Forum Replies Created
-
Seirei no Moribito/Guardian of Spirit (Season 1)[BBvideo]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kXNDM5EzVk [/BBvideo] 
http://i1370.photobucket.com/albums/ag254/jashiman/Live%20Action/Seirei%20no%20Moribito/th_Seirei_no_Moribito01-006n_zpsy5rmw5cc.png
" /> 
" /> forced banquet
" /> the imperial capital
" /> lady of the lake : Torogai
Type: fantasy history live action
Genre: mystery, fantasy, action
Year: 2016
Introduction:
This is a series of 22 (4+9+9) episodes total in 3 seasons over 3 years based on the 12 novel Moribito series by Nahoko Uehashi.. Like the anime of the same name Season 1 covers the first novel.
Synopsis:
Balsa saves Chagum, becomes his guardian and is thrust involuntarily into an adventure of being the most sought after!
Critique:
I just relized it’s been 8 years since I last saw the anime. Like the anime the show is lavishly beautiful. The special effects & animations are really good; hard to tell from real or not. Well, the forests are real, though. It’s comparable to “the Legend”. I think it’s a first with this level and scope for a Japanese show of this size. In return they saved a bit on the size of the set, though. Might be better in season 3.
Haruka Ayase as Balsa was quite some shocking surprise. Here she shows her real life athletic ability. She’s no less than any other famed female martial artist actress here. Well, she’s a track and field person in real life not just in “Sekai No Chuushin De”. She does the action scenes very convincing… maybe too convincing.
😆 And despite all the heavy makeup she looks too good still. Maybe she lacks grace, though, but that’s how Balsa is. Or maybe she has too much of it?😆 The rest of the cast is full of really good actors. I could but can’t wish for much more. I doubt there’s more in the budget for better ones anyway.
Hayashi Kento as Shuga is definitely a good choice. He’s an unsuspecting chameleon actor. You may have seen him often but never realized it in his disguises. This will be interesting later on. Fumino Kimura as Ratu Kedua, Chagum’s mother, gives it her all. Perhaps her best performance so far.
Ohno Satoshi as Emperor of New Yogo is kind of evil. He’s different from the anime.
The story is closer to the novel than the anime and more complicated. Therefore, it makes a bit more sense in certain parts. The details are a bit different but that’s normal so I can’t tell for certain. Overall, it looks like a mix of your typical Chinese/Hong Kong martial arts movie and some fantasy movie with lavish backdrops both real and CGI.
The art design is kind of even more chinese influenced than the anime. The temple’s design reminds of the Korean legend of the tree, though. And the wall paintings are european baroc or later rather than greek-indo-asianized variation. Here, Balsa’s people resemple a certain mountain people, who got eradicated by the Han, even more than in the anime. Here childhood friends more of those in the south. And well, some everyday things are too modern or rather modern stuff made to look historic primitive.
The action scenes are better than the anime. (ﾟ0ﾟ) Unlike the anime the show features Balsa’s childhood adventure with seemingly mongols. She had her first fight at a pony station which is more chinese than mongolian design, though. The mongolian design is famed for efficiency.
Balsa has her first battle with mountain bandits; witnessed the evil of men and took her first kill. And there’s bloody medical procedures. Torogai, here, is more of a witch. There are other indigenous people, too. They look and have accessories like southerners than people of northern regions.
While the anime had a prominent story part in the mountains where they took refuge the show cut it short. Also different on the way back they are attacked by a huge tentacle creature from another realm. The end kind of came fast as it’s cramped into episode 4. Only episode 1 is normal paced.
Now, if you actually look at the map… it looks like a typical Japanese/Korean map meaning West is up and North is to the right. Hence, the land it takes place is somewhere north-west of ancient Korea territory (see Legend) into the mongolian area.
Verdict: 9.5
Cast 9.5
Cast performance 10
Script/Directing: 9
Ishi no Mayu
" /> police business cards with mascot
Type: human drama
Genre: crime, suspense, mystery
Year: 2015
Introduction:
Based on the novel Novel Ishi no Mayu Keishicho Satsujin Bunsekihan by Asami Kazushi.
Synopsis:
Kisaragi Toko is a rookie in the First Investigative Division (murder crimes). While on a serial killer case she faces prejudice from other departments and has a hard time conforming with the elitist attitude of her division. As the case unfolds she has to face a painful past, defend her father’s honor, and face the scorn of her colleagues, too. And on top of that the killer chooses her as the person of contact. Everything is directed her way…
Critique:
This show borders on horror or features some disturbing shots… Well, it’s a single large case story rather than a show with many. This a novel story after all (see end).
Kimura Fumino as Kisaragi Toko, I have somewhat of a mixed feeling. Despite everything she’s undoubtly the center figure of the show. Perhaps I’m too harsh, here.
The rest of the cast doesn’t shine intentionally, although, her senpai does a good job. They all are male and really experienced actors.
I wouldn’t say the story is that complicated but we still get sent for a loop most of the time. However, half of the troubles are rather due to police incompetence… or should I say it’s foreseeable but the police fail to see. It’s debatable whether that’s realistically accurate or not. As for anything else the show’s more realistic than any or most other Japanese police show. I won’t go into details here. I can’t award points for these.
The same goes for the final surprising (not really) showdown. Overall, I’m slightly disappointed over these but otherwise it’s a solid story. And well, the main points are on the human side, the human circumstances and the life-long struggles of the people involved rather than just solving the case and catching the criminal. So these can be forgiven.
Verdict: 7.7
Cast 7
Cast performance 8
Script/Directing: 8
Ooku – Special (2016)Ooku ~Saikyou no Onna~ (Part 1)Ooku ~Higeki no Shimai~ (Part 2)
" /> 
" /> 
" /> the scene everyone was waiting for
" /> 
" /> Uta, human target practice
" /> Type: (pseudo) historic special
Genre: historical
Year: 2016
Introduction:
This special is for the 5 season Ooku from 1968 to 2006.
There is NO relationship to “Ooku Tanjou” like some seem to believe. Ooku Tanjou is a complete different animal… imagine gender bending a la “Saber Marionette” world..
Synopsis:
In the first part, Omiyo becomes Tokugawa Ienari’s concubine for revenge. However, she falls in love with someone who becomes her rival. A sad fatal love developes.
In the second part, Ume and her sister Uta are ordered to become Tokugawa Ienari’s favorite concubine. A fatal rivalry ensures…
Critique:
Sawajiri Erika plays both Omiyo and Ume, obviously due to her classic beauty. Her performance is solid and classic. The differences are negligible, although, Omiyo and Ume are opposites. One being the stronger type the other the weaker type. Blame it on the classic ways.
The first part is “modern” and features Watanabe Mayu (AKB48) who plays a special and unique role (in the whole series I think). However, only 2/3 of her special role is actually being used while we only get hints on the other 1/3. She’s been wasted only for the part that’s pretty much common and redundant throughout the series. The other part could have been interesting offering something new but things end up boring. Yet it features the (only) nicest and cruelest love story of both.
The second part features Renbutsu Misako as the Akane type (super heroine) Uta.
Since the Ooku series is the kind that if you have seen one you have seen them all at least in my opinion. And since the special doesn’t stray too much from the classic it is kind of disappointing. It has a higher score because of all the other actors involved, its kind of beautiful scenery and the dances.
Verdict: 7.7
Cast 8
Cast performance 8
Script/Directing: 7
