Whenever my friend Car would suggest a new movie or drama to watch, it was always in my best interest to check the show out with her, because if I didn’t watch the show and she DID, she would always make sure to describe the episode or movie to me in great detail later, usually longer than the actual show itself! After about 25 minutes of her “summarizing” a show, I would inevitably say, “You know, If I wanted to know the whole story, I would have just WATCHED IT!” This, however, would not deter her, and she’d continue her storytelling.
Me and Car were big fans of the NANA movie, that one starring Nakashima Mika and Miyazaki Aoi, and when previews began airing for the upcoming NHK Taiga Drama starring Aoi Miyazaki called ATSUHIME, Car immediately decided we’d better check it out. Although I was an Aoi Miyazaki fan, I hadn’t really watched a whole lot of recent Taiga Dramas, and found the idea of committing to a half-year long, 52 episode drama quite a pledge.
Anyway, at some point ( a few weeks later) she asked me, “Hey, have you been watching that Aoi Miyazaki Taiga Drama?” I admitted I hadn’t even realized it had started. She then said, “Oh , you should watch it! In this past episode, blah, blah, blah…” I groaned inwardly and made sure I watched the next episode, if only so I could see the story myself, since I was gonna hear about it anyway.
I tuned in to Atsuhime just in time for episode 6, so it was still early enough to pick up on what was happening, and characters were still being introduced (more or less). The story followed a headstrong young girl named Okatsu, who would go from humble beginnings as the daughter of a fief lord to the bride of the Shogun himself, all amidst the turmoil of America’s arrival on Japan’s shores.
I have to say, I was immediately hooked. All the people in the show had strong characters who were allowed to develop along with Okatsu, and they were handled well by both the up and coming actors as well as the seasoned pros.…
Then there was Aoi Miyazaki! I thought I liked her as Nana! Boy, I just loved her as Okatsu, with her straightforward attitude and sharp intelligence, she played quite a different character than Nana, but one equally as fun and adorable!
By episode 9, I knew I was in the middle of what would probably become a huge favorite drama for me, and by episode 12, I knew in my heart that this was a special show, and I began to have that yearning in my heart at the end of each episode, knowing I had to wait a whole week before the next one!!! (you all know that feeling) It was now my favorite show, and a Taiga Drama, at that! I hadn’t loved a Taiga Drama this much since Naoto Takenaka’s HIDEYOSHI from way back in 1996! And I REALLY loved that one, so you can see how much of a chord Atsuhime struck with me!
Part of the dilemma in the story is the fact that the current Shogun seems to be feeble-minded, and certain political parties want certain people to take his place. Okatsu (later promoted to Atsu-Hime, and later Tensho-in) is recruited to marry the Shogun, and secretly move things into place from behind. But she develops a real relationship with the Shogun, and as both sides gear up for confrontation, there is SO MUCH going on in each episode, I can barely take it all in!
Part of the dilemma in the story is the fact that the current Shogun seems to be feeble-minded, and certain political parties want certain people to take his place. Okatsu (later promoted to Atsu-Hime, and later Tensho-in) is recruited to marry the Shogun, and secretly move things into place from behind. But she develops a real relationship with the Shogun, and as both sides gear up for confrontation, there is SO MUCH going on in each episode, I can barely take it all in!
A by-product of obsessing over the show of course, is a renewed interest in Aoi Miyazaki. I remember after watching “Nana”, madly searching online for pictures of Aoi Miyazaki, and being quite disappointed when the pics didn’t seem to capture the magic I felt watching Nana… I guess I just really bought into the screen character, and had a hard time seeing her as her “real” self. But If I thought it was hard THEN, Imagine watching Aoi Miyazaki in a kimono and headpiece in a historical setting every week, and then seeing her all modern and sexy in a Shiseido Ad…it is a JOLT, to be sure!
Out shopping for magazines with pictures of Aoi Miyazaki to accompany this planned blog entry about my love for the show, I happened to come across the official NHK companion book for Atsuhime(!), a book I had forgotten they did for ALL of their Taiga Dramas! Snatching it up, I pored through pages and pages of lovely Aoi in her different kimono and head pieces, plus color pictures of almost every major character in the series!! I thought it couldn’t get better, then I came to a photo shoot of both Aoi Miyazaki and Masato Sakai (the Shogun) out of costume and looking very dapper, Aoi cute as hell! OK, I had to have this! I picked up a copy for me as well as one for Car, $22.00 apiece, and If the lady at Hakubundo was surprised to see me drop $44.00 total for two copies, she didn’t show it!
I ran home, and started scanning away, oh MAN were there a lot of great pictures!!!!
I’ve selected a few to share with you all here, take a gander at Aoi Miyazaki in all her glory! See how great it can be when you are forced to watch something? Sometimes, these things turn into obsessions!
Atsuhime has just hit episode 24 here, just about approaching the half-way mark, and I have to say I am still amazed at how fresh and unpredictable the show is. Every time I think one thing is going to happen, it knocks me for a loop, and advances to a different stage! Another few months to go, then! Ikoso!
Comments from Original Post
MorningBerryz wrote:
I was kicking myself in the head (if that's possible :P) when my mom was actually watching this Taiga drama and I was oblivious to it. Ah it seemed much too late to jump in so I've conceded defeat here...to bad for me as it sounds like an awesome drama to have to look forward to every week! I was looking at an one of her shashinshuus and it was like $100!!! :O Yikes but I still want it! :P I'd get one of those books from Hakubundo but then each time that I look through it it would remind me of my stupidity of missing this great show. :P One word of advice though....steer clear of Miyazaki Aoi's movie titled "Suki da,"...and while the double allure of both Aoi and Nagasaku Hiromi's presence in it seems great....the movie is sooooooooooooooooooooooo oh sooooooooooooooooooooo painfully booooooooooooooorrrrrrrriiiiiiiiiiiiiiinnng! o__O How is that possible with such talent and beauty on the screen?!! But if you're ever curious in a morbid way...to sadly quote myself in this circumstance...YES it sucked I have the Limited Edition release to prove it. :P
zdorama wrote:
Strangely enough, BOTH leads in "Sukida" are main characters in Atsu-Hime! Both Aoi Miyazaki AND Eita are featured in the NHK Taiga Drama!
Everyone I've talked to says Sukida is melodramatic and moody, so Ill keep that in mind! I have to say, I'm not thrilled about Aoi Miyazaki playing a non-peppy character.
MorningBerryz replied to zdorama’s comment:
If you out of morbid curiousity want to borrow "Sukida," let me know...but I warn you it's one of the most boring movies that I've ever watched and I wouldn't have even finished it if I had not paid for it. :P UGH! They must be sooo much better in "Atsuhime" I imagine!! Not their faults though as that movies' screenplay was just slow slow slow and through about 85% of it nothing was really happening. My mom (who didn't pay for it :P ) even left the room and never came back refusing to finish it. :P Not even the Ribbon/Nagasaku Hiromi ties could save it and I think that speaks volumes as she was a large part of the incentive of checking out this movie in the first place. You may want to stay with the image of an animated Miyazaki Aoi...but the offer still stands if you're interested. :) Sorry I didn't reply earlier but I usually rely on VOX notifications for replies...if you click on the reply to button VOX will e-mail those you reply to directly. :)
zdorama replied to MorningBerryz’s comment:
just got a copy of the movie, I'll have to work up my courage and watch it, although I DID see some of it on Youtube already, the two kids, Eita and Aoi walking around humming tunes. Everything looked shot in blue filter.
BTW, I almost sent this as a new post again. realized it just in time!
MorningBerryz replied to zdorama’s comment:
ZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...oh sorry I was thinking about that movie! :P Forgive me though but I did pay a bundle for the special edition so I may be allowed to be a bit more jaded by it. :P May the force be with you... ^ ^ LOL I'm now imagining you posting later that this was the all time best movie that you've ever watched in your life! And I'll be like... O__o And here I am thinking that I'd rather watch Weekend at Bernies 2.....wait have I even watched that one before...huh?..sorry Bernie I shouldn't judge just yet. :P You know now that I've set it up to be one of the most boring movies ever you may think otherwise. :) Wow you're up late! I'm out sick today and tomorrow otherwise sleepy time would've passed awhile ago....
zdorama replied to MorningBerryz’s comment:
OK, I watched Su-Ki-Da Today!!!
...or at least, tried to.
I really tried! But ultimately, I just couldn't take it.
Watching a dour Miyazaki was rough, and watching Eita doing his mumbling
didn't help. It wasn't even that the dialog was so slow, but the scenes were REALLY abstract, strung together listlessly.
I mean, I GOT it, about how all the little snatches of things you remember about a person and do with that person "is love", demo sa...
When the show shifted to them as adults, after about 20 minutes, it became so boring I had to hit the speed up button, and watched the show at 2x speed and no sound, but I could still read the subtitles. Sorry for those out there that loved the movie and are rolling your eyes that I sped it up, but at that moment, I decided I would rather be watching Michael Phelps break some records, and wanted to finish up as soon as possible.
And guess what? The dialog was so slow paced, it still "read" like a regular speed show!
And I love both Nagasaku and Miyazaki, but having Aoi grow up into Hiromi was hard to accept! In fact, I thought Hiromi looked more like Aoi's sister than Aoi.
I just COULDN'T grasp the two gals as the same character.
In fact, I bet a movie with Miyazaki, Nagasaku and Eita acting out Weekend at Bernie's would have been more interesting, to tell the truth.
Too Bad. I was hoping there's still be something I might dig about the movie, but I didn't succeed. Ah well, at least Aoi looked good.
And speaking of Weekend at Bernie's, here's a Panda Version:
MorningBerryz replied to zdorama’s comment:
LOL! what a great panda picture!! Somehow I kept thinking...something's gotta happen right? Some sort of excitement or dramatic moment? But it never came. Too bad what a waste of talent and film. I'm probably being too harsh on it but it's because I bought it and had really high hopes especially with Nagasaku starring in it. Hmm...thinking about it now....watching it in 2x speed probably couldn't helped back then. :P I was looking at the screen thinking to myself...spit it out say something, do something!! :P
Now you've got me wondering...Eita could be Bernie. It could work.
dayo ne! wrote: Nov 10, 2008 R
Just wanted to say thanks, that because of your glowing praise of the show and being a big fan of the NANA franchise too, I've started watching Atsuhime. though I don't get the convenient broadcast subbed version you get I managed to find up to the 32nd episode subbed. My mom is hooked too. (though she keeps pointing out inaccuracies in the history) I looked around online and found that no one is making an effort to sub the rest of the series. I might give it a shot since I like the material and have access to a native speaker and former history teacher. By the way the show is originally shown as a year long endeavor starting in January ending in December with the condensed reedit shown in late december (about 5 hours), on NHK. Is it shown in half the time there? Did you notice the incredible lighting and composition of every shot? Its mind boggling how well its shot, even the pro photographers I work with admire the quality, absolutely top notch.
"Buckets of tears" thats why I love this show it grabs by those heart strings and never lets go. Probly why it has enjoyed massive popularity in Japan. I do believe that it is one of the highest rated viewership in NHK history hitting 28 percent in October.
zdorama replied to dayo ne!’s comment:
HOLA! Glad You are enjoying this show too!
Hmmm, I'm not sure about if the show is shown faster than Japan, but the Taiga Dramas always tend to run about 50-52 episodes here, if they added condensed re-edits, I suppose it could stretch to a whole 12 months, but usually once the show is over, that's it!
Yeah, I really love the direction of the scenes in this drama! I was saddened to find that in Japan, they broadcast the show in letterbox, but on KIKU, we get the cropped version. Is yours letterboxed?
Hope you get your hands on the rest of the drama! You're right, it doesn't seem like there are a lot of people subbing this show online. Maybe its the Historical content. Ganbatte!
Hope everything is well with you and your family!
