GTO 2 Review

Title: GTO 2

AKA: Great Teacher Onizuka Season 2

Genre: School, Human drama

Episodes: 11

Broadcast date: 2014-Apr to 2014-Sep

Cast: AKIRA, Yamamoto Yusuke, Shirota Yu, Sano Reno, Higa Manami, Katayose Ryota and Tayama Ryosei.

After losing his house Onizuka Eikichi (AKIRA) is forced to move, and is invited to move to the high school he graduated from in Shonan, to act as a temporary teacher. The homeroom teacher of the class 2.A is Fujikawa Honami (Higa Manami) who is a good teacher, but believes in befriending the students rather than disciplining them, and thinks that every class has a certain ‘feel’: if bothered it would make everyone feel awkward, even the teachers. Moving with him to Shonan is his two best friends Danma Ryuji (Shirota Yu) and Saejima Toshiyuki (Yamamoto Yusuke).

Even though there aren’t any delinquents at the school, Onizuka meets different kinds of students with normal problems, but also students who try to solves their problems or hide them, making matters worse for everyone involved. So the great teacher decides to take matters in his own hands, and make the kids his students - by teaching him life the Onizuka way.

Compared to season one this season is much scarier and realistic. It is not as funny as season one, and it kind of gives you the chills of a real life situation. I know I like school dramas, but these kinds of realistic stories are making everything sad. Even though the GTO stories are dramatized, a bit too situational and too much of a happy ending, these stories could without a problem be real life situations. I like it, but it makes me sad… does that make sense?

The cast was fantastic - I mean the young actors are beyond good, and superb at their acting (comparing them with idols), of course there a bit of small things they should change, but that they are going to do great in the future.

All in all: a great drama and really interesting.

☆☆☆☆ / 4 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥½ / 4½ out of 5 hearts

Ouran High School Host Club Movie Review

Title: Ouran High School Host Club

Genre: Comedy, Teen, School

Origin: Japan

Release date: March 17, 2012

Cast: Kawaguchi Haruna, Yamamoto Yusuke, Daito Shunsuke, Ryusei Ryo, Chiba Yudai, Nakamura Masaya, Takagi Manpei, Takagi Shinpei, Shinoda Mariko, Nickhun and Ichikawa Tomohiro.

As it’s time for the annual school contest the host club is preparing to win this year, as they unfortunately had to come in second. Even though Haruhi (Kawaguchi Haruna) doesn’t understand the rich ways, she for the first time has no idea why her heart flutters every single time she thinks of Tamaki (Yamamoto Yusuke). But when a new girl enters the school (Shinoda Mariko) Tamaki acts differently, even ignoring his host club members, which confuses Haruhi ones again. The girl is arrogant, rude and expiecially imporlte towards Haruhi, but this doesn’t change Tamaki. And for some reason Ootori Kyoya (Daito Shunsuke) is helping Tamaki deal with her. What is going on with him, and who is this girl?

I had to watch this in order to get the last part of the drama - which ended quite annoyingly. But here I got what I wanted to know, though I made the mistake of expecting more - never do that. It really is the same like the drama, like an episode extra, and yes Nickhun is in it, and no, he is not a good actor. I have not watched his dramas or anything he has made, but this was just useless. Besides him, another female is here, I like her, or used to do in Majisuka Gakuen, but I see now it’s because of her character, because she can’t act. Okay, so how is the movie? I think you could watch it as another episode, but I don’t get the people who went to the movies to watch it.

So to sum up: like the drama, if not the same.

☆☆½ / 2½ out of 5 stars

♥♥♥ / 3 out of 5 hearts

Ouran High School Host Club Review

Title: Ouran High School Host Club

Genre: School, Comedy

Episodes: 11

Broadcast date: 2011-Jul to 2011-Sep

Cast: Kawaguchi Haruna, Yamamoto Yusuke, Daito Shunsuke, Nakamura Masaya, Chiba Yudai, Takagi Shinpei and Takagi Manpei.

Ouran High School: One of the few schools elite schools in Japan for children of the wealthy.

Fujioka Haruhi (Kawaguchi Haruna) is a bright student being awarded a scholarship for Ouran High School. Even though she only focuses on school and homework, everyone around her is wealthy beyond measure.  One day, while looking for a place to study, she enters the schools Host Club, and due to her clumsiness drops an 800 mil yen vase. This forces her to pay off the host club lead by Suou Tamaki (Yamamoto Yusuke), a bit of an airhead with no worries at all. He offers her a job as a host unaware that she in fact is a girl, but due to her poor status she has no other option but accept, and keep it a secret from the rest of the school…

I really don’t know what I was expecting while watching this. I mean yeah kind of sound silly, but it really is ridiculous, and yes even for  a Japanese drama it goes on to be just absurd. But funny enough, they grow on you. I don’t know if it is because the cast is likeable or just that the story is so innocent, but they really become bearable to watch, if you understand what I mean…

I won’t talk anymore because I have no idea what to say: it’s either going to be critique or blabbering about the similarity to MANGA.  And I think my ratings speak for themselves..

☆☆½ / 2½ out of 5 stars

♥♥♥ / 3 out of 5 hearts

GTO in Taiwan Review

Title: GTO in Taiwan

AKA: Great Teacher Onizuka in Taiwan

Genre: Drama, School

Episodes: 4

Broadcast period: 2014-Mar to 2014-Apr

Cast: Akira, Shirota Yu, Yamamota Yusuke, Chuo Genie, Lou Hong Zheng and Wei Jin.

As part of an international course, Onizuka (AKIRA) is visiting Taiwan for a few days, in order to get the insight of the different ways schools work. Together with Danma (Shirota Yu) they go sightseeing in Taiwan, and as faith will have it, Saejima (Yamamoto Yusuke) happens to be there as well. After a night out Saejima goes missing with Danmas bag which also has Danmas and Onizukas passports.

In the school Onizuka encounters a different kind of atmosphere: the studnets and teachers are ignoring the hardcore bullying of a student who by their definition is “invisible”. When Onizuka tries to deal with the situation he is blocked by both the class’ teacher and also the school principle, saying that he just has to let it go. But as the teacher he is: Onizuka refuses to let any of his students suffer - no matter where they are.

Hmm.. I think the idea was good, and probably also the choice of cast was well thought of, but somehow it feels weird. It might be the length that does it, but it really felt like Onizuka was too fast in fixing the issue. Like the school had to deal with it for some time, and he is there for 3 days and wupti. But that is Japanese dramas for you.

It is good and for some people preferably short, and the story is actual kind of deep, which I did not expect. Even if it only is Onizuka I like the way he is facing the kids.

To sum up: a good GTO special.

☆☆☆ / 3 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥½ / 3½ out if 5 hearts

GTO Graduation SP Review

Title: GTO - Graduation Special

AKA: Great Teacher Onizuka  - Graduation Special

Genre: School, Human drama

Broadcast date: 2013-Apr-02

Cast: AKIRA, Takimoto Miori, Yamamoto Yusuke,Shirota Yu, Yano Masato, Fujisawa Ayano, Nagasawa Nao and Kabayashi Yumi.

Graduation is around the corner, and the exam preparations are stressing out the students in year 3: Onizuka’s (AKIRA) 3.B is no exception. Even though some are going to college, a few of them have already got jobs, and others are in training. Feeling the pressure, the students end up fighting and even turning their backs on Onizuka , believing he simply does not understand them. On the other hand Onizuka is being told to let the students deal with their own problems as he won’t be there for them ones they leave the school, and their teacher-student relationship will end once they graduate.
Not knowing what to think of it Onizuka decides to stay low, but when the students are starting to hit walls, Onizuka feelings begins to have mixed and confused feelings. What is he going to do, and will 3.B be able to graduate?

Compared to the other special I liked this one more, just because the story is much more fitting for Onizuka’s class and general personality. It has the entire ‘feel’ of students having to deal with the concept of growing up and how Onizuka is able to help: it sort of feels like another episode from the serial, which makes it all better.  
Honestly when I thought this was the last time I’d see the class I was a bit upset, mainly because I liked them. Okay yes, they are fictional, but somehow you grow with them. And not to mention how great the relationships are.
I’m really trying not to spoil anything, so I am going to end here and say that it is really good!

☆☆☆☆ / 4 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥ / 4 out of 4 hearts

GTO 2013 New Year SP Review

Title: GTO - New Year Special

AKA: Great Teacher Onizuka - New Year Special

Genre: School, Human drama

Broadcast date: 2013-Jan-02

Cast: AKIRA, Takimoto Miori, Yamamoto Yusuke, Yano Masato, Fujisawa Ayano, Nagasawa Nao and Kabayashi Yumi.

It’s Chritsmas and Onizuka (AKIRA) and his class are having fun as always.
As time passes Saejima (Yamamoto Yusuke) is feeling down since he hasn’t got any girlfriend, but everything changes when he meets a damsel in distress. Naïve as he is, he falls for her and asks her to marry him, which she surprisingly agrees to do. But little does he know, she has small triplets whom she dumps on Saejima, and leaves to find the father of the three.
At the same time on of Onizukas students is having an issue at home ever since her father decided to re-marry. And due to Saejima’s issue, Onizuka hasn’t been able to really talk to her, which ends up her talking to another teacher about the issue. But somehow she ends up in something way bigger then she had expected. How will Onizuka deal with these issues? And how will he save Saejima?

Lol, I was really missing this guy and his class. This special is funny, crazy, ridiculous and touching all at the same time, completely like another GTO episode. I really love that his two friends also are involved in the class as much as he is, and that they are all together in everything.
As a New Year special I think the theme is good and most of it is really enjoyable. Though somehow kind of silly, it really does its job and delivers for all GTO fans everything they want.

☆☆☆½/ 3½ out of 5 stars

♥♥♥½ / 4 out of 5 hearts

Yamada-kun to 7-nin no Majo Review

Title: Yamada-kun to 7-nin no Majo

AKA: Yamada and the 7 witches

Genre: Comedy, Romance, Fantasy, Mystery

Episodes: 8

Broadcast period: 2013-Aug to 2013-Sep

Theme song: Time Machine nante iranai by Maeda Atsuko

Cast: Yamamoto Yusuke, Nishiuchi Mariya, Triendl Reina and Ide Takuya.

Yamada Ryu (Yamamoto Yusuke) is the worst student at his school, with the worst scores out of everyone. He is an outspoken and loud yankee, but is occasionally stubborn with other people.  Shiraishi Urara (Nishiuchi Mariya) is the schools top, and even uses her breaks for studying. She is a quiet and calm person which makes her an easy target for bullying.

Their lives change drastically when they one day fall down a staircase on top of one another and switch bodies. At first they try to repeat the sequence, but are unable to switch back, until they remember they kissed while falling down. Now they know how they can switch, and use that for their advance. They change and Shiraishi takes Yamadas test, helping not to fail, and Yamada stops girls from bullying Shiraishi and catches perverts. But when they are found out by a member of the student council, he takes them to the supernatural/paranormal club.

In there they find a book where is says that there are 7 witches in the school, and on the last page is says they all 7 have powers. As number one is “body swap”, but as the page is torn out they can’t see the rest.

Who are the witches? And why do Yamada and Shiraishi change bodies when they kiss?

A very short at sweet romance drama that completely reminds you of the manga. Even if you have not read the manga, the drama really reminds you of how manga’s in general are written (if you read manga’s or have read Shoujo manga you know what I mean).

The couple is adorable and there is a great amount of kissing, like big time. I think that the lead actor kisses 3 people every episode. Though the supporting cast is a bit bad at acting, the main are quite good, and do a surprisingly good job. At the beginning I thought they were overacting, but kind of fits the drama really good.

It being a 8 episode drama makes it a good watch, especially due to the humor.

☆☆☆½ / 3½ out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥ / 4 out of 5 hearts

GTO 2012 Review

Title: Great Teacher Onizuka

AKA: GTO

Genre: School, human drama

Episodes: 11 + SP

Broadcast period: 2012-Jul to 2012-Sep

Theme song: 24karats TRIBE OF GOLD by EXILE TRIBE

Cast: AKIRA, Takimoto Miori, Yamamoto Yusuke, Yano Masato, Fujisawa Ayano, Nagasawa Nao and Kabayashi Yumi.

This story is the remake of the 1998 GTO.

Fuyutsuki Azusa (Takimoto) is a fairly new teacher in charge of the troublesome 2 : 4 class, who are known for being cruel towards new teachers and making them quit in matter of minutes. One day a part-timer knocks out the head teacher for calling drop out student’s trash in front of the director and Fuyutsuki. That man happens to be Onizuka Eikichi (AKIRA) who is the leader of a bike gang, and is known for his wicked side. The director notices that Onizuka has a special side, so she decides to make him the head teacher of class 2 : 4 to change them. But it isn’t as simple as it seems: the class is not only troublesome, they have a deep hatred for teachers..

Being a fan of the original GTO from 1998, I was actually expecting a lot, and honestly I was slightly disappointed, even though it had all the old highlights, with a spice of modern. I just don’t really see Onizuka in AKIRA, and I couldn’t help but imagining how cool it would have been if Akanishi Jin was playing Onizuka, which he was supposed to. Anyways, the drama is typical Japanese, and I love high school drama especially Japanese ones, hehe.. The acting was a bit.. Tacky, but I’m going to give it 4 stars, 1 for the storyline, 1 for the messengers conveyed in the drama, 1 for being able to make me watch it from beginning to end and the last one, for making me a bit teary in the end. All in all 4 stars, though I have to say, watch the original one.. It’s a bit better :P

☆☆☆☆ / 4 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥ / 4 out of 5 hearts

Tumbling Review

Title: Tumbling
Genre: Sports, Friendship
Episodes: 11
Broadcast period: 2010-Apr-17 to 2010-Jun-26
Theme Song: Manazashi by Honey L Days
Cast: Yamamoto Yusuke, Seto Koji, Miura Shohei, Daito Shunsuke, Nishijima Takahiro, Tomiura Satoshi, Yanagishita Tomo, Kaku Kento and Tamoto Soran.

Takenaka Yuto (Seto Koji) has fell in love with tumbling from the day he saw it with his own eyes as a kid. When he enters high school he forms a club, together with his friends Mizusawa Taku (Yanagishita Tomo) and Kaneko Atsushi (Tamoto Soran),and a freshman Tsuchiya Satoshi (Tomiora Satoshi). Later on, Hino Tetsuya (Nishijima Takahiro) a known person, joins, but has no intress in getting involved with the team.
As the club is facing troubles, Takenaka’s from teacher makes the troublemaker Azuma Wataru (Yamamoto Yusuke) join the tumbling club. Azuma is seen as a delinquent, marked as a devil and feard by all in school, so Takenaka refuses to let him join, not wanting to spoil the image of the team, but due to the problems of missing team members, he lets him join.
As time passes, Azuma’s best friends Tsukimroi Ryosuke (Miura Shohei) and Nippori Keiji (Kaku Kento) join, also the weird guy, Kiyama Ryuchiro (Daito Shunuske) that seems to hate everyone, joins.
The team faces troubles, as no one wants them to be there, mainly because of misunderstandings and the dislike by fellow students.

Mix two hand full of hot boys, add an amazing storyline and amazing personalities and you've got the drama Tumbling. Not only is every episode heart filling, but it’s also more than believable, and I gotta say, it’s been VERY long time since I’ve seen good actors /actresses. Yeah, I’ve seen good dramas, but you first realise that the acting wasn't even close to this. Every single time you look at the screen you’d swoon, I mean eye-candy everywhere. And not to mention the bathing scenes O_O woooh!!
Lols, back to the story, it’s so amazing. I mean, it’s like ROOKIES just with guys in tights.
A bunch of hot guys, who fight, giving up their delinquent attitudes in order to achieve a common goal... Sugee (Cool) xD
All in all, most definite watch!

☆☆☆☆½ / 4,5 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥½ / 4½ out of 5 hearts

Jenji's verdict
First of all, they like showing butts, hahah, like those scene when they are all together in u knw those public baths. That was a bit weird hah. But the story about delinquents start doing gymnastics and bind through it i think was a great idea. Like finding friends through something you like and fighting FOR it together instead of fighting each other all the time. And also the fact that all or most delinquents fight because of something in their life,, aaand the word delinquent?? like what is that really, people have a habit of thinking its those who dye their hair and stuff, but really cant people have their own personality and do all people have to be the same and 'normal'. Also the cast was really great and they were all different with their own funny personal details kehehe. And the way that Wataru, he like really understood all people and his way of thinking, he really like took care of everybody, must have something to do with his mother who I absolutely LOVED! she was sooo cool, like when the boy come back with bruises and all she says "you look good!" heheh and she was really supportive of her son which was just amazing instead of those usually stupid mothers.

☆☆☆☆½ / 4,5 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥½ / 4½ out of 5 hearts

Atashinchi no Danshi Review

Title: Atashinchi no Danshi
AKA: My boys
Genre: Comedy
Episodes: 11
Broadcast period: 2009-Apr-14 to 2009-Jun-23
Cast: Horikita Maki, Kaname Jun, Okada Yoshinori, Mukai Osamu, Yamamoto Yusuke, Seto Koji, Okayama Tomoki and Kusakari Masao.

Mineta Chisato (Horikita Maki, Hana Kimi, Kurosagi..) has been living as a homeless for some years. The reason for that is that she is being chased by debt-collectors, because her father left her a huge debt without her approval. One day as she is running away from some debt collectors a man helps her and says that he will pay her debt if she agrees to be his wife for a month. A month because he believes he only has a month left to live in. So she agrees cause there is no way she can pay the debt on her own. But she does not know what awaits her after the man dies. She now has to spend 3 months in a castle with the man's 6 sons. She has to be their mother and unless she fulfills the 10 goals the man has written her to do the debt will not be paid and all her work was for nothing. It is not an easy job she has gotten because the boys dont have a bond at all. So she has to start from the scratch and first of all make them all eat dinner together. But that is gonna be hard when one of them doesnt even live at home, the other doesnt come out of his room, the third has a fear of women aso. But somehow she manages them all to be together and finally bond. But it only gets worse when the company of the man who died is being taken over by his secretary because he wants the treasure hidden in the castle. And they can only protect the castle, their home, by fulfilling the 10 goals.

I suddenly decided to watch this drama, before i thought it was just a drama about a bunch of homeless people but after watching just the first episode i found it really funny and interesting. It's a comedy so just the thing for me. Lots of fun especially with the secretary being all weird and the boys got all different personalties. And the girl omo. Like in 1 episode she moves out and in to the castle like 5 times. She just cant decide whether to stay or not ahaha. And so fun with her father, like whenever she sees him she starts yelling at him and he immediately starts running away yelling "Do ur best to pay of the debt!" hahaha and omg there are like 5 boys who like her and she doesnt even notice haha. Anyway its definetly a drama u gotta watch, lots of fun -of course when its japanese it gotta b fun. And it like grabs ur attention right away. And thats always a good sign.. I mean who would watch a drama that gets exciting at the .. 16th episode.. gaah. Hate those kind of dramas.. especially when they spend 5 episodes explaining the past.

Ill be kind and give it ^^ :

☆☆☆☆/4 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥♥ / 5 out of 5 hearts

Bunji's Verdict
Hahaha! ''She'll be kind'' - as if the drama needs kindness!! Lols, sorry.
The drama is pretty different and a lot of fun, but again very typical when it comes to Japanese dramas. Like one girl and a lot of guys, where have we heard that before? hmm, let me name a few: Hana Yori Dango 1 & 2, Hana Kimi, Yamato Nadeshiko Shinchi Henge, Gokusen 1 & 2 & 3(okay, not the same, but u get the point) and so on. So it's pretty tiring. Even though this time around, she plays the role of the mother, makes the story more fun, and the love blossoming more interesting, BUT still VERY typical..
I’m pretty fond of detailed and precise background stories, as well as interesting “why did that happen” reasoning. The 6 brothers have all different backgrounds, and different personality, which makes it totally worth watching.

☆☆☆☆ / 4 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥ /4 out of 5 hearts