Filed under: Dorama, Television | Tags: Akahana no Sensei, Buzzer Beat, Call Center no Koibito, Dandy Daddy?, Haken no Oscar, Kanryotachi no Natsu, Karei Naru Spy, Kochikame, Koishite Akuma, Ninkyo Helper, Orthros no Inu, Otomen, Saru Lock
Can it still be called a preview if some of the series kind of already started? :\ Ah, well, either way, here’s my preview of this season’s upcoming dramas. My top three this season are three definitely pretty boy dramas: Buzzer Beat, Orthros no Inu, and Otomen. (Although I probably will check out many more too, since there’s a lot of promise this season!)
Also is it just me or are there many more Johnny’s this season? 7 in lead or co-leading roles this season? Has that happened before?
NEWS will be the hosts of this year’s 24 Hour Television, NTV’s yearly fundraiser that takes donations while broadcasting – you guessed it – 24 hours straight of related television. (It’s pretty much the Japanese form of PBS Telethons for charity.) Pretty much every JE group, including most recently Arashi, have been hosts before; this will be NEWS’ first time. The program will start August 29th. It’s the 32nd time, and the theme this year is “START!~Ippo wo Fumidasou~” (START! Taking One Step Out).
Made it in time for April 1st! 
Winter season was good, here’s hoping the momentum carries on this season.
So my “recommendations” for watchable dramas has sucked consistently – but just look, one of these days I’ll correctly predict the good dramas. For the new shows this season, I’ll be keeping an eye out on Atashinchi no Danshi, Quiz Show, and Meitantei no Okite.
Filed under: Dorama, Television | Tags: Kami no Shizuku, Mei-chan no Shitsuji, RESCUE, Triangle, Uta no Onii-chan, VOICE, Zeni Geba
Well, more like quarter-season, but I feel like I’ve watched enough to give some recs. This season’s dramas are (by my standards, at least) unbelievably good. All the ones I’ve watched have English subs, found at, cough, the usual places. (Please don’t ask me how to find subs.)
Here’s my take on them. Since Valentine’s day has just passed, let’s do some rating in hearts!
Mei-chan no Shitsuji – ABSURDLY GOOD. The synopsis doesn’t do it justice! Orphaned Mei is suddenly thrust into high-class school St. Lucia as the heir of the affluent Hongo group with her own S-rank (super talented, and coincidentally super hot) butler. A lot of ridiculous antics from the crazy bitches at the school. All the protagonists are likable characters, there is possible romance and definitely mystery, and seriously crazy creepy antagonists you just shiver to see – this is so far terrific!
Whew! I’ve done a year of drama previews already, and it’s time for 2009’s dramas.
This seems like a fairly weak season, by my picks would be Voice, Zeni Geba, and probably Uta no Onii-san for the laughs. I’m a little late for this season, but nevertheless -
Filed under: Arashi, Hey!Say!JUMP, Johnny's Entertainment, KAT-TUN, Kanjani8, KinKi Kids, NEWS, Tackey & Tsubasa, Television, V6
Because this is the new years countdown I really care about.
Arashi were the hosts again this year, and the Tokyo Dome stage used NEWS’ layout since they had dome concerts at the same time. Different was this this year the broadcast was split – KinKi Kids were broadcast from Osaka Dome, and Tackey and Kazukiyo Nishikiori (of Shounentai) were broadcast from the stage of the upcoming Tackey stage show.
I blog about j-pop and j-dramas, plus I’m critical of others (har, har) so I figured – who better to pass judgment on those subjects than me? (Rhetorical question.) It’s time for me to give my two cents on 2008.
And if you notice some heavy, heavy bias – well, everything is based solely on my and only my opinion. (:
Starting with:
Filed under: Angela Aki, Aoyama Thelma, Ayumi Hamasaki, DBSK, Ikimonogakari, Japan, Jero, Jpop, Koda Kumi, Nakashima Mika, Opinion, Otsuka Ai, Perfume, Television, WaT | Tags: Kouhaku
Kohaku’s artist lineup for this year has been released.
Newcomers on the red team (female) are Aoyama Thelma, Akimoto Junko (enka singer who I think made it big this year with her single “Ai no Mama De”), Ikimonogakari, GIRL NEXT DOOR, Perfume, and Fujioka Fujimaki and Ohashi Nozomi (the two men and the little girl who sang the theme to Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea).
Newcomers to the white team (male) are Kimaguren, Kiyama Yusaku, Jero, Shuchishin with Pabo, Tohoshinki(DBSK), Mr. Children, and Mizutani Yutaka (enka singer who made a comeback).
Overall, expected additions for the year. I’m not familiar with enka singers, but the female singers who made it big this year all made it onto the show (Perfume! Yes!). I’m surprised and pleased that Ikimonogakari are finally on. For the male artists though, I’m surprised it took this long for Mr. Children to make it on.
Full lineup is
Filed under: Dorama, Television | Tags: Akai Ito, Bloody Monday, Celeb & Poor, Dandan, Giragira, Innocent Love, Kaze no Garden, Nanase Futatabi, Oh! My Girl!!, OL Nippon, ROOM OF KING, Ryusei no Kizuna, SCANDAL, Scrap Teacher, Shioni Kyumei, Team Batista no Eiko
Summer season 2008 was terrific – granted, I’ve yet to finish all of them, but the ones I’ve watched and finished have been great. Unfortunately, it seems to be a trend that all the good dramas air in summer – how’s autumn looking up?
I’m checking out quite a few dramas out of loyalty for the stars I follow, but if I had to rec three to check out based on how the plot sounds, it’d be Ryusei no Kizuna, Bloody Monday, and Giragira. And now, to the dramas:
Filed under: Perfume, Television, Variety Show | Tags: HAPPY!, Nishioka Sumiko, Tokuzawa Naoko
New, simpler opening this time, but very pretty with the sky and the cutouts. I have officially passed the 10 episodes behind schedule mark XD but here’s a synopsis of 9 and 10 – two great, can’t be missed episodes.
