I didn't read but I loved the changes they had made. I liked the girl they had play Riko. But the parts with her ~friend who would try to steal Naito away would piss me off. She was such a bitch and Riko forgave so easily it was ridiculous
*Liar Game Season 2
*Shibatora
*Room of King
Planning to watch in the near future:
*I Litre of Tears
*Taiyou no Umi no Kyoushitsu
*Kami no Shizuna
*Kurosagi
[And any other recommendations]
These are my thoughts about the dramas I've completed watching. Second seasons of a drama don't get a second entry.
Akihabara@Deep
I only watched this one because Toma was in it to be honest. I believe this was the second drama I watched. It starts off so slow I was so bored, but it picked up in the end thank goodness. I had a problem with Izumu because when they met her she had some eye problem i guess, her eyes were blue [contacts]. But right after that episode they turned normal and were never mentioned again. My favorite part was when they had the zombie episode. It blended in seamlessly with the show so that I was so confused and so relieved that it ended up being the telling of a story. All in all this drama was okay, I probably would've given it up after the first episode if toma wasn't in it though.
Bambino
Matsujun again. This time hes an arrogant chef, ouulala. So hes from a small town and the ower of the restaurant he works in sends him to one of his friends restaurants in Tokyo for spring break [which lasts like a month over there]So yeah he works there and it takes a long time to get used to it because its so different from the small restaurant he worked in. After the bruises he gets the hang of it pretty much right before spring break is over and he leaves. Being back home and bored he decides to break up with his girlfriend [because she didnt want to leave] and move to Tokyo to get further at the restaurant and make his own pasta. problem is they start him off in the hall and he is back to square one in order to work his way back into the kitchen.omg Jun is such a good actor I loved him in this drama. I thought they were going to make him fall in love with Asuka just because shes the only girl but they didnt, i wouldve been pissed because he had just broken up with his girlfriend. but all in all the best part of this drama hands down is when Katori lifts out the pasta in the opening song omg so funny
Buzzer Beat
Gokusen
Watched the first and the second season because of the Johnny's boys. Don't think Im going to watch the third season or the movie when it comes out unless I have a lot of free time. I guess the show was good for what it was but at many points it just seemed ridiculous and repetitive. Like really, Yankumi throws a few punches and then everyone is Oh so scared of this home room teacher? The fight scenes were almost painful for me to watch, but everything else about the show was okay even though from the beginning you know that these kids are going to graduate in the end so everything that happens inbetween seems like its just stalling the story. But they did a good job with the casting because if Jun, Jin and Kame were not in it I would not have wanted to watch it. But over all it was okay, just not anywhere close to one of my favorites.
Hachimitsu to Kuroba [Honey and Clover]
Ikuta Toma again. OMG i loved him in this drama, he looks so good. Its about five college students and their ~love triangles~. Sounds good right?? It was. Although I was upset at how completely naive they made Hagu-chan. Like she really couldn't tell that Yuta liked her? And for half of the season Morita's face bothered me. Its his mouth, its like its in a permanent pout, which I am not fond of. I loved how Yuta was searching for himself and his purpose in life and at the end I cried. I sobbed. I didn't know what to do with myself, Rule of Thumb: When Toma Cries, I cry. And he was crying at the end. Eating his bread with its honey and clovers.
Hana Yori Dango
LOVED THIS DRAMA. omg it was so epic, I adored it. Although for the longest time I wanted Tsukushi to end up with Rui since Doumyoji was being such a little bitch the whole time and not telling her his true feelings. This drama introduced me to the sexy Matsumoto Jun and that boy is damn fine. He is gorgeous. I loved the story line fell in love with Makino Tsukushi because she is adorable and yet very strong-willed. I'm glad that they did a second season because not only was I given more episodes to watch but, if it had ended like it was going to at the end of the first season I wouldve been pissed. But loved the ending of the movie I thought it ended perfectly, even though the whole premise of the movie was completely ridiculous. I doubt Matsujun could survive on an uninhabited island for more than one day without his beauty products. The guy that played Akira was just fug as hell, i get upset when I see him in stuff ew. he was also in Zettai Kareshi for a episode.
Hanazakari no Kimitachi e [Hana Kimi]
The one that started it all. I loved this show, because it was where I first met Ikuta Toma. But about the story, it was so hard for me to believe that no one knew she was a girl before either seeing her in the shower [Sano] or hearing it from someone else. I thought the cast was chosen really well, and they complimented each other. I loved Nakatsu's thought sequences and how he would get hearts in his eyes and start talking to himself. Sano on the other hand I was so pissed at how emo he was because he didn't deserve Mizuki, he kept pushing her away. NAKATSU LOVED HER EVEN WHEN HE THOUGHT SHE WAS A GUY, that is dedication. Oh yeah and the first time I saw Mizushima Hiro I was like ~OMG.
Kimi Wa Petto
OMG I LOVE THIS DRAMA.It is my absolute favorite and im watching the entire series on Sunday for the third time. The premise is ridiclulous.Takeshi [Matsumoto Jun] is a dancer and has gotten kicked out of his parents house. After some time he gets beat up and hides in a box outside of Sumire's [Koyuki] apartment. She brings him inside and takes care so him because he has a fever. He tries to stay with her and she says ok if she can keep him as a pet. And with no where else to go he says yes. There's one thing though. No sex. Oh yeah and she names him Momo. Sumire graduated from Tokyo University which is equivalent to our Havard, and does not want a man who is shorter than her, makes less than her, or is intimidated by her because she is a bitch. Of course Momo is none of those things and they fall for each other pretty hard, despite the presence of Hasumi-sempai who is an old flame of Sumire's. Although it takes Sumire the whole season to figure out her feelings for momo, things work out in the end. i loved the story I thought it was perfect, the cast was really good. I love Jun forever and he looked so cute omg. I find it interesting that I learn more about ~love from these ridicluous japanese dramas that have situations that could never exist in real life than from American movies which try to be based off of something realistic. I think this one will always be my ichiban.
Last Friends
I watched this one because of Eita. He's in voice as well and whenever I looked at the forums in d-addicts where I get my subs, everyone always compared his character from Voice to the one in Last Friends. Also the comm I get my dramas from, it had a shit ton of comments for this one. SO I thought it would be good. It was good, but it fell a little flat. But one good thing was that it introduced me to Nishikido Ryo. Ryo plays Sousuke, who is a woman beater. Then Michiru, the battered women goes to live with one of her high school friends and her roommates. The high school friend who is a girl, Ruka, develops a crush on her, but she starts to like Takeru [Eita]. Like I said this had potential but instead of developing characters they put a shit ton of voilence in it. So not only does Michiru get bitch-slapped like on four different occasions but Ruka and Takeru get it too. It got to the point of stupidity that Ruka went to Sousuke's apartment by herself, Why would she do that when it would be obvious that she would get beat up? Blame the writers. I do. At the end I was wondering about the status of their relationships, could they really get over liking each other and just be ~friends~? I didn't feel any closure with them as characters. The plot [I use that term vaguely as it only refers to the Violence]ended as soon as Sousuke offed himself. But one very good thing about this dram I fucking loved the opening sequence its so powerful, I wished the drama itself lived up to it. [seems I have a lot of feelings about this one.]
Liar Game
Love Shuffle
Majo Saiban
Another Toma drama. I loved the concept but how everything played out seemed really unrealistic to me, but that's probably because it was a Japanese trial and not an American one. For example in American trials I'm pretty sure you're not really allowed to meet with lawyers at all outside of the courtroom if you are a jury member, and Toma did that so many times during the show. Also at the end when Haruka says she killed him and then he finds out she was actually somewhere else, shouldn't that have been one of the first things mentioned at the trial? Something like, "She has a daughter but she was away that weekend for a school trip." Toma's gf went crazy in this, personally I wouldn't talk to someone again after they faked their own kidnapping just because the person was jealous. But I will agree that Toma was spending way too much time with Izumi. Whatever, it's over and the Witch screwed everyone over. Overall I enjoyed the twists with everyone changing to guilty and them not knowing what the truth is, and when Izumi's husband ending up being Kurokawa that was gold. So yeah it was a good drama but I'm glad it's over so that Toma can stop having that stupid curly hair.
Maou
This one had toma and ohno in it. Omg I was so pissed at the beginning because it seemed like all toma was going to do is run around and yell. But by the middle he calmed down and I was happy. Ohno on the other hand, I was not impressed at all with his acting. All he did was his blank stare when he was being "evil" and said his lines with a smile when he was the "nice lawyer." I don't understand why everyone thought this was so amazing. Another the plot was okay I guess, I haven't watched the korean version so I cant compare it. But it was predictable, at the end everyone dies, pretty much. But I liked toma's hair in it OH MY GOD. his hair was amazing, if he kept it like that forever I wouldve been so happy, but no, sadly no. Back to Maou the girl in this I can't remember her name, her eyes were huge and it kinda freaked me out but she was okay. Overall I thought it was alright.
Mei-Chan no Shitsuji
This drama was really cute. I watched it because I had heard a lot of good things and Mizushima Hiro is delicious. The plot was way over the top especially when Mei's Sobaya blew up right in front of her face. I had to pause that scene and i dont know. I was just like WHAT!?!? So anyway she goes to the school and Hiro is her butler. Soon Mameshiba comes and becomes a butler as well and hopes to become Mei's butler. Oh and he's Rihito's brother. Conflict!?!? the correct answer is yes because they both like Mei. Personally I was rooting for Mameshiba becausehe liked her forever and gave up on everything to come to this school and become her butler, but I knew she would end up with Rihito in the end because that's just the way it goes. Sigh. The whole plot with Lucia was interesting, I liked it if I was in her shoes I would never have given up on getting Rihito back either.I enjoyed watching this drama, which is a mark of a good drama in my opinion.
My Girl
Nobuta wo Produce
Awwww. This was a really cute drama and probably the only one where I liked Yamapi's acting. Don't get me wrong I'll watch his stuff because I love him but his acting is really terrible in my opinion. Also Maki completely redeemed herself in my eyes, I loved her as Nobuta she wasn't annoying like she was in Hana Kimi. Kame was good. He usually is though. The plot was really cute and I loved it even though there were plenty of parts that didn't actually make any sense, for example when the "ghosts" of those working alumi came to the festival and helped with the haunted house. I was like wait, what? that can't actually happen...But it did...in the show. Even though the ending pissed me off because Nobuta shouldn't have been by herself, I understand why they did it that way. When I get better with reading my kanji I want this book to be one of the first ones I read. Overall it was a good drama, I loved it. I already watched it twice and I will probably watch it again soon.
Nodame Cantabile
The Quiz Show 2
Ryusei no Kizuna
Smile
Stand Up!!
Uta no Oniisan
Voice
So this drama has Ikuta Toma in it so of course I was going to watch it. It also has Eita in it, hes pretty cool.The premise is that these are all college medical students taking a forensics lab. Daiki [Eita] was put on the list for this class unwillingly and Toma's character Ryosuke only signed up to do something unexpected, because his father is the head of a hospital and he was tired of blindly following him. [the rest of the cast doesn't matter] so Daiki takes it upon himself to find the ~voices of the dead that they are performing autopsies on. So they find clues and he always is the one that figures it out. That kinda annoyed me. The fact that it was always Daiki who was the only one smart enough to figure it out. There was a little love thing going on between Daiki and Aki with so much tension omg. and at the end they didn't even kiss i was like WHY?!!? just get it over with. and In the correlation chart on drama wiki it showed Ryosuke liking his teacher but nothing really happened. it was mentioned once and then alluded to at the end. All in all it was a very formulatic show and for what it was, it was good. Nothing amazing though, and I dont think i'll burn this one to a dvd. There were a few episodes where I cried at the end because some parts got sad.
Yamada Taro Monogatari
Yukan Club
Zettai Kareshi [Absolute Boyfriend]
I watched this one because of Mizushima Hiro. He can speak English and is sexy as hell. Also, some of my friends in Japanese class had watched it and said it was good so I gave it a shot. I loved it, I loved Naito-kun he was so sweet. At first I was rooting for Soshi because hes the human in this situation but I found myself leaning more towards Naito-kun at the end. That only meant that I cried at the end and I did, I was a mess at the end of this one as well. Apparently this drama was completely unlike the manga ,which I didn't read but I loved the changes they had made. I liked the girl they had play Riko. But the parts with her ~friend who would try to steal Naito away would piss me off. She was such a bitch and Riko forgave so easily it was ridiculous