#aragaki yui
Hello, it’s been a little while! I’ve been keeping up with Sota’s blog and it looks like there are only staff updates about TV Appearances. He is probably extremely busy with [Strobe Edge] promotions, so when he does update us, I will be right onto translating!
I present to you today, my recommendations of “Seishun Eiga”s which typically describes the High School Romance genre. Because many dramas / movies are based on manga in Japan, the Japanese theater greatly embraces Seishun Eigas. It’s almost a “stepping stone” for rising actors / actresses to be a part of these dramas / movies.
First up!
Bokura ga Ita Zenpen & Kohen (2012): This 2 part movie (Zenpen- 1st part, Kohen- 2nd part) chronicles the 10-year love life of Yano Motoharu (Ikuta Toma) and Nanami Takahashi (Yoshitaka Yuriko). I know it sounds really draggy and boring making two movies about one pair, but this one does a fantastic job. Bokura ga Ita is one of the few movies that I felt developed the characters, their feelings, and the different events that shape the characters in a touching manner. Yano made my heart soooo happy I watched the movie 8 times.
Hanamizuki (2010): This one is a slightly older one and fair to say that it was the first batch of Seishun Eigas. Again, this chronicles the 10-year love life of a couple, Sae Hirasawa (Yui Aragaki) and Kouhei Kiuchi (Ikuta Toma). This movie completely tackles a different setting from Bokura ga Ita, so rest assured that these first two are not the same story.
Kimi ni Todoke (2010): Another one of the first gen Seishun Eigas. This one is about a handsome & popular boy, Shota Kazehaya (Haruma Miura), who falls in love with a girl, Sawako Kuronuma (Mikako Tabe), who is bullied by the class. Kazehaya brings Kuronuma out of her shell, and the rest is history.
Kiyoku, Yawaku (2013): A fairly new one. This one is about two characters, Kanna Seto (Masami Nagasawa) and Roku Akazawa (Masaki Okada) who have lost a significant person in their life as they struggle to carry on with life and eventually love again. TBH, I watched it because of Masaki Okada, and thought it was a well-done movie.
High School Debut (2011): I was like ??? while watching this movie because it was sooooo manga-like silly & hilarious. Haruna Nagashima (Ito Ono) wants to find a boyfriend in high school because she had devoted her entire middle school life to softball. You Komiyama (Junpei Mizobata) is a popular upperclassman who ends up mentoring Nagashima, but instead, falls in love with her.
Sukitte ii na yo (2014): SUPER recent movie. The storyline is a little bit similar to Kimi ni Todoke, as a popular boy at school, Yamato Kurosawa (Sota Fukushi), brings a bullied girl, Mei Tachibana (Haruna Kawaguchi), out of her shell. Even though the underlying theme is the same, this one develops the female character greatly and chronicles her journey as she is coming out of her shell and really learns about loving another person. After watching “Kyou wa Kaisha Yasumimasu”, I went straight to this movie to see Sota Fukushi. Didn’t disappoint me at all. <3
Some others I haven’t watched yet: Koizora,Halfway,Boku no Hatsu Koi o Kimi ni Sasagu,Tada kimi wo Aishiteru.
Will be doing one for top dramas I’ve watched throughout my years of jdrama experience soon (this one shall be extremely hard….)!
Christina xxx
Post link
OKITEGAMI KYOKO NO BIBOROKU
EPISODE 10 ( Final Episode )
This drama shows the scenes of how Kyoko was deceived by the man who claimed to be his husband. As showed, the man was not his husband but a guy who wanted to take revenge on her by taking away her life of becoming a private detective as Okitegami Kyoko.
Due to Yakusuke’s persistence to talk to Kyoko and know her current whereabouts as a “married woman”, Kyoko became curious as to who he really is and using her detective instincts, began to investigate the man who claim to be her husband.
By not sleeping in 3 days, she was able to know that the man was not good at all. Claiming that at that day, there will be a Sunaga fan event, Kyoko run away from the man and began to search for Yakusuke which she then ended up in his house and contacting him. There, he was able to also get hold onto Yakusuke’s memorandum about her and was able to read it. There, she found out for the first time, the journey that she actually had with Yakusuke. Realizing that what she wanted is that kind of her that was written in Yakusuke’s memorandum.
On the other hand, Yakusuke was able to found her and keep her in a safe place away from the man who had bad intentions on her. There, Kyoko said that she doesn’t want to sleep because she doesn’t want to forget him. Yakusuke on the other hand, promise to still keep her and remind her of him everyday assuring Kyoko that he will always be together and that she can leisurely sleep.
The ending shows Kyoko still not remembering Yakusuke but as promised, he always still appear in front of her.
Am I the only one who thinks that this drama NEEDS to have a second season? I mean, we still doesn’t know the identity of the person who wrote the words on her room ceiling. Still doesn’t know how her memory began to reset. And still more to know as to how will Yakusuke and Kyoko’s relationship progress.
I really love Masaki and Yui’s chemistry. I think that this drama needs more attention from the viewers. Anyway, can’t wait for more! <3
Post link
Weakest Beast (Ep 10)
Akira finally snaps and reaches her limits that she quits her toxic job.
Despite several attempts to make her boss understands that how he manages his employees is wrong, with unreasonable expectations and demands, which caused a high turnover rate and bad reviews online, he remains stubborn and still blames his employees for their incompetence.
Post link
Weakest Beast (Ep 10)
To those who just got laid off or quit a job, it’s not you, it’s them.
Just because your skills are no longer needed there or you have difficulty fitting in that company, doesn’t mean you’re not needed or can’t fit elsewhere.
There are thousands of companies, there will surely be one suitable for you.
Your job is not your life, your job is a part of your life.
The downside to having your job as your life is that when you lose it, you lose yourself and your identity, making you question your self-worth.
Post link
Weakest Beast (Ep 9)
Kosei is blackmailed into conducting fraudulent accounting to hide an embezzlement but decided against it even though it cost him his career which he had spent years building it up diligently, working long hours. If was too much for him to handle that he attempted to commit suicide, until Akira arrives.
Akira caught him trying to do something stupid and decide to talk it out when Kosei realizes Akira is losing her job as well and is shocked to learn from her toxic boss that she is replaceable despite all the responsibilities accumulated over the years which almost led her to commit suicide at the train station.
Kosei saved Akira’s life and now Akira saved Kosei’s.
The thing about rebound relationship is that it usually starts not because of love but loneliness. Both suffered a heartbreak from their respective relationship and is at the lowest point of their lives where they lose their jobs or even themselves so they don’t want to be in pain alone.
They need someone with a similar shared life experience to share their issues with as no one else knows what they’re going through but them. Like in this drama, both Kosei and Akira wanted someone they both couldn’t have, they both lost their career and they’re both alone, lost, confused and in pain.
Post link
Weakest Beast (Ep 9)
After years of enduring her toxic job for money to pay her monthly rent and other necessities, doing jobs that are not even hers, getting yelled at, Akira finally snaps at work after she had enough of her micro-management, perfectionist and toxic boss way of treating her and her co-workers.
All the employees hated working there but stayed because they needed the money to survive in expensive Tokyo, and none dare to raise their voices. Unfortunately, such things are common in Asia where the cost of living are soaring and the jobs that are good for your mental health doesn’t pay much.
Post link
Weakest Beast (Ep 9)
Akari is a good natured “people pleaser” who has a habit of helping others even if cost her own wellbeing that she feels helpless when she is unable to help.
Kosei is a skeptic and jaded person who is weary of people’s behaviours and believes others will make of use of you if you show your weakness to them.
Ultimately, life is about balance. There are times you can help, there are times you have to help yourself first. Unfortunately, we are terrible at balancing.
Post link
Weakest Beast (Ep 9)
You can be in a relationship and still feel alone because you’re not comfortable being who you are now since you’ve changed for the sake of your partner.
You can be single and not feel alone because you can be yourself while attracting the right people in your life who accepts you for who you are.
Post link
Weakest Beast (Ep 9)
Difference between a love relationship and a rebound relationship is that in love relationship, one might have to lose himself or herself in search of being someone that is accepted and loved by the other.
In rebound relationship, there is no expectations, you can be yourself, say whatever you want and do whatever you want at any time, without offending or hurting the other because there is no commitment.
Post link
Weakest Beast (Ep 8)
When you need more manpower but no one wants to work at your toxic company because of all the bad reviews posted by an unhappy employee.
Post link
Weakest Beast (Ep 8)
This is probably the first J-drama that I have difficulty watching, because of this annoying character named, Shuri. She refuses to work and remains unemployed for five years while being a freeloader at her boyfriend’s house.
Even after they break up, she refuses to leave and her boyfriend still pays for expenses while she laze around all day playing games, not wanting to work like everyone else, as having to step out and work for others is a hassle.
The least she could do is a take a flexible part time job, maybe at a games or comics store since she love them so much, but to not even put in any effort or try at all and expecting her life to just change for the better is insane.
It gets more frustrating seeing her hating her boyfriend’s new girlfriend, Akira, who works her butts off in a toxic company where she end up doing all the work due to incompetent colleagues who always have excuses to avoid work.
And constantly getting yelled at by her boss despite being such a reliable company secretary who is becoming more than just a secretary doing other people’s job and getting spammed day and night about work matters.
Akira reached a breaking point several times wanting to quit or even commit suicide at the train station, getting drunk, while struggling to accept the fact that her boyfriend’s ex (Shuri) is still living with him (how do you think Akira feels?)
And Shuri got the nerve to say Akira’s life is going so smoothly without a hitch, calling her a showoff who tries too hard to be nice and liked by everyone, when Akira is just trying to stay positive despite all the shit that’s going on in her life.
So watching this scene of Shuri getting told by Kosei (Akira’s friend) who have a habit of telling things straight as it is, is really satisfying. He’s like “do you really think that you’re the only one here who is going through shit in life?”
Post link
