Mr. Nietzsche in the Convenience Store #review

Niche Sensei /  ニーチェ先生

Writer -  Koma Matsu (manga), Hashimoto (manga), Yuichi Fukuda
Network -  NTV / YTV
Episodes -  10
Released -  2016, Jan - Mar
Genre -  Comedy

CAST

SYNOPSIS

Mr. Nietzsche in the Convenience Store is a Japanese shōjo comedy manga series turned live action. Follows the lives of a few 777 employees on the graveyard shift and a few of the oddball people who enter the convenience store.

REVIEW

If you saw Clerks, you'll relate to this one.

Not entirely the same thing, but the story does center around a few of the employees who work the overnight shift at a 777 Convenience store in an area of Tokyo that doesn't receive a large amount of foot traffic.

This translates to their having lots of time on their hands to ponder life's mysteries, zone out, and plot get-rich-quick schemes.

Each episode is less than 30 minutes long, and I watched the whole thing via YouTube in one sitting.

Shotaro Mamiya and Kenji Urai

Tomoharu Nii is compared to Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche, a German philosopher, and his ultimate goal is to become a Buddhist monk in three years.

He's robotic in movement and thought as well as being stone-faced under all circumstances.

Except for the few times when his Tenchou appears

Sato Jiro makes the cast laugh

I've always thought Sato Jiro was a funny guy, with his random outbursts and tendency to accent the wrong syllable for effect.

This is wacky stuff acted out by wacky characters and well worth the minimal time it takes to watch all ten episodes.

Highly recommended, especially if you're feeling stressed or blue and need a quick pick-me-up.

Niche Sensei

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Zeni no Sensou #review

銭の戦争 

Drama -  War of Money
Genre -  Drama, suspense
Writer  - Park In kwon (comic), Noriko Goto
Network -  Fuji TV
Episodes -  11
Released -  Jan - Mar, 2015
Ratings -  13.4%

CAST

PLOT

Shiraishi Tomio loses everything. His money, job, and fiancé, and becomes homeless. The path he chooses is that of the moneylenders who drove him to the very bottom. 

REVIEW

Bravo on a job well done, and a well thought out cast of players for these unusual characters.

I know this isn't the first time a Japanese producer used a Korean manhwa to create live action, but hat's off to whomever decided to give this a chance because it worked.

Just too bad (as usual) that there is zero romance, zero chance of seeing any romance blossom, and zero HEA in that regard, but then it wouldn't be a Japanese drama, would it?

This time, the subs were back to being piss-poor but not entirely illegible -- just annoying enough to make me notice but not annoying enough to make it tough to watch.

Timing was the real issue here, with each episode starting out alright and then the 15-minutes-in sponsor break occurs and . . . argh!

On a personal experience basis, translating isn't the toughest job in the world and doesn't require possession of a college degree to perform, so I just don't get why or how it is that difficult for whomever to do their job AT LEAST satisfactorily.

The story itself is riveting -- even if it is done-to-death -- because of the original spin the writer took to tell the tale.

The ending surprised and didn't surprise -- just left me feeling a little empty inside.

Tomio being the good guy then the bad guy, then reverting back to the good guy before turning bad guy again occurred throughout the show, but the ending is left to ones own interpretation as to what he became next.

Despite his age and controversy, I love Kusanagi-kun and was really glad to see him playing the lead -- he's a terrific actor who lends himself well to whatever character he portrays, though it is a bit hard not to see him as opposed to a transformation.

This is not as dark a drama as you might suspect and had just as much comedic relief as it did nail-biting suspense.

The bad guy deserves credit for his portrayal of the nemesis because he really went all-out and convinced me he's evil but with a sense of humor.

Highly recommend this if you haven't watched yet.

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The Mysterious Thief Yamaneko #review

怪盗 山猫  /  Kaito Yamaneko

Drama -  Mystery, crime
Original work -  Kaito Tantei Yamaneko series by Kaminaga Manabu (神永学)
Writer -  Shogo Muto
Network -  NTV
Episodes -  10
Released -  Jan - Mar, 2016
TV Ratings -  10.7%

CAST

PLOT

Based on the novel "Kaito Tantei Yamaneko Series" by Manabu Kaminaga (first published July 29, 2006 by Bungeisha).
Yamaneko (Kazuya Kamenashi) is a mysterious thief. He steals money from people and corporations doing evil. In the process, he also exposes their evil deeds. ~AsianWiki

REVIEW

Weird.

Japanese humor weird but still a fun and sometimes interesting watch that included about as much suspense as there was slapstick and pun-o-rama.

Still, it is a mystery (which I love) and kept me guessing at times (which I adore) so there is that and why I rated it higher than it actually deserves.

However, by the time the answers are revealed, I patted myself on the back for knowing ahead of time that it would turn out that way.

Yamaneko is a product of some wicked old man who used orphans for a government-backed scheme to produce spies.

When Yamaneko is old enough, he sets out on his own and becomes a vigilante of justice type Robin Hood.

He's loaded with insider trade secrets and easily works his way inside even the most secure of fortresses in order to steal back what doesn't belong.

The police are on his tail, but he also has the help of a detective, which means that all of Neko's 'crimes' end up making headlines -- with him as a hero.

It's been awhile since I last watched Kamenashi's work, and this particular drama isn't a help when it comes to gauging his skills.

However, it is with relative ease that I assume he read the comic and projected literally throughout these ten episodes.

the manga

The actors did a lot of bantering infused with pratfalls and even copied a few TV game show scenes -- all of which proved funny -- even if I am not privy to said shows.

In the final episode, he and the detective answered viewer questions, and it was a delight to hear one of them voice a concern of my own about Neko's abuse of an elderly woman.

I was shocked and then upset, but when the Q&A portion arrived, they played it well and made me laugh again.

I'm not and never will be a fan of abusive behavior, man to woman or woman to man, but Neko tended to abuse the girl he hired to help him with her hacking skills to the point of my being mildly annoyed.

I still don't like it, and I don't like it when men get in another person's face to shout more verbal abuse.

This drama was loaded with that type of behavior, so minus a star.

Now, the story itself was an interesting one and though it took its time playing out, when all is finally revealed, it made better sense why everyone behaved the way they did.

Too much shouting, too much in-your-face, and too much pent-up rage for my taste, but because it starred Kamenashi, I'm giving it more than it is actually worth and would suggest that you read the Manga first.

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Ouroboros 2015 J-Dorama #review

Uroborosu / ウロボロス

Drama -  Ouroboros
Writer -  Yuya Kanzaki (manga), Kazunao Furuya
Genre -  Suspense, mystery
Network -  TBS
Theme song -  Sakura by Arashi
Viewer Ratings -  10.42%
Episodes -  10
Released -  2015,  Jan - Mar

CAST

SYNOPSIS

When their favorite teacher, Yuiko, is murdered, and a policeman wearing a gold watch covers up the incident. Ikuo and Tatsuya promise to avenge their teacher. Twenty years later, Ikuo is a Shinjuku detective investigating various cases with elite detective Mizuki, and smart and handsome Tatsuya has become a top member of a Yakuza group. -- TBS

REVIEW

Just finished this one and STILL need a moment to collect myself, my thoughts, and my tears.

Wow.

Amazing story, terrific acting, and a thrilling nail-biter start to finish.

Even if it isn't original (based on Manga) this was a winner and worth every second of the ten episodes it took to tell the suspenseful tale of two orphans who fall in love with their pretty caregiver only to see her die.

Twenty years later, the two young men are ready to uncover the truth behind that murder and exact their form of revenge.

There are as many plot twists as there are breathers, and like most other Japanese mysteries, when you are pretty certain you know who it is, you soon discover you're wrong.

The two leads happen to be two of my very favorite actors.  BONUS!

Oguri Shun and Ikuta Toma

But, it didn't take long at all for that and them to fade into the background as the story itself took hold and ran its course w/out distraction.

And, surprise-surprise! The subs were incredibly flawless.

Yeah, imagine that. A J-Dorama with flawless subs!

I'd given up on Japanese dramas because of the horrible, wicked, awful, inexcusably deplorable subbing of everything offered us Americans.

Then I got sick of Korean dramas and decided to seek out something from Japan that would keep my interest despite the subs -- so I made sure to do an Ikuta search and found Ouroboros.

Win-win.

Pairing the two leads is genius in my book.

The two are brilliant and both sunk so effortlessly into their roles, it was darn near impossible to remember who they really are, which I adore, so thank you Ikuta AND Oguri.

The ending was difficult to watch, and I'm still choked up about it, but I have to tell you that it is worth it (even if you end up like me, sobbing like an upset child).

There were two running tracks throughout the ten episodes, and the one I've included below is both hauntingly beautiful and part of the reason for my tears.

Love it!

And, I know you'll love Ouroboros if you haven't watched it yet.

I'll probably watch it again -- and again.

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Dakara Koya

だから荒野

Inspiration -  Based on a Kirino Natsuo novel
Writer -  Taeko Asano
Genre -  Human Interest
Network -  NHK
Episodes -  8
Release -  Jan - Mar, 2015

Cast

Synopsis

scorned by her husband and two sons, housewife Morimura Tomomi leaves home in disgust On her 46th birthday and embarks on a 1,200 km journey. On the road, she encounters a series of traumatizing episodes: her husband's affair,  a truck driver who mistakes her for a prostitute housewife, and having her car stolen. Then a good-looking young man with an elderly man offers her a ride, and she arrives in Nagasaki. She meets new people and learns more of the atomic bomb incident, becoming aware of a "wilderness" within her as she begins to explore the path to rebirth. ~ Jdrama Weblog (w/edits)

Review

With just eight episodes at forty-nine minutes each, I figured this would be a decent enough way to pass some time in these cold, dreary spring days here in Michigan.

I was wrong and ended up watching the entire thing in one sitting.

This was an interesting story touching on a few topics that melded in a relatively seamless eight episodes of Human Interest mixed with History.

It is about people lost and in need of finding their way, which coincides directly with the old man who experienced Nagasaki first hand at the end of World War II.

Tomomi (Suzuki Kyoka) meets her husband and eldest son at a family restaurant one night, and after a series of abusive and thoughtless remarks from both men, Tomomi says good-bye and leaves the restaurant.

It was her forty-sixth birthday, which neither man acknowledged, becoming the final straw that sets the story in motion. Tomomi gets into the car and drives away with the intention of running and never looking back.

Her youngest son is a recluse whom she continues to worry about but decides that it might do him some good if she were to walk away and force him to stand on his own two feet.

She meets another lost woman in a rest-stop parking lot shortly after receiving a cup of coffee from a trucker, whom she'll run into again later in the story.

The other woman cons her into spending a night in a 'love' hotel (because its cheap, not for sex) and steals her shoes and the car.

Tomomi ends up having to hitchhike in the Wellington's she had given the other woman, and the trucker pulls over to offer her a ride to Nagasaki.

Shortly afterwards, he propositions her with the mistaken notion that she is a prostitute, so she exits the truck and waits in the rain at a bus stop.

When no one stops to pick her up, she walks into the rain, removes the boots, stands in a dirt-road puddle, and goes from despair to renewed spirit.

She's on the right path and knows it so intends to continue moving forward no matter how rough things get along the way.

This is when the 'handsome guy' (Takahashi Issei) shows up in a mini van with an elderly gentleman in the back seat. He offers her a ride, she accepts, and ends up in Nagasaki.

Tomomi has been in touch with an old school friend (both grew up in Nagasaki) and that woman is single, an established hair stylist with her own shop, and lonely -- wishing she had Tomomi's life and envying her for the family/husband she never had.

Once Tomomi arrives in Nagasaki, we learn more about the bombing of that city through the numerous retellings offered by the old man, whom Tomomi ends up staying with and taking care of.

All of these people are lost in some way and in need of renewal or change, and that is the gist of the story.

Good One

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Mop Girl

モップガール

Format -  Renzoku
Genre -  Mystery, fantasy, comedy
Episodes -  10
Viewer Rating -  10.2
Network -  TV Asahi
Broadcast -  2007, Oct to Dec

Cast

Synopsis

Kitagawa plays the part of the slow but hardworking Momoko, a low-ranking employee at a funeral services company who carries a mop as part of her job. However, Momoko happens to possess a strange ability. Whenever she comes across the corpse of someone who has left strong feelings behind, she travels back in time to save that person from his or her fate. --Tokyograph

Review

I just wish I had ignored everything when this first aired and watched it in its entirety.

Then I realized that even if I had wanted to do that, it wasn't possible because it took YEARS for every episode to upload online in order for me to watch them all.

Plus, when this first aired, the cover, the coverage, and the synopsis drove me away.

And I don't know why, because this turned out to be a hidden gem I was more than pleased to have watched and wished afterward that it would go on for another 10 episodes.

Momoko is 21 and making every effort to live her own life in her own way and not be influenced by her Head of a Hospital father or her Doctor brother.

She wants to run a Bridal Catering Business but fails in her first attempt because among other things, Momoko is kind of dumb and tends to make a lot of mistakes.

So, a temp agency sends her to work at a Funeral Planning place.

The Mop Girl reference enters the picture because her new job entails her having to clean up the various crime scenes the local police ask this Funeral Planning business to visit.

It is Momoko's job to mop up the blood.

Asami Reina plays Momoko's best friend, and Shosuke Tanihara is her overlord at the Funeral business.

He ends up having to help Momoko every time she's sent back to right wrongs.

When she was a little girl, Momoko ran out into traffic and nearly died when a wayward motorcycle came flying toward her, but a young woman pushed Momoko to safety.

That woman was seriously injured, and when little Momoko clasps her savior's hand, the woman tells her to carry on the business of helping those who need it most.

Now that Momoko is working with the dead, that prophecy comes into play, and when Momoko touches an object owned or worn by the deceased, she is taken back in time and made to re-write the death scenario.

A lot of Japanese humor is involved, and Momoko says and does some weird stuff along with making a lot of weird faces.

I didn't watch this for the humor, though.

I stopped enjoying Japanese humor about a decade ago.

Why I watched and enjoyed this one is because I like their ability to take an otherwise redundant subject and work magic again and again.

So what if each episode showed someone dying and then Momoko brings everything back around.

Each instance was new and with a new set of characters, so it had merit.

What I'm really anxious for from Japan is to start seeing real romance, real affection for one another, and more touchy-feely kinds of action in a well-written and all-star cast line-up.

I won't hold my breath, though.

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Concerto (1996 TBS)

Romaji: Kyosokyoku
Japanese: 協奏曲
Writer: Shunsaku Ikehata
Network: TBS
Episodes: 10
Release Date:  1996

Cast

Masakazu Tamura as Kosuke Ebisawa, Takuya Kimura as Kakeru Takakura, and Rie Miyazawa as Hana Sakaki

Plot

Love and ambition collide when two brilliant architects compete for the same woman and the glory of success in their highly competitive field. Kakeru, a young dreamer just entering the professional world, starts out with the goal of building a magnificent church. The story unfolds when a world-famous architect, whom Kakeru idolizes but has never seen, collapses in front of him on the beach. The skillful portrayal of the intertwined loves and professional trials of these characters makes for a suspenseful and inspiring drama. -- TBS

Review

Their opinion and not mine.

That last part, about it being skillfully portrayed and suspenseful & inspiring makes me want to laugh.

It's my third viewing of this last-century drama, and I'm still undecided about it.

I didn't NOT like it, I can say that much, but I didn't think it was amazing, entirely memorable, or magnificent as so few Asian dramas ever really go.

It's always great fun to watch a favorite actor at work regardless, though.

The first time I saw it, I was thrown off by the title since it has zero to do with the story.

I didn't care for the out-dated soundtrack, either.

But, I did fall in love with the hot guy with the long hair (I remember that much)

Kimura Takuya

The second time around, I still didn't get why it's called Concerto (there isn't even any classical or orchestral music playing in the background . . . just a lot of old, dated stuff from the 1960s by Burt Bacharach)

I didn't like the girl (Hana) both guys were after all the way through this 10-episode melodrama about a budding architect and a seasoned veteran of the trade.

Still didn't care for the out-dated soundtrack, or the fact that the story kept going in circles without ever really getting to the point or making much sense.

But still, there was Takuya . . . 

Kimura Takuya

This time around, I'd have to say third time's a charm.

I also saw Hana as something more than just a ditzy go-between for these two guys, too.

She had heart and soul that made her not only believable but charming in a slightly ditzy kind of way.

That there is no tangible ending, though, still irks me.

I'd still like to know how and why the old dude ended up falling overboard as well, which is part of that unanswered questions dilemma with this one.

I wanted to see the little house being built at the end, and I wanted to know about the Connecticut library -- whatever became of the refuses-to-grow-up-and-act-like-a-man who ended up begging for their help.

In the last few scenes, they brought back the old lady and clued us in on her new life, but who cared?

I'll admit to there being great chemistry, but between the two men and not when either of them were involved with her Hana character.

But, again, it is quite rare to feel anything between man and woman when watching a Japanese drama. The complete lack of emotion and human contact make it extremely difficult to view them as 'romance' when I never see any romance on screen.

The old man I thought did a good job of acting natural, but in a stuffy, Japanese male kind of way, which probably just means he's really wealthy and has stepped into an elevated position with ease.

That being said, there was still Kimura Takuya.

Kimura Takuya

And, that's pretty much why I watched this one three times.

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Algernon ni Hanataba wo

アルジャーノンに花束を

Romaji: Algernon ni Hanataba wo
Aka: Flowers for Algernon
Based on the Daniel Keyes novel Flowers for Algernon, pub 1959
Related: Algernon ni Hanataba o (Fuji TV, 2002)
Format: Renzoku
Genre: Drama
Episodes: 10
Ratings: 8.53%
Broadcast network: TBS
Broadcast period: 2015 -Apr to Jun

Cast

Synopsis

Shiratori Sakuto (28) has the intelligence of a  six year-old. He works for a flower distribution center that provides employment for problem youth. One day he and a colleague, Ryuichi, deliver roses to Mochizuki Haruka. She works for a brain physiology research center where they study the improvement of mental performance. Success comes with a white mouse called Algernon. -- Jdrama Weblog (with edits)

Review

Awesome.

I know this is a rehash of a 2002 version based on a 1959 novel, but it is a first for me, and probably because Yamapi stars, that made it all the more special.

And, just when I was starting to think that I might never see some of these guys again, it's been a pleasure to see them starring in things that are slow to appear to us Americans but DO find their way to subtitling and a spot at either Dramafever or Aznv.tv or Dramanice.

Sakito (Tomohisa) lives much of his young adult life above a flower shop run by a kind man who takes in at-risk young males to help try and turn their lives around.

Yamashita did a great job portraying a mentally challenged young man, but there were a lot of instances where I had to wonder how many takes it took to film one scene. Did he end up laughing at himself, or did his co-stars laugh at him?

He's such a pretty man.

Tomohisa Yamashita

And talented, too.

As I get older, things become a bit more clear to me, and after having watched hundreds of these Asian cinema and television dramas, what stands out most in my mind is whether or not an actor has the ability to not just pull me in and make me watch, but if they are capable of convincing me that they are, indeed, the character that they portray.

Yamashita is one of the actors who can make the transformation --

I'm not just staring at a handsome actor on the screen but a handsome 'character' fulfilling his role and making me forget that it is Tomohisa playing the part.

It can be a tough call sometimes, too, but for me, it's a sign of a great actor.

Also, and it's been noted before, but the guy just exudes a sense of warmth and humor that makes you wish you knew him personally.

Back to the JDo --

Sakito comes in contact with a woman who works in a research lab that has developed a serum to enhance brain function, and when a backer pushes for results in order to help save his own daughter, Sakito ends up becoming somewhat of a human guinea pig.

But if I tell you anything more, it'll surely spoil the plot.

There were four love stories that slowly developed, some tear-inducing moments, and a couple of frustrating situations that make you shake your head in wonder.

It also had laughs and a few disturbing moments to make this one a well-rounded ten-episode melodrama.

And as with nearly every Japanese drama I've watched, the subs were awful.

It is family-oriented and loaded with ganbatte stuff as well as the over-use of the "God Hand" thing, but don't let any of it stop you from watching this one.

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Time Taxi

Romaji: Suteki na Sen TAXI
Genre: Human, Slice of Life
Episodes: 10
Viewership ratings: 9.4%
Broadcast network: Fuji TV / KTV
Broadcast period: 2014, Oct to Dec

 

Cast

Takenouchi Yutaka as Eda Wakare, taxi driver, Cafe Choice = Bakarythm as Sakoda Hiroshi, Minamisawa Nao as Usami Natsuki, Seino Nana as Seki Kanna, and Masu Takeshi as Shirushi MichioSynopsis

Synopsis

Edawakare (Takenouchi) is the driver of Sentaxi, a marvelous vehicle which is able to take a passenger back to his or her "life's turning point".  His cool appearance is at odds with his talkative, meddlesome, sweet-toothed character. He gives advice to passengers who are flustered after failing in their life's choice. (Jdrama Weblog)

My Take

Thoroughly enjoyed this!

Of course, it helped that our sexy Take-san was the lead, and with a bonus episode that included Toru Nakamura, well, what can I say?

A two-fer if ever there was one.

We don't find out the whys behind this gem of a tale until the last episode, so I can't spare much in the way of details without there being spoilers.

Let's just say this was another genius bit of silly that employs the idea of a taxi that is capable of turning back time for whoever is lucky (or not) enough to hop in the back seat and ask to be taken somewhere.

Edawakare's cool stems not from his appearance (obviously) but in his calm nature.


Nothing appears to rattle this dude; not even when a passenger is belligerent or on the lam.

Not even as the driver of a taxi capable of time travel, nor from the amount of sweets this guy consumes.

Each episode offers us a new passenger with a new set of problems, but I think the twist came in not all of these situations being predictable, similar, or happy-ending.


Heck, one of them actually made me cry.

Not being used to, ever being able to understand, or even liking Japanese humor, I did not get the point of there being sporadic instances of a silly crime drama being shown at certain times and in every episode.


Which is why I gave it 4 out of 5, and for no other reason.


This was a drama that made me wish it was Korean 20 and not typical Japanese 10.


I wanted it to go on and on . . .


However!


And, I could be wrong, but, I think it may have hinted at a sequel somewhere down the road,

. . . so let's hope that 9.4% rating is a high number, eh?

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Tadaima / I'm home

Title: アイムホーム / Tadaima
Title (English): I'm home  
Genre: Family mystery  
Network: TV Asahi  
Episodes: 10  
Viewership ratings: 14.65%  
Broadcast: Apr to June 2015

 

 

Cast

Kimura Takuya as Ieji Hisashi, Ueto Aya as Ieji Megumi, Mizuno Miki as Nozawa Kaoru, and Tanaka Kei as Honjo Tsuyoshi
 

Synopsis

Ieji Hisashi, a salaryman who works for a securities company, has a fuzzy memory of the recent last five years because of an accident at his job posting. His wife of five years, Megumi, and their 4-year-old son, seem to wear masks. He can neither tell their facial expressions nor their emotions. He also struggles about with his love for them. On the other hand, Ieji feels an attachment to his ex-wife, whom he divorced five years ago, and their her daughter. What sort of days did he have in those five years which are a blank to him? Ieji sets out on a journey to find his past self with a mysterious bunch of 10 keys that he has. He becomes aware that he was a cold, career-minded man before the accident, and the persona that is gradually revealed is beyond the imagination of his present kindhearted self. (Jdrama Weblog)
 

My Take

Long story short, Takuya-kun's Ieji is involved in an industrial accident . . . 

 

. . . that leaves him with a lapse in memory once he recovers from an intensive few months of physical therapy.   

He's a new man who is confused as to who the old Ieji was and ends up embarrassed as each episodes reveals bits and pieces of that past.

The old Ieji was hard-ass, work-driven, and callous on and off the job. 

He wasn't honest, diligent, or family-oriented and harbored a great deal of resentment that led to his being who he was prior to the accident.  

He's left with ten keys on a large hoop ring that he must figure out their use and value in order to uncover the past (10 keys equals 10 episodes).  

My boy hasn't lost his shine! 

He's as bright, effervescent, and sexy as ever.

Adored this one start to finish and am sad that it had to end.  

There was an amazingly beautiful intermittent tune that played throughout the ten episodes. 

I want it but am unable to find out the details in order to download it.  

Unfortunately, the subs were deplorable.


 

traitor

. instead of ?

Still, I highly recommend that you watch this one.

 

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