Annie:

welcome!! your profile design looks so beautiful <3

tysm!! yours is also reallyy pretty

 Narutofan22:

can i please join 

welcome!! have a lovely time discover and enjoy J-cinematic <3

I can't quote everyone but to those who just commented to join, welcome to the club!

 TimiZero:

I can't quote everyone but to those who just commented to join, welcome to the club!

thanks

 Annie:

welcome!! have a lovely time discover and enjoy J-cinematic <3

thanks i will

updated one of the Emblem badges into a GIF

Hello folks,

Once upon a time someone (@Sakamichi) asked if there was a dorama watch challenge and the answer was no. I've since been thinking about that and would it be possible to organise something like that? I'm fairly new to dramas in general but I'm okay with hosting it if necessary. 

I have some ideas for categories and the sort but like I said, I'm not too well versed in doramas so more Jdramas/Japan-specific prompts would require input from more seasoned watchers (also possibly for lists and stuff) 

Here's what I have so far, let me know what y'all think 

Level 1

#1: The Basic Bs | 0/5
#2: Popularity Challenge | 0/5
- Watch a special
- Watch a short film
- Watch a movie
- Watch a drama (over 10 episodes)
- Watch a miniseries (under 10 episodes)
- Watch a title with a rating of 8.5 or higher
- Watch a title with a rating of 7.0 or lower
- Watch a title with over 5,000 viewers
- Watch a title with under 500 viewers
- Watch a title recommended by another user
#3: Serious and Insidious | 0/5#4: Teeth Rotting Fluff | 0/5
- Watch a historical dorama
- Watch an action dorama
- Watch a mystery dorama
- Watch a supernatural dorama
- Watch a thriller dorama
- Watch a comedy dorama
- Watch a romance dorama
- Watch a youth dorama
- Watch a fantasy dorama
- Watch a drama dorama (hehe)
Level 2
#5: Decade to Decade | 0/5#6: All About that Manga | 0/5
- Watch a title from before the 90s (1890-1989)
- Watch a title from the 90s (1990-1999)
- Watch a title from the early 2000s (2000-2010)
- Watch a title from the mid 2000s (2011-2020)
- Watch a recent title (2021-present)
- Watch a title adapted from a Mangaadapted from a novel
- Watch a title adapted from a Shoujo Manga
- Watch a title adapted from a Josei Manga
- Watch a title adaptated from a Shonen Manga
- Watch a title adapted from a Seinen Manga
#7: Queer and kinda clear | 0/5#8: Dorama exclusives | 0/5
- Watch a BL/Yaoi (list)
- Watch a GL/Yuri
- Watch a title with the LGBTQ+ tag
- Watch a title with a female centered plot
- Watch a title with a male centered plot
- Watch a Documentary
- Watch a Tokusatsu dorama
- Watch an Asadora
- Watch a Taiga
- Watch a wacky/outlandish dorama
Level 3
#9: Familiar Faces: 0/5#10 Japan Across the Ages: 0/5
- Watch a title with your favorite actor
- Watch a title with your favorite actress
- Watch a title from your favorite director/writer
- Watch a title with a cast you don't recognize
- Watch a title with an actor/actress you don't like
- Watch a title set in the Edo period (1600-1868)
- Watch a title set in the Meiji period (1868–1912)
- Watch a title set in the Taisho period (1912-1926)
- Watch a title set in the Showa era (1926-1989)
- Watch a title set in any of the remaining periods: Heian (794-1185), Kamakura (1185–1333), Muromachi (1333–1568), Azuchi–Momoyama (1568-1600), or Heisei (1989–2019).
#11: Careers and Lifestyles: 0/5 (spot a...)#12 The Clichés: 0/5 (Spot a...)
- Samurai (Member of the warrior class in Japan)
- Ninja/Shinobi (An infiltration agent, mercenary, guerrilla warfare, or bodyguard in feudal Japan)
- Geisha or Maiko (Japanese entertainers trained in traditional Japanese performing arts styles, such as dance, music and singing) (List)
- Otaku (A person who is obsessed with pop culture to the detriment of their social skills).
- Hikikomori (A term used to refer to someone who withdraws entirely from society).
- Scene where a character has a fever
- Scene where one character gives chocolate to another
- Manga/mentions of a manga in a title
- Scene in a karaoke bar
- Host club (list)
Level 4
#13 Locations: 0/5 (Spot a...)#14 Practicing Traditions | 0/5 
- Scene in a Izakaya (Japanese bar)
- Scene in a Ryokan (Japanese inn)
- Traditional Japanese Garden (e.g. tsukiyama (hill gardens), karesansui (dry gardens), chaniwa gardens (tea gardens))
- Summer Festival
- Tea Serving Ceremony
- Includes a Japanese sport (e.g: Kendo, Sumo, Judo, Karate, etc)
- Includes tradition music (e.g: Taiko (drum), Koto (zither), Shamisen (banja-like lute)
- Includes Japanese Art (Ukiyo-e (woodblock prints, paitings), Ikebana (arranging flowers), Kabuki (classic Japanese theater)
- Based on Japanese literature (for example The Tale of Genji)
- Includes Japanese mythology (e.g. yokai = spirits, ghosts and demons such as Tengu, Yuki-onna etc.)
#15 All about the Vibes: 0/5 (Spot...)#16 Life: 0/5 (Spot a...)
- Cherry Blossom Festival
- A Red Gate or a Shinto Shrine
- Calligraphy (shodō)
- Bonsai
- Origami
- Futon (Traditional bedding)
- Scene with traditional food/drinks (sake (rice wine),  sushi, miso soup, ramen, rice, etc)
-Bento Box
- Bamboo
- Includes yakuza
4 Levels (20 prompts per level) - 80 prompts total
Credit to @JulyMoon for coming up with a lot of the prompts!!

I also don't know how accessible older Jdramas/Jmovies are so maybe I'd need to remove/alter some of the time period prompts. I know Jdramas in general are harder to find subbed or at all

If anyone has lists that might aid people in finding certain prompts, that'd be appreciated 

Thanks in advance and sorry for the extremely long post

 Arclei:
Once upon a time someone (@Sakamichi) asked if there was a dorama watch challenge and the answer was no. I've since been thinking about that and would it be possible to organise something like that? I'm fairly new to dramas in general but I'm okay with hosting it if necessary

I love that idea and would totally join the challenge. I'm hosting the Thai Watch Challenge for a couple years now and felt the same as you when I started but can assure you, that you will grow into it. I'm reading manga and watching anime/doramas for years and enjoy to learn more about Japanese culture so a couple things came to my mind that could be included in the challenge. Feel free to include them as you see fit or put them as bonus categories or whatever. ^.^

My suggestions for Dorama Challenge prompts: 

  • spot an onsen (the traditional baths in Japan) 
  • sakura trees  (cherry blossom festival celebrated by having picknick under cherry trees or cherry flower petals)
  • summer festivals (lots of Japanese wear traditional yukata for those festivals) 
  • spot a tea ceremony 
  • spot a Shinto shrine
  • spot a manga / mentions a manga in the drama/movie
  • includes a typical Japanese sport like kendo, kyudo (Japanese archery) sumo, judo, karate etc. 
  • inclusing traditional music (taiko - drum, koto - zither, shamisen - banjo-like lute)
  • watch something set in a specific period  
    • Heian period (794–1185)
    • Kamakura period (1185–1333)
    • Muromachi period (1333–1568)
    • Azuchi–Momoyama period (1568–1600)
    • Edo period (1600–1868)
    • Meiji period (1868–1912)
    • Taisho period (1912–1926)
    • Showa period (1926–1989)
    • Heisei period (1989–2019)
  • watch a drama that has a remake of the same country (some dramas have been remade by Japan for example Itazura na Kiss) 
  • spot a scene where a a character has fever (it seems to be a thing as it often appears in manga, anime and doramas) 
  • spot a scene where one character gives chocolate to another (on couple holidays such as Valentines day, White Day and Christmas) 
  • includes yakuza (Japanese mafia) 
  • spot traditional drinks/food (sake (rice wine),  sushi, miso soup, ramen, rice) 
  • includes Japanese art 
    • ukiyo-e (woodblock prints, paintings)
    • ikebana (arranging flowers)
    • kabuki (classic Japanese theater) 
  • spot origami
  • spot a red gate (usually found near shrines)
  • spot bamboo
  • based on Japanese literature (for example The Tale of Genji) 
  • includes Japanese mythology (for example yokai = spirits, ghosts and demons such as Tengu, Yuki-onna etc.) 
  • spot an izakaya (Japanese bar that serves alcoholic drinks and snacks)
  • spot a futon (bed on tatami mats) 
  • includes a scene at a ryokan (Japanese inn, is usually visited for short trips and often includes onsen bathing) 
  • dorama about geisha and maiko (maiko = geisha in training) 
  • spot a scene in a karaoke bar
  • spot calligraphy 
  • spot a bonsai (small trees) 

@JulyMoon Thank you so much for the comforting words and all those wonderful prompts/ideas!! Like ohmygod did you deliver!!!! I really appreciate the attention to detail and how unique they are, I could never have come up with something so thorough!! I'll include them right away (lowkey wanna add 'em all)!! ♡ ♡ 

I found the Thai drama later on this year (after I had joined way too many challenges) but was in awe of how thorough it was and just *had* to join!! This makes perfect sense now, haha 

 Arclei:

@JulyMoon Thank you so much for the comforting words and all those wonderful prompts/ideas!! Like ohmygod did you deliver!!!! I really appreciate the attention to detail and how unique they are, I could never have come up with something so thorough!! I'll include them right away (lowkey wanna add 'em all)!! ♡ ♡ 

I found the Thai drama later on this year (after I had joined way too many challenges) but was in awe of how thorough it was and just *had* to join!! This makes perfect sense now, haha 

My pleasure. <3 

So happy to hear that you liked them and that you even included a lot of them in the challenge. By the way I've seen Origami is duplicated in #13 and #14. You could replace it in #14 with Spot a Bento Box if you like. 

I'm reading/watching stuff about Japan for around 15 years now so I hope something stuck with me. haha 

I watched my first Thai drama in 2021, the same year as I started with the Thai Watch Challenge. It wasn't originally my idea but the user who came up with it deleted the challenge thread and their account and together with a friend I decided to pick it up and host it. It grew through the years thanks to a couple people who gave great inspiration and support which makes me happy, plus it gave me reason to venture deeper into Thai dramas. :D 

 Arclei:

@JulyMoon Thank you so much for the comforting words and all those wonderful prompts/ideas!! Like ohmygod did you deliver!!!! I really appreciate the attention to detail and how unique they are, I could never have come up with something so thorough!! I'll include them right away (lowkey wanna add 'em all)!! ♡ ♡ 

I found the Thai drama later on this year (after I had joined way too many challenges) but was in awe of how thorough it was and just *had* to join!! This makes perfect sense now, haha 

@Arclei I love the idea of a Japanese Watch Challenge and at first glance, your categories look great too. I'm all for this. Thank you for making the effort <3

 JulyMoon:
My pleasure. <3 

Thanks for catching that! I edited it and added your suggestion! I also reorganized it a bit and I think it flows better ! 

That's so awesome! Love the community involvement and yeah, these challenges are really great to delve into dramas from lesser-watched/known countries (that mostly being not South Korea and China, lmaaaao)

 Thyella:
@Arclei I love the idea of a Japanese Watch Challenge and at first glance, your categories look great too. I'm all for this. Thank you for making the effort <3

Thank you for the encouragement and enthusiasm! Glad it's shaping nicely so far! Still a WIP but I'm hoping to get it done and posted sometime soon ♡ ♡ 

 Arclei:

Thanks for catching that! I edited it and added your suggestion! I also reorganized it a bit and I think it flows better ! 

That's so awesome! Love the community involvement and yeah, these challenges are really great to delve into dramas from lesser-watched/known countries (that mostly being not South Korea and China, lmaaaao)

Thank you for the encouragement and enthusiasm! Glad it's shaping nicely so far! Still a WIP but I'm hoping to get it done and posted sometime soon ♡ ♡ 

Having it ready at the beginning if next year should be enough, rigght? That's when most watch challenges start and I feel it'll get less attention if we start it randomly during the year.

Just a suggestion. It's your work after all :)

I would love to join! Although I haven't watched many J-dramas, can I still participate? The ones I remember watching are Silent, Trillion Game, Takara-kun to Amagi-kun, Kieta Hatsukoi, Senpai, This Can’t Be Love, Ameiro Paradox, Minato Shouji Coin Laundry, and Old Fashion Cupcake.

I’m a little embarrassed to admit that most of the Japanese dramas I've watched are bl except for Silent which was my first J-Drama and Trillion game?. 

But I've also seen a few non-bl movies like My Happy Marriage, As the Gods Will (not a romance), Orange, I Will Be Your Bloom, Our Secret Diary, and a few others .