timotey

Oh, this was wonderful. The story was so interesting, the idea of realizing that the woman you fell in love with twice in your past lives already was a man this time. In my opinion, Yeon Seok's "gay panic" was fantastically played and written - and also understandable. After all, in this life, his last life, he worked towards one goal: finding Ha Yeon and making sure he spent his life with her. So, to find out that SHE was actually a HE this time... Understandable panic.

Though I do admit that I wished that both Yeon Seok's & Ha Yeon's background was a little more fleshed out. Especially Ha Yeon's because his issues - especially the thing with his apparently rather controlling father - were only hinted at. I wished the last part was a bit longer, that the drama was 8 episodes instead of 6 and that we were given more about Ha Yeon.

And since we weren't, I couldn't help but side with Yeon Seok after the Big Reveal(TM). Because I didn't understand what was so terrible about his actions. And the fact that Ha Yeon ran and refused to listen to Yeon Seok and yet, he expected Yeon Seok to KEEP running after him and to KEEP trying to explain... That irked me. Because Ha Yeon accepted that no meant no, that Ha Yeon didn't want to be with him and didn't want to ever see him again. He accepted and respected it because he blamed himself for Ha Yeon's pain, so...

Overall, a really good and for its genre original story that deserved more time and space.

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Satoh Takeru was absolutely amazing in this drama, playing so many characters at once, so many versions of Possessed!Ryoutaro. And in certain moments, it also allowed him to showcase his fighting skills, though rather rarely, true. I also have to praise all the suit actors who played the various Imagin!Ryoutaros because you really immediately knew who was in charge, which Imagin was at the wheel, just from their body language alone. That was so great!

But!

Despite all that, I didn't enjoy Den-O nearly as much as Build, my top Kamen Rider series. Why? Because even though Ryoutaro was the lead, the main storyline was not about Ryoutaro - at all. It was about Airi, Sakurai and finally Hana while Ryoutaro was, well, he was basically the pawn. Even Yuuto had a bigger role to play within the main arc than Ryoutaro, a red herring, sure, but for a big part of the story, Yuuto was the focus of the bad guys, so...

Sakurai was the mastermind, Airi the linchpin and then Hana the one it was all about while Ryoutaro... well, he fought. Sure, he made all of it possible but he wasn't the focus of the main arc. Compare that with Build where Sento and Banjo were the fighters and the focus of the main arc - and Sento even was the mastermind who went toe to toe with the lead baddie. It's basically the difference between action and reaction. Sento acted - Ryoutaro reacted. Sento played chess with Evolt - Ryoutaro was getting dragged along. Sento was Sakurai - Ryoutaro was Grease.

Also, I didn't understand why Ryoutaro gave up his train ticket at the end. I guess I must've missed something, it's possible because with all the time hopping and junctions and Singularity Points speak, I was getting a wee bit lost in how the rules of this world actually worked. Oh well... Maybe it gets explained in one of the movies? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Overall, a good series but for me personally, it doesn't top Build, not even remotely.

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This was amazing! I was drawn in from the very first episode and I just couldn’t. stop. watching! I burned through this drama in just a few days, that rarely happens to me. But it was so compelling, the stories, the acting, the cinematography, the music… It was the full package!

My favorite part was definitely the deep friendship and trust that developed between Shen Yi & Du Cheng. Du Cheng started as Shen Yi’s, well, enemy is a strong word but definitely as someone who did not like Shen Yi all that much. And by the end, he laid down his life and his future in Shen Yi’s hands with absolute, unhesitant trust. It was truly a thing of beauty.

Also, what I loved was that both Shen Yi & Du Cheng were very, but very smart people, each in his own right. That Du Cheng wasn’t just Shen Yi’s plus one, his caretaker, the way these dramas about gifted individuals sometimes go.

Interesting, at least for me, was that one of the tensest moments of the whole drama was the speed chess game between Shen Yi and the main bad guy, that cat and mouse game where you didn’t know who was the cat and who the mouse. It reminded me so much of the amazing poker game scene between Bond and Le Chiffre in Casino Royale!

And then the ending! The set-up for something more! I really truly hope that there actually will be S2, that it won’t fall under the table like the sequels to SCI or When a Snail Falls in Love. That would irk me!

Overall, a fantastic, amazing, captivating drama!

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This movie was quite funny and lighthearted. It was set during the drama so it carried the unbothered, relaxed tone of the first half of the series. Also, I haven't seen Kyuranger so... no idea what was happening with that part of the movie ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Some of the most hilarious moments?

When Kairi, Touma and Umika were kidnapped by those funny aliens and Kairi's reaction was, "Oh, look, they're kidnapping us."
During one of the fights, when Keiichiro went all head first again and Kairi saved his life, complaining, "Well, that was even more reckless than usually, officer!"
When Kairi, Touma and Umika had to use the Patrenger VSs and transformed into cops! The way the Patrenger suits just didn't sit right with them, being build for fighting instead of agility.
When the Kyuranger green girl told Umika that there were 12 of them altogether! And Umika was all, "Seriously?!" while Kairi's reaction was, "A whole crayon set!" I seriously guffawed.

I had really fun watching this. It made me smile.

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Seeing this 10 years after Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger ended must've been really something! Our lovely space pirates all spiced up with great CGI that wasn't available back then! What a treat!

And the creation team sure knew what they were doing. Especially with Yamada Yuki's limited time window. The very first scene, the ruined galeon revealed by Joe holding that mighty gun! Then not a peep of him for the next 30+ minutes - and then his big comeback when he jumped down from the bridge and saved Gai all very, very superhero like. And then his scene with Marvelous! It was just wow. The reveal that he managed to save the galeon's heart! And then!!! The final fight with the other pirate crew and Marvelous and Joe fighting side by side, just the two of them, for the first time since... since ep 12! And Joe had Marvelous' back again. What a wonderful callback! And only Joe and Marvelous got to unlock the heart! And then the last scene in the restaurant, them all napping and Joe and Marvelous leaning against each other! Oh boy, oh wow, oh my!

This was honestly aimed at all my buttons and they were pushed hard. No wonder that people loved it so much. It made me so very happy. And it felt like their story will never end, like it will go on and on and on and they will evolve and go on more adventures and be a family... Mwah! Honestly, chef's kiss!

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Aaaaaah, I messed up the viewing order and watched this movie before watching the end of the series. I didn't realize that it took place after the drama finale. Oh well. Maybe it's good so because the movie was centered around the Go-Busters for logical reasons since they were the 36th Sentais. Oh well... ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

I loved seeing the pirates "go dark" and fight the Go-Busters and to discover what happened to them, what forced them to switch sides and join the Zangyacks. I think that thanks to that, watching the drama finale won't feel like an ending but just another step on a much, much longer journey.

Also, I loved that they didn't miss protecting Earth at all. They were like, yeah, yeah, we will fight along with you but this is your piece of rock and not our damn business. It hammered home the point that the crew - except for Gai, that is - were actual aliens! They were used to planet hopping and space battles and grand adventures. When they came to Earth, they were suddenly stuck here, protecting this backwater planet. So leaving it didn't mean the end of an era for them like for many other Sentais, it meant finally being free again, going back to big space adventures and treasure hunting. So... the ending of the drama shouldn't be seen as sad but joyous. For the crew, at least, that is.

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This felt quite scarily real, the frustration of the various characters uselessly fighting against big politicians who could make everything go away with one phone call, who could destroy lives without ever feeling guilty about it, and if people died? Well then, fewer witness to worry about, that was all.

I loved the character development that Yokohama Ryusei's Kinoshita Ryo went through over the course of the 6 episodes, from a careless and clueless college student to a dedicated aspiring journalist, determined to fight for those who couldn't.

My two favorite moments were:

When Murakami Schinichi finally had a talk with his wife and asked her, what she would do if he quit working for the government, when she told him that it was okay, whatever he needed, that she would always stand by him. When he broke down and cried because he could not do it anymore.

And when Ryo interviewed his classmate who had her job offer revoked because of the Corona virus which meant that she couldn't stay in the city anymore, jobless and broke, and had to return to the country to her family. When Ryo decided to at least write an article about her struggles and give her a voice since he couldn't help her any other way.

Also, I loved how they made the Corona epidemic an integral part of the story, that they didn't simply ignore it like so many other dramas do these days. That was quite refreshing.

To sum it up, it's a rather painful watch that deals with things like corruption and suicide and power abuse. But it's a great drama nonetheless.

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This was once again... well, something. Definitely something. I guess the whole Gintama concept is an acquired taste but I have to admit that the humor isn't for me. I only watched Yoshizawa Ryo's scenes and everything else I whooshed through at 3x speed. It was simply too cringey.

But Yoshizawa Ryo's Okita Sougo was... wow. He was amazing here. And his fight with the traitors was just about perfect, especially once Kagura joined in. The way they fought side by side and around each other like they were used to it, so perfectly in sync. That was so cool!

I must say I didn't recognize Miura Haruma - *heart-clench again* - as Ito. True, I've only seen one drama of his so far but I really didn't recognize him. He looked so different, wow.

To sum it up, movie #2 was miles better than #1, mainly because of the much bigger involvement of the Shinsengumi in general and of Sougo in particular. Still, I'm not sure I'll ever re-watch it, bar Ryo's scenes, of course. Those are really worth re-watching!

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Choi Woo Shik is honestly the cutest. And such an amazing actor! I think my favorite moments in this drama were his "quirky" reactions to pretty much anything. But the best part? Woong and his parents. There was so much love and affection and respect and I think theirs was the best family dynamic I've seen in a long time.

I must admit, though, that I liked the first half of this drama better than the second one. IMO, it was funnier and it kept me on the edge of my seat, the push and pull between Woong and Yeon Soo, the will they won't they was polished to perfection. Once they got together, though, it just... lost something. It was still very good, don't get me wrong, and the actors were keeping the standard high but some of the, well, spark was gone.

Some of my favorite moments were when Woong was sick and laid his head in his mother's lap. Or when she and Woong talked about Woong knowing about his past at the end. Or the genuine care that Woong showed to Ji Woong when Ji Woong was sick. Or... well, like I said, pretty much all Choi Woo Shik's scenes, what can I say. He's a truly marvelous actor!

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At first, I wasn’t entirely sure if this drama would be for me. The main heroine, Sayaka, was really pathetic. I don’t like saying things like that and especially about women but she really was. She let her ex-fiancé treat her like dirt and it was painful to watch. But then I realized that, similar to Please Love the Useless Me, this was a drama about the journey to self-discovery. And in that way, it didn’t disappoint.

One of the things I loved most was Sayaka’s relationship with her boss, which was entirely platonic, but their friendship was simply amazing, the way he supported her, guided her and trusted her, it was perfect.

Another thing I loved was that Yuichi, Sayaka’s love interest, had a story of his own. He wasn’t just Sayaka’s plus-one. When it came to his arc, I loved the exploration of his relationship with his dad best. Because the man seemed so cold and ruthless - but he adored his son and he was only so harsh because he didn’t want his son to go through the same hardships that he went through.

My favorite moments happened in the finale. When Sayaka faced Yuichi’s father and he told her how it was, without mincing his words. Gosh, when he told her that Yuichi was simply too kind to succeed in the merciless world of business… Or when Sayaka’s boss fought for her and Yuichi’s happiness, first telling Yuichi that he could do it, that he could start his own company and succeed if he tried hard enough which was what Yuichi needed to hear, then telling Sayaka that as a freelance writer, she could work from anywhere and that as long as she wrote good articles he would keep on her staff her but Yuichi needed to be in India which was what Sayaka needed to hear.

Overall, it was a wonderful drama. And actually informative with all the info about fashion!

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Tomodachi Game or Friends Game is a very short drama, only 4 eps 20+ min. each, and it has an open ending because there are 2 movie sequels. Nothing much happens in this drama and you really have to suspend your disbelief a lot but...

Holy smokes is it suspenseful! And the suspense doesn't result from heavy action or a bloody massacre but from a very simple question: Can you trust your friends?

The setting is simple: Five friends are set up to play a game. If them win, they can go back to their everyday high school life. But should they lose, they will have to shoulder a 200 mil. yen debt. Winning is easy - if you can trust your friends not to betray you. But money is... money and their initial trust quickly starts to crumble.

Yoshizawa Ryo absolutely slays it as the lead, Katakiri Yuichi. Not only is he insanely pretty - like GOODNESS GRACIOUS pretty - he carries the whole drama because we watch it from his POV, he's the only one we can be sure of.

This drama also features Yamada Yuki. Playing a genius student, the top of the class. Heh!

The drama shows only the set-up and the first game, though, and to settle the debt, the five friends have to pass - and win - three games. Thus the open ending. I guess the first sequel features the first game and the second movie the second one? Probably? Anyhoo, it's better to have both movies handy because the drama ends on a cliffhanger.

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Well, that was... a lot of bodies. Dystopian future this might've been but the similarities with the actual situation of today were chilling.

The main draw for me was the relationship between Kang Yo Han & Kim Ga On, of course. No wonder the actors won the "bromance of the year" award. And honestly... even without my slashy glasses on, theirs was not a simple bromance. It was all in the looks, in Yo Han's gestures... when he ran his hand along the back of Ga On's seat at the end... yeah.

Also, I didn't feel one iota sorry for Jung Sun Ah. Hers was an easy way out in the end, she deserved a much harsher punishment for all the people she destroyed along her mad rush for money and power. The president and his cohorts and their wives were disgusting and they were presented as such but that the drama tried to make me feel sympathy for her? Nah. You failed. Being an abuse victim didn't give her the right to trample all over other people. I can understand and sympathize with people who do stuff for revenge - but with those who do it for money and power? No. Just no.

Overall, one of the most unusual dramas I've ever seen, a real experience.

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This was awesome, the perfect drama for Xmas time: funny, sweet, romantic, intriguing, the whole package. I admit, my main interest in this was Rowoon as Jung Ji Woon but I was also glad to discover Choi Byung Chan and through him Victon! Nice!

My favorite thing was that for a big part of this drama, many of the characters actually really thought that Lee Hwi was a man. Jung Ji Woon when he fell in love with her among them. After some initial bi panic, he just went with it. Or Shin So Eun, when she realized that Ji Woon was in love with the king - there was no horror or disgust, she was just sad that he loved another. The overall reaction was mostly "you love someone else, not me" and not "you love a man" which honestly hit the right spot with me.

Also, poor Ji Woon's father, a killer that he was, mind you. The crisis that he went through, just imagine it. First, he finds out that his son is the king's beloved - a shock in itself - followed by the fact that his son is the king's beloved! What must've gone through his head... "Either my son is into men... or I made a serious blunder 10 years ago!" Ha!

Wonderful drama. It really, truly hit the right spot. Lovely...

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This one was only so-so. It really didn't click for me, not even Satoh Takeru as Koyuki could save it.

The thing is, except for Koyuki and his drummer friend, Saku, I kinda didn't like anyone in this movie much. Or not at all, really, especially the lead, Ryusuke. His arrogant behavior, his endless issues, the way he treated his band members and kept causing trouble without even apologizing, it honestly rankled. When a character gets punched and you cheer it's obvious that you and said character really didn't hit it off.

Also, I saw many people complain that Koyuki's singing voice was muted, that we never actually heard him sing, that we only ever saw people's reaction to hearing him sing but from what I understand, in the manga, his voice is mesmerizing, magical, angelic and whatnot and like the director said, no matter who would've sung the part, people would've been disappointed because the bar the manga set was so high. That's why I think it was wise to not even try to match the standard and just leave it to people's imagination.

But... yeah. Overall, I was disappointed. The movie was way too long (it's almost 2.5 hrs. long!), the writing was all over the place and the acting also left much to be desired.

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A very short movie - only 72 mins. long - about two gay lovers, Ootani and Tachibana, who have been together since high school, and their little bout of jealousy, brought up by their old female high school friend entering the picture again after many years.

That's pretty much it. Basically, a slice of life story about an old and never resolved misunderstanding. There's nothing deep or, I don't know, groundbreaking about it, it's just a sweet little bit of a story. But it's true that their little necking at the end was hot. It really felt like they were longtime lovers, familiar with each other in the most intimate way.

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