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dangermousieI have finished watching Precipice and it was brilliant. And I finally watched In My Time of Dying and it was brilliant as well. I have lengthy meta on both, but for now I want to talk about something else.
Something that is the best thing in the whole world. In fact, I've decided TV was invented so I could see this. Actually I think eyes were created so one day I could watch this.
What am I talking about?![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
klmorgan came over and we watched the first three episodes of Kamisama Mou Sukoshi Dake. Otherwise known as the best thing to ever come out of Japan, even beating sushi, nifty electronics and the whole idea of bishounen.
Why? Are you kidding? It's twelve hours of Takeshi Kaneshiro angst. I repeat, it's twelve hours of Takeshi Kaneshiro angst. Sure, sure you can get your Takeshi fix AND keep your 'I am an intellectual' banner proudly up by watching Chungking Express or similar. But who are we kidding? Do we really want to see Takeshi munch on pineapple in a lonely fashion when we can see him running in a wet white shirt on the beach, so full of emo he collapses in the sand, as we ogle his gorgeousness?
And not only is it Takeshi angst, it's Takeshi angst in leather pants. It's Takeshi french kissing some nameless extra (lucky woman). It's Takeshi being emo and angsty and lonely and frozen and slowly coming back to life only to find out that the girl who is causing this thaw has AIDS. It's the heroine hugging a puppy in the rain. It's Takeshi wiping the heroine's tears with his hands (something I am a huge sucker for). It's night-time phone calls and a hot sex scene or two. What more can one want?
The plot involves Masaki, a high school girl who wants a ticket to Takeshi (Keigo, a composer) concert so badly she has a one night stand for it. With a guy, who I might add, has no chin, and gets HIV as a result. I mean, girl, I get Takeshi worship, I really do. But is he worth getting a deadly disease for? Not really. Especially with Mr. No Chin. And then she and Takeshi meet and fall in love and angst follows...
Anyway, there are so many wonderful things about this drama. It's as if TPTB sat around and decided what will make me happy and then combined it into one drama.
First off, let's start with the credits. And what credits they are. I have never seen such blatant and delicious fanservice. They feature Takeshi. Running. In slow motion. On the beach. Barefoot. In the sand. Wearing black dress pants and a white shirt. And then he angsts. And then it starts to rain. And then he collapses in the water. These credits are perfection. There are also shots of our female lead, but do we really care?
On a rather more serious note, I really like the whole 'two very alienated people' thing. She fails to really feel alive. Part of the reason she has that paid date is because she really doesn't care about anything, including her body. She really grows up after her night with Keigo though she doesn't really expect to see him again. But it makes her feel at least something is happening, something matters.
And he is so alienated (and not just because of the sunglasses he wears) he doesn't care about anything much, including his music, any more. His previous gf died from something it seems. And of course he's frozen inside and ahhhh, the irony, he is learning to love again with a girl who is dying. He must have been a serial killer in his past life. But yes, he is literally balancing on a ledge, considering whether to jump off. That's certainly something.
And yet, how indicative, when he thinks he might have AIDS, he freaks. But let's go back to the beginning.
I love how she sees him in his car and runs after in the pouring rain. And he picks her up and he is expecting to have another night of fun meaningless groupie sex. But her naive, spontaneous fun (she is really like a kitten. She stands on her hands. Even when she invites him for sex she goes 'You can come at me from any direction!' Heh.) and her insistence that no, his songs mean something and etc etc, break through his protective shell. Love the bit with her hugging him. And then she leaves in the morning and she writes him a note thanking him and saying she knew that the whole 'I picked you out of 2000 girls at the show' was a line and she doesn't care. And I think that also gets his attention (she is gone when he wakes up). And he fishes her number out of a waste bin she threw it in.
And when he comes back from the tour, he calls her. OMG. There was squeeing in the house. And she arranges to meet him and is all happy but she gets tests (long story) and she finds out she has HIV (and ohhh, the symbolism with her dropped flowers that he finds and picks up).
And then she stands him up and he is puzzled and hurt and mad (and I bet it hasn't happened before) etc etc. And you can tell through how this develops through the three eps and their interactions is that somehow, she hooked him and he can't let go. He is the one who calls her. He even gets her address (from the fan club, heeeee).
And you can tell, he wants to get to know her and hang out with her etc etc. So then comes the scene where she tells him she has HIV (she figured she got it from chinless guy. Duh. He was the hideous one). And he freezes. And OMG the angst on his face as she runs off. SO GOOD.
And he doesn't want to get tested but he does and she talks to him on the phone and she tells him she wishes he was positive because she is so alone and frightened. And it's such a horrible thing to say but so understandable. But of course he's OK though I love when she comes over to his house he tries to hide the results as a consideration thing.
And she is being ostracized at school and he is the only one she can talk to. And the thing is, I think part of the reason he handles it better is because he is older. And he tells her she can come by any time or call him at any time and we get a lovely reversal of the earlier scene where he holds her. And she is sobbing and he is wiping her tears away with his fingers and Oh. My. Guh.
Interestingly, normally I'd notice the age difference (she is 17, he is at some point in his 20s) but here it doesn't even occur to me or bug me or anything. Maybe because the whole interaction feels somehow mature. They have a level playing field. I may feel she is less experienced in some ways, but neither Takeshi's character nor I percieve her as a child nor is there a power imbalance in the relationship.
Btw, his character must have a closet full of leather pants. And that's a good thing.
Something that is the best thing in the whole world. In fact, I've decided TV was invented so I could see this. Actually I think eyes were created so one day I could watch this.
What am I talking about?
klmorgan came over and we watched the first three episodes of Kamisama Mou Sukoshi Dake. Otherwise known as the best thing to ever come out of Japan, even beating sushi, nifty electronics and the whole idea of bishounen. Why? Are you kidding? It's twelve hours of Takeshi Kaneshiro angst. I repeat, it's twelve hours of Takeshi Kaneshiro angst. Sure, sure you can get your Takeshi fix AND keep your 'I am an intellectual' banner proudly up by watching Chungking Express or similar. But who are we kidding? Do we really want to see Takeshi munch on pineapple in a lonely fashion when we can see him running in a wet white shirt on the beach, so full of emo he collapses in the sand, as we ogle his gorgeousness?
And not only is it Takeshi angst, it's Takeshi angst in leather pants. It's Takeshi french kissing some nameless extra (lucky woman). It's Takeshi being emo and angsty and lonely and frozen and slowly coming back to life only to find out that the girl who is causing this thaw has AIDS. It's the heroine hugging a puppy in the rain. It's Takeshi wiping the heroine's tears with his hands (something I am a huge sucker for). It's night-time phone calls and a hot sex scene or two. What more can one want?
The plot involves Masaki, a high school girl who wants a ticket to Takeshi (Keigo, a composer) concert so badly she has a one night stand for it. With a guy, who I might add, has no chin, and gets HIV as a result. I mean, girl, I get Takeshi worship, I really do. But is he worth getting a deadly disease for? Not really. Especially with Mr. No Chin. And then she and Takeshi meet and fall in love and angst follows...
Anyway, there are so many wonderful things about this drama. It's as if TPTB sat around and decided what will make me happy and then combined it into one drama.
First off, let's start with the credits. And what credits they are. I have never seen such blatant and delicious fanservice. They feature Takeshi. Running. In slow motion. On the beach. Barefoot. In the sand. Wearing black dress pants and a white shirt. And then he angsts. And then it starts to rain. And then he collapses in the water. These credits are perfection. There are also shots of our female lead, but do we really care?
On a rather more serious note, I really like the whole 'two very alienated people' thing. She fails to really feel alive. Part of the reason she has that paid date is because she really doesn't care about anything, including her body. She really grows up after her night with Keigo though she doesn't really expect to see him again. But it makes her feel at least something is happening, something matters.
And he is so alienated (and not just because of the sunglasses he wears) he doesn't care about anything much, including his music, any more. His previous gf died from something it seems. And of course he's frozen inside and ahhhh, the irony, he is learning to love again with a girl who is dying. He must have been a serial killer in his past life. But yes, he is literally balancing on a ledge, considering whether to jump off. That's certainly something.
And yet, how indicative, when he thinks he might have AIDS, he freaks. But let's go back to the beginning.
I love how she sees him in his car and runs after in the pouring rain. And he picks her up and he is expecting to have another night of fun meaningless groupie sex. But her naive, spontaneous fun (she is really like a kitten. She stands on her hands. Even when she invites him for sex she goes 'You can come at me from any direction!' Heh.) and her insistence that no, his songs mean something and etc etc, break through his protective shell. Love the bit with her hugging him. And then she leaves in the morning and she writes him a note thanking him and saying she knew that the whole 'I picked you out of 2000 girls at the show' was a line and she doesn't care. And I think that also gets his attention (she is gone when he wakes up). And he fishes her number out of a waste bin she threw it in.
And when he comes back from the tour, he calls her. OMG. There was squeeing in the house. And she arranges to meet him and is all happy but she gets tests (long story) and she finds out she has HIV (and ohhh, the symbolism with her dropped flowers that he finds and picks up).
And then she stands him up and he is puzzled and hurt and mad (and I bet it hasn't happened before) etc etc. And you can tell through how this develops through the three eps and their interactions is that somehow, she hooked him and he can't let go. He is the one who calls her. He even gets her address (from the fan club, heeeee).
And you can tell, he wants to get to know her and hang out with her etc etc. So then comes the scene where she tells him she has HIV (she figured she got it from chinless guy. Duh. He was the hideous one). And he freezes. And OMG the angst on his face as she runs off. SO GOOD.
And he doesn't want to get tested but he does and she talks to him on the phone and she tells him she wishes he was positive because she is so alone and frightened. And it's such a horrible thing to say but so understandable. But of course he's OK though I love when she comes over to his house he tries to hide the results as a consideration thing.
And she is being ostracized at school and he is the only one she can talk to. And the thing is, I think part of the reason he handles it better is because he is older. And he tells her she can come by any time or call him at any time and we get a lovely reversal of the earlier scene where he holds her. And she is sobbing and he is wiping her tears away with his fingers and Oh. My. Guh.
Interestingly, normally I'd notice the age difference (she is 17, he is at some point in his 20s) but here it doesn't even occur to me or bug me or anything. Maybe because the whole interaction feels somehow mature. They have a level playing field. I may feel she is less experienced in some ways, but neither Takeshi's character nor I percieve her as a child nor is there a power imbalance in the relationship.
Btw, his character must have a closet full of leather pants. And that's a good thing.
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no subject
Date: 2006-10-09 05:16 am (UTC)This drama is not Kamisama Mou Sukoshi Dake, rather Kamisama Mou Takeshi Kaneshiro onegaishimasu, hahaha.
no subject
Date: 2006-10-09 04:34 pm (UTC)I love ALTK credits with the gun, but this just might beat them.
I didn't know she was only 16. Wow.
This drama is not Kamisama Mou Sukoshi Dake, rather Kamisama Mou Takeshi Kaneshiro onegaishimasu, hahaha. </i< Heck yeah.
no subject
Date: 2006-10-09 05:22 am (UTC)I think KMSD is in that genre of things that I like to watch if I feel like bursting into tears for some reason. There are certain Korean movies that I watch for that reason too. XD
no subject
Date: 2006-10-09 04:32 pm (UTC)But how pretty is Takeshi? And the leather pants
Oh yes. I forgive the fashion designers of HYD because of the genius of the fashion designer of this drama :)
Takeshi's English is really excellent (there's an episode where you find out just how good his English is), which is why I'm surprised that he's not more famous here.
On a more serious note, I think it's because he is Asian. Basically, Hollywood likes its leading men and women to be white (with minor exceptions for African Americans). And not only white, but able to pass for white Americans (ergo Australians and British do OK with the faking of the accents and Italians and French not so much). So basically, any Chinese, Japanese, or Korean actors, whatever their level of English, unless they are in a certain subgenre (like Jackie Chan, but even then it's success to a limited degree only) aren't going to get anywhere. That's true for Indian actors too. I watch a lot of Bollywood and most of them speak excellent English. But I'd be shocked if any of them got well known here. With the exception of someone like Aishwarya Rai, of course, who fits a certain 'exptic beauty' niche and also can succeed but to a limited extent.
I don't necessarily think it's awful. A culture is entitled to want to watch who it wants to watch (I wouldn't expect Indians or Japanese to have a lot of White or Black actors), but it does limit the diversity and also is problematic because it's underrrepresentative. Japan might not have a large White or Black population, but US certainly has a sizeable Asian one, but it rarely if ever gets represented on screen.
OK, that's a heck of a digression in a post that started on Takeshi's leather pants.
no subject
Date: 2006-10-10 03:02 am (UTC)Eveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeer.
no subject
Date: 2006-10-10 03:23 am (UTC)