Showing posts with label Dorama. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dorama. Show all posts

Tuesday, April 25, 2017

RYOMADEN - A Story of Sakamoto Ryoma




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,
---

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.

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!

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.

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. 



Monday, February 20, 2017

Sanada Maru - Kisah Keluarga Sanada di Jaman Sengoku


Taiga drama yang keren banget. Sakai Masato tentunya sudah menjadi jaminan mutu terhadap suatu dorama. Tentu kamu tidak lupa betapa jeniusnya dia di Legal High series, Hanzawa Naoki, Joker dan lain-lainnya. Kali ini di Sanada Maru, Sakai Masato beradu peran dengan banyak pemain keren lainnya, dan terutama yang paling berkesan bagiku adalah Kusakari Masao dan Yamamoto Koji.

Bagi kamu yang sering kepo sejarah Jepang, pasti kenal dengan keluarga dari Klan Sanada, yang meskipun klan kecil namun memiliki sejarah cukup panjang dan kuat. Salah satu tokoh sejarah paling terkenal adalah Sanada Yukimura (Sanada Nobushige), putra kedua dari Sanada Masayuki yang tak kalah pamornya. 

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Title: 真田丸/ Sanada Maru
Genre: Jidaigeki
Episodes: 50
Broadcast period: 2016-Jan-10 to 2016-Dec-18

Cast: 
---

Sanada Maru sendiri adalah nama benteng kecil yang terkenal tak bisa ditembus, terletak di sebelah istana Osaka yang didirikan oleh Sanada Yukimura ketika terjadi pengepungan Osaka oleh Tokugawa terhadap Toyotomi. Taiga drama Sanada Maru berkisah tentang lika-liku kehidupan keluarga Sanada ketika jaman Sengoku (warring states) terutama Sanada Yukimura (Sanada Nobushige). 

Dorama 50 episode ini, wajib untuk ditonton bagi kamu yang doyan drama sejarah, terutama para penggemar Taiga drama. Aku akan coba ringkas 5 hal kenapa kamu perlu nonton dorama ini. 

1. Ceritanya keren! Sakai Masato dan Kusakari Masao memang tiada duanya.
Cerita sejarah pastinya selalu kaya. Nonton drama sejarah adalah cara paling asik untuk belajar sejarah atau sekedar ingin tahu. Kisah keluarga Sanada adalah sangat menarik. Sanada Yukimura adalah salah satu jenderal perang paling terkenal di akhir jaman Sengoku sebagai sosok loyal terhadap klan Toyotomi dan musuh bebuyutan Tokugawa Ieyashu. Cerita dimulai ketika keruntuhan klan Takeda yang menjadi naungan klan Sanada terjadi. Sejak itu, keluarga Sanada bertahan di antara arus jaman dan perebutan kekuasaan dari 3 penguasa besar: Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi dan Tokugawa Ieyashu. 
Dari cerita di Sanada Maru, salah satu kisah paling menarik sekaligus kontroversial adalah peran Kiri, anak perempuan Naiki, sebagai sosok perempuan yang paling dekat dengan Yukimura, selain dua istrinya (Ume dan Haru). Meskipun tidak terlalu banyak tertulis perannya, namun di Sanada Maru, peran Kiri berpengaruh besar. Ada yang mengatakan bahwa ini tidak sesuai sejarah dan cenderung dipaksakan agar Nagasawa Masami (pemeran Kiri) dapat banyak tampil di layar. Ya, tapi secara keseluruhan sih, aku tidak terlalu terganggu. Ini kan drama ya, bumbu-bumbu itu biasalah. 

2. Pemeran (cast) yang mumpuni
Sakai Masato tentu jaminan mutu. Perkembangan karakternya bagus dan terlihat wibawanya. Beda banget ketika dia beperan Legal high. hehehe.. Selain itu, pemeran yang sangat outstanding adalah Kusakari Masao sebagai Sanada Masayuki. I fell in love! Satu lagi adalah Yamamoto Koji yang memerankan Ishida Mitsunari. Tak tahu kenapa, tapi suami Horikita Maki ini karakternya membuatku simpatik. Di sisi lain, sebagai antagonis, Tokugawa Ieyashu yang dimainkan  Uchino Seiyo juga bagus. Banyak lagi lah pemain-pemain keren, secara kalau Taiga drama buatnya gak main-main dan selalu bertabur bintang. Sebagai eye candy ada juga Nakagawa Taishi yang berperan sebagai Toyotomi Hideyori. Tapi, kamu harus sabar kalau mau ketemua dia. Hehehe

3. Latar dan kostum yang memanjakan mata, plus musik keren
Tak meragukan lah, bagus. (Sambil ngeluh, kenapa sinetron sejarah kita selalu saja jelek banget latarnya. halahh.. ). Masih terkagum-kagum dengan kebesaran Istana Osaka buatan Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Nanti pas ke Jepang sepertinya harus mampir nih, meskipun sedih juga karena istana yang sekarang adalah bukan aslinya yang sudah dihancurkan tahun 1868. Scene perangnya cukup membuat ngilu lah tapi masih sopan. No gore is good! Dan baju-bajunya, kostumnya, aku suka banget. Kimono-kimono indah Yodo-dono, armor-armor keren para pejuang dan baju-baju kasual lainnya yang sedap dipandang mata. :). 

4. Akhir yang ehm bikin deg-degan
No spoiler! Ya, meskipun cerita sejarah bisa diketahui dari banyak literature tapi tetap saja membuat deg-degan. Epic banget pokoknya. 

5. 50 Episode pun tak terasa
Meskipun terlihat panjang, 50 episode, tapi tidak terasa waktu berlalu. Aku mengikuti Sanada Maru dari tahun kemarin hingga belum lama ini selesai nonton. Dan sampai hari ini aku masih terkesima. Cobain deh.


Nah, itu dia 5 alasan kenapa kamu kudu banget nonton Sanada Maru. Bagi kamu yang sudah nonton, boleh dong bagi pendapatnya di komen. Hehehe... ngarep banget ada yang komen. 

More details: dramawiki, d-addicts

Best,



Sunday, October 16, 2016

Yowakutemo Katemasu! Even we're weak, we'll win!


The story revolves around a very weak baseball team of a school that try so hard to win the tournament so they can go to Koshien. 

Why you should watch this dorama? I'll give some reasons that I'm sure you will fall for them if you are really a dorama lover. Haha...Just in case you have the same taste as I am. 

 ---
Title: Yowakutemo Katemasu | Aoshi-sensei to Heppoko Koukou Kyuuji no Yabou
Genre: Youth, school, sport
Episode: 11
Broadcast: April - June 2014
Theme song: GUTS! by Arashi

CAST:
---

Here they are!

 1. A lot of Ikemens!

 It's unsual to see a lot of young ikemens in one dorama. Can you imagine Yuto, Sota, and Kento in one screen? Mabushii ne! (while covering my sight because the 'too dazzling' scenery from them. lol). Yep, for a fangirl or just someone who love the pretty boys, this dorama is a must! Starring by youth talented actors: Nakajima Yuto, Fukushi Shota, Yamazaki Kento, Mamiya Shotaro, this dorama is really like a dream team. Above all, we have Nino senpai here! Arashi's fans must have listed this dorama in the 'must watched dorama'. As for me, I really love Mamiya Shotaro. He's the main attraction for me. Oh Gosh, his eyes kill me! 
Mamiya Shotaro is so attractive :P
2. Unusual Theme!

 Usually, you'll win because you're strong. You try so hard to become strong so you can be a winner. But not here! We'll win eventhough we're weak. This dorama tells us that it's not really about the weakness that matters in a game but use what we have to became our strenght. Sugoi desu ne!

 3, Super baseball lesson from Nino Senpai!
Nino sensei kakkoii
Do you wanna learn about baseball, one of most popular games in Japan, from Nino senpai? oops he's a sensei here. Yes, Nino sensei? Me, of course I am. 
There's no doubt that Kazunari Nino is a good actor. Hey, just look at his awards for his acting skill. (Google it and you will know what I mean, ehm but I'm sure you already know. :D ) Through this dorama, I learned a lot about baseball. Somehow I now do understand why Japanese love the game so much. Koshien? What?

 4. Bitter sweet ending
Did they win in the end? Nai! It's really a big spoiler but I do not care. Haha.. The ending is not a victory but it is sill a happy ending. Just watch it and you will know what I mean. It's hillarious!
Something to learn from Yowakutemo Katemasu:
"You still can do what you love even you're weak at it. You love it, that's all you need to do it!"

 Do you agree with me?

 More : d-addicts
8/10

Sunday, April 3, 2016

Shark 2nd Season [Still, Dorama marathon with more beatiful rock band]




Sudah nonton Shark season 1? Berarti wajib nonton Shark season 2. Meskipun cerita di season 2 ini fokus cerita berganti menjadi kisah grup band lain, tapi ini tetap terkait dengan cerita season sebelumnya. Tapi, yang mau langsung loncat ke season 2 juga nggak masalah.

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Title: SHARK 2nd Season
Genre: Drama, Music
Episodes: 11
Broadcast period: April -2014
Theme song: Sono saki e... by Johnny's WEST

CAST
Shigeoka Daiki as Irie Saku
Abe Aran as Sato Yuto
Yasui Kentaro as Shindo Kota
Hagiya Keigo as Ogawa Haruya
Hamada Takahiro as Hagiwara Kai
etc.
---

Sinopsis

Malam konser terakhir  band indie Shark telah beberapa waktu berlalu, dan impian untuk debut di bawah major label harus ditunda beberapa lama, menunggu suara Mizuki sang vokalis kembali.  Band-band baru bermunculan dan meraih sukses di pasaran, salah satunya adalah Cloud 5. Cloud 5, band beranggotakan 4 orang yang dipimpin oleh Irie Saku (bass) telah sukses di debut perdananya. Lagu Cloud 5 sering diputar dimana-mana, fans mereka semakin banyak, dan di bawah label Wonder Records, Cloud5 menjadi band yang sangat populer. Namun, ada harga yang harus dibayar untuk suatu ke-profesionalan. Menjadi band dengan major label adalah babak baru dalam perjuangan sebuah band yang bahkan lebih berbelit dan kadang lebih menyakitkan.  Bagaimana menjaga idealisme musik, bagaimana menghadapi perbedaan antar anggota, dan persaingan yang sengit. Namun, tentu saja banyak hal yang akan terus diraih dibalik semua perjuangan ini.


Menguliti Dorama, Review

Setelah menonton dorama Shark season 1, rasanya penasaran sekali untuk menyaksikan kelanjutanan perjuangan Mizuk dkk. Awalnya agak kaget juga, ternyata fokus cerita dari Shark season 2 bukan lagi band Shark, melainkan band lain Cloud5. Banyak beberapa  komentar dan review yang menyebutkan bahwa Shark season 2 ini lebih membosankan, tapi menurut aku pribadi, justru Shark season 2 lebih bagus. Konflik dan ceritanya lebih dalam dan rumit. Mungkin juga aku terlalu terpesona dengan Abe Aran dan Shigeoka Daiki. So, mari dibahas sekilas.

Ide Cerita (Spoiler Alert)

Bagus. Nah, aku mau lanjutkan lagi dari sinopsis sebelumnya.

Jika di Shark 1 menonjolkan cerita perjuangan band Indie untuk bisa debut dengan major label, maka di season 2 ini lebih fokus pada hal-hal yang terjadi setelah suatu band mendapatkan label.  Tokoh utama adalah Irie Saku, basis sekaligus leader dari band Cloud 5 yang beranggotakan Shindo Kota (gitar), Sato Yuto (Vokal), dan Ogawa Haruya (drum). Saku dan Kota berteman dekat sejak SMA, bahkan bersama dengan Yonezawa Makoto yang juga teman sekolahnya dulu, mereka bertiga tinggal bersama di satu rumah. Setelah kesuksesan debut Cloud5, permasalahan mulai muncul ketika Kota mulai merasa bahwa Cloud5 telah kehilangan idealismenya dalam bermusik. Berbeda pendapat dengan anggota lain, Kota sering mengancam akan keluar. Saku, yang ingin memperjuangkan musik Cloud5 dan juga persahabatannya dengan Kota dan anggota lain menjadi di simpang jalan.

(Di sini terasa banget susahnya jadi pemimpin kalau harus mengambil keputusan. Tidak mungkin mengambil keputusan tanpa ada resiko. Aku suka banget kebingungan-kebingungan yang dialami Saku. Terutama saat dia harus berkompromi dengan idelisme dan keprofesionalanya.)
Saku dan Makoto di apartemen mereka (img: here)

 Suatu hari Kota terlibat perkelahian sehingga dia harus diskors beberapa waktu dari aktivitasnya di Cloud5. Di saat itulah Ichika, sang manager yang juga manager Shark, meminta gitaris Shark-Hagiwara Kai untuk menggantikan sementara posisi Kota.  Tidak mudah pada awalnya, namun Hagiwara Kai berhasil menjalin interaksi yang baik dengan Cloud5. Hingga kemudian Kota kembali lagi aktif di Cloud5 dan Kai kembali ke Shark.

Konflik antara Kota dan anggota lain terus berlanjut hingga pada akhirnya Saku memutuskan agar Kota meninggalkan Cloud5. Kai diminta untuk menggantikan posisi Kota secara permanen. Kai menghadapi konflik batin, dia harus memilih antara Shark atau Cloud5? Di saat yang bersamaan, muncul pesaing baru yaitu band Behind The Scene (BTS) yang menjadi sangat terkenal saat Cloud5 mulai terpecah. Bagaimana mereka mengatasi semua ini?  Itu menarik sekali.

Seru banget kan ceritanya! Menurutku, ini terasa lebih realistis dan emosional. Liku-liku perjalanan sebuah band profesional terasa banget di sini. Hanya saja ada satu yang agak mengganggu di tengah-tengah serunya cerita Cloud5, yaitu cerita cinta segitiga Saku-Makoto-Kota. Aku merasa, itu nggak penting banget, malah mengganggu dan terasa ada jarak dengan cerita utamanya.  

Meskipun nasib band Shark seakan semakin suram di season ini, tapi ya sudahlah, aku tidak terlalu kecewa. Kenapa? Karena banyak lagu-lagu bagus dan juga ada Abe dan Daiki. Hehehe… Para fans Shark gak perlu kecewa juga karena mereka bakal nongol kok meski sebentar. 

Plot

Tidak terlalu beda dengan season 1, Shark season 2 memiliki alur maju yang enak diikuti. Mungkin bedanya adalah di season ke 2 ini lebih nyantai, tidak seperti sebelumnya yang lebih cepat. Itu tidak menjadi masalah sih, sama-sama bagus kok. Dan yang paling menyenangkan adalah klimaksnya di episode terakhir nonjok banget. Pas dan puas! Ups, bocoran dikit, ada ending clifhanger yang mungkin menjadi pertanda akan ada season 3. Yah, meskipun itu sudah 2 tahun lalu sih ya. Hehehe.

Cast

Siapa sih cewek yang tidak suka para JE boys?  Dorama ini tentu juga bertabur para JE Boys yang memanjakan mata. Selain enak dipandang, beberapa dari mereka juga juga bisa berakting. Beberapa akan aku sorot.

Daiki Shigeoka. Aku suka sekali dia sebagai Irie Saku. Menurutku, pas sekali dia dengan karakter Saku yang tegas meskipun berhati lembut. Awalnya aku berpikir, wajah dia terlalu imut untuk jadi leader band. Tapi, lama-lama dilihat dia makin kelihatan kharismanya. Yoii…

Daiki Shigeoka as Irie Saku (img: here)
Abe Aran.  Hemm, adeknya Yamapi ini mah nggak perlu banyak alasan kenapa harus disukai. Imut banget. Senyumnya itu lho! Meleleh hatiku. Tapi, dibalik wajahnya yang modal banget itu, dia juga jago akting. Vokalis yang playboy, ceria, dan sungguh menarik perhatian. Abe--- I love you! Hahaha..

Abe Aran as Sato Yuto

Hamada Takahiro. Di season 2 ini dia jadi ganteng. Sebelumnya, di  Shark 1, Kai nggak seganteng saat jadi gabung di Cloud5. Pilihan yang bagus Kai. Bahkan, Samantha pun suka sama Kai. Kai-kun! Ops, ngomongin akting sih, ehem ya bagus sih, meski rada biasa. Hehehe.

Hamada Takahiro as Hagiwara  Kai 

Yasui Kentaro. Nah, ini nih yang bikin sebel sepanjang episode. Sekilas memang dia mirip Akanishi Jin, sedikit aja, tapi Yasui Kentaro mendapat peran sebagai Kota yang selalu membuat masalah. Yah, rasa sebalku ke dia adalah bukti bahwa dia punya kualitas akting yang cukup baik pula.

Yasui Kentaro as Shindo Kota 
Dan lain-lain, tidak kubahas karena nanti kepanjangan pastinya. Sorry Haruya, you didnt get my attention. Eh, satu lagi karakter pendukung yang lucu, namanya Ivan yang meranin Samantha, cewek or cowok yang bekerja sebagai asisten Matsuyuki, produser Cloud5. Dia lucu banget, sumpah. Itu lho, yang suka sama Kai-kun.

Setting

Ya, suka sih. But, nothing special. Intip review-ku untuk Shark season 1 untuk melihat penilaianku, soalnya nggak beda jauh. Hehehe.

Kostum

Ini lebih baik dari season 1. Kenapa? Karena mereka lebih sering ganti baju. Tidak seperti sebelumnya yang sampai episode terakhir para pemainnya nggak pernah ganti baju. Suka banget stylenya Daiki dan Abe. Paling rambutnya Abe yang rada-rada alay gimana gituh. Tapi, gak apa-apalah. 

Musik

Bagus. Aku suka semua lagu-lagu mereka. Paling suka lagu No Way Out, lalu Break Out. Sono Saki e yang juga lagunya si Johny West juga lumayan bagus. Yah, untuk ukuran lagu-lagu band yang anggotanya ganteng-ganteng gini sih, pasti lagunya jadi bagus. Suara Abe Aran juga so cute.

--
Mungkin, sudah dulu. Nanti kepanjangan malah malas baca. Intinya sih, Shark 2 bagus. Masih cocok buat nonton maraton karena per episode cuman 23 menitan, kecuali untuk episode terakhir. So, for you all the Johnny Boys’ fans, you should watch this dorama! It’s so yummy!

More info: d-addicts 

Skor  8.5/10



Tuesday, February 16, 2016

Omotensando Koukou Gasshoubu! - Let's sing Together



Bagi yang doyan dorama musikal, Omotesando Koukou Gasshoubu! sepertinya menjadi wajib hukumnya. Kenapa? Nah, ada sejumlah poin menarik kenapa dorama ini menjadi laik ditonton dan dinikmati. Bahkan, aransemen vokal di dorama ini dapat penghargaan spesial lho dari Television Academy Award. 

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Title: Omotesando Koukou Gasshoubu! /High School Chorus
Genre: Youth, Music, School
Episode: 10
Broadcast period: 2015 July - September
Theme song: Sukida by Little Glee Monster

CAST:
---

Sebelum baca reveiwnya, simak dulu sinopsis singkat dari d-addicts (Inggris ya :P) 

Sinopsis 

Set in a high school chorus club that faces dissolution, this school drama tells the story of an unconventional high-school girl and how her determination to save the club changes the chorus members and the teacher.

Makoto who has moved from Kagawa prefecture to Omotesando high school in Tokyo is looking forward to joining the once-famous chorus club she had always admired. As she arrives, however, things are not as she had expected. The club hardly has any members, and its instructor - Ariake - who first taught Makoto the joy of singing is a mere shadow of his former self living in misery. Despite the unexpected reality, Makoto is determined to achieve her "goal" in the chorus club where her parents enjoyed their students life. However, her classmates react to her efforts to recruit new members with only hostility, with some even telling her to stop being engaged in the club. -- TBS

REVIEW - Menguliti Dorama

Awalnya, aku tidak terlalu tertarik menonton dorama ini, tapi setelah aku melihat daftar pemenang di TV academy award musim kemarin, ada beberapa kali dorama ini nongol sebagai pemenang, misalnya aktris muda belia Yoshine Kyoko yang berhasil menyabet gelar sebagai pemeran terbaik wanita dan juga penghargaan khusus untuk musiknya. Dan ternyata, aku tidak kecewa. Dorama ini memang cukup bagus. 

Ide Cerita
Sebenarnya sih ceritanya sederhana banget kan, seorang gadis SMA yang hobi menyanyi, datang ke sekolah baru dan menjadi inspirasi aktifnya chorus atau gasshou atau padusa  (paduan suara) di sekolah barunya. Dengan latar cerita, dia ingin menyelamatkan orang tuanya yang hampir bercerai dengan mencoba menemukan lagu cinta yang mungkin bisa mengingatkan orang tuanya tentang masa muda mereka. Yeah, gitu deh. Cerita ini juga diselingi dengan kisah cinta ala remaja dan juga romansa keluarga. Cerita yang sederhana tapi sangat mudah dinikmati dan juga sangat manis. 
Ada beberapa hal yang mau disampaikan oleh dorama ini sepertinya, dan berikut ada sejumlah hal yang menjadi catatanku: 

  1. Follow your passion! Ikuti panggilan hatimu. Kagawa Makoto yang mencintai bernyanyi di sebuah chorus terus  tanpa menyerah mengejar panggilan hatinya. Hingga akhirnya dia bisa menjadi inspirasi orang-orang di sekitarnya. Enjoy yourself by follow your passion!, gitu kali ya. 
  2. Family is everything. Yup, keluarga itu bagaimanapun juga adalah keluarga, sebaiknya tidak berpisah. Apapun yang terjadi mereka adalah yang selalu ada buat kita. Ikatan dalam sebuah keluarga tak tergantikan. 
  3. Friendship is never die! Apa sih yang bisa ngalahin serunya, indahnya dan berwarnanya persahabatan saat remaja?! Ya, jika orang bilang masa SMA adalah masa paling bahagia, aku setuju saja. Persahabatan anak-anak di Ometesando Gasshou cukup bisa menggambarkan indahnya masa itu. Eaa...
Lagi pada latihan nyanyi. 
  1. Sing with your soul! Khusus bagi yang doyan nyanyi, maka ketulusan menjadi modal penting agar lagu kita dapat kita nyanyikan sepenuh hati dan sampai pada mereka yang mendengarkan. Lagu-lagu yang dinyanyikan oleh anak-anak gasshou ini bagus banget. Di beberapa lagu aku bahkan sampai menangis terharu. Lagu di episode 6 dan lagu terakhir 'Ai no Uta' adalah lagu yang kena banget. 
  2. Enjoy love while you're young. Nikmati cinta monyet. Yohai, mumpung muda nikmati cinta. Cinta saat kita muda adalah cinta tanpa syarat. Karena semakin dewasa, cinta kadang berubah jadi itung-itungan untung rugi untuk investasi masa depan. Kalau pas SMA kurasa perasaan itu lebih bebas, maka ungkapkan dan nikmati masa-masa itu. Ada cerita cinta segitiga Makoto - Natsume - Yuria; cinta segitiga luar biasa Rina - Daisuke - Tasuku, Cinta tak berbalas aka friend zone Rentaro - Miko, dan lain-lainnya. Aih, jadi ingat ceritaku sendiri. :)
Makoto dan Natsume, cute banget kan. (img: here)

  1. Ada yang mau nambahin?
CAST
Para pemerannya seger-seger. Orang-orang muda yang penuh dengan gairah muda dan juga ganteng-ganteng dan cantik-cantik. Hehehe... Yang pasti Shison Jun berhasil mencuri perhatian sebagai seorang flower boy di sini. Aktingnya lumayan baik dan tatapan matanyan itu lho, dalem. Yoshine Kyoko sudah dapat penghargaan jadi ya, pasti lah bagus. Semangatnya itu seakan ikut memberiku semangat juga. Yoshimoto Miyu yang merani Tani Yuria cantik banget, sumpah. Akting antagonisnya di separuh episode awal keren. (Btw Shison Jun dan Yoshimoto Miyu nanti reunian di 5 to 9, ada adegan kissing juga, yuhuu...super spoiler.) Anak-anak gasshou lain juga oke. 

Lalu bagaimana dengan sang guru Ariake Sensei? Shirota Yu jelas lebih ganteng sekarang dibanding dulu. Biking melting deh lihat bodinya yang tinggi besar itu, hahaha... "30, guru, single:, Kalau gurunya kayak gini, bakal rajin sekolah pastinya. Ibu Kepala sekolah aku juga suka, rasanya ngayomi gitu. 
Cast lain gak perlu dibahas ya karena nanti kepanjangan. :P
Euy, Nakashima Mika juga akan main lho jadi bintang tamu di salah satu episodenya. Keren banget deh pokoknya. Dia juga cantik banget. 



Setting
No Komen! Bagus kok, Tapi tak banyak yang bisa diomongin. Ya, kalau paling memorable ya pastinya halaman sekolah yang jadi tempat memorinya orang tua Makoto yang juga jadi tempat latihan anak-anak gasshou. 

OST dan Lagu Tema
Nah, ini adalah bagian paling menarik soalnya ini dorama musikal. Karena di tiap episode ada minimal 1 lagu. Karena sudah ada yang bikin daftar lagunya langsung saja ya kunjungi halamannya di sini, siapa tahu kamu mau kepo. :) 

Secara keseluruhan aku menikmati nonton dorama ini. Coba deh kamu juga nonton dan nikmati lagu-lagu indah yang dinyanyikan oleh Omotesando Koukou Gasshou! 

My personal score: 8/10 

Yang mau ngintip website resminya : TBS 
Lebih lanjut bisa lihat juga di: d-addicts ; asianwiki
Yang mau nonton: cari link-nya sendiri ya. hehe

Friday, August 21, 2015

Tenno No Ryoriban : A Must Watch Dorama!


The poster of TNR

Title : Tenno No Ryoriban / The Emperor's Cook
Genre : human drama, romance, biography
Episode : 12
Broadcast time : Spring 2015
Theme song : Yume Miru Hito by Masashi Sada

Cast:
Sato Takeru as Akiyama Tokuzo
Kuroki Haru as Takahama Toshiko
Suzuki Ryohei as Akiyama Shutaro
Kiritani Kenta as Shintaro Matsui
Tasuku Emoto as Tatsukichi Yamagami
Kobayashi Kaoru as Asami

I thought that Kimura Takuya's I'm Home was the best dorama for spring 2015. I was wrong. The best dorama for the season is undoubtedly Tenno no Ryoriban (TNR) aka Emperor's Cook. It portrays the life of Akiyama Tokuzo - the  legendary head chef of Emperor Hirohito. The lead role, Sato Takeru once again proved that he is one of the best young actors in Japan. Together with Kuroki Haru, Suzuki Ryuhei and other perfect casts, Sato Takeru makes Tenno no Ryoriban becomes not only the best but also most heartwarming and inspirative dorama ever. "Never give up on your dream and believe in yourself and love of all the people around you.", I got this line in my mind after watching TNR. If you are really a Jdorama fan, you should not miss this wonderful dorama.


Review, Peeling the Dorama


Story

Based on non-fictional biography novel by Hisahide Sugimori, Tenno no Ryoriban depicts the life of Akiyama Tokuzo. I haven't read the novel but after watching TNR dorama, I begin to search about this great chef in real life. I really wanted to know about him as the result of watching the dorama. Akiyama Tokuzo died in 1976. This dorama successfully portrays Akiyama's life in beautiful way, from his teenage days in early 20th century to his old days when he retires being the emperor's cook in 1972. I found it is funny, sad, warm, encouraging, and emotional while watching this dorama.

Plot

The story is started with 15 years old Akiyama Tokuzo who is sent home in drunk condition by 2 monks of a Buddhist temple where Tokuzo has stayed for several months trying to be a monk. It is not the first time Tokuzo failed to become something. He is such an easy bored person who can't stay in one job more than 3 months. He used to tried various jobs, from Kendo instructor, soldier, and even a rice market spectator. He is easyly absorbed in his job but also bored in a short time, 3 months. His older brother - Akiyama Shutaro  who is a diligent law student in Tokyo said that Tokuzo has just yet found something he's interested in, yet found his calling. That is so true, isn't it? When we haven't found our life calling, we'll always be bored and get tired of everything. But, not a lot people struggle for their calling. How about you? Me? I think I haven't found all of it tho. :(

Worrying about their son's condition, Tokuzo's parents makes Tokuzo gets married into Takahama family in Sabae,. He get married with Takahama Toshiko - a soft hearted girl in the same age as him. Not long after his marriage, Tokuzo met  Tanabe Yukichi , a cook of Sabae Army Infantry Regiment who also introduces Tokuzo to culinary world. The western style beef cutlet is a first key for Tokuzo to know his life's calling. With that, his adventure has just begun. The road to the world-class chef, the best chef in Japan, the emperor's cook has started.

Tanabe Yukichi (Hideaki Ito) who introduced Tokuzo to french cuisine
First cutlet that changed Tokuzo's life (Oishii!)

Tokuzo then moves to Tokyo, leaves behind his wife and new family, to get training about western food.  (Frankly, I really do not understand the way he thinks. How could he leave his family without saying nothing?!)  Through his brother's connection, Tokuzo is accepted as an apprentice or kitchen helper in Kazoku Kaikan, a western restaurant for aristochrat in Tokyo. The chef leader who will also next become Tokuzo's teacher is Usami san. Here, Tokuzo also will meet his best friends - Shintaro Matsui who  and Tatsukichi Yamagami - another kitchen helper at Kazoku Kaikan. Here, Tokuzo starts to realize that path toward his dream is a tough and difficult. And, the most important thing  to be a good cook is a sincere heart.   

Tokuzo's first time visiting a western restaurant in Tokyo, (Just after this, he will cut his lips! lol)

Toshiko divorced Tokuzo so he can pursue his dream. (so sad here)


Due to some accident, Tokuzo is fired from Kazoku Kaikan. This makes his family angry and his in law family in Sabae wants him to divorce Toshiko.  Next, he starts to stay and work at Banzai-ken,  a small traditional japanese restaurant. While Tokuzo is busy with his problems, he doesn't realize that his older brother is sick from a serious illness and Toshiko has miscarriage of his baby. Toshiko then divorced Tokuzo, to free him achieving his dream. Never give up of his calling, Tokuzo leaves Tokyo and goes to Paris, France to get more serious training, with support from people around him especially his sick older brother.

 The path toward his dream is not that easy. He must face hardship for being an only Asian in his new workplace. Even, he is called with the nickname 'monkey'. But, with patience and hard work he proves that he has the best talent to be the best cook. Then, he is acknowledged as the first Asian cook who has legal certificate as a professional  cook and work for Ritz Hotel- one of the best restaurant in France. There, Tokuzo works under supervision of the best cook at the time.  Tokuzo's success story makes the Japanese Empire wants to hire him as the Imperial cook. Then, Tokuzo goes back to Japan.

Shshhhh... He's cooking with a very serious expression!

Tokuzo in France (img source: here)

I almost forgot to mention that while in Paris, Tokuzo falls in love with a woman named Francoise. He also meets his best friend Shintaro who is hoping to be a great painting artist there, but fails.

Tokuzo's life as the Imperial cook then begins. His first job is a big success and the story about him becomes the family's pride. His older brother, Shuntaro  dies with a peaceful smile knowing Tokuzo now is a great person. Tokuzo also meets his ex-wife - Toshiko and they starts a new family again. His life as the emperor's cook and head of his family continues. He has 2 sons and 1 daughter. So many things he goes through. The saddest thing is when Toshiko died and leaves him. Soon, he realizes that Toshiko would never leave him. She is always around him wherever she is.

Time passes by and then difficult time has come. It is the war time and post-war. As the country that lost at the war, Japan is in very hard situation. Even, Emperor's situation is in danger. The destiny of the country is on the America's hand. Tokuzo, with all his might, wants to protect the emperor. He does so many things even he must swallow his pride and temper. And, together with colleagues he serves the  emperor and the Japan empire splendidly. Until then, 1972, when he is retired as the emperor's cook.


Actor

OMG! I love Sato Takeru so bad. He improves his skill in acting. He portrays the life of a legend cook heartfully. How do I know? I feel it. I feel the warm feeling by watching this dorama. You deserve an award Sato! And Haru is also very good. I don't know why, but I think that she is very good in portraying a good japanese housewife in that era with the low voice, the smile, the attitude, etc. She's a lovely woman. How she devotes her life for her family is really awesome. One more stunning character is Akiyama Shutaro - Tokuzo's nii yan. You will never ask for more for a kind brother like that. I was always cries when the I put my self in Shutaro's side. So sad but beautiful. Suzuki Ryuhei deserves an award too! :D

Suzuki Ryohei as Akiyama Shutaro, a very special character that deserves more attention

I want to mention one by one all of the best casts of this dorama but that seems too much. All I wanna say is that all the casts are awesome. Good job for all of you! Oops,... I need to say that only one cast that I think is not good enough. The cast for Francoise, the French girl who Tokuzo falls in France. How can I say but she's not the type that I can call beautiful or cute or whatever. I'm so sorry, but for me, she's not a good match to SatoTakeru . Or, is it me that got jealous? Lol

How can I not jealous with her!!!


 Setting and Costumes

Nothing to complain. I love both the scenes in Japan or France. Thanks for taking me a walk around Tokyo almost 100 years ago. The main street that shows Tokyo that time and the now condition that shown in ending song is very memorable. Is that the main road near the government building centers? I think I have visited that place in my trip last year. They look similar.

And the costume, ehm... Do you have complaint? Me, not! Maybe because other aspects are good so the detail becomes not a matter anymore. Does it? Or may be, it is really good? I think the last one is the answer. I like the most the women's costumes. I like the kimono or yukata or whatever it like. They are just so cute and girlish. Ahhh... I want to wear it too! Yeah, next time for sure. Hee...


OST and theme song

Awesome! I like the OST and theme song. The music did a really good job in dramatizing the story. Whenever the sad music was played, I was always almost to cry. In the last episode, I cried for along time tho. And the song, Yume Miru Hito sung by Masashi Sada, its lyrics is so meaningful. I love it! It really defines what is the meaning of pursuing a dream and follow the our passion in life. It suits well with Akiyama Tokuzo's life. Well written lyrics, it is!


Last but not least ( I think I will add some points to this review in my next free time), I just want to say that this dorama is awesome! Look at my high score for TNR! :D

9.5/10
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