Asia Addiction

Happy Holidays!

2011-12-25T13:57:00.000+02:00

Dear readers, I haven't been around much lately, but I hope you haven't forgotten me! I wish you a very merry Christmas and Happy Holidays among people you love! Remember that nothing is more important than love! I sincerely hope that all your Christmas wishes come true!

Ouran High School Host Club - live action

2011-08-01T11:54:00.000+03:00

Hello everyone!
First of all, allow me to apologize for the huge lack of post. Whether anyone cares or not, I feel it is necessary to excuse myself as I had been going through a very important phase in my life - the whole getting a degree mess. Well, now that all this crazy period is over, I can concentrate more on my blogs and getting some writing done.
Once again, thank you very much for following this blog and for being patient with me. Arigato!

Now, let's get back to business!

As probably most of you know, this summer season's drama list is flooded with much awaited arrivals of new live actions. One of those is Ouran High School Host Club, which is the live action of the very famous manga and anime bearing the same title.

Plot:
The plot of the drama is pretty simple - Haruhi, a very hardworking student gets a scholarship for an elite high school. One day, while searching for a quite place to study, she stumbles upon a music room, unaware of the fact that this was the location of the renowned Ouran host club. Accidentally, she brakes an expensive vase and the boys force her to work off her debt by becoming a host.
The drama is what is known amongst the anime fans as a "reverse harem" which basically means that one main female character is surrounded by many other male characters who usually end up falling in love with her ( if not all, at least most of them).

Acting:

The main roles are played by a very cute actress - Kawaguchi Haruna, who also starred in Yankee-kun to Megane-chan and Tokyo Dogs- and nice funny guy - Yamamoto Yusuke, whom we've known from other dramas too (personally, I remember him from Atashinchi no danshi). To be honest, I imagined the real life version of Tamaki as a much more handsome and cuter guy (an Akanishi Jin kind of guy maybe?), but his acting is cute enough to be forgiven. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying he's ugly, just...not the kind of Tamaki I envisioned.
As for the other actors, honestly, they're all so handsome it's hard to pick a favorite. Daito Shunsuke, who's playing Kyoya, is one such gorgeous example. Not only is he beautiful, but he's also very talented. Of course, it is hard to point that out with only 2 episodes of Ouran, but i remember being very impressed with his acting in LADY. I have no doubt that Ouran won't shed much light on his talent, but at least he's one piece of eyecandy that girls aren't allowed to miss.
The same goes for all the other actors: Nakamura Masaya, playing Mori-senpai is very handsome, though quite a new face in the acting industry and "Honey"-senpai is embodied by the cutest guy I've ever seen (only one year younger then me!? Mommy, I want to move to Japan!!!) by the name of Chiba Yudai, also a new face.
But the cutest thing of this drama is the pair of twins - Kaoru and Hikaru- who, guess what (?), are twins in real life (!) : Takagi Shinpei and Takagi Manpei. How adorable!

Personal opinion:

Honestly, what struck me most about this drama was not the drama itself, but the viewers' comments : "omg, I can't wait for more! I loved it!" kind of comments.
Well, I can wait for more. Actually, I'm not sure I really want more.
Yes, the actors are handsome and I love the anime so much! I could probably watch it my whole life on repeat actually - but I'm afraid I won't go that far, you know, just for the sake of my sanity. BUT, maybe due to the fact that I loved the anime that much, I can't keep feeling that this drama isn't living up to any of the fans' expectations. The episodes are too short. The action is quite slow and boring and too over the top, plus I can't see any chemistry between Haruhi and Tamaki.
As for the special visual effects - which are indeed awesome visually speaking - they turned out to be quite a turn off for me. I mean, in an anime it's ok, but in the drama they're quite freaky... And I think they use them too much to cover up the... bad vibes ( or something?).
It just... doesn't raise to my expectations and with that I've said it all.
Of course, it's only been two episodes so I'm probably being too picky and subjective and things will probably get better, but, for the time being, until there are a few more episodes added, I don't really recommend this drama, unless you only wnat to watch it for the guys.

That's it for today (hope no one will curse me for my negativism :P ). I'll be back soon!

Rebound - a unique romantic comedy

2011-05-19T10:06:00.001+03:00

Plot :

Nobuko is a successful journalist working for the top women magazine "Eden". However she has a very humiliating secret. In reality, Nobuko has been fat for most of her life and she barely managed to loose weight thanks to an exceptionally good nutritionist. Nobuko has always loved cakes and she was warned by her doctor that if she ever tastes a cake again her will will definitely be broken.
Nobuko's boss sends her to a cake shop to make an article about it and she discovers that it's the same cake shop where she tasted her very first cake. The owner is now the son of the previous owner, but Nobuko isn't impressed by his sweets. She writes a harsh article that practically destroys the shop's reputation. Now, driven by guilt, she lets the owner convince her to test the cakes he makes until he manages to make them delicious enough to rebuilt his reputation. But what happens if Nokubo's weight rebounds?

Cast:

The main characters are superbly portrayed by the same actors who played the main roles in Absolute Boyfriend : Aibu Saki and Hayami Mokomichi. To be honest, I hate Nobuko's way of speaking (she's almost screaming all the time and she's overly excited), however, I cannot deny that Aibu Saki did an extraordinary work in portraying this character. Not only did she have to wear a special costume and make-up in order to look fat, but she also depicted the main character's feelings' perfectly. Hayami Mokomichi is a great partner that complements Aibu-san's acting entirely and I'm sure that, as the drama progresses, we will see his skills more and more clearly.

Personal Opinion:

I've been a fatty for over a year now due to some very troublesome health problems so I can tell you for sure that this drama hit very close to home for me. Maybe this is why, I've had quite mixed feeling about it from the very first episode. Half of me was thinking "God, I don't wanna see that cause I'll surely get depressed!!", while the other half kept pushing me "Come on, it's high time you took your weight a little less seriously..." Well, in the end, I decided I had to see at least one episode.And I didn't make the wrong choice.
Rebound is a fresh and original romantic comedy, approaching a very realistic and sensitive subject : weight. Weight is, after all, the thing we most worry about when dealing with the opposite sex. This drama portrays the pain and effort fat people go through in order to form a relationship, but in a humorous and cute way. The characters' feelings really get to you and make you question what a relationship is all about. Don't they seem to take weight a little bit too seriously? What exactly do we love about the person we're in a relationship with? What really makes our heart skip a beat when we are close to the one we love? This are questions that come naturally to mind whilst watching this drama's plot develop. As a result, this show is, in my opinion, a very good opportunity to get to know ourselves better and have fun throughout the process.
I truly recommend it!

How to date an otaku girl

2011-03-31T20:38:00.001+03:00

Prompted by a very nice post from Aigoo Aigoo blog - which I take the opportunity to thank for all the great recommendations, I decided to watch this cute romantic comedy. This is my humble "review".

Plot:

Hinata is in love with his ex-co-worker, Yoriko. He asks her out and she accepts, even though she confesses that she is a fujoshi. Hinata doesn't actually knows what a "fujoshi" is, but he reassures her that he'll love her no matter what. Only later does he find out that fujoshi are girls obsessed with BL (boys love).

Cast:

The main characters are played by two adorable actors: Daito Shunsuke, who has acted in a very large array of tv shows and movies, and Wakana Matsumoto. Although, I have to admit that I was completely enraptured by the handsome Furukawa Yuta who played the role of Hinata's best friend. ~~Total eyecandy!~~

Personal opinion:

Here comes the hard part.
Since we've reached this part, I'm gonna be completely honest with you and make a confession: Watashi wa fujoshi desu! Yes, I'm a total yaoi addict! I read at least 5 gay romance novels a week (which is probably why I update this blog so rarely), my pc is full of shounen-ai and yaoi manga and ~~my ideal man is one who'd be willing to ride a ***** for my sake~~ So, you see, I can't help but being a little biased because I totally found myself targeted by this movie's plot. I truly expected the whole plot to be centered on yaoi and totally drooled at the thought of seeing lots of otakuish scenes.
It turns out this movie is simply a love story. The main character is a fujoshi and because of that, like all of us fujoshi out there, she's scared that her love interest will consider her a freak. However, it turns out that the guy doesn't give a damn about her weird hobbies. All, in all, this is just a romantic comedy. The main female character just happens to be a fujoshi, but this has no real consequences on the love story itself, expect for a bit of anxiety form her part.

Nonetheless, I did find this film cute. There were a lot of scenes that made me go all "Aww! Kawaii!!! I want a boyfriend like that!" -no, scratch that, I want A BOYFRIEND, no matter how he is- and there were also a lot of scenes that made me laugh out loud like, for example, the scene in which the guy, who was so influenced by his girlfriend's hobbies that he began seeing yaoi scenarios everywhere around, sips calmly from his glass of water while watching two men dressed in Santa Clause and his reindeer and imagines a possible kinky dialogue between them (the best scene in the whole movie! In my humble opinion, the film's worth watching just for that; yoi fangirls will definitely appreciate the humour).
As a result, I couldn't say that I was disappointed. Not at all. But I would have definitely appreciated more otaku scenes. I can say for sure, even though I didn't read it, that the manga is at least 3 times better.
All in all, if you're looking for a cute, sweet and light romantic comedy, I'm sure "How to date an otaku girl" will suite your tastes just fine.

Help Japan

2011-03-13T15:47:00.000+02:00

Hello everyone.
I was extremely taken aback by the devastating news regarding Japan's situation. For those of you who wish to help, here are some links where you can donate money:
Mercy corps
ABC news article

Lets prey for all Japanese to be safe. Go, go Japan!

LADY - Saigo no Hanzai Profile: another amazing police drama

2011-02-17T12:39:00.001+02:00

Plot:

The plot focuses around a team of profilers that was recently formed in a Japanese police department. Having to face the prejudice of the investigators and being continuously mocked and offended by the department chief, Shoko, Keisuke, Marie, Takehiko and their team leader Yuki, must also learn how to work as a team in order to bring the best out of their abillities. Despite all the hard work, the five profilers always manage to catch the murderers.

Cast:

In terms of cast, there is no doubt that this drama is a top notch production. Starting with the main character, who's brought to us by the beautiful Kitagawa Keiko, and ending with the investigators from the police department, this drama is full of many well known and talented actors. My favourites are, of course, the two male protagonists Kaname Jun and Hiraoka Yuta, both of whom I've followed for a very long time, even though they've only recently started to be more successful, which I'm very glad of.

In other words, a superb distribution which is guaranteed to offer you the biggest enjoyment.

Personal Opinion:

Personally, I love all kinds of police dramas, so I suppose my opinion is very subjective. What I really loved about this drama is the fact that the murder cases are very interesting and the use of technology, even though it's quite often featured in the series, isn't the main protagonist. Take, for example, the American TV shows like CSI: New York (which I really love actually) or Ciminal Minds. They use so many laboratory techniques! That in itself shows that the plot isn't really good after all; if we take al the technicalities out of the picture, the cases aren't that interesting any more, are they? In this dorama, on the contrary, the plot is purely focused on the cases and, at the most, you will see a bit of computer work. The viewer is not overwhelmed with technical information and, yet, the murder cases are still quite interesting.

Usually there aren't many tv series featuring profilers (which reminds me of Criminal Minds again...). Somehow it's really interesting to see how psychological knowledge is put into action. I don't know if real profilers are that accurate, but I must admit I was truly impressed by profilers thanks to this series.

However I must admit that this drama, ever since the beginning, left be with a slight bitter taste. In what way? Well, it reminds me too much of American police TV shows where the policemen are heroes and the murderers target them and they are all geniuses who can catch any delinquent. This is just too unrealistic and cliché. I don't want to see something so Americanized! I want a Japanese drama!

Well, despite all this, I still think it's a show worth watching.

We are dating

2011-01-08T17:25:00.003+02:00

U-Kiss fans, rejoice! MBC has just released the spin-off of the popular show "We got married". The show is called "We are dating". U-Kiss members Alexander, Eli and Soohyun are paired up with Girl's Day's Min Ah, Ji Hae and Yura for a period of 3 months. After watching 4 episodes I'm already hooked!

Thumbs up for MBC!

Ps: Thanks everyone who commented on my previous posts and thank you so much for following! Hope you had a great winter holiday!

Kuragehime - my favourite anime of this season's ongoing series

2010-12-06T19:17:00.001+02:00

I realize it's been a long time since I last wrote something. Although I do love my blog, I find it hard to pick things worth writing about since I've always appreciated quality instead of quantity.
This week however, I seem to have found a new reason to write (except for the newly increased number of followers; wow! I have 6 followers!!! those guys with over 200 followers are probably laughing their heads off at me now or will- that is if they ever happen to stumble upon my tiny little blog. Nonetheless, I'm truly tankful to all those willing to follow my blog and maybe even browse a little through the contents. Arigato gozaimasu!). That reason just happens to be a truly unique anime called Kuragehime.
Surprisingly, I've never before wrote about anime, though they do have quite a big part in the birth of this huge mania of mine for everything Asian. However, truthfully speaking, I hardly find any good anime to watch these days.
My first anime was Sailor Moon ( well, maybe it wasn't quite the first, but it was the one series that really got me into the whole anime "business"). Though looking back at it, I find it a bit immature and sometimes way too sappy for my tastes, I still enjoy watching it. All throughout the years, I've desperately tried to get a hold of those nostalgic feelings that this anime brought me, the same excitement, the crazy flutter of the heart, the small butterflies in the stomach that I used to have when I was a little child. Of course I'm passed 20 now, but there were some anime that brught me close to that same excitement I was talking about earlier: Fullmetal Alchemist, Death note, Denno Coil, Special A, Kaichou wa Maid-sama, Darker than Black, Hunter x Hunter... which brings us to the topic of today's post.

Plot:

Kuraghime it's an anime inspired by the josei manga with the same title written by Akiko Higashimura (for those of you wondering, "kuragehime" literally means "jellyfish princess") and its plot is centered around the main character, Tsukimi, who is a jellyfish otaku. Tsukimi shares a house with other otakus, all of them obsessed with different things: Chieko adores kimono and other traditional clothing, Mayaya is obsessed with Records of Three Kingdoms and constantly makes references to them, Banba is a train otaku and Jiji is obsessed with mature men (yes, this one is by far the strangest kind of obsessions if you ask me).
The story starts one fateful night when Tsukimi walks by a pet store and sees two jellyfish in a tank. Being a true "jellyfish connoisseur" she realizes that the two species are incompatible with each other and one of them would soon die if kept in the same tank. Suppressing her fear of talking with men she approaches the shop assistant and desperately tries to convince him to move the jellyfish in separate tanks, but the man takes her for a crazy person and pushes her out of the store. At that point, Tsukimi is saved by a gorgeous lady who convinces the shop assistant into giving the jellyfish to Tsukimi and accompanies Tsukimi back to her house. Tsukimi is tired and she soon falls asleep completely forgetting about the beautiful woman in her room. When she wakes up though, she notices the woman had also fallen asleep in her room, but, surprise-surprise, she is in fact a HE!

Personal opinion:

As you may have already noticed, this anime has a very unique feel to it. First of all, there aren't many anime where the main male character is a cross-dresser. That is something that basically screams "original" in your face!
Sencondly, and probably the most important thing actually, it's the construction of the main character, Tsukimi. Tsukimi is a shy, innocent virgin who dreams of meeting Prince Charming, though she does nothing to help him come along and has a bizarre hobby. She is portrayed in a very realistic way and even though she's a total "looser" in terms of social life, she truly grows to the viewer and you come to like her and root for her. Even more so when she transforms into a breathtaking beauty after a make-over applied by our proffesional cross-dresser.
As for the cross-dresser, whose name is Kuranosuke, he turns out to be a totally normal man.In fact, the main reason to why he likes to wear women's clothes is because he wants to seem like an irresponsible guy so that all of the hard work is passed on to his older brother. The other reason is the fact that he loves make-up. Ah, what a wonderful man, nee!?
To be honest, the secondary characters piss me off. All those otakus are pretty much histerical frustrated women. The only one who I approve of is Banba-san and the only reason of my empathy is because Banba-san never talks.
However, one truly cute and lovable character is Kuranosuke's brother, Shu. Shu appears to be a very serious and strict person, but he blushes like a teenager when he sees Tsukimi (in her "Cinderella" version). As a matter of fact, the two have many things in common: they're both virgins and they're both really shy and , most likely, they're both want to get married. And, somehow, this annoys the hell out of Kuranosuke.

Well, as I'm sure everyone noticed judging by the enthusiasm with which I've written about this anime that, so far, I am truly enjoying it and I wholeheartedly recommend it to everyone!

EDIT:
So, Kat was kind enough to let me know that Tsukimi is not actually in her 30s. I apologize for the misunderstanding. As for Jiji, I accidentally wrote that she loves mature women, while I meant MEN. Sorry again for the mistakes.
Kat, thank you for pointing out my mistakes. It shows that you really took the time to read it carefully. I really appreciate that.

Joker Yurusarezaru Sosakan - a different kind of police drama

2010-10-20T14:23:00.000+03:00

As I mentioned before, I believe Japanese are the best when it comes to mystery and police shows. They didn't disappoint me this time either. With a unique plot and an excellent cast, the recently completed dorama that aired this autumn, Joker, is definitely one of the few dramas that are worth watching this season.

Plot:

Date Kazuyoshi is a detective known for his kind and calm personality. However, during the nighttime, he punishes the criminals who manage to escape being be prosecuted.

Cast:

Along with Sakai Masato, who plays the main lead, there are many other topnotch actors who are starring in this drama, making it a real delight for the eyes and soul. Some worth mentioning are: Kaga Takeshi, Ryo (Miyada Yumiko), Osugi Ren, Nishikido Ryo, Anne. This names might sound alien, but once you see the actors' faces, you realize they are actors who have starred in numerous dramas and have received great love from the audience all throughout their careers.

Personal opinion:

The plot is actually a little more complicated in comparison to what I wrote previously, but it's something that shouldn't be spoiled by reviews so I won't be going into details. What I must tell is that this dorama is something typically Japanese. The whole plot is centered around the idea of justice and it makes people wonder: what is justice actually? What is truly right and what is truly wrong. I have stumbled upon this idea in many Japanese production. Lets take Death Note, for instance, which is a manga/anime/movie everyone has heard about. That was focused on the idea of justice.

Joker too, emphasizes the same concept: the idea of an Utopian world where all criminals are punished, the notion of idealistic Justice that no criminal can escape from. It is indeed, at least i my opinion, a typically Japanese line of thought. And, since I love Japanese and their mentality, I can honestly say I absolutely loved this drama as well.

As you can deduce from the storyline, this drama is quite unique, since it features policemen taking it upon themselves to clear the world of criminals even when law can't bring them to justice .Take this and add a memorable cast with perfect acting skills and you have a great police drama, to say the least. I wholeheartedly recommend it.

Vanilla Lucy - my newest kpop addiction

2010-07-28T18:17:00.001+03:00

While I was watching The M Wave last Sunday, I saw an amazing group perform and I immediately fell in love with their sound.
The band's name is Vanilla Lucy and it has four members, all girls - a main vocalist, a saxophone player, a violin player and a cello player. They have a very catchy and unique style, unlike anything I've seen in the kpop industry thus far. I'm looking forward to their future releases.

Download song

2010-07-19T16:19:00.000+03:00

GOONG MANHWA REVIEW

Synopsis:

The action in this manhwa takes place in a fictional Korea where the country is ruled by the monarchy. The main character is a lively and innocent girl by the name of Shin Chae-Gyung, who lives a normal and careless life as a mediocre student coming form a common family. One day, she hers the handsome prince Lee Shin, who goes to the same school as her, propose to a girl and being coldly rejected. That same day, Chae-Gyung receives a mind-boggling news: she is to be married to the crown prince as a result of a promise between her grandfather and the former king, who had been best friends. In order to help her family's financial situation, Chae-Gyung decides to go along with the marriage.

Personal opinion:

I was extremely excited to start reading this manhwa, especially due to the superb art that drew my attention immediately. the artist has an incredible talent, particularly concerning drawing of individuals and portraits, apparel, but also some very nice backgrounds.

I was expecting a funny and light story and I wasn't really disappointed at the beginning and kept thinking it will get better the more I read it.

Indeed, the story doesn't lack cute characters and a very well developed romance plot. Actually, in comparison to the Korean live-action inspired from it, the manhwa concentrates a lot on the developing feelings between the characters. The "change of heart" the main male character has by falling in love with another girl doesn't seem forced like it seemed in the drama. On the contrary, his feeling develop slowly and grow little by little until he realizes he is indeed in love. His confession also takes place much later after he discovers his own feelings making al seem more plausible, more life-like.

However, while comparing the positive points with the negative ones, I realized that the negative aspects are far more numerous.

Firstly, the usual cliché: the love triangle. What is it with Koreans and love triangles? I admit, love triangles sometimes add a "juicy" detail to the whole plot, but sometimes they just make it annoying and I think this is the case here. I really don't understand why in every manhwa there are always two people that want to get between the two main characters - a guy, usually nice and kind-hearted (in this case, his nice personality is mostly just a façade though) who is in love with the main female lead and a girl, who's usually very b****y, that madly and obsessively loves the main male character and does anything to attract his attention and to break him up with the one he loves. The main girl never ends up with the nice guy, but chooses the cold, cool and tough guy. Always.Whilst the girl who wants the cool guy ends up meeting someone who understands her and woos her continuously until all of a sudden she realized she has fallen in love with him.

Secondly, I really don't understand the humour. I am a huge fan of humour and Asian humour really is one of the best I've ever seen, but this manhwa is really not suited for humour, which is why every time I encounter a funny scene, instead of making me laugh it just leaves me dumbfounded, because it has no place in the whole plot. Not to mention that most funny scenes are just grossing me out cause they're mostly if not entirely based on the character of a perverted eunuch. So, the humour didn't do it for me either.

Last but not least, what really put me off was the tragedy. Honestly, I have nothing against realistic plots and this plot was quite realistic; yes, politic schemes are known to exist in every monarchy, and, truthfully, everyone knows nobles and the members of royalty have marriages of convenience, but were so many tearjerker scenes necessary?! If the author truly wanted to be realistic then she could have invented dozens of ways to get the main characters out of lamentable situations. But in truth, those occurrences were actually an excuse to torture the readers and prolong the plot, transforming it into an authentic soap-opera. In truth, this is also something typical for the Korean authors. Most tend to make tearjerker plots that remind me of the Spanish "telenovelas". And sadly, I have to admit that I can't stop reading it because I kept thinking "damn, I got so far! I can't give up now!". I feel so cheated!

In conclusion, I'd like to say that I'm a very strict and picky person. Although this review sounded like a total negative advertisement, I'm sure many of you would still like Goong very much. Don't get me wrong. I'm not trying to insult the author, nor am I trying to offend Goong fans. I'm just being honest and say my truthful opinion. It's a personal opinion, therefore it is also subjective.So, instead of wondering whether you should read it or not, at least try browsing through a few pages. It may turn out to be your type of story.

Enjoy your read, everyone!

1/2 Prince Novel - a pleasant surprise

2010-07-01T18:55:00.000+03:00

Lately I've been busy reading manga and I've stumbled upon 1/2 Prince, a manhua (the Chinese equivalent of the Japanese manga) about computer gaming. The synopsis is mainly like this: in the year 2100, the creators of computer games have discovered a way to make gaming even more realistic then it already was. Thus, Second Life was born - a computer game with 99% realism rate. The main character of the story is a girl named Feng Lan who, after having a fight with her brother regarding her gaming methods (meaning, her brother accused her of using male players to level-up), decided to start playing Second Life and use her own power to level-up thus proving to her brother that she is capable of doing so without anyone's help. However, Feng Lan enters the game 5 minutes prior to its official release worldwide and the creators of the game decide to offer her anything she wants as a prize for being the first Second Life player ever. Instead of choosing a rare item or something else, Feng Lan requests to become a male in the game. She is given permission and so the adventure of the worrior elf Prince (Feng Lan's Second Life identity) begins.

After struggling for quite a few times to read the first chapters of the manhua, I finally got into it and , eventually, I found out about the existence of a novel. The manhua was actually inspired by the novel, but I didn't expect much form it, thinking that the manhua was probably more interesting. No such thing! Just like in the manhua's case, the result was pleasantly surprising. The novel sucked me in from the very first chapter and, even though the manhua is 100% loyal to the novel's plot, I felt that the novel is 10 times better!

       1/2 Prince novel is written by Yu Wo, an author that was unknown to me until now. Yu Wo's style is absolutely breathtakingly humorous and fresh, her characters seem to have a life of their own and the reader slowly starts understanding them and loving them more and more as the story progresses.
      The best part is that, in comparison to the manhua, the novel is, undoubtedly, more complex, the humour has a unique feeling to it and is far more developed then in the manhua, where you miss many of the hinted funny moments. And, let me add, if you haven't already figured it out, humour is an extremely important part of the series. It may actually be the fundamental part.
Another plus of this great novel is the way the main character was built. Unlike the majority of female characters we see in manga, Feng Lan is a very strong character with a unique personality. Though not a tomboy, she appears to be very kin on fighting in the virtual life and she is so passionate about it that she even ends up earning the title of Blood Elf. In real life, Feng Lan is a girl like any other and she never resorts to physical violence (the most she can do is threaten her brother with not feeding him) and her love for blood in the gaming world derives form a very simplistic thing: her passion for cooking. Every time Prince sees a game monster he (she) imagines chopping him like she does when cooking dinner. As a result, Prince is never afraid of monsters. All he has to do is chop them, after all. Interesting person, right?
   And last but not least, because I kept the best part for the end, is the romance. Yes, incredible, but true: this story not only has fighting, adventure and virtual reality involved, but also a steamy romance plot. Since Prince is the most handsome player in Second Life, romance would actually be unavoidable, but what is he to do when Wicked, a talented elf warrior, turns out to be Feng Lan childhood friend who has loved her for 8 years and finds out Prince's true identity? Moreover, Prince's greatest admirer, the demon bard Gui, who tricked Prince into thinking he was gay, ends up falling in love with him, but he turns out to be Feng Lan's literature professor. In the end, Prince suffers a "terrible fate" as more and more people who know "him" in real life, find out who he really is and he's forced to beg them all to keep the secret. The question that keeps nagging me though is: will Feng Lan be forced to choose between Wicked and Gui? Well, I think we'll have to keep on reading to find that out, though I have my suspicions...
In conclusion, I wholeheartedly recommend this very original and funny novel. You can read the novel online for free, translated with the author's permission by the team Prince Revolution!, who are doing a wonderful job translating this project. Go to their website
     The team also translates the novel "The Legend of Sun Knight" written by the same author, which is an exceptional read as well and I'll probably write about it in the future.
      I look forward to this group's future projects.

My "MUST WATCH asian dramas" list - PART III

2010-06-13T19:57:00.003+03:00

11. HANA YORI DANGO

Synopsis:
Inspired from the manga with the same title, Hana Yori Dango is similar to a modern day Cinderella story. Tsukushi goes to an elite high school where she's the only poor student. Everyone else is loaded with money and the ones who rule the school are 4 boys whose parents are the richest in the country. The F5- as they are called- bully other students out of stupid reasons and mostly just to have fun by placing red cards in their lockers and thus encouraging all their target's classmates to bully them.
Tsukasa is the F4's leader. He's full of himself and treats people like garbage, but when Tsukushi, tired of F4 bullying innocent students, hits him and proclaims war, he instantly falls in love with her.

Personal opinion:

Plot:

Though the plot is a bit exaggerated, one must admit that it is quite fun. And there are a lot of heart-warming scenes that make it even more worth watching. But' of course, you'll just have to see that for yourself.

Acting:

I think Inoue Mao and Matsumoto Jun make an estraordinary couple. You can just feel the chemistry! Their great acting skills really enhance the quality of the drama.

Overall:

This is a very special drama for me as it is the first asian drama I have ever seen, so I could never write anything bad about it. Still, even if I wouldn't have been subjective, I think I would have still recommended it.As you all probably know, Japanese people have a very special way of expressing love in their movies. Most love scenes are so subtle and full of unshared feelings. It makes the whole show ten times more touching and memorable. I'm sure that many of you will agree with me. So, I definitely recommend this drama, both the first and the second season.
Download link (scroll down): Click

12. KIMI WA PETTO

Synopsis (from DramaWiki):

Smart, successful and good-looking Iwaya Sumire works for a big newspaper. However, her boss asks her to leave for being too "perfect" a woman. Feeling angry and dejected Iwaya returns home depressed, and most of all lonely. However, when she finds an unconscious young man lying in a box out the front of her home and takes him in. He looks like a dog she used to own called Momo. She dubs him Momo and decides to "keep him as a pet." It's the start of an unexpected life together as they overcome obstacles and become quite attached to one another.

Personal opinion:

Plot:

This is also one of the first dramas I've watched and I've been mainly attracted by the plot. Also inspired form a manga, which I highly recommend, Kimi wa Petto, also known as "Tramps like us"/"Kimi wa Pet"/"You're my Pet", is a more "mature" drama, whose plot revolves around the hardship of women who are successful in their career and have higher standards in comparison to most members of their gender. It is a touching plot, especially if you're a woman, because you'll most likely feel, just like myself, that you can completely relate to the main female lead.

Acting:

Koyuki is a well known and very talented actress. She's not your typical Japanese woman as her hight and beauty are quite unique, but I found that I really like her acting. This role suits her perfectly. As for Matsumoto Jun, what can I say? He's as cute and talented as ever. Despite the height difference, they make the perfect couple for sure!

Overall:

This was one of the few dramas that really sucked me in. There were moments when I thought: "Poor girl, I sooooo understand her!" and times when I thought " OMG, this scene is so cute!" or "So funny!" In other words, it's one of those stories that make you feel close to the characters and truly make you anxiously anticipate the following scenes.So, I honestly recommend it and the manga too!!

Download link: Click

13. HANA KIMI - the Taiwanese version

Synopsis:
Lu Rui Xi's idol is a famous jumper named Zuo Yi Quan.After learning that he plans on giving up jumping, she decides to move to his school and meet him personally. Unfortunately, his school is an all-boys school, so she has to disguise into a boy in order to get in. Her room-mate coincidentally happens to be none other than Zuo Yi Quan himself.

Personal opinion:

Plot:
I happen to hate Taiwanese dramas for one simple reason: because they always "steel" the plots form Jpanaese manga! So what objections could I have against a plot that doesn't even belong to them? Plus, I guess everyone alredy noticed that I happen to love manga plots because I'm a manga fanatic.
Anyway, the Japanese version of Hana Kimi, though basically having the same plot - with only few changes- didn't impress me at all.

Acting:

I guess, what did it for me for this drama was the acting. And by acting I'm mainly talking about Ella Chen and Jiro Wang's acting. Don't have much to say about Wu Chun, though he is the main male lead.
Ella is very talented, very expressive and comedy roles like this one fit her to a T. I'd say the same about Jiro, whose appearances always left me laughing like a maniac. I truly recommend this drama even only for the sake of the cast. They did an awesome job.

Overall:

Though I hate Taiwanese dramas, this is one of the few exceptions. I hope that said it all.

Download link: Click

14. DEVIL BESIDE YOU

Synopsis (from DramaWiki):
After finally getting the courage to confess her feelings, Qi Yue (Rainie Yang) was handing her love letter to Yuan Yi (Kingone Wang), but by a stroke of bad luck, he did not see and walked passed her. The person standing in front of her was the troublemaker of the school, infamously known for his devilish ways – Jiang Meng (Mike He). The devil will get what he wants, and the object of his desire was Qi Yue. Although having a cruel exterior, Ah Meng’s heart is kind and caring, which truly touched Qi Yue. The big problem remained – Ah Meng is the son of the man Qi Yue’s mother is going to marry. Even though they were not related by blood, who will accept this step brother-sister relationship? What is to become of their relationship when other lovers come into the picture?

Personal opinion:

Plot:

Same old, same old. Why isn't it surprising? A Japanese manga plot turned into a Taiwanese drama. Anyway, the plot is good and very.... teenager-y (yes, I know it's not a word). It definitely isn't very profound, but it's perfect if you feel like watching something just for the fun of it and for relaxing-only purposes.

Acting:
Well, I confess that the reason I started this manga was the actors. Rainie is just so very cute and Mike He seems the embodiment of what a hot rebel should look like. Moreover, the two make a great pair and really have that chemistry that makes a viewer want to watch another episode. And another, and another... :)

Overall:

Cute, fluffy, at times angsty, but all in all a nice, entertaining drama. Mostly for girls though!

Download link: Click

15. COFFEE PRINCE/ THE 1ST SHOP OF COFFEE PRINCE

Synopsis:

Eun Chan is a poor girl who takes a lot of part-time jobs in order to support her mother and her younger sister. One day she bumps into Han Kyul, a very rich young man whose grandmother constantly makes him go to arranged dates because she wants him married. Han Kyul, mistaking Eun Chan for a boy, suddenly comes up with the idea of hiring Eun Chan to pretend to be his gay lover in order to get rid of his grandmother's arranged dates. Desperate to have a job, Eun Chan accepts and she also gets hired by Han Kyul to work at his coffee shop. The problem is that the coffee shop only hires men. As a result, Eun Chan is forced to continue pretending to be a boy.

Personal opinion:

Plot:

Coffee Prince is one of the first k-drama I've seen and also one of the best, in my opinion. The plot is original and funny and unexpectedly sweet at times. There were a lot of scenes that made me go all "AWW! I want more! So cute!" and other scenes that were just plain hilarious! Absolutely a MUST!

Acting:

Oh, this drama is full of eye-catching actors! But the one I really fell in love with is the main female lead
Yoon Eun Hye. Due to this drama, she has become one of my most favourite actresses and I haven't changed my opinion since then. Rarely have I seen an actress with such elegance and charisma as Yoon Eun Hye. Of course, you may disagree, but I at least advise you to give this drama a try. Maybe you'll end up reaching the same conclusions :)

Overall:

All, in all, I think I'd watch this drama over and over and over again and still not get tired of it. Need I say more?

Download link: Click

"COFFEE PRINCE" NOVEL (in case you're curious): Click

16. GOONG / PRINCESS HOURS

Synopsis:

Chae Kyung, a simple girl from a middle class family, was betrothed to become the next Crown Princess by her grandfather and the Crown Prince,Shin's, grandfather. When the king dies and the Royal House's popularity decreases amongs the crow, the Royal Family decides to marry Shin and Chae Kyung in order to regain people's trust.

Personal opinion:

Plot:
The plot is inspired form the manga "Goong" which I haven't yet read. Though it seems a little forced, the plot was still fascinating in a very unique way. I'm personally not a fan of historical or historical-like movies/dramas. Every time I hear the "magic words" "royal family", I don't even bother to research further. However, this was certainly an exception for me. The drama is modern! And quite sweet.

Acting:

Yoon Eun Hye also stars in this drama, as the main female lead and, of course, I was once again impressed by her acting. But also Joo Ji Hoon and Kim Jeong Hoon, who is one of my favourites too, are worth observing as well.

Overall:

Though a little too romantic at times, I feel that Goong was a very good watch, with a sweet and touching storyline and a very realistic perspective over love.

Download link Click

OTHER DRAMAS YOU MIGHT LIKE:
Bambino!

Bloody Monday
Code Blue
Full House

Gokusen
Hero
It started with a kiss
Nobuta wo produce
Why why love

YOU CAN WATCH EVERYTHING ONLINE HERE:
mysoju
dramacrazy

My "MUST WATCH dramas" list - PART II

2010-05-25T20:03:00.001+03:00

In part 1 I posted 5 of my most favourite dramas. However, I must state that those were not set in any particular order. And neither the ones that will be following from now on.

6. GALILEO

Synopsis:

Galileo follows the story of a detective who solves various difficult cases with the help of a renowned university professor.

Personal opinion:

Plot:
Though it seems uninteresting at first sight, the plot is certain to captivate you. The viewer will be faced with a great deal of extremely interesting mysteries and it's quite fun discovering the solutions together with the protagonists. Yes, the mystery cases will definitely incite anyone's imagination!
Acting:
If you're looking for bishies, this is not the place to go, though I'm sure no one can deny that
Masaharu Fukuyama is a very attractive man. However, the acting is impeccable, the actors will fascinate you for sure. Maybe you won't love them, maybe you won't scream like a fan girl in front of the screen, but you will certainly like them enough to want more.

Overall:

I'd give it an A+ for the mystery cases and, at least for me, a certain must watch!

Download link(scroll down): Click

And now, from "mystery" genre, let's pass to a more light topic : humour, which happens to be my favourite.

7. SEIGI NO MIKATA

Synopsis(from Wikipedia, because it was too long and I got lazy):

15-year-old Yoko is constantly tormented by her self-centered and fiendish older sister Makiko, who works for a government office after having graduated from a famous university. But despite her ill nature, Makiko's actions tend to somehow make things better for those around her, causing others to praise her as an "ally of justice."
Because of her sister's attitude, Yoko longs to be free. She decides to get her sister married so she will move out. However her plan backfires. There is also a boy called Riku who always teases her because he has a major crush on her. He becomes one of her closest confidants.
Makiko eventually reveals her true nature to her husband, Naoki, who decides to get a divorce. Meanwhile a close friend of Riku's, Chika, tells Yoko that he is about to move away. Her friends attempt to get Yoko to confess through a live T.V. program, but her sister storms in and starts yelling at her, right before she is arrested.
A few days after Makiko's release from prison, Naoki and his parents arrive to talk with Makiko. As the divorce is about to be finalized, Makiko tells everyone that she is pregnant. The series ends with Yoko finally talking to Riku, and Makiko giving birth to a baby. Yoko is the one left caring for it.
Personal opinion:
Plot:
I copied the plot synopsis from Wikipedia because I really wanted people to realize how awesome this series is. I don't know how many of you have watched this 'cause, since it isn't romance genre, many might tend to think it's boring. Well, I personally loved it with capital L! It was an extremely cute and funny story about the "horror" of having older siblings, but with heart-touching subtle messages about the complexity of family connections. This drama teaches us that probably everyone has problems with their families, that we have to learn to accept those dear to us as what they are, with their good and their bad parts too. All in all, a really nice plot which I recommend for viewers of all ages.

Acting:

Remember that cute girl I talked about when I presented Tantei Gakuen Q to you? Well, that's her, the main lead actress herself! Like I said before: an extremely talented young actress! Her main co-lead as well, whose name is Yu Yamada, is a very talented actress indeed.I wish to see more of them in the future.

Overall:

I think I praised this drama enough to attract your attention so I'll just limit myself at saying "go watch it now!" :))
Download link: Click

And now, my friends, into the world of romance we go. Comedy/ romance, 'cause that's the only one I cotton with.

8.NODAME CANTABILE

Synopsis:

Shinichi Chiaki is an extremely hard-working and talented music student whose dream is to become a conductor, but he's afraid of studying abroad because he has plane phobia. His life changes dramatically when he meets Noda Megumi, a very talented piano student who also suffers from a childhood phobia that holds her from following her true dreams.

Personal opinion:

Plot:

I really thought the plot was a bit silly. There is so much comedy involved, even from the first episode, that I didn't thin k much about it. Turns out, by the end of the drama I realized there were much heavier topics involved, such as childhood traumas and pent-up feelings, clad in a humours scenario, true, but still complex in their essence.Nevertheless, a very fun and lovely drama.

Acting:

The extremely attractive Tamaki Hiroshi plays the main male lead with an elegance worthy of praise.
As for the main female lead, she is none other then the adorable Ueno Juri.
They both make a very cute and funny couple. One word: KAWAII!!!

Overall:

I'm sure anyone has heard by now of Nodame Cantabile and probably there are best-suited person to praise it then me, so I can only say one thing: watch it and you won't regret it.It's a good, relaxing, fun, enjoyable etc way to spend your time.
Download link: Click

9. MY GIRL

Synopsis:

Gong Chan meets Yoo Rin through a series of quizzically hilarious circumstances and ends up asking her to pretend to be his long lost cousin in order to appease his very sick grandfather, who he thought was nearing his end. She accepts, but the feelings they start developing for one another soon start getting in the way.

Personal opinion:

Plot:

I usually hate Korean dramas because they tend to to be over dramatic and.. well, exaggeratedly sappy. So a Korean drama must be really good for me to watch it. Just like this one: a cute, loveable story with a good dose of healthy humour and just the perfect amount of tear-jerker scenes, all spiced up with the typical Korean dramas' love triangles.What does it is the humour though! You'll definitely like it! In addition, it had a good OST as well.

Acting:

The acting was absolutely terrific! The one who impressed me the most is the leading actress Lee Da Hea. This role seems to suit her to a T. She performs the comedy scenes with an unequalled skill and the romantic sad ones with such grace that she makes you really feel them as if you were the character yourself. Thumbs up!

Overall:

This drama is in my top ten for sure! Lovely comedy and really nice romantic scenes. The perfect ingredients if you ask me!
Download link: Click ; Click

10. YOU'RE BEAUTIFUL

Synopsis:

The idol group A.N.JELL is looking for a second lead singer and they want Go Mi Nam, who's said to have the voice of an angel. Mi Nam though is in the States so his agent finds his twin sister, Go Mi Nyu, and asks her to pretend to be Go Mi Nam until he comes back.

Personal opinion:

Plot:

This plot reminds me a lot of a shoujo manga plot and that's mainly the reason I started watching it. Good gender-bender induced humour scenes, good music, cute romantic scenes and to top it all, a cast so gorgeous you could drool over. What more can a fan girl like me ask for!? Tell me a reason, just a single reason this shouldn't be the perfect romantic comedy? Hmm? Yeah, I thought so too! :)
Acting: Oh, the horror of bishies! You never know who to choose. They are all perfect, undeniably hot, they make us hyperventilate even before they open their mouths to say their lines! I'll have to admit though that the main male lead seems to be quite talented. As for the female lead, I'm not sure about her yet. Don't shoot me!The actors were just too dazzling! Blame them!

Overall:

If you love humongous dozes of fluff, this is your kind of drama!:)
Download link: Click ; Click

My MUST WATCH asian dramas list - PART I

2010-05-23T18:15:00.001+03:00

So I thought I should start my blogging experience with something meaningful. As a result, I will post my drama recommendations. Anime, manga and music lists will follow.

1. LIAR GAME

Synopsis :

Kanzaki Nao is a naive collage student who, one day, finds a suit case containing 100 milion yen outside her apartment door, along with a card saying she's been chosen to take part in the "Liar Game", a game which consisted in gaining money by stealing them from your opponent. Desperate, she asks the recently releaseed from prison genius swindler Akiyama Shinichi for help.

Note: Show has two seasons.

Personal opinion:

Plot:

Ever since watching the first episode of this series, I thought "OMG! This Japanese guys are geniuses!". So, truth be told, I think that said it all. A true masterpiece!

Acting:

Honestly, I wasn't very impressed with Toda Erika's acting. If you ask me, the poor girl has always received the most annoying roles possible ( see Death Note live action). Her character is portrayed as being an exageratedly stupid girl.Definitely a turn off.

However, Matsuda Shota is incredible. This seems the perfect role for him. I really wouldn't have seen anyone else playing it better then him. It somehow compensates for the ridiculous impression that the main female character gives off.

Overall :

This, of course, it's a subjective opinion, but I recommend this series whole-heartedly. I promise it won't be a waste of time! So, if you haven't seen it yet, hurry up and watch it! :)

A download link: Click

2. KUROSAGI

Synopsis:

There are three types of swindlers in this world: red swindlers, white swindlers and the one who feeds off of them - the black swindler. This are, more or less, the opening words of every episode of the series.

Kurosagi is a young man whose family was destroyed by a swindler (more precisely, after being swindled, his father killed his whole family and then killed himself; Kurosagi managed to survive due to pure luck). After the tragic events, he swore to take revenge on all swindlers, especially on the white swindlers who take advantage of people's emotions and are far more cunning then the red swindlers.

Personal opinion:

Plot:

The plot was, of course, what attracted my attention and persuaded me to watch this. Just as Liar Game, Kurosagi too is inspired by the manga with the same title, which, by the way, I recommend and, though it isn't very faithful to the original manga plot, it still carries the same air about it, an air of mystery and excitement. I really enjoyed watching the swindlers get tricked and the main character changing his appearance so often. I actually found myself cheering for him quite some numerous times: "Go, go, Kurosagi! You rock!"

Acting:

I admit that for some reason Horikita Maki annoys me too. Don't shoot me! Unlike Erika Toda, who I adore as a person, but whose most roles I hate, I love Horikita Maki's roles, but I dislike her as a person. Don't ask me why... So, yeah, I can't say much about her role because I dindn't really py attention to it. All there is to know is that she portrays a Law student who hates Kurosagi's methods of making justice. A true idealist, indeed.

As for the main lead, how could I have any bad comments? He's Yamapi for God's sake!!! The absolutely adorable and hot Yamapi! Yes, yes, this are the screams of a rabid fan girl. His acting is superb though so i have an excuse :))

Overall:

I only have one complaint: I really wish it was longer. Really, watch it and you'll agree with me.

A download link: Click

3. MAJO SAIBAN

Synopsis:

Toru is chosen to be a part of the jurymen in a murder trial. The woman who is trialed is nicknamed "the witch" and she's charged for the murder of her old wealthy husband. Though she appears to be guilty, one by one, all the jurymen seem to change their opinions about it and vote "unguilty". Toru realizes there's something very odd about the whole situation and decides to find out what.

Personal opinion:

Plot:

I'l say it straight away, Majo Saiban is one of the most profound and smart j-doramas I've seen. Not only does it approach a very touchy subject : corruption in the legal system, but also it is constructed in such a way that one only realizes at the end that all along, there was a much deeper meaning to the whole story, that the main problem was not the corruption, but the actual human principles, the idea of Justice, the psychology of the righteous type of people. What can I say more? You have to watch it to understand.

Acting:

Ikuta Toma is by far one of my favourite actors. He's charming, talented and he really did a good job in this show.

Overall:

If you give this a chance, you will be surprised by the actual depth of the whole plot and you'll definitely love it.
A download link: Click

4.RYUSEI NO KIZUNA

Synopsis:
Ryusei no Kizuna is the story of three siblings whose parents have been murdered when they were very little. At that time the 3 kids had secretly escaped to go watch the meteor shower and when they came back they found their parents bodies in a pool of blood. The three vowed to catch the murderer and kill them by their own hands. 14 years later, coincidentally just when the meteor shower is about to appear again and when their parents murder is about to prescribe, they seem to finally have a lead on who the killer is.
Personal opinion:
Plot:
The plot is quite heartbreaking, but very realistic. The 3 siblings are not described as mental wrecks, but their lives are not really sunny either. The older sibling is, surprisingly, the most emotional out of the three of them, but all of them have turned into skeptics that have no more trust in the authorities. In fact, they start swindling people for money and they've become lonely and insecure people with only one hope in mind, that of avanging their parents. It's a heart-warming story, but not tragic enough to make you spill tears everywhere.
Acting:
With a 5 starts cast, Ryusei no Kizuna was guaranteed to have instant succes and I'm pretty sure it had. This is actually the first role of Erika Toda's that I liked!
Not to mention Ninomiya Kazunari and Nishikido Ryo who are total eye-candies and super good actors.
Overall:
A touching story about brotherly love and how to survive hardship with quite a happy ending. I, personally, loved it. Give it a try.
A download link (scroll down): Click

5. TANTEI GAKUEN Q

Synopsis:
The story revolves around a team of genius teenagers who study in a detective academy run by a famous detective. They solve complicated murder cases seem to all be planned by an evil syndicate called "Meiosei".
Personal opinion:
Plot:
Yes, I know, I know! The kids are... well, kids. But if you are willing to overlook this aspect, trust me, this drama is quite addicting. And it makes your brain work! What more can one ask for? I also recommend the manga, though the art is not really my type.
Acting:
They are indeed kids, but they have great acting skills. I especially love Shida Mirai, a very talented young actress who has grown quite a bit since this dorama aired.
Overall:
Fun, suspenseful, addicting and a touching message about the importance of friendship. I truly recommend it.
A download link: Click

2010-05-22T15:51:00.000+03:00

My name's Ayame and I have an Asia addiction, thus the title for this blog. This is my first blog ever because I now have a lot of time to spare :D

If you like manga, anime, asian TV shows, asian pop and rock, asian celebrities, asian culture in general, then i suppose you will also like my blog, where I'll review manga and shows, talk about entertainment stars and other similar stuff.

Let the adventure begin! :)