mysecretsoul

Ah, you enjoy Bogart then? I never knew he liked ships, though when you mention it that definitely makes sense. Now for two fun coincidences: I also like ships, and C. S. Forester, who wrote the novel which forms the basis for African Queen, also penned the Horatio Hornblower series (which got me into them in the first place). But yes, you may like Dokushin Kizoku -- especially because you liked Sabrina, and classic movies in general. The nostalgic quirkiness keeps the entire thing really fresh somehow.

You share a birthday with Fukuyama-san? For some reason, it always made me kind of happy to share a birth month or day with artists too. My birthday is pretty much only shared with Napoleon Bonaparte though? XD

Oh! Thank you for showing that to me. Where did you see this special? I don't think I've ever heard of this story before, but it does sound fascinating.

She is, though if I remember correctly, her parts aren't many overall. You'll definitely see Ryoma writing letters to her, since they were separated so frequently; much of their content is based on those that survived until today.

Isn't the cast amazing though. It drives me crazy that Fukuyama-san, particularly, doesn't act as frequently. His singing is awesome, but his acting and script choices are always solid. Did you know he turned down the part three times before he accepted? So glad he did, haha.

Oh, you also saw Gou? Was it iffy? Still, good to see it translated. It pains me that so many Taiga dramas are left raw, including Taira no Kiyomori (and what a cast, there too).

Kizoku is surprisingly good. It feels like a homage to old romance films, complete with vintage soundtrack. If you've ever seen the Audrey Hepburn film "Sabrina," it's like that mixed with King of Dramas.

Absolutely! The scholars even contend that without a sister as unique as Otome, Ryoma might never have grown into the man he did. She encouraged almost all his pursuits, even when they were out of the common way for contemporary Japanese men of the time. She actually practiced naginata actively and left her husband for the freedom of home, too. That straightforwardness was shared between she and her brother~

Our view is similar, that common people can change the world; in fact, I think that while those cerebral people have their uses, simpler minds give proper focus (after all, who knows best for the people than the people themselves?)

Oh, The Voice? I haven't seen him much, honestly; the only drama I've actually taken interested in with him was Behind The White Tower, where he plays the "good" to Kim Myung Min's "bad," coincidentally ambitious sleaze. Gong Yoo was certainly wonderful in The Crucible, though for some reason my head popped to him first. The way his character is described (at least initially) in Coffee Prince gives me that impression, haha. Still need to see that one, since I was living under a rock when it was popular. XD

Saeguks really are a killer. I'm rather enjoying Gye Baek, but the connections it has to Queen Seon Duk are helping. There are some pretty frustrating parts to it lately, but Seo Jin works so well with his costars. And those dimples. Love them.

You're probably a little disappointed his newly announced one is so long too, right? It's another 50 episode family do. @_@

No problem! Too bad the person that transcribed doesn't have the power to add information to the top post; around here, it seems like many people have trouble finding the final parts.

Men like Ryoma and Katsu Kaishu had such foresight; you'll enjoy the other historical figures Ryoma comes into contact with later, no doubt. It actually surprised me how far his struggle went and how many it touched in the end. The travelogues gave me goosebumps also, especially in this respect -- some of them nearly had me cry.

But after reading more about Ryoma and perusing letters to his sister, Otome, what's even more incredible is how ineloquent and simple he was. People like Takechi Zuizen might be expected to change Japan, but the real revolutionary was one who came to understand more than the same samurai creed. That he should be so progressive and clever, it would usually only happen in stories.

...some of them are wild. As you complete the series, I'd be glad to share more information, though I do totally forget what occurs episode to episode. Gah, I should really re-watch, haha.

And never feel bad about messaging me or asking me questions! It's a lot of fun for me too~

The last three episodes are subbed, though by transcript; somehow the translator went missing and another provided subtitles from the Hawaiian broadcast. I believe they're available but somewhat hidden; after this, I'll try to track the link down and send it to you. :)

If we're talking about the Americans or British conversing with the Japanese, it's because they'd never had real contact with them before. The Dutch had been seafaring for quite some time, being some of the first to interact with Japan; many religions missions and trade routes were developed between the two, though even these were limited.

As to Yataro, that aspect would normally bother me as well -- though I believe it would have been possible for Yataro to have read or garnered the events from Ryoma (or those surrounding around them). In some of my books, there are many stories related by Tosa citizens and ....

Oh, Yoo Seung Ho! Almost forgot about him. He didn't impress me in Warrior Baek Dong Soo, but later recaptured my attention in Queen Seon Duk. The character was so multi-faceted and hard to read at first. I have no idea why I only keep encountering him in sageuks though, haha.

Oh, that's awful! The travelogues enhance the show so much. If I'm not mistaken, they pick back up down the road -- yet some are still overlooked.

Something about Ryomaden that surprised me was just how unaware the Japanese were of their place in the world. Like, they had no idea how small an area their island encompassed, or how behind in technology they were. I can't even imagine what seeing the Black Ships for the first time would have been like.

Which leads me back to the point you made about history classes. Before seeing it on screen, it would have never occurred to me to think about how such things felt.

Absolutely. Hyun Woo had some particularly impressive emotional scenes in Gye Baek, too, which I saw recently; I just hope he can choose decent projects when the time comes. Bad projects can shake a good actor and good projects can elevate a bad one, they say. There was another kid that was decent...I think he's the one in Man From The Stars?

Oh, I understand the focus would not be on Ryoma in Jin. I was more saying I'm not sure Uchino would be the right choice for a longer stay with the character. But the portrayal sounds spot on to what others would see of the man, and I'm glad it got you into the drama. Not enough people have seen it. And I now really want to put Jin higher on priorities, haha XD

I noticed you also added Shinsengumi! where funnily enough, I think Uchino-san would have been an awesome Kondo.

Uchino Masaaki.... I would need to see Jin, though I think Fukuyama-san ultimately embodies the role. Seeing the portrayal from start to finish, the innocence and imperfection and the struggle, then ultimate evolution into a legend.... it's incredible. For Uchino-san, I can see him doing wonderfully with the complete, larger-than-life Ryoma others would see.

Admittedly, it did take me a while to warm to him in Tonbi though.

I had begun to suspect that about Korean dramas. For example, though Lee Hyun Woo isn't terrible, I continually see him playing young versions of people he looks nothing like (such as Uhm Tae Woong). Funnily enough I then always see people complaining that the older character isn't as "cute" as the younger version, haha.

Oh, Ryoma was featured in Jin! Love to hear it. He's a person that deeply influenced Japan down to its core, though his popularity as a historical figure experienced a resurgence with the airing of Ryomaden. Taiga dramas rarely romanticize, you're right, though they're not above occasionally using supernatural elements. As to an unreliable narrator, they don't really do that (though Yataro's life is shown as well; he's also an important person, whose fate was intertwined with Ryoma's).

Oh! In A Good Way is apparently similar to the Reply series, though the entirety of the story takes place in the past (1995). The lead character sometimes narrates something she found out later, but for the most part it's like this. Romance hasn't quite developed yet, but the main focus currently stands on college and finding one's own way. The Taiwanese title is actually "My Era of Freedom," which is probably more descriptive of its contents.

Are the cases in strong in Galileo then? I'm glad to hear that the partner change isn't as dire as I'd initially thought.

Haha! Can't stay away from Kimura-san after all? It seems like something I'd like too, with a very quirky science-fiction/video game atmosphere.

Last Cinderella was spoiled for me because of hype; many people openly chalked out the ending all over the place, which was frustrating. That said, the age difference would have probably repelled me anyway. Though I rather do like Fujiki Naohito, I can see where you're coming from; for instance, he probably showed the most life in CONTROL, but the drama wasn't great.

Young actors sometimes even annoy me, especially in Korean dramas; with exceptions, they can feel like place-holders until the adult cast comes in. When they're part of focus and very talented or realistic, I tend to notice them favorably (such as in Woman).

I see you started Ryomaden! That drama was really something for me; it inspired me to buy tons of books on Sakamoto-san. Fascinatingly, what I read jived extremely well with the plot line and included information in the travelogues. Makes me want to watch it again. XD

Oh, I see then. Legal rights can be such a muddy area. It's my opinion that fan-made products which don't hurt the sales or image of the original should be allowed; though, on that same note, the wishes of the creator should be respected. It's good that the game was eventually okay-ed.

Agreed on types of male lead. I'm getting so sick of cold, arrogant princes when it comes to romanc and Densha definitely sounds like a breath of fresh air. Aren't there also multiple versions of it? I remember reading about it a little, because it was based on a true story. Or my memory is off, haha.

I just realized Haruma-san is actually a year younger than me, wow. He impressed me most in his younger roles, because there seemed to be a spark. Though it seems that he has yet to take on a more mature ones to boost that spark (other than Taisetsu). I'll have to add it to my list~

Oh, Aiba-san! His dramas are so rarely subbed, which is a shame; apparently his Last Hope medical foray this year was excellent. Gu Family Book was popular this year as it aired. I hope you enjoy it! I've never actually seen Lee Seung Gi as an actor before, haha.

Absolutely! Though only four episodes have aired, In A Good Way has loads of potential (and Taiwan is going mad for it). I'd agree with those people; there's a decided difference in quality between it and those dramas preceding it this year.

How are you finding the second season of Galileo? I had worries about the partner switch, though both actresses are fine.

Oh, I thought you were going to skip Ando Lloyd? I actually pushed ahead to finish Dokushin Kizoku first, but there's one more week of that. I'll probably be starting Kimura-san's drama next; it makes me crazy to wait week to week for some shows.

Ah, was the sequel free or paid? If free, it strikes me as odd a company would care so much; after all, it's more like an expression of love than anything in that case. And I do think the game ends if there are no other Sims controlled by the user; though in my case, I did have others in the same household.

Ah, so it's another drama with a comforting feel? I think I've been watching too many with heavy themes lately. As to Taisetsu, I've never seen it. That kind of theme is chancy for me, though Haruma always impressed me as having lots of potential. Is it worth seeing?

When I checked the cast for Densha, I noticed Atsushi Ito (which also encouraged me). He's an actor I have a lot of affection for, though I've never been able to figure out why. The type of character he'd be playing really suits him, too.

No problem. Oddly enough, I've not seen either drama; most of his works I'm familiar with are more recent, though I plan on catching Resurrection someday. It'd be interesting to see whether he's experienced growth since.

I am! Gye Baek interested me since it takes place in the same era as other familiar historicals, with a different viewpoint. But I really am watching more than I would normally be comfortable with, that's for sure.

Which drama did you pick up, by the way?

Oh, is the fan-base very active in creating content? It's fun to see something spawning so much love. Every expansion for the Sims tends to add at least two new ways to die recently. For example, one method was added that a Sim could be struck by a meteor. The rate is very low, so of course it happened in my game.

My Bratty Princess will be going on the list as well. I do like the sound of it, especially the chemistry and good ending. Funnily enough, I don't think I've ever seen Jang Na Ra in Korean. It might be best to watch her dubbed first; that way it won't bother me, haha.

Initially, I didn't notice the dubbing either. It's true they do a great job with the process. Did Alec Su have a much different tone? Somehow William Feng looks fine with a super deep voice or his regular high one. XD

You all are making me want to watch Densha Otoko recently too, gah.

Lee Jin Wook has a pretty cute real-life persona too, haha. He apparently comes across as strange and won't stop talking once he starts; so his interviews are usually amazing. They had him on Star Date once, and they actually had to slice parts of his monologues to fit the time slot. XD