Welcome 2009

So long 2008, you've been a great year... Thank you for everything you've taught me during those 12 months. Thank you for introducing me to the world's finest entertainments.... Johnny's boybands (Arashi, TOKIO, V6, NewS), real life bishounens (Mizushima Hiro, Tsukamoto Takashi, Koike Teppei, etc etc) and Japanese doramas...

Thank you for making me realized that the word 'male' wasn't always associated with stubble, trained muscles, mustache and beard. Flawless face, beautiful fingers and girl-like postures could also make a male a man... Not a hunk tho... A man...

In 2008 I also learned that the saying 'He who was has a thousand friends has not a friend to spare, and he who has one enemy will meet him everywhere' is surprisingly true...

May 2009 will also have great movies, animes and doramas.

Let's begin the new year by spreading joy to the big ol' world..

Joy To The World
by Three Dogs Night

Jeremiah was a bullfrog
Was a good friend of mine
I never understood a single word he said
But I helped him a-drink his wine
And he always had some mighty fine wine
Singin'...

Joy to the world
All the boys and girls now
Joy to the fishes in the deep blue sea
Joy to you and me

If I were the king of the world
Tell you what I'd do
I'd throw away the cars and the bars and the war
Make sweet love to you
Sing it now...

Joy to the world
All the boys and girls
Joy to the fishes in the deep blue sea
Joy to you and me

You know I love the ladies
Love to have my fun
I'm a high life flyer and a rainbow rider
A straight shootin' son-of-a-gun
I said a straight shootin' son-of-a-gun

Joy to the world
All the boys and girls
Joy to the fishes in the deep blue sea
Joy to you and me
Joy to the world
All the boys and girls
Joy to the fishes in the deep blue sea
Joy to you and me

Tiger and Dragon

The dorama tells about a Yakuza/Rakugo apprentice named Yamazaki Kotora (Little Tiger), and a son of a Rakugo master, Hayabashi Kotatsu (Little Dragon). Kotora is Kotatsu father’s disciple, a very passionate one, while Kotatsu himself – despite being a genius on Rakugo – left his family and rokugo to manage a small clothing store. Along the story, Kotora tries to persuade Kotatsu to return home and take his father’s name as a Rakugo artisan. It turns out that the Oyabun that Kotora served is his rokugo master’s friend in the past, and was a Rakugo artisan himself.

During his apprentice, Kotora live on his Shissou’s (Master) house who have 5 other apprentices other than Kotora, which called Donta (his biological son, Kotetsu older brother), Donkichi, Donkatsu, Donburi and the youngest one (who the shissou often forgot the name) Udon. There are also Sayuri – the shisou’s wife -, Tsuruko –Donta’s wife who was a famous Enka singer, Saya and Taro the magos.

Rakugo – it’s my interpretation from the movie, if you want further infos please googled or wikied it – is Japanese sitting down comedic act. The artisan usually told a funny story which occurred in Edo period. Each of the stories usually have a different moral in it and somehow, some audience is already familiar with the story at the beginning.

The artisans have to act out different characters that the stories tell. So he have to mind the head movement (which character facing which way in order to talk to other character). Voice tone, pace, pitch, mimic have to be different in order to differentiate each character. Sound though ya…. ^^

I watch this dorama after I know that the screenplay was written by the same person who write screenplay for Ikebukuro West Gate Park (which I love with all my heart). I was hoping the same gloomy and dark atmosphere like IWGP did, but I was wrong. I thought the movie will be full with Japanese cultural terms, assuming the main storyline is about Rakugo. But it turns out to be fun to watch; tho I don’t really get all the jokes. Just like IWGP, this dorama captured the audience (me) right from the start, unlike some other doramas that took slow pace at first.

As usual, Nagase Tomoya of TOKIO taking the role as good hearted Yakuza, Kotora, while his chibi friend, Kotetsu is played by Okada Junichi of V6. I don’t know why, but I found Nagase-san is very attractive in the dorama. Perhaps because his short hair (usually he has a longer hair). Dang! Who would’ve guess that Nagase-san is one of Jhonny’s boys with that Yakuza look. Oh, there’s also Tsukamoto Takashi who playing the role as Ryusekai Ginjiro, the Yakuza’s son – Kotaro’s apprentice.

Honey and Clover battle
Okay… I’m a major major major major fan of Honey and Clover anime. Both seasons. It got great storyline, more mature too, beautiful drawing, and awesome musics. So, based on the greatness of the anime, I fully anticipated the live action J-Drama. Oh, wait, I have to mention about the live action movie too.

Righty.. I’ve watched the movie about two months after the anime series. And from an anime magazine in my country, I see the cast was actually quite promising. Well, at least from their looks.

Honey and Clover battle!!!
Anime vs Movie vs Dorama!!!!!

Story:
Hands down… the original anime wins!!!! The movie and dorama butchered up everything good. Everything as in every single thing…
The anime series got complex story, double love triangle, self searching, reaching out your goal… Every youth problems their hopes their dreams, failure, heartbreak… God this anime’s great!!!!
In the movie it came excruciatingly absurd because you won’t fit 32 episodes in just practically an hour… too bad…
The dorama, even though I didn’t have a high hopes in it, it turns out quite entertaining… Not too sappy, not too lame… Just okay…
Winner: Anime series!!!!!!! ^^

Characters and casts:
Morita Shinobu (kyaaa Morita-san daisuki!!!!):

Iseya Yusuke

Narimiya Hiroki

A genius, free spirited, goof ball 7th year art student. My favorite character on the series.
Movie: Gyah!! Turns out Morita-san in the movie is quite a hunk!! In fact he’s too handsome to be Morita. Too manly in my opinion. Morita look like a class clown, yeah he’s not bad too look at, but he’s just a regular guy… This guy waaaay too handsome to be Morita.
The Morita character in the movie was also waaay off… He was depicted as this player who doesn’t give a damn about anything… Morita character became so mean in this movie.

Dorama: Gyah!!! (in a different tone) my deepest apology for the actor and the fans (including me)… Yea, I’ve said that Morita is just a regular guy, but I also mentioned that he’s good looking! This guy way off to be Morita. Hiroki looks like 'orang kampung' here...
The character came close to the anime tho… Nice!!! But this kind Morita is too artsy for me. Come on, he wore flashy shirt with spray paint on it… Morita wear a regular shirt, a solid blue, or white shirt – in some episode turns out that he also wore Mayama’s shirt…
Winner (anime Excluded): Dorama!!!! Sorry cute guy.. I have to be honest I like dorama Morita better.

Takemoto Yuuta:

Sakurai Sho

Ikuta Toma

Your average boy next door. The kind who will always overshadowed by the greatness of the people around him. A good regular boy, innocent, nice, kind, timid… An average boy that you can relate to any of your friend, even yourself.

Movie: Bravo!!! Bravo!!! This guy IS Takemoto!!! (exclude the fangirlism aside) He’s not handsome, not bad either. Look a bit of an idiot sometimes, but don’t average human do? Oh, the minus factor, is that Takemoto was having a job as Akaimafura Neko… That’s supposed to be Morita!!!

Dorama: Toma is too sweet to be Takemoto. A bit too soft, stylish and girl-ish to be him… Oh yeah… This Takemoto also a bit too genki in my opinion…
Winner: Movie!!!!!!

Mayama Takumi:

Kase Ryo

Mukai Osamu

A love sick smoking stalker!! The more mature one on the bunch. He’s like an older brother to all the student characters here. Have a major crush on his older boss.

Movie: Quite good… Just a bit too skinny.
Dorama: Too young, too skinny, I don’t really like this Mayama… It did not brings up his stalker side towards Rika, nor his possessive – older brother – way to Ayumi. Well, the movie was not either.
Winner: Hmmm… hard too choose… Emph... Movie..

Yamada Ayumi:

Seki Megumi

Harada Natsuki

A pretty girl who turns out to be a good drinker also. Her family owned a Sake store in local shopping district. All the second generations the district adore her and want to marry her. She's in love with Mayama and can’t cope with it… She and Morita were like brother and sister, in my opinion, actually they would be great together. But well…

Both movie and Dorama have great Ayumis… Great!!!! The only thing missing in the movie was the Ayumi Kick!!
Winner: A tie!!!!!!

Hanamoto Hagumi:

Aoi Yu

Narumi Riko

A genius artist who doesn’t speak much. Too short for her age. Looks like a koroboku… An Ainu dwarf or sumthing like that said Morita. Loves Morita, loved by Takemoto. Ayumi’s best friend. Moria’s rival in art. Have a deep bond with her uncle, Shuuji.

Movie: This girl is sooooo cute… She looks too young to be a college student, but isn’t Hagu looks too young also?

Dorama: This girl also pretty, but she doesn’t resemble Hagu. She’s too tall and was not cute enough… She’s pretty, but not cute… And she seems too independent…

Winner: Movie!!!!

Hanamoto Shuuji:

Sakai Masato

Murakami Jun

A lecturer in the university. He’s quite young often took as a student. His lounge was used to hang out by his students. Loves his niece Hagu so much.

The Shuji in movie came quite close, but still looks too old… and did not have the craziness about Hagu. In the Dorama he’s too old and did not too-possessive toward Hagu.
Winner: Movie!!!

Nomiya Takumi:

Kashiwabara Takashi

There’s no Nomiya in the movie. The depiction of Nomiya in the dorama is quite great. Well, in appearance, I thought he was Yamazaki, but later on, this character seems getting better… Nice!!!
Winner: Dorama!!!

Music:
Anime
It got Suga Shikao, Spitz, Suneo Hair, The Band has No Name, Yuki… A total greatness…!!!!! Awesome music for an anime. Every songs (opening, ending, insertion) capture the moments perfectly. There’s no anime on the line that could mixed music and story as good as this one… Hundreds thumbs ups….!!!!!
My favorite on the bunch is Sorosoro Ikanakuncha from Suga Shikao.

Movie
Great!!!!!!!!!! Classical, pop, MOR, mixed in to one album… Great… Tho not as great as the anime, but not bad…
My favorite on the bunch is Scooter by James Wendt

Dorama
At first, I’m a bit disappointed with the lack of music in the dorama. As ending drawing nearer, I heard a familiar voice. Hirai Ken!!!!!!! Gyaaaaaa!!!!! Best Japanese male singer… Super graeat!!!! Hirai Ken – Canvas.

Winner: Tie!!!!!!

I LOVE HACHIKURO!!!!!!!! ^^v