Tag: J-Drama

J-Variety Review: TORE!

J-Variety Review: TORE!

by eastasianlover ♥ 2 Comments

It’s really really difficult to find Japanese Variety shows online with some exceptions like Gaki no Tsukai. But those kind of comedies don’t appeal to me. Sometimes it’s difficult to understand what is so funny in there (obviously, I’m not at that level of Japanese). And my quest for Japanese variety shows (with no videos other than youtube working here ¬¬) led me to to two – Hey! Hey! Hey! and TORE!

Hey! Hey! Hey! is a talk show and only eng subs I found for were the episodes where DBSK have appeared. So I’m not gonna talk about that. I did stumble upon this game show – TORE! which made me remember all those game shows they used air on cartoon network and other channels when I was a kid. Takeshi’s castle and Wipeout are still popular because they are still aired on channels like Pogo and AXN.

But TORE! was kind of new to me. I remember seeing a variety show with some temple guards in it but the things are hazy and I’m pretty sure it was an English game show. I don’t remember the format either.

So, yes. About TORE! They say it’s kind of mummification program. Ah! Yes. If you get squeezed by the walls or you fall down through a hole whose end you can’t see from above, you’ll definitely become mummy unless you give the correct answers asked in the show. It’s super entertaining and thrilling. The setting is Egypt kind. The keys, the walls, the Pharaos with the most modern instruments and equipments, you’ll all find in here. I watched one episode only, today and unfortunately, the subtitles weren’t available. ¯\(°_°)/¯

You can actually feel their anxiety during the games. When they fall before finishing the sentence they were saying, the breath stops! I mean I know they’re safe and that the hole may not be that deep that they show, but that’s the magic of directors and the technical staff out there and they work for this only. As their audience, I salute them! (￣^￣)ゞ

For Japanese language learners, it can be very helpful. Most of the words can be looked upon in dictionary and I can already see changes in my kana’s reading speed. The contestants (generally celebrities) have to answer the questions so fast with their lives (kind of) at stake that you have to read things fast if you’re staying with their speed. Of course, you can slow the videos down, but where is the fun in that? One of the most fun way to learn Japanese. Highly recommended.

I’ll post the episode I watched. Happy learning!

J-Drama Recommendation: Bunshin ( 分身)

J-Drama Recommendation: Bunshin ( 分身)

by eastasianlover ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

So I was reading my posts and I realized that till now all I wrote was about things related to South Korea (well yes it’s my newly discovered love but even so), so I decided to write about this short drama which was I think my first J-drama. I have my exam in less than 4 hours but I am writing my blog. What the hell am I doing? (-_-メ)
Why do you get all new and interesting ideas during exams? After exams, you don’t know what to do. ┐(´ー｀)┌

Anyways, Bunshin as such means Doppleganger. I’m sure you must have heard the term a lot of times if you are a Naruto fan. His favorite jutsu is (or used to be?) Kage Bunshin no Jutsu.

This is one of the stories which show the potential of human mind going beyond impossible. I mean, who can think about identical twins being born one year apart! And it’s not like it can’t happen. Doesn’t seem unrealistic in the story. (I’m not sure if it actually can happen. You can’t be sure of such things, can you? Technology evolves way too fast. )

Bunshin

This is a sci-fi serious drama based on novel of same name by Higashino Keigo. The protagonist is Mariko, a woman who is tangled in her past of people stating that she doesn’t look like her parents again and again and her mother kind of hating her. On the other hand, Futaba is a college student who wants to pursue a career in music and performs in a band. Things turn upside down in Mariko’s life when she sees Futaba on TV because they look totally alike. Through fateful chances, they get to know more about each other and are shocked to know that they are similar, not only their faces but interests also, despite having no connections. But they lose hope of being connected as Futaba is one year older in age.  But their identical nature and not having a clue of their about their birth compel them to go further and they discover what is unimaginable. There is a lot more to their story than it seems. Involvement of forbidden medical techniques and dirty politics doesn’t deter them from their path of finding the truth about their identity. What is the reality? Find out here : http://www.dramacrazy.net/japanese-drama/bunshin/

Now about the drama, acting is okay. Masami Nagasawa has done quite a good job playing triple role here (Mariko, Futaba and their mother). Drama as a whole is a little slow. They could actually have made a movie rather than drama. But since it contains only 5 episodes, it is worth it. Story, as you can see, I’m quite impressed. Things are unpredictable till episode 3 and I think, for 5 episodes, it’s a success.

Hmmm. Now I’m thinking what song I should include today. Should it be Japanese? Oh this song is good. (Actually, suddenly, the videos have stopped working here. Probably due to exams, they put restrictions. Yes, they do that. ＼（－－）／
I have heard the Korean version. Not sure about Japanese version though. But I’ll post both versions and listen to Japanese version myself later.)

Purple Line Korean Version

Purple Line Japanese Vesrion