femmedesneiges

It's a Wonderful Life is my most hated film ever. I think it makes a mockery of depression (though not of suicidal intent) and I don't appreciate its message blaring out of my TV screen every Christmas.

Anyway...

Nobuta wo Produce - Careful and affectionate "drawing out" of a shy girl scared to change due to being hurt in the past.

Last Friends - Fair but melo portrayal of an abusive relationship. Abusive partner has a personality, feelings, motivations and issues of his own. He isn't demonised, but neither did I feel he was absolved of all sin by the end of the drama. Also gender identity, fear of sex, commitment issues and loneliness.

Hanzawa Naoki - Work/stress-related schizophrenia. Good at showing the guilt people go through for becoming mentally ill, plus a supportive home relationship.

Silent Poor - There's an excellent episode on hikikomori in this. The inevitable frustrations and give-and-take that come along with attempts at recovery are present. Dramas like this are prone to quick fixes, but I think there are some flashes of empathetic brilliance in this one. The episode on PTSD related to the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami was good too.

Ningen Shikkaku - Ruka has a lot of issues stemming from abandonment. The whole thing is melo but this subplot stood out.

Hikari to Tomo ni... - Raising an autistic child. Hikaru's family experience stages of grief and come through with acceptance (at differing rates). Also deals with accommodating autistic children (at school and in the wider world), compromises and the perspectives of outsiders, individuality, and the importance of friends, allies and kindness.

ATARU - Autistic savant, surrounded largely by loving, accepting and accommodating characters.

Otenki Onee-san - Likely autistic young woman living her life the way she is, which I think is a good example for us all.

Hirugao - Sawa's husband, Shunsuke, is probably autistic. I feel Shunsuke is unfairly badly liked by watchers of this drama. His relationship with Sawa is revealing of the problems caused by misunderstandings and incompatibility. He comes across as a delicate man, but had Sawa expressed her dissatisfaction directly and clearly... there wouldn't have been a drama.

Kusanagi/Oshima Yuko... For real?

Curiosity sated. Thanks.

I have to know... Did the 23 year old kiss the 14 year old at any point?

I don't think there were many stand-out dramas this year. A lot of them could've been placed in the "Overrated" category.

I was saving Wakamonotachi for a slow season but forgot all about it...I dropped half the dramas I started watching this year. Kazokugari is the only 2014 drama I'd be able to recommend to just about anyone. Maybe MOZU.

I dropped at least half the dramas I started this year. Kazokugari is probably the only one I could recommend to everyone.

- Why vote for something when you don't have anything to compare it against?
- I voted Kazokugari for almost everything.
- No Sanbiki no Ossan for comedy. =(

I'm getting sick of this guy's face.

Best Japanese Drama of 2014: Kazokugari, Sanbiki no Ossan

Best Japanese Movie of 2014:

Best Mini Series/Web Drama:

Best Romance Drama:

Best Comedy Drama: Sanbiki no Ossan, Heisei Busaiku Salaryman, Again!!

Best Romantic/Comedy Drama:

Best Historical/Sageuk Drama:

Best Family Drama: Kazokugari, Platonic

Best Action/Thriller/Suspense Drama: Kazokugari, MOZU

Best Melodrama: Kazokugari, Hirugao

Best Japanese Actor: Takito Kenichi (Ore no Dandyism)

Best Japanese Actress: Matsuyuki Yasuko (Kazokugari), Ashida Mana (Ashita Mama ga Inai)

Best Japanese Supporting Actor: Suzuki Kosuke (Hirugao), Ikematsu Sosuke (MOZU)

Best Japanese Supporting Actress:

Best Villain: Ikematsu Sosuke as Shingai Kazuhiko (MOZU). Fukazawa Atsushi as Gabako (Mahou Danshi Cherry's), because raping the bad guys is still rape.

Best Idol Actor: [What's the difference? Is Okada Junichi not a regular actor because he's in a Johnny's group?]

Best Couple:

Best Kiss:

Best Bromance: Busaiku (Heisei Busaiku Salaryman)

Best OST: Kazokugari [+Best theme songs: Takahashi Yu "Taiyou to Hana" (Alice no Toge), Kawakami Daisuke "Kotoba ni Dekinai Otoko" (Sanbiki no Ossan), Johnny's WEST "SUPERSTAR" (Again)]

Most Overrated Drama: Ashita Mama ga Inai, Suikyuu Yankees, Alice no Toge

Worst Drama: Suikyuu Yankees, Alice no Toge


I've edited this so many times...

I always skip kiss scenes in Korean dramas. They feel like they go on forever.

Why would you name your daughter a pun?

In the end credits, "Yokoyama You: Densetsu no Senpai".

This was really cute to read.

But I think the oven's broken because I added all my ingredients and it came out with Doumyouji.

Ataru's scenes with adult Madoka were out of character. I don't see why his ability to communicate would be any better with her than with Larry.

He's cute in stills but I don't like him in motion. If that makes sense.

Ah, no, that wasn't intentional... I think I rated it 6.5 or 7.5. It's a little more sombre than it sounds from the synopsis, but I did enjoy it in that weird, late-night J-drama kind of way.

It aired. Wouldn't know about torrents but I'm sure I saw it on a DDL site.

I don't like Fukushi Sota. His face always looks a bit sarcastic.

Kanjani/Kiritani Mirei again. =D