Sunday, April 30, 2017

Where to download jdoramas now?

Once upon a time, a jdorama addict could get all the shows from the d-addicts tracker. Unfortunately one day it had to close and we had to download our shows from multiple places:

1) jdramacity - Only 'popular' shows were uploaded and only those which someone was subbing. Looks like its not active for this season.

2) doramax265 - My favourite place because it had a lot of movies as well and I liked the smaller file sizes. Unfortunately inactive since a few months ago.

3) doramax264 - Too many ads attacking you left and right. Tried once, never again.

4) nyaa - Currently the main one. Doesn't have everything and uploads are a bit slow.

5) avistaz - Better for movies and only has mainstream jdoramas.

6) aox.to - The new private tracker that is currently open for registration this weekend only! Make sure to get in! Only place to get Onna no Naka Iru Tannin!

7) Chinese streaming sites like 7tv7dorama.blog - Only place to watch shows like Daddy of Light. I have to physically block the Chinese subs on the screen with a piece of paper as its annoying.

Tuesday, April 25, 2017

How Crisis Episode 1 completely lost me with its first action scene.

Crisis starts off with terrorists wanting to kill a minister on a shinkansen. First off, I like that they've gone with a more Jason Bourne fighting style instead of the usual tokusatsu style where bad guys just throw themselves on the ground left and right.

Very happy to see an armbar and someone's arm getting snapped.

So bad guy still has the bomb set to a timer that is going to blow. Oguri Shun presses the emergency stop button on the Shinkansen and open the door overlooking a river.

He takes the terrorist and bag with bomb and jumps into the river TOGETHER!!!!

There's a freaking explosion followed by stirring music.....

.... and Oguri Shun is alive!!!!! WTF????? Do they not learn physics in Japan or have any common sense? No freaking human being can survive a blast next to a bomb underwater! The freaking shockwave should have destroy all four of their the lungs. Seriously, Oguri Shun should have just thrown the bomb out.

But no. Action jdoramas priorities trying to look cool at all costs to the point of stupidity. I couldn't even be bothered continuing. I just cannot effing stand this! I feel like rewatching Gaiji Keisatsu to wash off this stupidity.

Tuesday, April 18, 2017

What jdoramas should I watch next? (Spring 2017)

FINAL FANTASY XIV: DADDY OF LIGHT

I'm going to pay for one month of Netflix to watch this. Osugi Ren plays MMO with son without knowing its his son. As someone once told me, its better to keep your expectations low so you won't be disappointed but as long as its not too cheesy, Osugi Ren can carry this show.

CRISIS

Oguri Shun and Nishijima Hidetoshi by the writer of the incredible jdorama Border. Unfortunately, he also wrote the very boring SP. I'm not expecting Border level must watch quality but as long as its not SP level try to hard to be cool, I'll be happy.

REVERSE

FujiTatsu and Toda Erika with FujiTatsu playing a character who might be a murderer. How much you want to bet every character in this show has something to hide? Worth giving a try I guess.

HANZAI SHOKUGUN

Could this be the must watch show of the season?


KONO YO NI TAYASUI SHIGOTO GA NAI

ManoEri's first starring role. She doesn't have it but as a fan of her odoru days, I'll give it a shot.

CHIISANA KYOJIN

Yet another cop show about how ineffective the police organisation is and I'm guessing Hasegawa Hiroki's character is disliked by everyone. I would normally avoid it but I'll give it a go just for the cast. I have completely no expectations for this show.

Friday, April 14, 2017

Jdorama ramblings 14/4/2017

OKAASAN, MUSUME WO YAMETE II DESU KA? Eps 7+8

Surprisingly watchable series that I saw through the end and I didn't even mind Haru who was not miscast unlike in Border. Ho-hum ending but I did not skip any scenes. Good show for watching with Japanese subs.

SHIKAOTOKO AONIYOSHI

This show has been on my rewatch list for a long time and I finally rewatched the whole thing. I wanted to see whether it would stand the test of time and I stand by my review back in 2008! I enjoyed watching Shikaotoko a second time because I still remembered the ending and I could pick up on all the clues. If you have not seen this show, its a must watch and worth putting up with the slow pace of the first half.

YUUSHA YOSHIHIKO TO MICHIBIKARESHI SHICHININ Ep 6.

Zzzzzzzz. I give up. It just feels so repetitive and I don't even give a crap about the Lupin parody.


SUPER SALARYMAN SANAE-SHI Ep 5 

I give up as well and its by the same writer as Yuusha Yoshihiko. His brand of humour is very hit and miss for me. If you want to watch a truly fun salaryman comedy, watch Salaryman Kintaro.

THRILL! AKA AND KURO NO SHO Eps 3

Give up. Its got none of the charm of Trick and I lasted so far just for Mano Erina. Speaking of Mano Erina, she got to no.1 on the LINE blog rankings or something and now she's just spamming way too many updates on her LINE account. I am so close to deleting her.

Saturday, April 08, 2017

A Silent Voice / Koe no Katachi jmovie review

I first heard about Koe no Katachi last year because it won a whole bunch of manga awards. Intrigued, I read through the whole manga a deaf girl Shoko and her tormentor in primary school Shoya. I wasn't impressed with the manga because it felt like a typical teen angst, everyone has a secret burden style typical story.

However, the movie is a different animal because it does one important thing to the manga's story; it had to distill the 7 volume movie into 2 hours and cut out all the fat and concentrated the story on Shoko and Shoya instead of everyone's sob story. A Silent Voice is one of those rare times when an adaptation has truly improved on the original source material.

With all the unnecessary stuff trimmed out, I found myself having a greater appreciation of the two main characters. Shoko who wants so hard to be accepted that she blames herself for everything and Shoya who is burdened by his sins and cannot face the world.


Its easy to compare A Silent Voice to Your Name / Kimi no na wa with both being high school movies about a boy and a girl and both being released close to each other but A Silent Voice is a lot heavier and more psychological.

An interesting note about the sound design, during the movie I was thinking about how the music throughout the movie seemed muted and how it would have benefited from a more jpop soundtrack but when the last scene came, I understood that the muted music was intentional and it was a brave sacrifice in order to tell the story better.

Bravo to the people who did the adaptation and they've certainly turned an ok manga into a must watch movie. A Silent Voice is now showing in Australian cinemas.

Saturday, April 01, 2017

Ubai Ai, Fuyu Episodes 1+2

Ubai Ai, Fuyu is the trashy 'adult' show of the season and man is it trashy. The acting is horrible, there is no chemistry between the leads whatsoever and the dialogue is cringeworthy.

I think I might be developing a megane fetish.

Mizuno Miki's protrayal of the evil, crippled woman who entrapped Kurashina Kana's ex in a marriage is so over the top its almost comedic.

I love yaeba!

There are basically no redeeming qualities to this show unless you want to watch something so bad its almost comical. Ubai Ai Fuyu is a soap opera so soapy you'll feel like taking a bath after watching it. Avoid.