All aboard for Mukodono!!!!!!

[dangermousie]

I am in love!!!!!!!

OMG.

I have just started jdrama Mukodono (2001) starring Nagase Tomoya (who is he and what else has he been in. LOVE) and Takeuchi Yuko (who with this, Pride, and Bara No Na Hanaya is becoming my gsve jdrama actress ever).

Mukodono is the funniest cutest drama I've seen in a long time!

Nagase Tomoya plays Sakuraba Yuichiro, a super-popular, super-cool and super-sexy pop idol. Men get haircuts to look like him and women swoon by the dozen. But Yuichiro has a secret or two. Yuichiro is secretly married which could devastate his fans and end his career!!!!! (Which is, from my admittedly limited exposure to jpop is not a drama exaggeration). Not only that, but the real Yuichiro is hardly the icy-sexy image he projects to the public, but is instead a total dork, who even lives with his wife's family.

Cute shippy MV:

(sorry some of these are blurry, my dl isn't the greatest).

Poor little SY just became an orphan in the prologue:



But luckily, he has been able to channel his childhood trauma into pop idol pain.









He is also kind to beseiging fans:



He is interviewed and adored and comes across as very 'polished'... So fake-profound, the way celebrities are.



FTW!







More fake profundity.





LOL:



But! In the privacy of his manager's office, he is a total dork!





He goes to meet his girl on the dorkiest scooter imaginable!





And I sort of melt...





Crrrredits.







Flashback.

First meeting was when she came into his hospital room by mistake! And didn't recognize him either. He is smitten...













Seriously. So dorky, so cute!







He even takes dorktastic pics for her.



Quite a difference:



He is fantasizing/remembering their kiss :)





And they spend their dates playing chess inside his apartment (when they go outside he has to wear a motorcycle helmet, so this is easier). And the most adorable proposal follows...

















Puppy!!!





She says YES!









And then I had to go to bed...


So, what else has Nagase Tomoya has been in. And I see he is a member of TOKIO. Are they as eye-searing as the other Johnny's bands?

I am on a 30 hour flight this week (and 30 more hours on way back) so I am going to load up on jdramas because I am on a jdrama kick. I will take this, Long Love Letter, Million Stars, KKK 2003, Byakuyu, Pride (for rewatch), Love Story, Love 2000, Regatta, Dragonzakura and some other ones I need to think about (maybe Tattakoi for rewatch). I'd burn Iriyu Medical Dragon but I have no time. And probably 9 Ins 2 Outs for kdrama and My Lucky Star for twdrama if I feel like something else than a jdrama. Mmmm.

Comments

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

Mukodono is darling, though I thinkthey kept it going longer than it needed to go.

The only other thing I've seen him in is My Boss, My Hero, which is awesome and kind of a reverse Gokusen. He's also in Utahime and Tger & Dragon, which I plan to see.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

I really want to watch MBMH, it sounds like crack.

Also, I checked out GalCir and LOVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

GalCir is essentially Gokusen, only with a very very very fake cowboy and Shibuya Gals instead of a yakuza heiress and hoodlums.

MBMH is great, great fun.

[kitsune714.livejournal.com]

Yay, Mukodono!

I've had Mukodono on every drama pimp post I've ever done, in hopes that someone will watch it and love it as much as I do, and finally, I've succeeded! Nagase Tomoya was my first j-idol crush, and Takeuchi Yuko is adorable in this. This drama's got a great blend of comedy and romance and angst and it's really very enjoyable. I can't wait to read all your thoughts!

Also, I totally vote for a THnK rewatch. ;)

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

I am so going for a rewatch of THNK.

Mukodono is totally adorable. A lot of 'funny' jdramas are hit and miss with me (I must be the only jdrama fan to be indifferent to Nodame Cantabile) but this is a rare one that works. And it makes me giggle AND sniffle, at the same time.

[darkeyedwolf.livejournal.com]

OH MY GOD. How much time do you have? I can ramble about Nagase all day. In fact, I already have. TOKIO is amazing and very Johnny's, but they're actually a band, instruments and all, and half the members are or have been in committed relationships (Yamaguchi is married with a baby! eeeee!) so it's a very manly adult vibe unlike younger idols.

Nagase's been in over thirty dramas, so take your pick, really. Have you seen Utahime? I think the angst will be right up your alley. :D

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

I am totally shocked that they play their instruments. Isn't being a proper musician a Johnnys disqualifier? :P

I have just read spoilers for Utahime ending and oh my. Want. Now. Grabby. Hands.

[seven-trees.livejournal.com]

Yeah, he's a hot slice of beefcake, isn't he? I think I saw a few eps of this a while ago but got sidetracked. I HAVE seen him in My Boss, My hero, which is probably the only non-romantic drama that I adore to bits.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

He is quite yummy. And tall! Which is sort of a rarity in jdrama world.

[seven-trees.livejournal.com]

And also, he's-what do you call it?- manly looking. Another rarity in the jdrama world.

[walkwithheroes.livejournal.com]

I love Mukodono 2001. It really is so well done and the main couple is adorkable. My Boss, My Hero is a relly wonderful comdey. Actually, he's done a lot of really wonderful dramas throughout his career.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

M2001 is so adorable. The more I watch, the more I love.

[thinking-lotus.livejournal.com]

mmmmm. Nagase. Tokio's leader is like 50 or something, so definitely an adult vibe. They have a lot of charm and don't sparkle too much.

Where are you going that it takes 30 hours? Kazakhstan?

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Yay, no sparkle! *is sparkling allergic*

Nope, not Kazakhstan, but the opposite side of the world from where I am now :)

[grey-fuzzy.livejournal.com]

Nagase Tomoya is incredible! His style is a bit similar from one drama to another, I find, but he's really hilarious and gorgeous. I've never even heard of Mukodono, which is surprising considering the casting ( Takeuchi Yuko <3), but I'll definitely give it a try. My other favorites with Nagase are: Utahime (<333!), Ikebukuro West Gate Park, My Boss My Hero and Big Money. Seriously, Utahime with Nagase was the best. He handled his role so perfectly-- his character was the perfect mix of funny and serious, making the drama poignant where it could have easily been trite.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Mukodono is awesome, I really recommend (there are apparently 2, stick with 2001 which is the one I am watching, it's supposed to be better).

And am so watching Utahime.

[salimbol.livejournal.com]

I second (or probably third or fourth) the nomination for My Boss, My Hero for the pure crack it contains. We laughed ourselves stupid when we watched it :-).

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Yay!

[shewhohashope.livejournal.com]

I'm joining the Nagase love-train!

Watch My Boss, My Hero (see icon), Utahime, and Tiger and Dragon, and IWGP.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

I will watch all of them.

[akosikae.livejournal.com]

Not about above post, sorry. I know you love Bollywood based on posts I've seen and I wonder if you've read Cheta Bhagat's One Night at the Call Centre? It has been made into a movie, Hello. If you haven't then this is just a heads up. You might be interested.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Yay! Haven't read the book but want to see the movie. Thanks!

[vierran45.livejournal.com]

I second (third?) the recommendation for Utahime. I just finished it last week and it was WONDERFUL! I've also seen one episode of Tiger & Dragon and it looked like fun (in addition to Nagase Tomoya, it has Okada Junichi as well).

I also have My Boss, My Hero and Ikebukuro West Gate Park waiting, but haven't checked them out yet. I think I need to add Mukodono to my list of things to watch at some point :).

I also like TOKIO's music and Nagase's appearances on various shows are always hilarious!

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

I want to see Utahime so badly! EEE!

[moonbyrd.livejournal.com]

You MUST watch Tiger & Dragon. Nagase plays a yakuza who wants to be a comedian! And Okada Junichi (of V6) is his fail-tastic best friend!

TOKIO are AMAZING, srsly. If you haven't poked through the TOKIO starter kit, you should do that now.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

I am sold of T&D. I don't have to know about this traditional comedy form, right?

[ladysaotome.livejournal.com]

I've been meaning to watch this forever (I've had the first few episodes downloaded for months) - now it sounds so cute it's bumping to the top of the list!

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Yay! It's awesome. Just make sure you got the 2001 version.