Miss Sherlock Review

Title: Miss Sherlock

Genre: Crime, Mystery

Episodes: 8

Broadcast period: 2018-Apr to 2018-Jun

Cast: Takeuchi Yuko, Kanjiya Shihori, Takito Kenichi, Nakamura Tomoya, Otani Ryohei and Ozawa Yukiyoshi.

This is a Japanese version on the classic story of Sherlock Holmes.

After spending time in war-stricken Syria, the empathetic and likeable doctor Tachibana Wato (Kanjiya Shihori) returns home, only to witness the death of her mentor. This leads to her meeting Sherlock (Takeuchi Yuko), a “consultant” to the police. Arrogant, unapologetic and with bad social skills, Sherlock is a master in deduction, and runs her own detective agency - but occasionally helps the police out in cases deemed ‘bizarre’ or ‘weird’.

At first these two completely different people dislike each other, but due to her apartment burning down, Tachibana moves into the same house as Sherlock. And slowly the two begin to form a partnership…

Being a fan of the original works, I had to watch this thing. Not only is the leads female, they actually are FEMALE! Lol! I love how natural and perfect they were for their characters, especially Wato (Watson). I know the main lead is Sherlock, but she was kind of like the “typical Sherlock” you would see. I love how human Wato was, but then again Watson is the one character I like more in the original story as well… Anyways.. The drama is well acted, the screenplay well executed, and storyline is also good. Though I felt the ending was a bit rushed, but that might be because there is so much happening, but oh well.

To sum up: a good drama and an interesting watch.

☆☆☆☆ / 4 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥½ / 3½ out of 5 hearts

A LIFE Review

Title: A Life

AKA: A Life: A Love

Genre: Medical, Romance

Episodes: 10

Broadcast period: 2017-Jan to 2017-Mar

Cast: Kimura Takuya, Takeuchi Yuko, Matsuyama Kenichi and Kimura Fumino.

Okita Kazuaki (Kimura Takuya) is a well-known surgeon working in Seattle. He is called back to Japan to do a surgery on his old mentor and chief, who is the father of his ex-girlfriend Danjo Mifuyu (Takeuchi Yuko). Having left Japan suddenly 10 years ago, he and Mifuyu hadn’t had time to work on their relationship, so she had decided to accept a proposal from Masao (Asano Tadanobu), Kazuaki’s best friend.

After returning and finishing the surgery, Kazuaki can’t wait to go back, but is asked to stay by Masao. He is asked to stay to do a brain surgery on Mifuyu, as Masao himself believes he is unable to do surgery on a loved one. So, he asks Kazuaki to do it, since he doesn’t have feelings for Mifuyu anymore… or does he?

Okay, I had the hardest time writing this summary. After watching 10 episodes I realized that the main plot and storyline really does not look good on the screen. I don’t really understand what the purpose or where supposed growth in Kimuras character went? I thought he was a main character, but he felt like an overrated second lead. I don’t understand what the meaning of this drama is? I get that the acting was good, but I felt no evolving story. They tried to make it “interesting”, but I felt it was rather an unnecessary story to be told. Ive seen movies and dramas that work at a much slower pace, with less story, and yet I am so disappointed in this drama that not even the acting could make me recommend it.

I can’t even explain my ratings. I guess the only thing I can say is watch it, and judge for yourself.

☆☆☆ / 3 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥ / 3 out of 5 hearts

The Triumphant Return of General Rouge Movie Review

Title: The Triumphant Return of General Rouge

AKA: Glorious Team Batista 2 Movie

Genre: Medical, Mystery, Thriller

Origin: Japan

Release date: March 7, 2009

Cast: Takeuchi Yuko, Abe Hiroshi, Sakai Masato, Kanjiya Shirori, Yamamoto Taro and Shiro Sano.

This movie is the follow-up on the movie “The Glorious Team Batistsa”.

One year has passed since Taguchi Kimiko (Takeuchi Yuko) and Shiratori Keisuke (Abe Hiroshi) solved the case with the Team Batista scandal, and now Taguchi has unwillingly become a member of the ethnic’s board. Still doing the counseling, she one morning gets an anonymous letter addressed to her about a doctor having a collusive relationship with Medical Arts: a medical supply company. After taking the letter to the hospital director she is told to investigate which she only agrees on as long as she is allowed to leave the ethics board.

While investigating one doctor from the Medical Arts company dies, and Taguchi becomes a prime suspect since she was last seen with him. Moments after being released she hears of Shiratori’s admitted in the same hospital, so she goes to taunt him. But when she is told by Shiratori that he had gotten the same letter as her they team up once again to find the truth…

Compared to the first movie, the first part, this one I like better. It has a bit more humor, and it is more ‘medical’ in the essences of there actually being more about patients and doctors. The duo seems more enjoyable around each other, and the overall story is kind of a bit more intriguing than the first movie. Though I have to admit, I like the drama idea of the stories more. I haven’t watched the second season, but I think I will still prefer the drama. The movies have this dark ‘cloud’ around it, as if it’s scary in some way, and I am not sure it’s supposed to be like that. The atmosphere is kind of dark, and it was like that in the first movie as well.

It’s an okay movie to watch if you liked the first one.

☆☆☆½ / 3½ out of 5 stars

♥♥♥½ / 3½ out of 5 hearts

The Glorious Team Batista Movie Review

Title: The Glorious Team Batista

AKA: Chiimu Bachisuta no Eikou

Genre: Medical, Mystery

Origin: Japan

Release date: February 9, 2008

Cast: Takeuchi Yuko, Abe Hiroshi, Kikkawa Koji, Ikeuchi Hiroyuki, Tamayama Tetsuji and Sano Shiro.

After a little girl is saved by a medical team that focuses on heart-diseases, the team got to stay and started becoming famous. But one day the ‘death in surgery’ patients started to grow, and the lead surgeon Kiryu Kyoichi (Kikkawa Koji) asked for an inquiry as he did not understand what happened so differently in the surgeries that made these people die. When the hospital chief invites a friend of his, the friend sends Taguchi Kimiko (Takeuchi Yuko), a doctor who listens to patients complain. She is asked to investigate the surgeries as an objective third party, and while doing so, she does not find any reason for the deaths.

When the secretariat of the ministry of health and labor Shiratori Keisuke (Abe Hiroshi) comes to her clinic and tells her that he believes its murder, Taguchi joins him in re-investigating and finding out what really is the reason for the deaths..

I was looking forward to this, because I was in the mood for a medical movie, and to tell you the truth, if you are considering this a medical thing, it’s not. It had so much ‘detective’/’figure-out-how-they-did-it’ bull that I was seriously upset half way through. But once I started to focus I started getting more interested and it was fairly good. The ending was surprising and the acting was okay as well. Though I didn’t really get any character development, which ruins a lot, I gotta admit I was fine with it.

Recommendable? Yes, if you like those movies that find out about truths and lies… whatever.

☆☆☆ / 3 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥ / 3 out of 3 hearts

Natsu no Koi wa Nijiiro ni Kagayaku Review

Title: Natsu no Koi wa Nijiiro ni Kagayaku
AKA: Summer Romance Shines in Rainbow Color
Genre: Romance, comedy
Episodes: 10
Broadcast period: 2010-Jul-19 to 2010-Sep-20
Cast: Matsumoto Jun, Sawamura Ikki, Matsuzaka Keiko, Takeuchi Yuko, Koboyashi Seiran, Matsuhige Yutaka, Kiritani Mirei, Ogura Ichiro, Kasahara Hideyuki, Nagayama Kento, Komatsu Ayaka . . .

Kusunoki Taiga (Matsumoto Jun) is a second generation actor stuggling to make a career for himself, he is having a hard time as he is constantly overshadowed by his father and only known as his father's son. One day he goes out skydiving with his friend Ueno Keita (Kasahara Hideyuki) also a second generation actor. While skydiving Taiga loses control over his parachute and end up hanging from a tree, unable to come down on his own. He then sees a woman, Kitamura Shiori (Takeuchi Yuko) running through the forest and starts yelling for help. Shiori in a hurry just cuts the strings of his parachute, causing him to fall straight off the tree. She then tries to beat him back to consciousness. Some time later Taiga is still thinking of her and goes back to where they met, in hope of meeting her again.

Not much of mysteriousness around this drama, quite predictable and not that much going on. But still it had its charm. Especially the story of second generation actors, having a hard time and trying to make a name for themselves. Even though being the son/daugther of an actor has it's pros it definitely has it's cons as well. The drama was not badly made, I don't really have much to complain about, but then again it really is not that interesting and there was no building in tension. Pretty much the only bad thing.. But a good story otherwise, it had a good message actually and a cute story.

☆☆☆☆ / 4 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥½ / 3.5 out of 5 hearts

Bunji's Verdict

I gotta admit I like this more than I thought I would. I wasn’t really expecting myself rooting for this couple as much as I did, and I wasn’t expecting liking their characters. I am a little annoyed at the “girl-telling-guy-straight-how-much-of-a-brat-he-is-and-him-falling-for-her-because-of-it” because that just is a major turn off for me, and even made me roll my eyes. That is the biggest dorama cliché and it is probably the one thing that I really disliked in this drama. Besides that it is funny, it is entertaining, romantic and on top of that well-acted. They seriously picked actors and actresses that were good for each role, and they were really good with portraying their characters. So thumps up!

A really decent watch.

☆☆☆☆ / 4 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥ / 4 out of 5 hearts