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

Party wa owatta (2011)

Country: Japan
Genre: romance, fantasy, life
Format: keitai-drama in 5 or 6 episodes, later made into movie for cinemas
Cast: Naka Riisa, Koide Keisuke, Narimiya Hiroki, Nakayama Kento, Takaoka Sousuke, Hayashi Kento, 
Synopsis: Asakura Toake (Naka Riisa) is a mangaka, whose recent mangas lack of romance. Her friend Takeo dragges her to Onikawa Norihiko's (Koide Keisuke) party - a famous young mangaka, who had just sold 1 million copies of his most famous manga. Asakura sees 4 different men, who make her imagination run.
Rating: 5/5

I so love Naka Riisa. I believe she is my favourite actress - she is just so talented. It is kinda hard drama to review, but I´ll try my best. Toake is one of a kind =D I love her dress and heels so much, but it was clearly seen that Toake was not used to wear high heels (Naka Riisa knows how to walk in high heels actually, that's why she had to walk like she halts) Her imagination is actually all based on logical assumptions, but I like that she draws so quickly and clearly her manuscripts. Onikawa Norihiko (Koide Keisuke) seemed like a selfish, narcissistic bastard. From this point I´ll go with the review as it happens in drama...

"Painted desire" - Here the male-lead is Narimiya Hiroki! (Another favourite actor!) I soooooooo love NarixNaka pairing - they have a great on-screen and off-screen chemistry. Well, Togawa Yuubi is an artist, whose paintings are ahead of his time.  In some way I liked his paintings, but I would not buy them in any cost. It looked like he used the "bad colors", there are one green color and blue (violet) which are called "poison colors". He had so much colors, but he still used only those.

I really wish them good luck with getting that painting off from the clothes and skin - as oil-paint is not soluble in water. Last year I took oil-painting classes so I know it =D Oil-paint just wants strong solvent and time xD (In my first class I tried to wash a spot of green paint of my hands and I ended up with being covered by this paint, so my teacher had to clean my hands as I was unable to touch anything xD) Yeah, playing with expensive colors can be romantic and sweet in movies, but in reality it is foolish thing to do - use acrylic colors instead =D Toake is Yuubi's girlfriend in this episode and she is pushing his back to try new things, but more than Yuubi, Toake is sacrificing her everything. It has an amazing punch-line in the end and even bigger when Toake comes back to reality and Yuubi turns into Yoshinori. 

"Breaking-up desire" - Over-emotional Musashi, who cries about everything. The korean movie they are watching is "Someday, somewhere, I love you", but I cannot find out if it truly exists or not. Still the movie looks epic for me.  Naka Riisa looks even more beautiful in it! I think that Musashi is too manipulative and a real cry-baby. For Gyoza sake, be a man!!  I would to dump a guy like that too, but I wonder why she ever started to date him, when they were this different. I think that she should have talked more, but she thought that Musashi tries to change her or loves the image of Toake which he has had in his head. I liked how they actually changed during the episode and actually started to understand each other more. The toe-scene was disgusting O.o One fact about Hakone - they really sell those eggs that add 7 years to your life, but they sell 5 eggs in one pack. XD

"Dying desire" - it was so scary! I did not see the love-line in it, but it was interesting and I loved how the scenes were made. When she starts to sing this song, at first it is funny, but later it turns scary too! It made me want to know the end faster, but some scenes reminded me USA movie "The house of wax". People, who have seen it know what I mean. It is true that it is not a good idea to be too curious as curiosity can kill. I actually knew the reality of this episode since the start. The man did not have name in it.

"Holding desire" - In three first episodes, Toake was the normal and sweet one, but in it  - I think that Toake has some serious mental issues. It remind "Kimi wa Petto" as she took the man to her house. I wonder if there would be any woman in the world who would take some totally stranger man from the street to her apartment/ house and wash him and starts to live with him? (I understand if it is some kind of ikemen as Jang Geun Suk or Matsuyama Jun, but Hayashi Kento with that long hair looked like a beggar). One more thing - never lie to a person, who has amnesia!  It is not a smart thing to do as most of the times the amnesia goes by after time. It looked like Toake wanted to make him her life-sized doll even though Hayashi Kento really looks like one O.o  At some points it was too scary!

"Desire and regrets" - it was fuuuking funny! From one moment I was like "WHAT THE RAMEN??! Vamipire? Hitting trucks? What IS IT??!!". Well my sister told me "Koide Keisuke is the hottest vampire I have ever seen - "Twilight - you suck!" xD Well it is true, as this episode seemed to parody all vampire-movies which were so popular.  It was very theatrical - I had a feeling that I was watching a filmed theatre performance. The dance was the most epic ever! I actually knew from the start why Toake really thought this way xD
The real end of the movie was amazing =) It made me think of what was real in this movie and what was not as sometimes the imagination can surpass the reality. The nub in the end was scary too XD
The movie is a mix of all movies, that's why it has all emotions and moods. It should really suit for everybody and it has truly amazing cast.