99.9 2 Review

Title: 99.9 season 2

AKA: Criminal Lawyers season 2

Genre: Legal, Drama

Episodes: 9

Broadcast period: 2018-Jan to 2018-Mar

Theme song: Find the Answer by Arashi

Cast: Matsumoto Jun, Kagawa Teruyuki and Kimura Fumino

“The Japanese criminal justice system has a conviction rate of 99.9%. Once indicted, a guilty verdict is a near certainty. This drama series tells the story of the lawyers who take on these difficult cases, so that they may find the facts hidden within the remaining 0.1%.” (Intro of each episode)

Returning to where we left off, Miyama Hiroto (Matsumoto Jun) still works “losing” cases for Madarame Law Firm. Joining him this time is a former judge, Ozaki Maiko (Kimura Fumino), who firmly and blindly, believes in the judicial system of Japan - which is completely opposite from Miyama.

Not being able to unite in the beginning, the two learn to adapt to each other’s workstyle, and soon enough, together with top defense lawyer Sada Atsuhiro (Kagawa Teruyuki), they seek justice for cases with a 0,01 % success rate…

So, 2 years back, I watched the first season, and didn’t not fancy it. I didn’t hate it, but I wasn’t that into it. The second season is a bit better. I like that there is an exact opposite of Miyama, making it two sides, instead of just the one. Also, Ozaki is really cool. I like her character being herself, even if she is caught in a disadvantage, which the previous lead didn’t have. All characters are pretty much the same, and the acting was pretty much at point - though the humor and speed of conversations, is hard to follow, which it was in season one as well. The stories are good, and the flow of the back plot is great, so it made it a bit more enjoyable.

All in all, a better season, and interesting storytelling.

☆☆☆☆ / 4 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥ / 4 out of 5 hearts

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

99.9 Review

Title: 99.9

AKA: Criminal Lawyers

Genre: Legal, Drama

Episodes: 10

Broadcast period: 2016-Apr to 2016-Jun

Theme song: Daylight by Arashi

Cast: Matsumoto Jun, Kagawa Teruyuki, Eikura Nana and Kishibe Ittoku.

In Japan the conviction rate is 99,9% which means when someone is prosecuted the chance for being exonerated is only 0,1%, so if you are innocent your chances are very low. This drama follows a special team of lawyers and paralegals challenge the system by taking on the cases of 0,1% to find the truth.

Miyamoto Hiroto (Matsumoto Jun) is a lawyer who lives for finding the truths behind cases that includes investigating himself. Though he has zero interest in money, he has a high sense of honesty.

When he offered a job in the special unit he declines at first, but after some time he agrees as his curiosity for cases increases. Partnered with him and also an ambitious man is Sada Atsuhiro (Kagawa Teruyuki) who hates the idea of honesty, and prefers to work FOR the clients so that they can win – different than Miyamoto who refuses to lie no matter the reason. The two are forced to lead the team, but soon find a common goal and try to win the 0,1% cases...

Another Arashi drama! I simply love their dramas since they are probably some of the best Japanese idol actors out there, good enough to lose the 'idol' and just be seen as actors. Matsumoto has had a couple of good ones, and to be honest I was afraid he'd do a romance again (not that he's bad at it, just way too typical), so you can imagine my surprise when I saw him in a drama with no romance. It is also one of the few where the focus is mainly on the sub-stories of the drama, and doesn't really have a main storyline that fills the plot. This makes it easy to follow even if it is quite heavy with the law and legal talk going around.

Besides that, the general drama is not really one of my favorite. It is interesting, but not something you watch to follow every single week, and it doesn't keep you on edge – not that it is necessary for it – but it makes it pretty slow paced while watching.

All in an okay drama to watch, but not a drama that keeps you on edge.

☆☆☆½ / 3½ out of 5 stars

♥♥♥ / 3 out of 5 hearts

Shitsuren Chocolatier Review

Title: Shitsuren Chocolatier

AKA: Heartbroken Chocolatier

Genre: Romance

Episodes: 11

Broadcast period: 2013-Jan to 2013-Mar

Theme song: Bittersweet by Arashi

Cast: Matsumoto Jun, Ishihara Satomi, Mizukawa Asami, Mizuhara Kiko, Mizobata Junpei, Kato Shigeaki, Sato Ryuta and Arimura Kasumi.

Falling in love at first sight, Koyurugi Souta (Matsumoto Jun) spends most of his time around her because it makes him happy and he wants to make her his girlfriend. And after more than three years of courting he finally manages to date her for two months. But after being dumped, Takahashi Saeko (Ishihara Satomi), tells him that she never even thought of him as a boyfriend. When he comes home he spends days in his room, and while continuously thinking about her, he is reminded that she likes a special sort of chocolate which is only made in Paris, France. He then decides to leave Japan in order to work at the store making that very type of chocolate, so he can bring it back and make it for her.

Six years later he returns to Japan, looking forward to seeing her again, opening up his own chocolate store, only to find out that she is engaged to get married. But still he is not able to stop loving her, and when Saeko keeps sending mixed signals, Souta is getting confused. So he decides to change his personality in order to make her fall in love with him: to become a bad boy, which he believes is her type.

But when he meets Elena (Mizuhara Kiko) he is surprised to find out that he isn’t the only one with unrequited feelings, and for some reason he is able to talk to Elena like he never was able to do before.

Will his heart change for Elena, or will he make Saeko fall in love with him?

Another drama like Summer Nude, except this one made me hungry. The concept of being heartbroken was so deep in this drama I still am stunned that they had it go through all 11 episodes. I mean the beginning was kind of funny, but not only did they drag it on, they honestly made me dislike the main couple. I heard people disliked the main actress in the beginning and liked her later on. I did not like her AT ALL. I felt she was a brat from beginning to end. Matsumoto’s character was kind of okay in the first few episodes, but he got on my nerves. Honestly at the end, everyone got on my nerves. The entire drama did. Like a bunch of people not knowing what they want and having weird ideas of how to fix things or make others like them. Oh man. Though I liked the more realistic view of how these couples behave. Like no over protective personalities, or just simple kisses.

To sum up, I wouldn’t watch it again.

☆☆☆½ / 3½ out of 5 stars

♥♥♥ / 3 out of 5 hearts

Hajimari no Uta SP Review

Title: Hajimari no Uta

AKA: Song of the beginning

Genre: Human drama, School

Broadcast date: 2013-Sept-23

Cast: Matsumoto Jun, Eikura Nana, Toda Naho and Kunimura Jun.

Nakahara Wateru (Matsumoto Jun) is a rookie photographer living in Tokyo. He is offered an opportunity for a career, to go to Hagi and make a pictorial of the small town. Sounds like an easy job, but for Watery Hagi is not just any town, it is his hometown, which he had left in order to follow his dreams. When he arrives in Hagi he meets up with his family but also visits his old school, where he encounters his high school girlfriend Imachi Natsuki (Eikura Nana) working at that very school as a teacher, and also as the teacher in charge of the choir club. Natsu and Wateru had made the promise to become teachers together once they finish college, but Wateru had broken the promise, and Natsu takes advantage of that by making him be the pianist in the choir club.

While working both as a photographer and a pianist Wateru notices the beauties he had forgotten, and starts to find himself loving what he is doing…

This being a Matsumoto Jun drama I have to admit, I am a bit surprised. This is not exactly his genre, but somehow he manages to make it his own. The thing about this and this is also the biggest part for the rating, is that the special is way short. Yes 1½ hour is not a lot to begin with, but seriously I didn’t get much of it. The “growth” part should have gotton more screening time, else was just short. Maybe it is because it’s because of the huge amount of stories in it that makes it so long. With that I mean we get the main story, the love story, the friend story, the school story and the family story. Making that in 1½ hours is a bit tight, and they don’t really manage to ‘fill’ me… On the other hand acting is great, and the scenery is amazingly beautiful.

Is it recommendable? Yeah, but don’t expect the big thing here…

☆☆☆½ / 3½ out of 5 stars

♥♥♥ / 3 out of 5 hearts

Kindaichi Shonen no Jikenbo Season 3 Review

Title: Kindaichi Shonen no Jikenbo Season 3

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

Genre: Mystery, Suspense

Episodes: 9 + Special

Broadcast period: 2001-Jul to 2001-Sep

Cast: Matsumoto Jun, Naito Takashi and Suzuki Anne.

The third season is a new season all around with an entirely new cast, and the story spans as if the two first seasons didn’t happen.

While travelling with friends Nanase Miyuki (Suzuki Anne) greets a familiar face who seems to ignore her.  However once a murder occurs she remembered as Kindaichi Hajime (Matsumoto Jun) when he explains the trick of the mystery murder. The two haven’t met in over 5 years, so Miyuki is quite sure he came for her, but Hajime seems indifferent. They meet a row of accidental cases, and some of them even leave the police questioning how and who did it. This is where Hajime proves to them that he is the grandson of one of Japans most amazing detectives…

Compared to the other two seasons I have to say this one is a bit more interesting and realistic, and actually makes no sense since a lot of the murders are pretty ridiculous. I mean sometimes I just go “what?”, not because of the murders but because of the absurdity of the way of killing. I mean some of them just make you shake your head, and I say this as a fan, but somehow it just makes you shake your head.

I was very annoyed by the new version of Miyuki since I kind of liked her in the previous series.  Her character just was this loud girl that made me scowl every time I saw her. But Matsumoto was okay honestly, I mean I wasn’t really expecting and he didn’t really exceed the expectations, but it was fine like it was.

If you want to watch it, you can even without having watched the classic. If you like Matsujun this should make you happy to watch. He is kind of cute as a 17 year old.

☆☆☆½ / 3½ out of 5 stars

♥♥♥½ / 3½ out of 5 hearts

Natsu no Koi wa Nijiiro ni Kagayaku Review

Title: Natsu no Koi wa Nijiiro ni Kagayaku
AKA: Summer Romance Shines in Rainbow Color
Genre: Romance, comedy
Episodes: 10
Broadcast period: 2010-Jul-19 to 2010-Sep-20
Cast: Matsumoto Jun, Sawamura Ikki, Matsuzaka Keiko, Takeuchi Yuko, Koboyashi Seiran, Matsuhige Yutaka, Kiritani Mirei, Ogura Ichiro, Kasahara Hideyuki, Nagayama Kento, Komatsu Ayaka . . .

Kusunoki Taiga (Matsumoto Jun) is a second generation actor stuggling to make a career for himself, he is having a hard time as he is constantly overshadowed by his father and only known as his father's son. One day he goes out skydiving with his friend Ueno Keita (Kasahara Hideyuki) also a second generation actor. While skydiving Taiga loses control over his parachute and end up hanging from a tree, unable to come down on his own. He then sees a woman, Kitamura Shiori (Takeuchi Yuko) running through the forest and starts yelling for help. Shiori in a hurry just cuts the strings of his parachute, causing him to fall straight off the tree. She then tries to beat him back to consciousness. Some time later Taiga is still thinking of her and goes back to where they met, in hope of meeting her again.

Not much of mysteriousness around this drama, quite predictable and not that much going on. But still it had its charm. Especially the story of second generation actors, having a hard time and trying to make a name for themselves. Even though being the son/daugther of an actor has it's pros it definitely has it's cons as well. The drama was not badly made, I don't really have much to complain about, but then again it really is not that interesting and there was no building in tension. Pretty much the only bad thing.. But a good story otherwise, it had a good message actually and a cute story.

☆☆☆☆ / 4 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥½ / 3.5 out of 5 hearts

Bunji's Verdict

I gotta admit I like this more than I thought I would. I wasn’t really expecting myself rooting for this couple as much as I did, and I wasn’t expecting liking their characters. I am a little annoyed at the “girl-telling-guy-straight-how-much-of-a-brat-he-is-and-him-falling-for-her-because-of-it” because that just is a major turn off for me, and even made me roll my eyes. That is the biggest dorama cliché and it is probably the one thing that I really disliked in this drama. Besides that it is funny, it is entertaining, romantic and on top of that well-acted. They seriously picked actors and actresses that were good for each role, and they were really good with portraying their characters. So thumps up!

A really decent watch.

☆☆☆☆ / 4 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥ / 4 out of 5 hearts

Yellow Tears Movie Review

Title: Yellow Tears

AKA: Kiiroi namida

Genre: Human

Release Date: April 14, 2007

Origin: Japan

Cast: Sakurai Sho, Aiba Masaki, Ninomiya Kazunari, Ohno Satoshi, Kashii Yu and Matsumoto Jun

This story revolves around 4 friends who stay together in a one bed room apartment in the summer of 1962. All five are artists who just can’t seem to make themselves progress in their work; Muraoka Eisuke (Ninomiya Kazunari) a manga artist, actually talented and the only one who actually earns something with his work, Mukai Ryuzo (Sakurai Sho) a novelist, who isn’t able to write anything, Inoue Shoichi (Aiba Masaki) a musician who failes every audition, and has something going on with Tokie (Kashii Yu) the daughter of the ramen shop owner, and Shimokawa Kei (Ohno Satoshi) a painter, with talent but isn’t able to sell anything.

The four try hard to earn money and live together, but dreams are hard to make come true, and sometimes reality can hit you to the curve…

Okay, I started this at least 5 times before actually got a grip and continued it. This is sooooo Japanese and has all the factors of adulthood in it. Again the subjects about dream, love and future are in this, except it’s not just the focus. I can’t really explain it; you seriously follow four guys (Matsumoto is a special appearance sometimes) who just live through every day, imagining HOW to start to make their dreams come true, and what’s worst, none of them have the money to buy food. So the only one buying the food is also the only one with a job! LOL.. It’s interesting… hahah.. Actually very enjoyable! :)

☆☆☆½ / 3½ out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥ / 4 out of 5 hearts 

Pikanchi Life Is Hard Dakara Happy Movie Review

Title: Pikanchi Life Is Hard Dakara Happy

Genre:  Friendship, Life

Release Date: March 1, 2004

Origin: Japan

Cast: Ohno Satoshi, Sakurai Sho, Aiba Masaki, Ninomiya Kazunari and Matsumoto Jun

It has been three years since the group had split, and the leader finally returned to Yashio, but things have changed; not only is the housing complex where Takuma (Ninomiya Kazunari) used to live about to get demolished, but the rest have changed drastically. Haru (Ohno Satoshi) and Bon (Matsumoto Jun) got into a disagreement about the demolishing of the complex which they had been fighting hard to keep, so that Takuma could have a place to return, which leads to Bon leaving Yashio, and Haru joining the demonstrants. Shun (Aiba Masaki) almost fell into depression after failing the Aoegaku University entrance for the third time, but found peace at a crochet school. Chu (Sakurai Sho) on the other hand settled down: got married and has a kid, so he started as a sales man in order to feed his family.

All have problems of their own, and they soon realize that life is tougher than they imagined…

Different from the first one, this one is about the gang being ‘grown ups’, and that itself is pretty funny. But the movie is not that great compared to the first one, mainly because the storyline only has one focus, whereas the first one had several. Or that’s how I remember it. Still it’s enjoyable, and the boys are as cute as ever, hehe..

☆☆☆½ / 3½ out of 5 stars

♥♥♥½ / 3½ out of 5 hearts

Pikanchi - Life Is Hard Dakedo Happy Movie Review

Title: Pikanchi Life Is Hard Dakedo Happy

Genre: Friendship, Life

Release Date: October 18, 2002

Origin: Japan

Cast: Ohno Satoshi, Sakurai Sho, Aiba Masaki, Ninomiya Kazunari and Matsumoto Jun

This movie revolves around 5 high school students, who live in the Yashio Housing complex in Shinagawa. What’s special about it is that even though it’s big and has all the necessities, it’s not really part of Shinagawa city, and is linked by only two bridges. The 5 students are friends from different homes, and statuses; Futaba Rentarou ”Bon” (Matsumoto Jun) living in the wealthy part of Yashio and his father is the owner of a restaurant, but does not act superior because of that. He is simple- and open-minded to everyone and everything, and always has a smile on his face. Takada Haruhiko ”Haru” (Ohno Satoshi) is known to be the most unlucky guy in Yashio, also works hard to earn money since he lives in the part of the average houses. But due to his unfortunate and rather spaced out nature, he’s most likely to wind up without any of his earnings. Okano Shun (Aiba Masaki) our narrator lives at the same complex as Haru, and is as average as he could be, except his father is the radio DJ of the surrounding place.  Kamogawa Tadashi “Chu” (Sakurai Sho) is a Yankee living in the bad part of Yashio, where he is the leader of a smaller bike gang. Lastly there is Onda Takuma (Ninomiya Kazunari) living in poor part of Yashio. When he first started school the rest thought of him as a stuck up kid, since he always has the newest of the newest stuff, they soon realize that he was shoplifting, and he ends up becoming their leader.

After the group try to go to Harajuku - the ‘big city’ - they all encounter different situation, which leads them all to start to think about their future…

Hmm, I think you could call this a Japanese answer for American pie? Haha, okay maybe not completely, but it sure is funny. At first I was thinking that it’s pretty ridiculous, but somehow it grows on you and the characters somehow have an effect on you. All four boys are completely mad, and instead of being disgusted, I laughed and went “That’s such a guy thing!”. So I just let go, and became open-minded, and joyed every part of it. It’s not really the most interesting movie, but entertainment wise, good.

☆☆☆½ / 3½ out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥ / 4 out of 5 hearts

Lucky Seven Review

Title: Lucky Seven
Genre: Detective, comedy
Episodes: 10
Broadcast period: 2012-Jan-16 to 2012-Mar-19
Cast: Matsumoto Jun, Eita, Naka Riisa, Kadono Takuzo, Tanihara Shosuke, Fukiisho Kazue and Kaneda Akio.

The story revolves around a group of seven detectives in the detective agency “Lucky”. Tokita Shuntaro (Matsumoto Jun) is an unemployed part-timer (freeter) that doesn’t have any interests in work, and he’s a playboy whose M.O is older married women.  When he one day leaves the hotel with his lover a group of detectives try to get a picture of him and her. Sometime later the lover calls Shuntaro and explains to him that she can’t meet him because they go busted. Shuntaro happens to see a man he had met at the hotel at that exact time again, connects dots, starts running after him, and follows him to Lucky Detective Agency. There he finds out that the man he had run after is Nitta Teru (Eita), and that he can’t beat him in fighting. On the other hand, the boss Kirihara Yuki (Fukiishi Kazue) finds an interest in the ‘active’ Shuntaro and decides to scout him.

Okay first things first, this is probably the only drama ever that has such awesome fighting scenes! It beats ALL I’ve ever seen! I was a bit worried if Jun would make weird faces (which usually happens because of his face being, well special), but he looked pretty professional! Eita was just cool, he always is, and he didn’t let me down. The Jun and Eita pair was the best part of the drama, so good together, just a bit sad that they only were together for a few episodes… I loved the way the seven detectives (or should I say six most of the time) were together, really cozy somehow. I have to admit I was disappointed about the Eita part, like I said before, Lucky Six.. And another thing bothered me… The entire sensual tension between the boss and Jun, even though it wasn’t romantic or anything, it felt like they would start to make out the moment the talked to one another. But that was the boss’ character I think, like sensual in her own annoying way.. Didn’t even look or act much like a boss.. Anyway.. A good one, wasn’t that bored, only after episode six, it became ‘loose’, like not following the a real storyline, even though they tried to suspense it with the mentioning of the boss’ father’s case, didn’t really work for me…

☆☆☆☆ / 4 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥½ / 3½ out of 5 hearts

Jenji's verdict  
Really it wasnt bad, but not favorite either. I didnt have a hard time watching it, it was really okay, but only average for me. Even though I'm really fan of Jun and Eita, it wasnt "waaah!!". But thats how I felt, the drama is well-made, but not really anything extraordinary, nothing we havent seen hundreds of times before.  Jun's acting was very fine and Eita is really good ! Off camera he is so awkward I was really surprised to see that so he must be a real good actor. And I actually liked the relationship between him and jun in the drama. It was those people that annoyed one another who became best friends, always fun watching them "fight". The rest of the detectives I felt were too much in the background, but that might just be me. In the end I felt it was becoming a bit hard to finish. I think it was just a bit too weird though I liked the last episode (or second last, I dont remember). Sorry, but..

☆☆☆½ / 3½ out of 5 stars

♥♥♥½ / 3½ out of 5 hearts