Yeayy! I'm finally back to watch J-dorama. I was neglecting J-dorama after graduated from high school. Some J-doramas aired in local TV station, but I didn't have time to watch because most of them were airing at evening / after lunch. I must go to university from morning to evening, and after working, I couldn't spend any time to come back before 6 PM! No, I can't watch them on my local TV. Finally, after some boring K-dramas (I think it's after Pinocchio had ended on One Channel, I didn't watch the after drama, except Yong Pal and Achiara, which weren't too good), I decided to watch J-dorama again. I watched some older doramas like Shitsuren Chocolatier, Diet Rebound, Time Spiral, Koinaka, Second Love, Algernon ni Hanataba wo 2015, Death Note 2015, Gakkou no Kaidan etc. But what I want to write in this post are my currently ongoing doramas. They're mostly about suspense/thriller, a detective theme. But I'll write why they're good to watch even if you don't like detective theme.

1. From 5 to 9  (5→9: Watashi ni Koi Shita Ikemen Sugiru Obousan), English: I Fell In Love With a Very Handsome Monk

Really, it's not that I like Yamashita Tomohisa or something. I hate Johnny's idol for sure. They're overacting to act cute for whatsoever thing they did. It doesn't fit my taste. And most of younger generation's songs are useless, ex: Hey! Say Jump. But I must say that they're better at acting than singing (mostly?). This dorama is based on a josei manga. Josei here is mean for adult woman, not fantasy. They mostly told stories about working woman with their not-so-sweet love story.


Story : In From 5 to 9, Sakuraba Junko (Ishihara Satomi) is working as an English teacher. She works hard so one day, she'll go to New York. But her family is not sure about it. Instead, they announced her omiai (a meeting to see if the partner is good for marriage) with a monk. This monk is from a well-known temple, so he's very rich. The name is Hoshikawa Takane (Yamashita Tomohisa). While Takane fell in love directly with Junko, she didn't want to have relationship with a monk. With that, she can't even go to New York. Well, good for her because there are many guys in her workplace that love her. Though Junko must choose what she really want and the perfect happiness for a working woman.


Impression : The first movie I watched from Ishihara Satomi is Attack on Titan. I don't feel anything, because she looks different. But there, Ishihara was playing a crazy role and she's one of the best actor in Attack on Titan because of her acting. In Shitsuren Chocolatier, she's very cute but dumb. Here, she speaks good English. I can understand her conversation very well as a teacher, while Yamashita is very bad at it. Whatever it is, I like Ishihara. I must point out that there's Furukawa Yuki here. But his role is very bland and rarely appears. Don't forget that Mokomichi Hayami is also in here. He's funny and very good at English too.


For song, either it's the OP or ED, or BGM, I don't have my favorite. I don't listen to the ED song because it's too old for my taste. But this dorama have many comedies. Be prepared to laugh hard at Junko's everyday act. Though ep 6 is the most teary episode by now (ongoing). I would cry right when Takane told Junko and her families about her grandma's laugh. You see, I don't think Yamashita's hairstyle is perfect to be a monk. When the other monks have very short hair in this dorama, he's the only one keeping his cool hairstyle.


2. Seishun Tantei Haruya, English: Youth Private Investigator Haruya

For this one, I think it's not my favorite. This is based on a novel titled "Endo Kurejitto ni Saiteki na Natsu". But since it's also about detective, even though in easy cases, I like to watch each cases he's involved with. And how Haruya interacts with his friends. Not that he's a moody person, Haruya is a lazy one instead. But it's not easy for him to catch the criminal and he must work from stalkering to disguising as job hunter.


Story : Asagi Haruya (Tamamori Yuta) is only a normal university student. But after he helped someone in a case, Noumi Miu (Shinkawa Yua), a girl from the same university, asked him to help catching her stalker. With the help of Haruya's two friends, Kubotera Kazuomi (Takada Sho) and Shinohara Toshiyoshi (Ami 201), they can catch the criminal. After that, Noumi helps him in other cases.



Impression : This is an easy story to follow. Not too much thinking, and appropriate amount of comedies. Haruya is an easy-going, almost cold person. While Noumi seems to like him, Haruya doesn't understand all of that. But he can't stand wrong doings. Anyway, Shinkawa Yua is really a beauty, although her acting is so-so. Oh well, I should praise the man actor more. But what can I do? I like seeing pretty girl such as her and Ishihara Satomi. Tamamori Yuta is playing his role good enough. As well as the cute and funny Takada Sho. Watch this if you like easy-to-solved cases and cases which-involved-feelings.


3. Siren ~Keiji x Kanojo x Kanzen Akujo, English : Siren ~Detective x His Girlfriend x Perfect Villain~


This is a heavy detective case based on manga. You see, it makes me surprise in episode 1. Although I felt boring because the lenght is 2hrs like a movie, I could stand watching it because of the amazing 180 degree rotation. How can the victim of a murder case in the beginning of ep1 became the culprit in half episode? You must see how cruel and clever the culprit is.


Story : In Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department, Satomi Shinobu (Matsuzaka Tori) works under Inokuma Yuki (Kimura Fumino). But they also secretly dating each other. They must hide the fact of it, so one of them can enter the higher First Divison. One day, Tachibana Kara (Nanao) appears before them. While Yuki thinks she likes Satomi, Satomi realizes that Kara is more interested to Yuki. Kara wants to do the same thing as Yuki, to catch evil but in more brutal way. She begins stalkering Yuki, with the intention of killing her too. Only Satomi knows of it, and he must work alone to save his girlfriend. From searching about Kara's past to have an argument with Yuki because of it. That's because Kara is clever enough to stay beside Yuki as her friend. Stupid is, Yuki believes in Kara more than Satomi.


Impression : I always feel nervous while watching it. When Satomi tried to catch Kara, my mind said "Quickly, Satomi!". But he doesn't have a chance against the clever Kara. She has everything to hide her evil, a perfect villain. And also, one step ahead before Satomi. Matsuzaka Tori have many action scenes in this dorama. From fighting to jumping. Anyway, I watched him in "Kyou, Koi wo Hajimemasu" but I didn't get impression on him. But in this one, he's very strong! Like, he doesn't afraid doing action scene. Though I don't know if he use a stunt or not. Fumino is also very good at expressing her sadness towards Satomi. She doesn't like Satomi stalkering Kara, and it hurts too. And Nanao! Wow, she's good in acting as an evil woman. Her eyes can talk! Every main actors in this dorama are worth the award. OP & ED are very good. I keep repeating Girl A by Alexandros and Taiyou ni Warae by Anly on my phone.


4. Okitegami Kyouko no Bibouroku, English: The Memorandum of Okitegami Kyouko

It's the latest dorama I watched based on novel again. I actually didn't include it in my watch list. But after some consideration and someone told me it's a good one, I'm immersed in this dorama right now. I watched 7 episodes in about 2 days! I like it a lot, more than From 5 to 9 now.


Story : Kakushidate Yakusuke (Okada Masaki) has a bad luck name. His name "Yaku" is derived from "Saiyaku"=worst. He always being mistaken as the culprit of an incident, be it about stealing or murder. One day, he asks for a private detective's help. Her name is Okitegami Kyouko (Aragaki Yui). But although she's a respectable detective, her memories will lose by each day after sleeping. She won't remember Yakusuke or any case. Due to that problem, Okitegami writes her objective to her own body. Anyway, Yakusuke begins to love Okitegami. But he must put strong mind because she won't remember his trace of living. One of her remarkable love can be watched on ep 7. And his skills improved from being a client to a helper (Watsons) of Okitegami. Fun moment is when Yakusuke tries to imagine where he have been married with Okitegami. But in his dream, Okitegami would wake up, forget him as her husband, and called the police because there is a trespasser.


Impression : Similar to Seishun Tantei Haruya, there are cases which involved feelings. I think I began crying from episode 4 until present. Mostly after knowing the culprit or victim's feelings. I like how Okitegami read their minds after pointing out who is the culprit. And Yakusuke! His character is really improved from 1st to 7th episode.


I never watched Okada or Aragaki in any film before. But after watching Okitegami Kyouko, I believe I'm interested in Okada Masaki. He's very good from acting as a stupid person to cute and sad, because he doesn't want to hurt Okitegami. As for Aragaki, her acting is so-so, but she's cute. Maybe her specialty is to act cute? Anyway, I thought this story didn't have deep feeling, but I was wrong. It told me about a frame maker's feelings, an author of a novel's feelings, and the culprit behind an art teacher being stabbed. That would make me cry a bucket!


Right now, I'm in the mood of watching detective-like story. I don't know why. Maybe because this season is full of it and I had been longed to watch it on dorama. I mostly watched love stories etc. And as for K-drama, it's too boring lately without an impact (mostly because of medical theme) or an interesting actor this year (except Joo Won in a bad melodrama). Lately, it's occupied by older actors and it seems boring, right? Actually, I really want to try watching Samurai Sensei, Designer Baby (it's about detective too), and Minami-kun no Koibito: My Little Lover. But I must pass now, because these 4 doramas really took my time. But I might watch it later after finishing some series. EDIT: Already watched Samurai Sensei & Minami-kun no Koibito. I can recommend Joker Game movie if you like tricky lies. It's also very good and interesting, full of tricks and actions. And there's Fukada Kyoko!

If you know me on a manga site, I'm currently translating Subete ga F ni Naru -The Perfect Insider- manga until chapter 3. It's actually based on a novel too, about a murder case in a closed room. It have dorama in 2014, and an anime this season with two types of manga. But I don't dare watching its dorama because the main actor, Ayano Gou's hairstyle. Wow, it's such a downer to me even before watching. I think from a novel to anime to manga, Gou's hairstyle is the ugliest. Though I don't think dorama is bad, or Gou's acting is bad, his hairstyle and mustache really puts my mind down to slumber. I can recommend watching its anime and manga though. Even some might find it boring because of too many dialogues, the story is interesting to follow.