[Discussion] Last Friends - Nagasawa Masami/Ueno Juri/Eita

**Mejoka** · Post by **Mejoka** » Jul 26th, '08, 03:44

well I guess then her hair dresser is brilliant cuz her hair is AWWWSOME

anywaaaaay, Ueno Juri is always beautifull

now seriously guys does anyone know where can I find a subbed version of their interview???

bmwracer · Post by **bmwracer** » Jul 26th, '08, 04:03

**Mejoka** wrote:now seriously guys does anyone know where can I find a subbed version of their interview???

Don't hold your breath... That kind of stuff typically never gets subbed.

Just enjoy the view.

hanapyupyu · Post by **hanapyupyu** » Jul 26th, '08, 04:56

bmwracer wrote:Here's some recent pics of Juri-chan (thanks to meoinkie2 at J-D) with (semi) short hair that I can really love:

Whoa, her new hairstyle is gorgeous! I love Juri's shy smile. Such lovely eyes.

The tousled and wavy hair (ala the Meg Ryan cut, lol) suits Juri very much....it's sassy, sexy and sophisticated yet retains a hint of boyishness.

**Mejoka** · Post by **Mejoka** » Jul 26th, '08, 06:08

can someone explain to me what's the SP about?? there is no info about it on the web...

bmwracer · Post by **bmwracer** » Jul 26th, '08, 06:29

hanapyupyu wrote:The tousled and wavy hair (ala the Meg Ryan cut, lol) suits Juri very much....it's sassy, sexy and sophisticated yet retains a hint of boyishness.

I can see the Meg Ryan analogy, but "boyishness?"

Nah.

hanapyupyu · Post by **hanapyupyu** » Jul 26th, '08, 06:58

**Mejoka** wrote:can someone explain to me what's the SP about?? there is no info about it on the web...

The SP (Special Episode) only had about 9 minutes of new stuff. A brief epilogue giving us a glimpse of how the sharehouse members are doing one year later....

You can download the edited SP from the torrent here at D-addicts.

bmwracer wrote:
hanapyupyu wrote:The tousled and wavy hair (ala the Meg Ryan cut, lol) suits Juri very much....it's sassy, sexy and sophisticated yet retains a hint of boyishness.
I can see the Meg Ryan analogy, but "boyishness?"

Nah.

Well I dunno about you, but I still see some residual "Rukaness" in her.

**Mejoka** · Post by **Mejoka** » Jul 26th, '08, 07:47

arigatooo hanapyupyu

I know about SPs but I was lost when they said that it's only 10 min

bmwracer · Post by **bmwracer** » Jul 26th, '08, 13:56

hanapyupyu wrote:
bmwracer wrote:
hanapyupyu wrote:The tousled and wavy hair (ala the Meg Ryan cut, lol) suits Juri very much....it's sassy, sexy and sophisticated yet retains a hint of boyishness.
I can see the Meg Ryan analogy, but "boyishness?"

Nah.
Well I dunno about you, but I still see some residual "Rukaness" in her.

That's only because this is the Last Friends thread.

^Yuuki · Post by **^Yuuki** » Jul 26th, '08, 15:53

hanapyupyu wrote:
bmwracer wrote:
hanapyupyu wrote:The tousled and wavy hair (ala the Meg Ryan cut, lol) suits Juri very much....it's sassy, sexy and sophisticated yet retains a hint of boyishness.
I can see the Meg Ryan analogy, but "boyishness?"

Nah.
Well I dunno about you, but I still see some residual "Rukaness" in her.

All out for the hair.

But I think the clothing just adds to the hotness~ I can totally see the tag "Ruka-5 years later" or something under those pics. It's not boyishness anymore. More like manliness...lol.

*escapes from being run over by a bmw*

Anyway, we're getting OOT...for more vids, pics and discussion about Juri, please head to the thread here.

awrittensin · Post by **awrittensin** » Jul 27th, '08, 23:20

I know I'm a little late to the party here, but I finally got around to watching Last Friends, so here's my (kind of lengthy) review. It's pretty opinionated and I know some of them aren't the most popular opinions (after reading some other posts on the forum) so I just wanted to throw my two cents in.

There are spoilers which I did not tag since it's been over for over a month now, so if you haven't watched the whole thing, don't keep reading.

I think this drama had great potential but the writer dropped the ball. (Where have I heard that before?) It was an interesting, complex story that kept you wanting to find out what happened. The feelings Ruka had toward Michiru were believable and made you want to root for something to come of them. However, I think it was a mistake for the writer to make her have so-called "Gender Identity Disorder" than to just make her a lesbian. I think they did this for shock value, complete with the hinting of her having a sex change, but never had the balls to follow up with it and in the end that part of the story was just completely abandoned and never resolved. But I think she was an extremely interesting character - they made her seem tough without cold and emotional without being too weak. I especially appreciated that her parents were (somewhat begrudgingly) supportive of her lifestyle.

As for Michiru, what a freaking mess. I feel sorry for Nagasawa Masami for having to play such a one-dimensional, weak character. Michiru was nothing but weak. She could not stand up for herself. She didn't not WANT to stand up for herself. The only reason she got out of the abusive relationship with Sousuke is because her friends dragged her, practically kicking and screaming, out of it. And even then she just did what her friends told her to. She had no brain. No will. She was just a piece of pathetic clay for everyone around her to mold as they pleased. I never really got the feeling that Michiru ACTUALLY felt that what Sousuke did to her was wrong. And we're not talking about a few shoves or a slap here. We're talking throwing her down on the ground and KICKING HER STOMACH REPEATEDLY abuse. WTF?? Michiru acted like she was 12 the whole drama. She had very little growth as a character. She reacted to Ruka's feelings in the same way - by running away. She was so damned stupid she fell for Sousuke's **** every single time, and even after he raped her she was like "Oh, if you promise not to hurt my friends I'll stay here with you." Riiight. What a weak, worthless waste of space.

Now for Takeru. I think they dropped the ball on his character, too. The WHOLE drama they kept hinting about his sister molesting him, but they NEVER had the balls to appropriately address the issue. Why even bring it up if they couldn't talk about it frankly? They made such an issue about it the whole time you kept waiting for the moment when he'd trust his friends enough to confide in them, but it never happened. In the end, the only one he even KIND OF told was Ruka, and even then it turned into some totally lame, vague story about his sister wanting him on her side. That could mean anything. I think they wanted to drop those hints to create controversy and buzz for the show, which is a shame because they really could have addressed something serious and dealt with it in a powerful way but instead they just made it seem like he was too ashamed to be able to open up to anyone fully about it.

Eri's character was a total waste of space. Nothing happened. She contributed nothing. And she was extremely annoying. Next.

I hated Sousuke's character. The reason I hated Sousuke's character is because they tried to give him this pitiful background as an excuse for why he behaved the way he did. Well, I hate to tell the writer, but many people grew up without parents or grew up in a lot shittier circumstances than he did and don't grow up to repeatedly abuse their girlfriends with no remorse. It was a complete cop-out at making his character "complex" or some ridiculous crap, which was completely ineffective for me. You do not have to be a product of your environment. This goes for Michiru, too. She grew up to repeat the mistakes of her mother because she was weak and had no will. The same for Sousuke. He was weak and that's why he did what he did. He was someone who did not deserve to be alive, and while I'm glad he died, I think the way they did it was an utter cop-out. I refuse to believe that after all the horrific beatings he gave Michiru that a few damn pictures of her eating shish-kebabs made him release he'd done wrong. I don't think he would have ever had the courage to kill himself. I think he was a psychopath who would never ever kill himself because doing that would mean setting Michiru free, and I don't think he ever intended to set her free. But the writer wrote herself into a corner by making him so irredeemable and by never getting the police involved. I think the proper ending for his character should have been sitting in a jail somewhere for the rest of his life in a room with no windows so he couldn't stalk his precious Michiru anymore. But the ridiculously over the top suicide with him slitting his wrists with some wedding dress draped over him (that we had never seen previously) soaked in blood was just too much. Total overkill. Pardon the pun.

The writer purposefully tried to "drop" things that would keep the viewers completely guessing. From the first episode, it almost sounds like Ruka was the one who died. Along with the molestation of Takeru, etc. But the thing I had the biggest problem with was the COMPLETELY unnecessary comment Michiru's doctor made about the high blood pressure. It was absolutely pointless and contrived to make you think something would go wrong with the baby, when obviously that did not happen.

And don't even get me started on the overly cheesy Rumi.

In the end, I think the drama had potential but it was the writer's fault that it didn't turn out to be great. I wouldn't waste my time watching it again. I got more frustrated than entertained.

fayenatic · Post by **fayenatic** » Jul 28th, '08, 00:57

awrittensin wrote: And don't even get me started on the overly cheesy Rumi.

haha I have to agree with you vehemently on this one. I think I threw up a lil in my mouth when I heard the corny ass meaning behind the name. -___-

fayenatic · Post by **fayenatic** » Jul 28th, '08, 01:00

bmwracer wrote:
asian_grl wrote:I've always been spiteful toward all the roles Ryo have played, but he really won me over in Last Friends. His expression changes were great, and the conflict inside him was almost tangible.
Does cardboard have any expressions?

I don't get it. How come you're always a dick to Ryo? My turn to scratch my head.

bmwracer · Post by **bmwracer** » Jul 28th, '08, 01:09

awrittensin wrote:I know I'm a little late to the party here, but I finally got around to watching Last Friends, so here's my (kind of lengthy) review. It's pretty opinionated and I know some of them aren't the most popular opinions (after reading some other posts on the forum) so I just wanted to throw my two cents in.

There are spoilers which I did not tag since it's been over for over a month now, so if you haven't watched the whole thing, don't keep reading.

I think this drama had great potential but the writer dropped the ball. (Where have I heard that before?) It was an interesting, complex story that kept you wanting to find out what happened. The feelings Ruka had toward Michiru were believable and made you want to root for something to come of them. However, I think it was a mistake for the writer to make her have so-called "Gender Identity Disorder" than to just make her a lesbian. I think they did this for shock value, complete with the hinting of her having a sex change, but never had the balls to follow up with it and in the end that part of the story was just completely abandoned and never resolved. But I think she was an extremely interesting character - they made her seem tough without cold and emotional without being too weak. I especially appreciated that her parents were (somewhat begrudgingly) supportive of her lifestyle.

As for Michiru, what a freaking mess. I feel sorry for Nagasawa Masami for having to play such a one-dimensional, weak character. Michiru was nothing but weak. She could not stand up for herself. She didn't not WANT to stand up for herself. The only reason she got out of the abusive relationship with Sousuke is because her friends dragged her, practically kicking and screaming, out of it. And even then she just did what her friends told her to. She had no brain. No will. She was just a piece of pathetic clay for everyone around her to mold as they pleased. I never really got the feeling that Michiru ACTUALLY felt that what Sousuke did to her was wrong. And we're not talking about a few shoves or a slap here. We're talking throwing her down on the ground and KICKING HER STOMACH REPEATEDLY abuse. WTF?? Michiru acted like she was 12 the whole drama. She had very little growth as a character. She reacted to Ruka's feelings in the same way - by running away. She was so damned stupid she fell for Sousuke's **** every single time, and even after he raped her she was like "Oh, if you promise not to hurt my friends I'll stay here with you." Riiight. What a weak, worthless waste of space.

Now for Takeru. I think they dropped the ball on his character, too. The WHOLE drama they kept hinting about his sister molesting him, but they NEVER had the balls to appropriately address the issue. Why even bring it up if they couldn't talk about it frankly? They made such an issue about it the whole time you kept waiting for the moment when he'd trust his friends enough to confide in them, but it never happened. In the end, the only one he even KIND OF told was Ruka, and even then it turned into some totally lame, vague story about his sister wanting him on her side. That could mean anything. I think they wanted to drop those hints to create controversy and buzz for the show, which is a shame because they really could have addressed something serious and dealt with it in a powerful way but instead they just made it seem like he was too ashamed to be able to open up to anyone fully about it.

Eri's character was a total waste of space. Nothing happened. She contributed nothing. And she was extremely annoying. Next.

I hated Sousuke's character. The reason I hated Sousuke's character is because they tried to give him this pitiful background as an excuse for why he behaved the way he did. Well, I hate to tell the writer, but many people grew up without parents or grew up in a lot shittier circumstances than he did and don't grow up to repeatedly abuse their girlfriends with no remorse. It was a complete cop-out at making his character "complex" or some ridiculous crap, which was completely ineffective for me. You do not have to be a product of your environment. This goes for Michiru, too. She grew up to repeat the mistakes of her mother because she was weak and had no will. The same for Sousuke. He was weak and that's why he did what he did. He was someone who did not deserve to be alive, and while I'm glad he died, I think the way they did it was an utter cop-out. I refuse to believe that after all the horrific beatings he gave Michiru that a few damn pictures of her eating shish-kebabs made him release he'd done wrong. I don't think he would have ever had the courage to kill himself. I think he was a psychopath who would never ever kill himself because doing that would mean setting Michiru free, and I don't think he ever intended to set her free. But the writer wrote herself into a corner by making him so irredeemable and by never getting the police involved. I think the proper ending for his character should have been sitting in a jail somewhere for the rest of his life in a room with no windows so he couldn't stalk his precious Michiru anymore. But the ridiculously over the top suicide with him slitting his wrists with some wedding dress draped over him (that we had never seen previously) soaked in blood was just too much. Total overkill. Pardon the pun.

The writer purposefully tried to "drop" things that would keep the viewers completely guessing. From the first episode, it almost sounds like Ruka was the one who died. Along with the molestation of Takeru, etc. But the thing I had the biggest problem with was the COMPLETELY unnecessary comment Michiru's doctor made about the high blood pressure. It was absolutely pointless and contrived to make you think something would go wrong with the baby, when obviously that did not happen.

And don't even get me started on the overly cheesy Rumi.

In the end, I think the drama had potential but it was the writer's fault that it didn't turn out to be great. I wouldn't waste my time watching it again. I got more frustrated than entertained.

Yeah, you're late to the game... But your observations are on the mark.

I'll be hard pressed to ever watch this drama ever again as well... It's not something worth experiencing multiple times.

lichter002 · Post by **lichter002** » Jul 28th, '08, 10:22

I only watched this show for Juri-chan. I think most of the people will agree that she's the only good reason to watch this show.

Kity_Kira · Post by **Kity_Kira** » Jul 28th, '08, 11:09

^ I think you're right. Somehow she just lights up the drama. =]

As for the drama, I was kinda expecting more from it. And I agree that whoever wrote it, didn't do a magnificent job at it.

Joe1991 · Post by **Joe1991** » Jul 28th, '08, 11:52

Yeah it really pissed me off that they didn't actually explain what happened between takeru and his sister, good review awrittensin.

leadfreaky · Post by **leadfreaky** » Jul 28th, '08, 11:58

bmwracer wrote:Does cardboard have any expressions?

cardboard??! WTH...
feel sorry that this theard gets such pitiful comments srsly...

bmwracer · Post by **bmwracer** » Jul 28th, '08, 13:50

lichter002 wrote:I only watched this show for Juri-chan. I think most of the people will agree that she's the only good reason to watch this show.

Yup... But even so, it's not worth a second viewing since it's such a frustrating drama.

lichter002 · Post by **lichter002** » Jul 28th, '08, 14:57

leadfreaky wrote:
bmwracer wrote:Does cardboard have any expressions?
cardboard??! WTH...
feel sorry that this theard gets such pitiful comments srsly...

I feel sorry for people who get so riled up when someone tries to use hyperbole to be amusing. It's just a show. I also pity your spelling.

DeAngel999 · Post by **DeAngel999** » Jul 31st, '08, 04:02

Why does it seems like "Last Friends" rating in this forum is going down hill > <... I was enjoying watching the drama. Though it has many weakness I think the drama did give us something precious afterward. ((am i the only one cherish it..? -__-))

^Yuuki · Post by **^Yuuki** » Jul 31st, '08, 12:48

A lot of dramas just don't make you ponder or want to comment on it. Some don't worth the time or effort. So, I think the fact that there have been a lot of great discussions(er, refer to the middle ranges especially) and opinions(good or bad), suggests that it's worth it. People here normally lurk and don't post unless they feel strongly about something.

Yeah, it's still something special to me. More of what I gained out of the drama than the drama itself. But it's still ranks pretty high on my list just because the awesome parts eclipse the not so awesome parts. That's my opinion anyway.

Moving on to some brighter news, Last Friends was no.1 for the most search drama on Yahoo! Japan(first half of 2008).

http://searchranking.yahoo.co.jp/rankin ... neral.html

DeAngel999 · Post by **DeAngel999** » Jul 31st, '08, 15:15

^Yuuki wrote:A lot of dramas just don't make you ponder or want to comment on it. Some don't worth the time or effort. So, I think the fact that there have been a lot of great discussions(er, refer to the middle ranges especially) and opinions(good or bad), suggests that it's worth it. People here normally lurk and don't post unless they feel strongly about something.

Yeah, it's still something special to me. More of what I gained out of the drama than the drama itself. But it's still ranks pretty high on my list just because the awesome parts eclipse the not so awesome parts. That's my opinion anyway.

Moving on to some brighter news, Last Friends was no.1 for the most search drama on Yahoo! Japan(first half of 2008).
http://searchranking.yahoo.co.jp/rankin ... neral.html

That makes me feel better

. I can't read Japanese (except LF title in Jap.

) but that great news to hear. I have to admit, there were some memorable scene in the series makes it feel like a bitter sweet drama.

kikurazz · Post by **kikurazz** » Aug 3rd, '08, 05:00

overall i think Last Friends is actually not too bad, but definitely not a GREAT one
like the cast, like the OST , but i don't get overly excited by the whole drama

Semaru · Post by **Semaru** » Aug 3rd, '08, 16:13

I agree. It's not a bad drama, but I wouldn't be able to watch it again because the relationships through it are so frustrating and depressing. Which is sad because I love Juri and Eita, so I was really excited to see them in the same series again. I wouldn't say it was a waste of time though. I'm still happy I watched it to the end. I'm just sad that so much remained unchanged. Also, I wonder if you really loved someone so much and wanted them so badly, if you'd really be able to live with them platonically forever. It's sweet if you can, but I think in reality it would continue to be a really painful experience.

the_lilone · Post by **the_lilone** » Aug 3rd, '08, 22:07

awrittensin wrote:I know I'm a little late to the party here, but I finally got around to watching Last Friends, so here's my (kind of lengthy) review......

LOL i originally planned to come here and praise the drama as i thought i didn't love but at least liked the drama a lot... but after reading ur comments i must say agree with parts of it.... btw spoilers ahead

the parts u mentioned about ruka and takeru.... i agree with it so much!!! i hate that they had the guts to bring it up to advertise and attract people to watch the drama but didn't go through with either of the stories.... and like u said.... the gender identity disorder was absolutely redundant if ruka tried to fight so hard so that she would not be discriminated against in the motocross world... as a girl.... then why would she want to be a guy?? it's so contradicting! and takeru.... i really thought his storyline deserved a bit more as they did lay out some of the issues in the first ep and as the drama grew i liked him more and more yet i only got to see part of his internal struggle.... 1. his character deserves more attn 2. it's not like eita wouldn't be able to take on that kind of acting.... i hate that the "DV" and the weakness of stupid michiru got like 80% of the story... no wait.... probably more.... and how ruka's struggle had to be brought out as a result of sousuke pushing her over the edge....

as for what u said about michiru though.... i agree that she is so overly weak many times i wish she had her ass kicked instead of her friends getting hurt... but i have to disagree with the fact that she never really thought what sousuke did to her was wrong.... isn't this the actual issue here?? there IS the existence of DV around because there are so many (sorry for the lack of a better word) stupid women around who would take this kind of crap from their partner and all of this go unreported... they did an interview with people on the streets once and a lot of people say that they know of or have been abused by their partner before.... i think their point was to show that it's so stupid for these people to not report that and not recognize that being abused is not right.... thats why the writers took her out of the situation with the help of her friends.... and they show in the SP another example of DV that stays the same way and goes unreported.... but i do agree that if they did all that to try to get her out of the situation... they should make her at least have SOME character growth and maybe have an epiphany in the end somehow.... i was hoping she could do that by watching her colleague getting hurt and etc. but nope they decided to bring up the fact that her colleague was abused but they somehow had no interaction....

SOUSUKE... they tried oh-so-hard to build this complex character that is SO simple.... there was NO complexity in it whatsoever.... basically his mom abandoned him when he was young... he grew up with a gap in his heart.... and that was why he doesn't know how to love but loves her to death and abuses her as a symbol of love but at the same time works as a counsellor who tries to help with child abuse, etc. total BS his character deserved more work on it and not michiru's.... she's the idiot... we get it..... it's normal... but sousuke was just as simple and nothing special..... and it was so stupid for him to recognize what he did wrong just by looking at a few photos... i'd rather him have to live thru it with michiru by getting some help if they loved each other so much.....

OH and that whole thing with michiru liking takeru..... and the whole thing of them getting into an ACCIDENT which led them to the hospital in the end.... was OMFG so stupid and redundant!

all in all i think the SP was absolutely useless and if they made it to provide closure for us to find out what happened to them well not only did it fail.... i did not feel like i got the closure i wanted for ruka, takeru, and sousuke's character.... BUT it is quite a unique drama i must admit and for that much i'll like them for it.... but they did not reach their full potential and i felt like i want to see more of so many things and less of so many things..... DUH masami won't get no award for the role she had to portray but ueno juri, eita and maybe nishikido (who brought me into loving jap dramas) well done! and this is MY review

bmwracer · Post by **bmwracer** » Aug 4th, '08, 01:34

^ Maybe it doesn't matter at this point, but you should think about using the spoiler tags.

Also, the correct term is "Japanese," not "Jap.." ...A lot of people (like myself) see that abbreviation as derogatory towards Japanese people, so please refrain from using it...

the_lilone · Post by **the_lilone** » Aug 4th, '08, 08:23

bmwracer wrote:^ Maybe it doesn't matter at this point, but you should think about using the spoiler tags.

Also, the correct term is "Japanese," not "Jap.." ...A lot of people (like myself) see that abbreviation as derogatory towards Japanese people, so please refrain from using it...

i added my little "disclaimer" as someone has already posted their lengthy review way before me anyhow....

and i think whether it is derogatory depends on the person saying it... if i didn't mean it that way.... (and trust me i would never.) u can't say i did.... it's simply an abbreviation.

bmwracer · Post by **bmwracer** » Aug 4th, '08, 13:36

the_lilone wrote:
bmwracer wrote:^ Maybe it doesn't matter at this point, but you should think about using the spoiler tags.

Also, the correct term is "Japanese," not "Jap.." ...A lot of people (like myself) see that abbreviation as derogatory towards Japanese people, so please refrain from using it...
i added my little "disclaimer" as someone has already posted their lengthy review way before me anyhow....

and i think whether it is derogatory depends on the person saying it... if i didn't mean it that way.... (and trust me i would never.) u can't say i did.... it's simply an abbreviation.

The fact that someone thinks it's derogatory means that you shouldn't use the term, whether it's intentional or not...

Semaru · Post by **Semaru** » Aug 5th, '08, 00:18

bmwracer wrote:
the_lilone wrote:
bmwracer wrote:^ Maybe it doesn't matter at this point, but you should think about using the spoiler tags.

Also, the correct term is "Japanese," not "Jap.." ...A lot of people (like myself) see that abbreviation as derogatory towards Japanese people, so please refrain from using it...
i added my little "disclaimer" as someone has already posted their lengthy review way before me anyhow....

and i think whether it is derogatory depends on the person saying it... if i didn't mean it that way.... (and trust me i would never.) u can't say i did.... it's simply an abbreviation.
The fact that someone thinks it's derogatory means that you shouldn't use the term, whether it's intentional or not...

Yea, that term is a racial slur that was used against Japanese people during WWII... I'd pick a different abbreviation. Even if you personally don't mean it that way, that's its history... and that's what people will relate it to. Made me do a double take.

sleepyzzz · Post by **sleepyzzz** » Aug 5th, '08, 16:01

Aaah! Things have gotten a little fiery around here!

Anyway, thanks to bmwracer for those updated pics!! Great stuff!

As for what I think of the drama, though I agree with many parts of awrittensin's review (but maybe not to the same degree), I think it is overall a drama worth watching. Despite the holes, there were certainly some doki doki moments - such as those various heart warming park scenes and Juri and Eita's acting. OST was pretty good too.

Last Friends definitely has a special spot in my collection of dramas! Oh well...Basically, I'm still raving about it! haahaha

*please don't hit me*

sarah117 · Post by **sarah117** » Aug 6th, '08, 00:10

sleepyzzz wrote:Last Friends definitely has a special spot in my collection of dramas! Oh well...Basically, I'm still raving about it! haahaha

yes, me too.. eventhough it has some weaknesses, i still think it's a great drama and worth watching..

i can't get the same feeling while watching another drama though..

*still waiting for the Drama Awards*

chymique · Post by **chymique** » Aug 6th, '08, 00:13

sarah117 wrote:i can't get the same feeling while watching another drama though..

yes, i'm pretty much the same..

DeAngel999 · Post by **DeAngel999** » Aug 6th, '08, 01:31

Semaru wrote:
bmwracer wrote:
the_lilone wrote:
i added my little "disclaimer" as someone has already posted their lengthy review way before me anyhow....

and i think whether it is derogatory depends on the person saying it... if i didn't mean it that way.... (and trust me i would never.) u can't say i did.... it's simply an abbreviation.
The fact that someone thinks it's derogatory means that you shouldn't use the term, whether it's intentional or not...
Yea, that term is a racial slur that was used against Japanese people during WWII... I'd pick a different abbreviation. Even if you personally don't mean it that way, that's its history... and that's what people will relate it to. Made me do a double take.

ah..really..I never knew

(from now on I'll never use this abbreviation...

From all these discussion about LF, I wonder how other dramas are if they were put into discussion. Will there be weakness? better plots? For me, thing seems pretty realistic on how the drama goes, but I'm not saying they are perfect the way they are. Many things in life remain enclose, people's interaction will not always be as clear as light. There are secrets and distresses which sometimes being touched on without making straight to the point. Life is just simple and at the same time complex like how "last friends" are. I have to agree the drama lacks development (and let we end that point since we all know about that, there's no need to continue on pressing on that anymore toward the drama )

bmwracer · Post by **bmwracer** » Aug 6th, '08, 03:05

sarah117 wrote:i can't get the same feeling while watching another drama though..

It's called "frustration."

sarah117 · Post by **sarah117** » Aug 7th, '08, 01:32

bmwracer wrote:
sarah117 wrote:i can't get the same feeling while watching another drama though..
It's called "frustration."

well bmwracer, i can see now that you are a bit "negative" towards this drama, but i can understand it

not only frustration but it taught me about happiness, hardship, friendship, facing life, etc..

well, i'm a FAN of this drama..

herachan · Post by **herachan** » Aug 7th, '08, 03:19

sarah117 wrote:
bmwracer wrote:
sarah117 wrote:i can't get the same feeling while watching another drama though..
It's called "frustration."
well bmwracer, i can see now that you are a bit "negative" towards this drama, but i can understand it
not only frustration but it taught me about happiness, hardship, friendship, facing life, etc..
well, i'm a FAN of this drama..

i am a big fan of ueno juri too!!! its because of Last Friends! btw where did you get the pic in your avatar??

i am watching nodame cantibile she is sooo funny! she can become the character she plays and does it very well! no doubt she won best supporting actress, best new comer, and best actress in various works!

bmwracer · Post by **bmwracer** » Aug 7th, '08, 04:05

sarah117 wrote:
bmwracer wrote:
sarah117 wrote:i can't get the same feeling while watching another drama though..
It's called "frustration."
well bmwracer, i can see now that you are a bit "negative" towards this drama

Gomen... It's from disappointment.

Juri-chan and Eita-kun pretty much act their asses off in this drama and the writer and producers sells their souls to the devil for ratings...

hanapyupyu · Post by **hanapyupyu** » Aug 7th, '08, 09:09

bmwracer wrote:
sarah117 wrote:i can't get the same feeling while watching another drama though..
It's called "frustration."

Haha, not just frustration but lots and lots of *angst* (thanks to Juri's and Eita's performances mainly - their characters really made this show for me

). A good dose of angst goes a long way... I'm now addicted to angst and can't find another jdrama to replace Last Friends in that department...

sarah117 · Post by **sarah117** » Aug 8th, '08, 02:06

herachan wrote:btw where did you get the pic in your avatar??

i got it from one of the magazine scans..

^Yuuki · Post by **^Yuuki** » Aug 8th, '08, 13:42

*looks at everyone's avatars* Can I say spot the theme? Lol~

hanapyupyu wrote:Haha, not just frustration but lots and lots of *angst* (thanks to Juri's and Eita's performances mainly - their characters really made this show for me Cool ). A good dose of angst goes a long way... I'm now addicted to angst and can't find another jdrama to replace Last Friends in that department...

Yeah, hated and loved how they put our hearts through the blender each week. Of course you wouldn't feel that way unless you're really invested in the plight of the characters. Something the drama succeeded in doing. We'd scream , shout at the screen or find our tears flowing after each episode...I guess you don't miss something until it's gone. Good angst is hard to find.

herachan: It's from the magazine TV LIFE(issue 5.24-6.06). I'm pretty sure you can find it somewhere in the first half of the almost 200 pages...Along with the other 'goodies' scattered among the serious discussions. ;)

Speaking of scans, one of my favourite would be Kaze to Rock featuring Juri, Masami and Eita.=D Someone translated the interview recently. For those interested, it can be found here. (kinda member locked tho...so either join or PM me).

sleepyzzz · Post by **sleepyzzz** » Aug 13th, '08, 18:15

Has anyone heard anything more on the drama academy awards? I know the magazine with the results will be released on 20 August but surely there will be a TV slot for it. Any ideas??

This is so sad....our Last Friends discussion thread is now v quiet.... =(

sarah117 · Post by **sarah117** » Aug 14th, '08, 00:18

sleepyzzz wrote:This is so sad....our Last Friends discussion thread is now v quiet.... =(

yes, i agree with you. every time i got here, nothing much is said. and the thread was in the second page of the list!! (in JDrama Discussions)

thanx to you, it came to the first page again!

Utada · Post by **Utada** » Aug 17th, '08, 17:56

I don't know why, but I didn't like the ending. Maybe it was so happy, that I thought it didn't fit the drama?
I wanted Takeru and Ruka together!!! >_<

sleepyzzz · Post by **sleepyzzz** » Aug 18th, '08, 16:53

sarah117: hahaha I was going to mention that the thread had dropped to 2nd page too but I thought ppl might think that's a bit silly!! hahaha Clearly there are people who think like me!!!

WELL! Results out tomorrow!! Let's see whether anyone finds some news!!

Btw, I was quite pleased that my random post took it back to page 1! LOL hahaha

sleepyzzz · Post by **sleepyzzz** » Aug 19th, '08, 14:40

Guys! I found a few sites claiming that results of the 57th Japanese Drama Academy Awards are out!! I haven't been able to confirm this from the official website/yahoo etc so not 100% sure.

Check it out:
http://yasashiisekai.wordpress.com/

Some of us will be angry - and some happy...

bmwracer · Post by **bmwracer** » Aug 20th, '08, 17:51

sleepyzzz wrote:Guys! I found a few sites claiming that results of the 57th Japanese Drama Academy Awards are out!! I haven't been able to confirm this from the official website/yahoo etc so not 100% sure.

Check it out:
http://yasashiisekai.wordpress.com/

Some of us will be angry - and some happy...

Someone posted this a J-Dorama from Baidu:

cirrus wrote:yes. from baidu: http://tieba.baidu.com/f?kz=468061396

作品赏 (Best Drama) ラストフレンズ（読1、记1、审1）　　
２ＣＨＡＮＧＥ　　３Around40　　４ごくせん　５おせん

主演男优赏 (Male Lead)　１木村拓哉（読1、记1、审1）　　２速水もこみち　３沟端淳平

主演女优赏 (Female Lead　１仲间由纪恵（読1、记、审1）　２天海佑希　　　　３长泽まさみ

助演男优赏 (Male Supporting)　１锦戸亮（読1、记1、审1）　　　　２瑛太　　　　　　　３阿部　寛

助演女优赏 (Female Supporting)　１上野树里（読1、记1、审1）　　　２深津絵里　　　　３相武纱季

ドラマソング赏　(Best Theme Song) Prisoner　Of　Love　宇多田フカル（ラストフレンズ）

监督赏 (Best Producers?)　加藤裕将、西坂瑞城、远藤光贵（ラストフレンズ）

脚本赏 (Best Script)　浅野妙子（ラストフレンズ）

==
Juri won for her role in Last Friends. Ryo won Best Supporting Actor (LF). Takuya for Best Male Lead (Change) and Yukie won Best Female Lead (Gokusen 3). Last Friends also won Best Script and Theme Song. The number beside the characters 読、记、审 mainly means the ranking given by the readers, reporters and judges, respectively, for the winner of that category.

Best Supporting Actor??? Best Script??? Best Drama???

Gimme a freaking break.

sarah117 · Post by **sarah117** » Aug 21st, '08, 04:55

sleepyzzz wrote:Guys! I found a few sites claiming that results of the 57th Japanese Drama Academy Awards are out!! I haven't been able to confirm this from the official website/yahoo etc so not 100% sure.

Check it out:
http://yasashiisekai.wordpress.com/

Some of us will be angry - and some happy...

wow, what a great news!!

thanx sleepyzzz for this

Last Friends team, BANZAAAIIII!!

and also to Utada Hikaru-chan for the awesome Prisoner of Love..

p/s: don't really agree for the Best Supporting Actor though..

sleepyzzz · Post by **sleepyzzz** » Aug 21st, '08, 08:47

sarah117: No worries! I like Last Friends so was keen to find out how they did in the Awards.

I'm with you there - can't believe Ryo got it! So should be Eita!

Salz · Post by **Salz** » Aug 21st, '08, 09:21

Eita loss both Nikkan and Academy Award to Ryo:(
sooooooo unfair lol...
i thought this is not popularity award....
Eita should won instead...

frosti · Post by **frosti** » Aug 21st, '08, 09:44

does anyone know where i could get the cups from last from outside of japan? theres so many sites but none that offer overseas postage ><

thanx

the_lilone · Post by **the_lilone** » Aug 21st, '08, 12:10

as much as i loveD Nishikido... and voted for him in Nikkan (cuz it was just a popularity contest anyway) i must say i thought this was more of an official awards thing... i wanted Eita and even Abe Hiroshi to win more than Ryo.... just cuz the role he had to portray was more "ground-breaking" and got more buzz doesn't mean he did a good job of it... i don't think he's that bad at acting... just think he's not good enough to beat Eita...

the theme song and Ueno Juri - definitely well-deserved....

best script and best drama -> iffy. i thought CHANGE had a better script and people here opened my eyes to how LF doesn't deserve to be the best drama... it wasn't bad but just definitely wasn't the best....

Rori · Post by **Rori** » Aug 21st, '08, 13:01

Last Friends didn't deserve top spot - even if it was your local School drama; ROOKIES deserved to at least have a chance, imo. Ratings wise, it did just as well as LF but it was 10 times better. But it didn't have a chance when all the popular actors and actresses were off shotting something else.

Best Theme Song: Well deserved indeed. Really nothing that could beat Utada's PoL last season.

Best Supporting Actor: Ryo or Eita, I wouldn't have minded. And I'm glad Ryo got it. Don't care if I'm gonna get shot for saying that either.

On a side note; Yukie got best actress award again for a Gokusen! Well done Yukie!

Though we all know what a lousy Gokusen they gave us this time round.

UnionSagittarius · Post by **UnionSagittarius** » Aug 21st, '08, 14:24

Congratulations to Ueno Juri,she really deserved it!

I'm also very happy for Ryo,I really wanted him to get this,I don't mind being scolded or whatever... congratulations Ryo!

^Yuuki · Post by **^Yuuki** » Aug 21st, '08, 14:37

Well, it got voted number 1 by all 3 parties involved(readers, official judges, critics) so there's obviously something there. The ambitiousness to tackle issues that have not really been touched before while providing us gripping entertainment needs to be acknowledged. Though the plotline got iffy towards the end(which is a combined effort of the producers and the writer), I believe the script itself for MOST part, was pretty good. Well, it could be the great acting but most of it really did touched and connected with me. So, I'm happy for Last Friends and for Juri of course~ =)

Btw, full list of winners and Juri's comment translated here:
http://community.livejournal.com/juri_ueno/15600.html

sleepyzzz · Post by **sleepyzzz** » Aug 21st, '08, 14:49

Thanks for the translation ^Yuuki!!

bmwracer · Post by **bmwracer** » Aug 21st, '08, 15:00

Rori wrote:And I'm glad Ryo got it. Don't care if I'm gonna get shot for saying that either.

Better watch your back.

MitsukaiKuroi · Post by **MitsukaiKuroi** » Aug 24th, '08, 00:10

I LOVED the end of Last Friends!!!

I read that a lot of people did not like the ending but I absolutely loved it and thought that it was very good.

I purposely avoided all spoilers and I am glad. I don't understand what people expected to happen at the end. It was realistic and still had the fantasy drama elements to it.

IMO I personally felt,

I knew/know people that have been abused, abusers, transgendered, "confused", promiscuous, cheaters, cheated on, etc. This show actually made me think of me and all of my friends when I was in college and perhaps I liked it because I recognized a lot of my friends and people that I got to know during that time.

Excellent show and I am now going to share it with my friends... See if we can all recognize ourselves again!

m.f.e.o · Post by **m.f.e.o** » Aug 24th, '08, 03:43

Great story, great acting, great actors and a dissaponting ending. I wish they could have solved the problem differently.

However, this drama is worth watching every minute. I love Eita and Uneno's acting and their characters are so loveable. Ryo shocks me to death by his evil Sosuke, but I really appreciate his brave-and-daring step towards a serious actor (which I hardly found in any other JE boys).

chielicious · Post by **chielicious** » Aug 26th, '08, 01:22

Bout the award.. well.. i can say that i like Ryo .. of course coz he's damn cute ..but still I want Eita to win!!!

rezeero · Post by **rezeero** » Aug 26th, '08, 04:42

hi

I'm sure you have discussed again and again all this in this huge thread, but I need to repeat that this story was dealing with just too many issues and they all ended up underdevelopped and disappointing. maybe it needed one more season or to have removed some. it appears to me that Ruka did more research in the show for her case than the writer him/herself for all subplots he/she created.

I can't believe that script was awarded, not to mention the whole result which was a bit tiresome and full of cliches. if it weren't for some members of the cast, (goddess Juri, cute Eita and villain Ryo) I'm not sure it would be watchable.
anyhow, kudos to all of them for putting it on sceen such a bold story and to Juri-chan for playing that part

and is it my idea, or was narration and the relationship between the 2 female leads along with their characters very similar to NANA? don't you get the feeling that the writer intended to express some themes that rose from that story? and since he/she did both NANA movie scripts could be possible..

@ bmwracer

where is your new avatar from? the awards night?

Rori · Post by **Rori** » Aug 26th, '08, 04:55

rezeero wrote:where is your new avatar from? the awards night?

Nope, that's from the Kobe Collection fashion show. It's all over the Juri thread if you want to go check it out. (scroll down a bit and you'll see it)

rezeero · Post by **rezeero** » Aug 26th, '08, 05:00

thankyou

(OMG another HUEG thread to read

)

bmwracer · Post by **bmwracer** » Aug 26th, '08, 15:00

rezeero wrote:@ bmwracer

where is your new avatar from? the awards night?

Right on.

rlia · Post by **rlia** » Aug 28th, '08, 06:44

i'm so satisfied about the result of the tv drama awards....

shot me...lol....

but he deserves it...
no matter whatever all of you said...

i love eita too...he played really really great...

but how can you said that ryo only won because he got all the buzz...??
you really underestimated the judges and the reporter critics then...?? who have much more experiences in this thing...and don't forget its the 57th rite...??

i wonder if all of you would have said this if he hadn't been in JE...

bmwracer · Post by **bmwracer** » Aug 28th, '08, 13:29

rlia wrote:i wonder if all of you would have said this if he hadn't been in JE...

JE has nothing to do with it... It was a one-dimensional performance and the writer chose ratings over substance.

sarah117 · Post by **sarah117** » Aug 29th, '08, 00:21

bmwracer wrote:
rlia wrote:i wonder if all of you would have said this if he hadn't been in JE...
JE has nothing to do with it... It was a one-dimensional performance and the writer chose ratings over substance.

yes, i'm with bmwracer.

FYI, after i watched 1 Litre of Tears, i became a HUGE fan of Ryo-chan. but when i saw his other dramas and realized that he is overrated by his fans, it fell down the hill. don't worry, i'm not saying that he's a bad actor. i know he can act, but not as wonderful as Eita. that's what i think..

the_lilone · Post by **the_lilone** » Aug 29th, '08, 00:49

sarah117 wrote:
bmwracer wrote:
rlia wrote:i wonder if all of you would have said this if he hadn't been in JE...
JE has nothing to do with it... It was a one-dimensional performance and the writer chose ratings over substance.
yes, i'm with bmwracer.

FYI, after i watched 1 Litre of Tears, i became a HUGE fan of Ryo-chan. but when i saw his other dramas and realized that he is overrated by his fans, it fell down the hill. don't worry, i'm not saying that he's a bad actor. i know he can act, but not as wonderful as Eita. that's what i think..

same here.... Ryo was what brought me to watching japanese drama and listening to jpop but the more i get into the japanese entertainment the more i realized how overrated 1LoT was.... and i also thought that Eita gave a better and more believable performance than Ryo did.... i'm still a big JE fan though~

Salz · Post by **Salz** » Aug 29th, '08, 07:16

yeah im also big JE fan and i like Ryo a lot actually but for me Eita still a much much better actor and deserve much more to win...

hanapyupyu · Post by **hanapyupyu** » Aug 29th, '08, 16:35

bmwracer wrote:
rlia wrote:i wonder if all of you would have said this if he hadn't been in JE...
JE has nothing to do with it... It was a one-dimensional performance and the writer chose ratings over substance.

Exactly.

Or, put it another way. If Ryo wasn't acting in the role but some other plain actor (say, the main guy in Densha Otoko), would fangirls still be waxing lyrical over his character in Last Friends? Nope, I don't think so. Simply because Sousuke is a poorly written character regardless of who played him. Ryo was adequate in the role but he wasn't exceptional. Eita's role as Takeru was also very limited in screentime but he made the role work and acted his butt out. Hence, to me Eita is more deserving of the best supporting actor award. But whatever. It's good to win awards, but they are not the 'ultimate measure of great acting'.

I'd say let's see how all these actors progress in future. Good actors show versatility and longevity.

bmwracer · Post by **bmwracer** » Aug 29th, '08, 21:25

hanapyupyu wrote:Or, put it another way. If Ryo wasn't acting in the role but some other plain actor (say, the main guy in Densha Otoko), would fangirls still be waxing lyrical over his character in Last Friends?

LOL, "waxing lyrical."

I can see clouds parting, heartwarming rays of sunshine pouring down, and choir music...

^Yuuki · Post by **^Yuuki** » Sep 1st, '08, 08:16

Take 1

Take 2...

Sorry Michiru, Ruka has a new girl to worry about now.

sarah117 · Post by **sarah117** » Sep 2nd, '08, 02:40

^Yuuki wrote:Take 1

Take 2...

Sorry Michiru, Ruka has a new girl to worry about now.

hahaha.. that' really funny, Yuuki..

pssstt.. Juri-chan is so much cooler in Take 1 than Take 2

bmwracer · Post by **bmwracer** » Sep 2nd, '08, 03:53

^Yuuki wrote:Sorry Michiru, Ruka has a new girl to worry about now.

Most likely a better script as well.

miznagase · Post by **miznagase** » Sep 5th, '08, 03:05

i think ueno juri is a lot prettier and more talented than that masami chick.
gotta love juri!!!

bmwracer · Post by **bmwracer** » Sep 5th, '08, 04:25

miznagase wrote:that masami chick.

LOL.

Asian DramaWiki Forum

[Discussion] Last Friends - Nagasawa Masami/Ueno Juri/Eita

Who is online