JAPAN: First impressions -- Heat & Death Note (2015)

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Heat is about a real estate agent who wants to use an entire town for one of his clients. In order to buy up the town he becomes a volunteer firefighter so that he can become close to the residents and buy them out. I thought of this as a second coming of a Bitter Blood and started it right away. There are many similarities between this show and Bitter Blood (Partners by Blood) - action packed, funny, and a full cast of characters that are just as important as the main lead. So far, the main lead, Tatsuya Ikegami, is a self-centered workaholic and it's clear that he does not care about actually doing the job of a volunteer firefighter correctly. However, as episodes go on and hi-jinks ensue you can see him start to understand the importance of being a firefighter and hopefully as time goes on he will start to act more like one before someone really gets hurt. The only thing I am unsure of at this point is if there will be a romance in the show. Right now there are two potential matches for Tatsuya: Sakura Azumi and Eri Yuki. Even though it seems that he has a relationship with Eri Yuki, there seems to also be room for him to care about Sakura Azumi too. Right now, that is not the focus of the show but there's always that underlying plot, isn't there? I've only seen two episodes of the show so far but it's very entertaining and endearing. I am looking forward to watching the remaining episodes of Viki.com.

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I can't even remember how I stumbled upon the information for this show, but once I did I had to watch it. I have not read the manga, seen the anime, or watched the movies, but I was not going to pass up a chance to watch the live action television version of the show. [I'm sure I can watch the anime in no time if I really want to and catch up on the movies.] Since I have no real reference for the show I can't say if it's just as good or better than any of the others, but I can say that it is pretty interesting to me as someone who is experiencing it for the first time. As of now I am both fascinated, entertained and freaked out by the show, but I am sure that's the feeling you generally get when dealing with any version of Death Note. If I were to just talk about this version I'd have to say that the acting is good and the actors are definitely keeping my attention. In that regard I guess it may be worth watching to someone who's already a veteran of Death Note.

Partners by Blood (Bitter Blood) - Japanese Drama Review

This show is by far my favorite Japanese Drama. It had everything one could ask for in an action/comedy. It was funny when it was supposed to be and packed with combat and explosions at just the right moments. And like all Japanese dramas it was short and sweet, which left me wanting more so I am hoping for a season two. 

Warning this review will contain a few spoilers. 

Overview: An estranged father and son become partners at the Ginza Police Station much to their dismay. They fight each other and their impending bond tooth and nail but they realize, case by case, that they care about each and need each other to survive the dangerous world of being a detective. I watched it on DramaFever.

What I Liked:
1. The actors were fantastic. I've noticed that in Japanese dramas, particularly comedies, things get really random but it didn't diminish the acting talents of the cast. Their comedic timing was just as great as their uncanny ability to cry over just about anything. I also liked that each character had a personality and a chance to show of their personality traits.

The cast included Takeru Sato (Natsuki Sahara aka Junior - Son), Atsuro Watabe (Akimura Shimao aka Gentle - Father), Shiori Kutsuna (Love Interest), Mitsuru Fukikoshi, Tetsushi Tanaka, Sarutoki Minagawa, Keiji, Suzu Hirose, Reiko Kusamura, Katsumi Takahashi (Chief), and Mitsuhiro Oikawa (Villain).

2. The main villain. You know dramas, mostly Korean dramas, have a way of making you empathize with the villain in some cases, not all but some. This wasn't one of those cases. Even when the villain was telling his story I still thought that he needed to go. Of course, I don't feel like he ever really got the chance to explain his story but even if he felt wronged he shouldn't have done the things he did.

3. The action. This comedy had a lot of action and though having action in every single episode can be pretty unrealistic, it also made for very entertaining scenarios.

4. The theme song. Probably one of the best theme songs I've ever heard. It added impact to the show before the show even started. It's called Do You Ever Shine by Mayday. It gets you pumped up for not only the show but just for the day.

5. They didn't overly force the father and son relationship between Sahara and Gentle. They let them naturally start caring for each other and understanding each other. At the end of the show they still weren't super close but they were on their way there which gives me hope for a second season.

What I Didn't Like:
1. I felt like the villain never actually got a chance to fully explain his side of the story. We got a brief glimpse into his pain but that didn't help us understand exactly where he was coming from.

2. The unstated relationship between Sahara's sister, Shinobu, and Kota. Kota is the chief's son and after Sahara saved him he all of a sudden was in some sort of relationship with the sister which was never fully explained. Sahara and Gentle still don't even know that they're dating or friends or whatever they are.

In all honesty there wasn't much I disliked. It was so entertaining and just the right amount of endearing that I really have no complaints. I would totally watch it again and I suggest that if you're new to dramas you give it a try. A short drama like this is a great attention keeper.

Monday Marathon: Last Cinderella

This Monday's Marathon is for Japanese drama Last Cinderella. 

Overview: It is about a woman who is a bit unkempt, but has a passion for her job and is always good to people. Despite her positive attributes she's 40 and single. Soon she finds herself in a love triangle with a much younger man and her boss. There are 11 episodes, each about 45 minutes or so.

Why it's Worth Marathon-ing:
1. This Japanese drama is for those looking for a more mature drama. If you're tired of the PG Korean love scenes then this show will shock and please you.
2. It's fun to root for which good looking man you want to win most. Both of the male leads are attractive and have good qualities so it's very enjoyable watching them fall for the female lead.
3. Miura Haruma! If you just so happened to watch Hours of My Life (I haven't yet) and want to see him in something light then this is the show for you.
4. It's funny and touching. The show has plenty of comedic moments particularly between the female lead and her boss, however there are a lot of endearing moments for all the characters.

Hope everyone has an awesome Monday!

JAPAN: Mischievous Kiss

Every once and a while I have to stray away from Korean shows and watch a show from another country. For some reason I couldn't shake the feeling that I should be watching Mischievous Kiss: Love in Tokyo, so I watched all 16 episodes on DramaFever despite the fact that I really wasn't planning on it. I had watched the Korean version and figured I'd seen it all so it'd be okay to skip this one, I was happily mistaken.

Overview: It is Japan's 2nd television adaptation of the manga  Itazura na Kiss by Kaoru Tada, the first was released in 1996. Some of you may be familiar with the Korean version Playful Kiss starring Kim Hyun Joong (Ji Hoo in Boys Over Flowers). The show is about a girl who is hopelessly in love with a cold, genius classmate. She musters up the courage to give him a confession letter in front of the whole school, but gets harshly turned down. However, through a very unfortunate event she ends up living with her crush. This inevitably causes them to get closer, which is not always a good thing in her case. Though she tries her hardest to win him over, events keep arising that seem to drive them further apart. Will her persistence help her prevail in the end? The answer is YES.

What I liked:
The Korean Version, Playful Kiss, was actually the third Korean drama that I watched. So, I think of it fondly (sort of, I have mixed feelings). Anyway, I actually like this version better, but I will admit that I find the Korean cast as a whole more attractive (but that's just me).

I liked the pace of this show. It felt much shorter than the Korean version, probably because it was. Each episode was only about 45 minutes long whereas the Korean episodes were about an hour long. Also in the Japanese version a lot of the unnecessary events that weighed down the story line, like the field day or the bet between Seung Jo and Ha Ni, were taken out. This definitely helped lighten the show.

The thing I liked the most is that the main character, Kotoko Aihara, though similar to Oh Ha Ni in the fact that she gets completely hung up on a dude that doesn't even like her, manages to build her own life rather than just build her life around the guy she likes. In many ways she does give up her own self for her crush Naoki Irie, but it's not to the extent that Oh Ha Ni does. And though Kotoko never really establishes her own dreams outside of Irie I feel like she has the potential to. The fact that she didn't instantly say she wanted to be a nurse after hearing Irie say he wanted to be a doctor gives me hope. 

I also loved Irie's mom in this version. I loved Seung Jo's mom too, but this lady didn't come off as desperate to make Kotoko apart of her family. The moms were the best part of both series. The one thing that Naoki's mom did in this version that made me love her (SPOILER ALERT) was try to ruin the meeting between Irie and Sahoko Oizumi who Irie will be engaged to later. It was totally rude, but hilarious.

I thought the hugs, that's right HUGS, looked really comfortable. After Irie finally confessed his feelings to Kotoko, he hugged her and for some reason it just looked like one of the best hugs ever. The second hug in the house looked really comfortable too. There is just something about a simple hug between two people that love each that looks so great.

I really enjoyed Yuki Yamada as Kinnosuke Ikezawa. Yuki Yamada is so handsome, but he also has some great acting skills. Kin-chan was so sweet and genuine with Kotoko. and I loved his numerous face offs with Irie. I really like the character because he had ambition, which in all honesty was something that neither Kotoko nor Irie really seemed to have. Irie was good at everything so he kind of just went with the flow and Kotoko did the same. However, Kin-chan was serious about becoming a chef and was really working hard to see that through even if the girl he liked wasn't next to him.

What I didn't like:

I didn't like how mean Irie was to Kotoko. I expected him to be cold because that's just the character, but it still bothered me how harshly he treated her sometimes. However, because he treated her that way the whole time the character never seemed to develop. It was so frustrating how stagnate he was. Even Kotoko changed, maybe she didn't mature, but she wasn't the same Kotoko from the beginning of the series. 

I didn't like that he broke his engagement. I don't remember Seung Jo going that far. To me he should have not gotten engaged or not broken the engagement.

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This isn't a drama that needs much analyzing because in all honesty not much thinking is required to watch it. Overall I found the drama to be quite enjoyable. It was cute and that's all I needed at the time. I am anxiously awaiting the supposed second season of the show. I'll have to take some time before I watch the Taiwanese version, but after watching the Japanese version I am kind of looking forward to it. 

Share with your thoughts in the comment section below. 

Thanks for reading!

10 Dramas Perfect for Valentine's Day

If you're like me then you'll most likely be spending your Valentine's Day watching K-dramas. Even if I had a date I'd probably spend as much as possible of my V-Day trying to catch up on some show. Whether you're with a loved one or not this Valentine's day there are plenty of K-Dramas that can satisfy a need for romance. This is a list of 10 that I would watch out of the 51 dramas I've seen this far.

1. Lie to Me: Lie to Me has to be number one. It is one of the few K-Dramas where the main couple is a couple for most of the show, and it has some of the best kissing scenes of any K-drama. Lie to Me is perfect to watch if you have a date and want to introduce them to Korean Drama Land. It's funny and romantic and I think there's something for almost everyone.

2. Coffee Prince: It's Coffee Prince! If you've seen the show then you could probably guess why it's on the list: 2 of the steamiest kisses EVER! Aside from that it's quite a romantic show, but it's not overly sappy. It's something you could watch with a guy and even they'd get invested in the show.

3. Dating Agency Cyrano: This show is really cute and has some pretty great moments both romantic and comedic. It's perfect to watch with friends. It's fun to watch all of the couples develop and not get caught up in just one. Plus, there's nothing but eye candy in that show: Lee Jong-hyuk,  Lee Chun-hee, Hong Jong-hyun for the ladies and Choi Sooyoung and Ha Yeon-joo for the guys. There are also some really awesome cameos that will get any k-drama or k-pop fan excited.

4. Heartstrings: Heartstrings's romantic plot is pretty typical, but it's still worth watching. Jung Young-hwa and Park Shin-hye make such cute couple. If you were looking for them to be a couple in You're Beautiful then this will make you very happy. It's also set to some pretty great music.

5. A Gentleman's Dignity: An adult romance! You can feel free to wash your hands of all that high school drama and upgrade to something so perfect it will hurt. Okay, it won't hurt, but this show is enjoyable from beginning to end. It was funny, romantic, serious but playful and it has cute for everyone. If you're looking for something with more romantic substance then this is your best bet. Also, if you're career stalking Kim Woo Bin then you'll love seeing his face pop up every once in a while.

6. My Girlfriend is a Gumiho: This is for all of those who love the supernatural. It's not too romantic at first but when they finally get to all the romance it's a really sweet drama. Of course they hit some bumps and that makes for some pretty stressful feels while watching, but they make up for it and you'll leave feeling satisfied.

7. Last Cinderella: This Japanese drama is also for those looking for a more mature drama. It is about a woman who is a bit unkempt, but has a passion for her job and is always good to people. Despite her positive attributes she's 40 and single. Soon she finds herself in a love triangle with a much younger man and her boss. I loved this show. If you're tired of the PG Korean love scenes then this show will shock and please you. Aside from that it's fun to root for the good looking man you want to win most.

8. Secret Garden: Action and romance! It's a lethal combination, especially when you throw in an annoying mother. This show is great for Valentine's Day because it shows that love comes when you least expect it, with who you least expect it, and that love takes sacrifice. Sure, it's just a show, but there are some pretty important lessons you can take away from it.

9. Ma Boy: If you are a youngster or if you're trying to get your friends into K-Dramas then Ma Boy is a great start. It's sweet (not necessarily romantic), and it's short so if you do have a night out planned, but need a K-Drama fix. Ma Boy isn't a show that comes up often on K-drama lists, but it is a really great show. It's super funny and the confrontations between the characters aren't dragged out to the point where you feel like shooting your laptop out of frustration. I think the word that comes to my head most often when I describe it is "cute" because it's a high school drama, but I think that anyone can watch and enjoy this show no matter the age.

10. Heirs: Okay, so Heirs wasn't necessarily my favorite show of the year, but I must admit it had some pretty romantic moments that were enjoyable, like Secretary Yoon and Esther Lee's heated kiss. And it also has the cutest couple in the world: Chan Young and Bo Na. Even if you aren't into 20 episodes of painful staring, wrist grabbing and love bullying then you should at least watch for the cast. It was a really, really awesome cast so it is worth supporting them.

No matter how you spend your Valentine''s Day I hope it's enjoyable and full of love.