rec me a jdrama

[meganbmoore]

 So, I started dramas with jdramas, particularly the comedies, and as a result, I've rather torn through them and am running low on ones to just stumble across. As such, I am turning to the f-list for help in finding new ones before I suddenly find myself all out.

Currently watching:

Love Generation

In the backlog:

Nanisama
Pride
Rondo
Slow Dance
Taiyou no Kisetsu
Tokyo Wankei

Have watched:

Always Smiling/Egao no Hosoku
Ame to Yume
Brother Beat
Detective Conan
DragonZakura
Fugoh Keiji
GalCir
Gokusen(I, II, Special)
GTO(series, special, movie)
Hana Yori Dango(I, II)
Hero
Kekkon Dekinai Otoko
Kimi wa Petto
Kindaichi Shonen no Jikembo 3
Kurosagi
Mukodono
My Boss, My Hero
Nobuta wo Produce
Nodame Cantabile
Remote
Sapuri
Teru Teru Ashita
Tokyo Friends
Trick(I, II, III, Special, both movies)

I'm rather generous with my jdramas, moreso than with pretty much anything else, so almost anything goes. A few words, though:

1.  No incest.
2.  No cheating.
3.  I have not listed any period dramas because pretty much any period kdrama or jdrama is on my list(period and wuxia dramas in China are like JE boy jdramas and angstfest kdramas...they throw them out left and right and you have  to find the good ones.  Japan and Korea are far more picky about what period dramas they put out, and it shows in the final product...what Taiga's lack in production values, they compensate for in plot and storytelling)  That said, if there's one you aren't sure I know about, TELL ME.
4.  I'm open to mostly anything, but I like the comedies best, romantic or otherwise.  I also like a touch of the paranormal(like Ame to Yume and Teru Teru Ashita) or dramas about siblings. I'm alo very fond of mysteries, whether real or window dressing.
5.  I have tried watching Antique Cake Store, Teppan Shojo Akane and Densha Otoko and couldn't get past that first ep of each.  Considering their casts(all 3 have at least one of my favorites), it says a lot.
6. There are several drama you would have to pay me to watch. Among them but not the only ones(just the ones off the top of my head) are:  One Million Stars Falling From the Sky(incest) Proposal Daikusen(there's an inherent unfairness and cruelty to the plot that I can't get past enough to even consider it) A Sleeping Forest(incest) and Kamisama Mou Sukoshi Dake(ProDai-like problem...can't get past the fact that the plot revolves around the heroine selling herself to buy concert tickets enough to even consider it.)
7. I have seen bits of Liar Game and j-Hana Kimi and both are firmly on the list.  Just not in the backlog yet.
8.  Currently airing dramas are fine as subs are either active or confirmed.
9. Old or new-doesn't matter as long as it has subs and can be acquired one way or the other, and is good.
10.  And if there's a KimiTaku drama out there where there' s no (flat out or undertones incest) and he doesn't smoke, it likely won't be hard to talk me into it.  I long for a drama where he doen't have a cigarette attached to his hand...

Ok, that was a bit more than a few words...

SAVE ME FROM POSSIBLY PENDING JDRAMA-LESS-NESS!

Comments

[forgottenpolish.livejournal.com]

YAMADA TARO!! <3333333333 It's comdey and adorable and just plain awesome.

[toothpastelover.livejournal.com]

hm what is backlog?
BUT I HAVE TO RECOMMEND PRIDE ALOT (though there's some people saying it's not nice?)
takuya kimura brightens up the screen (as he always does) and who could imagine him play ice hockey?

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

A backlog is basically stuff you have and haven't watched yet(or, in the case of books, read)

I have never before heard of someone NOT liking Pride...it seems to be universally praised.

[lostopenwindows.livejournal.com]

If you don't mind sports dramas and a bit of craziness, I'd recommend Water Boys. :) (the first season)

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

What's it about?(never heard of it)

[lostopenwindows.livejournal.com]

It's basically about a group of boys at high school forming a male synchorized swimming team. Besides the fact that they kind of suck at it, they also have to struggle against people who don't approve of the team. It's mostly a comedy and overall has a very "feel good" and lighthearted tone to it.

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

Have you seen "Good luck"? It fits into all your categories and it is ADORABLE..

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

I take it that means KimiTaku actually never touches a cigarette?(seriously, aren't singers supposed to not smoke? I think that and "eeew" everytime I see him with one, wehich does not help me enjoy thinks like cooking porridge for his otp...)

[cassiopeajelly.livejournal.com]

I don't know you but I saw this and thought I would chime in. KimiTaku does smoke in Good Luck, which is unfortunate, but there is an episode where they force him to stop for his health. Does that make it any better?

Anyway, I highly recommend Liar Game and Himitsu no Hanazono, though I see you've found those already. I thought that Jikou Keisatsu was light, fun, and interesting and has some element of mystery in it so it may appeal to you.

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

Not knowing me is fine, as is wandering in(both are even endorsed.)

Forcing him to stop is good, as long as it lasts.

What's Jikou Keisatsu?

[calixa.livejournal.com]

Jikou Keisatsu is MY FAVOURITE JDRAMA EVER.

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

And as soon as you said that, I recognized it as your pricious Time Detectives.

[akosikae.livejournal.com]

Perfect timing! See my post here (http://akosikae.livejournal.com/34401.html). I am happy, happy, happy!!! Silly grin.

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

heh.

Quick question: what's Fujiki Naohito's character like?(yeah, this is one of those that I got for a very shallow reason)

[akosikae.livejournal.com]

Well, he's the older brother whom Riichi looks up to. He gave up his dream to be a filmaker and became a normal worker guy. Genius investment banker who's bored with they way his life is going :) In the drama, to me, he is like the silent listener to everybody's problems. I'm going to read the subs in the office. Read without the video. Waaah, hangover.

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

Oh. That's fine then. I am actually very fond of such characters, and FN has a great "silent" charisma.

[boycottbananas.livejournal.com]

Definitely Yamada Taro and I love Tantei Gakuen Q. Himitsu no Hanazono is comedic romance, and I looooove it. :333

I don't know if you're into the angst and stuff, but a few weeks ago, I finished watching Tatta Hitotsu no Koi, and I really liked it. :]

Attention Please was nice, I liked it, and so was Hanayome to Papa. :DDD

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

Angst is ok, as long as it's called for. If it's there just to have angst, I have little tolerance for it.

The first 3 I'm actually most likely getting. Attention Please I've been interested in, but haven't really seen anyone talk about before.

[boycottbananas.livejournal.com]

Oh well, you'll probably like it. ^^ The angst is really...yeah, I'm not good at explaining things. x_x

That's great; they're really good. :] I really liked Attention Please; the only bad thing about it was the relationship between Ueto Aya and Ryo's characters.

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

Why bad? I dislike bad relationships...forced otp? no otp? incompatible? inappropriate for situation?

[boycottbananas.livejournal.com]

Basically, no otp, I guess you could say? I don't want to spoil it or anything, but...there was more romance between the side-characters than them two. D:

I still really loved it though; it was interesting. They are a good couple, imo, but then again, they weren't really a couple at all. Eh. I don't know. Don't listen to me. Hahah.

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

so it's more "darn, they didn't get topgether" than their relationship actually being bad? If so, I'll likely be ok with that.

[boycottbananas.livejournal.com]

Mmhmm to the first one. They were cute together, nothing just ever developed. Or whatever. x_x

[vierran45.livejournal.com]

I third the recommendation for Yamada Taro Monogatari. I thought it completely adorable and occasionally very funny.

Sushi Oji! has also been pretty fun, though I think the first episode was the funniest and it has mellowed down a bit since then.

All episodes are out for both of these (10 and 8 respectively) and they have also been completely subbed (the subbed version of the final episode of Sushi Oji! isn't yet up at jdramas, but it should appear there any day now).

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

Sushi Oji! sounds too cracktastic to pass on, honestly.

[phatgirly.livejournal.com]

Watch Orange Days. I found Attention Please boring, but liked Ace wo Narae(sp?). Hmmm... I think the rest of my favorites are already on your list, but I'll keep thinking.

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

What on my list are your favorites? (curious)

[phatgirly.livejournal.com]

Pride, Hana Yori Dango(1, I never could finish 2...), Nodame Cantabile, Gokusen, Nobuta wo Produce...

[ladysaotome.livejournal.com]

I agree with the recommendations for Orange Days & Good Luck. I didn't see HanaKimi mentioned above. It's not much in the romance dept but the comedy is fun. Also, Friends 2002, Lovely Complex, Lunch Queen

[ladysaotome.livejournal.com]

Also, I'm a little surprised at how you feel about Proposal. I do recall having similar qualms at the beginning but the way things are handled are different than that initial feel. Is the unfairness to the guy she's getting married to? It ends up being more about having no regrets.

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

I could handle if he traveled back in time once and that was it, but every episode? Nope. I don't care how much help you need figuring it out...I'm all for second chance, but you get one chance at life, and if you're lucky, a second. Getting as many tries as you need while your rival gets the one? You aren't the one I'll be rooting for.

I kept reading all the post while it was coming out, hoping to read something to make me inclined to give it a chance as I like all 3 leads, but everything I read made me more and more opposed to it.

Besides, having read about the ending, there' no way I can watching the wedding part without utterly despising them both. That is the most awful thing I have EVER heard of a drama "hero" doing.

[cheesemon.livejournal.com]

I forgot, how many times have I recommended Joou no Kyoushitsu to you already? ;)

And I really recommend you never let Tokyo Wankei out of that backlog. You can thank me later. ;)

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

Remind me what Joou no Kyoushitsu is?

And...Tokyo Wankei has Nakama Yukie and Hayami Mokomichi...is it that bad?

[cheesemon.livejournal.com]

I can't describe the show in a sentence, so here's my spoiler-free review to give you a better idea: http://cheesemon.livejournal.com/76649.html If you're getting it from d-addicts, I can seed it for you. :)

I love Nakama Yukie, but even she couldn't save Tokyo Wankei. Even the crew and producers hated it. You can give it a try, but I bet you won't be able to make it to the end. ;)

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

Ah, yes, I've heard if that one. It sounds good, but dark.

*hem*

You have challenged me. I must now watch the entire thing just to PROVE YOU WRONG! *Yukie and Mokomichi give me ever-powerful actor loyalty*

PS-calixa says we are very alike and you like Trick and Gokusen. I have friended you.

[cheesemon.livejournal.com]

What a wonderful userpic!

I look forward to your review, if you actually make it through. ;) This series will be a true test of your actor loyalty. I recommend you watch it from a Mystery Science Theater perspective to make the pain more bearable. ;)

Thanks for the add! Hm, I don't think I'm like any jdrama fan, my tastes are so different. ^_^ Just so you know, I rarely post about jdrama nowadays. I'm too busy watching movies. ;)

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

I feel virtually any Trick icon is a good icon...unless it says "it sucks."

I believe she was referring to a lack of tolerance for dramas or recs that depend to much on JE boys being pretty and a tendency to branch out beyond the normal romantic shows(though I like them...but they aren't my faves)

[miss-dian.livejournal.com]

Watch PRIDE. You must watch! :)

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

It is my next drama unless something distracts me

[aoimidori.livejournal.com]

I was going yo say Good Luck!! but someone already mentioned it. So I'll just second the rec. (It's personally one of my favorite dramas.)

I'm trying to think of a dorama that fits in your categories, so maybe Satorare? Which stars Odagirie Joe as a doctor (an aspiring surgeon) whose thoughts everybody can hear, making it a problem for the people he works with. Moreover, he has no idea how transparent he is, which is the cause for a bit of laugh. It's not one of the best, IMO, but it kept me pretty entertained while it lasted. :) torrents are here (http://d-addicts.com/forum/torrents.php?search=satorare+genki). there aren't a lot of seeders though, so if you have no problems with megaupload, the entire series is available over at jdramas. :)

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

Good Luck! i probably a given...Satorare I've heard of before, but it oulnd like it could be really good and funny or kind of depressing

[aoimidori.livejournal.com]

satorare has lulls (and was boring at times), but i didn't really find it depressing. :)