[DISCUSSION] A Million Stars Fall From The Sky
[DISCUSSION] A Million Stars Fall From The Sky
Link to the review: http://www.d-addicts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=9477
Spoiler note: Please clearly indicate any possible spoilers, and place them in the quote tag with a white font color to prevent accidental viewing.
Spoiler note: Please clearly indicate any possible spoilers, and place them in the quote tag with a white font color to prevent accidental viewing.
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I couldn't disagree more. This drama was so horrible I literally cussed at my tv while I finished watching the last few eps.
Nonsensical plots, half-witted characters, and incoherent storytelling would be my review. The drama keeps telling you that Kimura's character is very charismatic and manipulative, however, there isn't any plot that shows how charming he is and how he manipulates those women. In fact, Kimura just acts cool and speaks very little, then all the women just fall in love with him, for reasons I don't know (in the drama AND reality). C'mom...
The acting of Sanma Akashiya and Eri Fukatsu is quite good, but that can't make up for the hollowness of this drama.
Just my opinion. It seems many of you do like it. But I definitely would not recommend it to anyone.
Ok, first thing I did after finals was watch this. All 11 episodes in one sitting.. here are my comments:
Technical elements (esp. editing) excellent; the style is kind of like the techniques thrillers and horror movies use.
Acting excellent (with exception of Miwa--didn't even notice when she was gone)
Pace good
Story... I agree with laylow & think it's a bit illogical; I felt like the writer was throwing in extremes for the heck of shocking you and some of it didn't make sense.
Character development not bad, but somehow felt really detached to the entire cast; my eyes brimmed only during the last scene with Kanzo.
They did a good job entraping you in the story, but it's not strong enough of a script. Perhaps it is the missing those dialogue of inner self-awareness/exterior criticism, which goes with the complex personality shifts, esp. of Ryo. Maybe they were aiming for the artistic side of it, because there are possible symbolism with a lot of what I consider drop-in scenes. *shrug*
The drama definitely breaks down many "normal" conceptions. For one, the character Ryo is not what you would expect to be a leading role; kind of reminds me of those characters whom are usually secondary antagonists playing against the hero--in this case you can argue that this hero is Kanzo, but Ryo is like a fusion of the 2, which I found intriguing.
Overall, very original & would recommend.
===
Oh, and shouldn't the proper translation be one hundred stars? Not a big deal, just curious, because the characters are similar to Chinese & I think this would be one hundred.
Technical elements (esp. editing) excellent; the style is kind of like the techniques thrillers and horror movies use.
Acting excellent (with exception of Miwa--didn't even notice when she was gone)
Pace good
Story... I agree with laylow & think it's a bit illogical; I felt like the writer was throwing in extremes for the heck of shocking you and some of it didn't make sense.
Character development not bad, but somehow felt really detached to the entire cast; my eyes brimmed only during the last scene with Kanzo.
They did a good job entraping you in the story, but it's not strong enough of a script. Perhaps it is the missing those dialogue of inner self-awareness/exterior criticism, which goes with the complex personality shifts, esp. of Ryo. Maybe they were aiming for the artistic side of it, because there are possible symbolism with a lot of what I consider drop-in scenes. *shrug*
The drama definitely breaks down many "normal" conceptions. For one, the character Ryo is not what you would expect to be a leading role; kind of reminds me of those characters whom are usually secondary antagonists playing against the hero--in this case you can argue that this hero is Kanzo, but Ryo is like a fusion of the 2, which I found intriguing.
Overall, very original & would recommend.
===
Oh, and shouldn't the proper translation be one hundred stars? Not a big deal, just curious, because the characters are similar to Chinese & I think this would be one hundred.
I only watched parts of this while living in Japan, but must admit I was at a loss for any message it might have had. That being said, I was glued to the TV watching out for any scenes with Fukatsu Eri, who's one of the cutest creatures I've ever seen. Making sense of the plot was kind of a secondary objective. It's too bad she's a total tomboy and hardly lets her hair grow long. She was the most delightful sight in the movie "ハル" (haru).
Getting back to the drama, some notes on the acting. Akashiya Sanma does a good job as a host on the MANY comedy shows he's on. I really liked "Koi no Karasawagi", especially when the supporting girls had character. The specials he does every year with Tokoro Jouji are also hilarious. His acting, though, was unnatural and overdone, which isn't surprising given that comedy in Japan features lots of exaggerated gestures. I was actually laughing seeing Sanma doing his serious, sad look, which he might have been over-doing on purpose.
Fukatsu Eri also has a tendancy to overdo gestures, and this was the most obvious in another drama called kabachitare. This is probably because she also acts on-stage.
Miwa: Well, Igawa Haruka was pretty new to acting at the time of this drama, and was more eye candy than anything else.
BTW, the correct translation of "一億" (ichi oku) is actually 100 Million.
Getting back to the drama, some notes on the acting. Akashiya Sanma does a good job as a host on the MANY comedy shows he's on. I really liked "Koi no Karasawagi", especially when the supporting girls had character. The specials he does every year with Tokoro Jouji are also hilarious. His acting, though, was unnatural and overdone, which isn't surprising given that comedy in Japan features lots of exaggerated gestures. I was actually laughing seeing Sanma doing his serious, sad look, which he might have been over-doing on purpose.
Fukatsu Eri also has a tendancy to overdo gestures, and this was the most obvious in another drama called kabachitare. This is probably because she also acts on-stage.
Miwa: Well, Igawa Haruka was pretty new to acting at the time of this drama, and was more eye candy than anything else.
BTW, the correct translation of "一億" (ichi oku) is actually 100 Million.
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I finally finished watching this series....about 15 minutes ago...
First I wanna praise antoK's review, which I thought was the most exciting review i've ever read here...it makes you wanna watch right after when he said he wanna re-play the last episode...
Although, when I did watch it, I just cant find the urgency I felt when reading the review...the crash wasn't really a crash for me, the last episode isnt that climatic for me...why? I think my heart is turning into a stone, coz I hardly cry anymore, well I did managed a 1-minute outburst when Kan-chan(?) cried "Yuukoooo" close to the end...Maybe, I perfected the technique of detaching myself on those kind of scenes...
Also the big twist, isnt that much a surprise to me, bcoz I kinda guessed it(started as a personal joke) from ep01 or is it ep02, and the flashbacks in the middle confirmed my suspicion...but it is a masterpiece...
The acting and the way it is shot is so well done...IMO, this is Kimutaku's best performance. You really have to pick out the clues that were strewn around. The first few episodes, when the murder case was the center of the story, Ryou baffled me so much. I started to try figuring out his every move, his plans and reasons behind that girl, Mihane, and watver the heck is going on in his mind. He hardly shows any emotion at all, the only time I saw him shocked was when he found out about the big "BANG" in the plot. But I never did find him evil nor harbor any ill or sickly feelings on either his character or the story itself.
For me, there are two scenes that literally made my lips go "O" and those were:
and before I forget, I'm extremely impressed how they edited the scenes, along with the way the flashbacks were inserted, the way they order/pasted all the scenes together, the switching of the camera's view...all of it...I'm like very amazed and the music too, especially the ones that were played on the last episode. All of them add substance to the drama. At some part, I got so scared and hid under my pillow, it felt like Im watching a horror movie, like the ring or something, haha
First I wanna praise antoK's review, which I thought was the most exciting review i've ever read here...it makes you wanna watch right after when he said he wanna re-play the last episode...
Although, when I did watch it, I just cant find the urgency I felt when reading the review...the crash wasn't really a crash for me, the last episode isnt that climatic for me...why? I think my heart is turning into a stone, coz I hardly cry anymore, well I did managed a 1-minute outburst when Kan-chan(?) cried "Yuukoooo" close to the end...Maybe, I perfected the technique of detaching myself on those kind of scenes...
Also the big twist, isnt that much a surprise to me, bcoz I kinda guessed it(started as a personal joke) from ep01 or is it ep02, and the flashbacks in the middle confirmed my suspicion...but it is a masterpiece...
The acting and the way it is shot is so well done...IMO, this is Kimutaku's best performance. You really have to pick out the clues that were strewn around. The first few episodes, when the murder case was the center of the story, Ryou baffled me so much. I started to try figuring out his every move, his plans and reasons behind that girl, Mihane, and watver the heck is going on in his mind. He hardly shows any emotion at all, the only time I saw him shocked was when he found out about the big "BANG" in the plot. But I never did find him evil nor harbor any ill or sickly feelings on either his character or the story itself.
For me, there are two scenes that literally made my lips go "O" and those were:
Although I agree, there were some holes concerning Ryou's character. It's not a big deal, it's all in the writer/director's own way of interpreting the story. It's also up to us to fill up those missing parts.the shot made by Ryou when he killed Yuri and the shot made by Yuuko when he killed Ryou...They were sudden; they didnt give me any warning at all. So I guess, those are my crashes in antoK's review. That scene of them hugging each other in a boat would stay in my mind for a long time. Who said jdramas don't have shakespeare-ending or a brother-sister relationship? but u know, those two factors were used very well in this drama as opposed in kdramas where they take them lightly or wat u call " for-the-hell-of-it." Here, they need those two things or it wont be as horrific or as dark or as complete.
and before I forget, I'm extremely impressed how they edited the scenes, along with the way the flashbacks were inserted, the way they order/pasted all the scenes together, the switching of the camera's view...all of it...I'm like very amazed and the music too, especially the ones that were played on the last episode. All of them add substance to the drama. At some part, I got so scared and hid under my pillow, it felt like Im watching a horror movie, like the ring or something, haha
This series was a disappointment to me. I've heard so much about it but sadly it didn't live up to the hype. As someone already pointed out: the story is illogical and it is hard to feel any sympathy for the characters (except Kan-chan) =). I think that Nemureru Mori is 10 times better than this series.
Akashiya Sanma as "Kan-chan" is great, though.
Akashiya Sanma as "Kan-chan" is great, though.
This was definitely a very interesting drama. I first downloaded this because I enjoy KimuTaku's acting but, like aNToK, it just ended up sitting in my hard drive for a long time. However, when I read aNToK's review, I decided to watch it for myself.
At first I was really disappointed especially since the story moved so slowly. To me, the vast majority of the drama moved slowly but the twists are definitely worth sitting through the whole thing.
However, I strongly recommend anyone planning on watching this series to NOT watch the one available here on D-Addicts. This is in no way a slight to D-Addicts, but the version available here is a very poor capture. Apparently it circulated around newsgroups for awhile and then someone put it up here. But the translation is terrible and some files, especially the last episode, are very corrupted.
What I would love is for a fansub group to pick up this series and sub a DVD version. I think the series deserves a good quality version and it would also make the series that much more enjoyable, not to mention coherent.
At first I was really disappointed especially since the story moved so slowly. To me, the vast majority of the drama moved slowly but the twists are definitely worth sitting through the whole thing.
However, I strongly recommend anyone planning on watching this series to NOT watch the one available here on D-Addicts. This is in no way a slight to D-Addicts, but the version available here is a very poor capture. Apparently it circulated around newsgroups for awhile and then someone put it up here. But the translation is terrible and some files, especially the last episode, are very corrupted.
What I would love is for a fansub group to pick up this series and sub a DVD version. I think the series deserves a good quality version and it would also make the series that much more enjoyable, not to mention coherent.
shouldn't you use spoiler tags? you basically gave out the whole thing.EMTQueen wrote:Eh...it wasn't that good, IMHO. I saw it only for Kou Shibasaki.If I want to see that, I'll watch Passions.
i thought the story line was one of the most originals i've ever seen. if it was played by different actors, i would think it's still one of the best original stories. i love the ending because...
Warning: major, major spoiler
Yes. One of the best drama I really recommend for whoever who is now considering whether or not to watch this series. The storyline itself is well-writen and the series' pace just ideally fit. During the middle of this series you may be able to guess the beginning of this story and might come up with some fragments of the end. But I can tell you here that once you finish this drama, you will be out of speech. Words just run out.
i have been trying to find English subs 4 this drama but I failed . DO anyone know where we can grab them if they do exist i appreciate it . My jap is poor so ... understanding is a pain
note : English hardsub ver torrents are dead .No seeder . Im late Any CB, plz help ! I only can find raw and dont know any other language but Eng
note : English hardsub ver torrents are dead .No seeder . Im late Any CB, plz help ! I only can find raw and dont know any other language but Eng
Guys,
I happened to get hold of a dvd version of this drama. I can upload & seed torrents for the dvd raws if there is any interest.
There are no subs on the dvd, but I am planning to copy them from the tv rip version that I have and make a soft sub for my own use at least. The raws are ready (xvid 640x480) but the subs can take a while to make. Anybody interested?
I happened to get hold of a dvd version of this drama. I can upload & seed torrents for the dvd raws if there is any interest.
There are no subs on the dvd, but I am planning to copy them from the tv rip version that I have and make a soft sub for my own use at least. The raws are ready (xvid 640x480) but the subs can take a while to make. Anybody interested?
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Thanks for sharing Baffling enough, there *are* a few instances in the subs where the translation did better than your average decent fansub. Best interpretation of "sunao" I've seen so far for example.PoP712 wrote:I would love to have better subs too! Sadly, I am not able to produce them. Being a non-native English speaker with inferior Japanese skills, all I can promise is quality similar to the existing subs.
However, the raws are up as we speak.
I loved this drama. Splendid direction of a plot that could have been run of the mill. However , with Kimura and the rest of the cast there was something very much deeper. Gritty story.. and still beautiful. Splendid ending.
Personal note. I began to d/l this two days ago when a batch file was u/l .. I lost connection and now cannot find it again. Can anyone help me to find this. thanks so much.
Peggy
Personal note. I began to d/l this two days ago when a batch file was u/l .. I lost connection and now cannot find it again. Can anyone help me to find this. thanks so much.
Peggy
This being the first jdrama that I have seen that is this dark and deep, It was a nice change for once!
I really liked Kimura's acting in here...
definately a must watch for those who haven't seen anything outside the typical jdrama
I'm actually suprised that this doesn't seem to be more popular on these forums...
I really liked Kimura's acting in here...
definately a must watch for those who haven't seen anything outside the typical jdrama
I'm actually suprised that this doesn't seem to be more popular on these forums...
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I just finished watching this drama and I do highly recommend it especially if you are in the mood for something dark like I was. The first episode is slow so you really have to be in the right mood to get hooked but I liked how the relationship between Kimutaku and Fukatsu Eri was built.
HUGE SPOILER
I haven't seen Nemureru Mori but I liked this dorama because Kimutaku departs from his usual likeable characters with a strong but not entirely obvious passion for his job (i.e. Good Luck, Hero, Long Vacation, Beautiful Life).
HUGE SPOILER
A Million Stars Fall from the Sky is definitely a cut above the norm.
If you can't handle an ending that isn't happy, don't watch it.
Just as in life, things don't work out. People don't live happily ever after. Sometimes, justice does't win. Sometimes, things don't turn out as we hope.
If you want to see a similarly sad/grim drama, see Toshishita no Otoko. There's a deep sadness through that one that I never felt in any other drama.
If you can't handle an ending that isn't happy, don't watch it.
Just as in life, things don't work out. People don't live happily ever after. Sometimes, justice does't win. Sometimes, things don't turn out as we hope.
If you want to see a similarly sad/grim drama, see Toshishita no Otoko. There's a deep sadness through that one that I never felt in any other drama.
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Re: [DISCUSSION] A Million Stars Fall From The Sky
i would love to read the above review but it's a broken link, when i clicked into it there's nothing : (aNToK wrote:Link to the review: http://www.d-addicts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=9477
Spoiler note: Please clearly indicate any possible spoilers, and place them in the quote tag with a white font color to prevent accidental viewing.
could someone please help and fix it?
*thanks*
It's a great drama and judging by the following awards...it's a MUST-SEE!!
33rd Television Drama Academy Awards (2002-07-05)
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Best Drama: Sora Kara Furu Ichioku no Hoshi
Best Actor: Kimura Takuya / Sora Kara Furu Ichioku no Hoshi
Best Actress: Nakama Yukie / Gokusen
Best Supporting Actor: Matsumoto Jun / Gokusen
Best Supporting Actress: Shibasaki Kou / Sora Kara Furu Ichioku no Hoshi and Yume no California
Best Scriptwriter: Kitagawa Eriko / Sora Kara Furu Ichioku no Hoshi
Best Director: Nakae Isamu / Sora Kara Furu Ichioku no Hoshi
Best Cast: Sora Kara Furu Ichioku no Hoshi
Best Music Arrangement: Sora Kara Furu Ichioku no Hoshi
Best Opening: Sora Kara Furu Ichioku no Hoshi
Best Theme Song: Utada Hikaru - Sakura Drops / First Love
and the writer is the same one for "Beautiful Life"
or http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Television_Dr ... emy_Awards
33rd Television Drama Academy Awards (2002-07-05)
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Best Drama: Sora Kara Furu Ichioku no Hoshi
Best Actor: Kimura Takuya / Sora Kara Furu Ichioku no Hoshi
Best Actress: Nakama Yukie / Gokusen
Best Supporting Actor: Matsumoto Jun / Gokusen
Best Supporting Actress: Shibasaki Kou / Sora Kara Furu Ichioku no Hoshi and Yume no California
Best Scriptwriter: Kitagawa Eriko / Sora Kara Furu Ichioku no Hoshi
Best Director: Nakae Isamu / Sora Kara Furu Ichioku no Hoshi
Best Cast: Sora Kara Furu Ichioku no Hoshi
Best Music Arrangement: Sora Kara Furu Ichioku no Hoshi
Best Opening: Sora Kara Furu Ichioku no Hoshi
Best Theme Song: Utada Hikaru - Sakura Drops / First Love
and the writer is the same one for "Beautiful Life"
or http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Television_Dr ... emy_Awards
Re: [DISCUSSION] A Million Stars Fall From The Sky
leftleg wrote:i would love to read the above review but it's a broken link, when i clicked into it there's nothing : (aNToK wrote:Link to the review: http://www.d-addicts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=9477
Spoiler note: Please clearly indicate any possible spoilers, and place them in the quote tag with a white font color to prevent accidental viewing.
could someone please help and fix it?
*thanks*
Here's the new link and hope that you'll enjoys this drama as much as I've
http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Sora_Kara_Fur ... u_no_Hoshi
Wow.
Just finished watching this drama after having it sit on my computer for over a year. Antok's review had me chomping at the bit to watch this as soon as I got any free time from study/work, and boy am I glad I did.
I've not seen many Jdramas, in fact I could probably count all the ones I've seen on both hands. However, I have to say this is quite possibly the favorite, if not at least one of my favorites that I've seen so far. I rather like sad, tragic, gritty dramas (I LOVED the live-action Hotaru no Haka, much better than the anime in my opinion) so I was very at home with this tale of murder, betrayal and tragedy. Kimura Takuya gives a sterling performance as the very broken and twisted Ryo, with Akashiya Sanma heading up the "hero" side with his great portrayal of an old and tired detective who has spent his life giving more than he takes.
While the opening episode is fairly slow compared to most, it does set an intriguing premise which I defy anyone not to want to investigate further. As you follow the plot's progression through each episode, it just gets darker, grittier and more tragic. While the build-up tends to give away the tragic nature of the show at times (I didn't have the ending completely pegged but it definitely wasn't surprising save for a few points) the ending will still leave you choking and emotionally beat up. After I had watched it I felt very similar to when I had finished watching Hotaru no Haka (Grave of the Fireflies), as though someone had just kicked a dead puppy in front of me. Yes, the story is somewhat simple and there are some slow points during the show, but if you allow yourself to really get swept up in the lives of these characters then overall this will have a very strong impact on you as a simple work of fiction (if only for a few days as you mull over it). The story delves into the human psyche and asks questions about why humans act the way they do, to which it doesn't always give the answers (which may be infuriating to some). In fact, the ending may leave you feeling "Well, damn. That was sad and really unfortunate. I don't really know what I'm supposed to say, but it's sad nonetheless", which is completely fine because as a Shakespearean tragedy (which is what it feels like as you approach the conclusion) you can't help but "observe" the sadness and tragicness of the whole thing for a few days after finishing it. That is not to say that you can't analyse this beyond simply acknowledging it's tragic nature, because this had me thinking for days afterwards about the motives of the characters, what led them from one point to another, and how people generally cope with such great personal tragedy.
I can't say too much without giving details away. Performance-wise this was gripping. Ryo (Kimura) and Yuko (Eri) have suge great on-screen chemistry, and Kanzo (Sanma) and Ryo's on-screen "face-offs" can be "edge-of-your-seat" stuff.
Very highly recommended despite it's minor story flaws. Just have something light-hearted lined up soon after.
(P.S. Thank you to those who gave us the opportunity to experience this great drama, from the raw providers to the fansubbers/timers/editors, etc. It is much appreciated, if not always stated.)
(P.P.S. Above review added to the drama-wiki.)
Just finished watching this drama after having it sit on my computer for over a year. Antok's review had me chomping at the bit to watch this as soon as I got any free time from study/work, and boy am I glad I did.
I've not seen many Jdramas, in fact I could probably count all the ones I've seen on both hands. However, I have to say this is quite possibly the favorite, if not at least one of my favorites that I've seen so far. I rather like sad, tragic, gritty dramas (I LOVED the live-action Hotaru no Haka, much better than the anime in my opinion) so I was very at home with this tale of murder, betrayal and tragedy. Kimura Takuya gives a sterling performance as the very broken and twisted Ryo, with Akashiya Sanma heading up the "hero" side with his great portrayal of an old and tired detective who has spent his life giving more than he takes.
While the opening episode is fairly slow compared to most, it does set an intriguing premise which I defy anyone not to want to investigate further. As you follow the plot's progression through each episode, it just gets darker, grittier and more tragic. While the build-up tends to give away the tragic nature of the show at times (I didn't have the ending completely pegged but it definitely wasn't surprising save for a few points) the ending will still leave you choking and emotionally beat up. After I had watched it I felt very similar to when I had finished watching Hotaru no Haka (Grave of the Fireflies), as though someone had just kicked a dead puppy in front of me. Yes, the story is somewhat simple and there are some slow points during the show, but if you allow yourself to really get swept up in the lives of these characters then overall this will have a very strong impact on you as a simple work of fiction (if only for a few days as you mull over it). The story delves into the human psyche and asks questions about why humans act the way they do, to which it doesn't always give the answers (which may be infuriating to some). In fact, the ending may leave you feeling "Well, damn. That was sad and really unfortunate. I don't really know what I'm supposed to say, but it's sad nonetheless", which is completely fine because as a Shakespearean tragedy (which is what it feels like as you approach the conclusion) you can't help but "observe" the sadness and tragicness of the whole thing for a few days after finishing it. That is not to say that you can't analyse this beyond simply acknowledging it's tragic nature, because this had me thinking for days afterwards about the motives of the characters, what led them from one point to another, and how people generally cope with such great personal tragedy.
I can't say too much without giving details away. Performance-wise this was gripping. Ryo (Kimura) and Yuko (Eri) have suge great on-screen chemistry, and Kanzo (Sanma) and Ryo's on-screen "face-offs" can be "edge-of-your-seat" stuff.
Very highly recommended despite it's minor story flaws. Just have something light-hearted lined up soon after.
(P.S. Thank you to those who gave us the opportunity to experience this great drama, from the raw providers to the fansubbers/timers/editors, etc. It is much appreciated, if not always stated.)
(P.P.S. Above review added to the drama-wiki.)
Just finished the drama few minutes ago. lol. Im laughing, sorry, which kind of shows that im not really that affected by the drama....(Maybe im like Kimura Takuya...cold hearted jerk)
It is kind of a disappointment in some way. I mean some people (from wad i read, it was more like most people) were saying that the drama was "Life-altering" or "Life-changing". Geez, i think it was kind of exaggerated. At least i'm sure that it did not, and probably will not change my life in any way, other than the fact that i'm probably going to recommend it to my friends. Haha. As mentioned by most people, there is this sad and tragic build up throughout the drama, that some how gives away the ending. (Im sorry, but the ending was kind of expected.) Perhaps i watched some korean dramas which kind of love such story lines...
Overall the story seems impossible to happen in reality. It actually sounds pretty Zen, whatever you seed will come and haunt u in the end. So, everything started because of the *** guy who was listening to that nice song in the car in the end (Wonder if the song is included in the OST)
The music was excellent. I love the sad orchestra piece which they always play at the start when the title appears. Throughout the show when sad things happen, the song reappears. (Maybe its time to get the OST). The acting too, though i cant really comment on that. Was busy admiring Takuya. Haha, the girls in the drama arent really that attractive though. Sorry.
To conclude, i still think the drama was great. Certainly a different kind of Jdorama, different from those school comedies or love stories like Hana yori dango, or those about people trying to save each other in every episode, like Gokusen (i seriously dislike Gokusen). I felt that this drama is more like a shorter Korean drama, coz its so tragic. Would definitely recommend it to people, who loves to watch Kimura Takuya (duh, he is the one who drives the show, without someone so handsome, nothing will happen anyway), and people who wants to watch something about this sad lonely world. This is really a sad lonely world....
It is kind of a disappointment in some way. I mean some people (from wad i read, it was more like most people) were saying that the drama was "Life-altering" or "Life-changing". Geez, i think it was kind of exaggerated. At least i'm sure that it did not, and probably will not change my life in any way, other than the fact that i'm probably going to recommend it to my friends. Haha. As mentioned by most people, there is this sad and tragic build up throughout the drama, that some how gives away the ending. (Im sorry, but the ending was kind of expected.) Perhaps i watched some korean dramas which kind of love such story lines...
The music was excellent. I love the sad orchestra piece which they always play at the start when the title appears. Throughout the show when sad things happen, the song reappears. (Maybe its time to get the OST). The acting too, though i cant really comment on that. Was busy admiring Takuya. Haha, the girls in the drama arent really that attractive though. Sorry.
To conclude, i still think the drama was great. Certainly a different kind of Jdorama, different from those school comedies or love stories like Hana yori dango, or those about people trying to save each other in every episode, like Gokusen (i seriously dislike Gokusen). I felt that this drama is more like a shorter Korean drama, coz its so tragic. Would definitely recommend it to people, who loves to watch Kimura Takuya (duh, he is the one who drives the show, without someone so handsome, nothing will happen anyway), and people who wants to watch something about this sad lonely world. This is really a sad lonely world....
Overall I thought this was a very well-done drama, but...
So yeah...it was good, but not excellent, and not my kind of story (I tend to enjoy the comedies a LOT more).
As for the female cop, she has "Japanese housewife syndrome" - a whiny, naggy speaking style that drives me up the wall. To be fair, she's not always like that but I agree that it's VERY irritating; it's also pretty common in J-doramas.
As for the female cop, she has "Japanese housewife syndrome" - a whiny, naggy speaking style that drives me up the wall. To be fair, she's not always like that but I agree that it's VERY irritating; it's also pretty common in J-doramas.
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This was my first Kimura Takuya's drama (and the only one so far). I really enjoyed this drama. It's very different from my usual list, so much more mature and serious. I thought it was really twisted and thrilling.
Kimura did a very very good job on his role. I really like the detective guy too (although he may sometimes be so ehh...). Fukatsu Eri was amazing as her character. I thought this was Shibasaki Kou's weirdest role though. They made her look so unattractive and is probably my least favorite character.
Kimura did a very very good job on his role. I really like the detective guy too (although he may sometimes be so ehh...). Fukatsu Eri was amazing as her character. I thought this was Shibasaki Kou's weirdest role though. They made her look so unattractive and is probably my least favorite character.
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I've just finished watching this drama and am really disappointed. there were many things that destroyed this rather good and really special story. 1st, the pace of the drama was so slow, I definitely don't agree with the ppl who say it's just the 1st ep that was slow, in my opinion it's only from around the 4~5th ep. that the pace gets better all before that was boring 4 me . 2nd, and though i really liked KimuTaku's character and thought he played it really well, i think the script writer wasn't successful in showing the viewers why all women in the whole series soo easily fell 4 him and were ready 2 do anything 2 satisfy him. 3rd, I thought Akashiya Sanma's acting was horrible, i think even if sm didn't know he was originally a comedy actor they'd somehow sense that through his terrible acting
I thought ryo's character was really special (esp that i like the psychopathic characters) and I enjoyed KimuTaku's great acting, but u know what
I was really amused 2 see some of u knew how the end would be like so early in the drama,
Overall, i don't think the drama is Life-altering in anyway, and i personally didn't like it that much (maybe bec of too many love scenes) but anyway i agree that it's very different from most J-Doramas.[/spoiler]
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lol, komento o yondeiru no toki wa sugoku omoshiroii desu. (very interesting reading the comments). I actually really liked this drama, I never guessed the ending actually, so was quite sad, I actually liked the love scenes! lol, I think j-dramas usually has too few love scenes, i suppose asian dramas tend to be more reserved than western dramas, but kimura san defnitely is a really good actor, another eg. of his great talent!
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I just finished this drama about 20 minutes ago...I feel shell-shocked by the way everything turned out. This was my first really mature drama and it was so tragic. I felt like the romance was so palpable and i'm almost sorry I didn't spoil the ending for myself because if I had
Like the person above me, i enjoyed the love scenes because it was so much more passionate than i'm used to seeing in asian dramas, and it really tipped it into more adult territory. Of course, it makes the ending even more horrible but i guess that was the point.
I would most definitely recommend it, but you REALLY have to want a dark drama if you are going to sit through this.
I would most definitely recommend it, but you REALLY have to want a dark drama if you are going to sit through this.
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I enjoyed this drama but the ending was kind of predictable to me. Also, the series does move in an overall slow manner. And I have no idea why all those girls for Kimura Takuya when he's pretty much cool and self contained all the time. In fact, even his smile seemed kinda fake. But then again, Kimura Takuya always seems to have roles where he looks cool, and doesn't show emotions. Which is a pity coz he is actually a good actor. And whats the point of acting without showing emotions. Sometimes, it was impossible to say if he was thinking anything at all, or just looking angry habitually.
But the onscreen chemistry between Yuko and Ryo was really really great.
Again, as for the ending, I have to say that the acting was really amazing and I was truly moved.
The story by itself is very good, and actually, more than the plot, it was the presentation that mattered in this drama. I mean, most dramas wouldn't have much of a huge plot line, its just the acting that counts. But even in presentation, Miwa was pretty much eye-candy more than anything else.
All in all, it should be definitely be watched to see something out of the beaten track. And since I just finished it now, I'll now look for some happy-go-lucky unrealistic comedy-romance to feel better.
But the onscreen chemistry between Yuko and Ryo was really really great.
Again, as for the ending, I have to say that the acting was really amazing and I was truly moved.
The story by itself is very good, and actually, more than the plot, it was the presentation that mattered in this drama. I mean, most dramas wouldn't have much of a huge plot line, its just the acting that counts. But even in presentation, Miwa was pretty much eye-candy more than anything else.
All in all, it should be definitely be watched to see something out of the beaten track. And since I just finished it now, I'll now look for some happy-go-lucky unrealistic comedy-romance to feel better.
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I also recommend keeping a light hearted drama ready to view after this one to avoid feeling too depressed. I started with HYD (really late to start viewing when the world's finished but at least the humour can help me forget)
And even then you can't help but think of the characters from time to time..
And even then you can't help but think of the characters from time to time..
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You like Sora Kara... more than Byakuyakou? Just curious
I liked Byakuyakou quite a bit, but yes, I definitely enjoyed Sora Kara more. I'm not an SMAP fan or a Kimu fanboy or anything, but he does appear in 3 of my favorite dramas (my all-time favorite jdorama "Beautiful Life" and "Pride" being the other two). Though is it just me, or does he play pretty much the same character in each one? Just a more evil version in this one.
The twisted shows help balance out all of the sappy, overdramatic romantic stuff I seem to watch a lot of.
E.G.
Did you know that Kimura and his team are in NYC this weekend, and into next week. Shingo is doing a musical and it is going over extremely well. The group is there to see him and do another commercial for that new cell phone Co. also some of their TV and radio shows will be done in NYC. They will celebrate Kimura's birthday I am sure while they are there. Lots of SMAP fans already there and enjoying the musical and meeting up with Shingo.
Happiness abounds..
Peg
The theatre is part of NYU and is near Washington Square and the Village. Great area.
Did you know that Kimura and his team are in NYC this weekend, and into next week. Shingo is doing a musical and it is going over extremely well. The group is there to see him and do another commercial for that new cell phone Co. also some of their TV and radio shows will be done in NYC. They will celebrate Kimura's birthday I am sure while they are there. Lots of SMAP fans already there and enjoying the musical and meeting up with Shingo.
Happiness abounds..
Peg
The theatre is part of NYU and is near Washington Square and the Village. Great area.
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Beautiful Life and Pride are in my top 5 KimuTaku dorama, too. (Granted--Beautiful Life counts as a melodrama, but I didn't find it sappy or overdramatic at all. And Pride--wonderful, sports-cliche-ridden Pride, is everything you'd expect a great sports drama to be.)aNToK wrote: I liked Byakuyakou quite a bit, but yes, I definitely enjoyed Sora Kara more. I'm not an SMAP fan or a Kimu fanboy or anything, but he does appear in 3 of my favorite dramas (my all-time favorite jdorama "Beautiful Life" and "Pride" being the other two). Though is it just me, or does he play pretty much the same character in each one? Just a more evil version in this one.
The twisted shows help balance out all of the sappy, overdramatic romantic stuff I seem to watch a lot of.
Can't say that Sora Kara... counts as a favorite though, but it's definitely a thrilling ride. And while I didn't enjoy watching Byakuyakou, the story is a lot more labyrinthine than Sora Kara..., the characters more layered and complex. But it's not something I'd want to watch again. Kind of like the 2003 Korean film Old Boy: it's dark, it's great, it's gripping, but when it's over, you're just happy to move on. Whereas I could watch Sora Kara... again and again. (Oh yeah, I just did last week. Tsk, must be 'coz of all those steamy KimuTaku love scenes, lolz.)
Kimura playing different facets of himself on his dramas--yeah, that's true, but I'm not complaining. It's almost as if I want him to be KimuTaku in his TV roles--otherwise, it just wouldn't be the same. He tried to be something else altogether on Mr. Brain--but it didn't work for me, and I found his portrayal patchy at best. (His film work seems to have more diverse and challenging roles--i.e. Bushi no Ichibun, 2046, and--dare I say it?--I Come with the Rain, though I have yet to watch this.)
But the thing with KimuTaku is that his dorama characters, particularly the iconic ones--Halu, Sena, Teppei, Shuuji, Kuryu (!!!)--still feel like real and complete persons. So even if they're regarded as extensions of Kimura's persona, paradoxically--that's exactly WHY they work.
Hey Peggy, are you in NYC right now? (I thought you lived on the West Coast.) Cool, I didn't know that SMAP went stateside for the coming week. And yay for Shingo! Good to hear his play is well-received. (Where'd Kimura hold his fans' day--Madison Square Garden? Lol. He wouldn't have any trouble packing the place in, though. )Peggy wrote:E.G.
Did you know that Kimura and his team are in NYC this weekend, and into next week. Shingo is doing a musical and it is going over extremely well. The group is there to see him and do another commercial for that new cell phone Co. also some of their TV and radio shows will be done in NYC. They will celebrate Kimura's birthday I am sure while they are there. Lots of SMAP fans already there and enjoying the musical and meeting up with Shingo.
Happiness abounds..
Peg
The theatre is part of NYU and is near Washington Square and the Village. Great area.
Hi E.G
No.. I am still in my cave here on the west coast. Bones are too old to haul around airports now. I would have trotted downtown to see Shingo et al if I still lived on Madison Avenue.
Been reading unhappy post elsewhere re Kimura but feel it is mean gossip. Hope so anyway. He definitely could fill a large arena in NYC. They are all so busy that I don't know how they fit in the flights from Japan to US. I think after Nakai saw the Michael Jackson film he shot over to Philly and NYC for the World Series. Baseball nut. Should have loaned him my broom.
Peg
For this topic I agree that PRIDE is the drama to watch again any time. Very satisfying and gives you a lift. SORA KARA is a marvellous drama but I would have to be feeling very centred to watch it again. No use to watch if you are feeling a little sad. I loved the ending except for the scene with Sanma driving along the road. did not need that jolt.
Kimura does not act the same way in every role. He is just such a big star with strong persona that you look for him just the way you would regard any Hollywood big name such as Brad Pitt or Tom ?? never can think of his name. Maybe because I don't like him. I mean the guy who jumps up and down on sofas. Anway I agree with AllTOK remark.
No.. I am still in my cave here on the west coast. Bones are too old to haul around airports now. I would have trotted downtown to see Shingo et al if I still lived on Madison Avenue.
Been reading unhappy post elsewhere re Kimura but feel it is mean gossip. Hope so anyway. He definitely could fill a large arena in NYC. They are all so busy that I don't know how they fit in the flights from Japan to US. I think after Nakai saw the Michael Jackson film he shot over to Philly and NYC for the World Series. Baseball nut. Should have loaned him my broom.
Peg
For this topic I agree that PRIDE is the drama to watch again any time. Very satisfying and gives you a lift. SORA KARA is a marvellous drama but I would have to be feeling very centred to watch it again. No use to watch if you are feeling a little sad. I loved the ending except for the scene with Sanma driving along the road. did not need that jolt.
Kimura does not act the same way in every role. He is just such a big star with strong persona that you look for him just the way you would regard any Hollywood big name such as Brad Pitt or Tom ?? never can think of his name. Maybe because I don't like him. I mean the guy who jumps up and down on sofas. Anway I agree with AllTOK remark.
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My thoughts on Sora Kara Furu Ichioku no Hoshi:
http://endersgirrrl.wordpress.com/2009/ ... i-tv-2002/
I think I just needed to get that Sora Kara... review outta my system so I could start on my Purrrrraiiiiiddooooo re-watch. Joy!!!! Joy!!!! Joy!!!!!!! (After dark and skurry Ryo, E.G. deserves her happy happy time, yessss?)
(Halu, you were my first. You know that, don't you? :alcoholic::alcoholic: )
http://endersgirrrl.wordpress.com/2009/ ... i-tv-2002/
ROFL!!!!!!!!! That just killed me right there...... *wipes away tear*Peggy wrote: ...Tom ?? never can think of his name. Maybe because I don't like him. I mean the guy who jumps up and down on sofas.
I think I just needed to get that Sora Kara... review outta my system so I could start on my Purrrrraiiiiiddooooo re-watch. Joy!!!! Joy!!!! Joy!!!!!!! (After dark and skurry Ryo, E.G. deserves her happy happy time, yessss?)
(Halu, you were my first. You know that, don't you? :alcoholic::alcoholic: )
To be truthful I must admit that I am not exactly smitten with Brad Pitt either.
I keep getting a picture in my mind of his blond locks and the short pleated(?) skirt he wore in 'TROY".
That film. or what I saw of it, reminded me of an old Hollywood Musical...where did they hide the chorus girls going around in circles and up and down stairs.
Peg
EG. Have you discovered Osawa Takao yet?? Early days he was powerful for the emotions. Not bad now either.
I keep getting a picture in my mind of his blond locks and the short pleated(?) skirt he wore in 'TROY".
That film. or what I saw of it, reminded me of an old Hollywood Musical...where did they hide the chorus girls going around in circles and up and down stairs.
Peg
EG. Have you discovered Osawa Takao yet?? Early days he was powerful for the emotions. Not bad now either.
I had this drama sitting on my computer for months but after reading the two reviews that was on d-addicts wiki I got intrigued. I just finish watching this yesterday.
So I wasnt floored because since episode 1, I had an idea what was going to happen. But I was still hoping there would be a twist to it? But I'm glad it is the way it is b/c it would've been cheezy otherwise.
Kimura Takuya did an excellent portrayal of the cold and mysterious Ryo Katase. And so was Fukatsu Eri in her role as the innocent and nervously cheerful Yuko Dojima. I dont think I'd like this series this much if another actor/actress played their roles. The chemistry between them was the lure to me.
This drama is not for everyone, but for most of us who've seen it, it will be one hell of a ride.
BTW this show has an amazing OST.
So I wasnt floored because since episode 1, I had an idea what was going to happen. But I was still hoping there would be a twist to it? But I'm glad it is the way it is b/c it would've been cheezy otherwise.
This drama is not for everyone, but for most of us who've seen it, it will be one hell of a ride.
BTW this show has an amazing OST.
minimin,
Actually the thing that really got to me at the end when she shot him ,was the fact that he really knew that he could not do anything else but let her feel so enraged that she would think him guilty of acting purposely to deceive her. He knew then that she would not feel so terrible afterwards. He never thought she would see the picture and realise the whole story and know then that he truly loved her and so she could not live now that he was gone. I loved the way it ended although I like your idea about the stars. Tthat would have pleased me to see the stars in the sky rather than the smirky detective brother driving down the highway and smiling. Maybe he was shocked but I had seen enough of him already.
Actually the thing that really got to me at the end when she shot him ,was the fact that he really knew that he could not do anything else but let her feel so enraged that she would think him guilty of acting purposely to deceive her. He knew then that she would not feel so terrible afterwards. He never thought she would see the picture and realise the whole story and know then that he truly loved her and so she could not live now that he was gone. I loved the way it ended although I like your idea about the stars. Tthat would have pleased me to see the stars in the sky rather than the smirky detective brother driving down the highway and smiling. Maybe he was shocked but I had seen enough of him already.
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