Currently watching: Ouroboros

Ouroboros is a murder mystery where a cop and a yakuza boss (old friends from their time at the orphanage) decide to solve an old murder case where the woman who ran the orphanage was shot and killed.

Since this is a blog (mostly) about Japanese dramas, I make an effort to not compare current J-dramas to British or American series, preferring instead to talk about them on their own merits. This time, however, there’s no escaping my feeling that this is suffering in comparison to Broadchurch, a British crime thriller also being broadcast at this time.

Normally, I’m quite happy to sit through the worst cliches of Japanese cop shows, but Broadchurch is making the failings of Ouroboros seem all the more obvious. Ouroboros has a great cast and a good look and it pushes all the right buttons for a tense murder mystery. Trouble is, it keeps pushing them over and over again. Barely a scene goes past without one of the characters grimacing in a evil sneer. Almost everyone is a cop or a criminal so it’s all very one-dimensional, and those who aren’t tend to be witnesses or victims and are barely given any semblance of a character at all. It’s one-note lazy writing, and it’s a world away from Broadchurch’s cast of distinct individuals.

The cast do their best to prop up the script and they do okay most of the time, but not even Ueno Juri can save what can only be described as the most feeble line of dialogue I’ve seen in any crime drama ever.

Brilliant

I’ll keep watching it, though. I trust the cast, and there is enough of a mean streak through the story to make me believe that once all this nonsense about slowly building up the tension is over, we can get down to the real mystery and things will improve. I’ll give it only a few more episodes, though.

Currently watching: Alice no Toge

Hmm, revenge dramas. I can take them or leave them, frankly, especially on TV which is usually too timid to be nasty or cruel. Watching this drama, I was reminded of Saki and Shokuzai. In Saki, the lead character killed people off one by one. Meanwhile, in Shokuzai the reason for the revenge wasn’t revealed until the final episode.

In episode one of Alice no Toge, nobody died and the viewer knows exactly the main character’s motive. This leaves me wondering exactly where the tension and suspense is going to come from.

The best bits of this series so far are Ueno Juri in the lead role, who is good as the emotionless doctor out to avenge the death of her father, and Odagiri Joe, who plays a journalist who has already worked out her plans.

On the down side, it starts with a woman walking in slow-motion while the sound of her high heels echo ominously. I’m getting a little tired of that cliché, and it did not make me think “this is going to be awesome”.

Other than that, I’m just waiting for the storyline to start.

Quick update

A mix of working Monday to Wednesday and a lack of anything on TV right now meant I haven't felt the need to write anything recently.

However, this evening I listened to an mp3 I put together ages ago of a song from the soundtrack of Ueno Juri no Itsutsu no Kaban. I recorded this off the video, so it’s not official at all. In that case, how the hell does VLC player know what album art to use?

To be honest, I’m slightly worried about this...

Just watched: Christmas on 24th July Avenue

With a title like this, I wondered what time was best to watch this film from 2006. At Christmas? In July? Well, since September is inbetween the two, I guessed that now was as good a time as any.

This film is a romantic comedy in which a socially inept woman gets the man of her dreams. It stars Nakatani Miki and Osawa Takao in the two lead roles and, since they starred together in Jin, this was the main reason I chose to watch this film. Also Ueno Juri appears in a minor role. I wasn’t expecting to see her and it made me realise that I miss her. While she’s been off making a year-long historical epic that doesn’t really interest me, she hasn’t done anything else. Seeing her again, even if it was only for a few short scenes, was a pleasant surprise.

The story, though, is the usual rom-com by numbers. Girl meets boy, girl loses boy, girl gets boy back. This is fine, but the way she loses the boy is a bit trivial, and the way she gets him back again is also fairly mundane. Meanwhile, the comedy mostly involves Miki bumping into things or dropping things or both.

But Nakatani Miki is great in her role as the hopeless dreamer, and she and Osawa Takao do have something of a chemistry together. And if I made the film sound bad, then I’ve overdone the criticism since it has a lot of charm. It’s a nice, lightweight comedy that should entertain you as sit in a comfy armchair and digest your Christmas dinner. Because this film should definitely be seen during the festive season, not in the heat of July.

In the meantime: Merry Christmas!

Currently watching: Gou

I’ve never watched a Taiga drama before – a long, historical epic that lasts most of the year. But there aren't many new series that interest me at the moment, plus the presence of Ueno Juri has persuaded me to give it a go.











Previously, I’ve only taken a passing interest in Japanese history, so I was aware that as I watched it I felt a bit like a tourist. In those moments when the storyline rests and the director allows the camera to pan slowly across the landscape and costumes, it’s a bit like looking at a museum piece. I felt like I should have a leaflet with me, so I could pause the show, read it and think “Oh, that’s what that thing is.”

Using the same adult actors to play the (much) younger versions of themselves was an interesting choice, and for most of the time it works okay. It requires a bit of suspension of disbelief – especially since they make extremely tall children – but it could work in the long run. I think it’ll be easier to empathise with a character if they’re played by one actor, rather than two or three.

 

Also, it’s beautifully shot and it looks great. The acting is good too. In fact, the standards are high throughout as you’d expect from a taiga drama that’s expected to keep high ratings all year and bring in money through international sales.

Given that we’re only two episodes into a 48-episode marathon, trying to guess how the storyline will progress is impossible. But so far, so good.

Just finished: Nodame Cantabile

And so, from its humble television origins in 2006 to its grand cinema extravaganza in 2010, I’ve watched Nodame's progress with interest. Although I never quite understood why it was so popular, with massive ratings, best-selling soundtrack CDs and the actors being treated almost like rock stars when doing interviews in Japan and abroad, but I did find it entertaining.

Now the last “episode” has been subbed by SARS. Released in cinemas early in 2010, it tells Nodame's story as she sees her friends entering competitions and improving themselves, whereas she seems to be making no progress at all. The start of the film is taken up by reintroducing old faces and giving them a happy ending, which is all fine, but it’s Nodame's slide into (and out of) depression that takes up most of the second half of the film. This means this is a bit short on laughs, but at least this story is about Nodame. She seemed a bit in the background in the 2009 film. The last scene – where Chiaki and Nodame play the same piece they played together in episode one – is a lovely way to end the series and gives it a nice symmetry as we end where we began musically.

An enjoyable show which grew into a phenomenon: its mix of clowning and culture introduced classical music to many people who otherwise wouldn’t have given it a chance. For that, it should be applauded, at least.

Just finished: Lost Time Life

Or Loss Time Life. Whichever title works for you.

It’s taken a while, but the last subs are out. This was the first J-drama I watched, back in early 2008, and it was a major part in making me interested in Japanese dramas. I’ve written about it before, but I felt I couldn’t let its completion pass without some kind of mention.

Kuriyama Chiaki, Sakai Wakana, Nukumizu Youichi (episode 10)

The final two-part story is actually two different stories that happen to the same person. In the first, the person dying is a bedbound president of a corrupt company and so has to rely on his daughter (played by Kuriyama Chiaki (Atami no Sousakan, Kill Bill)) to fulfil his last wishes. This story involves a former employee Omoto Yuuzo (played by Nukumizu Youichi) who then, in the second part, is visited by his ex-wife who is also dying. She asks him to make noodles, like he did when they were together.

Eita (episode one)

The show remains, to the end, very tragic and sentimental. It isn’t afraid to pull at the heart strings such that we’re moved by the reconciliation between husband and wife in the last episode, even though we know it can’t last. It reminds us of the things we could’ve done differently if we’d known what was going to happen, and also it appeals to the desire to end our lives on a positive note: with loose ends tied up, and words of love finally spoken out loud.

Ueno Juri, Nukumizu Youichi (episode 4)

 It’s also interesting watching it again, since now I can recognise more of the actors involved. Certainly, now I understand what a strong cast it had. I’ve really enjoyed this series, and am grateful that this was the first J-drama I saw. If I'd chosen something else, I may not have continued. As it was, it made me eager to discover more.

Tokiwa Takako (Kabachitare) in episode 7

Currently watching: Last Friends

Last Friends is one of those shows that I keep seeing mentioned, but never got round to watching. Well, finally, I’m making the effort to fill this gap in my J-drama knowledge. Released in 2008, it tells the story of five young Japanese adults and their difficult relationships. Eita plays a hair stylist, Takeru, who everyone thinks is gay, but he secretly loves Ruka. Ruka (Ueno Juri) is a lesbian motocross racer who loves Michiru (Nagasawa Masami) but she has an abusive boyfriend. That’s the backbone of the story, but there are other issues branching off from that.











First thing to note is how nice it is to see Ueno Juri in a role that really stretches her. She was okay in Nodame Cantabile and Sunao ni Narenakute, but it’s good seeing her really getting into under a character’s skin the way she does here. Nagasawa Masami is also great as the abused girlfriend, displaying the right amounts of neediness, guilt and affection for her husband so that it’s clear she always wants to give him a second chance.











I also liked having just the one storyline around which the others revolve. While it might be nice to know more about the other people, that would take away from focusing on the main plot. Recently I've seen a couple of shows which didn’t seem to know what they were about. No such problems with this drama. And the mix of light hearted scene with the friends together makes the darker more violent stuff more powerful and more uncomfortable to watch. I’m four episodes in and it’s really starting to pick up momentum. I’ve already read on the internet about the conclusion to one particular relationship, but I’m keen to see where the others go.

Re-watching: Ueno Juri to Itsutsu no Kaban

It's been a year since I last saw these, and recently I went back and watched them again. Especially since the first time round I watched a couple of these episodes at work on Viikii, watching a couple of minutes here and there whenever I had a quiet moment. That's not the best way to watch any drama, so after Silent Regrets put up some good quality versions, I thought it was high time I gave these my full and undivided attention.

Of the five, choosing a favourite is difficult. On balance, it would have to be the fourth. It's the funniest and saddest, ending on a sad, wistful note after a lot of comedy from Juri. Also the music is fantastic, and the song that appears throughout is beautiful. It's a shame that there doesn't seem to be an official release, but I recorded the two versions and put them in the same mp3. You can download it here.

The one that impressed me most after a year was episode three, “My Neighbour's Neighbour, Akira”. Someone comes to visit their old friend who'd moved to the big city, only to find they'd moved on from how they were in their former days. A visit to the hospital for a pregnancy test is inter-cut with scenes from their last camping trip together. This time, I found this quite moving. I don't know why it didn't connect with me first time around.

Perhaps the least satisfying is the last one, “One morning, Hinata suddenly” which I feel mixes imagined scenes with reality too easily, plus it's the third episode in a row to deal with the same topic: growing up, moving away and growing apart.

All five are meditative and considered in their subject matter and there's a feeling of melancholy running through them. Meanwhile, the main theme of bags is tenuous, but at least it is vague enough to give the people involved a certain freedom. I enjoyed watching these again - they certainly stand up to repeated viewings. I almost bought the DVD when I was in Japan, but at around £40 it was a bit pricey for a single DVD. Even if it did have a "making of" as an extra. Ever since then I've regretted that slightly. Not enough to change my mind and buy it online, but it would be nice...

Currently watching: We Got Married

  
Much as I like to tell myself I'm a sophisticated gentleman with high quality tastes, of course, this isn't true, as was recently demonstrated by me stumbling upon this game/reality show from Korea.

I first heard about this because Ueno Juri appeared in an episode. Thinking it was a drama, I downloaded it with subs and found myself watching a show in which two famous people seemed to be pretending to be man and wife in everyday life, while some other people in a studio commented on their actions. I did a little research to find out more and, it turns out, that's pretty much what it is.

The episode in question abruptly ended with Ueno Juri still at the “married” couples' flat so, clearly, I had to watch the next one. Then that episode ended with the couple, having said goodbye to Juri, heading off to some mystery location in the Korean countryside. And so, again, I had to watch the next one.

By the end of the third episode I'd seen, I definitely wanted to see more. It's an odd concept, and it seems to be a way for TV to generate celebrity gossip that people can then talk about on TV. And the editing is a little peculiar, with no shame in repeating statements or expressions from different angles. This is a bit distracting, and I sometimes wish the editor wasn't making such an effort to make sure we get every little detail.

I've started watching some of the early episodes, and it is interesting to see them in the early days being far more awkward in each other's company. I don't know if I'll watch all of them, but it certainly has a soap opera charm to keep me coming back for more.

Last Friends photo shoot

I've not watched Last Friends and, frankly, I don't think I ever will, but I did recently find on d-addicts some scans from a magazine promoting the series which were so nice I thought I'd mention them here.

I do like these kind of photos, which are less staged (or at least they seem so) than normal photo shoots. I also like the atmosphere they have; of youth in the summer time and friends together. Looking at them felt like going through a friend's old photos, and when you find these you want to stop and ask you friend who they are.

J-dramas that should be shown in the UK

I sometimes try to work out which J-dramas would make it onto British screens. Unlikely, since UK television has an aversion to any foreign shows with only Wallander from Sweden having a series on BBC3, although an episode of the Italian detective series Montalbano was shown once in 2008.

Given the nature of British TV, of course, most Japanese stuff simply wouldn't make it. The female characters are often too subservient or girly, or in the case of hard-hitting dramas, the bitter pill of social injustice is smothered by a sweet sub-plot, in which the teenage thug really does love his mother, or the murderer was trying to avenge the honour of his father.

So, here's my list of shows that would comfortably make it onto British screens. Not necessarily prime-time on a major channel, but they could find a home somewhere and not look out of place. I've put them in order from “no changes at all” to “needs quite a bit of work done to it”. And I've added where in the schedule they might fit. Ah, I missed my vocation – I should've been a programme planner.

1. Jikou Keisatsu
I've only recently started watching this, which is why I haven't mentioned it before. This is a detective series in which a policeman has a hobby where he investigates crimes that happened over 15 years ago and so cannot be brought to trial. Directed by Satoshi Miki and starring Odagiri Joe and Aso Kumiko, it's very funny and intelligently written. I'd put this on instead of Atami no Sousakan (same director, same cast) because Atami's constant Twin Peaks references would have people complaining it was just a rip-off, but this stands on its own two feet and I think it needs no changes at all to work abroad.
Channel: BBC2 or Channel 4, around 9 or 10 o'clock

2. Ueno Juri no Itsutsu no Kaban
No need for explanations, since I've written about this before. This series of short dramas is quiet and quirky, and would work fine pretty much as they are.
Channel: BBC2, after Newsnight. 11.15 ish

3. Galileo
I watched this ages ago, and keep meaning to write about it, but never seem to find the time. A scientist genius is used by the police to solve seemingly impossible crimes. The writing is great, and the explanations never disappoint in their ingenuity.
Channel: Late night ITV3, I reckon

4. Ashita no, Kita Yoshio
When people think of the Japanese, they tend to think of high suicide rates so I do wonder if this show (about a man who's decided to commit suicide in eleven days) would only reinforce that stereotype. But the series is so good that I'd take that risk.
Channel: BBC3 or 4 perhaps?

5. Akihabara@Deep
Definitely not prime time, but would easily fill a gap for cult movie-watchers and otaku. Some of the jokes may not make any sense to the British, but what the hell. Put it all on. Its energy and originality should be enough.
Channel: E4... or perhaps it could just make it onto Channel 4

6. Camouflage
While this show is excellent, I can't se your average UK viewer sitting through the intro and outro of every episode. So with a bit of editing, I think you've got a very strong four part series.
Channel: similar to Itsutsu no Kaban, so again BBC2, after Newsnight. 11.15 ish

7. Lost Time Life
The first J-drama I ever watched and still one of my favourites. But let's be honest, not all of the ten episodes are great and the one about food is simply too Japanese. People will ask themselves: what's so great about sukiyaki? Cut it down to a six-parter and you've got something special.
Channel: late night BBC3

8. Anego
Another series I haven't written about yet. Hmmm, I feel like I should apologise. Anyway, this show is about an office lady who hits 30 and has no husband and no sign of any coming soon. A sort of Japanese Bridget Jones. Shinohara Ryoko is fantastic in the lead role, and while the storyline may be a bit wobbly in places, this could work. Just about. A bit of editing, maybe?
Channel: Hmm... E4?

9. Puzzle
This series is great. Funny and mysterious. Unfortunately, episode one relies on a word puzzle that most British people would get in seconds, thus making the audience wonder what all the fuss is about. Not sure how you'd get round that. It'd need a lot of editing. After that, though, this would work fine.
Channel: E4

10. Liar Game
This would need a complete remake. The female lead is too passive for British audiences, and the number of crash zooms in an average scene is ridiculous. But if they do make it for British audiences, I think it would work well. Geeky things are in vogue just now.
Channel: Hey, if you give it to Steven Moffat, BBC1!

Recommended: Satoshi Miki films

Several years ago, some friends and I went for a walk up a hill. It was a sort of saddle shape so it had two peaks, and once we'd reached one, we looked at the other, and decided that the other one was higher. So we set off to that one. But once we'd arrived and looked back at the other peak, we started thinking that perhaps the first one had been higher all along.

The only reason I tell this story is because that's how I felt trying to work out which of Satoshi's films I like most. Although I've only seen three, the choice is surprisingly difficult, and whenever I make a decision, I immediately start to change my mind. "Turtles are Surprisingly Fast Swimmers" is perhaps the funniest, and it has one scene with my "dream team" of J-drama together at last: Ueno Juri, Aoi Yu and Nukumizu Youichi (even if the scene is barely two minutes long). "Insects Unlisted in the Encyclopedia" has the best story and Kikuchi Rinko (Liar Game 2, Moteki) in it and Fuse Eri is hilarious playing a sweet-guzzling teenage boy. Lastly "Instant Swamp" makes most sense as a story (despite the flying dragons), and has the strongest lead performance from Aso Kumiko.



So take your pick. You can't go wrong, if you don't mind stories that aren't in any hurry to get to the end. Perhaps it is an acquired taste, but it's one that gets better each time.

Just watched: Nodame Cantabile: The Movie I

Recently released by Sars Fansubs, the story of Megumi Noda continues with this – the first of two cinema releases. Well, I say the story of Megumi Noda, but this film focuses mostly on Chiaki-senpai, the conductor. All of the major plot points revolve around him with Nodame supplying light relief every now and again.

The broad physical comedy and over-acting are still in place. Now computer graphics are sometimes used to emphasise the more manga-esque moments, but there are also some bits where the use of dummies is not hidden at all, which nicely undermines the seriousness of the classical soundtrack, the Parisian location and the general big-budget feel as well as making some of the comedy violence more palatable.



The story is nothing new (Chiaki turns around the fortunes of a failing orchestra), and it is held up by a healthy chunk of flashback footage from the TV series. Being the first of two films, the ending can't be called satisfactory, leaving all the loose ends to be tied up during the sequel, but when it's funny, it's funny, and when it's serious, it's serious. And when it's over-the-top, it's pretty much absurd, but that's part of the charm, isn't it?

Plus, the audience's reaction to hearing a classical piece of music is still the same every time. I wonder if there are people in Japan who think that in Europe you're not allowed to applaud at classical concerts until someone stands up and shouts “bravo”.

Just finished: Sunao ni Narenakute

Minor spoilers ahead. Don’t say you weren’t warned.


Well, that’s that. The usual last-episode dash through half a year to the end of the story came as no surprise. And I give a big tick to any series brave enough to start any scene with someone exclaiming “Iraq?!” in an unashamed attempt at getting yet more distance between our unrequited friends. Sure. Send him to Iraq. Why not? He’ll be back after a montage or two.

What was disappointing was that Peach, who’d pretty much sorted herself out by episode nine, hardly appears at all in the series finale.

What really struck me was that, only weeks after I wrote about The Boys in the Band as a curious seventies throwback, this series gives us another storyline of the gay man as “noble yet defeated”, as if he is not allowed to have a happy ending. As for Doctor’s infatuation with Haru, that petered out in a far too understanding way. I mean, he didn’t even sulk or anything.

The show ends with Eita and Juri holding hands as they run across a bridge towards their regular bar. At least they didn’t end up being brother and sister. That particular sub-plot was done away with almost as an afterthought, when Nakaji’s dad asks Haru’s mum if he was her daughter’s father. She said no. That was it. As far as economic writing goes, you’d be hard pushed to find anything more abrupt, but at least it didn’t waste any more time on an idea that had already fallen by the wayside. Plus, it meant I was spared the humiliation of choosing to watch a drama that used a plot line that hasn’t been considered clever or surprising since Ancient Greece.

But, yeah. Not bad. Ho hum.

Currently watching: Sunao ni Narenakute

This tale of young adults who live, laugh and fall in love with each other meanders on to whatever conclusion it inevitably comes to. Heading into the latter half of the series and the twitter part has mostly been dropped. It’s served its purpose, and any interesting use of such a means of communication between friends has been replaced by the more traditional storytelling devices of having people turn up unannounced or meeting accidentally.

The one-sided love affair between Doctor and Haru is one of the more interesting aspects of the show, and Doctor’s gawky over-enthusiasm is nicely played. I’ll be interested to see how his obsession changes when the futility of his situation becomes obvious, even to him. Stalker or suicidal. Or he could be hideously embarrassed and apologetic, which is what everyone else in the show seems to do when they display any kind of attraction to someone else. Place your bets.

Currently watching: Sunao ni Narenakute (It's Hard To Say I Love You)

There's something exciting about watching a series around the same time as it's being transmitted. First, you have to be impressed by the skill and speed of the fansubbers, and also for the geeky thrill of being bang up to date and reading things on forums that refer to something that happened yesterday as opposed to several months ago which is how long it usually takes me to get around to watching something (e.g. Bloody Monday 2 - still haven't made a start on it).

This series sees Ueno Juri and Eita feature in a drama about a bunch of people who met on twitter, and meet up for a drink. Although I've only seen the first two episodes, it looks like being a tale of loves, laughs and lies with everyone having a secret burden to overcome while they tip-toe through these fledgling relationships.

It makes a nice change to see Juri in a normal role, after the oddballs she's recently played in 5 Bags and Nodame. Meanwhile Eita is playing a struggling photographer, just like he did in Lost Time Life, right down to having the same make of camera. Talk about being typecast!

Added to this is a Korean salesman (Hero JaeJoong) who can't seem to sell anything, a guy (Tamayama Tetsuji) being sexually harassed at work by his female boss, and a suicidal pregant woman (Seki Megumi). And some other stuff as well, but it's too early to say how they all fit together. But so far - just two episodes in - I'm enjoying it. The characters all have something to endear them to the viewer, and each episode definitely leaves you wanting more.

Just watched: Swing Girls

One of the abiding memories of my trip to Japan was when I was in Kyoto, going for a walk along the river that runs through it, when I heard the sound of someone playing a trumpet. I looked, and on the other bank (it’s quite a wide river) was schoolgirl practising with a friend sitting nearby. I thought at the time it was like something out of a j-drama, and I dawdled as slowly as I could (without it looking odd) so I could listen for a while.

Then, over this last weekend, I saw the film Swing Girls which, indeed, contains not one but two scenes of schoolgirls practising playing brass instruments by a river. So at least now I know what inspired her.

This film is a determinedly upbeat feel-good movie, caring little for plausibility, and it glides from one minor setback to the next without ever seeming like a happy ending is ever in doubt. But that’s not the point. It never pretends to be anything it’s not, so you can relax and enjoy the performances (Ueno Juri, in the lead role, steals the show but everyone is good) for ninety minutes and then walk away with a warm glow that’ll last until bedtime/you spill some food down your shirt/you remember you still haven’t paid the bills. Whichever comes first.

Currently watching: Tokyo Friend Park 2

About a week or so ago, I was looking for things about the film Virgin Killer Road (which I still haven't seen) when I found that the cast had been on this show to promote it. So I downloaded it, and found myself watching a game show in which famous people compete in silly games for prizes. I actually first heard of this show (without learning the name) a few years ago when I read about a Japanese game show in which contestants wore a special suit and flung themselves at a velcro wall for points - the higher the better. And the rest of the game follows in a similar vein, with a mix of physical challenges and general knowledge.

I enjoyed it, so started to look around for other episodes and found one with some of the cast from Bloody Monday. I usually see Kichise Michiko acting as a cold, impassive terrorist or as the cold, impassive Liar Game organiser so I couldn't pass up the chance to see her as a competitive, energetic normal human being. It turns out the Bloody Monday team were pretty good - I've seen a few episodes of TFP2 and they seem to be the best so far. So if I ever find myself needing to put together a team of celebrities to acheive a series of knockabout stunts for the chance of winning some golf clubs, I know who to ask.

Just watched: Kagayaku Onna Ueno Juri

Posting on Christmas Day? Disgraceful.

Anyway, last night I was watching Kagayaku Onna Ueno Juri, in which the actress visits the UK and talks about acting, her life etc, while discovering England and working on a farm. During her five-day stay on a farm, she lived and worked with a family, and it's quite a touching piece of documentary. Juri comes across as mature - both enthusiastic for the future and reflective about her past. I do wonder, though, if that family dig out that DVD every Christmas for people to watch.

The reason I feel compelled to mention it is because she visits Bristol. Juri's favourite book is set in Bristol, "The Great Blue Yonder" by Alex Shearer, and she visits the cathedral which is mentioned several times in the book. She's quite moved by the experience, which shows how much the book meant to her, and for me it made me think about the place where I live in a new way. It was quite odd to see places that I walk through every day treated as special or exotic, and when I next go out in Bristol, I'm going to try and see things through the eyes of a first time visitor, as I once was years ago. Can't let myself get complacent, you know, otherwise I'll never appreciate anything.