ANNOUNCEMENTS

I am sorry to announce that I have made a decision to officially close Cypsis' Blog.

All the reviews stay up as they are, but I will not write more reviews. Cypsis' Blog had many ups-and-downs during those 7 years and I have tried to give the best I could, but unfortunately my life has moved on so much that finding time for reviewing has become more and more difficult. Closing the blog is breaking my heart, but I have thought a lot about it and understood that it is for the best. I am very thankful to everybody who have enjoyed reading my reviews.
(PS. I am still continuing to watch Asian dramas and you can always find me on Mydramalist.com)

Thank you for all these 7 years. I hope that those 240 reviews made you happy. I truly had unforgettable time writing them!

Sincerely, Cypsis
01.01.2018
Showing posts with label Kato Shigeaki. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kato Shigeaki. Show all posts

Sunday, July 24, 2016

Kasa wo motanai Aritachi wa (2016)


Also known as: Ants without umbrella
Country: Japan
Format: short drama in 4 episodes
Genre: drama, slice of life
Cast: Kiriyama Ren, Kato Shigeaki, Minamisawa Nao, Sakata Masanobu, Adachi Rika, Ryu Raita, Watanabe Mai, Kobayashi Ryota, Ichikawa Riku, Takeda Rena, Niitsu Chise,
Synopsis: Hashimoto Jun is sci-fi writer who has been unsuccesful in writing any new book for many years. One day his editor asks him to write love-themed short story for online youth magazine. Writer who has never written anything connected to love, feels the pressure of possible failure. Despite not seeing each other for years, one night his old schoolmate Murata Keisuke stops at his place. While talking to each other, Jun begins to remember his youth years filled with bittersweet memories.  
Rating: 5/5
For me Kato Shigeaki has been genius for all the years that I know him (he is one person who I would like to know personally). The whole "Ants without umbrella" has been put together from his same-named short-story collection. Further more, all the book and story names in the drama are from this short-story collection. I take the moment to divide the story-lines of the drama to the short-stories.

Saturday, July 6, 2013

Shin jidan Koshonin ura file (2011)


Country: Japan
Format: tv-movie, related to "Jidan Kosho Jinnai Tamako Ura File" Sp-s
Genre: law, slice of life
Cast: Takahata Atsuko, Kato Shigeaki, Matoba Koji, Kobayashi Chiharu, Yajima Kenichi, Orimoto Junkinchi, Hashizume Ryo, Suzuki Maika, Fujiyoshi Kumiko, Nashimoto Kenjiro, Kanayama Kazuhiko, Ueshima Ryuhei, Kobayashi Nenji, Watabiki Katsuhiko,
Synopsis: Hashima Ippei works at insurance office. He is transferred to an elite department that handles difficult investigations in order to find out if and how much money they must pay out. Though it is said to have been put together of elite workers from other departments, his new colleagues turn out to be more than just unique people.
Rating: 2/5
To start off, just who are insurance people to do the job of detectives or criminologists? If anyone can tell me a good reason I might reconsider the amount of stars, but I guess 2 stars are even more than enough for it. If you are not a fan of any actor/actress who is playing in here, then I think it is pretty much worthless to watch. Sorry if I am being to mean.

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Papa to musume no nanokakan (2007)


Country: Japan
Format: drama in 7 episodes
Gerne: comedy
Cast: Aragaki Yui, Tachi Hiroshi, Kato Shigeaki, Morita Ayaka, Mada Mayumi, Aso Yumi, Yashima Norito,
Synopsis: Kyoichiro and Koume are father and daughter whose close relationship faded with years of Koume growing up. After sudden visit to Kyoichiro's mother-in-law they get into train accident on their way back. They discover that the accident has changed them more than just some bandages - they have swapped their bodies. For no scientific reason Koume is trapped in father's body and Kyoichiro in his 16 year old daughter's, to stay away from mental hospital they decide to act the role of other until they find a way to get their real bodies back, but is teenager capable of leading a work team or middle aged man handling girl's school and love problems?
Rating: 3/5
There are a lot of this themes dramas or movies - like USA "Freaky Friday" (1976 and 2003), Korean "Secret garden" (2010) - so it is no different body-swapping. Actually there are a lot of similarities with "Freaky Friday", which both are made after novels, but different novels. "Papa to musume no nanokakan" is made after Igarashi Takahisa's same-named novel.
Kyoichiro is over-protective dad, who denies the fact that his baby-girl is growing up. Most of the time at home he spends watching old home-videos where his and Koume's relationship was great. I think it is something that all dads must accept that there comes time in daughters life where they do not spend that much time with fathers anymore - it does not mean that they love their dads less than before, but the situation changes just a bit. Kyoichiro seems to be invisible man in society, he has lost all his motivation to live and tends to give up before trying. Because of the body-swapping, I must talk about two different things more - firstly, when he is in Koume's body, he really is ruining her youth - It seemed to me that he was not capable for anything! That made me so mad - failing in school, acting stupid with Kenta-senpai and friends... just too annoying. Secondly about the actor, Tachi Hiroshi is an amazing actor!! The way he plays out Koume's character is amazing. He does not overact and he really seems like teenager in old man's body. Of course it is weird to watch his and Kato Shigeaki's scenes, because it might make you want to puke if you see how middle aged looking man fantasizes about young handsome boy.
Koume is definitely not "daddy's girl" - she smart and fast thinking girl, who is not afraid to speak her mind. Of course, while being love with Kenta-senpai and sometimes does not care if she is in her dad's body or not. Through body-swapping she learns how less she actually knows about her parents past and they had ended up in a situation where they did not seem to be a family anymore. About Aragaki Yui's acting... well, it is just another schoolgirl drama for her, definitely outdone by Tachi Hiroshi and Kato Shigeaki. But I think that one of the most funniest lines Koume has is "I do not want to die. At least not before Saturday!" (she had date with Kenta-senpai then - as we see her priorities and reasons are all in right places)  and she tends to do Nyan-cat's sound from time to time, even though Nyan-cat's sound first was done officially in 2010.
Kenta-senpai is school's most popular guy, who is football player (which is total irony, because Kato Shigeaki actually sucks in all sport fields which needs ball). As he is just a side-character, he does not have much screen-time, but I just really really like him XD Kenta-senpai is most frustrated by Koume and her dad body-swapping, because suddenly Koume is acting really cold towards him and Koume's dad is really fond of him.
From other characters I really liked mom - she was the usual housewife, who loved her family the most and the grandma was great too. A bit senile old granny who is still full of life-spirit. I totally
hated Nishino - she was just crazy bitch who was already psycho! If you watch the drama, you will know why I am saying this - but yeah, she is one woman-type who I really dislike.
Drama reminds that sometimes it is good to see things through somebody's else eyes (but not so literally) and we all should try to understand our parents or children more. I do not know if you can see big differences in Kyoichiro, but Koume learns a lot from this exchange.
To wrap things up, I will say what my sister said about this drama : "It is a heartwarming drama that makes you wake up at 8.30 AM in the Saturday morning, just to eat breakfast with your father." (She really did it)

Sunday, October 30, 2011

Hanawake no yon shimai (2011)


Country: Japan
Genre: family, romance, drama
Format: drama 11 episode
Cast: Mizuki Alisa, Kanjiya Shihori, Kawashima Umiko, Kichise Mischiko, Kato Shigeaki, Miyazaki Yoshiko, Endo Kenichi, Kawashima Ririka, Ono Rento, Kato Kenshiro, Tanaka Tetsushi, Katsunobu, Neko Hiroshi, Tanaka Miho 
Synopsis: Story of four Hanawa sisters. They all have different personalities and different problems in life. When second daughter Takemi moves back to home with her children, all kind of troubles start to occur, as Takemi is known as "devil" and "man-eater". But whole family life is turned up-side-down when it comes out that father has cheated on mom, even though they had been married to each other for almost 33 years.
Rating: 5/5
I absolutely love this drama. I think it is the most unpredictable drama I have ever seen - each episode brings something new. I do not suggest you watching it, if you are as over-emotional person as I am, because I ended up crying all in every episode (Weird, I know O.o It did not matter if it was a happy scene or sad one), but it is NOT A SAD DRAMA, it is a family drama. I believe that other people watch it without any tears. It was in my 5 STAR list from the first episode til the last one, but I just understood that all 5 STAR dramas/movies have been great since start. Drama is made after Saimon Fumi same-named manga. Now from the oldest sister to other characters. (IT MIGHT CONTAIN MANY POSSIBLE SPOILERS)
Fujiko is really work-oriented. She is the smartest, but at the same time she trusts her mind too much - that's way she has bad luck in love. I think that it is weird that she still lives at home (she is 32 years old), but it is not my problem, ne? I think that Fujiko decides too much on her own, even when these affect others too. It is nice that someone keeps her head cool, but she could have talked things over with others. You can actually see more her boyfriends in drama, than Takemi's..
The main-main character, who "turns up", Takemi is different from all the women in the world. She has been married for 2 times and has divorced same times, but she has 3 children, who have very mature thinking. As a mom she seems to be great, but as a sister - kind a sucks. I find that her beauty is over-rated, but it is one of the main ideas of the drama. It is sad how she is misunderstood and how much actually everybody hurt her. Of course this is true that she flirts too much and she definitely does not know the limits, but calling her "Devil" is a bit too much. She does not know how to show her emotions, her true emotions. I totally understand what it feels like when everyone are only seeing your outer-appearance, but only few tend to see the inner-person. I like that Takemi got along with her ex-husbands, but I think that Katsuhiko should have trust her more. He turns into a bastard for some time. 
Sweet Sakurako. Like I understood then the age-gap between Sakurako and Takemi is the smallest in the family, and it leads to that Sakurako is always in Takemi's shadow, that is way Sakurako stands her the least. In love she is most like her mom and for her it was the hardest to forgive to dad. She might look too clingy, naive and listens way too much her work-friends, but actually she knew everything what she did, except the night she met Shozaburou. All her worries were reasonable, because it is harshhhhh when you're high school boyfriend cheats on you with your sister (even though it was a lie).
Hell hot Shozaburou. It is officially my favorite role from Kato Shigeaki. He is soooo great actor, but this role shows totally different side of him (even though in real life he has said that he is opposite of Shozaburou). Shozaburou is a hot cameraman who has had more women in his bed than years he has lived. Many male-viewers have said that it was absolutely wrong of him to sleep with Sakurako, when Sakurako was drunk as a skunk, but please understand - the original manga and also the script was written by women - almost all women dream of waking up by HOT guy without clearly remembering the last night... but it is just a dream! You can pretty much say that he is a bastard, but it is so sweeeeet when he cares of Sakurako, but then again it seems like to him they are "friends with benefits". I think it won't be a big spoiler if I tell you that he has something on with Takemi too, which makes him even more bastard than he is. Just as he said - he likes Sakurako, but feels close to Takemi, as they share similar emotions in life.
The youngest sister is Ume-chan. She is sooooo sweet as she is so young - actually she is 18, but she is so small and inexperienced that it makes her even sweeter. In manga, she actually is more tomboy - really short hair and more boyish clothes, but I like her in drama more. She might seem really plain, but it is unexpected what goes on in her mind. Ume is a art-student and for a long time she questions about her talent. I want to study art in future too, so I understand why this question is so hard - there are always people who are so much better! That's why even I got inspiration from Takemi's words "It's is not other's who decide whether you have talent or not, it's you!" - it goes for all kind of talents, not only for art.  One more comment - I have met bitches like Yukari and they do not get far - girls like Ume tend to be more successful in life.
The father is the worst. One time cheating- okey maybe this is even forgivable, but continuous cheating?! I think I would have hard time with forgiving my father too, but in the end - he is a father. No matter how things are, it is a fact which will stay. Especially because I believe that he had the worst time after mom died. Yes, a huge spoiler was it, but it is the thing that causes almost everything else. I so love Miyazaki Yoshiko - she is the cutest actress of her age I know. Mama was really naive, but she was the person who held the family together. Believe it or not, but I pretty much want to be the same kind mother in future xD (remind me that after 10 years)   I think that actually the family took it too lightly that mom died, but maybe they all were just mentally really strong. As mama was the "home" for everyone, then there are to ways for the family to go - broke up or grow even stronger together.
Small notes time - They concentrate on marrying really much, but I think that all it goes too fast - is not it normal to at least go out for 1-2 years, before even talking about it? Maybe it is just my western-thinking, but still. The biggest minus of the drama is that the time-flow is not well written - most of the things happen within 2 months, which is definitely way too short period for this drama. I like the ost - especially one sound is very beautiful.
In the end, all sisters are having hard time with their love-lives. I do not understand how they cannot be honest with each other - it seems like they had a special loving family, but still they cannot tell everything to each other. (Funny thing about myself - in my family there are also 4 daughters... I have 6 years difference with older sister, with one younger sister few minutes and 9 years with the youngest one... which is pretty much the same as Hanawa sisters had... I am the second - booo-hooo! -.- not happy)


SPOILER review: I said almost everything in the real review already, but still there are some things about the end. I Liked that Sakurako was the one who dumped Shozaburou, even though he wanted to marry and continue lying as he promised to father. but which I like even more was that Shozaburou was the one who begged for new chance from Sakurako. Their love was full of circumstances, but in the end Sakurako was the one who was able to change Shozaburou. I start to cry again... too beautiful love song is playing right now too.
I also like that Sakurako was able to forgive Takemi and dad. Sakurako was my favorite character btw.
Also I loved Ume-chan's message "Even if we are apart, we are family" - because next year I must move to another city, away from my family - they are the best in the whole universe! I must remember that sentence for whole my life - even when I move far-far away in future, I still have my place in this family. ^^

Sunday, September 25, 2011

Troubleman (2009)


Country: Japan
Genre: surreal, yakuza, life,
Format: drama 12 episodes
Cast: Kato Shigeaki, Takezai Terunosuke, Iwasa Mayuku, Nakayama Yuichiro, Riju Go, Kino Hana, Terajima Susumu, Osugi Ren, Nukumizu Youichi, Satsukawa Aimi, Kanai Yuta, Katagiri Hairi, Miyaji Masako, Uechi Haruna
Synopsis: Tokuda Kazuo is cursed with bad luck - since birth only bad things happen to people near to him. As things get even worse by every day, he tries to find a way to get over that curse. One day by all kind of things, he ends up with his five other apartment residents in the same room and soon it becomes clear that they share much more than that apartment...
Rating: 5/5
Really short drama, okey, it has 12 episodes, but they  are like 30 minutes long, but at least 5 minutes of it are beginning and ending themes (I've said it before, that usually Japanese dramas are 45 minutes long). I do not understand how can it have soooooo low ratings?????!!! Average is like 2, but I think that it is a masterpiece. I am afraid that it is because it aired on Friday nights 00:12 - older people sleep already and young ones party (at least in my country xD) This is one of the most surreal and most interesting drama ever!
It perfect example that you cannot fight with the fate, it seems like a endless ring and it is impossible to get out of it. There is a saying that "What good for one is bad for other" - it is like a main theme in "Troubleman". I like the script. It is just sooo amazing. Beside, Kato Shigeaki is amazing in his role! All this pronunciation and acting is über xD
The built-up is amazing. At first many things seem hard to understand, but once you know the truth, it gets unbelievable scary. I think that this drama shows how small actually the world is (In real life, doesn't world seem small when you read my blog, but you are on the other side of the world? xD)
I cannot say anything much about characters, but I think that Yakuza's (the one in apartment too) story was the saddest. Whole drama shows different sides of life - we really can't see others past and feelings.  But I can say some words about Kato Shigeaki and his role.
Firstly, Tokuda's work suited him so much, but like always, if you do something great for people, you do bad for company, which gets you fired -.- A big line in it are mangakas and they are soooo kowai! (scary) I have always admired their drawing skills, but this time the gave me creeps! Especially Marcus the monkey O.q I have never liked monkeys and now they like even less -.- I think that maybe because they had to spend so much time alone there and then for the first time a handsome/sexy/great guy walks in - yeah, you might end up as a lunatic so. I have always thought if Kato Shigeaki can draw so well in real life too (I know that he might had somebody else's drawing), but he has played mangaka already for twice! (the second time was in "Chichi yo, anata wa erakatta")
I have always wanted to try hypnotherapy, which they do much in it, but I am afraid that I might recall some strangled memories, which might change my life (don't you sometimes have this feeling of fear in some situations like your mind says that something bad has happened this way, but you self cannot remember it?)
I love the theme song!! It is "Funky man" by NEWS (who are my favorites =P) and also in the very last episode there is a unplugged version of "Forever". I think that the end is the most romantic thing I have seen xD but when to think about March 11th 2011 in Japan, then it is a little bit sad and inappropriate. But still, I love this drama, it is just sooo wicked. 

Sunday, August 21, 2011

Gekidan Engimono: Car radio ga owareba (2006)


Country: Japan
Genre: life, romance, car licence, surreal
Format: part of Gekidan Engimono series, 4 episode mini-drama
Cast: Kato Shigeaki, Kaneko Sayaka, Hiyama Yutaka, Hasebe Hitomi, Nagae Hidekazu, Mitsuishi Ken,
Synopsis: Ueno goes to a small city near Tokyo to get driving licence fast. He has made a promise to her girlfriend, who is seriously ill, that he will take her to drive out. But beside studing he must live under the same roof with other car school students, who are really unique and weird, while the rumor of the ghost haunting the house spreads out.    
Rating: 5/5
This is my favorite Gekidan Engimono ever. It is surreal like all the others, but it has most of the storyline.This is also the last Gekidan Engimono stroy. Actually before I watched it, I waited for months. The deal was that I was making my licenses and I was derrifeid to fail in it, so I made sure not to freak out before exam and decided to watch it after getting my licences. If you ask if I made it, then think - in the end I watched it, so yes, I made my theory exam for 100%. So that much of the before-review stuff ^^
I did not expected that much of it, so it surprised me. I loved Ueno's character and I think that Kato Shigeaki acted it well. At least I saw that he really really loved her girlfriend. Why there are so few man like he??
I actually find that weird that there are such kind of car schools, were you will stay until the end of the school, in this drama 3 weeks. Do you really have to leave everything (work etc.) to go to car school?? I had to take theory classes for 2 months (twice a week + some first aid lessons at the evenings about 2-3 hours each time) and then 40x25 minutes of driving lessons, but from this drama it feels like they have to learn theory by themselves and then just take driving lessons and final exam. I do not know how it really works in Japan, but I know that my licences work in Japan for a 1 year after entering.
Baba was definitely the weirdest one. His english was funny, but he was so foul-mouthed, so do not watch it with small kids. Aya was okey, but her story was so sad in the end. No matter how you look at her, she does not seem to be 17 years old!!!! You even cannot make licences at that age (I do not think there a those child-licences in Japan)
But what was most surprising for me was the instructor - he looked like the man who supervised my final driving exam O.o (but my supervisor was not Asian...). Even the way he acted was similar xD the difference was that my supervisor was veeeeeeery punctal and marked everything down, not like that instructor who forgot to give stamps for lesson o.O I wonder what face would I have doen when I had done exams after watching it xD I think I would have laughed so hard that I would have failed the exam with first 5 minutes. I do not know what to say about other characters, because they all were really different and weird!!! Beside the drama is soo short.

SPOILER review: I actually do not want to put it under the spoiler review as it is something veeeeeeery important in real life too : DO NOT TALK WITH YOUR MOBILEPHONE WHEN YOU ARE  DRIVING!!!!!!!!!! (even when you have hands-free, you're mind is still occupied, in the end it is not your hands that are driving. But it is everyones own decision, but please do not expose a danger to other people!)

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Hokaben (2008)


Country: Japan
Genre: law
Format: drama 10 episodes
Cast: Ueto Aya, Ryo, Kitamura Kazuki, Kato Shigeaki, Osugi Ren, Toda Nahu, Sasai Eisuke, Nakayama Megumi, Kato Kazuko, (Quests: Katsumura Masanobu, Katase Nana, Sato Tomohito, Yamazaki Hajime)
Synopsis: Domoto Akari is a fresh lawyer just graduated from university. She starts working at a famous big law firm mZa in pro bono section - the section, which deals with social service obligations. Domoto Akari has a naive thinking that she can help the weak ones and make world a better place, but the reality is something else.
Rating: STARLESS
After watching this I seriously consider giving "Sugar and Spice" at least one star because "Hokaben" showed me what STARLESS drama really means.
It had nothing!! They had a fabulous cast, but the drama was just soo horrible and boring! The script seemed like unfinished. It had a proper start, but then there was no development in main story, did  not have an end (It was totally predictable end to finish this drama -.-). Also it did not had side story lines. It seemed like they wanted to make DomotoXKatase love line. Thanks to Kato Shigeaki's amazing acting, it was totally see-able that Katase had feelings for Domoto, but Domoto was just eeeemm plain dumb. Compared to Domoto, Katase was like a grown up and knew what it means to be a lawyer and it was so sad in the end that this liking went to unliking ("From crush to crash" like my sister said). They wanted to make SugisakiXKuramoto love line, but it sucked, because they did not show that really much. They also did not explained the situation between Sugisaki and Kudo. I thought that may be they were ex-lovers or something happened with work or something, but they gave me nothing!
But the worst thing in "Hokaben" was the main character Domoto Akari. She was always whining and complaining, she was totally unprofessional in her work, she was tactless and loud. She disobeyed the confidentiality between the client and lawyer. She said she wanted to save the weak ones, but she managed to ruin over 20 people lives in one episode (The episode of bullying). They wanted to give a big impact to her words, but actually they did mean anything, mostly she said two-way stuff, which was total crap. How was it possible for her to graduate????!!! I felt like she only dreamed in university, but did not study the law perfectly, because she was just so naive and did not know the basic laws! -.-  In addition, they all said that Domoto reminds them Sugisaki - I thought "WHAAAAT???! They are totally opposite!!!" Sugisaki was a real lawyer until the accident and after that he just stopped working properly.  I would never want to have a lawyer like Domoto, because all her appearance told me how unprofessional she was. She did not even knew what is the case when she went to interview!! A social worker or a detective work would have suited to her much more than a lawyer's. She like always forgot what her job is about.
I liked that Ryo played a total bitch, it was funny xD But  I really watched only for Kato Shigeaki (Now he seriously must love me, because those were 10 most horrible hours of my life. I hope I made up that "Gekidan Engimono - Ie ga tooi" picture),  but he only got mostly up to 2 minutes of screen time in every episode and he did not get much lines. My favorite scene was when Katase and Domoto were in a bar, but that was the only high point in this drama.
This is the drama where I really want to say "I do not recommend it to you", but in the end it is your decision. I managed to live those 10 hours, but it was real torture. I have heard of many people who have dropped this after first or second episode (It was a great decision as the first one was most promising episode).

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Kakure Karakuri (2006)


Also known as: Hidden trick
Country: Japan
Genre: mystery, life,
Format: movie
Cast: Kato Shigeaki, Hiraoka Yuta, Hoshi Nanase, Kuriyama Chiaki, Ochiai Motoki, SUGIZO, David Ito, Erena, Sugimoto Tetta, Moro Morooka,
Synopsis: Kurimoto Yousuke wants to spend his summer vacation working in onsen with pretty girls, but he ends up with his classmate Abe Tomonari in a weird region, which is ruled by two families. They have to solve the mystery of clockwork doll to help the children of those families - Hanayama Karin and Reina and Kazami Taichi.
Rating: 3/5
Actors were great! As I understand then "Kakure karakuri" is not a famous movie, but it has such a famous cast!!! Kato Shigeaki looks hot =P (sorry unnecessary comment). His character is great. I like his point of views and it is so funny how he mistakes the names and his face of  "That's what I told right now" (even though he did not) is cuuuuuuuute. My favorite is the Kurimoto-Karin-Abe love triangle XD Over-acting made the movie even better, it was a little bit parody-likeish xD All characters are different and not annoying, beside Taichi, because I did not understand why he walked so weirdly... There are times when the scene might be like "EEEEHHH??". especially bath-scenes.
The storyline was spooky time to time and made me really think what is the secret, but actually the real secret was a little bit disappointment. The doll was totally scary.. I am afraid of this kind of old dolls. 
It was said that the mystery was only 120 years old... actually for me it is too short period as there are only 2-3 generations of those families, so in the end it seemed weiiiird. I think that NOT hiding the secret would have worked out better than hiding it.
Movie was actually made for Coca Cola anniversary. That explains the coca cola advertisements in the movie. 

Sunday, July 17, 2011

0 Goushishitsu no Kyaku: Kanpeki na otoko (2009)


Country: Japan
Genre: life, psyhological
Format: part of Zero Goushitsu no Kyaku series, 4 episodes mini-drama
Cast: Kato Shigeaki, Morisako Ei, Kanjiya Shihori, Yokoyama Yu,
Synopsis: The third story of  "0 Goushitsu no Kyaku". Yazaki (Kato Shigeaki) is a great doctor, who takes his young patient Karen (Morisako Ei) to the hotel. He, patient and nurse Yoshimi (Kanjiya Shihori) all receive their rating. Yazaki misses just 2 point of 100 with score 98. Why he loses those 2 points and how can a dieing person receive a score, when usually their score is given as blank note.
Rating: 1/5
I even liked it. Yazaku character was nice and it seemed like there was some things on with Yoshimi, but it seemed like "We are trying to keep everything professional" XD What more I liked in Yazaku was that he did not wanted to get those 2 points and he did not liked the idea of getting ratings. Beside Kato Shigeaki was great in that role and Kanjiya Shihori is just so cute actress. I like the whole story, it is sad, but nice and beautiful. I actually do not even know why I gave it only one star... this time you can really hate me if you want xD
I totally love theme song "Tokei Jigake no Umbrella" by Arashi. It is really really catchy.

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Chichi yo, anata wa erakatta (2009)


Tagline: 1969 nen no Oyaji to boku (Me and dad in 1969)
Country: Japan
Genre: family, time travel, history
Format: movie
Cast: Kato Shigeaki, Aibu Saki, Tsutsumishita Atsushi, Nishida Toshiyuki, Izumi Pinko, Oshinari Shugo, Nukumizu Youichi,
Synopsis: Onoreda Riichi (Nishida Toshiyuki) and Harumi (Izumi Pinko) have been married for years. Now Riichi is forced to go on a early pension and because of family troubles, divorce becomes possible option. Their son Masaru (Kato Shigeaki) has not got any job and fights with father are usual things. After one big fight Masaru leaves home, he falls from the building´s roof and goes trough a time-slip, waking up in year 1969, when his parents went to university.
Rating: 2/5
I must say that i like that movie just because of Kato Shigeaki. I do not know why, but I enjoy his acting very much. And I loved that they had put in use Kato Shigeaki´s music talent ^^ I love when people, who can sing, are singing in dramas/movies. Beside he sings a great song there - "Kiseki" by Greeeen. (The funny thing is that Kato Shigeaki is in NEWS and many their songs are written by Greeeen ^^)
What I enjoyed too, is that this movie shows the life in 1969-s, when there were big street protests because of the economy and political reasons. It also compares nowadays with past about life, youth, opinions etc.
It might look too slow movie, but it is sweet actually. The start is reaaaaaalllly slow, that I did not like, but I liked the fact that later it was clearly seen how emotions and out-views changed. There are many times when young people do not understand their parents and parents do not understand their children. Ones want to be free and independent and others want their children to succeed in life. I think that most of the time children forgot the fact that their parents have been young too and parents tend to forgot what their youth was like.
I did not understand the Ryu Shi-won part. It was a little bit over-done - had nothing to do the main- nor side-stories. I liked Oshinari Shuga acting too - actually I did not recognize him at the first sight xD From the side-stories Harumi-Kamijo story was the best. 
A little cute fact - in this movie Kato Shigeaki character wanted to become mangaka (Manga artist) and in the next drama (If we exclude "0 Gyoushitsu no Kyaku: Kanpeki no otoko") "Troubleman" he was a mangaka.

Sunday, June 19, 2011

Gekidan Engimono: Ie ga tooi (2005)


Country: Japan
Genre: friendship, school
Format: part of Gekidan Engimono series, mini-drama 4 episodes
Cast: Masuda Takahisa, Kato Shigeaki, Tegoshi Yuya, Kusano Hironori, Mizukawa Ayami
Synopsis: Kume (Masuda Takahisa) wants to create a band, Kojima (Kato Shigeaki) is popular with girls, Kita (Kusano Hironori) is a pervert and Tommy (Tegoshi Yuya) is a silent boy, who loves to watch bugs.
Rating: 2/5
It is weird... really weird. It shows their time after school day.. and mostly they don´t do anything special, just sit there and talk, mostly about band, ero-things, girls and Tommy.
But in some way, its weirdness made it funny.
As some of you might know, then Masuda, Kato, Tegoshi and Kusano are (were as Kusano "left" the agency) in a band called NEWS. It was Kusano´s only acting he did. And in addition, the song you can hear there (from recorder) is actually sang by Masuda himself - he was asked to sing as bad as he can.. .
I liked that it showed their problems. But in the end, it was just a drama without beginning and end.