Dorama series?

[Timeless Enigma]

After getting really into the Live Action version of Sailor Moon, I've been thinking about getting int osome other live action.

They don't have to be remakes of an anime series, like the live action GTO (I haven't seen that one), but just live drama on fansub.

What I'm not looking for are sentai series however .

Thanks in advance.

EDIT: Also, I'm looking for more anime series to check out. I've got Mahoromatic Season 2 queued up, and I'm holding off watching To Heart for no real apparent reason. Here's an idea of the types anime that I enjoy: Link.
Hopefully skimming it won't take too much of your time.

[hooliganj]

My personal favorite Dorama was a sit-com called Shomuni, about a group of misfit office ladies and the big corporation they work for. They're basically in the janitorial/maintenance department, but every episode results in more proof that they're really the ones who run the show. I know there are two 12-episode seasons floating around, but I've heard rumors of a 3rd, which I hope to see someday.

I can also recommend a show called Long Vacation. It's a drama, so there's not much in the way of laughs, but the acting was pretty good, and the story was well written. I spent much of the time feeling sympathetic for the characters, and that's pretty rare for a TV show.

GTO live-action was pretty good, but Gokusen live managed to be better than the anime. Avoid You're Under Arrest though, the live action version was a travesty.

[Timeless Enigma]

Haha, thanks hooliganj. I'll make sure to check those out.

There were some Hong Kong or Korean dramas that were making the rounds, but I can't remember their names... hm.

EDIT: I found some info on that third Shomuni series: Here.

These are all unlicensed right? Are there any good places to get them?

[hooliganj]

Thanks for the link, although those people were batting around rumors of a 4th season. Woe is me, what is a fan to do?

Yeah, they're all unlicensed. I keep waiting for Tokyopop to take the plunge with GTO live, but so far, nobody's interested. I used to find these on Anime Fantasia occasionally, but they've been dead for a couple of years now. I have a friend who collects this stuff on Streamload, but I've never set up an account there. As a file sharing utility it doesn't strike me as being that good, but apparently it's been adopted by the dorama subbers as their distribution point, outside of IRC.

[babbito2k]

Here is a dorama torrent site. There are loads of places to see reviews or get other information about the shows; just google the title of the show you are interested in and maybe add "dorama."

I haven't seen too many doramas but I saw a few I liked.

I enjoyed Long Vacation, and a short (4 episode series) called Friends (the one with Fukada Kyoko and Won Bin). Fukada is not much of an actress but Friends has a decent gimmick going for it.

A series called A Beautiful Life is also worth seeking out.

[Timeless Enigma]

Thanks a lot of the suggestions. I'm currently getting Long Vacation and Beautiful Life right now.

I'm trying hard to find active torrents for Shomuni though.

[donna8157]

JDorama Series I Highly Recommend:

Beautiful Life
Long Vacation
Good Luck! (practically anything with Takuya Kimura)
GTO Live Action
Gokusen

Korean Series:
Winter Sonata
Autumn Tale

Chinese Series:
Meteor Garden (based off of Hana Yori Dango) = Loved it!
Mars (based off of Mars manga)
Romance in the Rain
Huan Zhu Ge Ge

[Timeless Enigma]

Thanks donna. Anyone know or recommend this one called Casshern?

[hooliganj]

Casshern was a movie, not a TV series, based on a really old anime series. The special effects look really sharp, but I can't say much for the plot. Pretty much just like any other good summer action flik.

[sOnJoOL]

you should really find a dorama tracker/forum.
there are plenty if u search around.
and a MUST SEE K-drama is Lover In Paris.

[Timeless Enigma]

I watched the first ep of Long Vacation, and I'm loving it. I can't wait for the rest to complete.

I'll try to find Shomuni... or maybe I'll have to settle with just watching season 2 or 3.

Thanks a lot guys!

EDIT: I've now seen episode 1 of Beautiful Life. I was a bit skeptic from reading the synopsis on JDorama.com, but after seing episode 1, heheh, it's great. I don't watch much North American drama (I used to watch soap operas like Days Of Our Lives and Passions when I was bored back in the day), now I don't even watch the TV, save for those 2 hours on Monday night (Monday Night RAW). But from what I can recall... by comparison, these two series are much better than the stuff on North American TV these days.

[Timeless Enigma]

Well, I've now seen Long Vacation, Beautiful Life, and Good Luck !! in that order.

I must say that Takuya Kimura is pretty damn good, but unfortunately all the stuff I've seen has had him as the lead, so that's a biased opinion. But all three of those were great! I think my favourite was Good Luck !! followed by Long Vacation. I really feel like watching more Asian drama now.

[donna8157]

Here are another series I highly recommend :

Forbidden Love
(About a love between a student, Takizawa Hideaki, and his teacher, Matsushima Nanako (the female teacher in GTO). Really great show!)

Summer Snow (Tear jerker, apparently)

Strawberry on the Shortcake (A teenage high school drama series about a love triangle)

Hero (This is another Takuya Kimura show)

Pride
- Takuya Kimura .. does anyone know where I can download this series with English fansubs?

[Timeless Enigma]

Oh, Forbidden Love. That one features the actress of Chief Togashi... uh... Kuroki Hitomi?

Thanks, I'll try to check out most of these suggestions when time permits.