If you're interested in Japanese history, you must know the great Sakamoto Ryoma. And if you're into japanese drama, you must know this masterpiece of Taiga drama, "RYOMADEN". The brilliant drama depicts the life of the one and only Sakamoto Ryoma, a really famous person in the Bakumatsu period, and one of the most influential persons in the resignation of 230 years long Bakufu shogunate in Japan. With Fukuyama Masaharu as Sakamoto Ryoma and the main second lead Kagawa Teruyuki as Iwasaki Yataro (the founder of multinational corporation 'Mitsubishi), Ryomaden has its own place in my most recomended doramas folder. You have to watch this taiga!
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Title: Ryoma Den | 龍馬伝
Genre: Jidaigeki, history
Episodes: 48
Broadcast period: Jan - Nov 2010
Cast:
Fukuyama Masaharu as Sakamoto Ryoma
Kagawa Teruyuki as Iwasaki Yataro
Omori Nao as Takechi Hanpeita
Sato Takeru as Okada Izo
etc,
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I'll give 5 reasons why Ryomaden is a good dorama, though I could wrote more than a hundred reasons. Ahaha..
1. It's Sakamoto Ryoma story!
I believe there's no Japanese who doesn't know Sakamoto Ryoma. Even I know him! And the story about his extra-ordinary life is a really interesting to watch. Ryoma who was born into a low level Samurai in Tosa domain where the caste-like system was still strong applied in the daily life and Bakufu shogunate was still strong as ever, in his young age, Ryoma was able to restructure Japan government into a whole new level, The Meiji Era.
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| Portrait of the real Sakamoto Ryoma |
What I like about Ryomaden is the comprehensive story of Ryoma so we can understand not only Ryoma's life until his assasination in the age of 31, but also the environment and political conflict in the era. It's a really good source to learn history. Haaah, I wish there would be a good historical drama about my country too here. All we have here now is some craps 'sinetron or maybe shit'netron' with no quality at all.
2. Fukuyama Masaharu and Kagawa Teruyuki are the great duo with great acting skill
If you ever watch the megahits drama Galileo, you should understand the Fukuyama Masaharu has the charisma as a character. And I really love him here as Ryoma. And the main second lead and also as a narator (story teller) is Kagawa Teruyuki. OMG! He really deserves awards for his role here. Iwasaki Yataro stole my attention. He's a funny, annoying, but also a warm character. Can you imagine a 45 years old man played a role of young boy! Yeah, look at this young Iwasaki Yataro!
No wonder if he won so many awards for this role. Check this out!
- 14th Nikkan Sports Drama Grand Prix (Oct-Dec 2010): Best Supporting Actor - Kagawa Teruyuki
- 67th Television Drama Academy Awards: Best Supporting Actor - Kagawa Teruyuki
- 13th Nikkan Sports Drama Grand Prix Winter 2010: Best Supporting Actor: Kagawa Teruyuki
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| Kagawa Teruyuki as young Iwasaki Yataro |
3. So many other great actors! Not forget to mention the cutie Sato Takeru as the real Hitokiri Okada Izo
Something really interesting in Ryomaden is the fact that Sato Takeru who later known played the fictious infamous Hitokiri Battosai Himura Kenshin, in this taiga he played the role as the real infamous hitokiri (assasin) Okada Izo. And more, Fukuyama Masaharu in the Rurouni Kenshin also played as Himura's shiso - Seijuro Hiko. It's not a coincidence, isn't it? Maybe Sato got his role as Himura Kenshin because of his role here in Ryomaden. Who knows?
Well, Sato Takeru and other actors and actresses in Ryomaden are really good in acting skills. Most of taiga drama always have good casts in the list.
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| Sato Takeru, Hirosue Ryoko, Fukuyama Masaharu and Oizumi Yo |
4. It has what it's all it needs to be a great drama (Nice visualization, setting, plot and directing)
Yeah, like the words I put in the bracket, what it takes to be a good drama, Ryomaden has it all. In my opinion, the divination of the chapters or seasons is a good. It helps us to more understand to stages in Ryoma's life. From the first season "Ryoma The Dreamer", "Ryoma The Adventurer", "Ryoma the xxx" and the final season is "Ryoma The Navigator". OMG, in his only 31 years of his life, Ryoma already did so so many thing yet me, here I am doing blogging writing on a drama about him. Ahahaha... I like the development of the characters, not only the main characters like Sakamoto Ryoma and Iwasaki Yataro, but also others.
Ah, one thing I must mention here maybe is the fact that Sakamoto Ryoma, achieved his extra ordinary life, lived his inspirations to life, by leaving his family. Somehow it bothers me so much, ehm... Do we need to leave all we have first, to reach out our life inspirations? I do not know.
5. The love story!
Ryomaden has so many love sweet love stories! Ryoma's first love Kao, Ryoma's honeymoon with Oryo, love story of Takechi Hanpeita, Okada Izo and etc. The Ryomaden's scriptwriter must be a very romantic person. What I like about Ryomaden is the romantic element in the drama is really fit the storyline, not too much (like in the K- hahaha) to distract the main plot.
Yup! That's all, 5 reasons you have to watch Ryomaden. If you have more reasons, please leave them in the comment. Hee..
I give 9/10 for this masterpiece.
