Bokura ga ita (2012)

Bokura ga ita ~zenpen~ 
Country: Japan
Format: Movie 
Genre: romace, youth
Cast: Ikuta Toma, Yoshitaka Yuriko, Takaoka Sousuke, Motokariya Yuika, Komatsu Ayaka, Asou Yumi, Sudo Risa, Emoto Tsuku, Imura Kumi, Yamashita Yorie, Nomaguchi Toru, 
Synopsis: Motoharu Yano is the most popular boy in high school, with 2/3 of girls falling in love with him, so it is only natural that Takahashi Nanami finds herself in a place were she is starting to develope feelings for him, despite that she also finds Yano annoying and laid back person. Yano seems to be a very optimistic and cheerful guy, but Nanami is able to see the sadness in his eyes. The sadness which was caused by his girlfriend's sudden death in a car accident.
Rating: 5/5
I have seen the anime. I have the manga too, but I have not brought myself to actually read it. It is reaaallly great live-action - no big changes from original script, no important left-outs or character changes, etc. I bet I do not spoil things for you if I say that the first movie ends in the same spot as anime.

This is the first time I saw Yoshitaka Yuriko and she is so cute, a bit reminds me of Ueno Yuri. She is exactly how I think Nanami would look like (and how she is described) - childlike, sweet, honest and mentally strong. Even though few reviews ago I said that I hated that weird voice that Japanese girls tend to do, then this time it was sooo cute, but maybe it was because Nanami has that kind of voice in anime too. It just really suits her personality. I like that she is not some crybaby or crazily in love, but she actually has her hesitations but at the same time she is able to think about herself and how much weight she is able to carry on her own.

Now it's Yano's time. I think that they have made really great choices with actors, because there is no other actor who would suit into Yano's role better than Ikuta Toma. He is sooo great in this movie. Okey, he is great actor in every movie. In manga, Nanami said that whenever Yano looked at her and smiled, then her heart stopped/beat faster and she forgave everything to him. When Ikuta Toma looked right into camera, then the same happened to me.

At first Yano was lying to others and to himself about his real feelings, but I find that thanks to Nanami he began to forget all the bad (but then had to come someone who reminded him all the **** that happened) I can totally understand Yano's feelings and actions, but you can really see how much he falls for Nanami in the end. To come to think of it.. I might be really similar to Nanami - not able to hate someone or be resentful.

Takeuchi.. I actually hoped that someone more ikemen will act his part, but Takaoka Sousuke was

 okey too. Despite that I still find that Takaoka Sousuke was the weakest in the cast, because his lines  seemed to be more like just studied by heart. I did not feel like he WAS Takeuchi, like with others, but he really just played his part. Takeuchi's character was without any changes as were other characters too. But there was one thing I did not understand about him - he was so certain that he can make Nanami happy, but how can you make someone happy for a lifetime, when she does not even love you? I could never be truly happy with someone for the rest of my life, when I actually do not love him - and I do not believe that stuff that maybe I will grow to love him.

And the last characters who I should mention in this part of review are the Yamamoto sisters. Nana was not shown as annoying as she was in manga - in manga and anime she was total crybaby and childish and she never seemed to think of anything seriously. That was why her character was so pitiful. Even though she was older than all the other characters in movie, she was like a small child, who would cry if you take her candy away. Woah, that reminds me my ex-dorm neighbor  who cried and screamed "He does not love meeee~!" x5 in the middle of the night... She was a person who did not stand by herself.

At the same time, Yuri was much more annoying. I think that she had serious mental problems, because she was so certain of some things which actually were only in her head. And she was really good at manipulating with other people, especially Yano, due to the past. I feel like she was one reason why Yano's life was so messed up.

I remember one thing that was different from manga/anime, Yano and Nanami broke up only one time, not again and again.
If you watch the first part, then actually you can even watch it as one movie, no need to watch the other part if you do not want. But then the movie would have really sad end..
Well.. now to the other part of the movie :) 

Bokura ga ita ~kohen~
Country: Japan
Format: Movie 
Genre: romace, youth
Cast: Ikuta Toma, Yoshitaka Yuriko, Takaoka Sousuke, Motokariya Yuika, Higa Manami, Komatsu Ayaka, Asou Yumi, Sudo Risa, Emoto Tsuku, Imura Kumi, Yamashita Yorie, Nomaguchi Toru, 
Synopsis: 6 years have passed since Yano moved to Tokyo. Even though they tried to make the long-distance relationship work, but as time passed Yano contacted her less and less, until there was no contact between them. Six years later Nanami is searching for job in Tokyo with Takeuchi supporting her. But some things are meant to be while others are not, so with life's unpredictable roads they meet again.
Rating: 5/5
As I said, the second part starts 6 years later. Nanami has fulfilled her promise and lived a happy and hard-working life to finally go to Tokyo, even though she knows nothing about Yano.

So since one moment the movie shows how Yano's life went after he moved to Tokyo - it is almost like a storytelling by Akiko and Takeuchi to Nanami. As Sengenji Akiko is the only new character, then more about her. She was Yano's classmate in Tokyo and actually she fell in love with him, but as she saw how much he was in love with Nanami, then she was okey with being his best friend (which she became too).  She was mental backup for Yano and she helped him a lot. Of course she knew almost nothing about Yamamoto sisters and all the other **** happening.

Now this part might contain spoilers.. To start with, Yano's life became total hell. His mother was so

 crazy and ruining his life. I have seen only the anime before, so I did not know the things that happened in this part. Yano's mother should have been put to a mental hospital, but she was dying anyway. And of course when Yano's life was messed up enough, then Yamamoto had to stalk him out and pressure him -.- I understand why Yano acted as he did later, I bet every person would have behaved the same way.

But I did like one thing that Takeuchi said to him in the end, which I think made him really think everything through. It was that "why can't you see that actually Nanami is drowning too?". Nanami was so strong and showed her bright side always, but she knew that she was unable to love anyone else no matter how much time passed or what would have happened, Yano would still be the only one she would be looking for in the masses, even when she knew that the chances are almost down to zero.

I really liked both movies and it was a great way to spend time while riding a bus from one city to another. Ride was 2,5 hours long and one movie is 2 hours, so I was able to watch one on the way there and other on the way back. Anyway.. Definitely watch it, because in last 3 months it has been the most romantic movie I have seen. :D

Code Blue

CODE BLUE (2008)
Season 1
Country: Japan
Genre: work, medical, life
Format: drama 11 episodes + special
Cast: Yamashita Tomohisa, Aragaki Yui, Toda Erika, Higa Manami, Asari Yosuke, Ryo, Kodama Kiyoshi,  Katsumura Masanobu, Yanagiba Toshiro, Sugimoto Tetta, Terajima Susumu, Yuui Ryoko, Shima Kaori
Synopsis: Interns Aizawa, Shiraishi, Hiyama and Fujikawa start their flight-doctor training. They must save people in unpredictable and dangerous situations with less time and equipment.
Rating: 3/5
I did not liked the first season very much, it was kind a boring. Almost in every episode they saved the person, but in real life it is great if there is at least one person who doctors can save. Also in first season it totally looked like they do not have a personal life (except for Hiyama), that made drama monotonous.

I liked that Aizawa's character made trough a big change during the drama. At first he was a "bastard", then he became "cool bastard", then "cool lifesaving bastard" and finally he was "cool lifesaving bastard with emotions and reasons". Why he still was bastard? Because he was so egoistic and thought he really is better than other (Oke he was the best, but it is a big difference between knowing it and showing it!!). But I must say that I would have preferred to be treated by Aizawa too, because he  was sooo ahead of others.

I also liked Kuroda-sensei, he had personality problems, but in the end he did everything to help interns. Who I did not like, were Shiraishi and Mitsuno-sensei. Shiraishi was just too theory-type person and that made her annoying. Mitsuno-sensei was the doctor, who did not have the doctor-attitude... but I must say that I did not recognize Ryo at the first place, because I was more used to see her with really short hair. And on Hiyama and Fujikawa spot, I much stayed neutral. Drama does not concentrate on other doctor's personal thinking at all, which makes the drama a little bit too plain. It is like only Aizawa's world. You could say that it pretty Japanese version of "Dr. House", exepct that dr. House is young fresh intern in "Code Blue" and is named Aizawa.. 
There is only one special story-line and it is "them as interns"... yes, nothing more.. but it is a great "mediacal research drama"! =P
The special really seemed like another episode of season 1, so there is not much to bring out.

CODE BLUE (2010)
Season 2
Country: Japan
Genre: work, medical, life
Format: drama 11 episodes
Cast: Yamashita Tomohisa, Aragaki Yui, Toda Erika, Higa Manami, Asari Yosuke, Ryo, Kodama Kiyoshi,  Katsumura Masanobu, Sugimoto Tetta, Terajima Susumu, Yuui Ryoko, Shiina Kippei, Shima Kaori, (Quests: Lily Franky, Hamada Gaku, Hirayama Hiroyuki, Yoshida Yo)
Synopsis: After going back from the suspension, interns are soon going to end their internship. They all have their hesitations and concerns about the past and future.
Rating: 4/5
I liked it much more than the first season. First of all people died in it, which made it more like real life, but now in every episode someone died. It kind a look like, when in first season they saved all the people, then in second season they cannot save them. Secondly, it showed their personal life, so they are not all robots and workaholics. Even a doctor has it's own family and personal problems.

In season two Aizawa was not a bastard anymore (Thank you, Kuroda-sensei!!), he turned into cool!best!handsome! New supervisor was annoying at the start, but he turned out to be more appealing that you will guess. Also Shiraishi was less annoying.
In first season, there did not seemed much friendship between four of them, but in second season they stand for each other. I think that because of the suspension they bounded together, which was great.
Surprisingly I did not cry much during it, but the episode where Hamada Gaku was guest was the saddest and the BEST episode of all seasons. This episode totally gave a plus marks to it.
In the end, second season was much better - it has more activity going, more realistic, characters' personalities have made trough a change etc. They more concentrate on characters' thinking and life-views. So it has more different story-lines than in first season.But still it mostly concentrated on Aizawa and his past.