Keiji 7-nin 2 Review

Title: Keiji 7-nin 2

AKA: Seven Detectives 2

Genre: Detective, Crime

Episodes: 9

Broadcast period: 2016-Jul to 2916-Sep

Cast: Higashiyama Noriyuki, Takashima Masahiro, Kataoka Ainosuke, Suzuki Kosuke, Kurashina Kana, Yoshida Kotaro, Tsukamoto Takashi and Kitaoji Kinya.

This is the second season of the drama Keiji 7-nin.

Continuing from season 1, the 12^th Division is still working cases based on being “the bottom” of the hierarchy. Amagi Yu (Higashiyama Noriyuki) has been transferred to division 6, driving around in his patrol car and responds to radio calls, and is first on scene. Though he is transferred, the division works together, and investigates crimes - always in a dramatic way.

When a serial of body parts is left in gift boxes around Tokyo, the team, together with other divisions, try and track the killer, who seems to taunt them. At the same time, Aoyama Arata (Tsukamoto Takashi) is tasked to keep an eye on division 12, and report back to the head investigator…

I watched this right after the first season, and compared to first season, this season is dark. There is a heavy seriousness and very little humor, which is odd, because in the first season it was explained that Division 12, was for outcasts and weirdoes. Basically, they did a 180 degree turn, on our characters, and I didn’t appreciate that. All seem so dull and stoic, compared to the loud and funny characters from season one. Especially our main lead, who straightened his curly hair, and changed his brown suit, to a black one. Worst of all, he only speaks when needed, and has a frown. Definitely different than season 1…

Other than that, the entire season was good. The stories were great, and the team work was intriguing to watch. I honestly liked every single story in this drama, so kudos to the writers.

All in all, different from season 1, but still a good drama.

☆☆☆☆ / 4 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥ / 3 out of 5 hearts

Detarame Hero Review

Title: Detarame Hero

AKA: Nonsens Hero

Episodes: 13

Genre: Comedy, Family, Sci-fi

Broadcast period: 2013-Apr to 2013-Jun

Cast: Sato Ryuta, Tsukamoto Takashi, Motakariya Yuika, Akimoto Rei and Kohinata Fumiyo.

Kusumi Kenta (Sato Ryuta) is the worst type of adult you could think of: the trash type, meaning he doesn’t have a job and doesn’t want to, yet he gambles his money as if he has a lot. His nickname given by his friend is ‘Kuzu Ken’ which is the short of his last name, but also means ‘Trash Ken’. After only having bad things happen to him, he at one point borrows money from the Yakuza, making his situation even worse, having to run away from them.

Until one day when on his door step, a boy named Daichi (Akimoto Rei), tells him he is the son of his sister. At first Kenta doesn’t believe him, and when Daichi shows Kenta his bank account of 2 million yen, Kenta takes it and gambles it away. Shortly after a lawyer shows up and tells Kenta that his sister has passed away and he is the guardian of Daichi. Both incredibly reluctant to live with each other, the two start bickering over a bottle of drops, which Kenta takes one drop of and leaves the house in annoyance.

When Kenta is surrounded by gangsters once again, almost beat to a pulp, he finds the drop and puts it in his mouth. Suddenly he becomes strong and fast, and manages to save himself.

Surprised himself he goes to his friend Tanba Shunji (Tsukamoto Takashi) who is a police officer, and tells him about the drop and how he’ll make money with it, but as it happens he becomes a hero while saving civilians.

As time goes he and Daichi are confronted by someone who seems to know a little too much about the drops, which makes his sister’s death seem a little too suspicious…

I found this drama by accident and decided to download it because I am a Sato Ryuta fan, but I didn’t read the summary - which was a good idea since I might’ve decided not to watch it. I have to admit I kind of like it. The overall idea and theme is a bit ‘childish’ (and with childish I am thinking of the 90’s power rangers with powers and costumes), but it does have a seriousness to it - like any superhero story. Though this story is about a man starting at the very bottom, slowly moving his way up; all thanks to his nephew who acts more of an adult than him. But that doesn’t make it any boring. It really is an entertaining story and I really liked it.

To sum up, a family story with a hint of superhero.

☆☆☆½ / 3½ out of 5 stars

♥♥♥½ / 3½ out of 5 hearts

Runaway ~Aisuru Kimi no Tame ni~ Review

Title:  Runaway

AKA:  Aisuru Kimi no Tame ni

Genre: Thriller

Episodes:  9

Broadcast period: 2011-Oct to 2011-Dec

Cast: Ichihara Hayato, Tsukamoto Takashi, Ueda Tatsuya and Suda Masaki

After being imprisoned for murder of a cop Katsuragi Ataru (Ichihara Hayato) is sentenced to 6 years with hard labor. Having served 5 years, he looks forward to being released in only a year, to be with his now 5 year old daughter and girlfriend. But things change after he finds out that his daughter is diagnosed with heart failure, and unless she gets an expensive heart surgery she will die in three months. Ataru decides to break out to save her, and in order to do so he needs help, this is where Takimoto Kuuya (Ueda Tatsuya) and Kagami Shun (Suda Masaki) come in the picture. Kuuya was falsly charged for someone else’s drug crime, and Shun was unaware of the drugs he delivered: both were innocent and sentenced to 4 and 6 years with hard labor. While planning the outbreak, they are noticed by Kawashima Ryunosuke (Tsukamoto Takashi) a man sentenced for 10 years with hard for murder, which he actually didn’t commit, and he joins the group. The 4 manage to break out, but now the real problem arises, how to make sure they don’t get caught…

This drama is brilliant, amazing and incredibly touching. Being only 9 episodes it is perfectly used, and honestly enough or else you would die of all these feels. While watching this I remembered how much I love Ichihara Hayato, but I can’t point out why. There just is something about him, and the way he acts that touches you deeply. The drama is well written, well executed and also well directed, though I wasn’t that surprised by the climax, I didn’t mind it. I really recommend it, and the reason for not giving it 5/5 is that there were some scenes that were just a bit, well unbelievable.. anyways, recommendable!

☆☆☆☆½ / 4½ out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥½ / 4½ out of 5 hearts

Kisarazu Cat's Eye: World Series Movie Review

Title: Kisarazu Cat’s Eye: World Series

Genre:  Comedy
Origin: Japan
Release date:  28 October 2006
Cast: Okada Junichi, Sakurai Sho, Okada Yoshinori, Sato Ryuta and Tsukamoto Takashi

Three years has passed since Bussan’s (Okada Junichi) death, and the Cat’s Eye have split; Bambi (Sakurai Sho) has become a government official and broke up with Mohko, Ani (Tsukamoto Takashi) is in Tokyo “having an IT job”, Master (Sato Ryuta) lost his busniss and wife, and now lives in Osaka and opened a Yakyukyo Shop, and lastly Ucchie (Okada Yoshinori) is nowhere to be found.

One day Bambi goes to a site and hears a voice, and he immediately thinks its Bussans. After he hears it the second time he decides to go get Ani and Master, who have fought due to a failed attempt to steal like Cat’s Eye usually do, which leads to unbelievable events…

Okay the resume is a bit silly, but out of the Kisarazu Cat’s Eye stories this is defiantly a fave, even though its completely ridiculous. The characters have really grown, and their acting has improved a lot. But I like how it ended, I mean the way they finished the story (even though it’s extremely silly.) If you watched the drama and first movie, the last movie is the perfect ending.

☆☆☆½ / 3½ out of 5 stars

♥♥♥½ / 3½ out of 5 hearts

Kisarazu Cat's Eye: Nihon Series Movie Review

Title: Kisarazu Cat’s Eye: Nihon Series

Genre:  Comedy
Origin: Japan
Release date:  01. November 2003
Cast:  Okada Junichi, Sakurai Sho, Okada Yoshinori, Sato Ryuta and Tsukamoto Takashi

One year has passed since Bussan (Okada Junichi) has been told he had 3 months to live, and is told once again that he has 6 more  to go. For some reason every time he goes to the hospital he is told differently, and it has now become a topic that Cat’s Eye find boring. After the surprising return of the dead Ozzy, oldie Rose’s pregnancy, Bambi’s 2^nd unwanted election win, a rock concert where the members have to sing at and a Korean bar that is opened, things become even more hectic in Kisarazu. Bussan falls in love with one of the bar girls Yukke is noticed by Bussan, and he falls head over heels in love with her. By that he decides to marry he and asks the help of his friends to help him…

Omg, really, like this is one crazy movie.. I love it, but still, omg.. It’s a lot like the drama, and the comedy has risen, like almost ridiculous, yet enjoyable. The thing that differentiates it is that the characters are a bit sillier than what they used to be, but still the movie has a bit of every episode in it, which I loved by the way.

These 5 guys are like crazily funny and annoyingly real troublemakers. The movie is not so good if you havn’t watched the drama, so that’s a must :)

☆☆☆½ / 3½ out of 5 stars

♥♥♥½  / 3½ out of 5 hearts

Kisarazu Cat's Eye Review

Title: Kisarazu Cat's Eye

Genre: Comedy

Episodes: 9

Broadcast period: 2002-Jan to 2002-Mar

Theme song: "A Day in Our Life" by Arashi
Cast: Okada Junichi, Sakurai Sho, Okada Yoshinori, Sato Ryuta and Tsukamoto Takashi

This drama is about 5 baseball loving friends going all out after they find out that one of them is dying. Tabuchi Kohei (Okada Junichi) also known as Bussan is a catcher for the second team of Kisarazu Cats. He with his friends is known to be extremely good at it, except for the fact that due to a mistake 3 years ago they weren’t able to go to Koshien. The mistake was a misunderstood signal and led to the fight between Bussan and the pitcher Nakagomi Futoshi (Sakurai Sho) aka Bambi. The two were classmates, but ever since that incident, Bambi has been ignoring Bussan. Bambi is a university student, also the most intelligent one, which all of them agree on. After every game they go to the bar owned by another player Okabayashi Shingo (Sato Ryuta) aka Master, a housebound and father, with child number three on its way. Sasaki Kizashi (Tsukamoto Takashi) aka Ani, is the older brother of Kisarazu’s star Sasaki Jun (Narimiya Hiroki), also the reason for the nickname ‘Ani’ short for Aniki. He is bit of an idiot, and constantly judged, especially because of his lack of success - be it job ot baseball. Lastly we have Uchiyama (Okada Yoshinori) aka Ucchie; a senpai, with a mysterious family, especially since no one knows where he lives and what he thinks. He is weird, and never speaks much: somewhat of an airhead.

After Bussan drops the bomb of him dying, he gets crazy ideas and plans crazy things, like stealing cars and selling them or form a band. These experiences bring them closer together, and eventually bring up fear in the friends hearts. Their friend only has three months to live…

If it weren’t for Sakurai Sho, I wouldn’t have watched it, now that I have, I gotta admit, LOVED it! The thing about old dramas is if you can follow the flow, you will like the drama, and I did. It didn’t make sense most of the time, number one because it’s typical boy stuff they do and second, well I have no idea what these guys are doing… The thing I liked a lot, was about the illness and actually how seriously the illness affected the other people, but of course its comedy so they had to make it funny. Okay, to sum up, the drama is ok.

☆☆☆½ / 3½ out of 5 stars

♥♥♥½ / 3½ out of 5 hearts