Basic Info
Title: 낭랑18세; Nang Rang 18 Seh; Sweet 18
Genre: Romance, Comedy
Year: 2004
Length: 16 Episodes
Cast: Lee Dong-gun, Han Ji Hae, Lee Da Hae, Yoo Hae Jung, Park Hyung Jae,
Broadcast Network: KBS

( View full review )

Final Say: I would like to dub this K-drama as "the little drama that could have been." It showed so much potential in the beginning but wasn't able to hold out 'til the end. Still, if you're looking for a light, fun drama that will make your day, you shouldn't miss this series.

Over-all Rating: 7.8/10

Extra: Han Ji Hae and Lee Dong-gun are real life couples. ♥

Tags: dorama review, han ji hae, k-drama review, lee da hae, lee dong-gun, nang rang 18 seh, sweet 18

Basic Info
Title: エンジン;Engine
Year: 2005
Length: 11 Episodes
Cast: Kimura Takuya, Koyuki, Sakai Masato, Okamoto Aya, Ueno Juri, Toda Erika, Nakajima Yuuto

Summary: For the last five years, Jiro has been a second seater racer in Europe, and for the last five years he has been unhappy with his career. One day after losing his temper, he gets fired. He goes back to Japan to return to his once glorious career, only to find out that he's treated as a has-been. Jiro also goes back to his old home, but finds out that it's been turned into an orphanage by his father. With mischievous brats and dignified teachers to deal with everyday, Jiro struggles to return to being a champion racer.

( View full review )

Music (9/10)
The BGMs are good and are fitting to the dorama

Final Say:
This dorama is very touching and one of a kind. There are many doramas out there who revolves on a character(s) trying to better himself while resisting strong winds that come his way, but this dorama sews all aspects of the story; it leaves no loophole.

Over-all Rating: 9.4/10

Tags: dorama review, engine, jdrama review, kimura takuya, koyuki, nakajima yuuto, okamoto aya, sakai masato, toda erika, ueno juri
Current Mood: confused
Current Music: SMAP - Kimi Iro Omoi

Basic Info
Title:Idea (Single CD)
Artist:Amano Tsukiko
Release Date:November 3, 2004
Tracks:2

Idea contains two songs: one with the same name as the single CD and has been used as the fourth ending song of the anime series Konjiki Gash Bell! The other is entitled ID.

Track 01: Idea (7/10)
The intro of this song surprised me such that it sounded so much like bright and cutesy J-pop, very much unlike Amano Tsukiko's style. The rest of the song follows with strong beats and heavy electric guitar, a la J-rock. Somehow this song sounds so 80s to me. Perhaps it's because of the heavy basic drum beats, the keyboards/synth and the high-pitched background vocals in the chorus.It's a pretty much predictable song, no surprise in it.

Track 02: ID(8.5/10)
This song is more funky and fun to listen to. It's more Amano Tsukiko than the first track. This song somehow makes the listener think of detective chases and mysteries. This would be a suitable OST for any show under this theme.

Other comments:
Disappointingly, this single CD has no karaoke tracks. :(

Over-all Rating: 7.75/10

Tags: amano tsukiko, j-music review
Current Mood: amused
Current Music: Pipo Angels - 100% Pure

Title:シルバーダイヤモンド; Silver Diamond
Author:Sugiura Shiho
Genre:Shounen ai, Fantasy
Length:Ongoing; 9 Volumes released
Scanlation Status:Ongoing, Latest release - Chapter 18
Scanlated by:Various groups

Summary: Sawa Rakan is a normal junior high school student. Living alone in the suburbs, he supports himself through the money he inherited from his foster grandfather and by selling flowers from his garden which is strangely more profuse and abundant than normal. While tending his garden one day, however, a strange man suddenly appears and mistakes him for a prince. After studying him closely though, the strange man who goes by the name of Chigusa calls Rakan a "Sonome," a name given to someone with the ability to grow plants abruptly. As strange incidents involving Chigusa take place, Rakan is sucked into a world and a story much diffrent from his once normal junior high life.

( The rest of the review is under this cut )

Tags: manga review, silver diamond, sugiura shiho
Current Mood: tired
Current Music: Utada Hikaru - Distance

Basic Info
Title:Puzzle
Type: J-Drama Special
Length: 4 Episodes, 23 mins/episode
Year:2006
Cast: Yanagi Koutarou, Nakamura Yuiichi
Summary
Class 3-A of Tokumen High consists of Japan's top students, and to ensure their success further, a training camp is held especially for them. With strict rules on studying, only the best of the best can stay in 3-A. One day, howeverr, a group of armed men takes hold of Tokumen High and takes a teacher and a student as hostage. Left with no other choice, Class 3-A is forced to complete a puzzle on the villains' whim, to save the hostages. With less than 24 hours to complete the puzzle, the future of Class 3-A hangs on the balance.

Plot (8.5/10)
A medium is deeply rooted in the culture that gave birth to it. In this case, Puzzle comments on the seeminly cold-hearted side of Japanese society, where an individual is defined by the success or his potential to attain it. With Japan having sky-rocketing figures on suicide, Puzzle addresses this issue by portraying one of the most prevalent causes of suicide -- the pressure society puts on the individual to succeed and make a name.

Although, Puzzle fails to answer some of the questions that a critical viewer may have, with only four episodes it has managed to present a complete and concrete story. The pacing was also just right, something not very common for Japanese shows.

In the end, the dorama fulfills its purpose, which is to leave its viewers a definite impression.

Cast/Acting(8/10)
Aside from the two D-Boys who are relatively known to a definite fanbase, the cast of Puzzle is virtually unknown. This does not prove to be a liability for the show, however. For the cast it houses, the acting was neatly done. Most surprising of all is Yanagi Koutarou's significant improvement in acting, as his roles before Puzzle tend to be rather flat. Although the character of Yuasa is stereotypical, Yanagi manages to pull it off by putting his own spirit in him. It seemed like there was nothing special about his acting in the first episodes, but it was toward the end that Yanagi showed his skills .For this dorama, Yanagi has managed to express the character's thoughts and feelings clearly.

Nakamura Yuiichi, probably because of the similarity in roles, has performed his usual "bitchy self." I seriously think that he should get a change of roles for him to show more range. Still, he was able to portray his character properly, and give life to the show. In scenes that Yanagi fell short of expectation, Channaka was able to fill the gap, and thus bring out a well-played scene.

Dialogue (7/10)
Puzzle is clear in the theme it wants to express and thus revolves around it. There was no play on words, nor witty metaphors, but the lines served their purpose in creating a story. There are a bunch of quotable lines in the end as well.

Cinematography (8/10)
There's not much to say about the cinematography of Puzzle, however for a show with only two settings, the play on images did not make the scenes monotonous.

Music (9.5/10)
Somebody tell me what the title of the ending song is! I have to commend the show for having an excellent soundtrack. The BGMs were fitting, and the ending song just strikes through you. Its one of the memorable things when watching this show.

Final Say:
With a clear message to say, Puzzle manages to capture its viewers not only with the suspense and mystery it brings, but with a theme that resounds even after you have finished watching it.

Over-all Rating: 8.2/10

Tags: channaka, dorama review, j-drama review, puzzle, yanagi
Current Location: my room
Current Mood: blah
Current Music: Hikari - Utada Hikaru

Do they look simlar or what? I laughed when Masahiro suddenly clutched his chest because or Kyuuki’s curse. Seriously, this is why Tactics and Shounen Onmyouji are often paralleled. Add the episode that Masahiro’s hair goes silver to that, too. One major difference though, is that S-O is taking the het path (much to my dismay), and Tactics is shounen-ai (still a headache though).

( More S-O stuff )


Ah, and of course, G-E-N-B-U~! Kyaaa~n! This kid is so adorable~! Tenipuri’s Ryoma and S-O’s Genbu both have the same seiyuu, which is probably why I fancy Hongo Kanata dressing up as Genbu. Ah, but he’s too tall already.

One more funny thing about S-O 12 is that when Masahiro chanted a certain spell, it was the same as the one always chanted by Bou-san in Ghost Hunt! I laughed when I heard it, especially since I just watched Ghost Hunt 16 right before I jumped to S-O.

And speaking of Ghost Hunt, it is starting to kick some major ass! I was disappointed in the last two mysteries (excluding the filler, of course), being too predictable for me. But the latest arc keeps me damn hooked. There’s a lot of character development, especially on Mai, who now can cast basic spells. (Woo-hoo! Go Mai!) And yes, the Naru/Mai moments are certainly increasing! Kyaa~n.

Naru/Mai is one of my very few het pairings, and recently, one of the few pairings that have been working out. Others are just… not progressing at all. (-_-)|||

Sigh. I hope Sdreams will up the next ep tomorrow. The arc isn’t finished yet.

Tags: ghost hunt, s-o
Current Mood: cheerful