Botchan 2016 SP Review

Title: Botchan

Genre: Period, School

Broadcast date: January 3, 2016

Cast: Ninomiya Kazunari, Matsushita Nao, Furuta Arata, Yashima Norito, Mitsuhiro Oikawa and Yamamoto Koji.

Botchan (Ninomiya Kazunari) is a newly educated teacher who hates injustice and lies. After being offered a job far from his hometown, he is sent to a rural town. Here he meets several different characters, but is put in a pinch when he tells his honest opinion to the school’s vice-principle (Mitsuhiro Oikawa). Unlike every other teacher in the school, Botchan tells the truth, which leads to a fight of power versus honesty…

Sorry for the short summary, but this is one special that would ruin the entire thing if I spoiled too much.

It’s been a while since I’ve seen Ninomiya in a drama – Yowakutemo Katemasu (2014) I think was the last, so having him do a TV SP is quite refreshing. But generally, any drama or movie he does is good, so I never hesitate to watch his dramas or movies.

This special is good as it doesn’t focus on disharmony of an institution but the chaos too much harmony can bring. I love that the setting is in the early 19’s, which gives it and form of discipline yet shows that children will always be children no matter the year. Nino does a great job, and so does the rest of the cast.

To sum up, the special is interesting and fun to watch, so I would recommend it to history and school drama fans.

☆☆☆☆ / 4 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥½ / 4½ out of 5 hearts

Yowakutemo Katemasu Review

Title: Yowakutemo Katemasu

AKA: Even if we are weak, we will win

Genre: School, Drama, Sports

Episodes: 11

Broadcast period: 2014-Apr to 2014-Jun

Theme song: GUTS by Arashi

Cast: Ninomiya Kazunari, Aso Kumiko, Fukushi Sota, Arimura Kasumi, Nakajima Yuto, Hongo Kanata and Yamazaki Kento

When his professor is suspected of falsifying a thesis, the sponsoring for the lab Tamo Aoshi (Ninomiya Kazunari) is working at is pulled back and he is left without a job. The professor promises that in a year he’ll fix the problem, but that still is a year without a job for Tamo. He contacts his old high school principle for a job as a biology teacher in the same high school, and gets the job and is assigned a class. The school is famous for smart kids that enter Toudai, and the students usually score good results in tests. While being there he is reminded of the time he was at the baseball, and how bad how he was, which made him leave baseball 13 years ago. Still unable to let it go, he finds himself drawn to the baseball team that is so bad, the students are not even able to catch the balls. Still loving the sports, the six members that are there are yearning for a good coach, and find out that Tamo used to be in the school’s baseball team.

Set to get his revenge on the school that made him feel weak and leave baseball, Tamo declares to that very school that he will win against them, by having these students win against them. Now he has to make the team a team, and find a way to make them win even if they are as bad as they are…

Another Arashi drama with Ninomiya as the lead actor. To be honest, I was really excited to watch a high school drama, and a baseball one on top of that. Though I was sceptic about Nino being in the role as the teacher, I have to admit he is perfect in this role. Generally he is a great actor, and acting as a Tamo-sensei is pretty perfect for him. The male cast, basically all the boys of the team, are really good at acting and even raise the quality of the drama. I was a bit annoyed at Arimura, but I guess it’s her face, because her character was okay.

The drama is also pretty slow passed, so there really is not that much going on. Lol, when I finished it I actually didn’t really know what I was expecting, but it didn’t really have that much of a climax.

All in all a greatly acted drama, with a slow pase.

☆☆☆☆ / 4 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥½ / 3½ out of 5 hearts

Platina Data Movie Review

Title: Platina Data

AKA: Platinum Data

Genre: Suspense, Mystery, Sci-fi

Origin: Japan

Relese date: March 16, 2013

Cast: Ninomiya Kazunari, Toyokawa Etsushi, Suzuki Honami, Anne and Namase Katsuhisa.

When a serial of child murdering hits Tokyo, the NPA (National Police Academy) decides to call in the SARI (Special Analysis Research Institute), who say they have found their perpetrator. The man in charge, Kagura Ryuhei (Ninomiya Kazunari) is the system development manager, and he introduced the NPA to the ‘DNA investigation system’ test case no. 1, where the found DNA had lead them to not only know about the person but also how he looks. After he is caught, the police officer Detective Asama (Tokoyama Etsushi) notices that there had been obtained illegal DNA from a patient, which had lead them to the perpetrator. He confronts Kagura, who tells him that soon enough all DNA would be obtained legally from all Japan, and made onto a main DNA hard drive.

Three months later, a sibling pair gets killed in the SARI, who had also been involved in the making of the DNA system, and being caught on camera, Kagura had been last seen with the sibling pair. After the DNA is obtained, Kagura himself goes to check it out, and finds that the DNA matches with him. In shock of the result Kagura starts running, but the SARI has cameras all over Japan, and he becomes the prime suspect in the case, making him on top of the list.

Running for his life, he meets his assistant who tells him that she believes him, also she confines in him that the victims were making a side project called MOGUL, which she believes is the reason for their deaths. Now Kagura has to find out what MOGUL is, and make sure he isn’t caught in the progress…

My first reason for watching this was of course Nino, and ten minutes into it I didn’t like it. After a little while I started getting interested in it, like it made me wonder and then I was caught. It is an action packed movie with lots of good sides to it, but I have to admit, I really am not a fan of action/chased movies. Not because they are bad, but just simply because I need more conversation. I need logic and hell I need depth. They did try to give me that here, but it just somehow seemed forced. I like the backstory, but I kind of got confused by the absurdity of the ending. Japanese really know how to freak you out. That said, there isn’t much bad about it, it really is a movie in it grand self. Recommendable.

☆☆☆☆ / 4 out 5 stars

♥♥♥♥ / 4 out of 5 hearts

Haikei, Chichiue-sama Review

Title: Haikei Chichiue-sama

AKA: Dear Father

Genre: Family, Human

Episodes: 11

Broadcast period: 2007-Jan to 2007-Mar

Theme song: Papier by Moriyama Ryoko

Cast: Ninomiya Kazunari, Takashima Reiko, Yokoyama Yu and Kuroki Meisa.

This drama revolves around the 23-year old Tawara Ippei (Ninomiya Kazunari) who works as a junior chef in an old Japanese styled restaurant called the Sakashita. Ippei grew up with a single mother that used to be a geisha, now owning her own bar. He has never met or seen his father, nor does his mother want to tell Ippei about him. Working at the Sakashita, he dreams of learning from the chief chef whom he is secretly hoping to be his father. The owner of the restaurant, also called Okami by the folks around, is the mistress of a well-known politician, who also helped Okami with the financials of the restaurant when it started. As he passes, the Sakashita starts to get problems with loans, and falls into debt.

As a domino effect, Ippei’s life starts to change, when he is tested in every aspect; dreams, future, family and love…

I started to watch this because of Nino, because I really love his drama and his acting. Though I had no idea what it was about in the beginning, it got me intrigued. I have to admit, I still am no 100% sure what it was all about, I do find it good. Maybe more of the serious kinds reminding me a bit of movies like “Yellow Tears /Kiroi Namids” but it was fine. Nino did a fine job, not really anything different than what he is used to, and the rest were okay as well. I did watch it in one go, might be my mistake but it still felt ok.

I wouldn’t really recommend this honestly, mainly because it really isn’t that interesting. On the other hand, I love Arashi :)

☆☆☆½ / 3½ out of 5 stars

♥♥♥ / 3 out of 5 hearts

GANTZ 2: Perfect Answer Movie Review

Title: Gantz: Perfect answer

Genre:   Psycological thriller
Origin: Japan
Release date:  23. April 2011 

Cast: Ninomiya Kazunari, Kenichi Matsuyama, Yoshitaka Yuriko, Kanata Hongo and Yamada Takayuki.

It has been some time since Kato Masaru (Kenichi Matuyama) has died, and Kurano Kei (Ninomiya Kazunari) has been working hard in order to get the 100 points in order to revive him, by taking care of Kato’s younger brother. Kei has been helping and grouping the new members who fight for GANTZ, but mysteriously a small GANTZ is ordering to hill humans. Masamitsu Shigeta (Yamada Takayuki) is a news reporter, who has noticed that some things aren’t right, the missing people and the blown up places. But everything becomes weird, when for some reason Kato returns and he doesn’t seem like himself…

Okay, better than the first one, but also creepier than the first one. Ninomiya is great as always, so is Kenichi, but I still don’t get the entire “fight the alien” part. It’s just weird! Though I had moments of shock, I was confused most of the time, not because of the story, but the flow, like it doesn’t make sense at times. Anyways, if you’ve watched GANTZ, you should watch GANTZ 2…

☆☆☆☆ / 4 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥½ / 3½ out of 5 hearts

GANTZ Movie Review

Title: Gantz

Genre:   Psycological thriller
Origin: Japan
Release date: 29 January 2011

Cast: Ninomiya Kazunari, Kenichi Matsuyama, Yoshitaka Yuriko and Hongo Kanata.

Kurano Kei (Ninomiya Kazunari) was on his way to a job interview, when suddenly a man falls on the subway railroad. Nobody reacts except a young man, which Kei recognizes as his school friend Kato Masaru (Kenichi Matuyama), and decides to help him. The two manage to pull the man up, but get hit by the subway themselves. Suddenly they wake up in a room filled with 5 other people, who also say that they were supposed to die but woke up in the room, and that they cannot get out. When the 8^th person arrives, a young naked woman, a huge black metal ball announces where they are: they are here to play a game, where they get an assignment, to kill a target, if they do they get points… What they don’t know is that the targets are aliens and not easy at all…

Okay, to begin with, for what it is, it’s pretty cool, I mean graphics, storyline, and also cast and acting was amazing, but I can’t really put my finger on it. There just is something about this movie that feels off: At first I thought it was the actors, but then I realized that they were doing a neat job. Then I thought about the entire alien / battle royal feel, and somehow I didn’t like it, but it didn’t make the movie bad. Even the action and the “reality” of it was cool, but it might be that it just is a little too geeky for me.. Or something like that…

☆☆☆☆/ 4 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥ / 3 out of 5 hearts 

Kuruma isu de Boku wa Sora wo Tobu SP Review

Title: Kuruma Isu de Boku wa Sora wo Tobu

AKA: I Will Soar to the Skies in my Wheelchair

Genre: Human drama

Broadcast date: 2012-Aug-25

Cast: Ninomiya Kazunari, Ueto Aya, Ikematsu Sosuke, Suzuki Fuku  and Yakushimaru Hiroko

Haseba Yasuyuki (Ninomiya Kazunari) is a delinquent who lived life with no seriousness. One day he gets into trouble with a gang, and in the mist of running away he jumps from a building, only to wake up in a hospital being told that he will never walk on his own feet ever again, matter of the fact his entire lower body is paralyzed. He loses any wish to live, until he meets Ishii Daisuke (Suzuki Fuku) a little kid suffering from cancer and Kato Kumi (Ueto Aya) a store staff, to whom he slowly confides to. But when Daisuke gets transferred and Kumi suddenly quits her job, and is released from the hospital, he starts to grasp the reality of his disability. He starts feeling that he is “a bother” to other people…

Wow. That’s what I can come up with: wow. This TV SP is amazing, like from the story to the acting all the way to the screenplay. And omg, I love the messages conveyed... Completely different from other dramas this one touches your heart directly, and the characters grow on you with the speed of light. Ninomiya is amazing completely believable, and everyone make it just more realistic. There are some parts that don’t seem to work, like happening to sudden, or you don’t get it completely, but it grows on you. Though I can’t say that everyone will love it, I can say that most will like it :)

☆☆☆☆ / 4 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥½ / 4½ 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

Freeter, Ie o Kau Review

Title (romaji): Freeter, Ie o Kau.
Genre: Human dram, Family
Episodes: 10 + SP
Broadcast period: 2010-Oct to 2010-Dec
Theme song: Hatenai Sora by Arashi
Cast: Ninomiya Kazunari, Karina, Igawa Haruka, Maruyama Ryuhei, Inoue Masahiro and Okamoto Rei

The story revolves around the 25 year old Take Seiji (Ninomiya Kazunari) who quits his job after only being there for three months because he feels unappreciated by his boss. But the problem is; now he can’t seem to find another one. For a year he has several part time jobs, but due to his stubborn personality he quits then shortly after. Getting criticized by his father all the time, and being unable to keep a job, he ends up becoming a hikikomori. This changes though after his mother falls ill with depression, he immediately finds a highly paid job. The only highly paid job he’s able to get: at a construction site. Here he meets Chiba Manami (Karina) who is the complete opposite of him, the two butt heads, but soon get a mutual understanding..

I’ve known about this drama for some time, but the story never really spoke to, sounded too serious for my taste. But when I actually started it, it was somehow refreshing. Nino is the one Arashi member that I wasn’t that fond of, and I’m not saying he is now, but somehow, I gotta take my hat off for him. He does a splendid job as Seiji, and he impressed me with the emotional scenes as well. I actually would recommend this drama, mainly because of this family, pretty average but likeable. Thumps up!

☆☆☆☆ / 4 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥ / 4 out of 5 hearts

Namida wo Fuite Review

Title: Namida wo Fuite
AKA: Wipe Your Tears
Genre: Family
Episodes: 11
Broadcast period: 2000-Oct to 2000-Dec
Theme songs: "Tobenai Tori" by Yuzu & "Kansha Kangeki Ame Arashi" by Arashi
Cast: Eguchi Yosuke, Ninomiya Kazunari, Ueto Aya, Uchida Yuki Tatsumi Yuudai and Kamiki Ryunosuke

The story is about a family of six, the Fuchigami family, who one horrible night experience a fire which not only burns the house down, but also ends the life of the father while saving the life of the mother, who ends up in a coma. The four children; Kenta (Ninomiya Kazunari) the oldest and rebellious one, Kota (Tatsumi Yuudai) second youngest and serious one, Momo (Ueto Aya) second oldest and only girl and Ryota (Kamiki Ryunosuke) the youngest who still wets his bed, are now left without guardian, and no one steps up to take responsibility, except Onishi Katsuo (Eguchi Yosuke). Katsuo is their father’s kouhei, and in a spur of the moment says that he is going to take care of the children, because he believes that he owns their parents, and he doesn’t want to lose (it’s kind of difficult to explain, but if you watch it you’ll understand immediately).
In the beginning there are misunderstandings, but eventually they come to understand each other...

I liked it, a lot. I usually don’t like ‘old’ dramas, because it seems like, in Japan, the fashion is lagging, so a movie from 2000 seems like it’s from 1990, and I gotta admit the scripts are usually very slow and unnecessarily emotional, like beyond normal, from what we would call a trivial thing, they go further and see it as the end of the world. But to be honest, I didn’t mind it in this drama, mainly because the problems are very ‘this year’; like bullying, selling yourself and responsibility. Loved it. And I love that it wasn’t a teacher this time around, it was a useless adult, who learns from his own mistakes, but still teaches the kids what and how. Acting wise I was surprised to see three actors, whom I only know as adults; Ninomiya Kazunari (a J.E. that is known for his sarcastic tone) we see him here as an 17 year old caring big brother, Ueto Aya (one of my fave actresses) we see as an 14 year old girl trying to be all grown up, and Kamiki Ryunosuke (Kyu from Tantei Gakuen Q) we see as an 7 year old kid, who wets his bed. All in all, loving it.

☆☆☆½ / 3,5 out of 5 stars.

♥♥♥ / 3 out of 5 hearts