meganbmoore: (Default)
[personal profile] meganbmoore
I feel d-wiki sums this up better than I could: "Katagiri Teppei (Kimura Takuya) is a promising creative agent, but whose attitude gets him transferred to the sales department. He has to learn to adapt to the new working environment, which includes cutting his precious locks of hair to create a neater and more appropriate image. Helping him along the way is Uesugi Riko (Matsu Takako), whom he tried to pick up along the street earlier but was tricked by her instead. Riko does not have a good impression of him at first, but falls for him gradually. However, Teppei runs into his ex-girlfriend Mizuhara Sanae (Junna Risa) who is now the girlfriend of his brother Soichiro (Uchino Masaaki). Consoling him is Riko, whom Teppei likes gradually. Just when Teppei and Riko start dating, Sanae realises that she still likes Teppei..."

What can I say? A touch slow at times, but an excellent romance.

I will say this: If someone can direct me towards a Kiura Takuya drama where A) There is no even a HINT of incest(not this one, but others) and B) He does not TOUCH a cigarette unles it's to rip it out of someone's mouth and tell them it's a nasty habit, I WILL WATCH IT. Period. Though I feel compelled to point out that friends don't direct friends towards bad dramas. 

  
*This is my second Kimura Takuya drama. The first, Hero, while very good and a drama I enjoyed a good bit, was very much a KimuTaku drama for KimuTaku fans. While I can't imagine anyone coming out of it without positive feelings for him, it wasn't going to make you a major fan of his. Love Generation, however, is a solid drama that while make you fan of its leads, and I am starting to see why he' such a big deal. While certainly attractive, KimuTaku's attractiveness isn't as much about looks as it is about presence and charisma. Looking at a picture, you don't ee any big deal. It' not until you see him in a good role that you understand the appeal. BTW, I would use the exact same explanation for my favorite jdrama actor, Abe Hiroshi(for that matter, my other favorite, Oguri Shun, is kind of a younger, less potent version.)

*Riko reminds me a bit of Chae-Gyung from Goong...except that I adore Riko and Chae-Gyung annoyed me from start to finish. I'm not sure why this is...it's not that I necesarily prefer Matsu Takako to Yoon Eun Hye...despite my annoyance with the character, her immence likability i one of the few things that got me all the way through Goong.

* I am alo rather fond of Riko' friend, Erica. Early in the series, she and Teppei are seeing each other with the posibility of having sex, but when she learns Riko likes him, she's all about making sure he's good enough for her friend, and she knows what buttons to push even better than Riko. I have a fondness for such characters.

*Teppei has a small naked statue in his apartment. I do not know what it is of, but I have decided that it is a fertility goddes. Not only does Riko carefully clean and dry it after there's a water leak in his apt., but I swear she feels it up when she first sees it.

* For those who get annoyed with the "stand there and think of Japan" approach to dorama kissing...well, KimTaku and Matsu don't believe in that. At all. Serious kissing a few times there.

*And there is RUNNING. Massive running. Running through streets. Running through office hallways. Running in apartment hallways. Running in airports. Running through bus terminals. Running after a bus. And there is even RUNNING THROUGH SNOW(I was so happy that was in the last episode...I would have been sad if I hadn't been able to include that kind of running.)

*Also, I am strangely fascinated by the glass apples that just...randomly appear...

Sole downside: Soichiro and Sanae. Initially, I liked Soichiro well enough(dull but ok) and just found Sanae really boring. About midway through, I was really bored with Soichiro and was going "Oh God oh God, get off my screen" anytime Sanae showed up. I was forced to FF most her scenes and read the subs out of self-preservation. Nothing against the actress, but the character clearly had no purpose save to cause conflict.

That said, there was running through the airport when they got back together. Thi compensates somewhat. I can be generous when my kinks are being catered to.

2 MVs of the show:





Also, a very cute behind the scenes clip from KimuTaku's birthday. I particularly love how he jump up after he kisses him.

 


PS- [personal profile] dangermousie, I seem to remember you asking recently for jdramas that are straight out romances.  I'd say this one would fit the bill for you.  Uhm...unless you've tried and hated it(in which case, forget I said anything) or have watched it already.

Date: 2007-10-08 07:21 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] scottishlass.livejournal.com
Hmmm ... this is difficult because he seems to be always smoking in his dramas.
I *think* (though I'm not too sure) he doesn't smoke in Good Luck!! and in Pride he takes out a cigarette once in a while but doesn't light it (or was it the other way around, I can't remember).
The only doramas with an incest theme Kimura did were Sora Kara (One Million Stars) and Nemureru Mori (Sleeping Forest), though in the last one it was hinted at but never a real issue. But you should stay away from them if you don't feel comfortable with these, though he gives one of his best performances in Sora Kara.
Additionally, romantic dramas with Kimura to watch: Long Vacation, Beautiful Life (sad ending though). Bushi no ichibun - not a series but a movie and it is IN COSTUME!!! and a wonderful, quiet love story.

Date: 2007-10-08 07:39 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] meganbmoore.livejournal.com
Well, I shall know on the Pride front shortly, as it's my next drama, unless something else strikes my fancy in the next couple days. I will never in my lifetime understand why smoking is supposed to be attractive. I mean, it' not just the smell or health, to me it LOOKS unattractive. But I guess I'm in the minority.

Incest-flatout or indicated-is just one of the few things I will not touch. Only the fact that she loved someone else from beginning to end and that was made the siblings think they loved each other that way was things that reminded them of their lost sibling made it ok for me in Damo(plus, you know, nothing happened)

Sora Kara was one that I immediately bought when I heard of it because it sounded perfect for me, and then I learned about the incest. It made me sad.

But hey, maybe eventually I'll become enough of a fangirl to check them out(I doubt it, but...)

The movie has been on my list since before I had a clue who KimuTaku was.

Date: 2007-10-08 09:16 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] scottishlass.livejournal.com
But hey, maybe eventually I'll become enough of a fangirl to check them out(I doubt it, but...)

You might become fangirl, esp. when you watch the dramas in succession. When he was in his early twenties, he was beautiful and an okay actor, but he gets better with each drama and the whole Kmutaku thing stems not so much from his idol/JE/boy band status but from the fact that this guy has talent in spades. And you are right, he is sexy when in photos, in animation he is charismatic. He reminds me very much of Shah Rukh Khan though is not much of a looker, but boy, this guy can tear you apart with one look. Kimura has the looks and the talent yet is unfortunately underrated as he is almost always reduced to his looks and the fac that he is a Johnny's.

Date: 2007-10-08 02:56 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] meganbmoore.livejournal.com
The talent over looks is why I like him(and most of the ones I like best) These JE boys are packaged and sold as boys, and as themselves, not as actors. Because of that, most of them will likely fade into obscurity almost as soon as their pretty looks and super popularity run out.Once they stop looking like almost girlishly pretty boys...

I think JE boy status may actually be the worst thing that could happen to a lot of these guys in the long run.

Date: 2007-10-08 08:14 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] scottishlass.livejournal.com
I know what you mean. And I hope it isn't so with Kimura. His trend to tackle difficult characters now (Bushi, Karei etc.) is a good indicator that he is trying to establish himself as a serious actor rather than a heart-throb of a idol band.

PS

Date: 2007-10-08 07:41 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] meganbmoore.livejournal.com
How would the other dramas you mentioned compare to Love Generation?(as far as feel, humor, etc go?)

Re: PS

Date: 2007-10-08 09:05 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] scottishlass.livejournal.com
Good Luck is a very cast-centric drama. It feels almost Western in its episodic set-up. But Shinkai (Kimura) is a cute pilot, and cute in the way that he is not arrogant. He is an adorable guy from next door, a bit awkward where women are concerned but he lives and breathes flying even though he is not the best of pilots. I love the OTP, she is is snraky, acerbic and takes no bull. And she rides a motorcycle (almost the same I do). The humour comes from situations and also character in the drama. Capt Naito Jane is hilarious. he is not in your face funny, but the way the actor (Takenaka Naoto) plays him it is just LOL!

Long Vacation is THE drama of the 1990's. It begins a bit slow and I personally found the female lead annoying on first time watching but she grew on me. And Kimura is both adorable and sexy as the young sensitive pianist Sena. No incest, only adorableness and a bit of a social issue of older woman, younger guy. There are some funny moments, also adorable/cute ones. It is a solid drama with only a few slow/weak parts.

Beautiful Life: I love the OTP. When they first meet they both remind me of those snarky screw-ball OTPs of the 1930's and 40's. Shuji (Kimura) is a hair-dresser (rotflmao) who almost has an accident with his bike because of ditzy, snarky Kyoko. There is a lot of humour in the dialogues between the two before it turns Angsty and sad. Even though I can't handle Angst too well, I adore the drama.

There is also Concerto which is more or less a triangle love story. I didn't like it much, though [livejournal.com profile] rika_66 adores it and you might want to ask her of her opinion. IMHO, they would have been better off to focus more on the kouhei/sempai relationship/competition of the male leads and by God, I swear, Tamura Masakazu and Kimura had more chemistry than Kimura and Hanazawa Rie and Tamura Masakazu and Hanazawa Rie together.

Gift, Hero and Engine are not love stories, so they are more or less something for Kimu-chan fans though I loved Engine because Kimura's is a) an F1 race driver b) has a wonderful connection to the kid actors (he must be a wonderful dad) and c) has Kimura in it :) There are some other earlier dramas, but either they are not subbed (though I have them) or they are far too early to adore the KimuTaku sensation :)

Period dramas/movies: I liked Chuushingura 1/47 very much. Long (really long) haired Kimura playing Yosebei one of the ronin and it is brilliantly cast.
Oda Nobunaga is also okay, esp. as Kimura gives off a very renitent Oda. And both made for TV movies have nice love stories though they are not the main focus.


Another word to Sora Kara: The incest thing only comes out two eps or so towards the end. (Ryo suspects something and tries to keep his distance to her but it is beyond his control so to speak). It isn't as if they know they are siblings though once this is out, they know there is only one price to pay for this. It is a very moral kind of piece in a way.

As for Sleeping Forest, even though Naoki falls for Minako, once he knows they share the same father, he only reverts to *big* brother who looks out for her from the fringes. So the incest is really not a big or main issue here, Nemureru Mori is a very good mystery thriller. As is Sora Kara Furu Ichioku No Hoshii.

LOL a bit long :) I really should write a Primer to Kimura Dramas :)

Re: PS

Date: 2007-10-08 03:05 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] meganbmoore.livejournal.com
Primer=good idea.

Good Luck sound perfect for me, and Engine has a lot of appeal. I am also very, very fond of the 1930-40 pairs. Long Vacation I'm very iffy on...for the most part, I'm not big on the younger man/older woman stories...as I mentioned to dangermousie, the only ones I really like are Sapuri and Gokusen(if that one even qualifies)

Are either of the period ones subbed?

I actually find the love stories more interesting when they AREN'T the main focus than when they are...I find that having them secondary to a main plot makes them mean more to me and gives me more confidence they'll last after "The end" appear on screen(even if one or both dies.) It's part of why I gravitate so much to period and jdramas.

Re: PS

Date: 2007-10-08 03:24 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] scottishlass.livejournal.com
I uploaded Chuushingura and Oda to [livejournal.com profile] jdramas as well as to my own LJ: Chuu (http://scottishlass.livejournal.com/184769.html) and Oda (http://scottishlass.livejournal.com/185190.html). Subs are from the original DVD.

Well Long Vacation is okay, and after the first ep you don't really notice that there is an age gap and the female character is so naive and childish in many ways and Sena is so serious and uptight. There is never an open issue like in Sapuri where the female lead turns away from Kame's character because he is too young/she too old. LV is a bit more subtle and plays more on life experience/outlook on life than the actual age gap.

Oh I forgot to mention Kimi wo wasurenai which is a WWII movie about kami-kaze pilots. It is very good and considering it is from 1994, Kimura gave a good performance in it.

Date: 2007-10-08 01:43 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] dangermousie.livejournal.com
Nope, haven't seen this.

It's on my list though, once I get enough nerve to finish Beautiful Life.

I am not a huge jdrama fan, so I space them out a bit. Too many too quick makes me fed up.

Oh, an exception? PRIDE. No smoking (just lollipops) but oh, SO GOOD. My favorite jdrama, and the only jdrama in my top 5 dramas.

Long Vacation is supposed to be excellent but I didn't manage to get past ep 4 in a year. I was very annoyed by the female lead. But we seem to have dissimilar tastes in female leads and I am also very much in the minority for LV, so do check it out.

Date: 2007-10-08 02:49 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] meganbmoore.livejournal.com
No smoking in Pride is an excellent thing. It will be nice to watch a drama of his without having to wrinkle my nose in distaste(seriously, it kept me from being able to appreciate things like cooking for your sick OTP)

Is LV the older woman/younger man one? I'm actually not big on those...they seem to a be wish fulfillment thing, but I can't fathom really wanting to be with a younger guy unless he was really, really mature. About the only ones I've liked are Sapuri(where the age difference is only a couple years and he matures enormously before any romance begins) and Gokusen(where he's the more adult of the two from the start and the acknowledged feelings are one sided...plus they don't actually make it to the romance stage in the show)

Date: 2007-10-08 03:05 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] ladysaotome.livejournal.com
This sounds really cute. Good Luck is another good drama of his although the romance is second place to the general plot of "becoming a great pilot". I got a kick out of the moment in every episode when the climax builds & the music plays & you just want to cheer or salute or something. Very fun.

(& the opening shot of the first episode is Kimura shirtlessly sunbathing - nothing to complain about there ;) )

Date: 2007-10-08 03:14 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] meganbmoore.livejournal.com
It is, indeed, very cute. Good Luck seems to be one everyone seems to think I'll like, and the building climax + music holds great appeal for me and...what's that you say? Gratuitous fanservice that I can mock to my heart's content? Oh let it be of Yohitsune levels(though...I find KimuTaku more attractive than Takki-who I think is good looking but am not remotely attracted to-so maybe I won't mock as much)

Date: 2007-10-08 03:22 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] ladysaotome.livejournal.com
:D gratuitous fanservice is one of the things we live for, ne? But make sure you watch Pride first - it really is the best jdrama ever.

Profile

meganbmoore: (Default)
meganbmoore

July 2020

S M T W T F S
   1234
567891011
12131415161718
19202122232425
26 2728293031 

Most Popular Tags

Style Credit

Expand Cut Tags

No cut tags
Page generated Jul. 29th, 2025 03:58 pm
Powered by Dreamwidth Studios