Quick Drama Reviews

Title: Tumbling ( タンブリング)
Starring: Yamamoto Yusuke, Seto Koji, Miura Shohei, Daito Shunsuke, AKIRA, Nishijima Takahiro, Tomiura Satoshi
Genre: School, Sports
Synopsis: Bad boy Azuma Wataru has failed to meet the credits needed to pass his classes. The girl-crazy Azuma decides to join the male rhythmic gymnastics club after seeing a beautiful transfer student among the girls team.
Language: Japanese
Status: 11 episodes, COMPLETED (2010)
Rating: 3/5

Despite over the top and silly moments, Tumbling focuses on overcoming differences and uniting to accomplish a goal. Can the bad boys stop fighting long enough to learn gymnastics? Will the previous members of the team be able to accept the other boys? There is no real romance in this series. You won't have couples to root for. It focuses more on how the boys work together. Yamada Yusuke tends to overact at times. This is even more unavoidable in each instance where he threw down his bag and gave a speech. This happened quite often. However, the gymnastics scenes make up for the silliness. If you like pretty boys in spandex prancing around, give this one a chance.

Title: Grey's Anatomy
Starring: Ellen Pompeo, Sandra Oh, Chandra Wilson, Patrick Dempsey, Sara Ramirez and more...
Genre: Hospital, Romance
Synopsis: A drama centered on the personal and professional lives of five surgical interns and their supervisors.
Language: English
Status: 9 seasons, 10th season begins airing in September 2013 (2005- ?)
Rating: 3.5/5

Romance, drama and tragedy are the usual setup for Grey's Anatomy. The series follows Meredith and her fellow interns as they work, live and play. As with most romantic hospital dramas, the series can fall into a repeatative pattern. It's the interactions between the interns, their superiors and sometimes patients that make the series watchable. There were some characters that I didn't like, but they eventually grew on me. Sometimes, Meredith's voice can be very annoying though. Check out the earlier seasons if you're looking for a guilty pleasure.

Title: Supernatural

Starring: Jensen Ackles, Jared Padalecki, Misha Collins and more...

Genre: Fantasy, Horror

Synopsis: Two brothers follow their father's footsteps as hunters fighting evil supernatural beings of many kinds including monsters, demons, and gods that roam the earth.

Language: English

Status: 8 seasons, 9th season begins October 2013 (2005 - ?)

Rating: 4/5

Over eight seasons, Dean and Sam Winchester have been hunting demons, killing monsters...you know, the family business. After the death of their mother when they were children, their father, John Winchester, began researching and hunting the things that go bump in the night. He trains both sons in the art of tracking and killing those monsters only to abandon them when he suddenly disappears. It's up to Dean and Sam to try to find him. From episode one, I was pretty much hooked on the show. Sure, there's some campy, cheesy moments, but otherwise the mythology is fairly solid. Fans of horror, fantasy and general supernatural things will enjoy this series. 

Title: Farscape

Starring: Ben Browder, Claudia Black, Anthony Simcoe, Lani John Tupu and more...

Genre: Fantasy, Adventure, Science Fiction

Synopsis: Thrown into a distant part of the universe, an Earth astronaut finds himself part of a fugitive alien starship crew.

Language: English

Status: 4 seasons, 1 movie, COMPLETED (1999 - 2004)

Rating: 5/5

This series had everything a great science fiction series needed. You had action, adventure, drama and chaos. John Crichton is an astronaut who finds himself sucked through a wormhole during a routine experimental flight into space. Crichton's character is a fish out of water, thrown into an alien world where he doesn't know anything. There are lots of themes explored in this series. These include acceptance, tolerance, war, finding where one belongs, love, racism and many others. Throughout it all, we're treated to pop culture references as Crichton attempts to relate to the strange worlds around him. There's even an episode that looks and sounds very much like Looney Tunes! Another is very much the setting of a 'save the princess' video game. The highlight of it all is the convincing  use of traditional and prosthetic makeup.The creatures are amazingly crafted and puppeted by the Jim Henson's Creature Shop.

Title: The Walking Dead

Starring: Andrew Lincoln, Norman Reedus, Steven Yeun, Danai Gurira and more...

Genre: Drama, Horror, Thriller

Synopsis: Police officer Rick Grimes leads a group of survivors in a world overrun by zombies.

Language: English

Status: 3 seasons, 4th season beginning in October 2013 (2010 - ?)

Rating: 4/5

On the surface, The Walking Dead is a series about the zombie apocalypse. Most would write the series off there and change the channel. Those people are missing out on something great. This is a series, although fundamentally different from its origin comic, about survival, life and rebuilding. The characters are what make this series so compelling. Their reactions aren't over the top. They're real human responses to the horrors that surround them. Every day is a struggle and the dead aren't the most dangerous things in the world. One of the show's highlights is the skill of the actors. The makeup effects are top notch as well. I'm looking forward to the new season when it begins in October. 

Review: Delicious Gakuin

Title: Delicious Gakuin [Delicious Academy]
Starring: Nishijima Takahiro, Aiba Hiroki, Miura Ryosuke
Language: Japanese
Genre: Comedy
Episodes: 13

I guess I have a thing for pretty boys in school dramas, but I must admit that it has to have an interesting plot for me to check it out. Shounen ai (boy love) isn't required either. Purely optional. I think fans should be more like that.


Kitasaka Rouma, Takasugi Rin, and Matthew Perrier have been kidnapped from their surroundings to an isolated, prestigious cooking academy. Each boy has their own specialty and cooking tool. Rin's specialty is beauty and uses his sparkling chopsticks, Twin Rainbow, to add beauty to his dishes. Matthew expertly mixes flavors by using his sparkling spoon Amour. Rouma is great at choosing the best ingredients and enhancing their flavors with his frying pan Tekkamaru passed down by his mother. These three boys plot together to escape the school. Ultimately, they band together with two other students in an epic cooking showdown with the teachers and the mysterious principal.

At the time when I began this series, it was refreshing and different than anything I've seen. I don't know if there's a series like this, but I haven't heard or seen any as of yet and I hope that there isn't any in the future. I've described this series as a cross between Iron Chef and a little bit of Dragon Ball Z. It is a cooking academy drama that focuses on the main characters' bond with each other.


The only familiar face from the main cast I could pick out was Aiba Hiroki. There is also a brief appearance in one battle episode with Saitoh Takumi. Most times I come into watching dramas, and even movies, I don't base my watching plans on known actors, but it's nice to see familiar actors and their range in different scenarios. Anyway, the characters made this comical drama very enjoyable and the chemistry was believable. Even though certain actions or scenes could be considered a bit cartoonish, it didn't pull me out of the story. As for the story, I thought it was very original and after each episode, I wanted to watch more. Even if at some points were cliche and predictable, there were points that I couldn't predict completely. Most importantly, the ending reveal of the principal and gradually learning the backgrounds of both the students and teachers were very effective.

Delicious Gakuin could easily be in my top ten favorite Japanese dramas. I had so much fun watching these characters develop, grow, connect, and react in this insane situation. It does a great job of balancing a little bit of drama and comedy throughout each episode. The eye candy is also a plus. If you're interested in a comically intense cooking battle and a bond between a diverse set of boys with a common goal, I highly recommend you to check out this series.


Rating: 4.5/5

The Duckie and Miko Show Episode 2

Click here for Part 2
Forgive me once again for the delay. Here's the second episode of "The Duckie and Miko Show". I know, I know. This isn't Dailymotion, it's Vimeo. Well, I had some issues with the site. So, take what you will. Hopefully, I will have the next episode up soon for you guys, so keep a look out for it and thank you for watching these old videos.

Review: GTO (2012)

Alternate Title: GTO

Starring: AKIRA, Takimoto Miori, Shirota Yu, Yamamoto Yusuke

Genre: School, Drama

Country: Japan

Language: Japanese

Episode Count: 11

Specials Count: 2

Synopsis: Onizuka Eikichi,  a former bike gang member, goes to work for Meishu Academy as a part-time gardener. After witnessing Yoshikawa Noboru attempting to commit suicide, Onizuka scares the boy off the school's roof. He investigates further, learning that Noboru is being bullied by Uehara Anko and her friends. Onizuka befriends and helps Yoshikawa to confont Uehara. Seeing Onizuka’s unusually effective problem solving skills, the school’s director, Sakurai Ryoko, makes Onizuka a teacher despite opposition from her assistant principal. Onizuka is then tasked to straighten out the particularly difficult students of Class 2-4.

There aren't many who haven't heard of the manga, Great Teacher Onizuka. Some may even know Shonan Junai Gumi and Bad Company which also focus on the life of Onizuka with those series set before he becomes a teacher. As well as those mangas and an anime series, the 2012 version of GTO also has another live action to live up to. The previous live action outing was released in 1998 so there was quite a bit of time between the two versions. Perhaps later, I'll do a comparison of the two series or manga to series.

There have been very few Japanese dramas that I've enjoyed enough to watch more than once or twice. I went into this series expecting not to like it. There had been a lot of hype when this was being cast about Jin Akanishi playing Onizuka. I was very grateful when it was announced that Akira would be taking the lead role instead. Akira is perfect for the role of Onizuka. He visually fits the part as well as being able to pull off the physical demands of it due to his background as a dancer with EXILE.

From the first episode, it's clear how the series will be. Onizuka (AKIRA) is a tough guy with a soft heart. He's a simple man who sees things how they are. When Uehara Anko (Shinkawa Yua) tells him that there is a cold wall between her parents, I doubt that she was talking about the wall that separated their bedrooms. She was most likely referring to an emotional wall that the adults had created as they drifted apart. To bring about the collapse of that emotional wall, he creates a hole in the physical one. He tells the children that when they're faced with a wall, they'll need to take it head on, otherwise nothing will ever change. It's good advice, delivered in a way that they won't quickly forget.

Onizuka's straight forward way of attacking problems will ultimately cause him quite a bit of trouble as Class 2-4 tries to rid themselves of him. It's not exactly Onizuka that they hate. It's any teacher who happens to have the misfortune of being assigned to their class. They believe that teachers (and other adults) are only out to hurt them. This is a misguided way to try to protect themselves. It's not that they're truly bad children. Each has their own issues whether it's with family or feeling inadequate. However, it's often during the series that I found the kids to be overbearing and annoying.

His problems don't end with the kids in his class. The adults are often at odds with him from Uchiyamada Hiroshi (Tayama Ryosei), the assistant principal, to parents of the students. The only people who seem to be truly on Onizuka's side are Fuyutsuki Azusa (Takimoto Miori), the other teacher for Class 2-4, and Sakurai Ryoko (Kuroki Hitomi), the school's director. Aside from those two, Onizuka is supported by his best friends, Danma Ryuji (Shirota Yu) and Saejima Toshiyuki (Yamamoto Yusuke). Both men would drop everything to come to Onizuka's aid. Ryuji is often seen as the voice of reason whenever things get out of hand. Saejima, however, is quite a handful as a corrupt cop with a love for nearly every woman he sees.


The biggest downfall of the series is that sometimes the acting can get quite cheesy. I suppose this is true of most Japanese dramas. Despite that, it is still a very enjoyable series overall. Akira is very believeable as Onizuka. It was fun to see Shirota Yu and Yamamoto Yusuke in a series together after Hana Kimi. I'd happily recommend this to anyone looking for a school drama with a bit of comedy. Put your expectations aside and enjoy it for what it is.

Rating: 3/5

Review: RESCUE

Title: RESCUE
Starring: Nakamaru Yuuichi, Ishibashi Ryou, Yamamoto Yuusuke, Masuda Takahisa
Language: Japanese
Genre: Action
Episodes: 9

Daichi Kitajima was a little boy trapped and rescued by a brave Super Ranger. After being saved the rescuer in orange, the rescuer became trapped immediately in another collapse. This unfortunate event inspired the young Daichi to train to become a Super Ranger and save lives in the future.

We follow him and a few other aspiring young men during their training until the time comes to announce those who are qualified for what field. Then we meet the older Super Rangers and develop a relationship with them as they interact with our familiar rookies.

Rescue is an emotional, action packed drama that reveals the bond between men and the impact of safety officials in the community. You definitely connect with each character naturally and there are moments where you need to reach for a box of tissues.

The acting among the cast were somewhat realistic and occasionally there were a few times where it seemed a bit overdramatic. The action sequences or rescue missions were clearly secondary, but not in a bad way. A couple of the missions are similar, but still enjoyable to watch.

Overall, I thought this was an interesting series, great choice of actors, and a thoughtful storyline. The drama could've been better and less dramatic acting-wise, but nonetheless, I don't feel like I wasted my time when I finished the series.

Rating: 3/5

Review: Kimi wa Pet

Title: Kimi wa Pet [You're My Pet/Tramps Like Us]
Starring: Koyuki and Matsumoto Jun
Language: Japanese
Genre: Romantic comedy
Episodes: 10

While reading the manga series, Tramps Like Us, I found there was a drama based off of it, which is the main reason I watched it. It's one of my favorite manga series!



Iwaya Sumire is an elite working woman, who devotes her life to working hard and being successful. Not only does she have high standards for herself, but she has the same for the men she dates. They must meet three important requirements: high pay, high education, and high height. One evening, after work, Sumire comes across an abandoned cardboard box with a beaten and bruised young man curled up inside it. Attempting to get some assistance by a few businessmen rushing to escape the downpour of rain, she decides to take him in and nurse his wounds. Once the young man recovers, she tries to get him out of her home and to his own, but the young man doesn't have a place to go and convinces Sumire to let him stay. But the only way he can live under Sumire's roof is for him to be her pet. She ends up nicknaming him after her childhood dog, Momo. He questions the name for a moment but accepts it.

We later find out that his real name is Takeshi Gouda and he is a dance prodigy. He gets offered to go abroad to a great performing arts school. Following Sumire, she later finds a man from her past that fits her three "highs" which stirs up the storyline to create comedy, romance, and drama.



Kimi wa Pet does an excellent job of moving the story along at a steady pace as well as making a cliche formula of a refreshing young man entering a workaholic woman's life. By changing it with twists and turns and letting the characters interact from past and present, it keeps this drama entertaining and interesting.

Koyuki does an amazing job keeping the emotion and strength of Sumire. She is able to keep a subtle sadness to her character and is able to act out the conflict of being frustrated with herself and her relationship with other people. Physically, she also embodies Sumire by her appearance and the way she carries herself in different places. From the slight tense, professional stance int he office to the soft, caring, and almost playful aure while bathing Momo, she has a definite range. I couldn't imagine a better actor to create the lively spirit of Momo than Jun Matsumoto. He has the perfect look and range to bring his character to reality. He tries to be a strong and carefree individual, but he gets tugged from every direction to decide and act on his future whether it's his relationship with others close to him or the hug opportunity to embrace his love of performing on stage.




Aside from the obvious main characters, the other actors and actresses do just as good as a job bringing the manga characters to life for us. Such as Sumire's best friend, Yuri, who gives us the chance to learn Sumire's personality before she was stuck behind a desk. She also brings a little comedy and intelligence to the drama by being open with her opinions. Ishida Yuta does well by being suave, but subtle. He tries to be kind to everyone despite their intentions against him. Sometimes he is a bit oblivious and lost, but overall he is a good guy and smart as well. The two problematic female characters, Fukushima Shiori & Shibusawa Rumi, are the perfect women to keep the story interesting and moving into other possible directions you think the story may lead to. They bring attitude and also a negative response from viewers for them to disappear. Lastly, Magii as the quirky, comical therapist was a lovely addition, although he doesn't exist in the manga. He also managed to keep the story together and keep the viewer's attention.

Kimi wa Pet also does a good job of following the manga series, although it does condense the storyline and changes a few minor details. If you enjoyed the manga, you'll be satisfied with the results translated into a live-action drama. You won't be bored, even if you know what's going to happen, but if you haven't read the series, it should keep your attention.

Rating: 4/5

Review: Anna-san no Omame

Title: Anna-san no Omame [The Best Friend of Beautiful Anna]
Starring: Becky, Sayuri Anzu, Shuji Kashiwabara
Language: Japanese
Genre: Romantic comedy
Episodes: 10


Before crunchyroll.com took a vast majority of the videos down to become a more legitimate place as well as avoid possibly lawsuits, I came across this interesting little Japanese drama. I was a little skeptical that it'd keep my attention, but I made it through the whole series and I even managed to buy it.



Anna Saionji is one of the most beautiful and intelligent women in town that every man dreams of, but...the story isn't about her at all. We follow the series with probably the most misunderstanding and overconfident woman named Lily Momoyama, who is Anna's best friend. In Lily's mind, she believes that she is the most beautiful woman in all of Japan (maybe the world) and every man she comes by wants to be with her. In reality, they're either promoting some charity group, trying to talk to Anna, or, in Kyotaro's case, just trying to be friendly to her. Kyotaro is Anna's boyfriend who's just seeking Lily's approval. Somehow she misinterprets his friendly gestures as a form of flirtation which carries the series through many entertaining and ridiculous antics between the two characters.




Anna-san no Omame is a very entertaining comedic drama. As ridiculous as the situations that occur during Kyotaro's struggle to fix things in Lily's mind, you get attached to the characters in some way. The atmosphere and characters are both equally colorful and it becomes difficult to stop watching. You can tell that the creator had a specific design thought out for each characters' appearances as well as the details of where they work and hang out. It also coordinates with the mood that they want to portray to emphasize the character's emotion.



Although I found her voice and character's personality to be annoying the first three episodes, Becky did an amazing job committing herself to the lovable Lily. Being conflicted with being loyal to her best friend, but also tempted to give into Kyotaro's "affectionate" ways can be a difficult task. Deep down inside, she is a loyal friend and just wants to have a love of her own, if the reality of someone liking her truly hits her. Shuji Kashiwabara as Kyotaro kept his focus of trying to please Anna by taking care of Lily, trying to be loyal to Anna, and also attempting to keep everyone happy while trying not to lose his sanity by fixing Lily's misunderstandings. He doesn't come off as a jerk, but just a kind and frustrated character that you wish you could help during his little crisis. Even though Sayuri Anzu's character Anna doesn't have a huge part, she manages to keep her character memorable by being this loyal, sweet, and understanding friend to Lily. She reflects a true bond in their friendship, despite their first meeting and starting of their lasting relationship. Aside from the three main characters of the series, the other characters were also very delightful and interesting seeing how they interact with Kyotaro and Lily's relationship.

Overall, the drama is a bit of a hit or miss for the general public that enjoys Asian dramas. Some may find the drama to be a bit tedious and annoying with Lily's personality and immediately give up on the series all together. For me, it is definitely worth seeing. I found the storyline to be unique and entertaining and Kyotaro was nice eye candy for 10 episodes. Even though Lily's character is a bit annoying and you kinda pick up her catch phrase after a few episodes, you learn to love her and embrace her misinterpretations.

Rating: 4.5/5