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

Ningen Shikkaku (2010)

Also known as: The Fallen Angel
Country: Japan
Format: movie
Genre: drama
Cast: Ikuta Toma, Iseya Yusuke, Ishihara Satomi, Koike Eiko, Sakai Maki, Terajima Shinobu, Muroi Shigeru, Ishibashi Renji, Morita Go, Ookusu Michiyo, Mita Yoshiko, 
Synopsis: Since early childhood Oba Yozo feels like he does not belong to this world, that his birth was a mistake. Until high school he tries to get away with smiling and making himself look dumb, but then he is seen through by his classmate. He enters art school, but after meeting Horiki, his life is interrupted by the circle of alcohol, women and poorness. Trapped in his thoughts, it is difficult to find any way out. 

Rating: 3/5
It is bearable to watch when you are drinking, even though one message that the movie tells you is that alcohol will ruin your life. And definitely do not drink alcohol when you are underage! But the movie goes much faster with it XD It is really slow and does not cover the real story behind the book. 

I really loved the book and I feel sad that they did not do the movie as well as there was the possibility. Most of all, you must have read the original story to understand even the most simple things in the movie, otherwise you must have wide imagination to think why one or other thing happened and the movie leaves a big space for your own imagination. 

Most difficult is to understand Yozo’s character. I know Toma is a great actor and he acted really well this time too, but the problem lies on script-writers field. In book they had Yozo’s thoughts all explained which made his actions more reasonable, but in the movie, they tried to get away with long “beautyshots” (as I call them) and “getting the atmosphere  to say everything else”. It does not explain a single fact to a watcher who does not know anything about the book. You must understand that Yozo was like an agonized genius. 

He had so much potential to become someone great, but he did not find his place in the world. Beside, he was really impressionable person and on certain point Hiroki was able to see him through and change Yozo's life into a total mess, while Yozo thinks of Hiroki as one person who understands him. I just came back from philosophy class, so I could make a really deep analyze on Yozo's character and his problems, but I bet you actually do not want to hear it.. Anyway, I feel that they did not show Yozo's mental state and reasons enough. 

It might be a small spoiler, but for example the reason why he decided to leave Yoshiko, the only woman who was able to change him, behind? It was not the reason, that he was unable to forgive her, but that he was unable to forgive himself. He as a man and an husband should have protected her or at least made some action after it, but he had decided to ignore it and it was something he was unable to forgive himself. I might add that Yozo basically saw all the negative things in this society and he was unable to find his way. He wanted to become artist, he wanted to become rich, but he needed education, which needed money etc. I hope all my readers know about how was the global situation in 1930-1950s. More than that, "Ningen Shikkaku" and especially Yozo's character are very autobiographical. "Ningen shikkaku" was one of the last novels Dazai Osamu wrote and there are so many parallels between Dazai Osamu's and Yozo's life, as suicide attempts etc.    

Hiroki was two-faced man, who loved to take advantage of others. He is one character who I hated in book and also in the movie. I feel that he was one big reason for Yozo's declension and the worst part 

is that he actually knew how one or other thing will affect Yozo. And if you want his motive in doing these things, then it is simple - he understood what kind of person Yozo is, he disliked him with a small interest, because he also knew that Yozo might become someone extraordinary and then there is always the way how to prevent that, which was exactly the thing Hiroki wanted to do. He only cared about himself and maybe a little of his mom too, but everything other was just unimportant to him.
I do not say much about the women, because I think that they really  did not tell anything important about them in the movie, but actually in book each of them has their own story, they own reasons, why Yozo is enchanted by them.

The movie is nothing compared to the book, but if you want to enjoy Ikuta Toma in a very serious and psychological movie, then watch it. I say, I managed to watch it with getting drunk (and believe me, it actually had no influence on my thoughts about the movie).  If you want to see it for the story, then forget it! Dazai Osamu's "Ningen Shikkaku" is one of the most famous literature masterpiece from war-time Japan and I think that no-one is able to make it into a movie without loosing its magic. 

Hanamizuki (2010)

Country: Japan
Format: movie
Genre: romance, life
Cast: Ikuta Toma, Aragaki Yui, Mukai Osamu,Yakushimaru Hiroko, Renbutsu Misako, Arata, Kimura Yuichi, Matsushige Yutaka, Tokunaga Eri, Kanai Yuta, Koyanagi Yu, Takahashi Tsutomu, Hayashi Mamatsu, Mizushima Kaori,  
Synopsis: Story is set from 1996 to 2006 - ten years of Sae and Kohei's life. Sae is an ambitious girl from small village in Hokkaido, who wants to go to Waseda University in Tokyo and Kohei is a young boy who wants to become a fisherman in order to continue his father's and grandfather's work. To be together they must face the world because destiny seems to play a cruel joke with them.
Rating: 5/5

The first cool thing about the movie is that it is not made after a novel, manga or just taken from air - 
 it is originally taken after Yo Hitoto song "Hanamizuki" which was released in 2004 (Youtube has many different versions and covers of it).
“Hanamizuki” is one of the best romance movies I have lately seen. It is a classical love story, but it is so damn cute that you cannot to anything else but love it. Okey, I know people who say that it is actually rather boring as you can predict most of it and the story stays very simple, but there is also a possibility that people have gotten their expectations to high at first place. So let’s start with characters.

Aragaki Yui plays Sae – young ambitious girl from a small Hokkaido village who wants to go to Waseda University and play a big role in human existence.  She does not see all the difficulties that other people (especially Kohei) have. Well, I must say that I am sorry to all Gakki fans, because she did not  shine in her role much, at least Ikuta Toma was definitely the star of the movie. Many copare Aragaki’s acting to “Koizora” and easily said – she acts most of her high school roles the same and Gyoza – How long can one actress play an high schooler? But I must say that these roles suit her. 

It is said that it is her first adult role as the movie goes through ten years of their lives, so that in the end Sae is 28, but actually “Code Blue” aired before and there she definitely was an adult, of course this is her first adult role in a movie and definitely the oldest role she has ever played. I must say that Aragaki Yui has very decent English – I was afraid that there comes some horrible accent, but thankfully she took English lessons for this role.

Ikuta Toma , he is sooooooo amazing actor! Really great role. Kohei is a small village boy with small dreams. He must face educational and social circumstances to walk his own path and he is the character with who you start to think that life is unfair to the best people. It seems like all his dreams get crushed and there is nothing he can do about it. In their relationship he is hopelessly in love and gives his best to make relationship work even when Sae goes to uni. 

Compared to Sae, he must grow up fast against his will. He is very rational and always puts others before himself. You may think that at many times he is too short-tempered, but actually he is just jealous and hurt, because in Tokyo Sae is spending her time with other guys and they start to grow distant. And why no one has said to me before that TOMA IS THAT ******* GREAT KISSER?! Those kiss-scenes are fabulous and as soon as I am home again, I will add them to top 10 .Btw. Kohei broke The Guys Rule – “Bros before Ho*s” - twice.

Actually they lasted for very long – 4 years! Most of the couples are not able to last for that long, especially to think that most of it was long distance relationship. No matter what they are just perfect for each other. Many say that in some scene the script is rather silly and unrealistic, but I think that everything is possible and there are things like destiny.

Who was that smart ass and put Toma and Mukai Osamu into the same movie? IS she/he really trying to kill mass of girls with Ikemen overdose? Mukai Osamu plays a very important role in the movie, but sadly he does not have much screen time.  Junichi Kitani is like Sae’s mentor and dad who she did not have. He shows her the things that she could have if she just tries. He is very mature and always walks his own path.

What I liked about the movie is that it is very international – they had shootings in USA and Canada and they brought in many things from all over the country – lesser fishes, September the 11. and war in Iraq etc. The shootings and locations are already so beautiful that it definitely adds the enjoyment of watching. Also, it has really cute soundtracks, but “Hanamizuki” is performed by Aragaki Yui, so if you do not like her singing so much then search for other versions of this song (English version by Eric Martin is beautiful).
Definitely must-see love-story :)

Unubore Deka (2010)

Country: Japan
Format: drama in 11 episodes
Genre: detective, comedy
Cast: Nagase Tomoya, Ikuta Toma, Kaname Jun,Yahagi Ken, Bando Mitsugoro, Arakawa Yoshiyoshi, Nakashima Mika, Hashimoto Jun, Guests: Kato Ai, Aoi Yuu, Higuchi Kanako, Toda Erika, Yakushimaru Hiroki, Koyuki, Koizumi Kyoko, Mitsuura Yasuko, Ishida Yuriko, Sakai Wakana 
Synopsis: Unubore (a nickname) is 30-ish-something detective, who once worked in the Headquarters, but after being dumped by his fiancee Rie his career went down, father moved into his apartment and he keeps thinking that all the women in this world wants to marry him (Unubore means conceited). He befriends with a group of men from "I am I" bar, who fall in love easily too: Kurihashi Makoto-sensei (Bando Mitsugoro) a psychology professor, Honjo Sadame (Ikuta Toma) a young actor, Matsuoka Seishiro (Kaname Jun) a pattisier and  Anai Kiichi (Yahagi Ken) a gravur idol photographer. Things get even worse when Unubore gets a new partner: Saeki Masaru, who happens to be married to Unubore's ex-fiancee Rie. To top it over: every woman Unubore falls in love with is in some way or another a criminal. Thus he gives them a choice: marry him or be arrested.
Rating: 3/5
Funny detective drama with almost the same pattern in every episode. Still it is so funny that you will laugh in cramps.

Nagase Tomoya is perfect for the role - starting with being a Johnny (as they are known as real ikemen, great dancers and for not being afraid to do really stupid things..), ending with having amazing face expressions all the time, beside even though he sometimes does not look like it, but he is soooo damn sexy. Unubore really thinks tooo much of himself, he does not understand women at all and most of the time he is misusing his work position to get close to women. For him there is no such thing in love as "type" - even though he does not look so despaired, he goes after every woman no matter how she looks like or how old she is and even for same gender as himself that looks appealing to him. He is a big crybaby and silly, but he recovers really quickly and his senses are amazing - with one moment he is able to find a missing clue in investigation and solve the crime. Also, it is really cute how he always gives criminal the chance to escape from going to jail. Even though his father seems to be totally different, then actually they are just the same. Father always forgets that he is the one who is living in son's apartment.
Saeki is Unubore's partner, who is very hasty in his actions - one moment he is working his ass of and the next second he is missing his wife, so he decides to go home. He is loud, does not handle alcohol at all and he is known as "the realistic detective" when he and Unubore go together to "I am I" bar. He has no clue about Rie's and Unubore's past.

Sadame tries to be an actor, but most of the time he plays corpse roles. Everybody tells him that he has "annoying face" or "annoying personality", also he is not the sharpest pencil in the box, so everybody think he is baka (stupid). He is also homeless (mostly sleeps in the internet cafes or at park or bar "I am I" or crashes Unubore's place), even though through the series he gets some fans and is noticed as an actor. From Unubore 5, he becomes really great friends with Unubore. It is funny, that they start to film "Unubore deka" in "Unubore deka" with Sadame being the lead - it is like you can see one thing twice - one where Nagase acts as Unubore and some minutes of Ikuta Toma as Unubore. Sadly, Ikuta Toma seems to be more of a viewer-catcher as for half of the episodes he gets really less screentime, later there is more of him where he shows how great actor he really is.

About others in "I am I" bar, they all have their own episodes, but they do not concentrate on them much. It seemed to me that Matsuoka's Tutti Frutti'es were different cakes with the same name - at least in first episodes, later they really became the same Tutti Frutti'es. For Kaname Jun it was definitely a different role from his usual roles (Okey, I have not seen his roles much, but he gives you the feeling of more serious roles). Captain never remembers women names and has a thing for bar's Mama, he wrote many books about finding the woman of his dreams, but even though he is getting already pretty old, he is still single. I have nothing else to say about Anai Kishii than that I was amazed to see Yahagi Ken acting -

he is actually famous comedian in Ogi Yahagi duo. In the bar there are also, Mama and bartender. Mama is someone who almost never speaks because she has sang her voice off at karaoke, to communicate she writes stuff on papers and most of the time she is angry.  The bartender is the smartest man in the bar, but no one really believes or listens to him. He also has a girlfriend, whom you never see in the drama, and he is not in Unubore 5 - most of the time he is bored of them hanging there, but to consider that those 5 are able to drink 30 hours in a row, then the money he earns is worth it.

Last but not least, Rie - woman, who is really difficult to understand and I will tell you that you will understand her actions and everything in the last episode. But she definitely was a bit too jealous while being with Unubore - or was she trying to push him away with it? I do not know.. at least it was nice to see Nakashima Mika in a "cute" role and believe me - her acting was great.
It is really great drama if you want to have a long laugh, because there are so much fun going on all the time, but as the plot seems to repeat itself, then it is a good thing to make some pauses between the episodes, otherwise it might get boring.

Hanazakari no kimitachi e (2007)

Country: Japan
Format: drama, 12 episodes + SP
Genre: comedy, romance, school
Cast: Horikita Maki, Oguri Shun, Ikuta Toma, Yamamoto Yusuke, Mizobata Junpei, Okada Masaki, Mizushima Hiro, Kiritani Mirei, Kamikawa Takaya, Daito Shunsuke, Sugimoto Tetta, Inagaki Goro, Ishigaki Yuma, Kimura Ryo, Kyo Nobou, Iwasa Mayuku, Kurose Manami, Shirota Yu, Minami, Konno Mahiru,
Synopsis:  Ashiya Mizuki becomes a transfer student to all boys school Osaka High, but the thing is - Mizuki is a girl. In order to get her favorite high-jumper Sano Izumi to jump again, she flies to Japan from California, cuts her hair and says goodbye to being a girl. She is taken into class really easily, but this school is not just about studying - there are competitions about being the best, crazy fangirls, different characters, lunatic photographer and sharp-minded doctor. How long can one girl stay into Ikemen Paradise, when emotions are added into the game?
Rating: 5/5
This is my 100th Asian drama/movie, which I have seen. I know it is not much, but luckily my watching speed is increasing.  "Hana Kimi" is made after same-named manga by Nakajo Hisaya. I hope you understand just how great it is by looking at its cast, many of them are now really well-known. (Example: It was Mizubata Junpei´s second role, Okada Masaki´s third, in addition Oguri Shun, Horikita Maki, Ikuta Toma etc were widely known before) . I do not know why I have not watched it earlier, but it certainly is one of the classic-must-watch-dramas!

The heroine of the story is Mizuki - she is brave and actually thinks much before actions, but she does not think that much of all possible outcomes. She is a bit naive and has a big mouth, when it comes to things she knows nothing about, even though her ideas come in handy anyway. It actually seemed to me that she loved Sano too soon and too much, although she says something else. As much as I was able to read its manga, I understand that in drama she is made even less obsessed with Sano, which is great. Her reason of going there is acceptable and actually right from the bottom of the heart, but I do not think it is something that everyone should think that "OH! Let her stay! she has a big heart and she is not afraid to show it! show it! (Sorry.. I got stuck with LMFAO lyrics). That´s why I liked Doctor´s point "It is interesting to see what is going to happen". I like Maki in this role - the boy-ish girl role suits her as she cannot be said to be the most feminine Japanese actress. I think she must have had much fun while filming it, because you can see that there is going to be much touchy-mushy-and-close-calls.

Sano Izumi is palyed by Oguri Shun - I do not know why I always have a really strict and egoistic prejudice of him (Gomenne, Shun-kun!),  it might be because of "Hana Yori Dango", then again I have not watched it yet. I loved him in this role, well mostly I loved Sano´s character -especially when he showed out his real emotions or was under Nara-pickle-syndrome, other than that he was emotionless bastard loved by everyone, but who did not show his love to others. It feels like the fact of Mizuki being a girl does not as a big surprise for him, but you can see its real conclusion in Special episode. Actually Sano is not reticent as he talks so much about himself to Mizuki, so you get to know his harsh childhood - I think he just did not want to go babbling all over the city of his thoughts and feelings. I really begun to like him.

Nakatsu - well you can guess he was my favourite if you know me. He is now officially goofy-guy-nr2 (Goofy-guys´ list). He is funny, he is loud, he is easy to read, he is full of himself and he is the first one to fall (that would make a great song lyrics..) At first he is againts Mizuki as she puts Nakatsu´s great sport results in danger, but soon they become best buddiezzzz.... well, at least he is friendzoned by Mizuki. Like you might guess - he has no idea of the fact that Mizuki is a girl - so there are lost and lots confused feelings in Nakatsu, which even threaten his orientation. His "Nakatsu super visions" are one of the highlights of the drama and most of the time he ends up having a nosebleed. This role made me go seriously into Ikuta Toma fandom and I want to see his acting more.

By the way, in the 5th episode he is wearing the same green "I have a great personality" T-shirt as Yamashita Tomohisa in "Proposal Daisakusen" 5th episode. This coincidence is cool because Ikuta Toma and Yamashita Tomohisa are great friends since childhood and both dramas aired in 2007.
Nakatsu is roomed with Kayashima - dude, who can see aura and sense the unlivings. His dad is just like he is and no matter what the situation is Kayashima is the first one who is left out from the list. I liked to see Yamamoto Yusuke in this kind of role, because I have not seen him much. NakatsuXKayashima moments  are really great.

There are three dorm leaders. Dorm 2 is lead bu Nanba Manami - guy from who girls get pregnant just by looking at him. Girls, watch out! It might happen through computer screen too. He is a women´s man, that´s why he is referred as Nanpa (Flirt) at many times, but he has big heart for his guys, who are like a family to him. That´s why he always stands up for them and never lets them down.

Drom 1 is full of brainless martial art guys. Tennoji is their leader - he actually looks hotter when he is wearing his school uniform, his most famous word is "Baby~!!!". Other dorm member always try to eliminate him when there is a possibility, but mostly they fail. Last dorm is about acting and music and that kind of stuff. Leader Oscar/ Masao has repeated school for many years. He has unique ideas, but he is just plain stupid. Every once in a while he gets possessed by some spirit and becomes even weirder. Also, be prepared for some cross-dressing and horrible singing. Dorm 3 faithfully follows him and I feel like that there is no thinking in their heads.

I think I should mention more about dorm 2 members, who are shown more. Sekime is slow to understand things and he is always losing, that is why he is called failure. He is naive, but very friendly - he is the first one to become friends with Mizuki.  Nakao is in love with Nanba from the bottom of his heart - but he always gets rejected, although they are still great friends. Nakao thinks to be the cutest, which is the reason of not liking Mizuki as he thinks that Mizuki might be cuter than he. 

Doctor Umeda - my second favorite character from the drama. He has a big trauma since the university time, which made him watch men, but he is not harassing anyone of the students, but I cannot say the same about Mizuki´s annoying brother and new psyhopatic teacher (Inagaki Goro), who I mentally killed already. But doctor is frequently abused by school´s photographer Hara Akiha, who caused the trauma in past. 

Kagurazaka is Sano´s greatest rival, played by Shirota Yuu. Again firstly annoying bastard, but you will have great laugh with him too. Even though I know Shirota Yuu for a long time already, it was the first time to see his acting - well, makes me want to see more.

In Special episode is Julia, who is Mizuki´s friend from USA - she puts her nose into other´s business and is too much with her words - it is weird when everyone thinks that their way is the best for someone, even when they do not know the real situation. AHH! I almost forgot one very important character!!!

Yuujiro - Dorm 2 dog, who is like a dorm member and I am not surprised if he would receive a graduation diploma at graduation too. The school director is a bit off - she is very elegant and always wants to see her students "bloom in full colors", no matter what it is her word is the law for boys, even when they find it silly. She does not see boys much as she is on trips all the time, so the most communication is between her deputy manager, who never remembers the thing he has to say, and boys. Hibari and Hibari Four are the protectors of Osaka High guys and Hibari is endlessly and hopelessly in love with Sano, but Sano is hardly aware of her. Hibari four is pretty unique and funny and they make many things to happen.

It is very funny when all dorm members have different opinions about things and even if it seemed to be secret talk between two person, they start to come out from all kind of different places and each option is more irrelevant to the question and absurd than the one before it. They do all kind of funny things together and their stupidity is endless.
I will end my review with one great saying from the drama: "If you give up on things you love the most, you will lose yourself. Someone who can lie to oneself is lonely and sad" - that´s why keep watching great dramas and movies and be happy, but remeber that "Hard work will be rewarded" - so do not lose your eyesight or your real life because of your great addiction.

It is perfect drama if you want to train your stomach muscles with laugh, well it is perfect drama for everything! May be only minus is that they try to put too many important points of the manga into too few screen time - this is live action needs more episodes to show "Hana Kimi" manga´s real awesomeness. Definitely one of my favorites, soooo WATCH IT! ^-^

SPOILER REVIEW - I actually even did not want Nakatsu and Mizuki together. When so many are saying that they should have been the pair, then actually I think that Mizuki suited more with Sano, because they had more similar personalities than Nakatsu with her. But it still broke my heart to see him suffer from unrequited love. 
I was a disappointed in the end of the Special, because her speech sucked like I do not know what. It ruined the drama a little bit... but I will forgive it, because all those maleXmale kisses are real deal.

The Seaside Motel (2010)

Country: Japan
Genre: romance, comedy, surreal, yakuza, (contains sex and violence)
Format: movie
Cast: Ikuta Toma, Aso Kumiko, Narumi Riko, Yamada Takayuki, Tamayama Tetsuji, Emoto Tokio, Furuta Arata, Nukumizu Yoichi, Kojima Hijiri, Ikeda Tetsuhiro, Yamasaki Mami
Synopsis: There is a motel named The Seaside Motel between a rural mountain area, where no water is found near to it or in it. A lousy swindler Kameda Masayuki (Ikuta Toma) is sent there to sell 50 fake body creams. A call girl Candy (Aso Kumiko) enters his room by mistake. As they try to swindle each others money, they find more things in life. A businessman Ishizuka Tatsuya wants to spend the first night with his cabaret girlfriend Marine in the room next to Kameda's. In the other room a former yakuza Asakura Yosuke is staying with his cat-crazy girlfriend Rui, but is interrupted by a childhood friend, yakuza Aida and his younger follower Chi-bo. The last room is occupied by Ota and his wife, who tends to be jealous. Night is full of lies and everyone lives will be changed, but no-one really meets others. What will happen when the sun rises?
Rating: 5/5
It looks like 4 different stories and they really are different, except that one's story is totally connected with others. It makes the feeling that "If he/she was not there or would not have said this, then it would not have happened!". There is impossible to say that the movie is love movie or a tearjerker - there is love, sadness, fright, mystery, friendship, it is totally surreal, but all logical at the same time. Really important is to check time when watching, because the time is always different - another scene might show the time which happened before the last one. Stories are very unexpected and everything really is related! One thing leads to another and you can see that everything has at least two sides of it. What seems good at first can end up being bad.
I liked the sounds in it and amazing shooting. There is not used a usual technicals, which makes even more interesting to watch it. now to the 4 stories...

Room 102. Kameda and Candy. I think that everyone agrees if I say that they are most likely to stars of the movie. I liked that it gave another view of Candy's work, because I have thought several times, why some women have this kind of work. It was so fun to see how they totally lied to each other, but finally were lost in their own lies too, but at the same time it showed that if a person plays around to much, then in the end others won't know if he/she speaks the truth or not. It reminds one lamb story, but I am seriously not going to write it here.

I loved some quotes by them. "A fake thing can turn into something genuine" and "Woman look into the future, but men worry about the past". I find those quotes true. It was the first movie I have seen by them, but I find Ikuta Toma an excellent actor. He has great face expressions, he seems to be able to act any character and he looks so true.

Room 103. Ishizuka and Marine. I do not know what to say about them. Ishizuka was total a*****, so he totally deserved what happened to him. Marine was really cute, but she was soooooooo stupid. Yamasaki Mami really is flexible! It is sooo amazing!!
Room 202. Yakuza stuff. In this room the most sickest things happened. The torturing part is the worst. If other rooms had just 2 people, then it had 5 people.

Riu (Narumi Riko) really asked too much. I was just watching and even I felt my head exploding. She is too freaking naive and there are to much cats.
Room 203. Ota and his wife. I think that they had the smallest screen time, but they changed much in the storyline, but not as much as others. I  liked that their story showed how to go trough grief, which made it really sad.
I think that's all.. (I am really tired as it is almost 2 am in the morning). Almost all the characters act in it, not just actors, but characters too, which I think makes it harder for actors. There are so much lies, but in the end the truth reveals as "A lie has a short legs".

Also the movie shows that your life can be changed by a total stranger who just passes by. Just because you see this person, he/she already is part of your life. Just that second might change something. While staying in hotel or riding a train/bus, think about the person in the other room or sitting next to you. His/her life and problems - we do know nothing about them, ne? ^^

Yonimo Kimyona Monogatari: Law of Recycling suicides (2009)

Country: Japan
Genre: surreal, law
Format: part of Yonimo Kimyona Monogatari series
Cast: Ikuta Toma, Ryo
Synopsis: The country works up a secret law of recycling suicides: people are saved at the last moment from death, they are declared dead and their further lives are used for the sake of the country.
Rating: 5/5

This movie is sick and awesome! It is psychologically challenging to accept the events of the movie and it definitely makes you rethink about life, law and suicides.

Ikuta Toma is one of my favorite actors for his diverse acting skills. I think that filming for it was wild and I would really like to see the making of it. His  character has given up on life and decides to commit suicide, only to end up finding himself on weird twisted program where he has no right to make choices over his life.
No matter what character Ryo plays, she has always given me the "bitch with no morals"-feeling and this is exactly the movie where she is it. She has no emotions, this is just her work in front of her country and "it is a good deed for the society". She sees all the people in the program just as small inanimate pieces that are needed for the job.  
I would understand the program if it would have been acting to remind those people how precious the life is, but as it was all real deal, the law was horrible.In some way I understand this law, because it is like Kamiya-san says: "You were the one who decided to make suicide, now by law you are considered as died in suicide." but at the same time there is no right to use other people lives for no matter what reasons. This law is really scary and sick, but also leaves me thinking about possible secret conspiracy laws where maybe some people how are "gone missing", have gone missing by some other ways. But in the end, it is just my imagination thinking too much again. I think that people will go crazy from the start of the program.
Suicides have become more and more frequent in our society and especially in youth due to school-bullying and of course for grown-ups after break-ups or job loss. Despite showing signs of someone being suicidal, we tend not to notice them until it is too late. I like how this movie shows that many suicidal people actually do not want to die, but they just do not want to live their lives. It might be difficult to understand, but at least that was what I got from this movie. I definitely agree to Kamiya-san's saying: "It is selfish to end your life yourself". In my point of view, people who commit suicide are weak and selfish as it takes a lot of  more strength and confidence to continue living and they tend to see only their point of few.  But at the same time I understand that while just seeing things from their side, they are unable to think about others. Maybe that is just human nature? I just find that committing suicide is like a cheat-code in life to finish a level in game without actually playing it. In this life there are so many chances of every hour that we might die the next minute and also, there are many people who want to live so bad, but some unfortunate moment takes them away. If you are alive, then you should appreciate every second you are breathing. If you think I do not have experience with suicides then you are wrong - I have seen how suicide has ruined a whole family and I have seen people grow up "thanking" for their "unsuccessful attempt" as their life turned into something beautiful and cheerful. I live by the moto that "everything is possible until you are alive - things can never get better when you are dead".
This movie definitely left a strong impression on me and this 20 minutes are worth spending on it.