Ruling by the sword. And hotness.

[dangermousie]

Much as I adore Korean sageuks and Chinese period dramas, I confess that their Japanese equivalents, taigas, are more miss than hit with me (I have enjoyed Yoshitsune and what I've seen of Fuurin Kazan, which I plan to watch properly asap). I find the pace often glacial, the lack of women a big weakness (I can deal with a male-centric drama - I adore Three Kingdoms 2010 - but it has to be pretty amazing to compensate), and the stories themselves often lose me.



This said, I am not missing Taira no Kiyomori for any money. First of all, there is the topic - the struggle for power between the titular character and Minamoto no Yoshimoto (the father of the famous Yoshitsune and his equally famous brother Yoritomo who became the first Minamoto shogun).

And then there is the cast. Ahhh, the cast. In addition to Matsuyama Kenichi, who plays Kiyomori, Tamaki Hiroshi (!!!!!!!!) plays Yoshimoto. Fujiki Naohito (!!!!!!!) plays Sato Norikiyo (a warrior who became a monk and poet) and Matsuda Shota (!!!!!!) plays Go-Shirakawa-tennou (that's the Emperor, to you commoners. Clearly he inherited through hotness).

If there ever was a cast designed to get me to check out a taiga, this is it. I assume that means they will be concentrating on the protagonists' younger, hotter days :P

It is set to premiere in January 2012. Cannot wait!

Comments

[mookiehyun.livejournal.com]

This is also a must see for me! The GUYS! ALL of them! OMGggg! I used to watch every Taiga, now an ep a wk for a
yr is my worst torture imaginable esp if invested.

[(Anonymous)]

I actually opened a tab with this post first and the picture of Kenichi Matusyama caught my attention for a minute but then I got distracted by something else (tad ADD here) and then when I turned around again...who do I see sitting next to him?! TAMAKI HIROSHI!!!!..then I read the subtext..and MATSUDA SHOTA too?!!!...now I'm screwed..not a big sageuk fan, though I do like some, haven;t watched any wuxia or taiga in my life....plus only 1 ep a week??!!!...this is gonna kill me...but it also looks like the best XMAS 2011 present evah!!!..now how am I supposed to wait till January ??

[jennyhime.livejournal.com]

I read about this when it was announced, there are always big press conferences for morning dramas and Taigan in Japan.
I do think the female cast will be overshadowed in this case because of hotness overload.
Gou has been a huge let down even though it's made by the same people that did Atsuhime, it was interesting because it was set at the end of the shogunate and the lead character was female.

[issy-chan.livejournal.com]

I am NOT going to miss this too. most of guys are in my most favourite J-actors list so it's a must watch.
ps. I enjoyed Yoshitsune too. Tacky was SOOOO Yuuummmy.

[sisterjune.livejournal.com]

MATSUKEEEN <3 I love Matsuda and Tamaki as well but unfortunately there is just too many men for me in this drama. I need ladies! In general Taigas are really boring to me as well, no matter how many hot guys are in it I never feel tempted to watch one. I will be watching tempest though with nakama yukie, i dont know that it counts as a true taiga since its only 10 eps but its set a few centuries ago so its like taiga lite.

[doozy05.livejournal.com]

When I read that you're gonna watch this for the cast, I scrolled up to take a closer look at the photo and was like, "omg, is that.... Tamaki?! AND Fujiki?! Whoa whoa whoa!" So yes to all your exclamation marks!

Taigas are usually long, aren't they? Do you know how many episodes for this one?

[paatriiing.livejournal.com]

Dang, what a cast!! I can't say I'm even remotely familiar with the historical premise but all that gorgeous in one cast is very very tempting :Q___

Also, have you not watched Ikemen Desu Ne ep 4?? (I am clearly very very obsessed if I am nagging recappers to recap :x)

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

I have, and have caps, I just haven't had time to post about it.

Short version - so effing cute and ohhhhh poor Mio and her heartbroken face and that song was amazing and Ren is so puzzled poor woobie.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

I know - a whole year is insane. Even Jumong didn't run for year and that one was a monster.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

I know! But just think of all those hot men angsting in armor :)

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

I meant to check out Atsuhime - any good?

Matsuda Shota keeps picking up awesome projects!

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Mmmm, Takki is period gear. But then Takki in anything = mmmmm. The man needs a new drama STAT.

Are you watching anything this season btw?

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

I'd love to watch Tempest but the subs seem to be d.o.a. Are they out there somewhere?

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

This is 50 eps, and at one ep a year - yeah.

But I don't care! Think of all those gorgeous awesome men with swords!

[spazzy06.livejournal.com]

What a ridiculously good cast.

I hope someone subs it.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

I am sure with all those guys in it, someone will.

[sisterjune.livejournal.com]

nope i havent found any subs for tempest either :(

[jennyhime.livejournal.com]

I enjoyed Atsuhime, strong women and all. And it's set in a interesting time period, the fall of the shogunate and the emperor getting back to power.
Aoi Miyazaki is super adorable and I enjoed her portrayal of Princess Atsu.

[jennyhime.livejournal.com]

Maybe you should try Atsuhime, it's more women centered and it was really good.

[moraitika1.livejournal.com]

After watching tons of kdramas and deciding that tw dramas aren't my thing I invaded jdrama world
thank you for your post about best jdramas
I discovered Kimura Takuya Oh Lord He's a DRAMA QUEEN
so I loved to bits Long Vacation and Pride(Long Vacation is my Number ONE jdrama ever :D it replaced Kimi wa petto if don't make a mistake KWP quoted LV and even Buzzer Beat has quotes from it)
so far in latest 3 weeks I've seen
Deka Wanko - loved the crazy and cute
Shiawase ni Narou yo with Kuroki Meisa and Katori Shingo - he is good as an actor but he's not Kimutaku
Misaki Number one- I had the sensation that Karina is older than she really is
Hero (+SP+movie)
Long Vacation WAW soooo gooood
MR BRAIN - seen it twice coz with this one I corrupted even Mr Moraitika - he laughed at his way to transform scientists to monkeys and Gokusen herself as villain was delightful
Pride yuuummm - loved that he never forced her to do smth for him-even the waiting thing her previous loved did-he never asked to be her first or last... woman do ya thing if u want no question asked - against his own desires
Tomorrow's Joe (this is a movie but you know how much I love my Yamapi fix) I want him in a drama like yesterday but counting that Kimutak slated a drama for October I doubt that I'll see Pi in a drama this Autumn... so my bet is winter or spring

I love how Kimutaku acts but I wanted a new obsession and he is not it... at least Pi level obsession if not as much as my OCD for No Min Woo or Kim Nam Gil... ohh well someone else? I'm searching for a new obsession coz my NMW obsession faded away with Midas, Lee Min Ho is good but not that good and Yoo Seung Ho is too young

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

I adore Fujiki Naohito and Matsuda Shota and Tamaki Hiroshi and Matsujun and Kame.

Have you tried Love Shuffle? It's my favorite jdrama of all time. I also love Itoshi Kimi E and Utahime and Aishiteiru to Ittekure and Smile and Rondo and Tokyo Wankei and Taiyou no Uta etc

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

[moraitika1.livejournal.com]

I forgot about Control with Fujiki Naohito... 3 days for 11 eps drama was kinda long.. they advertise it as police + romance and I couldn't see the romance thing

I try to watch now Majo No Jouken aka Forbidden love with Takizawa Hideaki and Matsushima Nanako but looks too similar with my work... in an annoying way (the kids really piss me off and her reaction at them even more so my hair went up to the sky while watching the first ep)

Tamaki Hiroshi was perfect in Nodame Cantabile and I tried to watch him in smthelse but I read the synopsis of Love Shuffle and didn't appeal to me

Itoshi Kimi E one eye has like 16+ dioptres ... do u think I could watch that without nightmares for the next 2 years?

Utahime sounds interesting... it's on my list :D

Aishiteiru to Ittekure Can u hear my heart???

Smile? lawyer drama not my thing but I keep it as good to watch... Hero was fun coz of the cases
MatsuJun? was my thing only in Kimi Wa Petto :D I should finish Natsu no Koi wa Nijiiro ni Kagayaku with Takeuchi Yuko from Pride :D
Natsu no Koi has all the ingredients that usually I love but this time the blend didn't work for me. ( I love older girl younger guy in any form u serve it to me... but I like to believe them... it only works if I believe the story ... c'mon I'm the person who can ship Yoo Seung Ho with any sexy noona around him... Seo Woo or Shin Hyun Bin - both 7 years older than him. I just can't ship YSH with me - this is the only problem )

Rondo? Takenouchi Yutaka looked so yuummmm in Long Vacation but Choi Ji Woo.. she has to work for my heart :D

Tokyo Wankei kinda makjang isn't it? but sounds intereeeeeesting

another problem of mine : the name Sato Jiro pops up in every drama I check on wiki addicts he always has a secondary role in a very good drama.C'mon ppl he is the only extra available?