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?

Buzzer Beat

Meaning: Yamapi has a girlfriend, falls in love with another girl, plays basketball, and should demonstrate a certain level of sucking in all of the above. Sweetly, though.
Verdict: Yamapi, Kitagawa Keiko, Aibu Saki in one drama? Can this really be bad? DEFINITELY WATCHING!

Koishite Akuma

Meaning: Vampire boy unwittingly falls in love with human teacher – aka Twilight, Japan style.
Verdict: Oh gorgeous and talented Kato Rosa, why does your romance costar have to be a kid. This is also starring that Yuma from the spankin’ new pimped out but full of strange and unknown little boys Johnny’s group, so maybe it’s trying to suck in the kiddies of Japan like Twilight did to the poor preteens of the US.

Akahana no Sensei

Meaning: A hospital middle school teacher tries to make sick kids happy but fails.
Verdict: … and then he will succeed to get to the children, heartwarmingly. Sounds kind of predictable and boring. Kashii Yu stars though, so that might be the one bright point.

Dandy Daddy?

Meaning: Daddy writes romance novels but tries to forbid his daughter from dating.
Verdict: What can I say, just the gaudiness of the CM makes this seem like it’ll be hilarious.

Ninkyo Helper

Meaning: Kusanagi puts on his clothes (sorry, can’t help it) and plays a mob boss who has to help at a nursing home.
Verdict: And Kuroki Meisa plays the sexy and feisty rival female mob boss. She will be wearing black yakuza befitting yet sexy suits. Ahem. That alone would probably make this worth it.

Saru Lock

Meaning: A loser idol-wotaku uses lock picking to solve cases with presumably equally loser-looking friends.
Verdict: Interesting premise, but how badass can lock picking possibly be? Guess it’s late night for a reason…

Call Center no Koibito

Meaning: Big shot employee gets demoted to a call center but finds ~love~.
Verdict: Yawn. Too bad they didn’t make it like an online dating call center or something, then that might be more interesting. But at least it does star ex-prime minister Koizumi’s hot son.

Haken no Oscar

Meaning: Shoujo manga otaku semi-hallucinates and decides to kick ass, Rose of Versailles style.
Verdict: ……fine NHK, you win this time. If it’s subbed I’ll give this a try.

Orthros no Inu

Meaning: A evil dude heals people he touches, a nice dude kills people he touches, what will happen when they meet?!
Verdict: Lolol it’ll be nice to see both Tackey and Nishikido Ryo go around an entire drama not touching any people. Love it. Also Mizukawa Asami will be in this too, and she is awesome.

Kochikame

Meaning: Katori Shingo plays a presumably hilarious policeman who mugs around the neighborhood.
Verdict: Good if the presumably hilarious part plays out in ways more than just weird faces.

Karei Naru Spy

Meaning: Nagase Tomoya and Fukuda Kyoko are badass spies.
Verdict: It sounds like a very standard spy drama but, really, you can’t go wrong with spies!

Otomen

Meaning: The strong and manly Asuka is actually has super girly tastes! Mayhem ensues when he falls in love with a tomboy.
Verdict: YES. If they can do the adorable manga even 75% justice, this will be terrific to watch.

Kanryotachi no Natsu

Meaning: The economy sucks now, so let’s make a movie about when the economy was good to help make it better again!
Verdict: The title means “The Summer of the Bureaucrats.” Because what screams summer like sun, surf, and bureaucrats, right?

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).

Producer Matsuoka said NEWS was chosen because “NEWS are active as individuals and as a group. The have the support of young women as well as people of all ages, and with their appeal to the public, they deserve to be the main personalities. NEWS can sing and dance, but they also have a smart image, and through this program I want to show viewers the NEWS that shed sweat and tears just like them.”

Personally, I’m thrilled NEWS is finally getting a chance to have something to do in television! Although they have no experience hosting their own show, I hope they do a great job as hosts.

Also, since it’s 24 Hr TV, there’s bound to be a wide variety of clips and events. I’m hoping for:

- giant NEWS medley sometime in the midnight hours

- Yamapi acting in a touching melodrama

- Tegomass songs!

- NEWS goes and visit people in need of help.

- Kame appears and there is a reprisal performance of Seishun Amigo somewhere.

- A lot of money raised for good causes, thanks to NEWS!

Each member had a comment. A quick and rough and possibly incorrect at parts translation:

Yamashita Tomohisa: Hopefully I can help viewers smile for 24 hours.  I hope what we do will help change the world for the better.

Koyama Keiichiro: Being on 24 Hour Television is one of my dreams. I don’t know what I myself can do, but this is a great program. I always watch this program and is always touched by thoughts of “the value of life, hope, courage.” I’m very happy to be able to be a part of this. 24 Hr TV is summer’s big event and will be the best of your time!

Masuda Takahisa: Becoming the TV personality that children watch on 24 Hour TV, I’m really happy! I’ll do my best to help everyone smile!

Kato Shigeaki: I’m glad to participate in this ledgendary program.  I want to do NEWS proud when I am on this program.

Tegoshi Yuya: 24 Hour TV is on each year, and I hope to learn from my seniors who have hosted this program before. I know there are many viewers, and I look forward to it.

Nishikido Ryo: In the past decade, 24 Hour TV has become ledgendary, to let NEWS be hosting this, I’m honestly very happy.  To make the show the best end of summer, I’ll work hard and do my best.

Information is all on the main site. Definitely something for NEWS fans to look forward to!

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.

Hancho

Meaning: A six-member squad resolve cases humanely.
Verdict: Your parents’ mystery drama of choice.

Konkatsu!

Meaning: A salaryman looks for love in the form of hottie Ueto Aya.
Verdict: Nakai playing a salaryman is, strangely, quite fitting. Drama seems to be going for quirkiness, as well as an awesome female cast (Shaku Yumiko and Ryo, together? Too much fierceness.) Also going to be the drama KAT-TUN fangirls salivate over, for Ueda.

Atashinchi no Danshi

Meaning: Poor girl marries rich guy to pay off debt; hijinks ensue.
Verdict: Horikita Maki and Kaname Jun are the mains and they are both brilliant in comedies. Also, written by the person who brought you Hana Kimi and Densha Otoko – I have high hopes for this!

Shiroi Haru

Meaning: Father (Abe Hiroshi) gets out of jail, meets as of yet unknown daughter (played by REALLY CUTE NOZOMI aka the Ponyo girl).
Verdict: Probably will be very touching, as the obasans of the world unite to watch this. (Also, does it make me a bad person that “white spring” makes me think more “Lolita” than touching family reunion…)

Rinjo

Meaning: Mysteries solved by a guy with a keen eye (aka he will solve everything).
Verdict: I hope his keen eye requires this to have CSI-style dead body investigation, because otherwise it looks ordinary.

Aishiteru

Meaning: Little kid kills another kid, families angst it out.
Verdict: …families angsting it out for a whole season, no thanks.

Hyoryu Net Cafe

Meaning: A sci-fi universe opens in a net cafe.
Verdict: The idea is cool but it’s a late night drama… if they can pull off effects, this has promise.

Ghost Friends

Meaning: Living girl falls in love with dead ghost boy.
Verdict: Either she will die to join him or he will stay dead and she moves on – and this is Japan, not Korea, so it’s obviously going to be the latter. Great for people who don’t want to see love relationships go anywhere in twelve episodes!

Yako no Kaidan

Meaning: Fujiki Naohito plays a beautician who is two-faced and encaptures women with his skillz.
Verdict: Fujiki Naohito: making beauticians women’s lovers, not gay bffs, since 2009.

BOSS

Meaning: Quirky detectives solve strange crimes under their boss lady.
Verdict: Focus more on the crimes and less on the love life of the main boss and I could be in for it, since I totally adore Toda Erika.

LOVE GAME

Meaning: People do weird things with love for money.
Verdict: Plot could be so-so. But here’s two words why you should watch this: Shaku Yumiko. Or “Sexy Chick.” Both mean the same anyways.

Konkatsu Rikatsu

Meaning: Marriage and divorce and love blah blah
Verdict: NHK DRAMA YAWNN

Smile

Meaning: Two people stay positive despite one being an orphaned half Filipino and the other mute.
Verdict: Matsujun and Gakki? Hell yeah, who cares about plot. But really, why does it matter if Matsujun is half Filipino.

Meitantei no Okite

Meaning: A mystery drama that mocks mystery dramas.
Verdict: I’m strangely reminded of 33 pun Tantei… and that’s a good thing! Could be really funny.

Godhand Teru

Meaning: Newbie saves patients in a hospital.
Verdict: Who needs medschool when you’ve got GODHANDS!!!

The Quiz Show 2

Meaning: Remake of the awesome late night drama with bigger names.
Verdict: The lovely plus of Sakurai Sho (Or if you’d rather, Yokoyama Yu, for those Kanjani8 fans.) Original plot was pretty good, so if they spruce it up for prime time, it could be amazing.

Harukana Kizuna

Meaning: Chinese and Japanese actors together, act out a love story.
Verdict: This seems like a good effort to give a chance to Chinese actors – OH WAIT, THIS IS AN NHK DRAMA. Whoops your chances to make it legitimately in Japan ended before it even started.

Kaze ni Maiagaru Vinyl Sheet

Meaning: Woman is devastated when her American ex-husband dies. Americans come to investigate.
Verdict: Hey, this sounds like the previous drama, except in an effort to integrate American actors – hey, what do you know, NHK AGAIN.

Kaette Kosaserareta 33pun Tantei

Meaning: Second season of the awesome 33 Pun Tantei.
Verdict: Season one was BRILLIANT. Watch this, and season one. Seriously, just do it, you’ll thank me for it.

Majo Saiban

Meaning: 12 Angry Men, minus the old crochety old men and plus Toma. And bribery. And shady stuff like that.
Verdict: If you’re going to name your drama “Witch Hunt” you better have the woman on trial be there for satanic mass murders instead of like… assault or something weak like that.

Ikemen Sobaya Tantei

Meaning: Good looking guy, inevitably more puns including soba, and quirky mysteries.
Verdict: Fujiki Naohito: Making beauticians and soba noodles look sexy since 2009.

Soratobu Taiya

Meaning: Guy will try to unveil evil corporation.
Verdict: I’m sure there are people out there who enjoy corporate and law dramas… yeah.

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!

Uta no Onii-chan – Also unbelievably good. You’d think being centered around a children’s show it’d be stupid, but there’s actually a lot of injustice, heartbreak, and hope centered around these people dressing in costumes and singing children’s songs. It’s really good – the half star off is for Ohno’s character looking like a mad pothead 90% of the time; his acting is good and his surly face matches the character, but makes the plot slightly less believable.

Triangle – the first parts are really dry, but by the third episode it gets really good – trust me! Unlike most mystery shows, Triangle focuses on just one mystery, but becomes truly mindboggling as episodes continue and, despite more facts being unveiled, the plot becomes deeper and more confusing. It gets annoying in how addicting it is, and you really want to keep watching until you know what will happen.

VOICE – Despite its edgy advertisement, VOICE is less mystery and more human-relations show. It’s not bad – although the amount of mystery is little, the human interactions are touching. It’s more like a sappy tell-their-story drama than a find-the-murderer, but it does a good job. The best part of the drama would be how the group of forensic medicine students VOICE centers upon are diverse and really grow on you.

RESCUE: The production values are high – they have actual fires and explosions and stuff sometimes. Think a Code Blue with firefighters and more bromance – yep, you’ve got the possible-but-not-really romance, past issues, flashbacks, etcetc. Surprisingly engaging despite firefighting school being a rather dull subject.

Kami no Shizuku – Okay, I watched this for the heck of it since, despite having a big-name Johnny’s, it’s the lowest rated drama of the season so far. In actuality, it’s not as bad as you’d expect. It’s not good either though – you’d have to care about wine to enjoy it; otherwise, it’s rather dull because it honestly sounds like the characters are spewing out a bunch of made-up facts.

Zeni Geba: The first episode was crazy and almost unswallowable – the flashbacks of Futaro were painful (but probably the best-acted part), and the present Futaro is just off the bat insane. It gets a little better as Futaro starts scheming, but he always seems less like a money-loving evil mastermind than just a money-loving seedy pervert… no amount of Japanese poverty and grief can screw a normal person up this much. I’d like to see if his plot succeeds, but I really can’t bear to sit through too many episodes of this.

I wish I could give a more comprehensive review of this season, but looking as that I will be continuing to watch five of the seven I tried (my coursework will undoubtedly be neglected…) this is probably all I can manage. I strongly reccommend you to at least try watching the top five dramas on this list – believe me, they’re worth it.

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 -

Voice

Meaning: Five young and hot doctors will solve mysteries by dissecting dead bodies. Think hot, young, Japanese CSI.
Verdict: I like CSI. Also, Eita, Ikuta Toma, and Shihara Satomi are damn hot. Screenwriter not really known for good mysteries though… but I like CSI-ish shows…

Mei-chan no Shitsuji (Mei-chan’s Butler)

Meaning: Shoujo adaptation~
Verdict: So if this is about Mei and her dream butler, why are there like 20 people on the advertisement?

Triangle

Meaning: Expired murder cases! Cue the flashbacks scenes.
Verdict: Mystery show for SMAP fans. And possibly for fans of pagan sacrifices, if the creepy triangles on its website are any indication.

Kami no Shizuku

Meaning: Kame is going to drink wine even though he doesn’t know shit about them.
Verdict: To its credit, with the tabloids screaming about Kame getting drunk in gay bars, this is much more believable than Kame playing an overweight boxer last year…

Kiina

Meaning: Mysteries solved by capable chick played by Kanno Miho!
Verdict: Supposedly based on real life crimes – will either be totally kickass or play out like a sniffy Lifetime movie.

Q.E.D.

Meaning: Mysteries, by high schoolers!
Verdict: NHK drama, NHK drama, I have no expectations., For those of you who like Takahashi Ai and aren’t bothered that she’s still playing a little high school girl.

Arifureta Kiseki (Unsurprising Miracle)

Meaning: Human relations drama, brought to you by Nakama Yukie.
Verdict: Probably unsurprising(ly boring.)

Love Shuffle

Meaning: A hotter and (potentially) funnier and non-reality wife-swap.
Verdict: I might bite for this one. Tamaki Hiroshi, feel free to swap to be with ME anytime you want.

Uta no Onii-san

Meaning: Guy down on his luck becomes the guy on Minna de Utao who’s dressed in neon colors.
Verdict: LOLOLOLOL.  How do you go from being cast as badass murderer mastermind to the loser guy on Minna no Utao, HOW.

Naniwa no Hana

Meaning: Crime solving + samurai
Verdict: How did gorgeous Chiaki get stuck acting with some kid on an NHK drama. Oh Japan.

RESCUE

Meaning: KAT-TUN’s Nakamaru and NEWS’ Massu are going to be heroic firefighters.
Verdict: Try to keep a straight face when they announce that nobody-recognizes-him Nakamaru and dopey-and-hungry Massu are playing a drama where they’re the “best of the best.” Lol.

Zeni Geba (Money Crazy)

Meaning: Matsuyama Kenichi plays a psycho rich dude!
Verdict: Last line of tokyograph synopsis: “he makes victims out of everyone around him.” What a total badass. I’m in.

Moso Shimai (Paranoid Sisters)

Meaning: Three psycho girls have fantasies about being romance novel heroines in a quest to find their mothers…
Verdict: …ok, this is some screwed up shit.

Tenchinjin

Meaning: Historical drama.
Verdict: Okay I’m obviously not going to watch some historical NHK drama, but Tsumabucki Satoshi looks damn good dressed up in the ad.

Honjitsu mo Hare. Ijo Nashi.

Meaning: A cop is going to do police-y things in a remote island of Okinawa.
Verdict: Are people going to be slaughtering or sexing it up all over the island? Otherwise, what’s he going to do, stop people from stealing each others beach sandals? Good if you like watching shows to further hating your cold wintery life while these people play on warm Okinawan beaches.

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.

The full setlist of songs performed was this:

Step and Go – Arashi
DON’T U EVER STOP – KAT-TUN
LIPS – KAT-TUN
Taiyou no Namida – NEWS
Summer Time – NEWS
Happy Birthday – NEWS
Wahaha – Kanjani8
Musekinin Hero – Kanjani8
Mayonaka no Shadow Boy – Hey!Say!JUMP
One Love – Arashi
Happy Happy Greeting – KinKi Kids + all
Garasu no Shounen – KinKi Kids + all
Aisareru Yori Aishitai – KinKi Kids
Yakusoku – KinKi Kids
DAYBREAK (Otokogumi) – Uchi Hiroki
Aoi Inazuma (SMAP) – Uchi Hiroki
A.RA.SHI – Arashi
Kansha Kangeki Ame Arashi – Arashi
Sakura Sake – Arashi
Love so Sweet – Arashi + all
Happiness – Arashi + all
truth – Arashi
Beautiful days – Arashi
Mezamero! Yasei (Matchy with QUESTION?) – Imai Tsubasa
Made in Japan – V6 + all
LIGHT IN YOUR HEART – V6
Sorafune – TOKIO
Amagasa – TOKIO
Ai Kakumei – Takizawa Hideaki
Daite Senorita – Yamapi + all
Sushi Kuine (Shibugakitai) – all
LOVE YOU ONLY (TOKIO) – all
Kamen Budoukai (Shounentai) – Tackey + Kazukiyo Nishikiori
Real Face (KAT-TUN) – all
weeeek (NEWS) – all
Sukiyanen Osaka (Kanjani8) – all
Seishun Amigo – Shuji to Akira + all
Ai Nanda (V6) – all
Midnight Shuffle (Masahiko Kondo) – all
Hatsuta – all

All indicates one of those huge everyone-join-in singfests.

I always love Countdown – seeing all the Johnny’s groups together being total dorks is something that only happens at Countdown now. Also, it’s just pure energy – they’re mostly lipsyncing but you can hear some real vocals too, there’s so many people the sound people always mess up and mute or amplify the wrong mikes so sometimes you hear some really offtune parts, everyone is jumping around and hugging or mauling their friends from other groups – just pure fun.

Overall, this year was pretty good – which doesn’t really say much because I always think it’s pretty good. I don’t like having everyone be split up though – no Tackey + everyone else love! – so I’m hoping everyone reconvenes at Tokyo Dome next year. I think the show is lacking a bit in more intergroup songs, but it’s understandable since Arashi sang a lot by themselves for their anniversary.

So definitely notable this year was the Arashi 10-year anniversary. It’s pretty awesome to be in the business for 10 years and have that year be the biggest year in your entire career. Arashi is arguably the hottest thing in Japan right now, and it’s great to see them get the loudest screams (fangirls went crazy when truth came on). Arashi also did a good job hosting this year – not as loud and nervous as last year.

I am sad at the lack of camera time for my favorites though – throughout the whole show I only saw fleeting glimpses of my beloved NEWS members. ):

So props for Tackey for being so cheery even when he’s in an empty auditorium. Also, look at the Dome stage! Hooray to NEWS for being the ones to host the dome over the new years.

Of course, you can’t do countdown without some celebration of Koichi’s birthday (January 1st.) While there’s no Nagase mauling Koichi this year, Tsuyoshi gives us a nice photo of young dorky Koichi.

Uchi Hiroki gets stage time without NEWS or Kanjani8 – indication of his career direction, I guess? Also, epic Arashi medley – when you can trump all your young and shiny peers and get the loudest cheers singing your old songs while wearing shiny gold sequined outfits – you’ve made it.

Speaking of epic, Tsubasa contributes with his epically ugly hair.

V6 still are perkier than their younger kouhai. Also, TOKIO still rocks – Subaru and Jin, two of the company’s best singers, sang the intro to “Sorafune” and couldn’t hold a candle to Nagase.

Tackey shows us how epically dramatic “Ai Kakumei” is. As if the emo spoken word at the beginning wasn’t enough, he also throws in jets of water and flying and a thousand gaudy fluffy juniors.

Yamapi and Jin slap each others’ butts during “Daite Senorita.” This is true friendship.

In order to get over child labor laws that don’t let the underaged members of Hey!Say!JUMP perform after midnight or something, they just show them on camera. As audience. Don’t worry, it’s only another five years before all the jailbait can appear on stage! …it’s going to be sad when everyone gets old and only one or two of them still get stuck offstage.

It is confirmed that everyone sucks at dancing “Seishun Amigo.” Okada and Nagase are terrible, Nino is pretty bad, and Ryo still sucks even though he did this at last year’s Countdown too. Even Yamapi and Kame are pretty lackluster at it, but Yamapi is forgiven because he looks really good. Hah. Also, in an odd decision, everyone sings “Midnight Shuffle,” not a happy or danceable song, while all squeezed on a rotating idol cake stand.

2009 is the year of the ox. Four people fit into this cycle – Yamapi, Koki and Taguchi from KAT-TUN, and Ohkura from Kanjani8. Cow = “ushi,” four = “shi”, so management decides to name them the “Ushishi4.” The next day, Yamapi complained during the NEWS concert about how stupid this name is, and I agree.

Matsujun is manhandled by TOKIO. Just goes to show you can be the most popular member in the most popular group and Nagase will still grope you mercilessly on national television.

And just some more caps filled with good looking boys to round out this recap.

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:

Best Single*: Perfume – Baby Cruising Love/Macaroni

Both songs on this single are perfection. One is a danceable and fairly upbeat, while the other is mellow and almost acoustic, both showing the range of electronic music Perfume is capable of.

Runner Up:
2. Aoyama Thelma – Soba ni Iru ne
3. Arashi – Truth/Kaze no Mukou e
4. NEWS – Happy Birthday
5. Fukuhara Miho – Himawari
*Single judgment based on all A-sides and B-sides in a single.

Best Album: Perfume – GAME

This album won by a long shot; full of a variety of technopop, from aggressive tracks to electropop to just danceable techno, it’s a perfect album.

Runner Up:
2. Ikimonogakari – LIFE Album
3. Suzuki Ami – Supreme Show
4. Otsuka Ai – LOVE LETTER
5. NEWS – color

Best PV: Perfume – Secret Secret

Despite being pretty much a glorified Pino commercial, this video featured some of the most stunning visuals without seeming overdone, has an interesting concept, and holds a visual quality of being futuristic at times and old-fashioned cinema in the others. Just terrific.

Runner Up:
2. NEWS – Summer Time
3. Double and Amuro Namie – Black Diamond
4. Arashi – Truth
5. Kuroki Meisa – Like This

Best Johnny’s Song: Arashi – One Love

Absolutely no competition this year. Gorgeous ballad that makes me want to go off and get married to Arashi. Well, even more than I do usually.
Runner up:
2. Arashi – Truth
3. Tegomass – Ai Ai Gasa
4. NEWS – Summer Time
5. Hey!Say!JUMP – Dreams come true

Best Drama: Ryusei no Kizuna (Fall)

It has everything: comedy, mystery, plot twists, heart-wrenching sob-moments, hot guys, pretty girls, decently good acting – if there’s one drama worth checking out this whole year, it’d have to be this.

Runner Ups:

2. Seigi no Mikata – extremely sweet and charming comedy; terrific acting.

3. 33 Pun Tantei (33 Minute Detective) – not that popular a drama, but I thought it was quirky and very amusing.

4. Maou – gets repetitive and overdramatic but overall an engaging plot with good acting and mood.

5. Last Friends – gets repetitive plotwise, but has great acting and some convoluted yet relatable and unforgettable characters.

And… that’s it! 2008 was undeniably the year of Perfume (for me, at least.) Here’s to hoping for the best in 2009.

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

RED TEAM: aiko, Aoyama Thelma, Akiyama Junko, Ayaka, Angela Aki, Ikimonogakari, Ishikawa Sayuri, Otsuka Ai, Kawanaka Mizuki, GIRL NEXT DOOR, Koda Kumi, Godai Natsuko, Kobayashi Sachiko, Sakamoto Fuyumi, SPEED, Tendo Yoshimi, Nakashima Mika, Nakamura Mitsuko, Hamasaki Ayumi, Perfume, Hitoto Yo, Hirahara Ayaka, Fuji Ayako, Fujioka Fujimaki and Ohashi Nozomi, Mizumori Kaori, and Wada Akiko.

WHITE TEAM: Akikawa Masafumi, Aqua Timez, Itsuki Hiroshi, EXILE, Kitajima Saburo, Kitayama Takeshi, Kimagurin, Kiyama Yusaku, Kobukuro, Shuuchishin with Pabo, SMAP, Tohoshinki (DBSK), TOKIO, Tokunaga Hideaki, Hikawa Kiyoshi, Hirai Ken, Fuse Akira, Porno Graffiti, Maekawa Kiyoshi, Mikawa Kenichi, Mr. Children, Mizutani Yutaka, Mori Shinichi, Moriyama Naotaro, and WaT.

Overall, same as you’d expect – the popular pop artists plus all those established enka singers (I had to google every one of them… pain). I’m glad that Perfume made it onto Kouhaku – hopefully, they’ll be here the year after too. Also, Tohoshinki has officially made it big in Japan. Absent from the list are any girl idols besides Perfume – not a year for AKB48 or H!P, I guess. Also absent despite their pretty big hype this year: Amuro Namie, Fukuhara Miho, and Shimizu Shota.

So will Kouhaku be your Japanese new year’s programming of choice?

(…unfortunately, no matter how nicely Perfume and Otsuka Ai will be strutting their stuff on stage, all the enka will render my early death. Yeah, not really a fan. I’ll be sticking to my good old standby: Johnny’s Countdown. )

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:

Innocent Love

Meaning: Life is hard for girl, then girl finds love.
Verdict: Horikita Maki!! Also, it’s written by the same writer of Last Friends – maybe worth checking out if you liked that one.

Celeb to Binbo Taro (Celeb & Poor)

Meaning: Rich girl Ueto Aya falls in love with poor guy, hijinks included.
Verdict: Ueto Aya acts like a bimbo for many episodes, and then happily ever after. Haven’t we seen this before?

Team Batista no Eiko

Meaning: ~Legendary~ doctors commit murder – or did they?
Verdict: Like they themselves ask: medical malpractice or MURDER? It could be really suspenseful and gripping, or overly dramatic and campy. Catchy premise though!

Oh! My Girl!!

Meaning: A guy lives with his little niece and her manager, finds family and love.
Verdict: Hayami Mokomichi and Kato Rosa are cute and will make a heartwarming drama. Aww.

OL Nippon

Meaning：OL teaches three Chinese employees stuff.
Verdict: Why are there so many OL dramas?

Nanase Futatabi

Meaning: Remake of a 1979 drama where a bunch of psychic kids fight psychic baddies.
Verdict:Good luck pulling this off with your crappy drama budget, NHK.

Shioni Kyumei

Meaning: Drama about a woman pediatrician.
Verdict: Skip watching little children get immunizations and whatsoever.

Kaze no Garden

Meaning: A dying old man returns to his hometown to reconcile with his kids.
Verdict: …I’m about four decades too young for a drama like this.

Giragira

Meaning: Married man works at a host club and teaches hosts that their job is actually about “human connection.”
Verdict: A drama about hosts inevitably means hot young actors. That’s a plus. The manga this is based on is supposed to be good, so there’s potential.

Ryusei no Kizuna

Meaning: Two brothers want to get revenge on someone their sister fell in love with.
Verdict: Based off the popular novel, and starring Ninomiya Kazunari, Nishikido Ryo, Toda Erika. Plus there’s also Nakashima Mika and Kaname Jun – it’s too much star power to resist.

Bloody Monday

Meaning: Genius hacker vs terrorists.
Verdict: Miura Haruma saving the world – yes yes yes. I mean, with a title like “Bloody Monday” it HAS to be intense, right?

Scrap Teacher

Meaning: Junior high students versus their dumb useless teachers.
Verdict: Pedo heaven. About half of Hey!Say!JUMP is in here (read: the young half), so those of you who go wild for Yamada Ryosuke will be loving this. Otherwise – was Gokusen 3 and Rookies STILL not enough to satisfy you?

ROOM OF KING

Meaning: Four people fight it out – presumably hilariously – for a posh apartment.
Verdict: The plot sounds really dumb right now, but I can see it working out to be funny. We’ll see.

Akai Ito

Meaning: Two young lovers are connected by the ~red string of fate~.
Verdict: If it’s a best-selling novel and is going to have a interconnected movie in December, maybe this is worth checking out. Plus, I’m getting a huge Koizora-vibe from this – definitely a good thing.

Dandan

Meaning: Twins who meet up again through ~fate~.
Verdict: Watching NHK daytime dramas will probably make mellow old age catch up to me faster. Sorry.

SCANDAL

Meaning: Four women have lives of betrayal! deceit!… and then they learn about family, marriage, and love.
Verdict: Yawn. A name like “SCANDAL” and no murder/drug use/cheating stuff? What a rip.

And for those hoping for another hilariously terrible Tokyo MX BL-flavored drama chock full of pretty boys, like Here is Greenwood of RH Plus – sorry. The time slot seems to be taken up by Ultraman.

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.

Episode 9

This was a great episode! A-chan is the host this time – pedestal and all – and brings out her guest, comedian Yama-chan. It’s another love-related episode, this time: to help Yama-chan, single for three years, find a girl!

A-chan and Yama-chan go through activities for Yama-chan to choose. Yama-chan asks Nao to model her model walk. Afterwards, he cracks a very cold – and very poorly received – “venus” joke.

Next, Nocchi is asked to show her housewifely abilities. Let’s pause for a moment now, because Nocchi proceeds to don an apron and finely chop a banana. Moeee~

Next, stage two: how Yama-chan captures women’s hearts! Kashiyuka is reluctantly roped into doing a skit, where Yama-chan has “lost” something – and it’s his heart!

Kashiyuka is a little disgusted and not impressed at all.

Then Yama-chan does a gag that makes everyone – especially Sumiko – burst into laughter. As the next challenge, he shows his sports skills by fake-playing basketball.

Finally, A-chan asks Yama-chan to choose who he would pick out of the four – and he says none of them. Why? He needs to come clean to A-chan… the rest of the girls giggle…

As his pants drop down to show underpants that say “A-chan daisuki,” it’s clear why.

Episode 10

It’s the concert episode! Nao and Sumiko follow Perfume’s 5.31.2008 GAME Tour date in Yokohama. They’re both excited. Nao demonstrates her favorite Perfume song – as well as demonstrating why she’s a model and not a singer, because she is completely tone deaf. So yeah, they will attend the concert today!

They go around and talk to the fans for awhile – talking to/hitting on two male fans. When Sumiko tells the second guy, an A-chan fan, that her hands have touched A-chan, he reaches out to grab Sumiko’s hands. XD

They then cut to a studio segment filmed but not aired from episode one talking about how the group has been together for 8 years and such. There’s a VTR with more background on the girls.

The huge crowd gathers – and a few call out to “Nao-chan” and, eventually, “Sumiko” on the balcony. Talk about a big celebrity presence.

The concert gets underway. The highlight would have to be the “Secret Secret” performance clip shown – it’s just as amazing live as it was in the PV!

They show parts of more performances (GAME, Baby Cruising Love, Polyrhythm, Chocolate Disco) as well as a few MCs – where A-chan takes the chance to give Sumiko some shoutouts.

Both Nao and Sumiko have positive impressions of the concert. Nao enjoys the energetic live, while Sumiko is more touched by how Perfume are onstange and off and thanks them for putting on a good show.

Finally, it’s the last MC – Perfume all battle tears (some better than others) as they thank the audience for making their tour a success.

With Perfume offstage, the crowd turns to wave to Nao and Sumiko. Of course, they wave back. Sumiko, in completely high tension, screams out “I love Perfume” along with her trademark comedy catchphrase – the audience loves it.

Finally, Nao and Sumiko go visit Perfume backstage – Perfume are very happy to see them. It’s all smiles as Sumiko tells Perfume just how impressed she was by the concert.