Another Dark Drama: JOKER~Yurusarezaru Sosakan

   Holy Crap, I just finished watching episode five of the Masato Sakai/Anne/Nishikido Ryo crime drama JOKER~Yurusarezaru Sosakan, and I am completely FLOORED! This has got to be one of the most UN-typical Japanese dramas I’ve ever seen, one that had me guessing from the very first episode, and every time I think I’ve got the story down and think I know what direction the show is going, it turns another corner, surprising me over and over again!

Masato Sakai as Date

Anne, Masato Sakai

 “Joker” follows the twisted life of a Police Investigator Date (Sakai) who, as a child, witnessed his own parents’ murders and now metes out his own brand of “justice” to the criminals who escape the arms of the law. On his team are Miyagi (Anne) and Kudo (Nishikido) who are able agents who help him track down criminal suspects…but are unaware of what he does under the shadow of night.

Masato Sakai, Anne, Ryo Nishikido

Kaga Takeshi

Masato Sakai with Osugi Ren

Ryo and Anne

 As you may recall, this drama was one of the ones Car “recommended” to me right after recommending Zenkai Girl, and though at first I was reluctant to check it out, from the get go this show seemed a lot darker than most, and I have to say that at this point may be one of the most intriguing dramas EVER! Hope this trend continues throughout the show!

Posted by zdorama @ zdoramaagain.blogspot.com

Rainbow Primer

Rainbow: WooRi, JaeKyung, JiSook, HyunYoung, NoEul, YoonHye, SeungA

 In celebration of Rainbow’s long-awaited comeback stage the other night on M Countdown, I present a handy little Field Guide featuring the Who’s-Who of Rainbow's Members for those of you discovering these amazing girls for the first time as well as those old-time fans simply want to refresh their memory banks!

Though sounding a bit different from the Rainbow that brought us "To Me" and "A", the new songs are definitely catchy (Golden Touch in particular is cool as heck!), and I'm hoping that this new album brings Rainbow back to the forefront- they've been away TOO LONG!!!

Posted by zdorama @ zdoramaagain.blogspot.com

SNSD IGAB: Jessica Edition!!!

 Whooo-hoooo! My SNSD  I GOT A BOY "Jessica" Variant Edition came today! I have to say that I DID have some reservations about purchasing another copy of SNSD's "I Got A Boy" what with money being so tight these days, but when I saw that the dealer whom I was buying SECRET's "Poison" and "Starlight Moonlight" ALSO had  I Got A Boy with the JESSICA cover, I decided "The Hell With It" and bought that one , too!  During the weeks waiting for it to ship, I looked in my wallet and chided myself for spending more money on a CD I technically already HAD, but I'll tell you, when I opened the package today and saw this BEAUTIFUL Sica Cover, ALL DOUBTS WERE CAST ASIDE! I'm SOOOO HAPPY I got it!!!!

Besides the very very sexy 'n' sweet Jessica Cover, even the inside Photo-booklet ITSELF is a strictly Jessica-Only production, with pages and pages of pretty Sica doing what she does best!!! Aww, That's my GIRL!!!

When I read that the Jessica CD would come with a poster, I was hoping that it would be of the Jessica cover, alas it was the poster of the group shot, so now I have TWO copies of it!

And as I mentioned above, also included in this order was Secret's "Poison" release and their their sassy "Starlight Moonlight" mini-album. Hearing that the Poison release came with both a poster of the group AND a random single member one, I was crossing fingers that I'd get the one of Hyosung, instead I got one of Zinger. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE Zinger, but boy, when you're in the mood for Hyosung, there ain't NO ONE that can replace her! Oh well, at least Starlight Moonlight came with a nice poster of the cover, LOL

Posted by zdorama @ zdoramaagain.blogspot.com

Our "Ice Princess" Then and Now

I was talking to my friend Car about the SNSD reality series MNET GIRLS GO TO SCHOOL, that amazing reality show documenting Girls Generation's debut days, and was marvelling at how much everyone had grown up, especially our dear Ice Princess herself, Miss Jessica Jung!

Jessica in Mnet Girls Go To School 2007

Jessica on Strong Heart 2013

Wow, it's amazing what a few years (and a hugely successful career) can do!!! Cheers to our dear Cucumber-Loathing Ice Princess Sica, and looking forward to your next five years...and beyond!

In the Dance Studio 2007

...and Hittin' the Stage in 2013!

Posted by zdorama @ zdoramaagain.blogspot.com

Songs In The Key Of Running Man

  One hilarious aspect of the awesome SBS Variety/Reality show RUNNING MAN is not only watching the amazing members of Running Man themselves in action, but their THEME SONGS, those fun little ditties that always seem to accompany the members whenever they’re onscreen! Though not “official” in any sense, the songs are played so regularly that fans watching the show can almost exactly predict when they will appear for maximum laughs!
 Over time, you get to know these snippets of songs so much that eventually you’re curious to hear the rest of the song, and onto the internet you go!  Clicking around on Youtube for the songs, it’s interesting to hear the songs in their entirety and FUNNY AS HELL to read the comments by confused viewers who have no IDEA why their videos are suddenly getting deluged with comments like MONGJI MONGJI and KWANGSOO OUT! KWANGSOO OUT! LOL!

 Every time I feel like listening to all the songs, I go online and have a time trying to find all of them, so I decided to go ahead and just post the tunes up here so any theme you feel like hearing is only a click away!

Yoo Jaesuk’s Theme

“Step By Step” by New Kids On The Block

Kim Jong Kook’s Theme

Beowulf Theme “What We Need Is A Hero”

Lee Kwang Soo’s Theme

“St. Agnes and the Burning Train” by Sting

Ji Suk Jin’s Theme

“The House You Live In” by Park Jin Young

Song Jihyo’s Theme

“Angry Birds” Theme Song

HaHa's Theme
"Pororo" Theme/Vincent Price Laugh

Gary’s Themes
Gary  has at least THREE recurring tunes, each for its own situation:

“Traditional Gary” Theme:

“Lessang’s Blues” by Lessang

 “Success Gary” Theme:

“Our Meeting” by Lessang Feat. Jang Gi Ha and Faces

“Romantic Gary” AKA “Monday Couple” Theme Song:

“The Answer is You” by Lessang Feat. Hareem

Posted by zdorama @ zdoramaagain.blogspot.com

A Slightly Peculiar New Girl Group...

My friend Gergchan in Cali sent me this clip of the oddest "Giant Girl Group" rip-off/inspiration to come out in recent months. The group is called Ebisu Muscats, their song is called "Banana Mango High School", and their claim to fame is that the group is completely comprised of Gravure and AV idols such as Mihiro, Tina "Rio" Yuzuki, Yuma Asami, Kasumi Risa and Sora Aoi!

From the Ebisu Muscats blog:

Ebisu Muscats, a group composed of 25 AV and gravure idols, will release their first CD in 2010. The single is titled "Banana Mango High School / 12 no 34 de Naite with Namida 4 Shimai" and will go on sale February 17, 2010. Ebisu Muscats -- which includes well-known stars such as Sora Aoi (26) and Yuma Asami (22), first performed the innuendo-filled "Banana Mango High School" on the show earlier this year. In addition to the standard release, they will also release separate versions performed by subgroups led by Risa Kasumi (25), Minori Hatsune (22), and Rio (23). The group was first formed on the late-night TV Tokyo variety show "Onegai! Muscat" which aired from April 2008 to March 2009. Featuring adult actresses and idols in various skits and games, the program was renewed under the name "Onedari!! Muscat" and has been on the air since April 2009.  I think it's amazing when an AV actress (like the infamous Ai Iijima) becomes so popular in the media that they essentially "cross over" to mainstream entertainment, and in fact, the first time I ever saw Aoi Sora was in the wacky drama SHIMOKITA GLORY DAYS. At the time I had NO IDEA who this girl was, and in fact thought she looked a lot like a tinier Konishi Manami with a raspier voice! And hell yeah, I was in love! And BOY, when the show was over and I found out who she WAS, you could have knocked me over with a feather!

Aoi in Shimokita Glory Dyas

 Seto Saki and Sora Aoi in Shimokita Glory Days

Even curvaceous Yuma Asami had a pretty significant role in this drama,  and with Tina "Rio" Yuzuki even appearing in Unubore Deka (in a hilarious brief role), you knew it was only a matter of time til these girls made the move to the mainstream, and with this cute song and video, it looks like the time is here!!

Rio in Unubore Deka

Check out their songs and PV clips on the Ebisu Muscats Blog Ebisu Muscats Member Roll Call:

Ando Aika (G)

The Legendary Aoi Sora (AV)

Asami Yuma (AV) 

Fujiura Megu (AV) 

Hatsune Minori (AV) 

Kasumi Kaho (AV) 

Kasumi Risa (AV) 

Kawamura Ena (G) 

Kawamura Rika (G) 

Kirihara Erika (AV) 

Kizaki Jessica (AV)

Kokomi Sakura (AV) 

KONAN (G) 

Mihiro (AV) 

Misaki Miyu (AV) 

Nagasaki Airi (G) 

Nishino Shou (AV) 

Ogura Haruka (G)  

Ogawa Asami

The Legendary Tina Rio Yuzuki (AV)

Sakuragi Rin (AV) 

Sayama Ai (AV)

Uehara Kaera (AV) 

Yamaguchi Minami (G) 

And last but NOT Least, Yoshizawa Akiho (AV),

our beloved Maid Droid herself!