Bokura no Yuuki - Miman City SP

Title: Bokura no Yuuki – Miman City Special

AKA: Our Courage – Miman City Special

Genre: Sci-fi, Mystery, Suspense

Broadcast date: 21 July 2017

Cast: Domoto Koichi, Domoto Tsuyoshi, Matsumoto Jun, Aiba Masaki, Kohara Yuki and Mukai Osamu.

20 years ago, Shindo Yamato (Domoto Koichi), Takigawa Takeru (Domoto Tsuyoshi), Eguchi Morio (Matsumoto Jun), Inagawa Akira (Aiba Masaki) and Okamoto Kiichi (Kohara Yuki) made a promise to reunite again at Makuhara. 20 years later, they meet again, but only Yamato, Takeru and Akira arrive, and the Makuhara they know, now looks completely different than it used to. The city has been trying to get on its feet after the cover up, and a lot of money has been invested in the rebuild.

One year later both Yamato and Takeru realize that something weird is happening with Akira, and while asking around they find out that he has been asking around for money. Morio had turned Akira down, and wants nothing to do with the past, so the duo decides to find him. Soon enough they realize that Makuhara isn't as safe as it is made out to be, but compared to before they might be too grown up to deal with the threat...

If you haven't watched the 1997 drama this summary might very well confuse you. I remember the drama being one of the first dramas I had watched in my early drama watching days, and I was so hooked due to the 'dark' elements of it. This special took me right back to those days, but it also took it up a notch. I was amazed that I didn't see 20 years of difference in their acting, and the reality of 'becoming a grownup' is so clear even in this special. Of course, I noticed things (such as lacking acting and lousy cover up) that made my eyebrows wrinkle, but it doesn't ruin the overall experience. It made me very nostalgic, and happy.

To sum up: a good special of the continuation story, of the 1997 drama – but I would recommend to watch the drama before the special.

☆☆☆½ / 3½ out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥ / 4 out of 5 hearts

Kindaichi Shonen no Jikenbo Season 2 Review

Title: Kindaichi Shonen no Jikenbo Season 2

AKA: Kindaichi Boy’s Accident Files / The Files of Young Kindaichi

Genre: Mystery, Suspense

Episodes: 9 + Special

Broadcast period: 1996-Jul to 1997-Dec

Cast: Domoto Tsuyoshi, Tomosaka Rie and Furuoya Masato.

The story continues with Kindaichi Hajime (Domoto Tsuyoshi) and Nanase Miyuki (Tomosaka Rie) and their accidental cases. Always ending up at either deserted situations where murder occurs, witnessing one or being invited to places where a mystery is to be discovered. In order to uphold his grandfather’s reputation, Hajime doesn’t let any case slip unresolved.

In this season the murders get more complicated and Hajime gets suspected more than once for the murders, for trying to figure out the truth…

Again: sorry for the review, but you get the idea. This season is funny and likeable, and also has some more interesting cases compared to season one. The couple is great as well, and makes a really funny combi. Also adding the police officer they make the story really interesting.

If you like “Detective Conan” manga or anime this series is what it reminds you of. A young kid accidently ends up at a place where the murderer is, and he has to solve it as a mystery.

☆☆☆ / 3 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥ / 3 out of 5 hearts

Kindaichi Shonen no Jikenbo Season 1 Review

Title: Kindaichi Shonen no Jikenbo Season 1

AKA: Kindaichi Boy’s Accident Files / The Files of Young Kindaichi

Genre: Mystery, Suspense

Episodes: 8 + 2 Specials

Broadcast period: 1995-Jul to 1995-Sep

Cast: Domoto Tsuyoshi, Tomosaka Rie and Furuoya Masato.

Even though Kindaichi Hajime (Domoto Tsuyoshi) is the grandson of the famous detective Kindaichi Kousuke, who is famous for solving complicated crimes, Hajime is much more relaxed and doesn’t really bother with complicated things. Being a high school student, he prefers to play around in classroom and falls for almost any pretty girl. Despite his attitude he tends to be protective of his best friend Miyuki (Tomosaka Rie), and every time a mystery happens, Hajime changes: he becomes a different person, with the goal to solve it.

I’m sorry the review is a bit short, but this drama does not have one main story. It has a lot of short stories and two main actors in those stories, so yeah.

Being an old drama I was not expectant nor did I judgmental, and honestly that worked in my favour since I really enjoyed this. I like Domoto Tsuyoshi and have for a long time, though I haven’t seen him as a younger character before, so that was pleasant.

I can’t really say much, since it really does have a lot of bad CGs and bad fake bodies, but acting wise was great. That what I thought was bad acting actually was a hint to who the killer was, which I noticed along the way.

So do I recommend? Well, usually people wouldn’t watch this because of the quality and I get it, but this being a classic I had to watch it.

☆☆☆ / 3 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥ / 3 out of 5 hearts

Summer Snow Review

Title: Summer Snow
Genre: Family, Romance
Episodes: 11
Broadcast period: 2000-Jul to 2000-Sep
Theme song: Natsuno Osama by KinKi Kids
Cast: Domoto Tsuyoshi, Hirosue Ryoko, Oguri Shun, Imai Tsubasa and Ikewaki Chizuru.

After the death of his parents, Shinoda Natsuo (Domoto Tsuyoshi) had to take care of his two younger siblings; the half deaf brother Jun (Oguri Shun) and sister Chika (Ikewaki Chizuru), who is secretly dating Juns friend Suetsugu Hiroto (Imai Tsubasa). While running a bicycle shop, he also is the head and busybody of the family. By being simple minded and an easy-going person, he one day meets Katase Yuki, an OL who has never had a job, due to her heart illness.
The two of them are connected by several means; Jun starts to write to an OL lady named "Yuki", who happens to be Yukis fellow co-worker, and uses 'Yuki' as an alias. Hiroto gets busted for robbing, by a detective, who is the father of Yuki. So some way or another they are bound by destiny. After the meeting, they start having a common interest: diving. Then the story starts, of the snow that falls during the summer under the water, summer snow...

This drama is heart warming, and heartbreaking at the same time. I enjoyed watching this family, even wanted to be part of it. Domoto Tsuyoshis character was pretty amazing; a big brother willing to take tons of responsibility on his shoulders and not say a pip about it. I like that he starts to act like a dad, but then, probably realises it himself that, he becomes the protective brother. The characters individually are superb; I mean they all have something memorable, and interesting about them; being deaf and wating to achive a dream, teenage pregnancy, having a deadly illness and lacking responsibility.
The humour was great, but the romance was a bit geeky, which is typical for the 2000-2002 series in Japan, but then again it had its charme :P
Though the ending was a bit messed up, meaning confusing, I did kind of expect the ending, so I actually did not like it. But it's the type of endings that I love, unique and tough to deal with. Final words, watch it if you like good scripts and unique stories.

☆☆☆☆ / 4 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥ / 3 out of 5 hearts

(This drama probably deserves more, but it did not equal my expectations)