Time Spiral Review

Title: Time Spiral

Genre: Sci-Fi, Romance, Mystery

Episodes: 8

Broadcast period: 2014-Sept to 2014-Oct

Cast: Kuroki Meisa, Gackt, Hiraoka Yuta, Seika Taketomi and Kayoko Kishimoto.

As a child Aizawa Natsuki (Kuroki Meisa) was kidnapped and held prisoner, which has led her to have PTSD and panic attacks in her older years. She had been saved by an unknown man, whom she refers to as her first love. But has not been able to meet him, or find him. Now an adult she is the assistant physics professor in the same school her mother works and makes research, and has a relationship with her long time childhood friend Yuki Kentaro (Hiraoka Yuta), whom helps her through her panic attacks.

One day her life is turned upside down when she walks into the room of the new architectural professor Tatsumi Shuya (Gackt). Having an instant charisma and same taste in music, she finds him quite attractive, even making Kentaro aware of his presents, and it doesn’t help when he announces to Natsuki that she will fall in love with him and he will show her what love is like. This confuses Natsuki, and when she starts to remember things of the past she is shocked to remember seeing Tatsumi being the one saving her, but he didn’t age a day. How is that possible? Why does he have such an interest in Natsuki?

A very interesting beginning, then a confusing middle, and then just a ‘what-the,,’ ending. I am a huge fan of time traveling stories, which is also the main reason for watching this drama. But it kind of goes against the principles of time travelling, and though I hoped it would be a bit more confusing and twisted, it actually was very simple, and it wasn’t that thought through. It kind of left me with the thought: why did this start anyway.

Meisa and Gackt are a very unique, weird and yet interesting couple, and they kind of have this strange chemistry (might be the way the spoke to each other), but you don’t really realize it is a chemistry until you get to the point of them being next to each other.

It kind of reminds me of a web drama, like it doesn’t have much explanation nor enough screentime or whatever.

Okay so to sum up: a decent yet unsettling feeling of a story.

☆☆½ / 2½ out of 5 stars

♥♥♥ / 3 out of 5 heart

Akumu-chan 2014 SP Review

Title: Akumu-chan Special
AKA: Nightmare-chan Special

Genre: Fantasy, Comedy

Broadcast date: 2014-May-02

Cast: Kitagawa Keiko, Gackt, Yuka, Kimura Manatsu, Hamada Mari and Momoiro Clover Z.

After the sacrifice and death if Shiki Takashi (Gackt), Mutoi Ayami (Kitagawa Keiko) and Koto Yuiko (Kimura Manatsu) are not bothered by anybody anymore - that is until Yuiko by accident looks into a girl’s unconsciousness.

At the annual "Difference in Age Cultural Exchange" Yuiko is reluctantly chosen as one of the representatives from the class, and arriving at the High School she looks into the eyes of the Student Council President. By that she has noticed her unconsciousness, and even has a prophetic dream about her: she is hurting her classmates, and even gets killed by Ayami’s Dream Prince. Scared by her nightmare she turns to Ayami-sensei, who unwillingly is dragged into the things again. But for some reason the nurse Hirashima Kotoha (Yuka) is involved in the dreams. How are things connected?

I remember Akumu-chan as one of my favorite j-dramas because of the story and the way the characters are portrayed. Also this is one of the few dramas that made me complete absorbed at the end.

So is the special good? Honestly, I thought it was pretty dull. I like Momoiro Clover Z, but I felt it was too much of an idol special. The entire thing had a bit of “lala” acting to it. Lol, now you are wondering why the rating is so high? It is so simple you are not going to believe it: Kitagawa Keiko. Seriously her acting is amazing here, and she seriously uses everything and pulls everyone with her, making everything brilliant.

The story in all was okay, and the theme was great too, so yeah I laughed and enjoyed it a lot!

☆☆☆½ / 3½ out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥ / 4 out of 5 hearts

Akumu-chan Review

Title: Akumu-chan

AKA: Nightmare-chan

Genre: Fantasy, Comedy

Episodes: 11

Broadcast period: 2012-Oct to 2012-Dec

Cast: Kitagawa Keiko, Gackt, Yuka, Kimura Manatsu and Hamada Mari.

“A person's consciousness is at the tip of an iceberg. Within the soul, there is an infinite unconsciousness that spreads. Inside is where all the emotion, all the behavior and even time sleeps. This little girl's (Koto Yuiko) unconsciousness can connect with other people's unconsciousness. And when she sleeps, her soul awakens. Other people's ominous future becomes her nightmare and materializes in the real world.” (Taken from the drama intro)

Mutoi Ayami (Kitagawa Keiko) is a two faced elementary teacher, who pretends to be nice and kind towards everyone, but in real life doesn’t care about her students nor about her colleagues. Everyone around her sees her as the perfect teacher, except the school nurse Hirashima Kotoha (Yuka) who is jealous of her popularity.

Everything changes when a new transfer student arrives: Koto Yuiko (Kimura Manatsu) is a special girl living with her grandfather. When both grandfather and Yuiko see Ayami they are astonished, but they don’t tell why. Shortly after Yuiko asks Ayami to save an old lady from a fire, which is going to happen soon, since she saw it in a dream. Thinking it was a childish thought Ayami leaves it like that, until a house with an old lady is burned to the ground not far away from the school.

Ayami hurries to Yuikos house, and meets Shiki Takashi (Gackt), who looks exactly like her so-called “dream prince” she dreams about, whenever she sleeps.  Soon she finds out that Yuiko has a special ability and if she doesn’t hurry shell end up killing a student and die herself…

This is one of my fave dramas, like by far. I wasn’t that into it in the beginning since the CG was weird, but as the story does on it becomes really good, and you can’t not like it. Or I couldn’t at least. Keiko is brilliant, and even Gackt had his moments, but the actiong in this drama was okay even though most of them were kids.

This drama happens to be one of the few ones in which I had no clue what was going to happen. I was surprised, confused, intrigued and excited  - all at ones - without it becoming a dark drama.

I really recommend, even if you don’t like fantasy.

☆☆☆☆ / 4 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥♥ / 5 out of 5 hearts

Moon Child Movie Review

Title: Moon Child

Genre: Action, Horror

Origin: Japan

Release date: April 19, 2003

Cast: Hideto Takarai (Hyde), Gackt, Yamamoto Taro and Kanata Hongo.

“Mallepa 2014. Resistance to new anti-immigration laws turned violent in Mallepa’s southern district. The area is mostly inhabited by poor Japanese immigrants who have been worst hit by the economic downturn. Such frustrations are thought to play a part in the demonstrations. Casualties run into the thousands but confirmation is still pending. According to police reports stability has been restored. As a Special Economic Zone, discrimination doesn’t exist. Mallepa’s founding principle is tax-free growth for people of all races.” (Taken from the introduction of the movie)

Sho (Kanata Hongo) and his older brother are orphans living in Mallepa as pickpockers, until they one day, meet Kei (Hyde) who happens to be a vampire. As Sho doesn’t care about Kei being a vampire, Kei starts living with them, and becomes close to Sho. Several years later Sho (Gackt) now in his twenties still lives with Kei and his friend Toshi (Yamamoto Taro).  Sho’s brother has become a drug addict, Toshi sells pizza with drugs, and Sho and Kei live off stealing from gangs, and manage to live pretty well, until one day when they meet Son (Leehom).

I watched this movie because Jenji one day told me that it was an amazing movie. Like, she honestly kept repeating herself every 10 min. That was maybe 3-4 years ago, but I didn’t watch it, because the storyline was nothing I would watch. And so the day came when I saw this file on asiatorrents, and I was like why not? I have to admit, I didn’t hate it. The story isn’t that good, and the length of the movie is so not fair to the storyline - seems too short - but I don’t think I would be able to watch more than the length it is. 

Gackt and Hyde are honestly trying - I think - but somehow it seems a bit overacted, though that might be because of the age of the movie. They are both trying too hard in being hot; Gackt is just too Visual Kei to be a gangster and Hyde is not really the best actor in this role. 

I don’t know if I recommend it, but I think it is an okay movie, even though it is 10 years old.

☆☆☆ / 3 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥ / 3 out of 5 hearts

Jenji's verdict
I watched this movie a LONG time ago. I was only watching japanese drama, but not that many, but I knew a bit about Gackt. I do remember liking the movie very much, but yeah, now that I think about it I really don't think it was that special. It's just that Bunji remembers every word I have ever said no matter how long ago that was. So I cant really say that much about the movie. I guess it is alright. But really not the best out there hahah. I really have no idea what to say. Maybe you should just stick to Bunji's verdict. Hihih, so I'm really just gonna rate the same.

 ☆☆☆ / 3 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥ / 3 out of 5 hearts