One episode in and... This was so lame, I am still laughing........Def. not recommended!
The dialogues are pompous and devoid of feelings, the acting is robotic, the leads have as much chemistry as a shoe and a thimble, the story is a pathetic mishmash (Cinderella, the stalker and the horny knight in white armor) and the drama as a whole seems just a huge PR project for Tiffany & Co.
Let me repeat myself: def. not recommended!
P.S. If they wanna insert a successful crazy dance scene where the character is blowing off some steam, they need to take a page from "Another Miss Oh", now that was memorable and you could feel 200% the character's heart and mind. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHYx92CC_ho
Here watching the leads going crazy while dancing was cringeworthy, they were so fake and trying so hard, that it turned lame instead of something heartfelt...
Stephen Holden at the New York Times stated that "the metaphysical humor it gleans from the situation marks Mr. Kurosawa (who is no relation to Akira Kurosawa) as a quirky, smart filmmaker." The critic Tom Mes wrote that the film "strays far off the beaten path, shunning the predictability of your average celluloid tragedy to deliver genuine laughs".
I just love this asadora and the main characters. I finally found another special male/female relation in dramaland to keep company to the pairing Ruo Xi & 13th Prince from Scarlet Heart: Asa and Godai Tomoatsu.
It can be considered a subtle love triangle if you want to, because Godai has always been in love with Asa ever since she was a kid, but their relation is way beyond those feelings. It is one of the most beautiful friendships I've seen in dramas so far, he is not only a visionary when it comes to pushing Japan into a new era, but also a rare breed of man (for that period), supporting a woman 200% to charge ahead and challenge customs and open new paths for other women across Japan. He recognizes her unique value and qualities and is there every step of the way, openly or from behind the scenes, giving her the opportunities to grow knowing that she will rise to his expectation without fail.
And what's more interesting, her husband is another equally special man, who nurtures Asa since childhood into this amazing woman that would go on to start businesses in various fields including coal mines, banks and life insurance. She would also become the founder of Japan's first female university. Shinjiro realizes that Asa was born to do extraordinary things and allows her to defy the norm by turning into a working mother, instead of expecting her to stay at home and serve him like other women did. He has the same insight as Godai when it comes to Asa and their mutual love and admiration for this woman eventually brings the two men close and turns them into very good friends.
That's so refreshing to watch, I am so tired of the chichee love triangles we encounter in dramaland, where 2 men fight for one woman and they just seek to satisfy their selfish desires. Here we have two very different, but equally special male characters who both selflessly support the female lead, like they are a pair of wings... Lovely, lovely to watch such dynamics...
And finally in episode 94 there's a brilliant scene where both of them openly acknowledge that Asa needs them both, comparing their relation with Asa with "hiyoku no tori" (imaginary male and female birds each with one eye and one wing, always flying together). This turned into one of my all time fav. scenes from dramas...
min. 9: http://dramacool.es/asa-ga-kita-episode-94.html
''The outcome of your life will be determined by how much you can elevate and nourish yourself on the sadness and pain you encounter. By exercising strong perseverance and tenaciously exerting yourself you will without fail see the way before you open up... If, on the other hand, you end up complaining about your unfavorable conditions and circumstances, you will not be able to develop. In order to grow, you should strive hard in the midst of adversity. '' - Asako Hirooka
"They say you need to fall down 7 times and get up 8 times. In my case, I must fall nine times to get up ten times!" (Asa)
This drama is so filled with cliches, you gotta wonder how many more doramas the Japanese writers can deliver about women in their 30s-40s who are struggling to get married as if their life rides on this sole goal... then they all get to suddenly experience a rejuvenating relation with a significantly younger hottie, then they get all pathetic dangling in between "should" "could" and "would"... no idea if this is a real issue in Japan or they are just lazy and using the same writing recipes, but at some point it's getting ridiculous how many similar stories they release each year...
That being said, this particular production is all about acting. The odd mentorship between Fujiki Naohito and Nakatani Miki is the soul of the drama, their banter scenes are the salt and pepper that the bland recipe needed in order to feel fresh and tasty. Their chemistry is amazing and their acting really really good. Young Seto Koji is also worth mentioning, for holding his own when paired with Nakatani Miki who already has 20 years of acting under her belt...
All misogyny aside, there are some interesting theories described in this drama (about dating and male/female relationships dynamics, as well as about gender differences). I wouldn't call them pearls of wisdom, but good tips based on common sense and keen observation of human nature. For the young viewers they might seem just nonsensical lines blurted out by our lead for comic relief, but those viewers with a bit more life experience might find themselves nodding while listening to the obnoxious Tokura Seiji "master".
Bottom line, this drama is not a waste of time, no matter how overused its main plot is...
7,5/10
Kiritani Mirei's acting is really good, she is slowly taking residence on my list of favorite young Asian actresses... I have yet to watch her in something and dislike her role...
I loved how this live action didn't feel cartoonish at all, even though it's based on a manga. They had chemistry, a good story to work with and a perfect cast. And a nice message / bottom line: you should never give up on yourself, live every day without regrets! You're never too old to find happiness!
2 
FULL RAW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnIDJfSrF5o&list=PL4zOTNnKFfLerfQyXd_cup-Q0FawLBDcI
Ishiguro Hideo - Gai Kurenai
Miyabi Matsuura - Naomi Yumeno
Naoto Takahashi - Jetta Hayami
Hiroaki Nerio - Shin Matsudo
Takaya Aoyagi - Jugglus Juggler
Shingo Yanagisawa - Ittetsu Shibukawa
Vlada - Foreign girl
Takahiro Sakurai - Orb Ring
http://www.tv-tokyo.co.jp/anime/ultraman_orb/
FULL SUBBED: http://kissasian.com/Drama/Ultraman-Orb/Episode-1?id=29363
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8lpXPk61-M
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vvFxBlnaAYU
FULL SUBBED: http://veuue.se/watch-online/touching-you/episode-1
http://eiga.com/movie/82092/
DL subbed: https://mega.nz/#!7NBDRZpY!dICWdndXKESb_GsFnEyEP4OtYDHXqeO3cbOADASJdPg
FULL SUBBED: http://kissasian.com/Drama/Doctor-X-Gekai-Daimon-Michiko/Full?id=29666
TRAILER: http://bit.ly/2a9ACp8 ; http://bit.ly/2ahHsYc
The dialogues are pompous and devoid of feelings, the acting is robotic, the leads have as much chemistry as a shoe and a thimble, the story is a pathetic mishmash (Cinderella, the stalker and the horny knight in white armor) and the drama as a whole seems just a huge PR project for Tiffany & Co.
Let me repeat myself: def. not recommended!
P.S. If they wanna insert a successful crazy dance scene where the character is blowing off some steam, they need to take a page from "Another Miss Oh", now that was memorable and you could feel 200% the character's heart and mind.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHYx92CC_ho
Here watching the leads going crazy while dancing was cringeworthy, they were so fake and trying so hard, that it turned lame instead of something heartfelt...
It can be considered a subtle love triangle if you want to, because Godai has always been in love with Asa ever since she was a kid, but their relation is way beyond those feelings. It is one of the most beautiful friendships I've seen in dramas so far, he is not only a visionary when it comes to pushing Japan into a new era, but also a rare breed of man (for that period), supporting a woman 200% to charge ahead and challenge customs and open new paths for other women across Japan. He recognizes her unique value and qualities and is there every step of the way, openly or from behind the scenes, giving her the opportunities to grow knowing that she will rise to his expectation without fail.
And what's more interesting, her husband is another equally special man, who nurtures Asa since childhood into this amazing woman that would go on to start businesses in various fields including coal mines, banks and life insurance. She would also become the founder of Japan's first female university. Shinjiro realizes that Asa was born to do extraordinary things and allows her to defy the norm by turning into a working mother, instead of expecting her to stay at home and serve him like other women did. He has the same insight as Godai when it comes to Asa and their mutual love and admiration for this woman eventually brings the two men close and turns them into very good friends.
That's so refreshing to watch, I am so tired of the chichee love triangles we encounter in dramaland, where 2 men fight for one woman and they just seek to satisfy their selfish desires. Here we have two very different, but equally special male characters who both selflessly support the female lead, like they are a pair of wings... Lovely, lovely to watch such dynamics...
And finally in episode 94 there's a brilliant scene where both of them openly acknowledge that Asa needs them both, comparing their relation with Asa with "hiyoku no tori" (imaginary male and female birds each with one eye and one wing, always flying together). This turned into one of my all time fav. scenes from dramas...
min. 9: http://dramacool.es/asa-ga-kita-episode-94.html
Photo with the three actors:
http://mydramalist.com/photos/91Mbm6kL
http://mydramalist.com/profile/GeaV/feeds/4qXyaNco
http://mydramalist.com/profile/GeaV/feeds/1RRMlRIJ
"They say you need to fall down 7 times and get up 8 times. In my case, I must fall nine times to get up ten times!" (Asa)
That being said, this particular production is all about acting. The odd mentorship between Fujiki Naohito and Nakatani Miki is the soul of the drama, their banter scenes are the salt and pepper that the bland recipe needed in order to feel fresh and tasty. Their chemistry is amazing and their acting really really good. Young Seto Koji is also worth mentioning, for holding his own when paired with Nakatani Miki who already has 20 years of acting under her belt...
All misogyny aside, there are some interesting theories described in this drama (about dating and male/female relationships dynamics, as well as about gender differences). I wouldn't call them pearls of wisdom, but good tips based on common sense and keen observation of human nature. For the young viewers they might seem just nonsensical lines blurted out by our lead for comic relief, but those viewers with a bit more life experience might find themselves nodding while listening to the obnoxious Tokura Seiji "master".
Bottom line, this drama is not a waste of time, no matter how overused its main plot is...
7,5/10
FULL SUBBED: http://kissasian.com/Drama/It-s-Not-That-I-Can-t-Marry-But-I-Don-t-Want-To/Episode-1?id=29103
I loved how this live action didn't feel cartoonish at all, even though it's based on a manga. They had chemistry, a good story to work with and a perfect cast. And a nice message / bottom line: you should never give up on yourself, live every day without regrets! You're never too old to find happiness!
8.5/10
FULL SUBBED: http://kissasian.com/Drama/Sumika-Sumire/Episode-1?id=27229
TRAILERS:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zAkWU0KGPOs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJ5lUqCupHk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXMsM_4OmAM