Musings of the Obsessive Kind

Nothing is as good as a good jdrama, so favorite jdramas are my favorite dramas of all.

I did a Top Jdramas list some time ago, with reasons and vids, but time to update. Why? Well, for one, current dramas number 3-5 weren't even on the list then, because I haven't seen them.

Same rules as earlier apply: it’s all about which are my favorite jdramas? And why? Here is the list of my favorite dozen, with reasons, vids, and pics. Note: no drama that I haven't finished completely is on this list, because who knows how it will turn out. Beautiful Life might end up on the list once I have enough courage to finish it, but am not done yet. Also, I have a 'favorite scene' from each drama, and I described it very briefly, if at all, to make it as unspoilery as possible.

( List behind cut, with reasons, caps and vids )

Nothing is as good as a good jdrama, so favorite jdramas are my favorite dramas of all.

I did a Top Jdramas list some time ago, with reasons and vids, but time to update. Why? Well, for one, current dramas number 3-5 weren't even on the list then, because I haven't seen them.

Same rules as earlier apply: it’s all about which are my favorite jdramas? And why? Here is the list of my favorite dozen, with reasons, vids, and pics. Note: no drama that I haven't finished completely is on this list, because who knows how it will turn out. Beautiful Life might end up on the list once I have enough courage to finish it, but am not done yet. Also, I have a 'favorite scene' from each drama, and I described it very briefly, if at all, to make it as unspoilery as possible.

( List behind cut, with reasons, caps and vids )

Finished Bara No Na Hanaya.

*sniffle sob big sappy grin glee*

( Spoilers )

Still a little sniffly from the end of The Devil, I popped in Bara No Nai Hanaya, on my flight back. Before I knew it, I was on episode seven, and addicted like no tomorrow.

BNNH is a Japanese drama that came out earlier in the year, and took my flist by storm. It was not a drama I ever planned to check out: I had a lot of other dramas at the time, I have never seen Katori Shingo (the male lead) in anything, so had no predisposition to check it out for his sake, and the story description (single-father florist falls for blind lady) sounded so twee and sweet as to give me cavities. And when I want a 'pure' romance, I usually go for kdramas, anyway.

And yet, it kept popping on my flist, with people as different in their drama tastes as filmi_girl and nihongofrancais, and everybody else, loving it. And I read some fascinating spoilers, too. So...BNNH it was. And now? Unless the quality mysteriously nose-dives in the last eps, this is going on my all-time fave jdramas list, and that plot description? While not incorrect? Really tells you nothing about the drama.

So yeah, BNNH. Katorii Shingo plays Eiji, a florist who is also raising an eight-year-old daughter, Shizuku (the amazing, adorable Yagi Yuki). Eiji is a quiet, unassuming man full of kindness, but his life begins to take a complete U-turn after he meets Mio (Takeuchi Yuko), a blind woman who moves into the neighborhood. As Eiji begins to open his heart to yet another person, he does not know that Mio is part of an elaborate plan conceived to wreck him mentally, emotionally, and financially, a part of elaborate scheme of revenge...

First off, I love Katori Shingo! All I knew of him going in was that he is in the same group as Kimura Takuya, and that I've never seen him in anything. He is simply excellent. I posted in my meta about The Devil that it is hard to portray pure goodness and not seem trite, or cloying, or ridiculous, but Eiji is good. He is incredibly good and gentle, in both the smallest of ways, and in the most giant ones, and yet he comes across as a real person, and likeable, and someone you feel enormously for. Eiji is basically my new drama boyfriend. And not just because I've gotten to the age where to see a scruffy man interact with a little kid automatically makes me fluttery. It doesn't hurt that not only is he age-appropriate, he looks like he eats.

( The rest is under cut as is spoilery through ep 7 )

( Some caps from ep 1 )

Still a little sniffly from the end of The Devil, I popped in Bara No Nai Hanaya, on my flight back. Before I knew it, I was on episode seven, and addicted like no tomorrow.

BNNH is a Japanese drama that came out earlier in the year, and took my flist by storm. It was not a drama I ever planned to check out: I had a lot of other dramas at the time, I have never seen Katori Shingo (the male lead) in anything, so had no predisposition to check it out for his sake, and the story description (single-father florist falls for blind lady) sounded so twee and sweet as to give me cavities. And when I want a 'pure' romance, I usually go for kdramas, anyway.

And yet, it kept popping on my flist, with people as different in their drama tastes as filmi_girl and nihongofrancais, and everybody else, loving it. And I read some fascinating spoilers, too. So...BNNH it was. And now? Unless the quality mysteriously nose-dives in the last eps, this is going on my all-time fave jdramas list, and that plot description? While not incorrect? Really tells you nothing about the drama.

So yeah, BNNH. Katorii Shingo plays Eiji, a florist who is also raising an eight-year-old daughter, Shizuku (the amazing, adorable Yagi Yuki). Eiji is a quiet, unassuming man full of kindness, but his life begins to take a complete U-turn after he meets Mio (Takeuchi Yuko), a blind woman who moves into the neighborhood. As Eiji begins to open his heart to yet another person, he does not know that Mio is part of an elaborate plan conceived to wreck him mentally, emotionally, and financially, a part of elaborate scheme of revenge...

First off, I love Katori Shingo! All I knew of him going in was that he is in the same group as Kimura Takuya, and that I've never seen him in anything. He is simply excellent. I posted in my meta about The Devil that it is hard to portray pure goodness and not seem trite, or cloying, or ridiculous, but Eiji is good. He is incredibly good and gentle, in both the smallest of ways, and in the most giant ones, and yet he comes across as a real person, and likeable, and someone you feel enormously for. Eiji is basically my new drama boyfriend. And not just because I've gotten to the age where to see a scruffy man interact with a little kid automatically makes me fluttery. It doesn't hurt that not only is he age-appropriate, he looks like he eats.

( The rest is under cut as is spoilery through ep 7 )

( Some caps from ep 1 )

I didn't get much further into Winter Sonata because filmi_girl came over last night and we ended up watching more Mars. Still love it, after all the rewatches. ( Spoiler through ep 13 )

I have to say, I sort of squee to see how much taller he is. When they hug (or make out, there is a make-out scene! In a twdrama!!!) she is totally enveloped. Heck, his hands are almost as big as her head :P

In other news, is anyone else excited about the upcoming Strongest Chil Woo?



It's a fusion sageuk (i.e. a period kdrama which is not eighty billion eps and is not a straight period historical thing) in which Eric Mun plays a lowly government official who is, in secret, a highly-powered and trained assassin. Goo Hye Sun (the female lead in The King and I) plays his OTP, a young woman from a noble family who, due to various hardships, ends up losing her status and becoming a palace maid.

Reasons for anticipation?

1. Every fusion sageuk I've seen, I have loved: Legend, Damo, Hong Gil Dong, Capital Scandal (though is CS too 'modern' to qualify as a sageuk?).

2. I have only seen Eric in Que Sera Sera but he totally rocked my socks there (or whatever the phrase is). He is GOOD at intense. And messed-up. Also, he is super-hot.

3. The OTP in this one is supposed to have "a tragic romance."

4. SWORDS. ASSASSINS.

5. Prettiness:



In yet other news, apparently Powerful Opponents has still, as of ep 8 (i.e. at the halfway point!) not made clear who the heroine would end up with, thus prompting an almost unheard of phenomenon in dorama world: shipper sniping. Usually, since you know from ep 1 who will end up with whom, that is the one weirdness we do not get. I'll be dissapointed whoever she picks, because I will be sad for the other one! I mean, it would be awesome with President's Son because he is so dorky and adorable and messed-up and it would be so fun to see her straighten him out and it would be awesome to see her with Gwan Pil because he is all so smouldery and reserved and when they practice together sparks fly. And so...I think she should be cloned!

Oh, and when I get home, if I feel like angstiness, I will be watching Bara No Nai Hanaya, but it not, it's finishing 1 pould no Fukuin. I mean, how much cuter can you go than Kame as a boxer with his OTP a Nun at an orphanage!

Or maybe, I'll watch the BBC romcom fun that The Student Prince promises to be.

Synopsis:

The Queen's youngest son (Rupert Penry-Jones) is off to university, mainly because "I'm hopeless at anything else". Barry (Robson Green), his new bodyguard, has no time for the royal family and left school at fifteen. He certainly didn't volunteer for this job, and is damned if he's going to enjoy it. Yet he can't help liking the hopelessly unworldly young prince, at least, until they both set their eyes on the new American student (Tara Fitzgerald).

RPJ and RG in the same show? I am set.

*no spoilers in this post*

When I first heard about Bara no Nai Hanaya, the currently airing jdrama starring Katori Shingo, Yuko Tekeuchi, and Matsuda Shota, I didn't have too much interest. I adored Yuko in Pride and I always enjoy Matsuda Shota's hotness, and I have never seen KS in anything but I approve of male leads who are over thirty on principle (plus, he is in the same band as Kimura Takuya so I am bound to like him by association :P).

But still, a story about a single father who owns a flower shop and falls for a blind girl didn't really seem like my bag. It sounded like the kind of story that is much better done by a kdrama (the only genuine unbound melodrama that I've seen jdramas make that really worked for me was Kamisama Mou Sukoshi Dake) or a heart-warming-life-affirming type of story I don't care much for.

So basically, my late winter/early spring slate was already full and so chances of me checking it out were pretty slim.

But then it started popping up everywhere on my flist and people were really liking it. And even better, I was reading posts on it (yes, even the ones that said 'don't read these spoilers you don't want to know until you finish ep blankety-blank.' especially those) and was shocked to discover it was like nothing I thought it was before, but was dark and twisty and revenge-driven and manipulative and messed-up and not what is seems. There was one particular spoiler that made me go 'whoa' and guess what?

I have started watching this now.

LOVE.

LOVE

LOVE

Anyway, I found two MVs for this drama, one shippy, one not. I suppose the shippy one is rather spoilery.

( MVs )

All I know, this drama better have a more cheerful ending than Karei Naru Ichizoku. I still need to send my therapy bills for that one to someone.

*no spoilers in this post*

When I first heard about Bara no Nai Hanaya, the currently airing jdrama starring Katori Shingo, Yuko Tekeuchi, and Matsuda Shota, I didn't have too much interest. I adored Yuko in Pride and I always enjoy Matsuda Shota's hotness, and I have never seen KS in anything but I approve of male leads who are over thirty on principle (plus, he is in the same band as Kimura Takuya so I am bound to like him by association :P).

But still, a story about a single father who owns a flower shop and falls for a blind girl didn't really seem like my bag. It sounded like the kind of story that is much better done by a kdrama (the only genuine unbound melodrama that I've seen jdramas make that really worked for me was Kamisama Mou Sukoshi Dake) or a heart-warming-life-affirming type of story I don't care much for.

So basically, my late winter/early spring slate was already full and so chances of me checking it out were pretty slim.

But then it started popping up everywhere on my flist and people were really liking it. And even better, I was reading posts on it (yes, even the ones that said 'don't read these spoilers you don't want to know until you finish ep blankety-blank.' especially those) and was shocked to discover it was like nothing I thought it was before, but was dark and twisty and revenge-driven and manipulative and messed-up and not what is seems. There was one particular spoiler that made me go 'whoa' and guess what?

I have started watching this now.

LOVE.

LOVE

LOVE

Anyway, I found two MVs for this drama, one shippy, one not. I suppose the shippy one is rather spoilery.

( MVs )

All I know, this drama better have a more cheerful ending than Karei Naru Ichizoku. I still need to send my therapy bills for that one to someone.