Signal: Choki Mikaiketsu Jiken Sosahan Review

Title: Signal

AKA: Signal - Choki Mikaiketsu Jiken Sosahan

Genre: Suspense, (Time-travel)

Episodes: 10

Broadcast period: 2018-Apr to 2018-Jun

Cast: Sakaguchi Kentaro, Kitamura Kazuki, Kichise Michiko and Kamio Fuju.

This is the Japanese version of the Korean drama with the same name.

Working freelance, Saegusa Kento (Sakaguchi Kentaro) spends most of his time getting scoop for random gossip magazines, though he’d finished police school. One day he gets picked up by the police, and reprimanded, but let go, due to lack of lawbreaking. While leaving, he accidently passes a garbage truck, and notices a walkie-talkie calling out to him. Confused and curious, he picks it up and starts talking to Oyama Takeshi (Kitamura Kazuki), who asks him about an abandoned hospital. Their call gets cut abruptly, and in order to soothe his curiosity, Saegusa visits the abandons place, only to find a skeleton. Surprisingly, a 15-year-old case that has haunted Saegusa with guilt in the past, has now resurfaced.

Bewildered, Saegusa reconnects with Oyama to ask about the case, but Oyama claims he’s from 15 years ago, and that the case had just happened…

After watching the Korean version, I decided to give this one a go, especially since I loved the original. Compared to the original, this one is shorter, and does not incorporate all stories you get from the Korean version. Thankfully it is the one story that I really didn’t like from the original that they didn’t add, so I was pleasantly surprised. I tend to like the Japanese remakes of Korean dramas, as the stories are good, without the “over-the-top” drama/dilemma. Its very clean cut, and it also is very well acted. Also, I like the two veteran actors, another nice surprise. The lead actor I don’t remember seeing before, but he did a good job, considering the original almost blew me away. So, another plus.

That said, I did feel the ending summed up too fast. I know it is because I had the original in my head, but I felt it being hurried, and little bit messy - not much, just enough for a kdrama fan to notice.

Anyways, I enjoyed it, and I liked it.

☆☆☆☆ / 4 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥ / 4 out of 5 hearts

Hanawake no Yon Shimai Review

Title: Hanawake no Yon Shimai

AKA: The Four Hanawake Sisters

Genre: Family, Comedy, Romance

Episodes: 11

Broadcast period: 2011-Jul to 2011-Sep

Cast: Mizuki Alisa, Kanjiya Shiroi, Kawashima Umika, Kichise Michiko and Kato Shigeaki.

This story is about the four sisters of the Hanawake household as the second oldest sister returns to the house with her three children after third failed marriage.

Hanawake Takemi (Mizuki Alisa) is the second oldest of the Hanawake sisters and has three smaller children. She is beautiful, smart, open, and can get every man to do what she wants. This is also her problem: her husband gets jealous the moment she speaks with another man. After finding out that her current fiancé didn’t divorce his previous wife she decides to go home to her parents’ house. The three sisters on the other hand are not too pleased with that: all three hate her and refer her as “The Devil” especially the second youngest since she had lost several boyfriends due to her sister’s beauty. The oldest daughter is Hanawake Fujiko (Kischise Michiko) who doesn’t have time for men, mainly because she loves her job. The second youngest Hanawake Sakurako (Kanjiya Shiroi) has zero luck in men, meets a photographer Mashiko Shozaburo (Kato Shigeaki) who is somewhat a player. And the youngest Hanawake Ume (Kawashima Umika) starts to hate men after seeing how her sisters lead life.

Even though the sisters protest Takemi moves in and makes havoc wherever she goes, and everything starts get really messy when Mashiko gets interested in Takemi, and Takemi doesn’t seem to mind…

Hmm, when I started I really liked it since I didn’t know what to expect, but as I continued I had issues being satisfied, because I really was let down most of the time. Not that I was disappointed, but I had a hard time relating to the characters as they kind of made unreasonable choices and statements. Even though I like serious dramas, this kind of story with sister feuds and seducing I kind of lose my base, mainly because it doesn’t make sense to me. The cast is generally great with good actors, but when you make characters that are unlikeable, you would usually give them at least one decent quality instead of trying to make them sympathetic. But I guess they didn’t think of that.

So not to spoil anything I would say a okay drama with good moments.

☆☆☆½ / 3½ out of 5 stars

♥♥♥½ / 3½ out of 5 hearts

Liar Game: The Final Stage Movie Review

Title: Liar Game: The Final Stage
AKA: Liar Game The Movie
Genre: Psychological thriller
Origin: Japan
Release date: 6 March 2010
Cast: Toda Erika, Matsuda Shota, Watanabe Ikkei and Kichise Michiko.

After finally being able to leave the horrible game, LIAR GAME, the naive Kanzaki Nao (Toda Erika) tries to get her life back on track. One day, when she returns home, she receives a letter from the ‘game’, saying that she has been elected to be part of the final stage of the game. In order to get her to join, Tanimura Mitsuo (Watanabe Ikkei) tells her that she is the only one to save Akiyama Shinchi (Matsuda Shota), he friend and helper through the entire game, and the only one he trusts.
As naive as she is, she accepts, and leaves for the finals, were she is shocked to see that the gamers and game have become more horrible than before.

Wohoo!! The best way to end this series, and the best game EVER!! (I mean of all, the “Garden of Eden” game was the best). I liked the fact that Nao became cooler, even though she still is so naive her mind has become smarter. She really makes the twists in this series.
Toda Erika and Matsuo Shota as a couple are beyond amazing! They have this weird chemistry, were you go “is he flirting?” and “did she just say that because she likes him?”. But that is also the one thing I didn’t like; you wonder whether they like each other all the time.
I’m not going to spoil no more.

☆☆☆☆½ / 4,5 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥ / 4 out of 5 hearts