NEWS - Taiyou no Namida (2)

Since “Taiyou no Namida” is going to be released on Wednesday, NEWS has started their blitz of media appearances. There’s many more to come, but their first TV performance was on Music Station… where they performed and had water pouring down on them. Their “sun” isn’t just shedding some tears, it’s bawling. By the end of the song, after only about a minute and half of the downpour, they can’t make direct eye contact at the cameras with all the water coming down and are all soaked through. But the performance went well, and they looked happy despite being dripping wet, so it’s all good.

Of course, what would the world be like without leaks. It’s not supposed to be out until Wednesday, but… hey, not like there weren’t decent radio rips already, right?

Follow the links for song previews & downloads.

2008 Winter Dramas (Part 2)

So here’s the continuation to the Part 1 of the drama review! Following the six from last time, here’s the next seven.

Shikaotoko Aoniyoshi (The Fantastic Deer-Man) is about a man (Ogawa, played by Tamaki Hiroshi) plagued with terrible luck all his life, and now that he’s at the end of his line he’s sent to an all girl’s school in Nara to teach. When he gets to Nara, where deer roam around, he catches the eye of… I dunno, deer gods? who can turn into humans. And they’ll get him to become the protector of Japan, under their instructions? This drama is ridiculous (talking deer!) but hilarious, with unbelievable events voiced over by Ogawa’s self-pitying deadpan that somehow creates a great mix. Having Tamaki Hiroshi starring doesn’t hurt at all. I am so completely confused by the drama and yet I love it already.
Watch status: watching!

2008 Winter Dramas (Part 1)

Now that episodes have aired, ratings are out, and I’ve watched an episode or two, it seems ripe time to round up this season’s new renzoku dramas.

In other words, I’m watching everything and weeding stuff out so you don’t have to. Here’s the first six.

(Before anyone asks: I watched most of these with Chinese subtitles or raw, so I don’t know availability of English subtitles. Check on d-addicts.)

Bara no nai Hanaya is doing the best in all of this season’s dramas. It has the popular Monday night Fuji romance spot and is headed by Katori Shingo of SMAP. Plot revolves a single dad raising his daughter while running a small flower shop in memory of his late wife and - well, I guess eventually romance will come, but for now he just meets people (who happen mostly to be pretty women.) It’s a romance drama, so you know what to expect, although for now it’s just more of a “human drama.” It does has funny quirks, a nice pace, and - for my enjoyment - Matsuda Shota. It’s pretty good, if you dig those human relation dramas.
Watch Status: Might watch some episodes if I’m in a chick-flick kind of mood