mysecretsoul

Both Jerry and Ella are singers first and foremost (F4 and SHE respectively). As you've said, Ella usually suffers from typecasting; I recall her once playing a somewhat deeper role in The Rose, though she continued goofy shtick at times. Unfortunately, that wasn't a drama I'd recommend.

You mean Gong Yoo right? I have to agree, he plays sleaze better than anyone. Jerry definitely has a more charming way, though both are talented actors.

Funny you should change your username now. I've just encountered Lee Seo Jin for the first time in Gye Baek. It's largely dramatized history (what sageuk isn't these days?), but his acting and talent for martial sequences are quite appealing. I also love how well he works with Jo Jae Hyeon, another very talented actor. Only whenever they showcased Seo Jin shirtless, I almost laughed; my first time with his abs was over here! XD

As I complete more dramas, the more I find my taste to be very eccentric and eclectic. There are times I enjoy difficult or mature stories (Golden Empire, Three Kingdoms), one that utterly rob me of objectivity (Prince of Lan Ling, Samurai High School), and ones that I know are bad and rate as such, but amused me against reason (When A Man Loves, Koshonin). With the right elements, my opinion might widely differ from expectation.

That said, historical inaccuracies do bother me quite a bit -- when the subject strongly focuses on real events and people. If the entire point is romance however, I believe it can be more manageable (though instances of obvious poor research might pull me out of the story).

Thank you for telling me about these though; there are defintely times when simple escapism is just what the drama doctor ordered, haha.

Shira Oka sounds like a great deal of work was put into it. Were there many story arcs to complete as well? I've always loved reincarnation if used creatively.

Chatting about indie games makes me a little nostalgic for my college days; in my spare time, I worked with some friends on a short visual novel. We managed to finish writing a few routes and the main plot line; unfortunately, the artwork and programming became a little too difficult to balance with classes, so.... The experience was fun, but I regret the writing went to waste.

Those endings were my favorites also! Though I had a soft spot for that blonde tsundere, despite his bad behavior; it always kills me when harsh characters like that soften up.

I'll continue my reply on Huan Zhu Ge Ge in the next comment, haha. I typed part out and realized I had like 10 characters left XD

There are actually two, one for the famous Suzaku set (Suzaku Ibun) and another for Genbu (Kagami no Miko). Suzaku Ibun is a little more involving, with several endings; the player also has a choice whether to reincarnate and meet their choice again, or to stay in the past. It definitely would be a perfect dampener for shipping wars though, haha.

I've played Yo-Jin-Bo, long ago. The references were odd indeed, though some routes were still cute. I remember the monk (?) character had the strangest western-style ending and it was like "....What?" XD

I have actually never seen those. My experience with Chinese television is unfortunately limited. Would you recommend the original then? As to Three Kingdoms, it's wonderful yet impossible to watch quickly. Like a good novel, it's best watched slowly to absorb everything. From what I know of the history/book, it seems quite accurate too.

Absolutely! Reise, Secret, anything is fine. Would it be all right to call you Cheer, then? I've forgotten to ask what you prefer.

Taiga are definitely very accurate, though they tend to take some dramatic license (it's impossible not to); despite that, the changes made are usually reasonable and are in the spirit of history. After Ryomaden and Shinsengumi!, I bought several books on both; in some places, reading them was like watching the drama! So one definitely learns as they enjoy watching.

Because I haven't seen many, I still enjoy sageuks; though lately my standards are tightening. It wouldn't surprise me if I should tire of them after becoming more acquainted with Korean history (especially if they keep pounding away at the same cliches I've started to notice).

This will be my first Wallace drama; it looked even more appealing since many say they enjoy Ruby Lin as an actress.

Our issues are similar, though (at first) I had trouble accepting the story as-is; thoughts like, "Why haven't they called the police yet?" kept popping up. As I slowly became accustomed to the conceit, it became easier to take as fantasy. Combined with the disturbing, paranoid air and the powerful message of the series, Kazoku Game won me by being memorable.

It's surprising to hear people thought Sakurai-san overacted. Perhaps they weren't able to grasp the uncanny nature of the series? Subtlety can be wonderful, but would be lost on Yoshimoto-sensei.

Ooku has very little in the way of historical accuracy. As speculative fiction, it excels in being unique. There actually are some difficult scenes and more than one trigger; the atmosphere was much darker than I expected. Most technical elements were fine -- though more episodes would have helped flesh out the story better. :)

Glad to see you enjoyed Kazoku Game to the end! We seem to have rated it the same; what issues docked the final point for you? I'm curious to see if our reasons were also similar.

It makes me a little sad that I even figured such fears play a major part in the lack of male instructors. While it's important people are informed about sad instances like that, I can't help but feel that they don't pay as much attention when a female teacher does the same. It would be much better to shine a light on more inspiring stories also, you're right.

Ah, you added Ooku today! It's such a unique series, one of the view speculative historicals around. Despite the fact it has issues (which don't seem to be addressed in the present reviews, sadly), I'd say it's certainly worth your time.

That's wonderful! I can't wait to see your perspective on it. :)

The written version of Neverwhere was a novelization, you're right; though, honestly, the television program wasn't that good either. It felt much like a Doctor Who episode without the charm or whimsy. If you wish to sample some Gaiman short stories before taking the trouble to find an anthology, several were uploaded on his website.

As to Fushugi Yuugi, the expanded stories were released as manga (and I've just found out, a video game). It follows the Genbu priestess and her senshi, which I believe were also briefly featured in the series proper.

Very sorry to hear about your injury; I read about it in the feeds a moment ago. Even so, I'd like to wish you a happy birthday and a speedy recovery.

Equator Man is a revenge drama, yes; but as you may have heard, the acting is stronger than the script. There are some amazing moments, but certain elements (including the romance) are wobbly or borderline unnecessary. It's worth watching, I think.

Mm! Historicals seem to be calling my name. I started Gye Baek on my own, and a friend wanted to try Introduction of the Princess together. I'm a little excited about that one, as it includes Wallace Huo.

Definitely! As a sci-fi nerd, I actually loved the mechanics for the time travel as well. It has some of the best logic I've ever seen in the genre. Can't wait to hear your final thoughts on it :)

Yes, Zettai Kareshi is a Watase work. I've never seen Ayashi no Ceres, but Fushigi Yuugi remains somewhat special to me as well. Have you seen the more recent expansions on the series? I believe they follow other priestesses and their warriors.

Works dealing with cultural gaps often have those instances of unfamiliarity, but part of the fun is adjusting to them. I haven't often read about those time periods or the differences in culture, which makes that even more fascinating. If you ever wish to recommend novels to me, please feel free; I love expanding my reading list.

Neil Gaiman has great creativity, but I personally enjoy him best with short stories. His style works more beautifully in brief bursts; Fragile Things is a wonderful example of this. Stardust was quite the fun movie right? If memory serves, even Gaiman admits it worked much better than his novel.

Shoujo Cosette! Definitely, thought it initially shocked me to see it adapted. The accuracy isn't bad either, which is more than can be said for many of Les Miserables film adaptations (excluding one very long French version from long ago).

Oh, I know right? It was pretty funny when Guan Yu first got Red Hare too; he was like, "Oh, dude, I can keep him? *RUNS OVER TO IT*" At least Cao Cao has some honor; he won't kill a man he respects. Apparently he even hesitated with killing Lu Bu at first, but Liu Bei and others convinced him in the head. Or it might just be that he wants the best of everything for himself. XD

Love to hear you're enjoying it! You'll only get more addicted as the episodes roll by; Nine really finds its footing near the middle. Just talking about it makes me miss Lee Jin Wook a little. His voice is so cool, haha.

If you'd like, let's start Princess first. Something about the look of the characters and the description is really calling to me. *_*

No problem whatsoever! I may start watching it soon as well, if you'd like to talk about it back and forth. :) It would be interesting to hear your take on the story, especially with your experience.

So the gender discrepancy is similar all over? I also agree children benefit from meaningful interactions with male mentors; actually, as a kid, the first time I had a male teacher it made me somewhat nervous. I never adjusted to it until high school, where they were much more numerous.

Oh, another HBO series? They seem to be working with popular novels frequently these days (what with Game of Thrones excelling and American Gods planned). It's too bad you won't be able to see it, though it seems that the channel is looking to expand its availability beyond television. Perhaps you'll get to see it after all.

The Taiwanese adaptation of Zettai Kareshi apparently keeps more faith with the manga, but I'm still hesitant. It would make me happy if there would be an anime of it someday; it's one of Watase Yuu's better works, though her adult offerings are getting better by the year.

Thank you so much for the information! I'd love to read it some time; That subject always fascinated me. It also makes me happy to hear you don't mind my long-windedness; once I get chatting with someone fun, I have trouble stopping. XD

Same. I actually want to start Giant sometime in the future; I figure that if there's any way to grab my attention, it would be to see something with good acting (and Joo Sang Wook XD).

I thought you might take interest in it. :) Apparently it takes an unique angle in that it's rare for men to be Kindergarten teachers.

I laughed a little during Cao Cao's courtship of Guan Yu; it was more intense and involving than how Sun Ce and Zhou Yu met/married their wives! But he definitely deserved what he got in the end. It was a little scary to see Zhang Fei lording over a place though, yeesh.

You started Nine! How are you finding it so far?

By the way, if you'd like to start Palace or Princess, let me know! I don't mind watching it alongside Three Kingdoms. :)

Thank you very much for the friend request! I'm happy to accept. :) Seems we both like George Hu~

Admittedly, my last few K-dramas have been lackluster too. It seems like every time I enjoy one, the next three do nothing for me. Chinese and Japanese feel so fresh in comparison, especially with the wide variety that Japan seems to have. I'm currently having trouble choosing my next watch, though it's looking wuxia right now.

Glad to hear it. Sakurai-san actually had me shaking after a particular scene in The Quiz Show. All I'm waiting for from him now is a more diverse role; interestingly, he has an older series called Yoiko no Mikata where he plays a gentle kindergarten teacher. It seems a little hard to imagine now though, haha. XD