It's kinda funny that i'd pick this show to be the first thing i post about. Is anyone else going to be watching this series? I know there are a few other shows people want to watch more, but i think for me YAOH is gonna be pretty interesting. The whole host/hostess business in Japan is really quite hard to comprehend i guess for non-Japanese. While i was in Japan, i remember seeing these type of guys wandering around trying to pick up women. So sleazy. And the TV shows! You'd see hosts [who weren't even good-looking!] being given hundreds and thousands of yen to chat up women. Crazy.
I didn't actually know the main character from the show was from Tokio, Matsuoka Masahiro . When i went to the website and looked at the graph chart thing, for his picture there was a drawing and it only dawned on me about the whole Johnnys ban on real pictures. And the other characters! I've seen most of them in other dramas so it's nice to see familiar faces.
So yes. If i've gone wrong or off-post then please forgive. I think this show could open a lot up for discussion. Well, providing some lovely, wonderful person is willing to sub the show. My Japanese isn't perfect enough to get everything and i very much doubt i could sub the show by myself but i would like to help if anyone was interested. お願いしまーす！
[Discussion] YAOH
Yap, watching this. Was debating whether to view this eversince it was announced since i was not particularly impressed with the SP that was broadcasted last yr. TOKIO singing the drama ending theme swayed me since i was itching to hear how "Mr Travelling Man" sounded like given that none of the 5 guys has played the song in their various radio shows yet.
General impressions from epi 1, reaffirmed my view from the SP... it's definitely not a drama with very high production standards. But it's fun in a cheesy corny way and being a TOKIO fangirl i derive my own fun from watching Mabo getting bullied in the drama.
Yaoh is actually adapted from a best selling Manga series with the same name (same author who did Jyouou) and judging from what we've seen so far... it follows the manga fairly closely. My major rant at the moment is that they should have just fastforwarded the story, starting epi 1 from when Ryosuke is already the No 1 host in the club since he did sorta achieved that in the SP. Think TBS is trying to cater for audiences who missed the SP but now it really feels as if the story is dragging. Furthermore, Mabo is a little too old to protray Ryosuke when he was still a newbie host. As good as an actor Mabo is.... felt that he was having difficultly protraying the kind of naivety and passion Ryosuke had. Starting epi 1 from midway of the manga would have helped greatly since Ryosuke was more seasoned by then. The synposis given by TBS did mention that abt Ryosuke becoming the No 1 host and "healing" women with his more unorthodox ways which is probably going to happen mid-way of the series (hopefully) IMHO, that's perhaps where the fun really begins.
Rest of the cast wise, Kitamura Kazuki (Seiya) was surprising pretty, my deepest impression of him was the yakuza in Tiger and Dragon so it's really amazing how he managed to pull Seiya off. Kaname Jun (Shuji) looks absolutely delicious hence crossing my fingers that his role will be more impt as the story progresses.
Do agree that those guys trying to pick women up on the streets aren't good looking, but then that's perhaps the reason why they are out on the streets. You can usually spot quite a couple of fairly good looking ones just by visiting the webpages of the clubs, some of the hosts even keep blogs.
General impressions from epi 1, reaffirmed my view from the SP... it's definitely not a drama with very high production standards. But it's fun in a cheesy corny way and being a TOKIO fangirl i derive my own fun from watching Mabo getting bullied in the drama.
Yaoh is actually adapted from a best selling Manga series with the same name (same author who did Jyouou) and judging from what we've seen so far... it follows the manga fairly closely. My major rant at the moment is that they should have just fastforwarded the story, starting epi 1 from when Ryosuke is already the No 1 host in the club since he did sorta achieved that in the SP. Think TBS is trying to cater for audiences who missed the SP but now it really feels as if the story is dragging. Furthermore, Mabo is a little too old to protray Ryosuke when he was still a newbie host. As good as an actor Mabo is.... felt that he was having difficultly protraying the kind of naivety and passion Ryosuke had. Starting epi 1 from midway of the manga would have helped greatly since Ryosuke was more seasoned by then. The synposis given by TBS did mention that abt Ryosuke becoming the No 1 host and "healing" women with his more unorthodox ways which is probably going to happen mid-way of the series (hopefully) IMHO, that's perhaps where the fun really begins.
Rest of the cast wise, Kitamura Kazuki (Seiya) was surprising pretty, my deepest impression of him was the yakuza in Tiger and Dragon so it's really amazing how he managed to pull Seiya off. Kaname Jun (Shuji) looks absolutely delicious hence crossing my fingers that his role will be more impt as the story progresses.
Do agree that those guys trying to pick women up on the streets aren't good looking, but then that's perhaps the reason why they are out on the streets. You can usually spot quite a couple of fairly good looking ones just by visiting the webpages of the clubs, some of the hosts even keep blogs.
I just watched the first episode, and I loved it! It's a nice change after watching nothing but teen doramas for like 2 seasons in row.
I hate TOKIO's music, but that guy's a pretty decent actor. I was surprised how Seiya looked like Gackt or Squall from FF8
I've seen all of the other host's actors appear in dorama I've seen before. This series has a really nice casting.
I just pray that this series won't have a 1 guest or event/episode format, like My Little Chef or Gokusen. Hopefully it'll have a story.
I hate TOKIO's music, but that guy's a pretty decent actor. I was surprised how Seiya looked like Gackt or Squall from FF8
I've seen all of the other host's actors appear in dorama I've seen before. This series has a really nice casting.I just pray that this series won't have a 1 guest or event/episode format, like My Little Chef or Gokusen. Hopefully it'll have a story.
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scanky_chops
- Posts: 21
- Joined: Nov 22nd, '05, 14:51
- Location: United Kingdom
I was just wondering, shouldn't the second episode have been up for download now? I mean, last week the first episode was up already this time round.
Having said that, thoughts in terms of the first episode:
Seiya is actually quite scary to look at, or is that just me? I think it's the combo of the hair, eyes and his smile. Then again, having seen a lot of hosts i guess he could be considered quite attractive...
I haven't seen the special or read the manga so i feel i'm lucky in a way 'cos then i won't have any expectations really. It was the same with HYD and i guess i got a lot more out of it than people who were fans before. Clean slate, you know?
Gotta agree with you on Kaname Jun (Shuji). Saw him in Casshern and that drama with the title about turning corners. Er... Yeah. Personally, i think he's the prettiest of the lot so why on earth he's an outcast i don't know. Hopefully we'll get some more info about him later.
bluabc, thanks for taking the time out to sub the show [well, providing we get the rest of it...] and if you ever need help then let me know. I hope you don't mind me asking where you're from?
Having said that, thoughts in terms of the first episode:
Seiya is actually quite scary to look at, or is that just me? I think it's the combo of the hair, eyes and his smile. Then again, having seen a lot of hosts i guess he could be considered quite attractive...
I haven't seen the special or read the manga so i feel i'm lucky in a way 'cos then i won't have any expectations really. It was the same with HYD and i guess i got a lot more out of it than people who were fans before. Clean slate, you know?
Gotta agree with you on Kaname Jun (Shuji). Saw him in Casshern and that drama with the title about turning corners. Er... Yeah. Personally, i think he's the prettiest of the lot so why on earth he's an outcast i don't know. Hopefully we'll get some more info about him later.
bluabc, thanks for taking the time out to sub the show [well, providing we get the rest of it...] and if you ever need help then let me know. I hope you don't mind me asking where you're from?
Okay, since i'm subbing this. I've to watch every episode 3 times by default anyway They had better give Kaname Jun more airtime to sustain my interest. I guess epi 2 does tell us why Shu was not in the Seiya gang in the first place even though he's not a newbie like Ryosuke or Natsuki. The fact that he's still able to survive in that club isolated all these while probably tells one a lot about his abilitles as a host.
Guess it's really the manga influence, having a clean slate might be healthier for drama viewing. I like Ryosuke in the manga but not the Ryosuke protrayed by Mabo. Somehow Ryosuke in the drama just seems rash and dumb.
Yaoh is just guilty pleasure, easy viewing. For this winter season, i'll probably rank Rodon and Kuitan above Yaoh judging from the first 2 epis. But Yaoh is just much more fun subbing since there're quite a few cute guys to focus on and i'll wouldn't feel bored relooping scenes.
And could Mabo please tie up his hair!
@ scanky_chops
I'm a Singaporean based in London now.
They had better give Kaname Jun more airtime to sustain my interest. I guess epi 2 does tell us why Shu was not in the Seiya gang in the first place even though he's not a newbie like Ryosuke or Natsuki. The fact that he's still able to survive in that club isolated all these while probably tells one a lot about his abilitles as a host.Guess it's really the manga influence, having a clean slate might be healthier for drama viewing. I like Ryosuke in the manga but not the Ryosuke protrayed by Mabo. Somehow Ryosuke in the drama just seems rash and dumb.
Yaoh is just guilty pleasure, easy viewing. For this winter season, i'll probably rank Rodon and Kuitan above Yaoh judging from the first 2 epis. But Yaoh is just much more fun subbing since there're quite a few cute guys to focus on and i'll wouldn't feel bored relooping scenes.
And could Mabo please tie up his hair!
@ scanky_chops
I'm a Singaporean based in London now.
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scanky_chops
- Posts: 21
- Joined: Nov 22nd, '05, 14:51
- Location: United Kingdom
They had better give Kaname Jun more airtime to sustain my interest.
Gotta agree with you there. I mean, Shu is probably the best looking host and i really couldn't understand why he wouldn't be in the top three. Also, have to love your comment at the end of the subs about him!
In terms of Ryosuke, i think we're supposed to see him acting a bit of a rash fool at the beginning 'cos he just doesn't realise he has to ruthless in his job. So hopefully, now he's has Remi have a go at him (as well as Shu) he's gonna toughen up and get better.
Seiya still freaks me out, especially now i know he was the crazy gayish guy in Azumi. I'm guessing that the woman in the red dress in the first episode (she was the same lady who had a fit at him for being late and then he surprised her with the anniversary champagne fountain thingy) is gonna some sort of catalyst between Seiya and Ryosuke. The final client to fight over if you like. At least, i hope it was the same woman.
Strangely enough, Yaoh is the only drama i'm watching this season. I'd like to watch Rondo but i've got far too much work from uni to do and i can't be bothered d/ling more than one drama. Well, it would depend.
bluabc: That's cool! I'm from the UK myself.
Gotta agree with you there. I mean, Shu is probably the best looking host and i really couldn't understand why he wouldn't be in the top three. Also, have to love your comment at the end of the subs about him!
In terms of Ryosuke, i think we're supposed to see him acting a bit of a rash fool at the beginning 'cos he just doesn't realise he has to ruthless in his job. So hopefully, now he's has Remi have a go at him (as well as Shu) he's gonna toughen up and get better.
Seiya still freaks me out, especially now i know he was the crazy gayish guy in Azumi. I'm guessing that the woman in the red dress in the first episode (she was the same lady who had a fit at him for being late and then he surprised her with the anniversary champagne fountain thingy) is gonna some sort of catalyst between Seiya and Ryosuke. The final client to fight over if you like. At least, i hope it was the same woman.
Strangely enough, Yaoh is the only drama i'm watching this season. I'd like to watch Rondo but i've got far too much work from uni to do and i can't be bothered d/ling more than one drama. Well, it would depend.
bluabc: That's cool! I'm from the UK myself.
scanky_chops wrote:
I haven't read the manga, so this story line is completely new to me. It's a pretty fun show, one I'll probably stick with throughtout the season.
This is exactly why I didn't watch the show at first--Kitamura Kazuki is just...a little bit gross...I don't like the monochromatic hair, eyes, skin thing he has going on, nor the overly-glossy lips. But, I happened to see the end of the second episode one night, and out of curiousity, I downloaded the first episode. Yep. I was seduced. Damn pretty Japanedse men in overly dramatic televisions shows.Seiya is actually quite scary to look at, or is that just me? I think it's the combo of the hair, eyes and his smile. Then again, having seen a lot of hosts i guess he could be considered quite attractive...
I haven't read the manga, so this story line is completely new to me. It's a pretty fun show, one I'll probably stick with throughtout the season.
this drama is one of my picks for this season.. i feel its up there with n's aoi.. and unfair..
saiyuuki is popular but i dont like it one bit!
man i wish i was a host! get to meet all kinds of mama-sans.. lol.. oops sorry.. yes this show is a winner for me.. please keep up the good work on the subbing!!!!! excellent job! .. though i really dont get his hair.. looks like kinda elvis-ey just without the sideburns.. idk just my opinion..
saiyuuki is popular but i dont like it one bit!
man i wish i was a host! get to meet all kinds of mama-sans.. lol.. oops sorry.. yes this show is a winner for me.. please keep up the good work on the subbing!!!!! excellent job! .. though i really dont get his hair.. looks like kinda elvis-ey just without the sideburns.. idk just my opinion..
Best jdrama I've seen since Slow Dance. The story is real interesting because its different from all these same old high school dramas. Ryosuke sort of reminds me of Suzuki Shimao from Koi No Ochitara. They both seem to find every way to help someone get out of there troubles which is good. I like where this series is heading.
I'm trying something new this season. I'm watching several shows as they come out, rather than one series at a time. Yaoh is holding my interest due to its setting and cast, though I don't think Ryosuke is portrayed as that compelling a character. Did someone say "wishy-washy"? (I'd like to take comb to him.)
With Seiya, yeah, his look is creepy. He's got a lot of makeup on, but I think it's the eye shadow that is the weirdest looking. Still, it's hard to look away.
It seems a lot of people are enjoying the show because of Kaname Jun. He's probably the best looking guy at Romeo's. If you'd like to see him in an earlier role, check out Shin Ai no Arashi. I've started uploading that series. http://www.d-addicts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=344463
With Seiya, yeah, his look is creepy. He's got a lot of makeup on, but I think it's the eye shadow that is the weirdest looking. Still, it's hard to look away.
It seems a lot of people are enjoying the show because of Kaname Jun. He's probably the best looking guy at Romeo's. If you'd like to see him in an earlier role, check out Shin Ai no Arashi. I've started uploading that series. http://www.d-addicts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=344463
Actually Seiya is not that scary for me. But that's probably cos i'm quite a fan of the manga ver. Seiya and the love sorta split over into the drama ver lol! I'm mean if i were to swipe the slate of the manga clean, besides Shu san, i've found Seiya most interesting so far. There's so many questions about this guy. He doesn't seem "evil", unlike the No 2 to No 4, whose only motive is just to con more money.. he seems to have a "higher purpose" too.
After epi 3, Ryosuke is beginning to grow on me. He's really a NAG, doesn't exactly look that great either but very adorable!!! Yaoh is turning out to be more entertaining than i had ever expected... I find myself bursting into giggling fits every few minutes as i was translating.
Just a quick update since someone asked abt subbing status in the subtitles section and i'm too lazy to type 2 posts.. Epi 3 is fully translated, i just need to find time to adjust the sub timings. Hopefully i can get it out by the weekend, but i'm having a major drooling fest over the drama PV now. Nagase Tomoya looked so MOE in the PV that it's killing my sanity so.... I can't help it, Nagase is my ultimate drug.
Anyway, here's my fav epi 3 scene... and yes.... you see the subs there so that means i didn't lie abt completion
After epi 3, Ryosuke is beginning to grow on me. He's really a NAG, doesn't exactly look that great either but very adorable!!! Yaoh is turning out to be more entertaining than i had ever expected... I find myself bursting into giggling fits every few minutes as i was translating.
Just a quick update since someone asked abt subbing status in the subtitles section and i'm too lazy to type 2 posts.. Epi 3 is fully translated, i just need to find time to adjust the sub timings. Hopefully i can get it out by the weekend, but i'm having a major drooling fest over the drama PV now. Nagase Tomoya looked so MOE in the PV that it's killing my sanity so.... I can't help it, Nagase is my ultimate drug.
Anyway, here's my fav epi 3 scene... and yes.... you see the subs there so that means i didn't lie abt completion
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scanky_chops
- Posts: 21
- Joined: Nov 22nd, '05, 14:51
- Location: United Kingdom
It's not so much he scares me, it's the fact that he looks quite strange. It's the makeup and hair combo i think. And i agree with you on the whole thing about him not being evil. I mean, he really hasn't done anything [yet] to Ryosuke that the others (hosts 2-4) have in terms of hostility. And yeah, questions questions. Like Remi's point of what he doesn't have that Ryo does.Actually Seiya is not that scary for me.
Ryosuke, Ryosuke. I like the guy and maybe the helping a different woman a week is gonna bore me a little after a while but i have to say his interaction with his little host group totally makes up for it. The bit where
And the scene you posted? Hehehehe... Now had it been Shu...
Also? ::points to icon:: Gotta have the Shu love! And yay for episode 4! D/ling it right now. Oooh.
yeah i agree...
i hope it wont b like repetition like where he changes a diff women each week...
it'll b like gokusen all over again...im really lookin 4ward 2 d day ryosuke becomes the top host...
plus shu IS the hottest host...
anyway talkin bout hosts, i dont think the seiya guy would fit into a host category...plus hez a bit too short...talkin bout host i think akanishi jin (kattun) would b a really sexy host if only hez a bit older...
i hope it wont b like repetition like where he changes a diff women each week...
it'll b like gokusen all over again...im really lookin 4ward 2 d day ryosuke becomes the top host...
plus shu IS the hottest host...
anyway talkin bout hosts, i dont think the seiya guy would fit into a host category...plus hez a bit too short...talkin bout host i think akanishi jin (kattun) would b a really sexy host if only hez a bit older...
8thSin, i should really ignore you for not liking TOKIO LOL! But since it's V-day and i'm in a great mood today..... I used Cyberlink Powerdvd to make the captures.8thSin wrote:Hey bluabc, how did you take the screencap with softsub?
I'm looking for a player that can take screencap (without ending up black screen) instead of having to open VirtualDub every single time.
@scanky_chops.... Hahaha! I can see that ur Shu poison is really high yo! To be honest after epi 4, my Shu love sort of subsided... even though that episode is all about him. There's something i don't like about his personality as illustrated by the drama. Sometimes once you get to "know" someone beyond his looks, the attraction dies down. Guess Ryosuke is my fav for now
P/S to all who're watching this drama. I know i'm totally being a mad yaoi fangirl here but i swear i sense some yaoi undercurrents bet Ryosuke and Shu-san.
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scanky_chops
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- Location: United Kingdom
There's something i don't like about his personality as illustrated by the drama. Sometimes once you get to "know" someone beyond his looks, the attraction dies down. Guess Ryosuke is my fav for now .
I can understand what you're saying. Shu's not perfect but is he goos to look or what? Hehehe... My understanding of the show is maybe 75% and i was wondering, at the end of ep4 did he actually allow his sister to carry on working at her job or...
And i agree. The Ryosuke love is actually growing. Ep5's scenes with him and Remi were really touching.
P/S to all who're watching this drama. I know i'm totally being a mad yaoi fangirl here but i swear i sense some yaoi undercurrents bet Ryosuke and Shu-san.
Now you've got me thinking it! It's all those sidelong glances Shu keeps giving Ryosuke. Damn!
And the TOKIO PV! Not a TOKIO fan but i really liked the video and for some reason i liked Mabo a lot more than Tomoya is it?
You know bluabc, i think i might be the only person who talks about the drama with you. Please don't let that put you off subbing the show! I'd love to help with the English if you like. And also, i think a lot of people are watching Yaoh (as a total guilty pleasure though!) and look forward to the subs as well. I know i do.
I can understand what you're saying. Shu's not perfect but is he goos to look or what? Hehehe... My understanding of the show is maybe 75% and i was wondering, at the end of ep4 did he actually allow his sister to carry on working at her job or...
And i agree. The Ryosuke love is actually growing. Ep5's scenes with him and Remi were really touching.
P/S to all who're watching this drama. I know i'm totally being a mad yaoi fangirl here but i swear i sense some yaoi undercurrents bet Ryosuke and Shu-san.
Now you've got me thinking it! It's all those sidelong glances Shu keeps giving Ryosuke. Damn!
And the TOKIO PV! Not a TOKIO fan but i really liked the video and for some reason i liked Mabo a lot more than Tomoya is it?
You know bluabc, i think i might be the only person who talks about the drama with you. Please don't let that put you off subbing the show! I'd love to help with the English if you like. And also, i think a lot of people are watching Yaoh (as a total guilty pleasure though!) and look forward to the subs as well. I know i do.
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Néa Vanille
- Fansubber
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@ scanky_chops - I'm kinna bothered by Shu cos he comes across as being neither here nor there and his apparent double standards in Epi 4. Guess cos of his background, he does think of himself as much "better" than the rest of the hosts but somehow i really don't know what the hell he's doing other than looking absolutely delicious. I mean he's a senpai of Seiya for goodness sake, it seems to me that he's just drifting along in the host world.
Not going to even go to the manga but oh well, maybe they are plannning something major for him later on in the series like that you folks have suggested
Whacks you!!! How can you prefer Mabo??? Nagase Tomoya is GOD!!! He's the most adorable, best looking thing ever to grace the japanese entertainment scene IMHO lol! Nah, Mabo's adorable too but even the most die-hard Mabo fans would agree that Nagase has the looks, Mabo has the brains and personality. So life is fair indeed.
Opps, did i lead eveyone astray with all my hentai thoughts??? Dies.... but then i SWEAR Shu san's tone when he speaks to Ryosuke when they're alone becomes a bit more tender( i shouild know cos i need to hear their conversations repeatedly lol1)... and don't get me started on those loving side glances LOL!
Found an article/ review of Yaoh. Worth a read when one is bored.
Not going to even go to the manga but oh well, maybe they are plannning something major for him later on in the series like that you folks have suggested
Whacks you!!! How can you prefer Mabo??? Nagase Tomoya is GOD!!! He's the most adorable, best looking thing ever to grace the japanese entertainment scene IMHO lol! Nah, Mabo's adorable too but even the most die-hard Mabo fans would agree that Nagase has the looks, Mabo has the brains and personality. So life is fair indeed.
Opps, did i lead eveyone astray with all my hentai thoughts??? Dies.... but then i SWEAR Shu san's tone when he speaks to Ryosuke when they're alone becomes a bit more tender( i shouild know cos i need to hear their conversations repeatedly lol1)... and don't get me started on those loving side glances LOL!
Found an article/ review of Yaoh. Worth a read when one is bored.
Hosting is ghosting in as respectable profession
Japan Times online
By PHILIP BRASOR
The reported improvement in the ratio of jobs to job seekers is good news for the nation's leaders, and not just because it indicates better economic health.
The youth of Japan suffers from a malaise that is partly blamed on a lack of prospects. Briefly, young people looked up to Takafumi Horie, the disgraced former head of Livedoor, as an example of the independent entrepreneur spirit that was considered desirable in the brave new meritocracy. But now, the media says the old fogeys were right. Horiemon was a sham; a soft-bodied, T-shirt-wearing charlatan who represented everything wrong about post-bubble Japan. With job recruiting up, maybe the kids will again look to the great corporations of Nippon.
Or maybe not. Horie gave voice to an attitude that has been prevalent if unacknowledged during the Liberal Democratic Party era, which is that money really does buy everything, including "people's hearts," as he so famously put it. Horie may be gone, but the truth of his example lives on, nowhere more blatantly than on the Friday night drama series, "Yaoh" (TBS; 10 p.m.).
Yaoh means "king of the night," and refers here to top employees of host clubs in the entertainment quarters of Tokyo's Kabukicho. These long-haired young men, decked out in expensive clothing and accessories, chat with and order drinks for women customers who shell out incredible amounts of money for the privilege of their company.
"Buying hearts" is one way to put it, and "prostitution" is another, since sex is sometimes involved. But, as with Livedoor's empty and illegal shell game of swapping stocks and creating value out of thin air, the host-club business is based on the illusion of desire coupled with the raw thrill of competition.
The protagonist of "Yaoh," which is based on a very popular manga series, is a former juvenile delinquent name Ryosuke, played by Masahiro Matsuoka.
Ryosuke works for a fictional Kabukicho host club called Romeo. At first, he doesn't seem to have what it takes, lacking the required mercenary mind-set. However, his stoical boss, in cahoots with the dying-from-cancer fashion designer Remi, who got Ryosuke the job in the first place, has set a challenge for the young man to become the No. 1 host in the club, understanding that he is earnest enough to do so but also too "pure of heart" to achieve the goal in the usual way.
Ryosuke's desire is to make his customers happy and "heal" them. It's implied that the women who patronize host clubs are in search of succor. The paradox is that Ryosuke wants to reach the top of the host pyramid by honestly addressing his customers' spiritual needs, but the only measure of success is how much money he can collect doing so.
His main nemesis is Seiya, the ultra-cool No. 1 host at Romeo, who plays by the rules, meaning he ruthlessly uses women to maintain his position. He represents everything negative about the occupation. Most of the episodes revolve around Ryosuke rescuing a customer from another host's diabolical machinations.
On Feb. 3, TBS broadcast a two-hour documentary special about host clubs that included promotional tie-ins to "Yaoh-hi." Focusing on a No. 1 host in Kabukicho and another in Osaka, the special revealed that the secret to success is getting well-to-do women to ask for you by name, and then talk them into paying through the nose for a bottle of something (vintage Romanee-Conti commands 2.5 million yen).
One would assume that charm, wit and sexual charisma are the main attributes of a successful host. Actually, what the biggest earners are good at is cajoling women into supporting their bid for dominance. Some of these women sleep with their hosts, but most act more like mothers, spending bricks of 10,000 yen bills so that their favorites prevail. At the same time, they insist on being served. In order to reach the top, a host must juggle multiple patronesses, which invariably causes jealousies and defections to other hosts.
The host-consumer dynamic is almost a parody of romantic relationships. Conversations amount to little more than discussing what to drink and how cute the host looks today. Customers don't necessarily want depth, but they do want at least the illusion of being in control, and control flows from money. In most cases, these women are self-employed or work in the "water trade" themselves. Some are sex workers. Many, in fact, are hostesses, whose methodology is different from that of the hosts. Hostesses traditionally fulfill their male customers' desires to escape the cares of work and family. It's all about him. The kind of ostentatious displays of cash that characterize host clubs are rare in hostess establishments.
Hosting is a tempting occupation for young men who have no skills and want to make huge pots of money in a short time -- No. 1 hosts earn more than 5 million yen a month. But as the TBS special pointed out, it isn't easy, and generally speaking it's still a job that's looked down upon.
"Yaoh" and the upcoming theatrical feature "Waters," a sentimental comedy about a club full of hapless hosts, may change that. Both sympathize with the hosts' lot and try to make a case that they fulfill some kind of social purpose. "Yaoh" star Matsuoka, it should be noted, is the drummer for TOKIO, one of the top acts of Johnny's Jimusho, the tarento agency that created the image of the eternally adolescent, sexually unthreatening, and mostly dim young man that has dominated Japanese pop culture since the 1970s. It's exactly the same image projected by hosts. Whether they aspire to Horiemon-like levels of income generation or TOKIO-like levels of female adoration, young men today have all the role models they need to get ahead.
The Japan Times: Feb. 12, 2006
Last edited by bluabc on Feb 17th, '06, 17:28, edited 1 time in total.
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ironicwave
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- Joined: Mar 22nd, '04, 13:51
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just watched the first episode myself and liked it a lot...
the seiya faction is perfectly set up for me to hate and the outsiders seem like a cute bunch... nothing really unexpected there...
i'm also a kaname jun fan, but i've only seen him in konya hitori no beddo de... i'm looking forward to more drooltime where he's concerned...
ryosuke's hair indeed, but he's got a sort of hapless face that makes one sympathetic to his plight...
i find the seiya faction wholly unattractive, seiya reminds me of that disgusting freak in suicide club, brrrrr... *shivers*
he just doesn't look human...
someone mentioned it was hard to look away when he's on, i actually find myself squinting my eyes til he leaves the screen...
it will however be interesting to discover each character's motivations as the series moves along, i know i enjoyed watching episode one and can't wait to see more...
it would be sad if this turned out to be episodic as was mentioned by some of you further along in the series, but usually if i like the first episode i stick it out no matter what...
since episode one only really places the settings and introduces the characters, i'm curious to find out how this continues...
thanks bluabc for subbing this...
the seiya faction is perfectly set up for me to hate and the outsiders seem like a cute bunch... nothing really unexpected there...
i'm also a kaname jun fan, but i've only seen him in konya hitori no beddo de... i'm looking forward to more drooltime where he's concerned...
ryosuke's hair indeed, but he's got a sort of hapless face that makes one sympathetic to his plight...
i find the seiya faction wholly unattractive, seiya reminds me of that disgusting freak in suicide club, brrrrr... *shivers*
he just doesn't look human... someone mentioned it was hard to look away when he's on, i actually find myself squinting my eyes til he leaves the screen...
it will however be interesting to discover each character's motivations as the series moves along, i know i enjoyed watching episode one and can't wait to see more...
it would be sad if this turned out to be episodic as was mentioned by some of you further along in the series, but usually if i like the first episode i stick it out no matter what...
since episode one only really places the settings and introduces the characters, i'm curious to find out how this continues...
thanks bluabc for subbing this...
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nixxienixxie
- Posts: 13
- Joined: Dec 16th, '04, 03:06
I know what you mean, his eyes are unrealironicwave wrote:seiya reminds me of that disgusting freak in suicide club, brrrrr... *shivers*
someone mentioned it was hard to look away when he's on, i actually find myself squinting my eyes til he leaves the screen...
if I ever have the chance to visit a hostclub, I sure as hell wouldn't pick him...it's like choosing to be alone with a psycho on purpose. have to admit though, the guy keeps me...riveted. he almost steals the show away from mabo, and that's saying something, coming from (mabo's) biggest fan on earth, hehe.
i also watched the prequel/special, and I agree, mabo was kind of awkward portraying such a young guileless boy, after watching that special, I didn't have very high hopes for this dorama. never been more glad to have been proven wrong ^^ I'm enjoying every second of this show so far, I hope the plot doesn't wane towards the middle, cause it's really exciting now.
Joining in, although I've only seen ep1 +2 so far.
I've not seen the special and I didn't read the manga --> no expectations from my side.
Indeed, at first I didn't want to download this because my bandwidth is limited and... ermm.... how to say...*drop*... . Mabo just doesn't look hot to me - there, I said it (
please don't kill me, dear Mabo-Fans. It's nothing personal, just that I'm spoiled and I like my men younger-looking 
).
So I downloaded the first ep out of boredom. And no, it didn't catch my interest in an instant, although it's definitly an interesting setting.. To tell the truth I'm still biased about downloading the rest, so I'll take it one at a time.
I'm still not smitten with Ryousukes looks (maybe tying up the hair'd really help) plus his character is somewhat indifferent. I mean, he's a nice and all guy, but he seems misplaced in the role of a host (e.g womanizer) - like he lacks charisma or something.
I downloaded the second episode because Ryousuke has a passion and some kind of mission. I suspect he's a character that grows on you once you learn more about it.
Shu's hot but somewhat ... distant. Can't grab his character. It seems to me like he's flowing with the crowd, mostly his own intersts in mind. And his main interst is, to keep out of trouble, as it seems. Contradicting this is, that he has his (yet unknown) believes. And sticking to this believes, or rules or whatever, he won't melt into the Seiya-Faction. At least, that is what I think about Shu. He's a loner with his own interests at heart. He likes Ryousuke but I'm not yet sure what's more important to him: His own interests or Ryousuke. Time will tell.
Seiya and his gang freak me out (like most of you too, I think). His Gang is bla, bad as you can think of, unscrupulous. Then there is Seiya's appearance. Don't get me wrong, I think he looks somewhat attractive - but unnatural and fake. In fact in some pictures I thought of botox or a mask or (yeah, I'm soooo not nice) the thing from batman -whatsitcalled- Joker. Plain creepy, so I couldn't understand why these women fall for him. Although he has his ways, and a diploma in women's psychology I believe. If it wasn't for him to be a host, he'd be the best boyfriend/husband on earth . But then a men that good and attentive would be creepy in his own way... I'm distracting.
The Illusion is what Yaoh is about, so Seiya is the perfect impersonation for a Host.
Watching Yaoh I asked myself (I'm female, as you might have guessed by now ^_^) if I could enjoy a visit at a host club? What about you?
It's obviously all lies, so why do women go there? What's the magic of a host club? and magic it has to be.
Then perhaps I'm too strict, because personally I hate to be lied at - and on top of that, paying lots of money for that (*frantically clutches her two cents*).
So what about you, what would you enjoy at a host club? What would be your reason for going there?
Thanks to you all for reading this and jogging my brain with your own comments
And sorry for the long post, it got quite out of hand... finger... mouth... whatever.
I've not seen the special and I didn't read the manga --> no expectations from my side.
Indeed, at first I didn't want to download this because my bandwidth is limited and... ermm.... how to say...*drop*... . Mabo just doesn't look hot to me - there, I said it (
please don't kill me, dear Mabo-Fans. It's nothing personal, just that I'm spoiled and I like my men younger-looking ).So I downloaded the first ep out of boredom. And no, it didn't catch my interest in an instant, although it's definitly an interesting setting.. To tell the truth I'm still biased about downloading the rest, so I'll take it one at a time.
I'm still not smitten with Ryousukes looks (maybe tying up the hair'd really help) plus his character is somewhat indifferent. I mean, he's a nice and all guy, but he seems misplaced in the role of a host (e.g womanizer) - like he lacks charisma or something.
I downloaded the second episode because Ryousuke has a passion and some kind of mission. I suspect he's a character that grows on you once you learn more about it.
Shu's hot but somewhat ... distant. Can't grab his character. It seems to me like he's flowing with the crowd, mostly his own intersts in mind. And his main interst is, to keep out of trouble, as it seems. Contradicting this is, that he has his (yet unknown) believes. And sticking to this believes, or rules or whatever, he won't melt into the Seiya-Faction. At least, that is what I think about Shu. He's a loner with his own interests at heart. He likes Ryousuke but I'm not yet sure what's more important to him: His own interests or Ryousuke. Time will tell.
Seiya and his gang freak me out (like most of you too, I think). His Gang is bla, bad as you can think of, unscrupulous. Then there is Seiya's appearance. Don't get me wrong, I think he looks somewhat attractive - but unnatural and fake. In fact in some pictures I thought of botox or a mask or (yeah, I'm soooo not nice) the thing from batman -whatsitcalled- Joker. Plain creepy, so I couldn't understand why these women fall for him. Although he has his ways, and a diploma in women's psychology I believe. If it wasn't for him to be a host, he'd be the best boyfriend/husband on earth
. But then a men that good and attentive would be creepy in his own way... I'm distracting. The Illusion is what Yaoh is about, so Seiya is the perfect impersonation for a Host.
Watching Yaoh I asked myself (I'm female, as you might have guessed by now ^_^) if I could enjoy a visit at a host club? What about you?
It's obviously all lies, so why do women go there? What's the magic of a host club? and magic it has to be.
Then perhaps I'm too strict, because personally I hate to be lied at - and on top of that, paying lots of money for that (*frantically clutches her two cents*).
So what about you, what would you enjoy at a host club? What would be your reason for going there?
Thanks to you all for reading this and jogging my brain with your own comments
And sorry for the long post, it got quite out of hand... finger... mouth... whatever.-
XBattousaiX
- Posts: 13
- Joined: Dec 1st, '05, 02:06
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scanky_chops
- Posts: 21
- Joined: Nov 22nd, '05, 14:51
- Location: United Kingdom
Didn't really quite ctach this bit so it does help to clear things up. Who knows, maybe the big twist at the end will have Shu doing something to Ryosuke. You know, stab him in the back. Hope not though. It would kinda suck that Ryosuke's choice in friends is bad. But yeah, i dunno. Oooh, he could be an inside mole for Seiya and something. I'm just making this up as i go along. Humour me.bluabc wrote:@ scanky_chops - I'm kinna bothered by Shu cos he comes across as being neither here nor there and his apparent double standards in Epi 4. Guess cos of his background, he does think of himself as much "better" than the rest of the hosts but somehow i really don't know what the hell he's doing other than looking absolutely delicious. I mean he's a senpai of Seiya for goodness sake, it seems to me that he's just drifting along in the host world.
And i don't prefer Mabo to Tomoya! Well, i do in the PV. I don't think Tomo's hair is quite... er. I can't really explain. It's funny, i think i prefered him when he had hair like Mabo does now. You know, spiky hair. Honestly, i think Tomo is probably the best masculine looking guy out of the Johnnys. It's great! I'm just not as well versed as you on the Tomo love. Give me time. But right now i'm all for the brains and personality. ::avoids being hit again::
and don't get me started on those loving side glances LOL!
Hahaha! I thought i was the only one who kept thinking Shu did that! Bless him, he really cares but is trying to hide it.
Found the same article actually. Interesting. Also found a link to an actual host website and er.... not pretty.
@hakuhara. My reason for going to a host club? Well, seeing as most women go there because they're rich, lonely and bored and want to be pampered by often weird, simpering guys i don't think i would too. I liked the 3rd episode girl who went and drank the alcohol and got away with paying. I can't do that (Muslim) but i'd sure as hell have lots of fun trying to get the guys to pamper me without alcohol or sex. Bet they'd struggle. I guess i'd go there for fun to see how wiliing these guys are to make fools of themselves. Wow. Bitchy thing to say huh?
And i think we're all in agreement that Seiya and his faction are all not very good looking and strange. Sounds like a perfect host faction to me...
Just finished watching episode 4.
So much shu <3 lol
but I really have to say...I think Seiya is sooo ugly..whoa...I can't believe, that someone like him should be No.1 at a host club *drop* In my opinion, for a japanese man, he looks way too old *haha*
but maybe I only think like this, because I totally hate his personality ^^"
yet, that's only my own opinion, ne ~
And I like "Mr. Traveling Man" *sings along*...but then again, I like everything by TOKIO haha
And regarding Natsuki...I think it is so sad, what they have done with his hair T__T I really loved Ishigaki Yuma in H2, he was one of the most attractive persons in this drama...but his hair in yaoh...just makes him...looking dumb or so ^^"""
But anyway, I really enjoy watching this drama <333
So much shu <3 lol
but I really have to say...I think Seiya is sooo ugly..whoa...I can't believe, that someone like him should be No.1 at a host club *drop* In my opinion, for a japanese man, he looks way too old *haha*
but maybe I only think like this, because I totally hate his personality ^^"
yet, that's only my own opinion, ne ~
And I like "Mr. Traveling Man" *sings along*...but then again, I like everything by TOKIO haha
And regarding Natsuki...I think it is so sad, what they have done with his hair T__T I really loved Ishigaki Yuma in H2, he was one of the most attractive persons in this drama...but his hair in yaoh...just makes him...looking dumb or so ^^"""
But anyway, I really enjoy watching this drama <333
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jaycee05
- Fansubber
- Posts: 484
- Joined: Apr 20th, '04, 01:34
- Location: BC, Canada
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I laughed out loud when this showed up in ur subs...it's funny how u read my thoughts at that exact moment. Four Heavenly fathersbluabc wrote:...was so immensely amused by how the host world is portrayed as "godfather-like" in this epi...
That confrontation was hella dramatic. I was like in a trance. But, again Ryosuke looked so unsure and weak. I haven't read the manga so I hope he'll kick ass when he starts battling seriously.I'm liking Seiya as the story progresses. I think that there's still something wrong with his face and he could use a little less of that lip gloss. There's something anime-ish with the way he smiles...but he kinda looks greasy with his dark complexion and his flashy/furry clothes. The first time I thought that he looked cool was that clip in ep04 when he was riding this fine car and his hair was pushed back with the shades.
Can someone please tell me who the man in episode 6 is to Remi-san? A competitor, love interest from the past, surely not a husband??? I can't wait to know why he's such a problem. 
Thank you so much, chiisana_tantei, for upping this series and so promptly. And I'm forever grateful to bluabc for subtitling. I started out watching this drama for a character actor I'm fond of (Yajima Kenichi, who plays the manager, Sasaki) and very quickly came under the spell of all of the characters. Unlike what seems like most of the others watching this, I came to it with very little knowledge of any of the other actors in the drama, so I don't have any reasons to be disappointed I guess.
I'm enjoying all the connections and rivalries among them (especially the bond between Remi-san and Ryosuke and her relationship with the owner (whose name escapes me))... even the way Ryosuke helps various women out with their troubles, no matter how corny. And I can already see next week's ep is going to bring out the tissues, too.
Thank you so much, chiisana_tantei, for upping this series and so promptly. And I'm forever grateful to bluabc for subtitling. I started out watching this drama for a character actor I'm fond of (Yajima Kenichi, who plays the manager, Sasaki) and very quickly came under the spell of all of the characters. Unlike what seems like most of the others watching this, I came to it with very little knowledge of any of the other actors in the drama, so I don't have any reasons to be disappointed I guess.
I'm enjoying all the connections and rivalries among them (especially the bond between Remi-san and Ryosuke and her relationship with the owner (whose name escapes me))... even the way Ryosuke helps various women out with their troubles, no matter how corny. And I can already see next week's ep is going to bring out the tissues, too.
eek i don't like how they made the actor playing seiya look. he's the guy that played the dad in aya ueto's hitonatsu no papa e. he looked so much better in that drama!! why does he have girly llip gloss and weird eye liner? he's seriously a very manly man but aggghhh. well i guess it's cuz he's a host? i just think some of the hair styles are 
like natsuki's and seiya's and sometimes ryosuke's can get out of hand. but bad hair aside, i'm getting into this series so much now!! ooh i just hope that ryosuke ends up number 1. if not him maybe shu, hehe gosh kaname jun just looks so good!!!! 
here's a picture of seiya without all the make up and stuff. it's kinda big so i'lll p ut it under a spoiler tag
kawamura ikki's his name
like natsuki's and seiya's and sometimes ryosuke's can get out of hand. but bad hair aside, i'm getting into this series so much now!! ooh i just hope that ryosuke ends up number 1. if not him maybe shu, hehe gosh kaname jun just looks so good!!!! here's a picture of seiya without all the make up and stuff. it's kinda big so i'lll p ut it under a spoiler tag
I would like to thank bluabc for his dedication to hese series cause Yaoh was my favourite Young Jump manga with Hyioko Brand while living in Japan for work!!
[img]http://sbookg.s-book.com/shueisha/4088770250.jpg[/img]
I think these series will find a spot near densha otoko and hana yori dango in the JDrama Olimpo!!
Please keep translating this series!!
TOKYO FOREVER!!!
giggi
[img]http://sbookg.s-book.com/shueisha/4088770250.jpg[/img]
I think these series will find a spot near densha otoko and hana yori dango in the JDrama Olimpo!!
Please keep translating this series!!
TOKYO FOREVER!!!
giggi
wowww!ladyusagi wrote:eek i don't like how they made the actor playing seiya look. he's the guy that played the dad in aya ueto's hitonatsu no papa e. he looked so much better in that drama!! why does he have girly llip gloss and weird eye liner? he's seriously a very manly man but aggghhh. well i guess it's cuz he's a host? i just think some of the hair styles are
here's a picture of seiya without all the make up and stuff. it's kinda big so i'lll p ut it under a spoiler tag
kawamura ikki's his name
i'm surprised how he looks sooooooo different here!!
hahaha he actually looks so much better (although looked older he looks like a hot-papa
)...anyway i think they're tryin 2 make him seem more host-like with the long hair lipgloss n all...
although everyone is sayin ho shu is like the hostest host...the mabo guy is startin 2 charm his way to me lol...hahaha i kinof agree though wen the girl in epi 3 said that he looks like an eggplant
His last name is Kitamura and I believe he's better known as Kitamura Kazuki. Check out his jdorama page. He's a close friend of Tanihara Shosuke, both of whom were just in Ooku ~ Hana no ran.ladyusagi wrote:kawamura ikki's his name
From a recent magazine article, the two of them together...
his image is totally diff on that picture...
anyway i juz finished watchin epi 4...im so happy that they r finally gettin designation (yeahhh) n throughout the whole epi i was thinkin i'm so glad shu is FINALLY gettin more coverage...oh n i juz noticed that his nose is rather crooked? hahaha...but doesnt matter hez still the hot host
oh yeah isnt this girl in epi 4 (shu's sista) from hana yori dango as well? the evil girl...
anyway i juz finished watchin epi 4...im so happy that they r finally gettin designation (yeahhh) n throughout the whole epi i was thinkin i'm so glad shu is FINALLY gettin more coverage
...oh n i juz noticed that his nose is rather crooked? hahaha...but doesnt matter hez still the hot hostoh yeah isnt this girl in epi 4 (shu's sista) from hana yori dango as well? the evil girl...
yep she is from hyd! at first i was like "she looks familiar..." and then it stuck me haha
episode 4 was nice...so much shu got to see a lot of him finally. a lot of his profiles =D
at first, even though he looks really good, it was hard to like him b/c there wasn't much about him. he was just there but nothing revealed his character. so im glad this episode revealed something about him. hopefully theyll show more of his development later. and maybe theyll have an episode dedicated to natsuki
and i think i was kinda confused in ep 4. so is everything going according to seiya's plan? they have that meeting and welcomes anyone to "do anything" to the ryosuke faction and then at the end, he comes in saving ryosuke. even ryosuke was like: haha and i kind of had a feeling that when akagi banished that host, it was just a play? and the host wasnt actually banished; it was just a skit for ryosuke. but it probably wasnt...?
this drama really stretches the colors haha seiya and his faction are always dark. sometimes too dark-- cant see their faces. and romeo is too dim. id like it if they lit it up just a little bit b/c its kinda hard to see the faces there sometimes too. but there was this one really beautiful scene of wine bottles haha but i definitely dont mind the light in ryosuke faction scenes! ^_^
episode 4 was nice...so much shu
got to see a lot of him finally. a lot of his profiles =Dat first, even though he looks really good, it was hard to like him b/c there wasn't much about him. he was just there but nothing revealed his character. so im glad this episode revealed something about him. hopefully theyll show more of his development later. and maybe theyll have an episode dedicated to natsuki
and i think i was kinda confused in ep 4. so is everything going according to seiya's plan? they have that meeting and welcomes anyone to "do anything" to the ryosuke faction and then at the end, he comes in saving ryosuke. even ryosuke was like
: haha and i kind of had a feeling that when akagi banished that host, it was just a play? and the host wasnt actually banished; it was just a skit for ryosuke. but it probably wasnt...?this drama really stretches the colors haha seiya and his faction are always dark. sometimes too dark-- cant see their faces. and romeo is too dim. id like it if they lit it up just a little bit b/c its kinda hard to see the faces there sometimes too. but there was this one really beautiful scene of wine bottles haha but i definitely dont mind the light in ryosuke faction scenes! ^_^
Watching episode 4 made me question whether or not Shu would turn his back on Ryosuke in the future. It seems if Ryosuke wants to be the top at Romeo he also has to deal with those 4 heavenly leaders. Also looks like he finds out Remi has cancer or did he already know? This drama just keeps getting better and better.
Seiya... I think he's wearing contacts. The lighting and his hairstyle make it difficult to be certain, but I'm fairly sure that his eyes are a lot lighter than they should be. That plus the eyeliner is what makes him look so... I believe the word is "dramatic". (Whether you think that's good or bad, you have to admit it fits.)
I notice a lot of Shu fans; random bit about the actor - one of his earliest roles was as a supporting character on Kamen Rider Agito (this means he wore leather bodysuits under boxy metallic armor, rode a wicked cool motorcycle, and made monsters blow up). He also appeared several times in the series Good Luck.
Shu as a character... a lot of you have this Shu-is-disloyal vibe going, but I don't really see that. It's more of a Shu-lacks-motivation vibe to me. Anyone want to tell me what they think on that?
I actually like Natsuki; I think he's cute (except for the hair). ^^; He's so bouncy, like a puppy.
Re: actually visiting host clubs - a friend of mine goes on a semi-regular basis, and she doesn't drink alcohol at all. (She also doesn't sleep with the hosts, but I think she's in the norm, there.) She just goes to talk, and hang out. I've gone with her a few times, and while most clubs aren't as expensive as the Romeo depicted here, they're not cheap. Godfather-like politics aside, the customer pays for attentive and good-looking company, and a total lack of any kind of expectations. Contrary to the rest of Japanese society, there is no role that a person is expected to play when visiting a host club.
I notice a lot of Shu fans; random bit about the actor - one of his earliest roles was as a supporting character on Kamen Rider Agito (this means he wore leather bodysuits under boxy metallic armor, rode a wicked cool motorcycle, and made monsters blow up). He also appeared several times in the series Good Luck.
Shu as a character... a lot of you have this Shu-is-disloyal vibe going, but I don't really see that. It's more of a Shu-lacks-motivation vibe to me. Anyone want to tell me what they think on that?
I actually like Natsuki; I think he's cute (except for the hair). ^^; He's so bouncy, like a puppy.
Re: actually visiting host clubs - a friend of mine goes on a semi-regular basis, and she doesn't drink alcohol at all. (She also doesn't sleep with the hosts, but I think she's in the norm, there.) She just goes to talk, and hang out. I've gone with her a few times, and while most clubs aren't as expensive as the Romeo depicted here, they're not cheap. Godfather-like politics aside, the customer pays for attentive and good-looking company, and a total lack of any kind of expectations. Contrary to the rest of Japanese society, there is no role that a person is expected to play when visiting a host club.
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Toritorisan
- Posts: 84
- Joined: Jul 23rd, '05, 05:41
Have you ever seen him in Anata no Tonari ni Dareka Iru? He was the villian in that drama, but he looked good there! (Kinda like a dangerous, bad boy look). It amazes me how much his appearance changed in this drama though!ladyusagi wrote:eek i don't like how they made the actor playing seiya look. he's the guy that played the dad in aya ueto's hitonatsu no papa e. he looked so much better in that drama!! why does he have girly llip gloss and weird eye liner? he's seriously a very manly man but aggghhh. well i guess it's cuz he's a host? i just think some of the hair styles are
here's a picture of seiya without all the make up and stuff. it's kinda big so i'lll p ut it under a spoiler tag
kawamura ikki's his name
My fave is Kaname Jun too! He is such a hottie, I'm glad he plays a nice guy in this drama too!
@ ironicwave - Thanks so much for breaking ur personal habit when it comes to drama viewing to encourage me ^_^. I would say Yaoh is not entirely episodic compared to the likes of Kuitan and Jikou Keisatsu this season where you can actually view each epi as a drama sp to its own. Yaoh is more GTO like where although there is a “new story” every episode, there is a central storyline progression. Also, by epi 4, it’s not so much abt “healing” a new female character everywk.
@ nixxienixxie – Totally know what you’re referring to since I hated the presequel too. I knew that Yaoh was scheduled for a full drama release way back mid last yr and totally dreaded the news. If TOKIO is not singing the theme song, doubt i would have even attempted epi 1. It’s really amazing how the actual drama turned out to be so much better.
@ hakuharu – Least for me, think you’re right about that part that Ryosuke is a character that grows on you after a while. He’s became so much more adorable after epi 3. If you do continue with the series, you’ll get some answers with rgds to ur initial impressions towards the main characters. Ryosuke, you’re right about the passion and mission bit. Well he’s indeed different from the norm, but that’s probably the most interesting bit abt this drama. It challenges the normal impression one would have of a host. Here we have a guy who’s going to change the order of things, he’s trying to become Yaoh using his own methods. Who is to say he is wrong?
Shu san – He’s distant for a reason. I guess you’ll have to wait till epi 4 to find out
Seiya & co – Well, I don’t find them as purely evil, with the exception of Taiga who really scares the hell out of me. ^_^
Would I go to a hostclub??? Well, I’ve actually been inside one couple of yrs back. A frd’s sis brought us along to broaden our horizons. While it doesn’t do a thing for me, i was immensely amused. From what I’ve observed watching the various variety shows featuring the hostclubs, primary motivation would be to seek someone who would lavish attention on them. Be it boredom, companionship or power, I guess visiting hostclubs does release some pent-up frustrations underlying. It’s like any other vice, smokers/alcoholics will claim that what they do relieves stress. I’ve observed that some people at d-addicts are really watching too many dramas for their own good, they get their high and fun from watching dramas. In a way, how different is it from the hostclub situation? At the end of the day, it’s merely another outlet.
@ XBattousaiX – Yap, Ryosuke does kind of grow on people. If the drama gets viewers rooting for him by epi 4/5, I guess that’s the marks of its success.
@ scanky_chops – LOL! I think a lot of people will flip if Shu turns out to be a mole for Seiya or something. Nah, his “love” for Ryosuke wouldn’t allow him to betray his beloved lol! I’m trying to dissociate my manga background giving Shu a clean slate so this is what I think of drama portrayal of Shu at the moment. He’s probably in the biz for abt 5yrs, always been a loner in the profession since he sees himself as better than the rest. Could easily quit hosting, start afresh somewhere but continued as a host cos he just hasn’t new direction. Shu is indeed “using” Ryosuke in a way, perhaps Shu was already on the verge of quitting before Ryosuke appeared. Ryosuke’s escapades made staying in the hostclub more interesting, by helping Ryosuke achieve his goal, Shu was able to find a direction in life (least for the time being).
Well, there isn’t many masculine looking guy in Johnnys to begin with. Tomoya’s hairdo in the PV is actually very kawaii for me lol! And of course I’m having a lot of my own fun by reading fanfics abt Mabo playing with Tomo’s curls lol!
@ Yume216 Opps, I can sense that the Seiya dislike is fairly intense around here. Haha, and I was just thinking that the Natsuki character can so be a continuation of Yuma’s role in H2, Just imagine the baseball guy from H2 working in a host club after high school graduation. The personality profile is almost exactly the same, earnest, comic relief, not having particularly good luck with women but always willing to try lol!
Well, I was expecting something really sexy from TOKIO given that it’s a Yaoh theme song afterall. Aftar all my anticipation, they gave me another of those “typical positive sounding” TOKIO songs. Mr Travelling Man is a great sound, just that my initial disappointment sorta clouded my judgement.
@ jaycee05 Well, I just burst out into a major laughing fit when I saw the “4 Heavenly Kings” gathering in that room. It’s just so overdramatic and corny which in a way is one of the charm pts of this drama. If some people are enjoying Saiyuuki for being so whacked and ridiculous, then others are enjoying Yaoh cos it’s just so unapologetically corny, not to mention major eyecandy of course.
Managa Ryosuke is very well-defined with his 2 sides, switching effortlessly between aggressive when it comes to dealing with the ‘bad guys” to the yasashi one when he’s with women. I don’t know if it’s poor acting by Mabo or just lazy writing from the scriptwriters, drama Ryosuke appears to be not as well shelved out at the moment. Having said that, you do see traces of that aggressive streak. (spoilers alert) For example in epi 2 where he suddenly “forced himself on” the girl to make a pt or Epi 4 the sudden punch on the other host.
@ toyotaku I have not viewed epi 6 yet but this is what’s written on the TBS epi synopsis. Remi used to work for the man. She was the chief designer in his company before she had her own label.
@ ladyusagi Maybe my eyes are playing tricks on me or I’ve just sorta got used to all the bad hair. Seems to me that Ryosuke’s hair become much better after epi 5.
@ giggi Yap, same here. Yaoh was one of my fav mangas That was probably the main reason why I decided to try my hands on subbing this.
@ flcia Mabo looks like an eggplant??? LOL! If I were to repeat what you’ve said to my Mabo fan frds, you bet they’ll start weeping.
@ aikaraneu Is it Seiya’s plot? I would say it’s open to interpretation. Usually I try to translate the conversations literally so that my personal interpretation of the drama do not influence others. This is my first venture into drama subbing, been doing animes so hopefully I did an okay job.
If you want my personal take of it, i guess Seiya is trying to say that he has no objections if others were to act. Remember that the rule of the host world is not to interfere with what’s going on in other clubs, so by right the other 3 heavenly kings have no authority over Ryosuke. I interpret Seiya words as Ryosuke is “free for all” since he is not Seiya’s man and Seiya would not offer him protection. What was Seiya’s motivation in helping Ryosuke out in the end? It’s up to one’s personal interpretation too. Perhaps when the story progresses and when we have a better feel of Seiya’s character, we would get an idea. At the moment, I guess those who see Seiya as purely evil would think that it was entirely plotted by Seiya.
As for me, i don’t view Seiya as evil. Here’s how I see Seiya. Like Shu, Owner and Remi, he sees Ryosuke’s potential. However Ryosuke stands for something entirely different from Seiya. Having said that Seiya’s pride would not allow him to resort to underhanded means to sabotage Ryosuke unless ths situation becomes really critical. Think about it, by beating Ryosuke fair and square, Seiya would have proven that his methods is the correct way. That probably matters more to him than anything else.
@ Syuichi – Like Nalanzu, I see Shu as someone lacking in motivation. Hence it would be really intriguing for me if he decides to stab Ryosuke in the back later. Very interesting thought. No, Remi has been keeping condition from Ryosuke.
@ Nalanzu – Like you, I see Shu as someone lacking in motivation too. Actually besides Kaname Jun, it’s very interesting to note that the other hosts have a sci-fic/anime character background too. Both Suga Takamasa (Ren) and Aoki Shinsuke (Taiga) were in Kamen Riders too. Mabo (Ryosuke) and Kitamura Kazuki (Seiya) were in Godzilla the movie together.
@ Toritorisan - I guess Kaname Jun is maturing into a good looking young man. I don’t recall him being that great looking in his earlier roles like Good Luck!, Koibumi etc.
@ haisai – My Japanese does not happen to be that great either and my English is probably worse lol! So probably you wouldn’t be able to get anything from my subs.
@ nixxienixxie – Totally know what you’re referring to since I hated the presequel too. I knew that Yaoh was scheduled for a full drama release way back mid last yr and totally dreaded the news. If TOKIO is not singing the theme song, doubt i would have even attempted epi 1. It’s really amazing how the actual drama turned out to be so much better.
@ hakuharu – Least for me, think you’re right about that part that Ryosuke is a character that grows on you after a while. He’s became so much more adorable after epi 3. If you do continue with the series, you’ll get some answers with rgds to ur initial impressions towards the main characters. Ryosuke, you’re right about the passion and mission bit. Well he’s indeed different from the norm, but that’s probably the most interesting bit abt this drama. It challenges the normal impression one would have of a host. Here we have a guy who’s going to change the order of things, he’s trying to become Yaoh using his own methods. Who is to say he is wrong?
Shu san – He’s distant for a reason. I guess you’ll have to wait till epi 4 to find out
Seiya & co – Well, I don’t find them as purely evil, with the exception of Taiga who really scares the hell out of me. ^_^
Would I go to a hostclub??? Well, I’ve actually been inside one couple of yrs back. A frd’s sis brought us along to broaden our horizons. While it doesn’t do a thing for me, i was immensely amused. From what I’ve observed watching the various variety shows featuring the hostclubs, primary motivation would be to seek someone who would lavish attention on them. Be it boredom, companionship or power, I guess visiting hostclubs does release some pent-up frustrations underlying. It’s like any other vice, smokers/alcoholics will claim that what they do relieves stress. I’ve observed that some people at d-addicts are really watching too many dramas for their own good, they get their high and fun from watching dramas. In a way, how different is it from the hostclub situation? At the end of the day, it’s merely another outlet.
@ XBattousaiX – Yap, Ryosuke does kind of grow on people. If the drama gets viewers rooting for him by epi 4/5, I guess that’s the marks of its success.
@ scanky_chops – LOL! I think a lot of people will flip if Shu turns out to be a mole for Seiya or something. Nah, his “love” for Ryosuke wouldn’t allow him to betray his beloved lol! I’m trying to dissociate my manga background giving Shu a clean slate so this is what I think of drama portrayal of Shu at the moment. He’s probably in the biz for abt 5yrs, always been a loner in the profession since he sees himself as better than the rest. Could easily quit hosting, start afresh somewhere but continued as a host cos he just hasn’t new direction. Shu is indeed “using” Ryosuke in a way, perhaps Shu was already on the verge of quitting before Ryosuke appeared. Ryosuke’s escapades made staying in the hostclub more interesting, by helping Ryosuke achieve his goal, Shu was able to find a direction in life (least for the time being).
Well, there isn’t many masculine looking guy in Johnnys to begin with. Tomoya’s hairdo in the PV is actually very kawaii for me lol! And of course I’m having a lot of my own fun by reading fanfics abt Mabo playing with Tomo’s curls lol!
@ Yume216 Opps, I can sense that the Seiya dislike is fairly intense around here. Haha, and I was just thinking that the Natsuki character can so be a continuation of Yuma’s role in H2, Just imagine the baseball guy from H2 working in a host club after high school graduation. The personality profile is almost exactly the same, earnest, comic relief, not having particularly good luck with women but always willing to try lol!
Well, I was expecting something really sexy from TOKIO given that it’s a Yaoh theme song afterall. Aftar all my anticipation, they gave me another of those “typical positive sounding” TOKIO songs. Mr Travelling Man is a great sound, just that my initial disappointment sorta clouded my judgement.
@ jaycee05 Well, I just burst out into a major laughing fit when I saw the “4 Heavenly Kings” gathering in that room. It’s just so overdramatic and corny which in a way is one of the charm pts of this drama. If some people are enjoying Saiyuuki for being so whacked and ridiculous, then others are enjoying Yaoh cos it’s just so unapologetically corny, not to mention major eyecandy of course.
Managa Ryosuke is very well-defined with his 2 sides, switching effortlessly between aggressive when it comes to dealing with the ‘bad guys” to the yasashi one when he’s with women. I don’t know if it’s poor acting by Mabo or just lazy writing from the scriptwriters, drama Ryosuke appears to be not as well shelved out at the moment. Having said that, you do see traces of that aggressive streak. (spoilers alert) For example in epi 2 where he suddenly “forced himself on” the girl to make a pt or Epi 4 the sudden punch on the other host.
@ toyotaku I have not viewed epi 6 yet but this is what’s written on the TBS epi synopsis. Remi used to work for the man. She was the chief designer in his company before she had her own label.
@ ladyusagi Maybe my eyes are playing tricks on me or I’ve just sorta got used to all the bad hair. Seems to me that Ryosuke’s hair become much better after epi 5.
@ giggi Yap, same here. Yaoh was one of my fav mangas That was probably the main reason why I decided to try my hands on subbing this.
@ flcia Mabo looks like an eggplant??? LOL! If I were to repeat what you’ve said to my Mabo fan frds, you bet they’ll start weeping.
@ aikaraneu Is it Seiya’s plot? I would say it’s open to interpretation. Usually I try to translate the conversations literally so that my personal interpretation of the drama do not influence others. This is my first venture into drama subbing, been doing animes so hopefully I did an okay job.
If you want my personal take of it, i guess Seiya is trying to say that he has no objections if others were to act. Remember that the rule of the host world is not to interfere with what’s going on in other clubs, so by right the other 3 heavenly kings have no authority over Ryosuke. I interpret Seiya words as Ryosuke is “free for all” since he is not Seiya’s man and Seiya would not offer him protection. What was Seiya’s motivation in helping Ryosuke out in the end? It’s up to one’s personal interpretation too. Perhaps when the story progresses and when we have a better feel of Seiya’s character, we would get an idea. At the moment, I guess those who see Seiya as purely evil would think that it was entirely plotted by Seiya.
As for me, i don’t view Seiya as evil. Here’s how I see Seiya. Like Shu, Owner and Remi, he sees Ryosuke’s potential. However Ryosuke stands for something entirely different from Seiya. Having said that Seiya’s pride would not allow him to resort to underhanded means to sabotage Ryosuke unless ths situation becomes really critical. Think about it, by beating Ryosuke fair and square, Seiya would have proven that his methods is the correct way. That probably matters more to him than anything else.
@ Syuichi – Like Nalanzu, I see Shu as someone lacking in motivation. Hence it would be really intriguing for me if he decides to stab Ryosuke in the back later. Very interesting thought. No, Remi has been keeping condition from Ryosuke.
@ Nalanzu – Like you, I see Shu as someone lacking in motivation too. Actually besides Kaname Jun, it’s very interesting to note that the other hosts have a sci-fic/anime character background too. Both Suga Takamasa (Ren) and Aoki Shinsuke (Taiga) were in Kamen Riders too. Mabo (Ryosuke) and Kitamura Kazuki (Seiya) were in Godzilla the movie together.
@ Toritorisan - I guess Kaname Jun is maturing into a good looking young man. I don’t recall him being that great looking in his earlier roles like Good Luck!, Koibumi etc.
@ haisai – My Japanese does not happen to be that great either and my English is probably worse lol! So probably you wouldn’t be able to get anything from my subs.
Etto, something’s bothering me abt the acting in Yaoh. I know it probably makes me seem like a total loser but I’ll just confess. I’m not really able to “see” Ryosuke, ie i’ve been viewing Yaoh like oh… Mabo is doing this…fangirl giggles throughout the way. Frankly I’m not even sure if it’s just me or really bad acting from Mabo. I don't know, it's just that he's too over-dramatic for me.
Curious to hear abt opinions from others if you think Ryosuke is well portrayed by the leading actor.
Curious to hear abt opinions from others if you think Ryosuke is well portrayed by the leading actor.
i think he does a fine job with his role...
but well again thats mayb i havent read the manga nor have i noticed him much in tokio so i might not have any expectations of image of the character that he's acting and his own character...
but honestly i cant think of anyone else that will like fit the ryosuke role cuz mabo himself has created that ryosuke character on my head...
but well again thats mayb i havent read the manga nor have i noticed him much in tokio so i might not have any expectations of image of the character that he's acting and his own character...
but honestly i cant think of anyone else that will like fit the ryosuke role cuz mabo himself has created that ryosuke character on my head...
A total outsider's POV (I'd never heard of him before this... I know --- what planet have I been living on, ne?), but I think he's doing an excellent job. He could so easily just play it as nothing more than a good-lookin' guy who's a goodie-two-shoes, but instead I see depth in the character... he's not perfect, he has weaknesses, he struggles sometimes between what he knows/feels is right and what he needs to do (and I'm hoping that Remi's deteriorating condition will push that inner battle further as he tries to fulfill her wishes), and it isn't easy for him to create a place for himself successfully in that world while holding onto his principles. Part of that is the writing and the direction, but no matter how good those aspects are, it still takes the actor's skill to pull it off. He's made me care about Ryosuke and, while I figure it'll all come out predictably on his side, I want to know how he manages to accomplish it.bluabc wrote:Etto, something’s bothering me abt the acting in Yaoh. I know it probably makes me seem like a total loser but I’ll just confess. I’m not really able to “see” Ryosuke, ie i’ve been viewing Yaoh like oh… Mabo is doing this…fangirl giggles throughout the way. Frankly I’m not even sure if it’s just me or really bad acting from Mabo. I don't know, it's just that he's too over-dramatic for me.
Curious to hear abt opinions from others if you think Ryosuke is well portrayed by the leading actor.
Maybe sometimes ignorance IS bliss?
EDIT: Oh, and thanks for the info from the site on who the man in the last episode is! I'm still curious as to what he's up to.
hmmm, finally watched ep 4 so caught up on the subs. It's an amusing show, I find it very over the top. hehehe
-->Note: I am very grateful for the single subber of this show. it's incredible that u are doing this and I hope you continue and at whatever pace u feel like.
Um, I was not familiar with Tokio so I didn't know who the lead actor was before watching; however, I think he's not bad. I have seen much worse actors on screen in asian dramas. LOL. He's not as goodlooking as his friend (what a gorgeous guy, i think the actor is kaname jun...? ) but thats what makes it really believable that he has to try his hardest to become no 1.
A question about host clubs...so women in japan go to these things to talk to men ( I presume they are mostly goodlooking men) because they are bored? and they pay a lot of money for this privilege? I read earlier posts and I guess sex isn't as prevalent as in the show.. But, this isn't looked down upon in japan...I always thought japan is a conservative place...
-->Note: I am very grateful for the single subber of this show. it's incredible that u are doing this and I hope you continue and at whatever pace u feel like.
Um, I was not familiar with Tokio so I didn't know who the lead actor was before watching; however, I think he's not bad. I have seen much worse actors on screen in asian dramas. LOL. He's not as goodlooking as his friend (what a gorgeous guy, i think the actor is kaname jun...? ) but thats what makes it really believable that he has to try his hardest to become no 1.
A question about host clubs...so women in japan go to these things to talk to men ( I presume they are mostly goodlooking men) because they are bored? and they pay a lot of money for this privilege? I read earlier posts and I guess sex isn't as prevalent as in the show.. But, this isn't looked down upon in japan...I always thought japan is a conservative place...
[quote=A question about host clubs...so women in japan go to these things to talk to men ( I presume they are mostly goodlooking men) because they are bored? and they pay a lot of money for this privilege? I read earlier posts and I guess sex isn't as prevalent as in the show.. But, this isn't looked down upon in japan...I always thought japan is a conservative place...[/quote]
wondering the same thing...
but than if they're all good looking i won't mind going when feeling down..hehe.
anyways...I'm so surprised it never cross my mind that shu might have the hots for Ryosuke...
Thanks bluabc for subbing....
wondering the same thing...
but than if they're all good looking i won't mind going when feeling down..hehe.anyways...I'm so surprised it never cross my mind that shu might have the hots for Ryosuke...
Thanks bluabc for subbing....
I hope he'll never!!! LOLanyways...I'm so surprised it never cross my mind that shu might have the hots for Ryosuke...
A question about host clubs...so women in japan go to these things to talk to men ( I presume they are mostly goodlooking men) because they are bored? and they pay a lot of money for this privilege? I read earlier posts and I guess sex isn't as prevalent as in the show.. But, this isn't looked down upon in japan...I always thought japan is a conservative place..
ninichen, i guess its bcoz women in Japan (and mostly those that are married) are either housewives or like rich successful women which may mean that the bored-level is quite high...and the fact that their husbands spend most of their time workin (since most japanese men does that) so i guess they go to these clubs to seek...affection? i guess...i myself is neither japanese nor have ever been to the country before...but i've noticed these things from watchin one Japanese dramas after another...
i was shocked myself when i found out that there are such things as male hosts, and even researched on it on the net
but its really interesting i think...becoz i know that Japan is well-known for its girls, but male hosts??! where did that come from?? anyone know when this male-host thing started and whether they have it in other countries as well??[/b]@ flcia, toyotaku , ninichen
Think toyotaku is very right abt the ignorance is bliss bit. My initial problem with the casting was cos Ryosuke is supposed to be 23. Somehow i just don't feel that the Ryosuke we're looking at in the drama is 23. Secondly it's just that i've seen the guy for 11yrs now (no doubt only actually completing only one full drama, discarding the others afte 5/6 epis). The way he's carrying himself in Yaoh, the way he runs, pulls his face is getting to me cos to me, it's rather similar to how he has protrayed other characters in his previous dramas. For want of a better example right now, it's like Kimura Takuya.. i mean that guy does brings out the characters he protrays but all his little mannerisms is entirely the same almost every other drama.
Having said that, i think i'm just nitpicking. Since folks who are not that familar with him is able to appreciate the character on its own, i guess that's good enough.
@toyotaku
Let me go watch Epi 6 and when i'm done i'll put a spoiler on this thread.
@ninichen, I'll be the very first one to line up and say Yaoh is not the greatest drama of all. It's just quite fun to watch in a way. Abt ur question on hostclubs, i'm a little tired out by editing epi 5 right now. Will come back later with my personal take on this.
@nalika, Etto, I am a CRAZY yaoi fangirl. This means that reading too much into things is what i commonly do for the sake of my own fun and pleasure. By no means should i be taken seriously Please don't agonise yourself abt Shu and Ryosuke alleged r/s cos there's probably none except in the demented world that yaoi fangirls have made up
Think toyotaku is very right abt the ignorance is bliss bit. My initial problem with the casting was cos Ryosuke is supposed to be 23. Somehow i just don't feel that the Ryosuke we're looking at in the drama is 23. Secondly it's just that i've seen the guy for 11yrs now (no doubt only actually completing only one full drama, discarding the others afte 5/6 epis). The way he's carrying himself in Yaoh, the way he runs, pulls his face is getting to me cos to me, it's rather similar to how he has protrayed other characters in his previous dramas. For want of a better example right now, it's like Kimura Takuya.. i mean that guy does brings out the characters he protrays but all his little mannerisms is entirely the same almost every other drama.
Having said that, i think i'm just nitpicking. Since folks who are not that familar with him is able to appreciate the character on its own, i guess that's good enough.
@toyotaku
Let me go watch Epi 6 and when i'm done i'll put a spoiler on this thread.
@ninichen, I'll be the very first one to line up and say Yaoh is not the greatest drama of all. It's just quite fun to watch in a way. Abt ur question on hostclubs, i'm a little tired out by editing epi 5 right now. Will come back later with my personal take on this.
@nalika, Etto, I am a CRAZY yaoi fangirl. This means that reading too much into things is what i commonly do for the sake of my own fun and pleasure. By no means should i be taken seriously
Please don't agonise yourself abt Shu and Ryosuke alleged r/s cos there's probably none except in the demented world that yaoi fangirls have made up Ryosuke is suppose to be 23?? no way...maybe 28, and that's pushing it..I feel like he's in his 30's...the hair and mannerisms...
bluabc--> i can definitely understand how the guy who plays ryosuke is not appealing...ur reference to Kimura Takuya explains it all. i can't bother to watch him anymore cuz of that exact reason. half the time i feel like he's playing himself. LOL
bluabc--> i can definitely understand how the guy who plays ryosuke is not appealing...ur reference to Kimura Takuya explains it all. i can't bother to watch him anymore cuz of that exact reason. half the time i feel like he's playing himself. LOL
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Toritorisan
- Posts: 84
- Joined: Jul 23rd, '05, 05:41
I actually started liking him in Shin Ai no Arashi (I think that aired before Good Luck and Koibumi). Any fans of his should really check this one out, cuz it'll totally make you fall in luv with him. Since then, I've been kinda following his career and I'm glad he's getting bigger roles now cuz I think he is an underrated actor.bluabc wrote: @ Toritorisan - I guess Kaname Jun is maturing into a good looking young man. I don’t recall him being that great looking in his earlier roles like Good Luck!, Koibumi etc.
As for Mabo, I think he's doing a pretty good job in this role. I actually think this is one of the more unique dramas of the season. The only thing is I don't care for his hairstyle. I'm not used to him having long hair I guess. I think my favorite role he was in was Heaven Cannot Wait (the first series). I thought he was really good in that one!
I'm glad he is still acting. I really like the Tokio guys in general. (They were one of the first Jpop bands I ever listened to cuz I thought they were cute!
And that was way back in 1996!)-
XBattousaiX
- Posts: 13
- Joined: Dec 1st, '05, 02:06
Not having seen Mabo play anything before, ever, and not having read any of the manga, I like how he plays Ryosuke. He did do this... some variety show, promoting Yaoh, along with Kaname and whatsisnameSeiya (and Tackey, I don't know why). Either they were in character, or they're all... playing themselves. Same mannerisms and everything.
I can believe that the character is 23, mostly because I have seen the age-warping that Asians do. (No, seriously, I have a coworker who's in her early 20's and looks like she's in high school, for example. Asians... reach a certain apparent age and then stay there or something. Until they spontaneously morph into small ,wrinkled, cute old men/women.) I can see how the mannerisms thing would tend to make one twitchy, though. (Good example, with KimuTaku. I think I watched two or three things with him, and then I started avoiding everything but SmaSma.)
Any of you who have the chance to wander around Kabuki-cho past, oh, 11pm or so, DO IT. It's funny. If you're white, African men (not African-American, African) will try to induce you to go to hiphop clubs, and the Japanese hosts usually leave you alone entirely. Although occasionally one or two of them might try to speak English to you. Which is cute. [/i]
I can believe that the character is 23, mostly because I have seen the age-warping that Asians do. (No, seriously, I have a coworker who's in her early 20's and looks like she's in high school, for example. Asians... reach a certain apparent age and then stay there or something. Until they spontaneously morph into small ,wrinkled, cute old men/women.) I can see how the mannerisms thing would tend to make one twitchy, though. (Good example, with KimuTaku. I think I watched two or three things with him, and then I started avoiding everything but SmaSma.)
Any of you who have the chance to wander around Kabuki-cho past, oh, 11pm or so, DO IT. It's funny. If you're white, African men (not African-American, African) will try to induce you to go to hiphop clubs, and the Japanese hosts usually leave you alone entirely. Although occasionally one or two of them might try to speak English to you. Which is cute. [/i]
hahaha...i'm actually surprised when u said ryosuke is supposed to be 23...isnt that a lil bit toooo young for a host?? ok...mayb not in japan i guess...but mabo does kinof look older than that but in a way as i view it thats better...if he's too young looking, it'll juz make the whole host-world ridiculous toy-boy like business...
i guess if i watch another mabo series i might agree with u guyz on his typical acting, but in this series i have to say hez doin fine...he's nice-looking but not until people can go like "how can a good-lookin person like him didnt become no 1 host straight away??" kind of thing...so he fits the role...
i guess i have to agree that yaoh may not make a historic mark (so to say) in the whole jdrama scene, but what i love bout this drama is that it touches on a different aspects than normal drama and it shows more about the japanese way of living
i guess if i watch another mabo series i might agree with u guyz on his typical acting, but in this series i have to say hez doin fine...he's nice-looking but not until people can go like "how can a good-lookin person like him didnt become no 1 host straight away??" kind of thing...so he fits the role...
i guess i have to agree that yaoh may not make a historic mark (so to say) in the whole jdrama scene, but what i love bout this drama is that it touches on a different aspects than normal drama and it shows more about the japanese way of living
...Or maybe it could be that he's growing on me and all i seeing now is his very handsome face...hehe...
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estrellaPagi
- Posts: 27
- Joined: Aug 27th, '05, 01:01
No...I highly doubt he'll go down the road of Seiya's ways. If he does, it will be quick blurb and then he will realize the benefit of his ways.
Was was up Seiya at the end of episode 5 in the car as his former benefactor was leaving the scene? Was he feeling a little remorseful?.........
That one girl (i forget her name n the drama... ) - the one interviewed Remi-san - I think she'll definitley hook up with Ryouske at the end or at least come to really appreciate him.... 
Anyone else think so?
Was was up Seiya at the end of episode 5 in the car as his former benefactor was leaving the scene? Was he feeling a little remorseful?.........
That one girl (i forget her name n the drama...
) - the one interviewed Remi-san - I think she'll definitley hook up with Ryouske at the end or at least come to really appreciate him.... Anyone else think so?
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ironicwave
- Global Moderator
- Posts: 727
- Joined: Mar 22nd, '04, 13:51
- Location: Germany
ok, i haven't seen episode 5 with subs yet, but i liked 4 a lot for obvious shu-related heart palpitations... i like the quiet broody kind of characters with painful pasts...
i don't really get the shu having the hots for ryosuke vibe and not having read the manga i'm not entirely sure of their past together, i do feel that he's devoted to him for some reason and i doubt he'll turn his back on him...
this may be totally wrong, but it's a feeling i get... shu having skipped out on his brotherly duties with his sister, does it seem like he sticks with ryosuke as a form of looking out for him? ryosuke, supposedly 23 (umm, ok), has this naive and passionate nature, it just feels to me as though shu wants to protect him...
concerning mabo's portrayal of ryosuke i'm also starting with a clean slate, so he comes across as believable to me, well, except for that age 23 bit, that's just stretching things beyond belief...
i know what you guys are referring to when mentioning kimura's acting style, if mabo is the same though, it wouldn't bother me... somehow i usually manage to take the character at face value, someone has to be a really sucky actor for me to not be able to just dip into the story completely... like extremely stiff or way over the top... and i don't think mabo's that terrible at all...
coming back to seiya i agree that he seems to want to win fair and square, i don't think his pride would allow him any other means...
and that scene estrellaPagi mentions raised an eyebrow for me too, his development will be interesting to follow, even though his looks will continue to make it difficult to do so...
the seiya faction... even though taiga may be effectively dangerous, he just comes across to me as a little punk, the kind that always comes in second best no matter what he does... i don't think i could dredge up respect for him if my life depended on it...
no. 2 is kind of a slimy creature, he's not too bad looking and he banks on it, just the kind of guy i love to despise in real life as well...
the guy i think is scary is no.4, he looks like he has no scruples whatsoever and the way he plays around with that knife of his... little psycho...
@estrellaPagi: just the fact that she was portrayed as hating hosts in the beginning is a dead giveaway she'll change her mind in the long run... she's also perfectly set up as ryosuke's eventual love interest, i guess some story devices just never change... whether they actually develop that part remains to be seen, but it wouldn't surprise me...
@bluabc: you're right bluabc, the story does have its underlying continuous thread and i'm enjoying it immensely... i'll go rewatch episode 5 with subs now and thanks again bluabc for making this happen...
EDIT: ryosuke's hair totally improved in episode 5, slicked back is much better than the flyaway mess he had before...
seiya did look remorseful when his benefactor left... he also looked pissed at ryosuke though... maybe secretly he wishes he hadn't cut her off the way he did and envies ryosuke's ability to comfort her in the end... that last look sure looked like determination to me, if this situation increased his resentment of ryosuke, better watch out...
i like the quiet broody kind of characters with painful pasts... i don't really get the shu having the hots for ryosuke vibe and not having read the manga i'm not entirely sure of their past together, i do feel that he's devoted to him for some reason and i doubt he'll turn his back on him...
this may be totally wrong, but it's a feeling i get... shu having skipped out on his brotherly duties with his sister, does it seem like he sticks with ryosuke as a form of looking out for him? ryosuke, supposedly 23 (umm, ok), has this naive and passionate nature, it just feels to me as though shu wants to protect him...
concerning mabo's portrayal of ryosuke i'm also starting with a clean slate, so he comes across as believable to me, well, except for that age 23 bit, that's just stretching things beyond belief...
i know what you guys are referring to when mentioning kimura's acting style, if mabo is the same though, it wouldn't bother me... somehow i usually manage to take the character at face value, someone has to be a really sucky actor for me to not be able to just dip into the story completely... like extremely stiff or way over the top... and i don't think mabo's that terrible at all...
coming back to seiya i agree that he seems to want to win fair and square, i don't think his pride would allow him any other means...
and that scene estrellaPagi mentions raised an eyebrow for me too, his development will be interesting to follow, even though his looks will continue to make it difficult to do so...
the seiya faction... even though taiga may be effectively dangerous, he just comes across to me as a little punk, the kind that always comes in second best no matter what he does... i don't think i could dredge up respect for him if my life depended on it...
no. 2 is kind of a slimy creature, he's not too bad looking and he banks on it, just the kind of guy i love to despise in real life as well...
the guy i think is scary is no.4, he looks like he has no scruples whatsoever and the way he plays around with that knife of his... little psycho...
@estrellaPagi: just the fact that she was portrayed as hating hosts in the beginning is a dead giveaway she'll change her mind in the long run... she's also perfectly set up as ryosuke's eventual love interest, i guess some story devices just never change... whether they actually develop that part remains to be seen, but it wouldn't surprise me...
@bluabc: you're right bluabc, the story does have its underlying continuous thread and i'm enjoying it immensely... i'll go rewatch episode 5 with subs now and thanks again bluabc for making this happen...
EDIT:
ryosuke's hair totally improved in episode 5, slicked back is much better than the flyaway mess he had before... seiya did look remorseful when his benefactor left... he also looked pissed at ryosuke though... maybe secretly he wishes he hadn't cut her off the way he did and envies ryosuke's ability to comfort her in the end... that last look sure looked like determination to me, if this situation increased his resentment of ryosuke, better watch out...
Last edited by ironicwave on Feb 24th, '06, 23:35, edited 1 time in total.
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xiaoshenlong
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jaycee05
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Just finished episode 5...
I didn't notice the difference between Ryosuke's hair in the earlier eps and ep05. I'm not a big fan of guys with greasy black hair, but with Seiya showing his colors made me like Ryosuke a bit more than before.
Seiya's white environmental unfriendly coat is just plain ugly. Not to mention the Lion print jacket, oh wait...Lion King doesn't have prints on himself...I meant Tiger prints, Zebra...pick what u like. It is...ugh...
The purpose of this episode...hmm...well, there's the confession, Remi's legacy and a peek into Seiya's past. This ep is probably the turning point and hopefully Ryosuke would hurry up and become No. 1 already! I am getting more impatient than Remi-san eh.
I just saw the previews for ep06 and learned that the beautiful Sada Mayumi would be in it...I thought we'll get another oba-san.
<off to search for Travelling Man perf>
I didn't notice the difference between Ryosuke's hair in the earlier eps and ep05. I'm not a big fan of guys with greasy black hair, but with Seiya showing his colors made me like Ryosuke a bit more than before.
Seiya's white environmental unfriendly coat is just plain ugly. Not to mention the Lion print jacket, oh wait...Lion King doesn't have prints on himself...I meant Tiger prints, Zebra...pick what u like. It is...ugh...
The purpose of this episode...hmm...well, there's the confession, Remi's legacy and a peek into Seiya's past. This ep is probably the turning point and hopefully Ryosuke would hurry up and become No. 1 already! I am getting more impatient than Remi-san eh.
I just saw the previews for ep06 and learned that the beautiful Sada Mayumi would be in it...I thought we'll get another oba-san.
<off to search for Travelling Man perf>
@bluabc: ahh thanks for your insight haha it does make sense that he wants to win fairly to show that he really is the number 1 host
@Nalanzu: i probably sound like a kid but is it safe to wander on Kabuki-cho past 11? haha the idea of hosts floating around the streets looking for clients makes me kind of nervous. id rather go with a friend but i dont think any of my friends would be willing to do it with me haha
this is my first mabo drama, and at first, i thought that the character of "ryosuke" was kind of stiff. i guess it was just the lack of facial expressions and i couldnt really buy into his passion for being a "different kind" of host. i could see it..but i guess i couldnt feel his passion. but in episode 5, i totally bought it haha for some reason, i thought he blended really well with everything in episode 5.
like jaycee, i didnt really notice the hair change. but in the earlier episodes, i was thinking "i wish hed cut his hair!" but never throughout ep 5 did i think/complain about his hair once but ep 5 is my favorite episode so far. a lot of stuff happened and i got to see more of seiya's character so i could at least try to understand what kind of character he is. i hope the episodes following 5 will be really exciting!
there are a lot of people from hana yori dango..haha i guess a lot of people in hyd were new, and after its success, the actors/actresses are getting more offers? maybe they should get matsumoto jun..he looks like a fitting host hahaha and i love the translator notes in each episode!!! lol they crack me up! i would really like to see nagase and joshima as guests in this drama. nagase could be like an up and coming host in the same area and joshima can be like the number 1 host from osaka or something haha
@Nalanzu: i probably sound like a kid but is it safe to wander on Kabuki-cho past 11? haha the idea of hosts floating around the streets looking for clients makes me kind of nervous. id rather go with a friend but i dont think any of my friends would be willing to do it with me haha
this is my first mabo drama, and at first, i thought that the character of "ryosuke" was kind of stiff. i guess it was just the lack of facial expressions and i couldnt really buy into his passion for being a "different kind" of host. i could see it..but i guess i couldnt feel his passion. but in episode 5, i totally bought it haha for some reason, i thought he blended really well with everything in episode 5.
like jaycee, i didnt really notice the hair change. but in the earlier episodes, i was thinking "i wish hed cut his hair!" but never throughout ep 5 did i think/complain about his hair once
but ep 5 is my favorite episode so far. a lot of stuff happened and i got to see more of seiya's character so i could at least try to understand what kind of character he is. i hope the episodes following 5 will be really exciting! there are a lot of people from hana yori dango..haha i guess a lot of people in hyd were new, and after its success, the actors/actresses are getting more offers? maybe they should get matsumoto jun..he looks like a fitting host hahaha and i love the translator notes in each episode!!! lol they crack me up! i would really like to see nagase and joshima as guests in this drama. nagase could be like an up and coming host in the same area and joshima can be like the number 1 host from osaka or something haha
I like these series because, even tought it comes from a manga, gives a real feeeling of Tokyo nightlife and realeationship. First time I've been in a kiabakura I couldn't understand that world, but from my experience Yaoh (even tought kiabakura are different from hostoclub) gives many real tips about akanemochi nihonjin living in Tokyo...
The idea of developing human (sorry for my "engrish") is REAL almost among Tokyo rich people. I saw this concept applied many times in real Tokyo life.
The idea of developing human (sorry for my "engrish") is REAL almost among Tokyo rich people. I saw this concept applied many times in real Tokyo life.
Re: relative safety of Kabuki-cho - it's safer than most major metropolitan areas of the world. This isn't to say that it's perfectly safe, but if you go in a group of at least two or three, it would probably be okay. The hosts won't usually touch you if they're trying to solicit you, but they may follow you. (And if you look foreign, usually they leave you alone entirely. Except for those black African men who attempt to induce you into hiphop clubs, but that's another story entirely.) I'm usually more worried about the other people wandering around than about the hosts, honestly. ^^;
I started watching Yaoh because I've heard a lot about hostess clubs but never much about host clubs and I was curious. Also, I was hoping the drama would have a lot of cute guys, but have been disappointed on that front. Even Shu doesn't do it for me. I like the character of Ryosuke but I agree that his hair is awful. I remember at one episode though, they did a flash back and he had bangs. He was so much cuter then! I was screaming, "Cut your hair!" at the TV. Ooh, I look forward to pony tail Ryosuke in episode 7.
But yeah, it is interesting how they are portraying the host industry. I'm visiting a friend in Tokyo in March, and this makes me think hmm, should I try it? ...nah, I'm too chicken (and poor
discussing the end of episode 5:
But yeah, it is interesting how they are portraying the host industry. I'm visiting a friend in Tokyo in March, and this makes me think hmm, should I try it? ...nah, I'm too chicken (and poor
discussing the end of episode 5:
Truthfully, I really didn't like this drama when I saw the first two episodes. The subject matter was interesting: a male who wanted to be the Number one host in Kabuki-cho. (is that correct?) Anyway, it was a twist on the regular female host clubs that had been showing in dramas for awhile. But I didn't like the main character, in fact, I thought he was downright ugly with his crooked nose and greasy hair. Couldn't they have done something else with his hair? The only one that I found appealing was Jun's character. Other than that, the main reason why I didn't like this drama was because it showed how easily women fall prey to these types of males who know how to "work" it. Do all women want are a lot of roses and a "sincere" apology? Well, that's part of what we want .. but there's much more.
But then . . this drama started to grow on me. Ryosuke, naive and not so good looking, finally started to become just a bit better looking to me because of his sincere personality and his desire to make women happy. I mean .. what women wouldn't be happy if a man could come to her at anytime she was upset and all that she would have to pay is for his train fare? Lol. I loved that part, it was just incredibly sweet.
The dynamics between the factions also became much more appealing - Seiya's starting to rear his ugly head and I loved the little bit with his benefactor in Episode 5. What a cold-hearted bastard, he reminded me of a yeti with that humongous white fur coat. What were the costume designers thinking of putting him in such a horrid outfit?
Anyway, the main reason I'm typing this is because I would love it if you would continue subbing this drama. It's starting to get more and more interesting with Remi's upcoming death and where Ryosuke will progress and how he will take down those 4 head honchos (one is just plain ugly and old). And it would be great if Seiya's benefactor could come back with money up to her neck again and help Ryosuke, but by then as Ryosuke said he would already be No.1. ^_^
But then . . this drama started to grow on me. Ryosuke, naive and not so good looking, finally started to become just a bit better looking to me because of his sincere personality and his desire to make women happy. I mean .. what women wouldn't be happy if a man could come to her at anytime she was upset and all that she would have to pay is for his train fare? Lol. I loved that part, it was just incredibly sweet.
The dynamics between the factions also became much more appealing - Seiya's starting to rear his ugly head and I loved the little bit with his benefactor in Episode 5. What a cold-hearted bastard, he reminded me of a yeti with that humongous white fur coat. What were the costume designers thinking of putting him in such a horrid outfit?
Anyway, the main reason I'm typing this is because I would love it if you would continue subbing this drama. It's starting to get more and more interesting with Remi's upcoming death and where Ryosuke will progress and how he will take down those 4 head honchos (one is just plain ugly and old). And it would be great if Seiya's benefactor could come back with money up to her neck again and help Ryosuke, but by then as Ryosuke said he would already be No.1. ^_^
i juz finished episode 5...
i also dont see big difference with ryosuke's hair...but i noticed that its much neater, i guess he puts a lot more gel at the side (after i actually checked from the previous epi hahaha)...
oh while we're i the subject of ryosuke's hair...i find it funny that in one epi (epi4 i think) he woke up from bed and his hair is like perfectly gelled n everythin and i couldnt stop thinkin "mann at lest they should hav messed up his hair a little and show that he actually JUST woke up..."
hahaha...i love the part when they r eatin the chocoz in the bar in this episode...especially shu eatin it with the chopsticks kyaaa...hahahah...by the way does anyone know what kinshiro juice is here?
i have to say that seiya looks rather charming with his all-white outfit and the big bouquet of flowers walkin on the road...now i guess i understood the whole that no 1 host charm thing goin on...but his face is definitely TOO old...his face really shows his real age (which, i'm guessing, is around 30?? anyone?)
okay...wat i dont undeerstand up until now is that...why is ryosuke wants to be such a "noble host" so much? like what makes he want to make all women i the world happy? the first thing that crossed my mind was that becoz remi-san told him to...cuz i really dont see how a man can be that selfless...
well its no doubt that most hosts take up the profession to get so-called easy money
i'm wanderin whether ryosuke faction will get bigger in size...seeing how seiya's faction has about god-knows how many members and ryosuke's faction only has........4 people??
i completely LOVEEE the ending of this epi...its like showin ryosuke's determinaton and power...
at last i think e finally show how he can beat seiya off...here at least he look like he's on the same level as seiya when b4 he's like the amateur new kid on the block...and when they zoomed in on his face n u can see tears on his eyes...nice goin...i'm startin 2 love this drama more...
i also dont see big difference with ryosuke's hair...but i noticed that its much neater, i guess he puts a lot more gel at the side (after i actually checked from the previous epi hahaha)...
oh while we're i the subject of ryosuke's hair...i find it funny that in one epi (epi4 i think) he woke up from bed and his hair is like perfectly gelled n everythin and i couldnt stop thinkin "mann at lest they should hav messed up his hair a little and show that he actually JUST woke up..."
hahaha...i love the part when they r eatin the chocoz in the bar in this episode...especially shu eatin it with the chopsticks kyaaa...hahahah...by the way does anyone know what kinshiro juice is here?
i have to say that seiya looks rather charming with his all-white outfit and the big bouquet of flowers walkin on the road...now i guess i understood the whole that no 1 host charm thing goin on...but his face is definitely TOO old...his face really shows his real age (which, i'm guessing, is around 30?? anyone?)
okay...wat i dont undeerstand up until now is that...why is ryosuke wants to be such a "noble host" so much? like what makes he want to make all women i the world happy? the first thing that crossed my mind was that becoz remi-san told him to...cuz i really dont see how a man can be that selfless...
well its no doubt that most hosts take up the profession to get so-called easy money
i'm wanderin whether ryosuke faction will get bigger in size...seeing how seiya's faction has about god-knows how many members and ryosuke's faction only has........4 people??
i completely LOVEEE the ending of this epi...its like showin ryosuke's determinaton and power...
at last i think e finally show how he can beat seiya off...here at least he look like he's on the same level as seiya when b4 he's like the amateur new kid on the block...and when they zoomed in on his face n u can see tears on his eyes...nice goin...i'm startin 2 love this drama more...
just got done with ep4. hmm.. it got me wondering what if Shu is gonna be #2 in the the faction.. and if he's goin to have more of an impact in this drama. doubt it though. cant wait to watch #5. wondewring what'll happen reimi-chan! what does she have anyway.. i dont believe they ever said it. looks like lungs or something according to the x-ray. Cant wait to see what unfolds when he gets closer to the top and the 4 heavenly kings feel threatened by him.. should be interesting!!!!!! cant wait!!!!
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