Taiwanese Drama Review: Fated to Love You (命中注定我愛你)

Starring:
Chen Qiao En (陳喬恩) as Chen Xin Yi Ethan Ruan (阮經天) as Ji Cun Xi Baron Chen (陳楚河) as Dylan/Dai Jian Ren
Bianca Bai (白歆惠) as Shi Anna
Tan Ai Zhen (譚艾珍) as Ji Wang Zhen Zhu (Nini)






Chen Xin Yi is the most common name in China. It's also the name of our heroine for this series. Boorish, dumpy and ready to please, Xin Yi thinks only of others and takes nothing for herself. In a failed attempt to capture the attention and love of her boyfriend she mistakingly goes into the wrong room with a different man and they end up making love and only realizing they were with the wrong partner after all is said and done. Ji Cun Xi is the man she stumbled into bed with and they immediately have some chemistry, but neither one is aware of it at first. After a few weeks Xin Yi comes to find that she is pregnant. Through coincidence and happenstance Ji Cun Xi finds out and his grandmother and Xin Yi's family coerce them both into marriage. Ji Cun Xi is happily in a relationship with a ballerina however and swears to keep his relationship with Anna despite his marriage and the child on the way. With so much against them, it is hard to imagine how they can really be fated to love eathother.


After painstakingly searching and downloading the subtitled version of this drama I was not disapointed. I had a feeling that they weren't going to disappoint me when there were such high ratings (the highest ever in Taiwan!) for this show and people I already liked were in it. (Chen Qiao En and Tan Ai Zhen) I am also now a fan of Baron Chen and Ethan Ruan as well. They were both very charming and I loved them very much in this series. If you are looking for a serious drama, this is not it. I found it to be overly silly at times, but as I've learned over the years about my taste - I just love some cheese! The story line was very steady until episode 11 when there was a major dramatic event and the story shifted completely (to a different city even!) The main characters were able to grow and change, but still have a lot of their original charm, and I think that was hard for the actors. The crew even packed up and headed to Shanghai for filming, with is original, since they usually stick around Taiwan for most of the dramas I can find. I was really quite impressed by some of the scenes as well. I can't pick an absolute favorite part, but the most memorable one was episode 11 and this scene:

Usually for Asian drama's they tend to look really fake and unbelievable, I think they did a great job here. The idea of a "sticky note girl" is also interesting. I wonder how many women are such type of person, who tends to try and please everyone else first and not ever think of themselves. I bet the general population of China was able to identify with Chen Xin Yi because she is dutiful and never steps out of bounds. I find myself being that person at times, but I would never put up with what she does from Ji Cun Xi.

Ethan Ruan was a newcomer for me, and he really proved himself in this series. I always beleived him as Ji Cun Xi, whether he was angry, sad, or just being silly I was completely drawn him by his expressions and his ability to portray each emotion with honesty.

Baron Chen wasn't as new, I had seen him in Kung-Fu Dunk, but he was not that memorable for me since I didn't even recognize him! But, here in Fated to Love You, I often found myself unsure of who I should cheer for, Ji Chun Xi or Dylan. He has a great smile and a kind of goofy charm that I adored.

(Baron Chen looking positvely vulnerable - hao ke-aiyo!)

Qiao En was delightful. I can tell that she has matured since Prince Turns to Frog. I remember one of the behind the scenes from this series and she started to cry happily because the director told her their ratings and she was told by Ethan that she successfully made her comeback. If this is any indicatino Qiao En is going to stay on top for awhile.

And what can I say about Tan Ai Zhen? She is a lovely woman who gets to play the meddling NiNi that we all love. I hated her silly wig though, that was one of the things that drove me crazy about the show, it was obvious she had on a wig, but no one noticed and it never changed. (Here she is in her natural state - very charming.)

If you can stand some real silliness (Qiao En dancing around in a giant chicken suit, or Ethan pretending to be hurt by gangsters and getting shoved into a giant barrel and rolling down a hill.) in order to get to a great story, I highly recommend this series if you can find it.

Japanese Drama Review: Anmitsu Hime (Special #1)

Starring: Inoue Mao as Anmitsu Hime
Koide Keisuke as Sembe
Yuki Imai as Amagurino Suke "Amaguri"
Masaki Kyomoto as Kitsubanu Ryu
Morisako Ei as Ohagi-chan

This manga-turned-drama-special is about a young princess in a made up land of Japan that laments her status and the necessity for an arranged marriage. She decides to "escape" out into the streets and explore live and find love. Along the way she meets a group of street kids who help her see the real world and to understand that life isn't just black and white.

I adored this "special." They only ran an hour and half "made for tv movie" of Anmitsu Hime, but it was a very fun and charming show. I have been a fan of Inoue Mao for a long time, so she was what really drew me into the show. Her acting is getting better and better and this role of a "tomboy princess" suited her just fine. I also liked Koide Keisuke in his role as Sembe. I saw him before in Nodame Cantabile and he was hilarious, it was nice to see him in a more serious role. In general this is a comedy and I had a lot of laughs watching it. The names of the characters alone (Anmitsu Hime means "Syrup covered bean jam princess") were enough to send me into a fit of giggles. It's hard to keep a straight face when the characters are named after different foods - kind of like Sorcerer Hunters where the main character is named Carrot. The silliest of shows can sometimes become my favorites. I think that Yuki Imai and Ei Morisato stole the show though. They were charming and amazing as their respective roles. I think that acting at such a young age is amazing and to do it well is quite a challenge. I guess I am a sucker for a pretty man as well because I loved Masaki Kyomoto's character of the playboy "secret guardian." I hope that you can find the time to watch this short gem that SARS-fansubs has distributed kindly. You can always find great things at their website.

Hanazakari no Kimitachi e

Maki Horikata - Mizuki Ashiya
Shun Oguri - Izumi Sano
Ikuta Toma - Shuichi Nakatsu
Too many others - Too many GREAT characters!

The live-action Japanese drama based on the manga by Hisaya Nakajo was AWESOME. I loved the entire cast. I was surprised by the up-staging of Sano (Shun Oguri) by Nakatsu (Ikuta Toma.) I don't know if it was just the acting (quite possibly) or if it was the actor or character. I absolutely loved Nakatsu. I found myself wanting Ashiya to choose Nakatsu instead of Sano. But, I'm getting ahead of myself - aren't I? I really aught to give you a run-down of the plot first, shouldn't I? Ok here goes. The story is about Ashyia Mizuki (Maki Horikata), a female American student who secretly enters an all-boys academy in Japan. The reason for her deception is to help the object of her affection/obsession/whatever return to participating in the high jump. The reason she feels the need to help him varies in all three different tellings of the story (the original manga form, the Taiwanese drama and the Japanese drama) but, nevertheless she goes all the way to Japan to help Izumi Sano (Shun Oguri) return to the competing in the high jump he once loved. Along the way, she befriends Nakatsu Shuichi (Ikuta Toma) and the rest of Ohsaka High School. The Japanese version of this show varied completely from the Taiwanese version, let alone the manga. I've enjoyed all three, but the Japense live-action was very passionate and fun. I laughed really hard at some of the parts, which was refreshing. I think the casting was really good for this show. Dr. Umeda was really great. He was attractive and cold, but compassionate towards Mizuki. The three main characters were wonderful. I still like Shun Oguri as Rui Hanazawa better though. My biggest issue was the casting of Kyo Nobuo as Masao Himejima (Oscar M. Himejima) He looked funny and WAY too old to be a high school student. Don't get me wrong, over time I came to love him, but in the manga he was such a pretty boy and Kyo Nobuo really isn't. One of the biggest differences I noticed was the ending. I don't know how the original story ends (in the manga) because the English version isn't done printing yet. (We're on volume 17 or 18 I think) But the Taiwanese version was left wide-open, while the Japnese version had a definite end. Not that they didn't leave room for a special or season two. It is a company based on ratings after all. But, if you are looking for a laugh and lots of passionate acting check out this drama. It's definitely worth the time to watch it.

Oh - did I mention the yummy factor? The amount of attractive young Japanese men in this show had me swooning like a school girl. If I had been on the set, I probably would have fainted.

アンフェア na no wa dareka? (Drama Review: Unfair)

Ryoko Shinohara as Natsumi Yukihira

Eita Nagayama as Kazuyuki Andou

Mion Mukaichi as Mio Satou

Teruyuki Kagawa as Kazuo Sato

What is unfair? (Unfair na no wa dareka?) is the question of the entire series. Ryoko Shinohara plays tough cop Natsumi Yukihira, the top murder detective in Tokyo's Metropolitan Police Department. A series of murders begin to surround her, and as suspiscion begins to creep around every corner of her life, she begins to fight for her family and her life.

I really enjoyed this series. I am excited to watch the special tonight, as I own it already. The movie looks amazing too, but I have to wait for that to be released on DVD. I was pretty impressed with the level of acting in this series too. Usually with series that are a little quieter in mass appeal, the acting is lack-luster. I was blown away with each plot twist and the acting ability of some of the more minor characters. Mion Mukaichi was adorable. Her roll as Mio-chan was great. She plays as an eight year old, but I think in looks she is about four! It must have been tough for her to act without speaking at all. (Don't worry, it's not really a spoiler since you know right off the bat why Mio-chan doesn't speak.) I'm glad that in the snipets I've caught of the Unfair - The Movie she is back in the action. Eita did a good job too. I think that he's been growing as an actor, after Waterboys, this is a good grown-up roll for him to take on. Watch this series if you have time and like mystery and good acting. As a bonus - Yuna Ito sings the theme - Truth.

Five Stars - *****

Japanese Drama Review: Hana Yori Dango 2

Mao Inoue stars as Tsukushi Makino
Jun Matsumoto stars as Tsukasa Domyoji
Shun Oguri stars as Rui Hanazawa
Shota Matsuda stars as Sojiro Nishikado
Tsuyoshi Abe stars as Akira Mimasaka

This continuation of Hana Yori Dango is a wonderful conclusion of the Japanese version of this drama. If you don't know the basic story it's about a young Japanese girl who by her own stroke of (mis?)fortune manages to get into one of the most exclusive High Schools in Japan. There, she encounters the F4. A group of well-to-do rich boys that have nothing better to do with there time than mess with the "common folk." Tsukushi Makino won't stand for this and fights back when her friend is targeted. She then becomes the main target for the rage of F4 leader; Tsukasa Domyoji. After months of struggling against him, they start to realize their feelings for one another. The second season finds them struggling against all new odds, with Domyoji in New York, and Tsukushi trying to find her way in her senior year of High School.

I found that this season was just as enjoyable as the first one. I have watched the anime and read the manga, and I found this series to be fairly true to the original story. Of course, the story had to have some cutting and pasting, as the live-action couldn't run as long as the anime or manga. I found that I cried a lot during this season. I think that the battles Tsukushi had to endure for this season where even tougher than last year and the final result was satisfying. If you watched the first season - be sure not to miss the second!


Note*-I know the image is from Season 1, but I couldn't find decent Season 2 pictures...

Five Stars *****