Do you watch J/K/C Drama ? If so which are your Favorites

[nixie]

Originally Posted by nadare

There are a few shounen-ai ones. I can't seem to remember the title though. It was about vampires.

*cough* One good example is this one Princess Princess. There is even an anime version of this one

Princess Princess drama is the most low-budget Jdrama I've ever seen. I got goosebumps watching that, even if I like BL. It's insanely cheesy and gay but I guess it was kinda hillarious in that sense too. I don't think anyone who didn't like the Prince of Tennis musical would find this any amusing though.

Originally Posted by nadare

I watched part of CHANGE, although I quickly lost interest. So how did it go? was it good on the later part? I prefered Abe Hiroshi's acting there than Kimura Takuyas though.

I actually liked the earlier parts of CHANGE more than the later parts. Abe Hiroshi was good, was hoping he would win the supporting actor award.

Originally Posted by Intranetusa

I heard there is a Japanese version and a Chinese/Taiwanese version of
"Honey and Clover"

Both of the casts look pretty good

Japanese cast:

http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Image:Hachikuro_chart.PNG

Taiwanese cast:

http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Image:Hachikuro_chart.PNG

You gave the same url for both.
Taiwanese version

[Hikari no Clover]

Originally Posted by nixie

I actually liked the earlier parts of CHANGE more than the later parts. Abe Hiroshi was good, was hoping he would win the supporting actor award.

same,the earlier parts r better......

in the last ep. Kimura's 22mins speech was a unbelievable job although i felt boring after the first 10 mins and i actually skipped the rest of the speech

[Intranetusa]

Originally Posted by nixie

You gave the same url for both.
Taiwanese version

Whoops my bad.

Taiwanese cast:
http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Image:Hone...over_Chart.jpg

Japanese cast:
http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Image:Hachikuro_chart.PNG


I think the casting of Rika is superior in the Taiwanese ver, while the casting of the uncle/teacher dude is superior in the Japanese version...but that's just all going on how they resemble the anime characters in term of looks.

[Irenicus]

*sniff, sniff*

I finally finished Sexy Voice and Robo, after approximately like half a month's worth of slowly watching and this final day's three-episode marathon.

Spoiler for ending, and other trivia:

WHY DID THEY HAVE TO PART, WHY!?

That was one downer ending for an otherwise happy-go-lucky series. It reminds me of the 5 centimeter per second animated movie ending: they parted way, without ever thinking they'll part, and then moved on. What was that!? I'm about to cry right now. Yocchan&Boss! Nico! Robo!

Will post impressions on the actual series later when I calmed down enough.

Oh, and my thanks to Nervous Venus for recommending this to me. I can't say enough how grateful I am that you let me know my favorite short manga (which might continue someday) has such a good series on the side.

Edit: Well, I think I'm clear-headed enough now in a sense, a night's sleep ought to do it for everything, though I'm still...*sniff*

Spoiler for opinions, comparison with manga, and other trivialities:

In comparison to the manga, this is a very different kind of piece. It is an adaptation, sure, but it's really indirect in many senses.

Now, if I'm the original-piece-always-win type of guy (see also, manga vs. anime, books vs. movies), I'd be angry and annoyed that it turns out to be so different. But my feelings are completely opposite. Not that I don't love the manga -- oh no, it's the central piece of my manga collection if anything -- but this different take on the "Sexy Voice and Robo" franchise is surprisingly refreshing. To put it in short, while the manga is sexy and edgy (not in any sexual sense!), the drama is cute and sentimental.

Starting right with the main characters...

The manga Nico is the kind of girl you'd expect to be a really talented spy: smart, clever, willing, and though Kuroda cleverly puts in scenes where it's made clear she's still a child, it also made clear that she idolizes this spy business. The drama Nico is a very different girl. She's just as smart, just as capable of astute observations, but she's a lot more "normal." She isn't very willing to go around saving people and conducting espionage missions and she kinda prefers to hang around in normal life than do anything out of the ordinary. Drama Nico panics and gets scared often enough; manga Nico jumps right into danger like she just came out of No One Lives Forever.

The two Robo's are also very different. Both are otaku, sure, but it's very clear who's the fan-favorite. The manga Robo is an adult, just also otaku, and kinda slow -- and he gets laid once at least! (lol). And I'm not sure what he really thinks of Nico. The drama Robo (played by a famous actor, apparently), is a "lovable but reeeeally awkward geek" type of otaku. He shouts crazy trademark phrases and is very much Nico's best friend. The kind of guy who'd still be a happy child twenty years from now on.

The drama also changed the "boss" and his/her personal servant. First of all, the old mafia boss guy is turned into a spymistress (good-)mama-san type who clearly was once the chick spy herself back in the day (to be revealed for certain in one of the later episodes). This gives a very different feeling to the relationships. Manga Nico's "job" has this professional feel, but it looks like the Boss in the drama just takes a liking on Nico and her talents and sends the interesting little girl and her sidekick on interesting (if still often very dangerous) quests. She even tries to adopt Nico later although not very seriously. The confidants are also very different. The quiet and imposing mafia guy in the manga became the comedic "Yocchan" in the drama.

...and minor characters...

I don't remember family being shown in the manga. Nico's family plays a very big if peripheral role in the drama; and they kind of play out like a comedy of manners -- like the Bennets, actually, but with a more pleasant undertone. Nico's "big sister" in the manga is a more adult spy chick/femme fatale whom Nico idolized at least for a short time; the drama has an actual big sister Kasumi-chan who aside from being rather quick to discard guys, is a normal Japanese young woman of her age. A normal and very pretty Japanese young woman anyway. <3

And while the manga and anime doesn't often share "case" characters, one particularly character stands out: Three-Days Man or whatever his Japanese term is. In fact this chapter from the manga is the one most faithfully adapted in the drama (but still different), while other chapters just kind of have a cameo/homage treatment. The story plays out relatively similarly, but the actor in the drama gives him a very different impression. He's a little more clueless and awkward, and his confused act is kinda memorable.

...or the plots...

As I've said above, the only chapter the drama relatively faithfully adapts from the manga is the opening episode, the Three-Days Man story. And an excellent choice it was! That was one of the most poignant chapters in the manga. I won't spoil the story, but the drama is a little more open about its sentimental points, in keeping with the distinction between an edgy version of sentimental and a family-friendly version of the drama's.

Every other episodes however just kind of borrow elements from the manga to do some homage rather than a direct adaptation. There's an aquarium, but the characters and story that revolve around it is different; there's a scene where the town lights up -- but who are the ones seeing it? And there's an "explosive meeting in the barber-shop" scene, but the way the rest plays out is very different (the manga's handling of it is really cool, the drama just have three mismatched funny people running away from the police ).

Indeed, each drama episode has a certain kind of formula to it: either a problem is revealed or we're introduced to Nico's observations, then Robo or some other character often gets to meet the core of it by accident; this is followed by the main story, often with the involvement of the Boss-and-Yocchan pair, and eventually Nico and Robo solves the problem somehow, with Nico usually being the brain and Robo the brawn/sentimental speech-giver (lol), and then we have a sentimental denouément with Nico's commentary and that teasing ED coming up (it always get cut short! ).

The show deviates a few times, especially towards the end, but that's the general way it plays out; kind of like a sitcom actually, but I like this a lot better. Plus, it doesn't have that goddamn stupid laugh tracks many sitcoms insist on having "because audiences are too stupid to know where to laugh."

I always felt like those shows were shouting at me: "laugh, goddammit, laugh! Laugh at this spot or you're not normal like everyone else! Why aren't you laughing! Laugh here or you're un-American! Laugh at this point now you communist scum! Oh, you aren't laughing aren't you? While the rest of your family together on the sofa are all laughing? Oh, oh, we're gonna report you to Mr. McCarthy for non-conformism!"

Like, fuck you. I'll laugh when it starts being funny.



...but enough of the comparisons!

My general opinion of the drama, if you haven't deduced by now, is very positive. It has this happy-go-lucky tone that really goes well with the format for some reason. It is a very different Sexy Voice and Robo, but no less pleasant. I've had a lot of fun going through the episodes and witnessing funny and awkward people one after another getting to be friends (and parting again! ); it's a kind of show where it's normal like real life but also a lot better than real life. A show where a dangerous hostage incident ends up being a poignant farewell party for a tired, disillusioned salaryman, with a very pretty Frenchwoman observing it all with a happy smile (man that was surreal, "Ah, Ninja!"), or when a "robber" is just a man who wants to say sorry to his bygone beloved and too confused to get there on his own. It's a kind of world that makes you hopeful and friendly to everyone around you.

But make no mistake, there are people dying here too, there are shootings and other kinds of things as well. And it is rather interesting to witness such events in a show with such a family-friendly tone; a curious difference perhaps between Japanese and American TV.

Oh, and the music was good. Nothing spectacular, but good. I love the "slice-of-life" tunes they use, which are very familiar and also reminds me of certain sections of Haruhi Suzumiya when they just all laze around before Haruhi explodes into fireworks out of nowhere.



However!

I'm still really sad right now. One thing that the show did a little too well is showing how people really parted in real life. Many interesting characters in each episode, who often become friends with the main pair by the time the episode ends, never show up again in their lives; sometimes with a goodbye, sometimes without. And the final episode! '

For someone who has experienced such a thing before often enough; who've made many friends, left them and rarely ever return to contact, became lonely, made new friends, left them again, and is once again lonely and friendless -- and all that in a very similar manner with Nico and Robo. Without a reason to hang out together, without somewhere where our daily lives interact, or with a move far away from where I used to be, I often lost contact with friends I love and care for and never with a proper goodbye. I just didn't meet them anymore, and that's the end of it.

And it's really sad. A bittersweet feeling than anything tragic, I think; but bittersweet is twice the emotion of just bitter, and, in my opinion, far more profound.

*sniff*

[nixie]

Originally Posted by Marina

I saw it.....aaaaaaaaaaand, I'm not too big a fan of it. I know that people say that if you like Nodame Cantabile, you'll probably like Honey & Clover, but I beg to differ. I don't know what it is, but I just can't stay interested in that show. You'll probably be different though Chaos-chan ^_^ Try it, my roommate LOVES it.

I guess it's not a good comparison to make since Nodame is more on comedy and Hachikuro is more sentimental. Of course, nothing beats the anime but I'm now at episode 5 of the drama and it's definitely heaps better than the movie version, except for Hagu perhaps. I prefer Aoi Yuu. And, I'm beginning to see a Takashi Sorimachi and Shibasaki Kou double here. That Narimiya Hiroki dude and Harada Natsuki resemble them at some angles.

[Paladinoras]

I have to say I like Code Blue.

Although I am a bit biased about any drama with Yui Aragaki in it. ..



Fine, A LOT BIASED!!

[Zu Ra]

Kyoko looks more cuter than before ♥

Maison Ikkoku special part 2 or the continuation was released . And I came to know of it today @_@ Its been over a month since its release .... I had taken a hiatus from dramas . This was indeed a pleasant surprise for me

Summary : http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Maison_Ikkoku

Downloads : http://www.animesuki.com/series.php/1039.html

[nadare]

Oh! My Girl!! - Its a very cute story about a child actress suddenly has to live with her mother's brother. It is still ongoing and currently only has 2 subs.

I thought that this would be a "meh" drama but its actually pretty good. It doesn't focus on the romance (as of epi 2). It focuses more on the family part. How a young guy suddenly has to live with her famous niece. It is very heart warming(mostly near the end) Did I mention the dog is pretty cute? The niece is pretty tamed compared to what I have had imagined of a spoiled superstar suddenly had to live in a poor mans home.

P.S: I know some DDL links for this drama pm me if needed.

[nixie]

I just realised there's a Chinese drama based on Prince of Tennis.

[The Chaos]

I Just Finished Watching The Movie ....BEST ENDING ever

Really I loved who it end with Makino and Domyoji
Although It was Really Hard oin Them in The Start ..But I never Thought about who Stole The tiara was ....*See The Movie To Find The Answer*

I Really Hope for another Season or Movie

[Marina]

*phoenix down*

Aherm, bringing this thread back from the dead! Seems like ever since AnimeSuki brought in groups, discussion has moved more there than here at the thread ^_^

Currently watching Meteor Garden II, a continuation of the first series (all an adaptation of the well-known Hana Yori Dango story). I'm pretty much only watching it since I'm a die-hard HYD fan, but surprisingly enough, I'm enjoying it. It's strange how it deviates SO MUCH from the manga, yet the storyline is interesting enough to hold my attention.

I'm also thinking of starting Ruri no Shima:

* Title: 瑠璃の島
* Title (romaji): Ruri no Shima
* Also known as: Ruri's Island
* Genre: Human drama
* Broadcast network: NTV

* Episodes: 10
* Viewership rating: 12.64
* Broadcast period: 2005-Apr-16 to 2005-Jun-18
* Air time: Saturday 21:00
* Theme song: Koko ni Shika Sakanai Hana by Kobukuro

Synopsis

On Hatomi, a small island in Okinawa state part of Japan's southern sea frontier, the social environment is suffering. With the last student of the elementary school leaving the place, the closing of the school is a virtual given. Mr. Nakama (Ogata Ken), decides to do something about it - and heads for Tokyo to recruit his grandson. Rebuffed by his daughter, however, he decides to adopt another child. He finds Ruri (Narumi Riko), a mature girl of 11 who distrusts people due to the fact that her mother (Nishida Naomi) doesn't care much about her, but after seeing Mr. Nakama's true intentions, allows him to take her to the island. Unfortunately, the local teacher, Ms. Sanae (Konishi Manami), who was banking on the school's closing to be able to go somewhere else, is resentful of Ruri and makes light of her city fashion (including permed hair, fake curls, and miniskirts), which leads to a big showdown between her and Ruri - and the people who were enthusiastic about her suddenly begin to have their doubts, and only Mr. Nakama and his wife Megumi (Baisho Mitsuko) take Ruri's side strongly. Following into the island is Mr. Kawashima (Takenouchi Yutaka), a mysterious man who saves Ruri from drowning following the fight - and who becomes her conscience and friend in her daily life in the island. But is Kawashima what he seems? Or did he come to the island to run away from Tokyo - and possibly a crime he may have been involved in there? Katsumura and Nishiyama play a local married couple of neighbors, Kashu and Igawa a local unmarried couple of neighbors, all of them willing to help Ruri in their own way. --Surge79uwf

Cast

* Narumi Riko as Fujisawa Ruri
* Takenouchi Yutaka as Kawashima Tatsuya/Takahara Makoto
* Ogata Ken as Nakama Yuzo
* Baisho Mitsuko as Nakama Megumi

@chaos-chan - I haven't watched the HYD movie yet! I'm patiently waiting for SARS to release their subbed version. I tried watching the video you sent me, but the quality really annoyed me >.< I'm too picky!

Something I do think is interesting: has anyone been to DramaSummaries.com? It seems like a fairly new site. You can catalog your dramas, much like MyAnimeList, by watching, completed, plan-to-watch, dropped, and on-hold. There are a good amount of series missing, but you also have the option of submitting dramas that should be added to the database.

[xeqtR]

J/K Drama that I ever watched :
-Full house
-Attention Please! <-- This one awesome

hahaha

[Zu Ra]

I am going to start Vampire Host in a few hours or later . I will share my views once I am done with first episode . ^^

[7thMethuselah]

Only just finished Zettai Kareshi. Loved the show but I sort of hated the ending, I was cheering for the other guy . Never read the manga so can't say if it's the same there
Liked the comedy romance mix throughout almost the entire series. Acting was great although Night did get a bit annoying at times, they should've let him be a bit more 'human' after the initial episodes.

Spoiler for Don't read if you don't wanna know how the drama ends !:

I do regret they didn't really work out the relationship between Soshi and Riika, it felt a bit too shallow for him to stand a chance at the end. Which I guess is why Riiko went for Night, silly girl .
Also slightly dissapointed they didn't show wether or not Soshi entered her room at the final episode. I think he probably didn't. might be thinking to let it rest a while and try his chances when he's alone in paris with Riiko

All in all a very enjoyable Jdrama

[The Chaos]

Originally Posted by Marina

@chaos-chan - I haven't watched the HYD movie yet! I'm patiently waiting for SARS to release their subbed version. I tried watching the video you sent me, but the quality really annoyed me >.< I'm too picky!

Something I do think is interesting: has anyone been to DramaSummaries.com? It seems like a fairly new site. You can catalog your dramas, much like MyAnimeList, by watching, completed, plan-to-watch, dropped, and on-hold. There are a good amount of series missing, but you also have the option of submitting dramas that should be added to the database.

It O.k...I'm waiting Sars-Sub too ..I'm gonna watch it again

I never knew that site ...Since I like MAL ...I'll Sure visit it

[Zu Ra]

Saw First 2 episodes of Vampire Hosts lot better than I had expected. Actually enjoyed the opulence when it comes to blood . I kinda imagined it to be

Shojoish and most of the male characters appearing and acting like ' juni juni '. Thankfully that wasn't the case . The theme is Gothic which was nice also the club design was better than I had expected . Special effects too are nicely done for a TV show . The acting leaves a lot to be desired, there is a constant chase of hamming diarrhea.

If you hate the run of the mill shows,over the top shows where over emphasis is given on the drama than content or plot . This is the show for you its hilarious also has a manga-ish feel to it . Changes weren't made during the transition from Manga to LvA . Quite enjoyable one of the better LvA I have seen ^^

Don't know its licensed or not if its not , will post torrent : )

Summary : Wiki

Teaser : Ytube

[Irkalla]

Hi guys...

Does anybody by any chance have an invite to spare for aznv.tv? If you have, pretty please pm me ^^
hope this is legal to ask here o_O

[Marina]

Boys Before Flowers



* Title: 꽃보다 남자 / Kgotboda Namja
* Also known as: Boys Before Flowers / Boys Over Flowers
* Genre: Romance, comedy
* Episodes: 24
* Related Series: Hana Yori Dango, Meteor Garden
* See inserts: Boys Before Flowers OST

Synopsis
Jan Di is an average girl whose family owns a dry cleaning store located near the luxurious and well known Shin Hwa College. Jan Di meets the four richest and most spoiled boys when she delivers laundry to the school one day. The boys are known as F4 and cause trouble to those who speak out against them.

Cast
* Koo Hye Sun as Geum Jan Di
* Han Chae Young as Min Seo Hyun (F4's best friend)

F4:

* Lee Min Ho as Goo Joon Pyo
* Kim Hyun Joong as Yoon Ji Hoo
* Kim Bum as So Yi Jung
* Kim Joon as Song Woo Bin

Just watched the first episode today! I was very excited and looked greatly forward to it. I wasn't disappointed. Sure, there were parts that were kinda iffy, but for the most part, I think they'll do a good job w/ this story.

The parts that annoyed me most were when they would interject English into their speech. First with the silly rich girls who bully Jan Di ("oh. my. god." *gag*), then later with the F4 (speaking like ghetto boys...huh?). I look forward to the second episode.

I'm currently working on d/l the HYD movie, will update on that later.

@Geta Boshi - hmmm, that show looks pretty good. I must admit to being very into vampires now, what with just reading all of Stephanie Meyer's books (twilight series) and also just watching all of Vampire Knight Guilty. I'll have to d/l a couple episodes and see how I like it.

[Zu Ra]

My torrent of vampire host finally got downloaded yesterday so had a mini marathon of 8 episodes .

The show is shaping out to be good. I had expected the show to be cheesy like VK or TW but lived up to my expectations . The name host and gigolo which this shows goes by are misleading IMO a promotional name change to bring in the audience . The show would have had a mainstreaming following if the they had stuck to the manga name Yorugata Aijin Senmonten - Blood Hound - DX . When I heard gigolo associated with it I was like 'lol wut' . The show also went by V.Host so I checked the summary on Wiki and got interested . Also DramaWiki synopsis doesn't do justice to the show and quite frankly is quite misleading . It never manages to capture the essence of show that is .. Mystery Supernatural Vampire .

One of the strong points of this show is the humor its really funny could even go to say rib-tickling . My favorite character so far has to be Diana @_@ No seriously : D

[Marina]

Currently watching the T-Drama Hot Shot:

* Title: 籃球火 / Lan Qiu Huo
* English title: Hot Shot
* Also known as: Basketball Fire / Basket Fire Ball
* Genre: Sport, romance
* Episodes: 16
* Broadcast network: CTV / GTV
* Broadcast period: 2008-Jul-27 to 2008-Nov-09
* Air time: Sunday 21:30 - 23:00
* Opening theme song: Hot Shot by Show Lo
* Ending theme song: Yi Ban (一半) Half by Jerry Yan
* Insert songs: See Hot Shot OST

Synopsis
In a school where academic reigns supreme and sports are relegated to a dusty corner of the campus, Li Ying vows to revive the basketball team by volunteering to be the head coach. Her first member is Yuan Da Ying, a country boy who is passionate for basketball but has no skill. Their recruitment goes into high gear when Dong Fang Xiang, a legendary basketball player, transfers to their school.

Around the same time, Yuan Da Ying falls for Zhan Jie Er, a scholarship student who reminds him of his childhood friend. Things are complicated by the fact her family works for Dong Fang Xiang, who she also grew up with. Their encounter may just rewrite the school's basketball history.

Cast
* Jerry Yan as Dong Fang Xiang 東方翔
* Show Lo as Yuan Da Ying 元大鷹
* Zhou Cai Shi as Zhan Jie Er 湛潔兒
* Coco Jiang as Li Ying 李贏
* Wu Chun as Wu Ji Zun 無極尊
* George Hu as Wu Ji Wei 無極威
* Gu Bao Ming as Li Zi Ping 李子平
* Michael Zhang as Can 殘 / Ah Fu 阿福

I quite like it so far. You have to take the goofiness into account though. A good majority of the basketball moves are IMPOSSIBLE, but hilarious to watch. Show Lo really shows off his silly side in this series (I loved him in 'Corner with Love'), while Jerry Yan plays a very familiar rich basketball player, though his serious personality is different from his Domyouji/Meteor Garden persona.