Last Friends [END]

Warning: Spoilers included! For a spoiler-free/first impression entry, click here.

I had absolutely no plan writing an overall entry on Last Friends, and if you think an amazing finale had pushed me to do it, you are very, very wrong. I was too gentle when I wrote my first impression because I had a hard time bashing a drama that is loved by everyone. When I see people writing a three-thousand-word character analysis, I back off. Man, I could never write like that unless if it’s for an English assignment. So this is my skin-deep, shallow opinion of Last Friends. This time, I’ll jump off from the bandwagon.

I. Do. Not. Like. Ruka.

Gomen!!

Full-time accountant; Part-time addict

Last Monday, I started working as a full-time accountant. I don’t know about normal people, but as an extra-abnormal timid person, I hate infiltrating a territory full of strangers. I smiled too much during the first day to cover up my lack of conversational skills. The very nice admin person who supervised our orientation also took us for a free lunch at a downtown mid-scale restaurant along with a senior( who’s going to be our trainer for the engagement stuff). During lunch-chat, in an attempt to get to know us better, admin-person asked the cliche question of what we do during our free time. My co-newbie (let’s call him Matt) answered back like a true accountant and said golf. Since I can’t go for my number one (ahem), I settled with number two and said “I sleep.” I mentally cursed myself, but I was tense as it is and I am not in the mood to make up something phony like yoga or kickboxing.

JMOVIE: Koizora (Sky of Love)

I almost did not watch this movie after reading a review from a disappointed viewer labeling it as a cheesefest…but nothing can stop me after watching the trailer. Because of the bad review, I moved it behind my watch list and decided to watch Aragaki Yui’s other movie, Koi suru Madori. Unlike Koizora, Koisuru Madori got a perfect ten from said reviewer and named it a “flawless film.” This flawless film had me sleeping in no time. I guess I’m the kind who seldom fall for subtlety. Even the ending is a smart-ass blow with my naive illusions on fiction and romance. It’s like saying: Your serendipity is the destiny of another. How crushing is that?

Puzzle (パズル): A series of bad English lessons.

This is the return of Ishihara Satomi in a leading role since her unforgettable performance in Hanayome to Papa in 2007. It was so memorable that until now I can visualize the over the top acting and the panting habit that had ended my fan status abruptly. As I watch more and more of her, I realize that H2 was the first and possibly last drama of Ishihara Satomi that I could actually gush about. Anyway, I was surprised to see this 22 year-old acting a female teacher in her 30s. Is Japan running out of actresses in their 30s? I have been noticing this trend of putting young women in more mature roles and on the other hand, we have 25 yr. old male actors still passing off as high-school students. Rookies is a good example of this.

Around 40 (アラウンド40) – “We are not pitiful”

Unlike dramas about teachers and students, single women dramas, make that aging single women, are generally rampant not only with Japanese, but also with Korean and American TV series. I could probably name a dozen on the spot, but if you ask me to name a drama about single men, Kekkon Dekinai Otoko is the only one I could think of. I’m sure there are a few others, but when pitted against its equivalent, the scale is definitely not balanced. Well, has it always been?

“I am not a Puppet Prince!”

CHANGE: Episode 4 (Beware of spoilers!!!)

Mannnnnnn…look at that! I had to scramble from my bed for the pause button to take a screenshot. For a whole second, Kimura Takuya’s old charm came hitting me full blast and I was transported back to his Love Generation days. Here I thought, I was immune. Well, most of the time, I am.

The Absolute Housekeeper finally made his master happy.

Episode 7

Just when I half-beaten and bashed this drama to death, they go pull this out of the hat.

[J-MOVIE] Rainbow Song (虹の女神)

This film is produced and co-wrote by Shunji Iwai (Love Letter, Hana & Alice) featuring three actors who all have leading roles in this spring dramas: Ueno Juri (Last Friends), Ichihara Hayato (ROOKIES) and Yu Aoi (Osen). It starts off with the announcement of Aoi Sato’s (Ueno Juri) death. Kishida (Ichihara Hayato) then reminisces about his past where we learn how he met Sato while in the midst of stalking her co-worker. It’s not as freaky as it sounds. The beginning is actually the most interesting part of the movie. The middle part, I skipped a lot. The ending kind of confirmed my suspicions about the Love Letter similarity.

ROOKIES (ルーキーズ): Oh nooo, another one!?

I don’t get it. I don’t really get why more Japanese are watching Gokusen 3 than ROOKIES, CHANGE, Last friends, Osen, etc. I won’t even watch it for Nakayama Yukie. The likes of Gokusen are the reason why most d-addicts have a low opinion of school dramas. That’s why when a good one actually comes our way, we don’t even give it a try for the fear of meeting another Seito Shokun and Gachi Baka. Who’s not sick of another teacher claiming to make his students’ dream come true? Kawato Koichi (Sato Ryuta) is no different. He drove the nail all the way through with talks of dreams and sparkling tomorrows. Who wouldn’t groan and gag? I would have done both while watching Yankumi. But Sato Ryuta makes it work. With his past works of always acting the stupid sidekick, he unknowingly gained Kawato Koichi’s loveable and naive nature who will easily take anyone’s word as truth.

Kimutaku for President!

Before you correct me and say that Japan has no President but instead a Prime Minister, I know, I know. It just sounds better compare to “Kimutaku for Prime Minister!” Anyway, I have to break my Theme Song pimping in this post. No matter how Madonna’s “Miles Away” seem so fitting with the drama, I just don’t think it is a catchy song. I am not a Madonna fan, to be blunt. It also looked like a big deal for a Japanese drama to use a foreign/Madonna song, because they even featured a short clip of Madonna watching the first episode of Change. I wonder if it subbed in English when they showed it to her? Mostly likely. I feel a bit annoyed watching her forced interest during the clip. She could have tried harder! Grrr…

If there is one thing I don’t like about this drama, it is the way the synopsis sounded. If this ain’t a Kimutaku drama, I would have cleared far far away from this show. It sounds like a super boring drama about politics. But it is not. Heck, just look at Kimutaku’s hair. It says it all. I thought it was an afro for goddsakes!