Bolts N' Nutz is back again after a long break! This time it's not about songs but another aspect of my interest -- Jdramas! (short for Japanese Dramas) Have been an avid fan of Jdramas since 3 years ago, though the initial spark came during the period when Singapore TV started airing Jdramas. Quite disappointing that Jdramas have disappeared from the face of TV since the rise of Kdramas. (Budget concerns? Too few episodes?) Even shops hardly sell Jdramas anymore. Thanks to Crunchyroll, Mysoju, Daddicts for supplying my dose of Jdramas!
In this entry I will introduce and recommend a few interesting Jdramas with unique genres that can be hardly seen in Singapore dramas or Taiwanese idol dramas. A short synopsis of the story followed by my comments. Enjoy!
Credits to DramaWiki for the wonderful pictures!
Gokusen
This drama tells about a daughter in a Yakuza family whose ambition is to become a teacher. She was accepted by a school and assigned to be the homeroom teacher of a class full of rowdy and delinquent students too much for the school to handle. Being tasked such demanding job of educating a bunch of ‘rotten apples’, she dealt surprisingly well with her Yakuza tactics and physical prowess, leading her deviant students into the correct social path. Trying her best to conceal her true identity, her atypical actions of a teacher has drawn suspicion from both her colleagues and students... This drama was so popular when it first aired such that 2 installments were released subsequently. Have just finished watching the 3rd series. Though each episode and series seem to follow a fixed formula, similar plots and ideas, I still enjoyed the story nevertheless due to its comical and touching moments. It’s rather thrilling to see how the teacher tries very hard to hide her Yakuza identity, yet resorts to using her skilled martial arts to protect her students from external gangsters. But the bewildering thing is, her students don’t seem to question her fighting capabilities at all despite witnessing her prowess. Her colleagues are equally oblivious as well, even with all the conspicuities.
The part when she throws off her glasses, unties her geeky ponytails and shakes her hair, before engaging in combat, is probably the most captivating and iconic scene in this drama series.
Good Luck
This drama focuses on the life of a co-pilot, and his interactions between fellow workers in the airport and aboard the plane. It reflects on the lively community of pilots, stewardesses and even mechanics in their daily work practices, as well as the challenges they have to face from the technical, administrative and passenger service aspects of air flights. The co-pilot eventually fell in love with a female mechanic, whom he could share his inner feelings on the occupation with (and vice versa). A Kimura Takuya drama. After watching this show, my respect and understanding to flight personnel increased. It’s definitely not an easy job, be it a pilot, an air stewardess or a mechanic. Everyone plays an important role in ensuring safe flights. Once again my desire to fly abroad has been fermented haha. Wonder how air stewardesses look like now. Are they still pretty and polite as before? And are pilots really that handsome? This show also made me realize that passengers can really cause lots of trouble and stress for the personnel, especially when they put punctuality before the safety of the rest of the passengers, or are just plain inconsiderate.
Being a mechanic once, I can’t understand why a female would want to work in such oily and dusty environment for such routine jobs.
Densha Otoko
An otaku, a person (usually male teenagers) who spends most of his time at home in front of the computer and is peculiarly obsessed with Japanese related products like anime and manga, is being illustrated in this drama. During an incident in the train he saved a young pretty lady from a drunkard and hence fell in love at first sight. Being inexperienced in wooing the opposite sex, he sought advice from a online forum, where he met several supportive netizens who were willing to help him overcome his fears and capture the lady’s heart. Inspired by a true story.Can’t believe it’s actually from a true story! But actually it’s not that surprising too, since from what I notice in various forums, many do share their relationship problems and request for tips. I guess those threads could be pretty helpful to a third party too. In such a information technology age, even relationships become so ‘technologized’ as well. Can someone tell me how is an otaku, 宅男, 干物女 or whatever attractive?
Recently the theme of otaku is rather hot. I think Mediacorp is going to film a drama based on this too.
Kimi wa Petto
One day a tough career woman found a box outside her apartment which unexpectedly contained an unconscious teen, shivering in the cold with bruises. Out of sympathy she brought him home and allowed him to stay until he regain consciousness. However he refused to leave after that and was even willing to become the woman’s pet for the sake of staying on. This drama discusses the master-pet relationship and depicts how having a human pet will cause a hindrance to the woman’s social life yet provide warmth, happiness and consolation.The parts where the actor tried to act like a cutie dog are a bit…erm. Anyway the characters are quite aptly casted, as the lead actor is of a smaller build than the lead actress which makes it feel like a elder sister – little brother relationship, or more inhumanely, a master – pet association. If such show is to be filmed by Mediacorp (which is highly improbable I know) I wonder who is willing to act as the ‘pet’ haha. Really have to act adorable, naïve, intimate, hyperactive, without giving people the ‘yuck’ feeling.
Unbelievable that a single woman would agree to let a stranger stay in her home...
Nodame Cantabile
This musical-themed drama talks about an aspiring conductor whose childhood desire is to travel abroad and hone his skills as a disciple under a famous conductor. However his dreams were never fulfilled due to his phobia of flying. In the music college he met a shaggy and unkempt girl who was exceptionally talented in piano. Their vastly different personalities and musicality often result in comical conflicts, developing sparks of chemistry. Based on a manga.It’s already quite rare to see a music-themed drama, much less an orchestra-themed. It must be really difficult to film the orchestra performances especially with a non-professional ‘conductor’ waving the baton in front. Assuming the music isn’t recorded live, coordinating the sight with sound can be a huge challenge too. Music is indeed a powerful medium that transcends all languages and cultures. Looking forward to similar dramas!
Playing an instrument may be fun, but repeated practices and routine rehearsals may just spoil it. 6 years in the symphonic band has taught me that.
Mukodono
This drama centers around a famous pop star who was married into an ordinary family. Not only must he hide his marital status from his huge fanbase and the treacherous media in order to maintain popularity, he has to ensure that his wife’s family does not get implicated in gossips. Even a proper wedding ceremony cannot be held. The family was in disapproval of their marriage initially but the pop star managed to convinced everyone that he could become a devoted son-in-law, though his compassion and warm-heartedness - traits that were impossible to discover from his public image. Japanese seem to love using the concept of hiding a super huge secret from the public, in their dramas eh? We pull our hair in frustration when people can’t seem to notice even the obvious things, and hold our breath in tension when the secret is about to be exposed. No wonder such formula still proves to be very much successful. Hmm, imagine if you have a family member who is a celebrity, how would you feel? Proud of him/her? Blessed? Jealous? Fear of paparazzi? Personally I don’t mind lah, can obtain many insider news this way haha.
All above all, face (both looks and reputation) is the most important factor in determining a person’s potential as a celebrity. But I feel the pop star in this show is really an extreme example.
My Boss My Hero
The eldest son of a triad family faced a challenging condition set by his father, that in order to succeed as the head of the triad, he must graduate from high school. Through the help of his father’s relations, he managed to secure a place in a school, though unwillingly. This drama revolves around the juggling of his daily school life, interactions with peers and teachers during the day, as well as his triad activities at night. His eccentric behavior, crude language and over-age look have inevitably posed several risks of his background being exposed. Once again another ‘huge secret’ drama, same actor as the previous. This is effectively the opposite of Gokusen where the student is of triad background instead. This brings us to another great formula adopted by Japanese – mismatching. It would be quite boring to see an obedient student or a rigid teacher neh? Other examples of mismatch seen in Jdramas would be a pop band singer as an air stewardess, and a timid person as a surgeon. Are they trying to prove that every individual has the potential to change and perform seemingly impossible tasks?
Even as a Yakuza or triad member, politeness is strictly observed at times. The ability to behave crudely and boorish yet stay meek and polite at certain circumstances baffles me.
Majo no Jouken
This drama narrates the forbidden love between a teacher and a student, a relationship that can never be tolerated in the contemporary society. Upon admitting her true love for the student, the teacher started to face several criticisms from both her school and family. In a desperate attempt to protect their affair from being disrupted, they escaped town to seek a better life together. However due to the dire consequences and disappointments which both of them had caused to their families, it seems that their freedom to love cannot be sustained much further. This was such a hit then. Did you guys watch this show when it was aired in Singapore many years ago? I regretted not watching much earlier thus unable to experience the hype. Only watched it recently. The theme song ‘First Love’ by Utada Hikaru became a hit as well, and is probably the first Japanese song that comes into mind of majority Singaporeans when asked. Considering that this is the lead actor’s first drama, his acting is really superb.
Have you ever witnessed (or plunged into) any teacher-student affair before? In such a conservative society, it seems very unlikely.
Dragon Zakura
A lawyer was hired by a school, which has a bad reputation of producing substandard students, for a seemingly impossible task of sending at least 5 students into the prestigious Tokyo University (Todai). The lawyer took on the tough job and confidently vowed to achieve this audacious goal, through unorthodox means of education. This academic drama relates how the special group of students attempt to overcome their intellectual barriers within a year and work towards the entrance exams to attain elite qualifications into Todai.Another school drama wee! Makes me want to go Japan and experience their school life! I guess Japanese really have fond memories of their school days to the extent that they produce many school dramas as a reminisce. On the other hand we don’t see this in Singapore haha, where books and exams form the core memories of schooling. Anyway this show is quite educative too; mathematical formulae and scientific concepts are occasionally flashed below the screen to give the audience a clearer picture. The most academic drama I’ve ever seen!
However this drama preaches that the easiest route to university is via maths and sciences, in which proficiency can be eventually achieved by constant and intensive drilling. Hmm?
Trick
Does supernatural phenomenon really exist in this world? Or is it merely a gimmick that looks believable? This intriguing drama tackles these questions by shining the spotlight onto various scams that have managed to fool the layman, and even professionals. A female magician seeks to uncover the truth behind such ploys and prove that the spiritual happenings are indeed entirely pre-planned illusions, using her knowledge and expertise in magic tricks, along with her companion – a physicist.This series is so interesting that I finished watching the 3 seasons at one shot! While being mysterious and enigmatic, it has a fair share of humour and horror as well. The humour used is different in the sense that it’s more subtle and deep, rather than the blatant kind. Ok I don’t know how to explain. Anyway it’s like watching ‘Breaking the Magician’s Code’ in a dramatized form, adding scary elements which Japanese are so good at.
Quite impressed how magicians (or illusionists) go to such great extent of immerse preparation and rehearsal to trick the audience.
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Hopefully this will slightly spur your interest and curiosity in the diminishing influence of Jdramas. =)
