Gokusen II & Ouran High School Host Club

Woah. I haven't done a review post since July. That means its taken me just over three months to watch Gokusen II. The series I watched before Gokusen II, Buzzer Beat, took me a week to complete.

Its not that I didn't enjoy it, it just didn't keep me hooked. To be honest, it was all a bit same-y. Not just within the series, but to the previous series too. Class gets in to trouble, Yankumi saves them and in the process teaches them to be better human beings. They all graduate together even though every single one of them has been expelled and reinstated numerous times.

I still really enjoy the subtleties of the series though. Its so hard to explain unless you see it for yourself, but some things make you laugh out loud even though they are only hinted at or sometimes even totally ignored, and it is this that makes the repetitiveness worth it. Such as the Yakuza henchmen suddenly flaring up in anger at something that has been said against Yankumi, acting all tough and scary, and then retreating passively just as suddenly after a single look. Like I said, you need to see it really to understand. Its just constantly amusing. Another point about Gokusen is that in comparison to the other series I have watched, its just so old. It was aired in 2005 or something like that, so everything just looks a little dated now, especially the 'rebel' look of class 3D.

Obviously, some of the cast were in the first series, so there's your Gokusen link. One of the main guys, Ryu was in Yamato Nadeshiko Shichi Henge and Nobuta wo Produce. His friend, Tsuchiya, was Night the human robot who broke my heart in Zettai Kareshi. Apparently Shiratori-sensei was in Kimi wa Petto, but I can't place her, neither can I remember Baba-sensei in Tokyo Dogs, although it explains why he looked so familiar.

I also had been watching Ouran High School Host Club and Hana Kimi Remake on a weekly basis, and both have now finished, although the last two episodes of Hana Kimi are still being subbed, so I'll review that when I have actually seen all of it. Although, just as a taster, my impressions of it improved greatly after the first episode. But as for Ouran, loved it. So similar to the anime, and just as over the top, but it didn't ruin it. I just really enjoyed it. Similar to so many of the other J-drama's, it was easy to watch and enjoyable, but didn't stick with me enough to make me watch it again, probably.

It's about a poor scholarship student, Haruhi, who accidentally knocks over a vase and is forced to pay off her debt by working in the school's host club, even though she is a girl. The plot mostly focus' on her relationship with the rest of the club, especially Tamaki, the club's Prince that is clearly in love with her but refuses to admit it, instead pretending to be a father figure.

Yeah, I agree, that's a bit weird. Especially when he also refers to his best friend as 'Mother' and the rest of the Club as Haruhi's brothers. He did have family issues though. Everyone in J-drama's have family issues.

Haruhi was apparently in Tokyo Dogs. Tamaki was in Hana Kimi and Atashinchi no Danshi. 'Mother' Kyoya was apparently also in Hana Kimi and Nobuta. Mori was apparently in Zettai Kareshi, and Hikaru and Karou were in Mei-chan. I can't be bothered to look anyone else up right now.


Next is Ikemen Desu Ne. I'm skipping back the list a bit, because this one came in and jumped the charts even though its only just finished airing. Its a remake of a Korean drama, and I know Ikemen basically means hot men in Japanese, so I'm very hopeful that I'll enjoy this.

I have just realised the time. Its taken me an hour and a half to write this, and its not even like I don't have to get up. I just missed blogging, and having finished Gokusen yesterday, this seemed like a good excuse. I know no one gives a crap, but I like documenting what I've been watching, so suck it.

<3 x

Drama: Ikemen Desu Ne ep 1
Manga: Hana Kimi ch 57 / Love so Life ch 7

Nodame Cantabile and Distractions

So I have FINALLY finished Nodame Cantabile. You'll remember how unsure I was about this drama, and I was seriously close to skipping it all together because it just didn't appeal to me in the slightest.

I'm so glad I didn't, though. I actually really enjoyed it. Sure it was over-acted and predictable, but Japanese Dramas always are, and if nothing else, you get cheap laughs from the cheesiness of it. It made me appreciate classical music and orchestras in a whole new light, as I have always viewed both as stuffy and boring. But seeing something played by an orchestra of young people who twirl their cellos and raise their violins up in the air rather than playing as stoically as you normally would see was something that I found really refreshing. If all orchestras played like that, I would so go see them.

Although it was amusing before they started doing that, and they all started winking frantically at the conductor. Your first thought is that they are simultaneously having seizures.

The only other time I have seen classical instruments played as cool as that is Henry from Super Junior M. Did you ever see him play the violin in 'Don't Don' or 'U'? When he does that dancing thing while he is playing? HOT. Obviously, I had to go watch those videos (and others) and my God, those boys like their pelvic thrusts. I don't know how I never noticed it before, but if ever you need a definition of UNF, that is it.

Sorry, I got distracted.  

Nodame Cantabile.

From Google but credit to whoever made/owns this.

Obviously the whole drama circled around the 'will-they-won't-they' situation between Nodame and Chiaki, and when they finally did kiss, in the last 10 minutes of the second feature film length special, it was a somewhat disappointing 'barbie' kiss. Why can't they always kiss like Hiro Mizushima as Namba-senpai in Hana Kimi?

Incidentally, I'm now on chapter 40 of the Hana Kimi manga. Its quite good so far, but I don't really see how they can draw out the story for another 100 chapters. I'm seeing all the characters independently from their drama counter parts, other than Namba-senpai, who's character Mizushima got down to a tee. No, that's not just me fangirling, they even look the same, and I think that this is the first time that I have ever experienced a character so alike in manga, anime and drama. Most different? Mei in Mei-chan no Shitsuji. Not even close.

It happened again. Anyway, back to Nodame.

You know how I said that I didn't know any of the cast? Well, Mine apparently was in Kimi wa Petto as Momo's friend, Junpei, which I'm not sure I believe as the two characters look sooo different. Chiaki's ex-girlfriend was also in Kimi wa Petto, but I have no idea who her character was. Franck from the special was in one episode of Gokusen. So there you go, even dramas that I don't think have connections end up having them somehow, even if it is normally with Gokusen.

Next up is Koizora. It's quite a short one, only 6 episodes, but I quite like the idea of it, so I'm looking forward to it. I'm really liking Asian guys with bleached hair at the moment (OK, well from literally today), so that helps! I'll let you know, as usual, when I've finished it.

<3 x

EDIT: (8pm)
I've only watched 5 minutes, and Koizora has already had me in tears once AND the guy with the bleached hair is one of the always-half-naked-and-in-the-sauna guys from Atashinchi no Danshi. Looking good so far!

EDIT 2: (2.40 am) I just had to watch a hell of a lot of Super Junior doing their favourite dance move to stop the tears rolling down my cheeks. This show is soooo sad! Half way through now, so you'll probably get the full low down tomorrow.