Top 10 movies ranking (18 July 10)

1) Karigurashi no Arietti

2) Toy Story 3

3) Odoru Daisousasen THE MOVIE 3 Yatsura wo Kaihouseyo

4) Gekijoban Pocket Monster Diamond & Pearl

5) The Last Airbender

6) Predators

7) Kokuhaku

8) Hishiken Torisashi

9) Surely Someday

10) Sore Ike! Anpanman Black Nose to Mahou no Uta

Top 10 movies ranking (11 Jul 10)

1) Toy Story 3

2) Gekijoban Pocket Monster Diamond & Pearl

3) Odoru Daisousasen THE MOVIE 3 Yatsura wo Kaihou seyo!

4) Predators

5) Kokuhaku

6) Hisshiken Torisashi

7) The Extraordinary Adventures of Adele Dry-White

8) Sore Ike! Anpanman Black Nose to Mahou no Uta

9) Sex And The City 2

10) Ironman 2

Preview of Mioka ~ Kimi ga Ita Hibi ~ - Summer 2010

Title: Mioka ~ Kimi ga Ita Hibi ~ (Mioka ~ The Days Where You were Around)
Official website: here
Timeslot: Saturdays 9pm
O.A. Start Date: 10 Jul 2010
Theme Song: Hotaru by Fukuyama Masaharu
Cast: Yoshitaka Yuriko, Hayashi Kento, Katsuji Ryo, Terawaki Yasufumi, Tanihara Shosuke, Maya Miki

14th Nikkansports Dorama Grand Prix

Figures indicate number of votes. Frankly speaking, I'm amazed at the results. This seems to be more of a popularity ranking rather than reflective of the actual quality of acting and production. The Television's award would likely give an entirely different picture of the spring 2010 season.

Best Drama
1) Sunao ni Narenakute / FujiTV / 5578
2) Kaibutsu-kun / NTV / 3297
3) IRIS / TBS / 1320 - Note that this is a Korean drama produced by KBS and shown on Japan's TBS
4) Mother / NTV / 1220
5) Tsuki no Koibito / FujiTV / 624

Best Leading Actor
1) Ohno Satoshi / Kaibutsu-kun / 3824
2) Eita / Sunao ni Narenakute / 3197
3) Lee Byung-hun / IRIS / 2112
4) Fukuyama Masaharu / Ryomaden / 1696
5) Abe Hiroshi / Shinzanmono / 1043

Best Leading Actress
1) Matsuyuki Yasuko / Mother / 4303
2) Ueno Juri / Sunao ni Narenakute / 3829
3) Kim Tae-hui / IRIS / 2395
4) Matsushita Nao / Gegege no Nyobo / 1461
5) Ueto Aya / Zettai Reido / 1171

Best Supporting Actor
1) Jejung / Sunao ni Narenakute / 7018
2) Matsuoka Masahiro / Kaibutsu-kun / 1739
3) Kagawa Teruyuki / Ryomaden / 783
4) Mukai Osamu / Gegege no Nyobo / 727
5) Matsuda Shota / Tsuki no Koibito / 665

Best Supporting Actress
1) Ashida Mana / Mother / 2234
2) Inamori Izumi / Kaibutsu-kun / 2231
3) Seki Megumi / Sunao ni Narenakute / 2069
4) Kim So-yeon / IRIS / 1804
5) Shinohara Ryoko / Tsuki no Koibito / 1464

Preview of GM (General Medicine) ~ Odore Doctor ~ - Summer 2010

Title: GM (General Medicine) ~ Odore Doctor (Dance, Doctor)
Official website: here
O.A. Start Date: 18 July 2010
Timeslot: Sundays, 9pm
Cast: Higashiyama Noriyuki, Tabe Mikako, Namase Katsuhisa, Ogura Tadayoshi, Yoshizawa Yu, Owada Shinya, Yajima Norito, Koike Eiko, Shiina Kippei

Comments: I wasn't too interested in this until I saw two names: Namase Katsuhisa and Shiina Kippei. I can be assured of good acting if they are around. In this case, I'll give this a try but I am not sure whether I can stay till the end. Higashiyama's acting has never interested me so...I don't know if I can bear with him. And it certainly doesn't help that the title is Dance, Doctor. Will Higashiyama break into dance moves during treatment of his patients? I cringe when I think of this possibility.

Preview of Toubou Bengoshi - Summer 2010

Title: Toubou Bengoshi (The Fugitive Lawyer)
Official website: here
O.A. Start Date: 6 July 2010
Timeslot: Tuesdays, 10pm
Broadcast by:FujiTV / KTV
Cast: Kamiji Yuusuke, Ishihara Satomi, Kitamura Kazuki, Yada Akiko, Maekawa Yasuyuki, Toyohara Kosuke, Murakawa Eri, Kobayashi Susumu, Sato Jiro, Funakoshi Eiichiro etc.

Comments: Although I'm not keen on Kamiji nor Ishihara, I think the story sounds interesting. A lawyer on the run for a murder which he did not commit? Doesn't this sound a bit like Toubousha which Eguchi Yosuke did some years ago? Hopefully, this drama will be interesting enough to keep me watching till the end. Yada Akiko also makes her return to acting in a regular drama after what happened to her ex-husband. It may be hard for her to regain the status she had post-Shiroi Kyoto but supporting roles are still better than nothing.

Preview of Unubore Deka - Summer 2010

Title: Unubore Deka うぬぼれ刑事 (The Self-Absorbed Police Detective)
Official website: here
O.A. Start Date: 16 July 2010
Timeslot: Fridays 10pm
Broadcast by: TBS
Scriptwriter: Kudo Kankuro
Cast: Nagase Tomoya, Ikuta Toma, Nakashima Mika, Arakawa Yoshiyoshi, Kaname Jun, Yasaku Ken, Komatsu Kazushige, Morishita Aiko, Bandou Mitsugoro, Nishida Toshiyuki

Comments: I have no doubt that Nagase can act in exaggerated roles although I wasn't interested enough to finish Karei naru Spy. He's indeed good at such roles as seen from works like Ikebukuro West Gate Park or My Boss My Hero. Anyway, with Kudo Kankuro at the helm, his favourite actors like Nagase and Morishita are back while new additions to Kudo's lineup include Ikuta and Nakashima. It will be interesting to see how Nakashima and Nagase act as former lovers and what sparks will fly between Nagase and Ikuta who should know each other very well. The fact that Nagase's role doesn't even have a proper name (yes, his name is Unubore which can be translated as conceited and vain as well) seems to suggest that this is going to be a really crazy and far-fetched story. Thinking how Nagase will play a detective who thinks that every woman on earth is in love with him just makes me crack up. As it is, KudoKan's stories either make you a fan or you turn away immediately because it feels stupid. It does make me worry about the ratings in this sense because not everyone appreciates his type of humour.

Preview of Natsu no Koi wa Niji iro ni Kagayaku - Summer 2010

Title: Natsu no Koi wa Niji iro ni Kagayaku 夏の恋は虹色に輝く(Summer Love Shining In The Rainbow)
Official website: here
O.A. Start Date: 19 July 2010
Timeslot: Mondays, 9pm
Broadcast by: FujiTV
Cast: Matsumoto Jun, Takeuchi Yuko, Sawamura Ikki, Kiriya Misuzu, Nagayama Kento, Kasahara Hideyuki, Matsuzaka Keiko, Matsushige Yutaka, Ito Shiro

Comments: The reason why I want to see this is mainly because of Takeuchi Yuko. It's been some time since her last appearance in a drama and she plays a not-so-ordinary type of woman again. I am guessing that it will be somewhat like what she played in Lunch no Joou where her character had a mysterious past. As for her pairing-up with Matsujun, although they are not that far in terms of age, Takeuchi has been paired with older leading men most of the time and the fact that she's already a mother in real-life makes me feel a bit uneasy about how they would look as a couple onscreen. The story sounds interesting as well with Matsujun playing a not-popular actor in a family of actors who falls for Takeuchi after they meet under a strange situation. Hope that this drama wouldn't turn out to be one which promises a lot but delivers little.

Review of Sunao ni Narenakute

I have finally finished this drama.

By this statement, I don't mean that I derived satisfaction from watching the entire series. It's more of a relief that this drama is finally OVER. It's a wonder why I stuck to the end. On hindsight, I should have dropped it long ago. Sometimes, the decision to continue would pay off handsomely towards the end. However, Sunao ni Narenakute wasn't meant to be. I wasn't expecting much in the first place but even so, I was disappointed.

I have a lot of issues with this drama so if you have not started watching it or have not finished it, you may wish to skip this review. There are lots of spoilers from this point onwards so please be prepared.

First of all, despite SunaNare being touted to be a Twitter drama, it earned a lot of brickbats from Twitter users from Episode 1 because the scriptwriter obviously didn't know much about it and didn't integrate the application into the storyline at all. It isn't wrong to know little about Twitter. In fact, I have only started using it for a few months and cannot claim to be an expert in it. However, I think Kitagawa Eriko and the crew promised too much. SunaNare is not a Twitter drama. In fact, mention of Twitter is close to the point of non-existence. Towards the end, it would not have been a surprise if you forgot that the main characters knew one another through Twitter. The most obvious change was the fact that the characters' tweets were no longer displayed on the screen when there were voiceovers. And to make matters worse, the font and speed at which the tweets appeared made it difficult to read them. This made it difficult for SunaNare to live up to the expectations of viewers, especially those who use Twitter, who probably were expecting to see the application playing a more significant role in the leads' lives.

One unusual thing I found out about Twitter is that it seems to act as a GPS. If not for the location feature, Nakaji (Eita) would never have found Linda (Tamayama Tetsuji) who slashed his neck. The thing is, if someone never turned on his Twitter or did not use the feature, would others still be able to find him? I think the scriptwriter took for granted that Linda was on Twitter before he killed himself but I think it's too coincidental. Oh well, in dorama land, anything is possible. Then again, would Twitter give you such a detailed location in the first place? I would appreciate if anyone can advise me on this.

Besides all the controversies about Twitter, the script was what riled me the most. Kitagawa Eriko had churned out a couple of hit dramas in the 90s. However, we are in 2010 now. I still see many things which should have worked in the 90s but not now. The moving panel used in the opening credits, the aerial scenery of Tokyo along the Wangan area and some corny lines which should never appear in this era simply make me shudder. Why are such things still appearing in 2010? The cast and the story premise are supposed to be in sync with current trends! It feels as if Kitagawa is using her old style over and over again without feeling the need to be in sync with times.

There is also something which has been bugging me since the day when I started watching this drama. By assembling a cast of young actors playing young adults with hidden problems, is SunaNare trying to replicate the success of Last Friends? No doubt I've had my fair share of complaints about Last Friends but it was still a pretty good piece of work, mainly because of the good acting of everyone except Nagasawa and the engaging story. However, Juri + Eita this time doesn't work out to be a winning formula this time. In addition, their co-stars or should I say their characters simply don't shine. It's like seeing everyone go round in circles rather than having an impact on one another's lives in Last Friends. I cannot sense the strength of their friendships or the existence of a bond between them. And it doesn't look like they have been thoroughly frank with one another at the end of story. SunaNare goes one big circle to end up at the starting point. The part where Peach "fell" for Nakaji was especially hard to believe. I just felt that the scriptwriter had to get everyone romantically involved with one another because Peach wasn't in love with any of the guys right from the start. She just wanted to complicate things but this side development couldn't fit well into the story anyway.

I like seeing Juri + Eita together and they have a certain level of chemistry onscreen. Sad to say, the story was a let-down and caused them to end up producing superficial and forgettable performances in SunaNare. For heavens' sake, I hope they will choose something better next time, TOGETHER. I still can't forget how they always meet at the convenience store. It's just so old-school and is really corny. Nowadays, most dramas won't do such a thing. Jejung's first attempt at acting in a Japanese drama was passable (at least I can understand his Japanese better than a certain Miss Lin acting in a drama with a "moon" title) but it is difficult for me to like him because his character got on my nerves at times. Likewise for Seki Megumi and Tamayama Tetsuji, I've seen better stuff from them before so I'm unable to say that I like what they showed in this drama.

The ambiguous relationship between Nakaji's father and Haru's mother was really redundant as well. It gave a hint that something was wrong between them and suggested that Haru could have been half-siblings with Nakaji. Thank goodness, such an old-fashioned plot didn't materialise in the end. However, to see the scriptwriter toying with such an idea is also proof that she doesn't seem to be living in this era. This is something we see in trendy dramas of the 90s, not now! It's simply unbelievable to see that we are seeing old tricks being jumbled together and passed off as a story with new perspectives. Yeah, right!

Linda's death was another sore point for me. OK, right from the start, I already guessed that the person who locked himself/herself up in the toilet cubicle to commit suicide would be anyone other than Nakaji or Haru. The shocking thing wasn't the suicide. It was how they handled this development. Usually, we see such scenes depicted as wrist slashes but this time round, they chose to do something more sensational by slashing the neck's artery. It was kinda extreme to do that. And since Linda was saved, the viewers were led into believing that he would be alright. Suddenly, he ends up dead. Oh well, the scriptwriter doesn't think that she has a responsibility to spell out the reason? No explanation, no funeral and Linda is quickly forgotten. Frankly speaking, killing himself because he's gay and slept with his boss to get favours at work (not for his own benefit) seem rather hard to believe. Of course, we are aware that Linda's personality and background could be the main reasons why he had to go out of his way to help his friends. It did make him feel wanted and he was pleased at being able to do something good for his friends. However, are these reasons strong enough to make him want to kill himself? Is it because the scriptwriter wants Linda's death to be a catalyst to change things among these people? This again seems to coincide with the suicide of Nishikido Ryo's character in Last Friends as well.

With regards to the love triangle between Haru, Nakaji and Doctor, it is too draggy. Haru has never changed her feelings towards Nakaji, whether she's conscious of it or not. The fact that she has to make a conscious effort to convince herself that she loves Doctor already shows that. Nakaji's attitude towards Haru keeps changing while Doctor uses those old-school tricks to cheat Nakaji who actually believes those lies? That's really dumb and simply not something viewers will believe nowadays. I really dislike the fact that the scriptwriter is simply rehashing her own tricks and trying to package it as something new. In fact, nothing has changed, other than the appearance.

I didn't like the theme song and resent the fact that the volume of its intro goes up suddenly in the last few moments of each episode. Sometimes, the music made it difficult to hear the dialogue as well. As for the insert song, it didn't make a big impact on me as well. Fortunately, the opening theme "Great DJ" by The Ting Tings was the sole saving grace in the music aspect of this drama, especially the ballad version. It's very hip and gives the atmosphere a very uplifting feel.

And my ratings for this drama...
Story: 2 out of 10 (Read the above to know why...too many reasons to list)
Acting: 5 out of 10 (I think most of them were limited by their roles so those who should have performed well didn't)
Theme song: 3 out of 10 (Only one of three songs is to my liking)
Visual effects / Scenery: 3 out of 10 (Nothing particularly impressive to mention but I think the opening credits is a half-baked effort)
Teamwork / Chemistry: 3 out of 10 (There were some sparks of brilliance between Eita and Juri initially but as their characters drifted apart later in the story, there wasn't much left. The rest didn't really mesh well, also due to the script)

Total: 16 out of 50

This is one of the lowest-rated dramas I've watched recently. I'm sure there will be others who like this drama but personally, I don't think it's worth spending the time on. If you want to watch this, be prepared to overlook the illogical and old-school developments in the story. The cast members were not at their best due to the limitations of their roles so I think die-hard fans are likely to be disappointed as well.

Top 10 movies ranking (4 Jul 10)

1) Odoru Daisousasen THE MOVIE 3 Yatsura wo kaiho seyo!

2) Kokuhaku

3) The Extraodirnary Adventures of Adele Dry-White

4) Ironman 2

5) Sex And The City 2

6) Kamen Rider x Kamen Rider x Kamen Rider The Movie Chou Denou Trilogy EPISODE YELLOW

7) Outrage

8) The Book of Eli

9) Alice in Wonderland

10) Lost Crime

Top 10 movies ranking (27 Jun 10)

1) Kokuhaku

2) Kamen Rider x Kamen Rider x Kamen Rider THE MOVIE Chou Denou Trilogy / EPISODE YELLOW

3) Iron Man 2

4) Sex And The City 2

5) The Book of Eli

6) Outrage

7) Alice in Wonderland

8) FLOWERS

9) Kouko no Mesu

10) Matataki

Romaji lyrics of "don't cry anymore" by miwa (Theme song of Nakanai to Kimeta Hi)

Title: don't cry anymore
Artiste: miwa
Lyrics & Melody: miwa
Theme song of Nakanai to Kimeta Hi

giri giri datte hitori kiri datte
maketakunaino joudan janai wa
I don't cry anymore I don't cry anymore
donna toki demo nakanai kara

nukumori kanji nemuru to shiawase datta sore ga
eien ni tsuzuku to omotteta nanoni
doushite nandarou shinjiteta mono wa uso datta no
konna toki soba ni itekuretara ii no ni

furueru ashi de ima fumi dashitai yo

giri giri datte hitori kiri datte
maketakunaino joudan janai wa
I don't cry anymore I don't cry anymore
tsuyoku naranakya iikikaseteru
donna toki demo nakanai kara

doko wo sagashitemo watashi no ibasho ga mitsukaranai
koe ga kikitai yo honto wa aitai kedo

furi kaerazu ni aruite ikanakucha

giri giri datte kagayakitakute
watashi nara mada yareru hazu dawa
I don't cry anymore I don't cry anymore
namida koraete kao wo agetara
daijoubu dayotte tsubuyaite miru

nani wo shinjitara ii no kamo
wakaranakute mogaite mayotte
tsukamitai ima kanaetai
chiisana kono te ni takushite nigiri shimeru no

giri giri datte hitori kiri datte
maketakunaino joudan janai wa
I don't cry anymore I don't cry anymore
tsuyoku naranakya iikikaseteru

muri yari datte gamushara ni natte
ikite yukunda owari janai wa
I don't cry anymore I don't cry anymore
anata no koe wo omoi dashiteru
donna toki demo nakanai kara
itsuka kitto waraeru kara

Preview of JOKER Yurusarezaru Sousakan - Summer 2010

Title: JOKER Yurusarezaru Sousakan
Official website: here
O.A. Start Date: 13 July 2010
Timeslot: Tuesdays, 9pm
Cast: Sakai Masato, Nishikido Ryou, Anne, Hirayama Hiroyuki, Ryou, Oosugi Ren

Top 10 movies ranking (20 June 10)

1) Kokuhaku

2) Kamen Rider x Kamen Rider x Kamen Rider THE MOVIE Chou Denou Trilogy EPISODE YELLOW

3) Ironman 2

4) Sex And The City 2

5) The Book of Eli

6) Outrage

7) Alice in Wonderland

8) FLOWERS

9) Matataki

10) Kouko no Mesu

Preview of GOLD - Summer 2010

Title: GOLD
O.A. Start Date: 8 July 2010
Timeslot: Thursdays, 10pm
Scriptwriter: Nojima Shinji
Theme song: Wildflower by Superfly
Cast: Amami Yuki, Sorimachi Takashi, Nagasawa Masami, Terajima Susumu, Edo Harumi etc.
Official website: here

Review of Nakanai to Kimeta Hi

Among the winter 2010 offerings, I must admit that I didn't have high expectations of this drama at the beginning. What drew me to watch this was the theme: workplace bullying. There have been numerous dramas on bullying in schools but I don't remember any which focuses entirely on workplace bullying. Of course, there were many dramas which touched on this issue but they were most restricted to one-time events in the stories. Unlike the rest, Nakanai to Kimeta Hi promises to offer a more "updated" version of ijime and show us an heroine who can stand up to the challenge.

However, things did not go as well as I thought.

Pre-season summaries gave me the wrong idea or I had assumed too much. I was thinking that the storyline would go like this: newbie gets bullied, she refuses to bow down and would fight back, gets everyone on her side by the end. I was under the impression that the lead character Tsunoda Miki played Eikura Nana would be another tough nut like Tsukushi (Inoue Mao) in Hana Yori Dango. However, Tsunoda was weak, in fact too weak for my liking. I'm sure everyone has had enough of stories where the ones who get bullied wallow in self-pity and keep crying. That gets on my nerves. When someone bullies you, you make yourself stronger to stop anyone from being able to hurt you. That's what I firmly believe in. I never believe that crying solves anything. It's fine to cry if you want to let off steam but tears in the workplace definitely won't help. It only gives those bullies a reason to take advantage of your weakness.

When I saw the title which literally means "the day I decided not to cry", I expected this drama to show me something different from the norm. Although Tsunoda did toughen up at the end, it was far too late. Believe it or not, I was expecting to see her not crying anymore from an early stage in the story. Alas, I was disappointed. The enjoyment in watching such good vs. evil stories is seeing how the heroine gets back at those who bully her and the evil getting their just desserts. This part about Tsunoda striking back should have started in the middle of the drama. You don't need three-quarters of the story to show the impact of the bullying. It merely reinforces the impression that those bullies are only capable of deriving strength in numbers and can do nothing on their own.

In such bullying dramas, the pepertrators are usually potrayed in a sympathetic light. Something must have happened for them to behave this way. However, I can't bring myself to pity any of them. If there was a conflict of interest, if the heroine's presence was a threat to any of them, if the heroine had intended to hurt them in any way, at least this can convince the viewer that these people have an legitimate agenda or reason to bully the heroine. At least Tachibana Marika (Anne) was threatened by Tsunoda's presence because the latter was dating a man she loved. Moreover, the initial cause of the bullying was just something really petty: covering up one's mistake. The rest of the colleagues who had nothing to do with it at that point in time automatically go into bully-mode and start picking on the heroine? That just reeks of childish behaviour shown in school bullying and seems to suggest no matter where you go, bullying always has the same distinct trait of trouble arising from something small and being blown out of proporation as people gain strength in numbers and show that they are in the majority. It pins the blame on the person who cannot fit in. Coupled with a superior who jumps into conclusions and automatically believes that the seniors can never be wrong, it means that the heroine is stuck in a neverending spiral of trouble. In the end, Tsunoda can only depend on herself to strike back, with a little encouragement from Kirino (Fujiki Naohito). I don't think that Kirino had any feelings for Tsunoda, it's more of an understanding of her circumstances because he had to leave HQ for a long time possibly due to a similar situation. That's why he had the intention to make her more independent instead of only blaming the bullies for what happened.

One particular point in the ending which I didn't like was Nakahara forgiving his wife for what she had done. I guess he did have some feelings towards her or else he wouldn't have done this. Then again, for viewers who are looking for Marika to suffer for her wrongdoings, they will be very disappointed to know that she got her man, no matter what bad things she did.

I don't see enough of Eikura Nana's works to form an opinion of her performance. I think the last time I saw her was in Boku wa Imouto ni Koi wo Suru which was quite some years back. I was expecting her to show a tougher side of her character but she's still not convincing enough to show the contrast between the weak and strong sides. Although it appears that Tsunoda has gained confidence at the end of the story, I felt that it was more of others giving her the belief to carry on rather than Tsunoda herself changing her mindset. Hopefully, with the upcoming SP, she can show that Tsunoda has really changed, for the better.

Compared to Eikura, Anne's performance was more eye-catching. At least she showed a difference between the nice rich girl and evil scheming witch sides of Tachibana. It's just that she tends to get carried away when she plays the evil side especially the sniggering so I hope that she can get better with more exposure and practice.

Fujiki Naohito and Kimura Yoshino are back again TOGETHER. I couldn't finish their last drama Yakou no Kaidan because the story wasn't that appealing and I didn't like seeing Fujiki behaving like a gigolo. This time, he gets to play the cool, serious and a tad mysterious Kirino. It does remind me a bit of his days in Love Revolution. Frankly speaking, don't fix something if it ain't spoilt. If Fujiki is good at playing a cool professional, continue refining and strengthening your position in such roles. Sometimes, his choice of roles in an attempt to seek a breakthrough backfire. Not that he's not suited for comedies or other genres, I just feel that he didn't capitalise on his fame gained through Love Revolution and simply slipped into oblivion after that. As for Kimura Yoshino, does anyone also feel that she's getting too thin for her own good? I first noticed that she had lost a lot of weight when I watched Uta no Oniisan but this time, she seemed too haggard. Since it's been said that she will get married soon, hopefully she can do something about her image because it really makes her look sickly. If you are waiting for sparks to fly between their characters, you will be very disappointed. Other than the love triangle between Tsunoda, Nakahara (Kaname Jun) and Tachibana, romance is lacking in this drama.

One particular point of interest I discovered was the presence of Hasegawa Jun in the cast. He played that geek who was spying on Tsunoda with a hidden video cam. I remember seeing him during his Johnny's Juniors days but it's been quite some time since I heard anything from him. I'm no longer an avid Johnny's fan now, in fact I was never a fanatic. Just that I feel that the current generation of Johnny's guys aren't as good as before. By that I mean those after Arashi, you should know what I mean. Coming back to Hasegawa, he wasn't particularly eye-catching (at least I didn't recognise him until I checked the cast list) but in a way, that's good because people will not be prejudiced against him because of his background and will probably look at his performance in a fairer way. A lot of people immediately strike a JE artiste off just because of his background. There are some good actors in JE but their agency label can work against them at times.

Overall, if you are looking for something which isn't adapted from manga, anime or novel, this could be a refreshing change since you don't have any original works to form an impression on. If you are also prepared to overlook some of the clique developments in the story, this drama is still worth watching. Just don't expect too much.

And my ratings for this drama...
Story: 5 out of 10 (Keep your expectations manageable and you should be able to finish this)
Acting: 6.5 out of 10 (Hits and misses)
Theme song: 7 out of 10 (Easy to remember and lyrics fit the theme of the drama)
Visual effects / Scenery: 5 out of 10 (Most of the scenes are within the company.)
Teamwork / Chemistry: 4 out of 10 (Lacking in one way or another. There wasn't any pair which really got my attention.)

Total: 27.5 out of 50

Top 10 movies ranking (13 June 2010)

1) Kokuhaku

2) Ironman 2

3) Sex and the City 2

4) Outrage

5) Kamen Rider x Kamen Rider x Kamen Rider The Movie Chou Denou Trilogy / Episode Blue

6) Alice in Wonderland

7) Kouko no Mesu

8) FLOWERS

9) Prince of Persia

10) RAILWAYS

Top 10 movies ranking (6 June 10)

1) Kokuhaku

2) Kamen Rider x Kamen Rider x Kamen Rider The Movie Chou Denou Trilogy / Episode Blue Haken Imagine wa New Total

3) Sex and The City 2

4) Alice in Wonderland

5) Kouko no Mesu

6) Prince of Persia

7) Gekijoban Trick Chounoryokusha Battle Royale

8) RAILWAYS

9) Zatoichi The Last

10) Box!

Review of Zerogo Shitsu no Kyaku Ep 1 to 4 (The Guest in Room Zero)

This review is not about the entire drama since I finished the first four episodes only which made up the first story, "Akogare no Otoko" (The Desirable Guy). As to why I didn't continue with this series, the main reason lies in the story. However, before I get to that, allow me to go through the setting briefly.

There is this Western-style hotel named HOTEL POINT which has a special room called Room Zero. What's so special about this room is a machine which determines a person's worth by putting a strand of hair inside the receptacle. There are six groups of people who visit this hotel manned by a mysterious man and the stories begin after they get the assessment of their worth from the machine.

Although the idea of this drama is quite unique (at least on paper), the concept gets stale after some time. Luckily, each episode is just 10 minutes or I would not have even finished one episode. Personally, the predictability was what killed the enjoyment for me. It certainly doesn't take a genius to guess what's going to happen next.

In this story, Ohno Satoshi and Tanaka Miho are the main characters where he plays an elite salaryman Hiroyuki while she plays a hostess Miyuki. On the surface, most people would have assumed that Hiroyuki would be rated higher than Miyuki and they are a terribly-mismatched pair. And that's exactly what Hiroyuki was thinking when he brought Miyuki to Room Zero. He wanted to make use of this to show that they are incompatible and she doesn't deserve him. However, the results turn out to be contrary to what Hiroyuki expected. From then on, the truth unravels as to why he is ranked much lower than Miyuki who seems like a dimwit on the surface.

I expected that Hiroyuki was going to ranked lower or else the story wouldn't have been able to develop. However, the story is too simple and stretching it over four episodes is truly too much. Maybe it was the fact that the TV station changed leads for the drama on a monthly basis so they had to stick it out for four episodes. Actually, three episodes would have been enough to wrap out the whole story. Episode 1 gives us the premise and the rating result, episode 2 shows the conflict between both of them as they grapple with the results and episode 3 could be used as the ending. Too much of anything is not good. If they want to keep things short and sweet, make sure the story doesn't go around the bush.

Actually, what sparked my interest in watching this drama was Ohno. After Maou, I was hoping that he can do another "serious" drama to show that he can act. However, Uta no Oniisan, this drama and the current Kaibutsu-kun are not really what I want to see. Maybe it's the genre of the dramas which is not my cup of tea but I do think his talent is being under-utilised these days. He deserves a better script which will capture the attention of people like what he did in Maou. As for Tanaka Miho, I'm not that familiar with her other than the fact that she was romantically-linked to Oguri Shun. Besides this, I do remember that she's a model but I didn't know that she acts as well. Her role is not that appealing and memorable, as expected. Nonetheless, I think I can only judge whether her acting is good after I see another drama from her.

With regards to Yokoyama Yu, I just can't help but see a striking resemblance between his image here and Johnny Depp's image from Alice in Wonderland. No doubt this drama was released before the movie, I was wondering if it was that suit and the hat which caused me to feel this way. Anyway, since he's the narrator and hotel manager in the story, you will see a lot of him in this drama (I suppose so for the remaining stories as well). This will be good news for his fans. However, the narrations do get on my nerves because they sound more like preaching to me. Narrations aren't supposed to take centrestage in this drama but unfortunately, they did.

I am very reluctant to continue watching the other stories because of two reasons:

1) If the same cycle of events happen i.e. characters test their worth --> results differ from expectations --> conflict --> happily ever after?, I don't think I want to go through five more times of the same thing.

2) The remaining cast members aren't appealing to me. Essentially, all the main characters are played by Johnny Jimusho members. The problem is, I do not have any interest in their younger groups. By that, I mean groups who debuted after Arashi. If you are a Johnny's fan, you know which groups I'm referring to. As such, there are insufficient pull factors to draw me into continuing the drama. Sometimes, I do continue with dramas for the sake of certain cast members despite hating the story. In this case, I can't.

Since I didn't finish this drama, I'll refrain from rating it. I would have given ratings if I finished at least half of it. From now on, this will be my guiding principle for unfinished dramas. If you've watched this and find that this drama is not as bad as I think of, do drop me a comment. As to whether I can be convinced to continue, that remains to be seen. ^__^

Top 10 movies ranking (30 May 10)

1) Alice in Wonderland

2) Prince of Persia

3) Gekijoban TRICK Reinouryokusha Battle Royale

4) Kamen Rider x Kamen Rider x Kamen Rider THE MOVIE Chou Denou Trilogy Episode Red

5) RAILWAYS

6) Zatoichi THE LAST

7) Box

8) Nodame Cantabile Saishugakusho Gohen

9) Green Zone

10) Meitantei Conan Lost Ship

Top 10 movies ranking (23 May 10)

1) Alice in Wonderland

2) Kamen Rider x Kamen Rider x Kamen Rider THE MOVIE Chou Denou Trilogy EPISODE RED

3) Gekijoban TRICK Reinouryokusha Battle Royale

4) Green Zone

5) Box!

6) Meitantei Conan Lost Ship

7) Nodame Cantabile Saishugakusho Gohen

8) From Paris With Love

9) Clash of the Titans

10) Gekijoban Gintama

Top 10 movies ranking (16 May 10)

1) Alice in Wonderland

2) Gekijoban Trick Reinouryokusha Battle Royale

3) Green Zone

4) Nodame Cantabile Saishugakusho Gohen

5) Meitantei Conan Lost Ship

6) From Paris With Love

7) Gekijoban Gintama

8) Clash of the Titans

9) Crayon Shin-chan Arashi wo Yobu Ora no Hanayome

10) Shodo Girls!! Watashitachi no Koshien

Top 10 movies ranking (9 May 10)

1) Alice in Wonderland

2) Gekijouban Trick Reinouryokusha Battle Royale

3) Nodame Cantabile Saishugakusho Gohen

4) Meitantei Conan Lost Ship

5) Clash of the Titans

6) Gekijouban Gintama

7) Crayon Shin-chan Arashi wo Yobu Ora no Hanayome

8) Shutter Island

9) Yajima Biyoshitsu THE MOVIE Yume wo Tsukama Nevada

10) The Box

Preview of Trick Shinsaku SP 2

Title: Trick Shinsaku SP 2 (Trick New SP 2)
Official website: here
O.A. Date: 15 May 2010, 9pm
Theme song: Tsukirenka by Kumagai Ikumi
Cast; Nakama Yukie, Abe Hiroshi, Namase Katsuhisa, Nogiwa Yoko, Ikeda Tetsuhiro, Asano Yuuko, Tezuka Satomi, Minami, Aizawa Rina, Hamada Mari etc.

Preview of Keibuho Yabe Kenzou 警部補 矢部謙三

Title: Keibuho Yabe Kenzou
Official website: here
Timeslot: Fridays 11.15pm
O.A. Start Date: 9 April 2010
Theme song: Misako-chan by Kobayashi Taro
Cast: Namase Katsuhisa, Ikeda Tetsuhiro, Hara Mikie, Kanjiya Shihori, Suzuki Kosuke etc

Preview of Dousoukai ~ Love Again Shoukougun ~ 同窓会 ~ ラブアゲイン症候群 ~

Title: Dousoukai ~ Love Again Shoukougun ~ (Classmates Reunion ~ Love Again Syndrome)
Official website: here
Broadcast by: TV Asahi
Timeslot: Thursdays 9pm
Scriptwriter: Inoue Yumiko
Theme song: ex-lover by Sakai Ayumi
Cast: Kuroki Hitomi, Takahashi Katsunori, Mikami Hiroshi, Saito Yuki, Rokkaku Seiji, Omi Toshinori, Miyaji Masako, Suzuki Shogo, Sudo Risa, Nonami Maho etc.

Top 10 movies ranking (2 May 10)

1) Alice in Wonderland

2) Meitantei Conan Lost Ship

3) Nodame Cantabile Saishugakusho Kohen

4) Clash of the Titans

5) Crayon Shin-chan Arashi wo Yobu Ora no Hanayome

6) Gekijouban Gintama

7) Shutter Island

8) Yajima Biyoshitsu THE MOVIE Yume wo Tsukama Nevada

9) District 9

10) Tida Kankan Umi to Sango to Chiisana Kiseki

Preview of Rinjou 2

Title: Rinjou 2
Official website: here
Broadcast by: TV Asahi
Timeslot: Wednesdays, 9pm
Original novel by: Yokoyama Hideo
Cast: Uchino Masaaki, Takashima Masanobu, Matsushita Yuki, Watanabe Dai, Masuoka Toru, Kobayashi Katsuya, Ito Yuko, Kyono Kotomi

Preview of Kaibutsu-kun (Mr. Monster)

Title: Kaibutsu-kun
Official website: here
Broadcast by: NTV
O.A. Start Date: 17 April 2010
Timeslot: Saturdays 9pm
Theme song: Monster by Arashi (to be released on 19 May)
Cast: Ohno Satoshi, Kaga Takeshi, Yashima Norito, Ueshima Ryuhei, Che Hon Man, Matsuoka Masahiro, Inamori Izumi, Tsuda Kanji, Kawashima Umika etc.

Preview of Zettai Reido ~ Mikaiketsu Jiken Tokumei Sousa

Title: Zettain Reido ~ Mikaiketsu Jiken Tokumei Sousa (Absolute Zero ~ Special Investigation of Unsolved Cases)
Official website: here
Broadcast by: FujiTV
Timeslot: Tuesdays, 9pm
O.A. Start Date: 13 April 2010
Theme song: Dry Town ~ Theme of Zero ~ by Love Psychedelico
Cast: Ueto Aya, Miyasago Hiroyuki, Yamaguchi Sayaka, Maruyama Tomoki, Kitagawa Hiromi, Kimura Ryo, Sugimoto Tetta, Kitaji Kinya

Preview of Tsuki no Koibito ~ Moon Lovers ~

Title: Tsuki no Koibito ~ Moon Lovers ~
Official website: here
O.A. start date: 10 May 2010
Timeslot: Mondays, 9pm
Broadcast by: FujiTV
Original novel by: Michio Shuusuke
Scriptwriter: Asano Taeko
Cast: Kimura Takuya, Shinohara Ryoko, Lin Chi-ling, Matsuda Shota, Kitagawa Keiko, Watanabe Ikkei, Hamada Gaku, Nishiyama Maki, Mitsushima Hikari, Nakamura Yuri, Abe Tsuyoshi, Nagatsuka Kyozo

Preview of Team Batista 2 ~ General Rouge no Gaisen (The Victorious Return of General Rouge)

Title: Team Batista 2 ~ General Rouge no Gaisen
Produced by: KTV / FujiTV
Official website: here
Timeslot: Tuesdays, 10pm
Original novel by: Kaidou Takeru
Theme song: Ikutsu no Yoake wo Kazoetara by Matsuda Seiko


Cast:
Taguchi Kouhei - Ito Atsushi
Shiratori Keisuke - Nakamura Tooru
Izumi Haruka - Kato Ai
Sato Shinichi - Kinoshita Takayuki (TKO)
Kuriyama Yayoi - Asami Reina
Fujiwara Makoto - Natori Yuko
Hasegawa Takashi - Totsugi Shigeyuki
Hanafusa Miwa - Shiraishi Miho
Hayami Koichi - Nishijima Hidetoshi

Review of Majo Saiban (The Witch Trial)

Once again, my usual disclaimer. If you have not watched this drama, please refrain from reading this review if you wouldn't want to see the story developments and ending beforehand. I try to avoid spoilers when it comes to reviews but for dramas like this with a suspense element, it is difficult to talk about it without referring to the story. I seek your understanding in this regard.

First of all, this is not a new drama after all (in fact it was from the spring 2009 season) so you may be wondering why I finished this drama only today. The main reason was a lack of interest. Don't doubt what you are reading now because I did think of dumping this drama into the trashcan. Majo Saiban was really boring, especially in the first five episodes. And that makes it half of the drama. Why do I say so?

Majo Saiban's storyline was basically about a woman labelled as Majo (literally translated as evil woman) by the media being on trial for the alleged murder of her elderly lover. From then on, it seems like the scriptwriter had no idea where to go. As such, it resulted in an overly ambitious attempt to cover multi facades of the issue about having a jury system. To think that this script was written by someone who came out with other good dramas like OUT, Ningen no Shomei, Hyouheki and Maou? Hmm...what could have gone wrong here?

Majo Saiban had the critical weakness of having lesser airtime as compared to the regular season dramas. Each episode was shorter by at least 15 minutes than most regular episodes and we are looking at a difference of 150 minutes for 10 episodes. Given the limitations, it would have been good if the story stuck to a key plot and put less importance on the sub plots. Unfortunately, the scriptwriter seemed to have problems deciding which was more important. As such, the first part of the drama dwelt too much on the problem of the jury being threatened while the second part dived straight into the suspense part of whether the accused was indeed guilty. The stark contrast was hard to ignore.

Frankly speaking, I wasn't too interested to see how the jury was being threatened. For stories about the jury, the threats and bribery are constant fixtures which usually offer little excitement other than the fact that you can know which character has what type of secrets. That could have been discussed in full within one or two episodes. Instead, it dragged on and on until I decided that I had enough. That was why I stopped halfway for close to one year before I continued watching. Thankfully, the second part of the drama had a faster tempo so it kept me interested enough to finish the drama. I was already expecting Majo to be acquitted but I was more interested to see whether she was really the culprit. I've never believed her to be innocent but the story offered a surprise and did score in terms of showing how manipulative Majo can be.

One thing which I was always puzzled about is how brazen the so-called jury consultants were with their fairly open threats. I mean things like pasting photos at a public place is enough to attract lots of attention. Surely someone would have reported this to the police before the character sees it? OK, logic doesn't work in drama-land but it's just ridiculous at times when you think of it. And another thing is, how can the jury go running around like a detective and even try to meet the accused? From what I've read in John Grisham's books in the past, the jury in the U.S. are barred from going home during the trial and cannot contact anyone. Comparatively, the jury in Japan are easily subjected to harrassment and can do whatever they like? I think the drama doesn't offer an accurate depiction of what's going on in Japan. My advice is, take whatever you see as mere fiction. The whole trial proceedings feel like a joke to me especially when you see all these illogical things happening.

Much as the story offered a little bit of surprise at the end, I think two big questions still remain. Maybe the TV station wants to try that antic of making a SP someday but I thought it would have been good if these were answered. Firstly, after Toru (Ikuta Toma) knew that he was manipulated, what happened? I think most people would have been interested to know the change in Toru after the trial. Secondly, the burning question of how Izumi (Kato Ai) would react to her husband's true identity was left hanging in the air. I would really want to know how it develops from there. Too bad the ending offers no clues to these questions.

With regards to the cast, I have to say that most of them offered little surprises. Ikuta Toma's role wasn't that eyecatching while Kato Ai's character was too goody-two-shoes to make an impact. In my opinion, there are three actresses who were quite good despite the circumstances namely Ishida Yuriko, Kutsuna Shiori and Higa Manami.

1) Although the trial was centered on Majo, Ishida Yuriko did not have a lot of airtime. Nonetheless, she attracted attention each time she appeared. One moment, she could look gentle but she could change to a cold expression within seconds. It was obvious that she went without makeup for this role but she could still look relatively good which I think it's remarkable for her age. During the climax, action speaks louder than words. Looking at her expression speaks volumes, literally.

2) I didn't know much about Kutsuna Shiori until I watched Sotsu-Uta's first part. Actually, young actresses with this innocent and sweet look are aplenty in showbiz. I did think that she didn't have a distinctive feature to catch my eye. However, the last episode showed me that she had the potential to take on a scheming or baddie role. Hopefully, she can try various types of roles in future to make an impact.

3) Higa Manami was relatively new to me although I did see her in Code Blue. Now that's another drama I did not finish YET because of a similar problem with Majo Saiban. More on that if I do finish Code Blue one day. Anyway, Higa was very convincing when she showed her possessive side in trying to stop Izumi (Kato Ai) and her boyfriend Toru (Ikuta) from getting closer. Of course, she was just being jealous for nothing because she had been manipulated by Majo. Nonetheless, I thought she was good in showing the different sides of her character.

With regards to the theme song, it felt like a mismatch at times. Such dramas would probably need a high tempo number to build up the tension. Unfortunately, I didn't like Kesshin and it didn't leave a deep impression as well.

And my ratings for this drama...
Story: 5 out of 10 (If not for the small twist at the very end, I would have given this drama a fail score in this aspect)
Acting: 5 out of 10 (Some sparks here and there but I had expected more)
Theme song: 4 out of 10 (A misfit...nothing much to talk about)
Visual effects / Scenery: 5 out of 10 (What can you expect when most of the action is in the courtroom? So I won't give a failing score because this is something which cannot be helped.)
Teamwork / Chemistry: 2 out of 10 (Nothing particularly gripping or fascinating. Each character seems to be doing their own thing.)

Total: 21 out of 50

Conclusion: Even for hardcore fans of Ikuta Toma, I have reservations as to whether they can finish this because the drama doesn't really project him as someone who will make viewers swoon. If you are thinking of Toma like when he was in HanaKimi, get that idea out of your mind now. His character here is not as appealing as then. Get started from the middle if you only want to see the mystery unravelling. Otherwise, I doubt most people would have the interest to sit through this.

Top 10 movies ranking (25 April 10)

1) Alice in Wonderland

2) Meitantei Conan Lost Ship

3) Nodame Cantabile Saishugakusho Gohen

4) Gekijouban Gintama

5) Clash of the Titans

6) Crayon Shin-chan Arashi wo Yobu Ora no Hanayome

7) Shutter Island

8) Tidakankan Umi to Sango to Chiisana Kiseki

9) District 9

10) Darling wa Gaikokujin

Top 10 movies ranking (18 Apr 10)

1) Alice in Wonderland

2) Meitantei Conan Lost Ship

3) Nodame Cantabile Saishugakusho Gohen

4) Crayon Shin-chan Arashi wo Yobu Ora no Hanayome

5) Shutter Island

6) District 9

7) Darling wa Gaikokujin

8) Soranin

9) Puri Kyua All Stars DX2 Kibou no Hikari Rainbow Jewel wo Mamore!

10) Doraemon Nobita no Ningyo Daikaisen

Dorama World on Twitter

I have started a Twitter page for this blog to provide updates on new posts. Since I need some time to write a full review, I also wish to make use of Twitter to write down my thoughts after watching a movie or an episode of a drama. It will definitely help me to write a more comprehensive review rather having to rack my brains to remember what I watched weeks ago.

If you are interested in following my tweets, please access the link at the left of the blog.

As I'm relatively new to Twitter, please do give me your comments, suggestions or tips on how I may make full use of this service.

Top 10 movies ranking (11 Apr 10)

1) Shutter Island

2) District 9

3) Darling wa Gaikokujin

4) Doraemon Nobita no Ningyo Daikaisen

5) Sherlock Holmes

6) Avatar

7) Puri Kyua All Stars DX 2 Kibou no Hikari Rainbow Jewel wo Mamore

8) Nodame Cantabile Saishugakusho Zenpen

9) Soranin

10) Liar Game The Final Stage

Theme song of "Sunao ni Narenakute" to be sung by WEAVER

The theme song of FujiTV spring 2010 drama, "Sunao ni Narenakute" will be sung by piano rock band WEAVER. The band which consists of three members and made their debut last autumn, will be singing the theme song, "Hard to say I love you ~ Ii dasenakute ~" which is due to be released on 9 June. The fast tempo number will be produced by Tokyo Jihen's Kameda Seiji.

Source: Sports Hochi

Preview of NHK Saturday 9pm drama: CHASE ~ Kokuzei Sasatsukan チェイス~国税査察官～

Title: CHASE ~ Kokuzei Sasatsukan ~ (CHASE ~ National Tax Investigation Officer)
O.A. Start Date: 17 April 2010
Timeslot: Saturdays 9pm
Number of episodes: 6
Broadcast by: NHK
Cast: Eguchi Yosuke, ARATA, Asou Kumiko, Kimura Tae, Saito Takumi, Tanaka Kei, Mizuno Erina, Kinoshita Houka, Machida Mari, Ishibashi Renji, Sato Jiro, Ishiguro Hideo, Iwamatsu Ryo, Hirata Mitsuru, Okuda Eiji, Masuoka Toru, Nakamura Katsuo
Official website: here

You have the right to hate the world あなたには、この世界を憎む権利がある

Preview of Spring 2010 drama: Mother

Title: Mother
Broadcast by: NTV
O.A. Start Date: 14 April 2010
Timeslot: Wednesdays 10pm
Theme song: Nakigao Smile by hinaco
Music by: REMEDIOS
Scriptwriter: Sakamoto Yuji
Cast: Matsuyuki Yasuko, Yamamoto Koji, Sakai Wakana, Kurashina Kana, Ashida Mana (child actor), Ono Machiko, Ichikawa Miwako, Oto Takuma, Tanaka Minoru, Ayano Go, Kawamura Yosuke, Takahata Atsuko, Tanaka Yuko
Official website: here

Story:

Suzuhara Nao (Matsuyuki Yasuko), a woman in her mid-30s who has no boyfriend and is only concerned with her research on migratory birds. However, when her research laboratory in an Muroran university (Hokkaido) shuts down suddenly, she is forced to work as a science teacher in a primary school.

One day, Nao is appointed as the form teacher for a primary one class as their original form teacher has gone on maternity leave. She takes notice of Michiki Reina (Ashida Mana) who doesn't fit in with her classmates and seems to see through Nao's mind despite her young age. Although Nao feels helpless when dealing with Reina, the latter starts to admire her.

Nao starts to realise that Reina has been physically abused by her family members but chooses to adopt a wait-and-see attitude towards the matter. However, something happens which changes Nao's mind and she decides to abduct Reina. The two of them then flee to another place where they will live as mother and daughter...

Spring 2010 Drama Preview - Shinzanmono 新参者 (The Newcomer)

Title: Shinzanmono (The Newcomer)
O.A. Start Date: 18 April 2010
Timeslot: Sundays, 9pm
Broadcast by: TBS
Original novel by: Higashino Keigo
Theme song: Machi Monogatari (Story of the Street) by Yamashita Tatsuro
Cast: Abe Hiroshi, Kuroki Meisa, Mukai Osamu, Mizobata Junpei, Kimura Yuichi, Izumiya Shigeru, Sasano Takashi, Harada Mieko, Miura Tomokazu, Kagawa Teruyuki, Ichihara Etsuko, Kobayashi Takashi, An
Official website: here

Story:

Shinzanmono ~ a newcomer to an organisation or neighbourhood

Kaga Kyoichiro (Abe Hiroshi) is a police detective who has just been transferred from the Nerima Police Station to Nihonbashi Police Station. He has solved numerous difficult cases and has a keen eye on detail. In order to know the Ningyo-cho neighbourhood well, he walks around the area while attracting attention as a newcomer.

At the start of his stint, a murder occurs. Mitsui Mineko (Harada Mieko) was also a newcomer to the Nihonbashi area as she had just moved in alone to an apartment. However, there is something mysterious about her death as she had shifted house with a hidden agenda...

The police discovers a namecard of Takura Shinichi (Kagawa Teruyuki), a salesman, who's known for being a nice and hardworking person. However, he has no alibi to prove his innocence during the 30 minutes when Mineko was supposedly killed. In addition, a family selling senbei in the neighbourhood shopping street becomes the key to solving the mystery surrounding Mineko's murder.

Top 10 movies ranking (28 Mar 10)

1) Doraemon Nobita no Ningyo Daikaisen

2) Puri Kyua All Stars DX2 Kibou no Hikari Rainbow Jewel wo Mamore

3) Sherlock Holmes

4) Liar Game The Final Stage

5) Avatar

6) Cirque Du Freak The Vampire's Assistant

7) NINE

8) G-Force

9) The Hurt Locker

10) Dare ka ga Watashi ni Kiss wo Shita

Preview of Spring 2010 drama: Sunao ni Narenakute 素直になれなくて

Title: Sunao ni Narenakute (I Can't Be Frank)
Official Website: here
Produced by: FujiTV
Timeslot: Thursdays 10pm
Scriptwriter: Kitagawa Eriko
Cast: Ueno Juri, Eita, Jejung, Seki Megumi, Tamayama Tetsuji, Yoshikawa Koji, Kinami Haruka, Watanabe Eri, Igawa Haruka, Fubuki Jun




I want to be an adult...but I can't do it perfectly.
I want to chase after my dream...but I can't achieve it.
I want to be frank...but I'm shy.
Am I still young? Or have I long passed the youthful stage?
I do not know where I belong.


Eita plays an newbie cameraman Nakaji who comes to know Haru, a part-time teacher at a private senior high school, through Twitter. Eventually, he comes to fall for Haru who treats him with disdain because she thinks that he's too frivolous. Haru's best friend Piichi (Seki Megumi) is in the midst of an affair with her married boss. Jejung plays Doctor who is pressurized to meet sales targets while Tamayama Tetsuji plays Linda, the leader of the group who is actually suffering from erectile dysfunction (ED).

Top 10 movies ranking (21 Mar 10)

1) Doraemon Nobita no Ningyo Daikaisen

2) Puri Kyua All Stars DX2 Kibou no Hikari Rainbow Jewel wo Mamore

3) Sherlock Holmes

4) Liar Game The Final Stage

5) Avatar

6) NINE

7) Cirque Du Freak The Vampire's Assistant

8) G-Force

9) The Hurt Locker

10) Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning

FujiTV Spring 2010 drama - Tsuki no Koibito ~ Moon Lovers ~

Shinohara Ryoko will be making her return in the FujiTV Spring 2010 drama "Tsuki no Koibito ~ Moon Lovers" which stars Kimura Takuya. This is Shinohara's first appearance in a drama since she went on a maternity break in 2008. Besides her, Kimura will also be romantically involved with Taiwanese model-actress Lin Chi-ling and Kitagawa Keiko in the drama.

Kimura plays the president of a company in the interior design industry who gets involved in a web of relationships with the three actresses and Matsuda Shota. Shinohara plays an interior designer who has been holding a torch for Kimura's role since they were in university. Matsuda will play Kimura's subordinate who can speak Mandarin with a secret ambition. Kitagawa will play a rich girl who works as a model and gets close to Kimura's character with a motive. Meanwhile, Lin will play a confidante of Kimura.

This will be Kimura and Shinohara's first collaboration in 13 years since they last worked on the 1997 drama Gift.

2010's Top 10 graduation songs (Oricon)

1) Sangatsu Kokonoka by Remioromen

2) Sotsugyo Shashin by Matsutoya Yumi

3) Okuru Kotoba by Kaientai

4) Sakura by Moriyama Naotaro

5) my graduation by SPEED

6) Tabidachi no Hi ni by Various Artistes

7) Sotsugyo by Ozaki Yutaka

8) Sakura by Kobukuro

9) Michi by Exile

10) YELL by Ikimonogakari

NHK Saturday 9pm drama "Tetsu no Hone" 鉄の骨 (The Backbone of Metal)

Koike Teppei will be starring in his first lead role for the NHK Saturday 9pm drama "Tetsu no Hone" which begins its run on 3 July 2010. This is also the first time which he is acting in a NHK drama.

Koike plays a young salaryman. Tomijima Heita who has been working in a construction company for the past 3 years. However, when he transfers from the construction site to work in the sales department, he has to resort to bid-rigging in order to help the company survive in the harsh economic climate. The story is based on a novel by Ikeido Jun which depicts how construction companies strive to keep afloat in the midst of tighter regulations since 2005. Fellow cast members include Toyohara Kosuke, Usuda Asami, Cunning Takeyama, Nakamura Atsuo and Jinnai Takanori. The drama will span 5 episodes, starting from 3 July.

Top 10 movies ranking (14 Mar 10)

1) Doraemon Nobita no Ningyo Daikaisen

2) Sherlock Holmes

3) Liar Game The Final Stage

4) Avatar

5) Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief

6) The Hurt Locker

7) Did you hear about the Morgans?

8) The Princess And The Frog

9) Hana no Ato

10) Otouto

The 33rd Nippon Academy Awards

Best Movie: Shizumanu Taiyo

Best Animation Film: Summer Wars

Best Director: Kimura Daisaku (Tsurugidake Ten no Ki)

Best Script: Nishikawa Miwa (Dear Doctor)

Best Leading Actor: Watanabe Ken (Shizumanu Taiyo)

Best Leading Actress: Matsu Takako (Villon no Tsuma ~ Sakuranbo to Tanpopo)

Best Supporting Actor: Kagawa Teruyuki (Tsurugidake Ten no Ki)

Best Supporting Actress: Yo Kimiko (Dear Doctor)

Best Foreign Film: Gran Torino

Top 10 movies ranking (28 Feb 10)

1) Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief

2) Avatar

3) Oceans

4) Saru Lock The MOVIE

5) Otouto

6) Gekijouban Keroro Gunsou Tanjou! Kyuukyoku Keroro Kiseki no Jikuujima de arimasu!!

7) Ningen Shikkaku

8) It's Complicated

9) Suzumiya Haruhi no Shissou

10) Koushonin THE MOVIE