J-Drama: Toshi Densetsu no Onna

This police-detective comedy drama stars Nagasawa Misami as Otonashi Tsukiko. A newly assigned detective who is cooky and has amazing deductive skills but is so obsessed with linking crimes to urban legends or myths. She does her best in connecting the crime on each episode to a major Japanese urban myth, but always ends up solving the crime and proving otherwise.

As a rookie detective who is young and attractive, she never shy in using allure and somewhat seducing suspects, persons of interest and fellow officers to get information and favors. She also admits to it that it is the reason why she wears such skimpy skirts that shows much of her legs.

The series also explains the premise and origins of various urban myths that is made famous around Japan. If you love crime-mystery dramas and a bit of the occult and superstitions, this is a light hearted series for you.

... Although I got into it first because Misami looks like my crush, Otsuka Chihiro during her "Attention Please" days...

Death Note (2015 live drama adaptation)

 

I just got off an all nighter with the recent episodes of this year's adaptation of the popular series 'Death Note' by Nihon TV, which I incidentally saw the ad at a book store in Chiba with the re-release of the manga.

Now, as someone who read the manga, watched the anime, and all live movie adaptaions by Warner Bros., I think nothing can shock me now, since I know the plot and story inside out. But a sudden surge from the net in an uproar because they cast Near as a girl, got me thinking... maybe this is to renew all that yaoi fan art stuff that burst through the seams in its hayday.

Then, upon seeing the trailer ad, I became curious.

And boy, I was wrong.

Its like a 'what if' universe of the original series, with all the twists and turns but still satisfactorily teis in back to the main plot. As soon as you relax and think 'Oh boy, this is gonna happen' (because you know the series already) then, BOOOM you get served a halthy serving of story twist that leaves you wanting more.

As Yagami Light, actor Masataka Kubota has nothing going for him in potraying the series anti-hero. He delivers Light as a traumatized youth with a gloomy outlook , but still kept in check by his college buddies. Unlike the bishonen, ultra intelligent and livin the good life but too stubborn to realize it Light that we know, Kubota brings a certain level of helplessness, gloom and bleak outlook...add that with the past of the character, makes for a more believable roots of the twisted form of justice which is Kira. And as the series progresses, I cant help but notice the transformation of Kubota's face...from a helpless teen, to a paranoid and delusional person absorbed by the power of the Death Note.

Kento Yamazaki gives the familiar 'L' that we all know, but his relationship with Watari (played by Kazuaki Hankai) gets a more comedic turn...at times.

Then there was Near...and her ventreloquist doll Mello (?!?).

Well, at first I said...well, that was a cute potrayal...like a little sister trying to impress her big brother. But it was later apparent that the doll is the personification of her split personality. In episode 4, it shows that Mio Yuki-san was actually providing the voice for the doll, having fights and a scream match between Near and Mello. And as the scene closes, she was laughing manically as screen fades.

I suddenly fell in love with the new Near/Mello character.

It was also refresing to see some of my fave supporting actors in a different light. Like Jiro Sato (Densha Otoko, Jin, Gokusen) and Yutaka Mastushige (Love Call Center, Propose Daisakusen) was quite refreshing.

I can7t wait what twists awaits me on the next episodes.

Strike Witches

I finally got my hands on a complete series of Strike Witches. I saw an episode long time ago but I wasn't able to follow up on it. It was sort of an interesting story which made me decide to view it.

In the story, the year is 1939, a group of girls from different parts of the world with supernatural abilities are banded together to form the 501st Joint Fighter wing to help fight off the invasion of a mysterious alien race called the Neuroi. Taking to the skies like the fighter planes of the previous world war, they are equipped with leg-mounted 'Striker Units' that, not only gives them the ability to fly, but also amplifies their magical abilities. They fight to ward off further invasion and retake the land theylost, only to find that the real threat, the more frightening enemy, comes from within the human race.

(the girls in their fragger formation)

Although the characters are based on outstanding fighter pilots from history, the names of the countries are changed. For example; Japan is known as Fuso, Germany is Karlsland, USA is Liberion, and so on.

(beach side phones: very convenient)

Watching every episode, I can't help but think that this series is one big fan service after another. Young, nubile, petite girls, wearing military upper garments but wearing only panties and bloomers as lower garments, showing off their crotch and camel toes most of the time (wait a tick...15 yr old girls with camel toes? they must be doing some mean ecchi things to each other in their dorms). Almost all types of moe and anime flags are present in the series. Even a hint of lesbian inclination and feeling out each other's boobs. By the way, all sizes and types are represented. I think these are made to keep viewers glued to the series. But I do like their approach on character development as each member of the group tells their own story.

(air crash bags: very comfy)

Lolitas with heavy equipment and large guns? I've seen this formula before. Its like Gunslinger Girl with wings...and a slightly lighter overtones.

Good animation and character development, but this series is just good as a light viewing selection.

Kannagi (Crazy Shrine Maiden)

Am watching the anime Kannagi for the nth time...but this time I had more time to ponder the things pointed out in the series...or how I perceived the contents of the anime.

Kannagi is the story of Jun, a freshman from the provincial city of Kannagi who has a knack for art and a strong spiritual sense. Spending an all nighter to carve out a spirit he once saw as a child out of a holy tree, the statue rooted itself to the ground and blew up. From where the statue once stood now stands the girl Nagi, who is the personification of the land deity who once protected the land.

Because of the holy tree being uprooted, there is nothing left to purify the land. Since Nagi is a god, she cannot come in contact with these 'impurities' with the fear of her pure essence to be tainted by manevolent spirits. With the help of Jun, who seems to be able to hold these impurities without being tainted, they revelled across the city of Kannagi, purging impurities...taking on other deities, all while trying to cope with the trials and problems of being a teenager. Together their lives turn upside down with various adventures into the divine, the supernatural and mundane.

An underlying theme in the story is that Nagi, the land deity, has began to doubt her divine nature as she fails to remember her true identity. Only in her lapses of unconsciousness does the real deity, a separate entity or personality within her, shows up. And disappears as Nagi reverts to herself.

It s bit of a notion... of a god or a deity to doubt themselves. Only after her exposure to the material world, where all is substantiated by evidence...where nothing is taken in according to faith, does she start to manifest this condition. Her corporeal state in the world of the living has begun to influence her judgement and beliefs. A sad notion at that, trying to bunch in together omnipotence with the frailties of human nature.

A bit of a nice watch due to the animation, hilarious content and catchy theme song. Some might not be suitable for the young ones as you have to explain things like 'yaoi' (boy on boy love), homosexuality (both male and female), fetishes, and a bit of 'whip-action-while-boy-is-dressed-in-a-dog-costume-eating-from-a-dog-plate'. I think it would appeal to mature audiences (or young adults).

(p.s.: As of press time, I have yet to watch the rumored special episode)

Dance in the Vampire Bund

I found an interesting anime in the web the other day. Its entitled "Dance in the Vampire Bund". Unlike most of the animes based on the vampire lore, it has a single twist of its own; Mina Tepes, the decendant of Vlad II (therefore the princess of all vampires) decided to expose their kind to the world and plans to create a country for vampires off the coast of Tokyo Bay called 'The Bund". She wants the vampires to coexist with the humans, to the dismay of other groups, human and non-human alike.

Accompanying her is Akira, an amnesiac-student-by-day werewolf who swore to protect Mina forever.

The first episode was a doozy, I didn't like it that much but the story left me in anticipation for the next episodes. Although a serious romance-action anime, it has its share of goofy parts. Also, it has a lot of 'lolita' aspect woven into it as Akira has grown from boyhood while Mina stayed almost the same (I was a bit surprised about the 'puting the lotion on a nude adolescent vampire princess' portion in the second episode.

Its still a good anime to watch, as it is still an ongoing series.