Currently watching: IQ246

Well, hello there. Hisashiburu desu ne.

Much as I’d like to say this is a return to regular service, it’s more likely to be a blip. Having said that, there are a few things I want to write about regarding J-dramas, so who knows: I might be back soon. I’m making no promises, though. I doubt that anyone’s too concerned.

But why, then, write about this series? On the face of it, this is another semi-comedy cop show with unlikely storylines and everyone has an adorable quirk. However, when I read the synopsis I saw shades of Sherlock Holmes, and I’m a bit of a Holmes fan, so I gave it a chance.

And to my surprise this has, for some reason, dragged me back into watching J-dramas. First, I like the leading actor, Oda Yuji. His character is pompous and arrogant, just like Sherlock, but is also slightly off-kilter in a way that reminds me of the Japanese Poirot in Orient Kyuukou Satsujin. That performance by Nomura Mansai was perfectly pitched between refined tastes and oddball eccentricity, and I see a lot of that in the lead role in IQ246.

The Sherlock Holmes references – or to be more exact BBC Sherlock references – keep cropping up. Episode two has, as it’s central premise, the same as Sherlock’s opening episode “A Study In Pink” (give the victim a choice between two pills) albeit with a different ending.

Alongside this off-centre genius are some pretty typical J-drama staples. The rookie detective given a job just to keep her out of the way. A Japanese guy who keeps using English when he speaks. And a geeky love-struck pathologist who has the hots for the lead role (also taken from the recent BBC version of Sherlock, maybe?).

This last one, played by Nakatani Miki, reminds me of her work in the first Keizoku and makes me wonder if there might be a way she can do a proper sequel...

I can but dream.

Oh, and excellent subs from candylemon.

Currently watching: Ghost Writer

Ah, the blank page. Every writer’s worst nightmare. This drama is about a famous novelist - Tono Risa - who, over time, finds her talent fading away. Her most recent novel has been slated by critics and her confidence has all but gone.

Into this situation comes a new assistant and aspiring writer, Kawahara Yuki, whose work has already caught the eye of someone at Tono Risa’s publishing company.

The drama is well shot, and Nakatani Miki is always worth watching. The producers have cast strong actors in the roles closest too her, too, with Mizukawa Asami as the assistant and Tanaka Tetsushi, who is excellent as the Chief Editor of Tono’s publishing company.

Since the first episode begins with the two women fighting over who has the real talent, it’s clear that the famous writer uses the unknown to prop up her own failing career, in a similar way that the real life scandal of the “Japanese Beethoven,” Samuragochi Mamoru who hired someone to write his newer pieces.

It’s also clear that, at some point, the balance of power between the two main protagonists changes. I’m looking forward to seeing how that plays out.

Just watched: Vs Arashi and stuff

Since it was a lazy Saturday evening with no football on, I decided to watch an episode of Vs Arashi to pass the time. It was pretty much the same as always, fun but no real surprises. The opposing team was the cast from the new film Gatchaman, a live-action version of the anime that has been released twice in the West: once as Battle of the Planets, and then again some years later as G-Force.

It was light and undemanding. The format hasn’t changed at all in the past few years but that doesn’t seem to matter. You would think that Arashi would have a big advantage in most games with all their practice, but this show has been going so long that most guests are making their second or third appearance. Plus, of course, Arashi has a guest on their team who is usually a complete novice or playing it for laughs.

But anyway, it was nice to see that Gouriki Ayame really is adorable without a script and soft-focus, and the team as a whole were pretty funny. I laughed when one guy, Nakamura Shido, said he’d be good at one particular game because his hobby was bazookas.

After I watched this, I felt like I needed a bit more Arashi before I went to bed. I couldn’t be bothered to wait for a download, so I went on YouTube to see what had been posted up recently. I found an old episode of Himitsu no Arashi-chan which is a TV show I don’t know much about, but it had Nakatani Miki in it. I wasn’t sure how the glacial beauty of Nakatani Miki would mix with the knockabout humour of Arashi, so I watched it.

Part one
Part two
Part three
Part four

I was surprised to learn that Satashi Ohno appears to know about flowers and flower arranging, and they also played a couple of traditional Japanese games. One was particularly interesting (the games are in part four, by the way). Each player has to make a motion in time to some music, according to simple rules. If the object in the middle is still there, touch it or pick it up. If it isn’t there, then knock on the table, or put it back (if you have it).

I’d never seen a game quite like this in England, so I thought I’d pass it on. There are no subs, but the games are easy to follow and it's nice to see how the Japanese entertained themselves before Nintendo.

Currently watching: Beautiful Rain

This season's tragic tale of cruel fate concerns a family (just a father and his eight-year-old daughter) and what happens to them when he discovers he has early onset Alzheimer's disease. It affects his work, his relationships and, most of all, it scares him that in the end he won't even be able to recognise his own daughter.

It stars Ashida Mana as the plucky, spirited daughter who doesn't quite understand what's going on, but tries her best to help. Toyokawa Etsushi is the tough, factory worker dad who now has to ask for help from others. Nakatani Miki also stars, and it's nice to see her being normal for a change. She's the bosses daughter who turns up one day and won't explain why she's left her husband.

So it's all about secrets and how keeping them can lead to hurt feelings. It's entertaining, and well acted. Whether you like it depends on whether you enjoy dramas that are overtly emotional at any opportunity.

I'm up to episode four, and there's already been quite a lot of crying. I wonder what the big emotional finale might be since, unless they really speed up the progress of the disease, it'll still be in the early stages by the end of the series.

Just finished: Seinaru Kaibutsutachi

* spoilers *

This drama was at times exciting and intriguing but it ends with a flaw that I've seen a few times with Japanese dramas. The criminals in this series are given noble reasons for their actions and, in some way, they all repent. It seemed as if the makers of this show could not bring themselves to punish the characters they'd created.

In a way, I can't blame them. The Chief Nurse, Kasugai Yuka, who is the most immoral of the main characters, is given such a strong portrayal by Nakatani Miki that I didn't want her to be caught. But when she wasn't caught, it didn't feel like a proper ending. Let's not forget that a woman was killed and now her ex-boyfriend has to raise a baby single-handed on child support.

Meanwhile, the punishment for the criminals is simply to lose their family. The couple, Keiko and Toshio, who received the baby, are banished from their prestigious family and have to start again. And Kasugai Yuka is last seen walking away to lead a life without the sister that she's loved and protected for all these years. In a way it's a cruel punishment, but I can't help thinking that a prison sentence is more appropriate for murder.

Nevertheless, I enjoyed this series. It wasn't particularly hyped before it began and if Nakatani Miki hadn't been in it, I might not have watched it at all. That would have been a shame, since this was a smart and well-made piece of TV that never quite became essential viewing, but came very close.

Currently watching: Seinaru Kaibutsutachi

This is a medical drama that's not really about medicine. It's set in a hospital, and certain medical things happen, but the main story is about a surrogate pregnancy. This is illegal is Japan, and so the whole pregnancy must be kept a secret.










 
Nakatani Miki plays the role of a head nurse at a hospital and is coldly beautiful, like diamonds cast across ice. Her performance demands that you watch her when she's on screen. She is a paragon of elegance, but also demonstrates a seething energy just under the surface. When she asks the potential child-bearer to be a surrogate mother, she leans in a little to closely and breathes a little too hard, indicating a certain delight in manipulating people.

Hasegawa Hiroki (Suzuki Sensei) is the husband, who seems to find the situation distasteful. When his wife expresses excitement at the impending birth, even though she isn't carrying the child, he doesn't hide his disdain. Okada Masaki is the eager new surgeon at a fairly average hospital who unwittingly gets on with his job while all this goes on around him. Add to this a flirty nurse with money troubles and a patient who knows more about the staff than he should, and the stage is set for some twisty turny plots.

Three episodes in, and the situation is delicately poised. It's a game of power. Since everyone involved can ruin the whole plan, everyone seems to want it to be run the way they want. And bear in mind that the series began with a scene at the hospital where a mystery woman dies in childbirth, before the story went back a year to explain the events leading up to that evening.

While I can guess who the mystery woman is, I'm interested to see how the story gets to that point, and the consequences that follow.

Looking forward

Reading the summaries for the dramas starting in January doesn’t exactly inspire confidence. There are a lot of brilliant but unconventional characters who annoy their colleagues but, in time, they grow to respect each other. The other recurring theme is that a death in the family prompts a career change. Either way, it’s pretty grim out there, with only WOWOW seemingly making an effort. Nevertheless, here are the shows which, at the moment, I’m looking forward to.

Shokuzai

Number one on my list of things to watch is this series. An interesting storyline and a very strong cast have caught my attention. The story is about four women who, as children, witnessed a murder but couldn’t remember the man’s face. The mother of the murder victim blamed them for the murderer never being found and now, years later, those events are about to have their consequences...

I’m paraphrasing, but it’s something like that. Aio Yu (Camouflage and lots more besides) and Sakura Ando (Love Exposure, Soredemo Ikite Yuku) head the cast. I’m excited by this. It begins on the 8th.

Lucky Seven

Eita and Matsumoto Jun star in this detective series. Again, the overall theme of the show appears to be a clash in styles of two very different detectives. But the two strong leads (and Naka Riisa too) give me some hope for this.


Honjitsu wa Taian Nari

Of January’s new dramas, this has the best storyline, at first glance. Five wedding ceremonies are to be held at the same venue on the same day. A message arrives demanding that they all be cancelled or receive “punishment from heaven.” Who sent the message and why?

This seems to be a slightly different take on a mystery theme. I shall keep an eye out for this.


Suugaku Joshi Gakuen

A male student with no interest in maths accidentally enrols in a maths class with some high-flying female maths students. I’m being very optimistic by recommending this one. It looks like one of those terrible romances where different women take turns in falling for the male lead, but perhaps there’ll be some maths in there too? I know, it’s crazy, but Liar Game was a success so maybe they'll try and tap that market. I’ll give this one episode to persuade me.


Stranger 6

This Japanese/Korean/Chinese production revolves around three agencies trying to stop a terrorist attack. It’s by WOWOW so hopefully it’ll be more sensible than Bloody Monday.


There are also new dramas for Nakatani Miki and Nagasawa Masami which I’m kind of interested in, but not especially. Nakatani Miki stars in Seinaru Kaibutsutachi a new hospital drama, and I don’t enjoy those due to them usually being staffed entirely by doctors who have piercing eyes and a habit of demanding that they save someone’s life, even if it breaks every rule in the book.

Nagasaw Masami’s drama, Bunshin, has the weakest storyline as far as I can tell. A woman sees another woman on TV who looks just like her. And so begins her journey into her family's murky past. That could go anywhere. It could be brilliant, it could be daft.

Memories of Matsuko vs Memories of Matsuko: FIGHT!

I’m used to there being two versions of each story in Japan (whether it’s anime, drama or film) but I did not expect to discover a TV drama version of Memories of Matsuko. Trying to find it on the internet is impossible since searching for it brings up results for the film version. I did, however, find one user on YouTube who had put up some parts of the early episodes.

The riverside is a recurring theme in both versions (film, left. TV right)

Both were made in 2006, with the film coming out several months before the drama. Watching the TV series is a bit like watching an amateur production of the film. Gone are the dazzling bright colours and cinematography. Instead, we have what is a very mundane retelling of the same story. According to Wikipedia, the TV drama is more faithful to the original novel’s story, and I suppose over eleven episodes, it’s able to go into more detail but at the same time it loses a lot in emotional impact.

The scenes introducing Matsuko as a school teacher (film, left. TV, right)

The big problem with the TV series is that you can’t watch it without comparing it to the film. Nakatani Miki is sorely missed, and there are no musical numbers to illustrate certain scenes. And I think the screengrabs I've posted demonstrate the difference between Nakashima Tetsuya’s directorial vision, and the flat, muted greys of an average television drama.

The same argument (film, left. TV, right)

I do wonder if I had never seen the movie would I like the TV series, and I think I would. But I found it difficult to sit through the drama version without wishing I was watching the film version instead.

It's the 2nd Annual November The Eighth Awards!

It's been two years since I started this blog, so here's my second post in which I highlight the best stuff I've seen in the last twelve months. You know, I spent most of this year thinking that I haven't enjoyed watching J-dramas so much as I did last year. And then I sat down to write this, and remembered all the excellent stuff I'd seen.

And just like before, this is based on things I've seen in the last year, not just things that have been released last year.


Best drama
Furuhata Ninzaburo
Jin & Jin 2
Marks no Yama
Soredemo, Ikite Yuku

Perhaps it's a little unfair to bundle the two series of Jin together, but that's how I watched them: I finished series one just as series two was beginning. And I adored this show. The adventures of a time-travelling doctor in 19th century Japan may not be the most challenging or thoughtful television, but it was done with wit and charm and the ending didn't disappoint. Furuhata Ninzaburo remains agonisingly un-subbed which is a real shame, since the four episodes that I saw made me keen to see more. Marks No Yama was by far the best crime series of the year, and Soredemo, Ikite Yuku was an emotionally-charged drama with some great acting.

Best Drama: Jin and Jin 2

Best comedy
Reinoryokusha Odagiri Kyoko no Uso
Yuusha Yoshihiko to Maou no Shiro
Tiger and Dragon


Yuusha Yoshihiko to Maou no Shiro was a blissful romp through RPG cliches, and Ishihara Satomi once again showed she can do comedy better than drama in Reinryokusha... but the winner of this category was Tiger and Dragon, a sharp, intelligent work that has become my favourite Japanese comedy of all.

Best comedy: Tiger and Dragon

Best film
Parade
Live Tape
Memories of Matsuko
Love Exposure

Do I have to chose between these? Really? We've got four works of genius here. Parade is a perfect example of Generation X slacker film-making – cool, distant but interesting and funny. Live Tape is indie DIY cinema at its best – a cameraman follows a busker around some city streets. Watching Love Exposure is like speed dating at a psychiatric ward. But Memories of Matsuko wins against these excellent competitors by being emotional and romantic and cynical and cruel. But most of all, by being beautiful.

Best film: Memories of Matsuko

Best actor
Kubozuka Yosuke (Long Love Letter)
Keisuke Koide (Parade)
Eita (Soredemo Ikite Yuku)

Eita takes all the plaudits as the guy between two families who've both been destroyed by a motiveless murder that happened years ago, and it's through him that the viewer is expected to view both sides of the story. Without him holding it together, the whole story would quickly fall to pieces. Kubozuka Yosuke's performance in Long Love Letter is a masterclass in understated cool and when he's on the screen, it's hard to look at anything else. Keisuke Koide has a similar energy in the film Parade, in which he effortlessly holds your attention.

Best Actor: Eita (Soredemo, Ikite Yuku)

Best actress
Nakatani Miki (Memories of Matsuko)
Naka Riisa (Cafe Isobe)
Mitsushima Hikari (Love Exposure)

Nakatani Miki's perfect portrayal of the permanently defeated Matsuko was the real hook for that film. She really made you share in Matsuko's optimism, which made it all the harder when things inevitably went wrong. Naka Riisa was great as the schoolgirl who watches in despair as her father make a fool of himself over a woman. Mistushima Hikari's performance in Love Exposure is also a tour de force, a remarkable source of energy that keeps you watching for the whole four hours.

Best actress: Nakatani Miki

Best game show
Running Man
Family Outing
Vs Arashi
Game Center CX

No real competition here. Once I've downloaded an episode of Running Man, I can't have it sitting on my hard drive unwatched. I have to see it immediately, which usually means I'm awake until half past one on a weekday morning. Which is no bad thing. This cross between a game show and a Hollywood blockbuster is always entertaining and at its best, it's the closest that television gets to being a rollercoaster.

Vs Arashi is all bright colours and knockabout fun, and very easy to follow, no matter what your level of Japanese. Family Outing is a glorious example of how a TV show can build a relationship with the viewer. And Game Center CX remains a lot of fun to watch, as Arino struggles through various retro video games. And it's still a perfect analogy of my life – middle-aged man fights battles he should've left behind when he was young.

Best game show: Running Man

Best album
Bump of Chicken "Cosmonaut"
SpecialThanks "Seven Lovers"
Dear Cloud "The Bright Lights"
Organic Stereo "The Moments Linger"
Kokia "moment"

For the second year in a row, my favourite album from Japan is my favourite album full stop. Bump of Chicken's “Cosmonaut” continues their impeccable track record. Perhaps not as immediate as “Orbital Period”, but still a great album which has never been away from my mp3 player for long. At the time of writing, it's also the last time I bought an actual CD.

SpecialThanks are all youthful energy, crashing guitars, female vocals and catchy punkish tunes. It's very hard to find anything wrong with that. Korean music makes an appearance with Dear Cloud offering bright vocals and big choruses that would fill a stadium, if only they had the chance. Organic Stereo's album was a little bit ambient and a little bit pop, with a series of dreamy instrumentals, each one of which sounded like the soundtrack to a happy ending. Lastly, Kokia's album “moment” was a folk-tinged collection of ballads with lush production values and some achingly melancholy harmonies.

Best album: Bump of Chicken "Cosmonaut"

Safe pair of hands award

This award is for people who consistently choose good shows to appear in

Yoo Jae Suk (Running Man, Family Outing)
Nakatani Miki (Memories of Matsuko, Jin, Jin 2, Densha Otoko, Keizoku)
Keisuke Koide (Parade, Jin, Jin 2, Surely Someday)
Mitsushima Hikari (Love Exposure, Moteki, Sawako Decides, Kakera, Villain, Soredemo Ikite Yuku)

I was a bit late in discovering Mitsushima Hikari. I checked her filmography and I saw that she was in Death Note and Shaolin Girl, but I can't say I noticed her in either. But this year I caught up with her recent film work and, by God, she's got good taste. From her minor role in Villain as the obnoxious murder victim to her central role in Love Exposure, it seems she can do no wrong.

She beats some strong opposition: Yoo Jae Suk is a brilliant presenter who's kept me entertained through some tough times this year. Nakatani Miki holds a special place in my heart for her roles in Matsuko and Keizoku. And Keisuke Koide showed me how wasted he was in Nodame Cantabile with some great performances.

Safe pair of hands: Mitsushima Hikari

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!

Recommended: Jin 2

About a week ago, I was walking into a video game shop when, just as I was going in, an eight year old boy was coming out. He was clutching a game to his chest, and when he saw me he looked up in fear, as if I was going to take this precious game away from him. Afterwards, I felt quite jealous since it had been a long time since I’d felt that excited about getting anything.

Well, I think I came close when I saw that Heiwa Fansubs had put up the subs for the last episode of Jin 2.

* spoilers *

The final episode is a triumph. As indeed are the episodes leading up to it. No one is forgotten and everyone has their story finished and nothing seems rushed. Certainly, there's no last-minute dash to fit all the explaining into the last ten minutes, which often happens with J-dramas. Our hero, the doctor returns to the present and slowly has to work out what happened. As it is, the waves of time wash over his adventures in the past and memories fade as much as the photographs of his colleagues in Edo had faded.

That part was especially touching – when he finds old photographs of the people he worked with in the 1800s. Then I really got a sense of the distance he’d travelled and, sadly, the impossibility of him ever returning. Plus I had a feeling of pleasure of learning how they all turned out (and of seeing Kyoutarou in Western clothes!)

The reason behind why he went back in time was also very satisfying, and had clearly been planned from the beginning. And this really made me happy. The writer clearly had the idea fully formed in her head, and wasn’t just making it up as she went along. (edit: actually this is based on a manga written by Morota Murakami)

I started watching the first series back in April, so I’ve been lucky enough to have almost four months in which I haven’t had to wait long for the next episode of Jin. Now that is no longer the case, I’m at a bit of a loss. But I’ll find something else, I’m sure. I’ll certainly try and track down more of writer Morishita Yoshiko’s work.

And on a personal note, I finished watching this at 10pm. Then I noticed that the sky outside was still very bright. Far too bright for ten o’clock in the evening, I thought, and I had to check three clocks and the television before I was satisfied that I hadn’t fallen through a tiny time-slip of my own.

Currently Watching: Jin

Since the second series of this popular drama is coming out soon, I thought I’d watch the first series so I can properly enjoy the new episodes. Basically, it’s a medical drama and a historical drama mixed together. These are two elements that usually put me off but the overall idea is intriguing: a doctor somehow falls backwards in time to a point in Japanese history, during the mid-1800s.

His medical knowledge is almost miraculous in that day and age, and his fame quickly spreads. Meanwhile, he has to work out what happened to him, and he watches how his actions effect the future by how a photograph of himself and his girlfriend changes.

There’s a lot of ideas flying around. Most interesting is that if you had a modern-day knowledge of medicine, how much of it would be useful in feudal Japan? Also the story covers the political aspects of his work – at a time when Japan was slowly coming out of seclusion, his non-Japanese methods make other doctors suspicious. Add to this the usual difficulties caused by going back in time and the life-saving surgery (often with friends or family crying in the corner of the room, which you don’t see much in modern operating theatres) and every episode is packed with exciting events.

I’m halfway through at the moment, and so far the stories are entertaining, while the questions about the time-slip remain tantalisingly unanswered. It has a strong cast, including Osawa Takao in the lead role, ably supported by Ayase Haruka (Hotaru no Hikari) and Nakatani Miki. Special mention has to go to Uchino Masaaki as the wandering samurai with an interesting future, Sakamoto Ryoma. I can totally see how this was a success and I’m now one of the millions impatiently waiting for series two.

Recommended: Memories of Matsuko

There's probably a whole book you can write about inappropriate or inaccurate comparisons of films on the backs of DVDs. You know the sort - “if Danny Boyle worked with Hitchcock!” or “like The Matrix remade by Terry Gilliam!” Well, I think on the first page of this book, there should be a mention of this film. On the back on my DVD it's described as “an Amelie-esque fairytale” which makes me think that whoever wrote that hadn't seen Amelie. Or heard a fairytale.

The only thing the two films have in common is, perhaps, a sense of heightened realism. Memories of Matsuko is carefully shot, with vivid colours and constant changes in the time period (from the 50's to 2001) meaning that no two scenes look the same.

It tells the story of Matsuko, whose life is slowly ruined by the failures of the men she relies upon. And as she stumbles from one hopeless relationship to the next, the film is quite bleak in showing her decline. The film begins after she's been found dead, and a relative (played by Eita) wants to know more about this aunt who he barely knew about.

Nakatani Miki is incredible in the title role, and really makes you care for Matsuko and hope that her optimism is justified, even though you've seen how she ends up. Eita, too, is great in his role as the slacker who discovers this side of the family that he never knew about.

Despite some of the grim scenes, it's a very sentimental film and often very beautiful and moving. If you don't like crying in front of other people, you might want to watch this on your own.

Keizoku vs Keizoku 2: REMATCH!

* spoilers *

Now that I’ve seen both series through to their conclusion, I thought I’d compare the two again to see how they match up. (For my review of Keizoku 2: SPEC on its own merits, you can read it on Yam Mag.)

The TV series of Keizoku ends on a bleak note, with Shibata apparently lying dead in the arms of fellow detective Mayama. This, by itself, is a sad but somehow satisfying ending to a series that had previously not been afraid to kill regular cast members, and so had a real sense of danger about it.

And to be honest, if it had ended there it would’ve been fine. But it was followed by two somewhat enigmatic specials (one for TV, one for cinema) which didn’t really add to the story. Indeed, after the movie’s lengthy dreamlike sequence at the end, and the line from Mayama to Shibata “You’ve been asleep too long”, I prefer to think that the last two stories never happened at all, and that Shibata is still in a hospital bed in a coma.

The last episode of Keizoku 2 began with a very clever way of catching someone with the power to stop time, but ended with a final showdown that didn't make much sense. By then, however, I was happy to see it through to its conclusion, and the final shot of Toma standing triumphant was enigmatic and yet made a perfect end to the story.

Trying to pick between the two is hard since they don’t have a great deal in common. Keizoku started with normal explanations for the crimes before ending on a supernatural note, while Keizoku 2 took the supernatural to be real from the outset and worked from there. Both Toda Erika and Nakatani Miki are great as the lead roles in the two series. If it were a case of comparing the two TV series, then I think the original Keizoku just wins, but the two specials just confuse things which brings it down a bit. In the end, they're about even.

Having said that, perhaps Keizoku 2 will have its own specials. We shall see.

Densha Otoko vs Densha Otoko: FIGHT!

I watched the TV adaptation of this novel about a year ago and although I enjoyed it, by the end I was so tired of the main character's chronic shyness that I needed a break. It's only recently that I decided to try the film version. The story is the same in both: an emotionally-stunted anime freak stops a man on a train from harassing a woman and over time, with the advice of some people who write on an internet message board, he begins a romantic relationship with her.

Since the TV series is longer, it can spend more time on minor characters and sub-plots. In the film, Hermes (the female lead) has no brother and we never see her parents. Also, Densha Otoko's work life is barely explored at all, he lives alone and he doesn't try to learn to surf to impress her.

This leaves the film with the bare bones of the story, and it is just as entertaining. On the down side, it does mean that when their relationship has difficulties, it is just due to his misunderstanding rather than an event that causes a rift between them. Also, the TV series has the luxury of tear-jerking scenes like the closing of the thread as it approaches its one thousandth post.

The acting is somewhat better in the film, though, and it's played more low-key, with fewer comedic outbursts from the message board people. Nakatani Miki (Keizoku) is a better Hermes than Misaki Ito (Tiger & Dragon) perhaps because her character took a more positive role in the relationship and also because I thought she and Takayuki Yamada (who played Densha Otoko) were a more believable couple. Also there were some nice cameos in amongst the internet people, including Eita as a hikikomori.

There was a neat touch after the credits roll on the film, when we see the actors from the TV series recreate the scene with the drunkard on the train, and the person who helps hold him back is Densha Otoko from the film! Of course, I went to check the first episode, and there he was – the big screen version of Densha Otoko appearing in the TV series. I liked that.

All in all, both are good. The film is better for those in a hurry, while if you want to immerse yourself in Otaku culture, go for the TV series.

Keizoku vs. Keizoku 2: FIGHT!

Before the recent drama Keizoku 2: SPEC was broadcast, I read a few comments by people who were doubtful that it could possibly do the first series any justice. I decided to investigate and found to my surprise that the first series came out some eleven years ago!

Both series are set in the same police department: a section that handles “unsolvable” cases. These tend to have a vaguely supernatural air to them, while the solution is usually ingenious but non-paranormal. The officers investigating are a socially inadequate genius female detective, and her cynical male colleague. So far, so similar, and the only regular cast member in both series is the head of the department, played by Ryu Raita.











The stylistic differences are quite marked. The original is played a lot straighter. In Keizoku, the female detective (Nakatani Miki) is socially inept, but she tries to do the right thing. In the sequel, the detective (Toda Erika) also has problems dealing with people, but this time cares little for the consequences of her rudeness. The second series has a broader sense of humour, with a fair amount of physical comedy which the first series lacks.

The other main difference is that the sequel keeps dropping hints about geniune psychic abilities, with the opening episode involving two scenes in which a criminal is shot by his own bullets. This is, of course, impossible and it remains to be seen if there’s an explanation by the end.

Episode two of Keizoku 2 had a brief appearance from another member of the original cast, which makes me hope that they’ll bring back Nakatani Miki, at least for one case. I hope so. Having the two detectives working side by side would be like one of those episodes when all the actors who played Doctor Who come back for one adventure.

So far, both are enjoyable but the first series definitely has the better stories and more believable characters. Mind you, I've not finished watching either series and there's still time for Keizoku 2: SPEC to improve.