Sunday, May 11, 2008

Japanese Drama: Takako Matsu

Takako Matsu is absolutely my favourite Japanese actress. She is very cute... just look at the picture and you will agree with me.

First time I watch Takako Matsu is in Love Generation where she plays an interesting role as a girl who just being dumped when she meet her unexpected true love, played by Takuya Kimura. Takako Matsu and Takuya Kimura forms a perfect pair in that drama. And, the partnership continue to the Hero, another interesting drama.

I just finished watch her latest drama, Yakusha Damashii (a.k.a At the Soul of an Actor), a very touching story about relationship of an orphan lady who get used to live alone, an old and selfish theatre actor who also live alone in his older days, and two little children who abandoned by their mother. A bit plain story in the beginning episodes but getting more interesting along the way, especially when the interactive between characters start take place. In my view, she acted very well in this drama.

She is also has singing career, but I haven't found any song of her that I favourite so far... well I will keep searching. But honestly, I love to see her in drama as actress rather than her as a singer, so I am looking forward to her next drama.

Monday, May 05, 2008

Japanese Drama: I Watched Them Before

Before Korean Drama spread their wings to the world and conquer my interest with their trademark and sweet love story plus beautiful love songs OST, I used to watched Japanese Drama. Japanese Drama has their own characteristic... well... love still part of the story, but in my view, the dialogs and conversations is the most interesting part because sometimes it is quite philosophical, deep meanings, and surprising. I envy the sound of  maturity of those conversations and I learn a lot from it.

In term of story line, the Japanese Drama that I watched, was quite different to Korean Drama. While Korean Drama most of the time exploited to much on the fate, destiny, complex past life affairs, cinderella-like love story, and complicated love web, Japanese Drama seems not exploit those kind of story line, it shows more on the personal relationship issues, personal characteristic, change of heart, change the way of thinking, and sometimes even try to step into unfamiliar and controversial zone. So, even though the love is not the central of story, they still interested to be watched.

I watched Great Teacher Onizuka, Forbidden Love, Love Generation, and Hero. The first two have Nanako Matsushima as lead actress, while the last two have Takako Matsu as lead actress. Both are pretty.... but I like Takako Matsu more, she has great chemistry with Takuya Kimura in those drama. Nowadays, once and a while I still love to watch those drama and probably would like to watch some other more once I feel boring of Korean Drama.