The Secret Life Of Tokusatsu Geeks: Fuka Koshiba in “Tokusatsu GaGaGa”

Fuka Koshiba as Kano Nakamura in Tokusatsu GaGaGa

Adorable Kano Nakamura (Fuka Koshiba) is a peppy and ordinary working OL on the outside, but what her co-workers don’t knows is that Kana is a closet Tokusatsu Geek who spends her every free moment at home watching Japanese Sentai shows and her whole paychecks go to purchasing Superhero CDs, DVDs and Magazines!

So obsessed with the Sentai Superheroes is Kano that they appear to her whenever she is in a dilemma as a sort of spiritual conscience such as giving up her seat on the train when she is DEAD tired from staying up and watching Tokusatsu all night!

While standing on the train, she happens to see another pretty young woman (Kana Kurashina) with a key charm featuring a character from her favorite Sentai show! Oh, how she wishes she could run up and tell the girl that SHE is a Tokusatsu fan, too! 

But she can’t. Because in the world she lives in, she knows that a grown woman still obsessing over superhero shows and toys would immediately be ostracized by her friendly co-workers!

She likens her hidden love of the genre with the Christians of early Japan who had to use code to relate to other Christians that they were of the same faith, and realizes that if she can get ahold of a similar keychain, then it would be a sign to other fans that she was  a tokusatsu geek like them!

And with that, Kano hilariously begins her mission to scour the city going to the vending machines in search of that perfect Sentai keychain hero, taking her to the arcades, stores and side streets!

But no matter what, she NEVER seems to get the trinket she wants, making her more and more and MORE obsessed!!! 

She even ventures to a candy store that she normally avoids run by a seemingly yakuza type thug in an attempt to get her desired keychain! She sees him take off for a smoke break and tries to get her toy...Unfortunately, he returns and she is forced to flee!!

I love this scenario so much! It reminds me of an old “Chibi Maruko-chan” episode where Maruko was secretly in love with Ichimonji “Kamen Rider 2” Hayato and would sneak to the candy store to purchase the bubble gum that his card came in (and failing just as spectacularly, I might add!)

Another relatable plight of the Tokusatsu fan is when Kano is at Karaoke with her fellow co-workers, and when she is forced to sing by a superior, she realizes she only knows Superhero songs!!!

Faced with the crushing embarrassment of being a secret Sentai geek, Kano flees the Karaoke room- only to be confronted by her childhood Sentai Hero…who tells her that the only way to get through it is to FACE her worries by going back…and SINGING her SENTAI songs HARD and TRUE!

With a new resolve, she goes BACK to the room, and grabbing the mic, belts out her childhood Sentai Show theme song  with ALL the passion she can muster, and like a rousing rendition of “Kamen Rider X”, she gets ALL her co-workers jumping up and SINGING ALONG!!!

AWWWWW, I’m LOVING this show (thanks Hamanosilence for the recommendation as always)…Fuka Koshiba is absolutely DARLING as the spazzy and sweet Kano,  and I can’t WAIT to see what she gets up to next!

PS: Bonus points for having Haruka “Murasaki” Kinami as a seemingly cold superior of Kano’s

 …and Yuki Matsushita as Kano’s strict, Sentai-hating MOTHER! LOL!

Posted by zdorama @ zdoramaagain.blogspot.com

That Urban Apartment Again

Haha, Just watched episode 5 of Ie uru Onna Gyakushu, and as soon as I saw Keiko Kitagawa walking past the corner of the building, I knew we were going to see yet another appearance of that Urban Apartment with the sombre tree at the top of the lane!

Sure enough, when Sangenya returned to the apartment with her clients, we got to see the familiar camera angle shot from down the lane shot up the hill!

You know, looking at this scene, I can’t help but think they’ve used this apartment in the same drama before…and I'm pretty sure I'll be seeing it again soon!

Posted by zdorama @ zdoramaagain.blogspot.com

Bokura wa Kiseki de Dekite Iru 終

Just finished up the Issei Takahashi drama “Bokura wa Kiseki de Dekite Iru”, and what a nice little drama this turned out to be! 

Bokura wa Kiseki de Dekita Iru told the tale of an eccentric school professor named Aikawa (Takahashi) gifted with a huge knowledge of insects and wildlife but not much in the way of regular social interaction who, though a bad tooth, crosses paths with the stern and proper Dental Hygenist Ikumi Mizumoto (Nana Eikura) who is appalled and mystified by his carefree way of living.

She doesn't know what to make of him, but as time goes on she, as well as his equally befuddled students, find out that his gentle and unusual way of thinking can lead to eye-opening and exciting new ways of living your life...

I must admit that at first I was a bit irritated at Aikawa’s seemingly rude, clueless and outspoken behavior, but, much like his students and friends, quickly warmed up to him and his quirky ways, making for an enjoyable and relaxing drama! 

Posted by zdorama @ zdoramaagain.blogspot.com

Kareshi wo Loan de Kaimashita 終

Just have to take some time out to mention how much I loved the Erina Mano drama Kareshi wo Loan de Kaimashita…this had to be one of the best written comedies out there- been awhile since I saw a drama where I laughed so freaking HARD!

The story of a Pretty receptionist named Tae who strives to be the perfect and cool girl to catch a high profile salaryman but stresses so much on the inside that she secretly hired a side boyfriend named Jun to vent out her frustrations on  seemed like a crazy idea to begin with, and the show didn’t disappoint- this was like watching a manga come to life!

Seriously, I found myself cracking up with laughter from beginning to end of each show- the drama is so wildly zany with so much incredulous situations that the laughs just keep hitting you from every side-

The exaggerated and discombobulated reactions Tae gets when she thinks she is cheated on by her boyfriend, the way her air-headed co-workers continually warp the cheating boyfriend's actions into positive points, and of course the hilarious sessions each night when Tae unloads all her anger and aggressions on poor Jun—these were just TOO FUNNY and I loved it all!

As the journey of Tae and her intrepid Loan Boyfriend Jun played out, there was this scene where Tae was playfully chasing Jun down the street, and a thought occurred to me- …you know what this drama reminded me of? It reminded me of those classic John Hughes movies of the 80’s, fun, zany,  hilarious AND heartfelt, and indeed, has left me with this warm feeling in my heart!

PS: I also really, really loved the ending theme “Life is Beautiful” by J-pop act BiSH, a sweet and dreamy song which somehow really fit the mood of the show. Even when I listen to the song now it makes me miss Tae and want to watch even more….

Posted by zdorama @ zdoramaagain.blogspot.com

More J-Drama Deja-Vu: That Urban Apartment

There’s this urban apartment set-up that I’ve seen DOZENS of dramas use as establishing shots for characters living in meager lifestyles recently , and every time it showed up, I’d think, “Huh, it’s that same apartment building.”

When it appeared in the first episode of Takako Tokiwa’s “The Good Wife”, my first thought was, man, didn’t I JUST see this building in SUITS? And sure enough, scrolling back through SUITS Episode 5, there Oda Yuji was, standing at the very place!!

I really love this Apartment set-up with its rusty guardrail, rusty, faded signs and that big tree at the top of the lane...very rustic, reminds me of my childhood neighborhood!  

I wonder if this is on a studio lot or a real place that…after seeing it so often it’s becoming so familiar to me that I think I might want to visit it if I ever get to Japan, of course only after I’ve paid a visit to Yokohama Business Park, easily THE J-Drama Deja-Vu spot!

EDIT: NEW SIGHTING!

Haha, Just watched episode 5 of Ie uru Onna Gyakushu, and as soon as I saw Keiko Kitagawa walking past the corner of the building, I knew we were going to see yet another appearance of that Urban Apartment with the sombre tree at the top of the lane!

Sure enough, when Sangenya returned to the apartment with her clients, we got to see the familiar camera angle shot from down the lane shot up the hill!

You know, looking at this scene, I can’t help but think they’ve used this apartment in the same drama before…and I'm pretty sure I'll be seeing it again soon!

Posted by zdorama @ zdoramaagain.blogspot.com