Majisuka Gakuen 5 Review

Title: Majisuka Gakuen 5

Genre: School, Fighting

Episodes: 12

Broadcast period: 2015-Aug to 2015-Oct

Cast: Miyawaki Sakura, Shimazaki Haruka, Yokoyama Yu, Kawaei Rina, Iriyama Anna, Kizakki Yuria, Kojima Mako, Owada Nana, Takahashi Minami and a whole lot of AKB48.

After a small fit with the yakuza, Antonio (Yamamoto Sayaka) is kidnapped and beaten. Salt (Shimazaki Haruka) decides to crash the party and beats the yakuza to the bulb, and manages to save Antonio, even though they are rival schools. This sparks worry at Majijo High School, but also anger at the yakuza who feel like they have been stepped on. The Rappappa, now with Sakura (Miyawaki Sakura) as one of the four since Bakamono (Kawaei Rina) gratuated, want to take it to the yakuza, but are told not to by Salt.

Bakamono on the other hand has gotten a job at a firm, only to find out that they are the very yakuza who had kidnapped Antonio, and want her to kill Salt by handing her the gun. At the same time other groups are fighting the smaller schools, in order to take down Majijo and Gekioko.

That same night Salt gets shot, and Majijo and the Rappappa have to decide how they are going to fight…

Well that escalated. I kind of watched all 4 seasons of Majisuka Gakuen with that one light feeling where I did not have to worry about the acting or the storyline, as I knew they weren’t that good to begin with. But the fifth season really took me by surprise: the story is so dark and the camera shots kind of improved, not to mention the storyline. I usually wondered while watching this type of drama, about the parents of the Yankees or the teachers. Surprisingly this time around they added both, and much more! I am a bit confused by why they decided to end the drama franchise like they did, but I guess five seasons is all they wanted to make.

Besides that, the acting didn’t really improve; maybe a little bit by a few of them, but not all of them. And generally even if they added all the things they did, the drama isn’t really going to get better.

So if you have watched the four seasons I do recommend this, if not, you won’t really find it that interesting..

☆☆☆½ / 3½ out of 5 stars

♥♥♥ / 3 out of 5 hearts

Majisuka Gakuen 4 Review

Title: Majisuka Gakuen 4

AKA: Majisuka Academy 4

Genre: Teen, School, Action, Comedy

Episodes: 10

Broadcast period: Jan-2015 to Mar-2015

Cast: Miyawaki Sakura, Shimazaki Haruka, Yokoyama Yu, Kawaei Rina, Iriyama Anna, Kizakki Yuria, Kojima Mako, Owada Nana and Takahashi Minami.

Since the students who made Majijo (Majisyka Jou Gakuen) notorious have graduated, the current Rappappa are living off the fame. Though the Four Heavenly Queens are strong they are not as tight-knitted group as they used to be. This all changes when a new transfer, Sakura (Miyawaki Sakura), student arrives. At first she has no interest in anyone, but soon she decides she wants to take the top - as she prefers to see things from above. This shakes the school’s grounds, but also excites the bored Salt -  who had been wanting to relive her boredom ever since she had beaten every single student in Majijo. On top of that the rival school Gekioko High want to finally beat their rivals once and for all...

Compared to season 1 and 2 (not mentioning season 3 as it about a prison not Majijo), the fighting is very very bad. I don't know if it because of the new cast or there is another director, but they really are bad at it - both the fighting and the 'beat' scenes. Atsuko is no longer there, not that I liked her, but there really isn'y anyone from the original series. Shimazaki Haruka, who plays Paru in season 3, is Salt is season 4 - the new head, but other than that nothing really is close to good acting. The lead is dull an quite a weird character - weird in the sense of not being portrayed as an actual human being, but rather a rag doll looking pretty - if being blank is pretty :S . The story is okay, I kind of like that the storyline has changed focus, meaning it is no longer about Atsuko, and that it once again is about getting to the top.

Whether it is recommendable or not, I have to say that unless you are a fan of AKB48, I don't really see why you should watch it... (and yes, I am a fan.. a bit :P)

☆☆☆ / 3 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥ / 3 out of 5 hearts

Eight Ranger Movie Review

Title: Eight Ranger

Genre: Action, Comedy, Superhero

Origin: Japan

Release date: July 28, 2012

Cast: Kanjani8 (Yokoyama Yu, Shibutani Subaru, Murakami Shingo, Maruyama Ryuhei, Yasuda Shota, Nishikido Ryo and Okura Tadayoshi), Tachi Hiroshi, Becky and Higashiyama Noriyuki.

The year is 2035 and the Japanese population is about 75mio. Due to the low birthrates, the economy decreases and as a result the country is divided in two: the poor and the wealthy. The rich live in the central city protected by the law, whereas the rest is left to fend for themselves. Whether or not you are to live in the upperpart or lower part is determined when the child is 6 years old: they take a test, and if you pass you are allowed to live in the city with your family, if not, you don’t have a choice but to live outside.

Yokomine Makoto (Yokoyama Yu) failed the test as a kid, and now lives outside the central city. Addicted to gambling he is hunted by loan sharks daily. That is until he meets Captain Silver, a superhero who saves people in need. He then decides to go to ‘Academy for superheroes’, in order to become one himself, but also earn money. Here he meets 6 other people whom he is told he is going to be the leader of, and realizes that all 6 have debts, which is the reason for joining the academy: Marunouchi Shogo (Murakami Shingo), who is addicted to online shopping. Yasuhara Shun (Yasuda Shota) who is addicted to the color blue, and spends all his money on blue items. Nishikino Tetsuro (Nishikido Ryo) who was part of a one-wonder band, and lives believing he is famous. Okawa Ryosuke (Okura Tadayoshi) a naïve guy believing everyone, and falls for every scam. Shibusawa Kaoru (Shibutani Subaru) an alcoholic. And Muraoka Suki (Murakami Shingo) who is desperate for a girlfriend, he spends all his money on beauty salons.

As the criminal world begins to steal children off the streets, and the police are unable to do anything, the superheroes of the Academy of Superheroes’ called Eight Rangers are set out to save everyone. But for some reason the group of 8 don’t all seem like superheroes… Can these so called ‘heroes’ save the world?

I’ve recently started to watch Kanjani8 because of the laughs they give me on Japanese variety, even though I have watched Nishikido’s dramas and some of Yokoyama’s, I never really watched them together. J-idols are really good at acting together, expecially of they are in the same group, so I simply had to watch this.

Kanjani8 are known as fools, or ‘funny’ group, and really I didn’t expect any coolness out of this movie, so this was quite what you’d want to watch if you are a fan. It is light-hearted, and a bit silly to be honest, but that doesn’t make it any less good. It has a childish feature, so I guess some of the targeted audience is children.

Besides that I had quite the laughs, like due to the different colors of the actors I already knew, but also the interesting characters I got to know. So, yeah a fun movie.

☆☆☆½ / 3½ out of 5 stars

♥♥♥½ / 3½ 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

Hidarime Tantei EYE Review

Title: Hidarime Tantei EYE
AKA: Left-Eye Detective EYE
Genre: Detective, Crime, Mystery
Episodes: 8
Broadcast period: 2010-Jan to 2010-Mar
Insert song: Hitomi no Screen by Hey! Say! JUMP
Cast: Yamada Ryosuke, Yokoyama Yu, Ishihara Satomi, Okada Yoshinori, Katahira Nagisa and Crystal Kay.

After undergoing a cornea transplant of the left eye, which he got from his brother, and after the sudden death of his brother, Tanaka Ainosuke (Yamada Ryosuke) starts to see strange images, in his left eye when he falls or hits his head. The images make him think that his brother, Tanaka Yumehito (Yokohama Yu), was in some way involved in the crimes he sees. After finding out that his brother is still alive and the master mind behind the criminal acts, he swears to be the one bringing him down.
3 monthes pass and the older brother is back with a crueler way of dealing with things, and Ainosuke is keen on stopping him and getting his brother back to being his nice and gentle older brother he knew. The teacher, Sayama Hitomi (Ishihara Satomi) is in deep debt, so hoping she could get reward money from the police by helping Ainosuke, she tries to hit him, so he can get the images. But this time, she is more involved than she expects..

Ahhh, I really missed these kind of dramas! The "supernatural-crime-solver"! Lols, no seriously it was fun, though I thought there were alot of hitting scenes. Poor Ryosuke.. Oh yeah, and crying scenes! Damn, he cried in all eps! Gosh, but his acting was amazing.. Like, every scene was realistic, not.. well "cool-with-a-feel".. Lol, I mean like Kamenashi does.. I mean, cries and tries to look cool. Ryosuke cries, but ends up looking pathetic, and cool at the same time. I cant explain, but his senpai can learn something from his kouhei.
The drama is fun, in a non hilarious way, and sad in a "ooh-poor-guy" kind of way. Though I thought the sensei was unnessasary, rather have a classmate, he falls for, than a teacher.. Feels wrong.. Getting mixed vibes :P lols..
To round up, a superb watch.. Not THE greates, but worth it :)

☆☆☆☆ / 4 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥ / 3 out of 5 hearts