Marumo no Okite 2014 SP Review

Title: Marumo no Okite 2014 Special

AKA: The Tradition of Malmo

Genre: Family, Comedy

Air date: 28 September 2014

Theme song: “Maru Maru Mori Mori!” by Kaoru to Yuki, Tama ni Mook

Cast: Abe Sadao, Ashida Mana and Suzuki Fuku.

Three years has passed since Kaoru (Ashida Mana) and Tomoki (Suzuki Fuku) moved in with Mamoru (Abe Sadao), and both Kaoru and Tomoki are now 5^th graders. Kaoru dreams of becoming an idol and is popular with her classmates, and Tomoki loves insects and reads about them constantly. When a fellow female classmate shows interest in Tomoki’s books, Tomoki decides to ask Mamoru for advice. Also, Mamoru helps enroll Kaoru in “idol training school”, an afterschool where kids take classes to become future idols, though it is very expensive. At work he gets opportunities to follow his creative style and travel abroad, but Mamoru is not sure of what he wants, as he can’t leave the children.

At the same time their mother returns, wanting to live with them again. This leads to Mamoru being unsure about the children’s future; whether he is with them, because they need him, or is it because he needs them…

I love this drama, and this family. The dynamic is amazing, and the characters are so well written, you can just enjoy it. The acting is on point, and the family relations are relatable, which makes it a great watch. Even though I felt the overall dilemma was a bit “recycled”, it was alright. It has funny moments, and sad moments as well, but for me the most enjoyable part was watching the family interact.

So all in all, a fine special, with good acting!

☆☆☆☆ / 4 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥ / 4 out of 5 hearts

Marumo no Okite Review

Title: Marumo no Okite

AKA: The Tradition of Malmo

Genre: Family, Comedy

Episodes: 11

Broadcast period: 2011-Apr to 2011-Jul

Theme song: “Maru Maru Mori Mori!” by Kaoru to Yuki, Tama ni Mook

Cast: Abe Sadao, Ashida Mana and Suzuki Fuku.

Takaki Mamoru (Abe Sadao) a bachelor living in a one-room apartment, doesn’t have much in life - especially after he gets transferred to Customer Service branch, even though he has potential in other areas.

When his high school friend Sasakura passes away suddenly, Mamoru meets the friends two children, the twins Sasakura Kaoru (Ashida Mana) and Sasakura Tomoki (Suzuki Fuku). While alive Sasakura had emphasized that he would like the children to be together as they had always been inseparable, but the family members, unable to have their own children and the twins in the house, decide to separate the two. Soon enough the two become depressed and start running away from home. This is where Mamoru decides to take in the twins and decides to help them enter school as well as helping the cope with the loss of their father.

While the trio start getting used to each other, Tomoki finds a stray dog, who happens to be able to talk, and for some reason it helps the family in dealing with emotional scars and issues…

I became a fan of Abe Sadao after watching him in the Iryu series, so when I noticed this drama, I simply had to watch it. I wasn’t sure what to expect from it, since it was the only drama of his that had a different character, other than the one from Iryu - that I have watched. To put it simply, he is officially one of my favorite actors now. Putting aside the classic storyline, and the amazing kid actors, Abe Sadao is absolutely believable in this character - I really can’t explain why, but he embodied Mamoru perfectly. Almost as if the character was made for him. (LOL) The storyline was good too, though at first, I was thrown off by the dog being able to talk… But later it kind of made sense to me. It is very cute, and I sort of felt happy about it later on.

So to sum up: a cute drama with great acting.

☆☆☆☆ / 4 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥ / 4 out of 5 hearts

Iryu 4 Review

Title: Iryu 4

AKA: Dragon Medical Team 4 / Dragon Team 4

Genre: Medical

Episodes: 11

Broadcast period: 2014-Jan to 2014-Mar

Cast: Sakaguchi Kenji, Inamori Izumi, Mizukawa Asami, Abe Sadao and Koike Teppei.

Several years have passed and the Dragon Team has split in numerous different places and occupations. Dr. Asada (Sakaguchi Kenji) has left to his usual ‘doctors without borders’ and is saving victims of war. Dr. Kato (Inamori Izumi) is working in the lab and has found ways to make surgery easier and has made different kinds of medical equipment and medicine, though she is not recognized for due to jealousy. Dr. Ijyuuin (Koike Teppei) is working as a chief in the transplant section of Meikyuu Hospital, but is still looked down upon because he tries to save people and doesn’t worry about the costs. Dr. Arase (Abe Sadao) has gotten a job in a wealthy hospital where rich people get treated. Dr. Fujiyoshi (Sasaki Kuranosuke) is working at a smaller hospital taking care of a little girl with the same illness as his deceased daughter, and at the same time working on a cure.

When Asada is called back to Japan by his former mentor of Sakurai Hospital, a smaller regional hospital, to help him take over the hospital for the time since many patients are in need of help, but since the newest hospital L&P, a fancy all tech hospital, claims patients the Sakurai Hospital is at its end.  Asada decides to call upon all his friends and make sure Sakurai Hospital stays active, but when a familiar hated face returns with a new ally Okamura Tadashi (Takahasi Katsunori), and they both have plans with the Dragon Team…

I started watching this when it aired, and finished it almost 10 months later. Why? Because of the lack of subs, and yes, I regret starting it so soon. You kind of feel each episode ends short might be because it does end at most exciting part. Though I did feel that I was bored out at the end of it as the fourth season kind of goes on and on, though it was interesting to see the story of the characters and how they grow I felt that they finally should end it. I mean I can’t get excited at the same situations all the time (by the way season 2 is best), and the annoying antagonist simply is bugging you all the way through all the freaking time, so the fact that they keep him as that character annoys me so damn much.

But is a good drama with good episode stories, so it’s not a complete bore.

☆☆☆½ / 3½ out of 5 stars

♥♥♥ / 3 out of 5 hearts

Iryu 3 Review

Title: Iryu 3

AKA: Dragon Medical Team 3 / Dragon Team 3

Genre: Medical

Episodes: 10

Broadcast period: 2010-Oct to 2010-Dec

Cast: Sakaguchi Kenji, Inamori Izumi, Abe Sadao, Koike Teppei and Endo Kenichi.

When Meishii University Hospital once again is on the verge of ruin with a lack of good doctors and bright interns, a new president is announced. The new president is the former Professor Kitou (Natsuki Mari) who decides to reformate the hospital with good doctors and a better management plan. She calls upon the best doctors in order to recover the reputation of the hospital, and those are no other than the previous Team Dragon members Dr. Asada (Sakaguchi Kenjji), Dr. Kato (Inamori Izumi) and Dr. Fujiyoshi (Sasaki Kuranosuke). Trying to revive Team Dragon she reinstates Dr. Noguchi (Kishibe Ittoku) much to others displease, especially since he brings another doctor Dr. Kuroki (Endo Kenichi) to the hospital who introduces the new catheters which threatens the cardiology surgeons in losing their work - making heart surgery less popular amongst patients..

I sort of feel these seasons are like a repeat of one another with the difference of it being newer in terms of medical equipment. I have to admit what they are trying to do in every season by portraying the team dragon as a ‘super’ team has affected me, where I honestly root for them and want them be together as a team again, seems to be working on me, and I found myself thinking several times that “if the team dragon had gotten this patient…” etc. The drama is good, and it is getting better by the years, because you have this group of people focusing on the patients and doing their best, and greatly enough they like being together. So this is about them trying their best with their patients… Simply put.

I really good watch, and I love medical dramas, which must be why I am so biased.

☆☆☆☆ / 4 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥½ / 3½ out of 5 hearts

Yatterman Movie Review

Title: Yatterman

Genre: Kid
Origin: Japan
Release date:  March 7, 2009

Theme song: Believe by Arashi

Cast: Sakurai Sho, Abe Sadao, Fukada Kyoko, Fukada Saki and Okamoto Anri.

The Skull Stone, a magical stone that was broken in 4 pieces and scattered around the world. An archeologist named Kaieda (Abe Sadao) dedicated his life, in order to find it, and actually managed to find two pieces. But the evil Dokurobe - god of thieves, found him and kidnapped him, and ordered his minions Doronjo (Fukada Kyoko) and gang, to find the other two pieces. The ones that stop them are the Yatterman who have headquarters under the Takada Toy store in Tokyo. Yatterman #1, Takada Gan (Sakurai Sho) is the only son of Takada Store, and specializes in tinkering Mecha (Machines). Yatterman #2, Kaminari Ai (Fukada Saki) is Gan’s girlfriend and only daughter of Kaminari Technologies.

When they save a girl, Kaieda Shoko (Okamoto Anri) they find out about the Skull Stones, and decide to help her find her father…

Growing up watching the cartoon Yatterman and of course being an Arashi fan, I had to watch this, but honestly I’m a little disappointed. I remember the cartoon being a bit more moral, and educational, but somehow it wasn’t. It felt like a bad mix of children movie and silly scenarios: I was very bored tbh.  Even Sakurai Sho couldn’t fix it, though he was cute.

I can’t recommend, even for kids honestly…

☆☆½ / 2½ out of 5 stars

♥♥♥ / 3 out of 5 hearts