[Jmovie] Gimmy Heaven (Synesthesia)

Starring:
Eguchi Yosuke as Hayama Shinsuke
Ando Masanobu as Nohara Takashi
Miyazaki Aoi as Michiki Mari
Kojima Hijiri as Detective Shibata
Torihada Minoru as Konno Soichiro
Matsuda Ryuhei as Picasso

This film centers around people who suffer from a disorder known as Synesthesia. People who have it will, when sensing one thing, will also sense something else. It’s kind of hard to explain theoretically but easier to understand in examples. Someone with Synesthesia might see a letter or number connected with a color. Or maybe they would associate sounds with colors. It’s a very interesting concept to use in conjunction with a murder mystery, which is what Gimmy Heaven (aka Synesthesia) essentially is.

[Jdrama] Ashita no Kita Yoshio

Ashita no Kita Yoshio

Starring:
Kohinata Fumiyo as Kita Yoshio
Matsuda Ryuhei as Yashiro Heita
Konishi Manami as Washizu Mizuho
Kuriyama Chiaki as Hasegawa Rika
Yoshitaka Yuriko as Yoimachi Shinobu
Namase Katsuhisa as Sugimoto Masaru
Jinbo Satoshi as Washizu Hideto
Maruyama Tomomi as Yoda Ryoichi
Yoshiie Akihito as Yaida
Iwamatsu Ryo as Ebata Tatsuo
Imai Masayuki as Minami Takao
Kaname Jun as Moriwaki Daisuke

Ashita no Kita Yoshio is a Japanese drama that aired during the winter of 2008. It was 11 episodes long and got pretty un-amazing ratings of 7.1%. Despite that, I thought that it was one of the better dramas of the season (and my personal favorite!).

The story focuses on a man named Kita Yoshio. Ever since he was little, he has had this strange connection to the number 11. Generally, he is a very pathetic man and seems to have no friends. He did have one good friend, Minami Takao, but he died 11 years ago. He used to be married to a beautiful nurse, but she divorced him shortly about Minami’s death. After visiting Minami’s grave one day, he slips and scratches his palm, resembling ’11.’ After seeing this, he decides that he himself will die 11 days later, on the anniversary of his only friend’s death. He sells off all his worldly possessions and plans to live out 11 more days. However on the first day, he meets Yashiro Heita. Through him, Kita Yoshio experiences the most eventful 11 days of his life, meeting all sorts of interesting characters.

Winter 2008 Drama Preview

New season, new dramas, and a renewed spirit! This’ll be my first drama preview post as just my first impressions on the dramas I’m planning on watching and reviewing.

First Impressions

Shikaotoko Aoiniyoshi

A very unlucky man is forced to move his post at a university lab to a girl’s high school in Nara, where the deer roam around freely. Ogawa Takanobu moves into an apartment/inn of some sorts with a bunch of his co-workers. Life in Nara is quite different from Tokyo and Ogawa has probalem adjusting, including a student who seems to hate him. And not to mention that there seems to be someone tailing him and writing telltale notes on his classroom blackboard. So far, I’ve found Shikaotoko Aoiniyoshi to be quite interesting. Even though, it takes place in Nara that’s depicted as mostly slow-paced and not very exciting, the drama is full of life. I also love that the humor is very dry; there doesn’t seem to be any slapstick to be seen. I also have to mention that Tamaki Hiroshi and Ayase Haruka have pretty unflattering hair compared to their previous hairstyles. Maybe it’s supposed to be reflect on their location.