My favourite...TV/Anime from Japan
The other day I wrote about some of my favourite films from Japan. This time I am sharing a selection of TV and anime with you. This is by no means a comprehensive list, but this is some of my favourites.
Princess Princess/Princess Princess D (2006) - these are two different beasts but I am putting them together and you'll soon see why. Princess Princess is closely based on the manga of the same name. Toru Kouno transfers to an all boys school and is chosen to join Yuujiro Shihidani and Mikoto Yutaka as Hime or 'Princesses'. As there are no girls, first year boys are chosen to dress as girls and effectively act as cheerleaders while being given incentives, such as free food, to do so. Toru and Yuujiro enjoy it while Mikoto is worried his girlfriend will find out. There are elements of 'yaoi' or 'boys love' as Yuujiro and Toru pretend to be lovers to get his adoptive sister/cousin to stop obsessing over him. At the end of the year Toru has to decide whether to stay at the school with his new friends or leave. All the main focus is on Toru in this story arc.
In the live action version there are 10 episodes and the focus is more on Mikoto (Kenta Kamakari) who initially hates being a Hime. Toru (Takeru Sato) and Yuujiro (Ray Fujita) love the role. New to the story are the 'Dark Princesses' or 'Black Princesses' (referred to as both) led by Otoya Hanazono (Yuichi Nakamura) who want to topple the student council and replace the 'Princesses'. This turns out to be a case of sibling rivalry as the student council president is Otoya's older brother. The Hime split up but reunite to face off against the 'Dark Princesses' in the ultimate kawaii battle.
This is the main theme, Treasure, sung by Ray Fujita, Kenta Kamakari and Takeru Sato (I'm a bit obsessed with this song):
The TV live show is widely acknowledged as being 'loosely' based on the anime/manga (in that the characters are the same and there are similar jokes like Mikoto's terrible singing). It is also deemed terrible, but I love it! Instead of killing Sato's career before it got going, this TV (and actually acting) debut for him probably helped somehow. The anime is fairly true to the manga so it depends on what you prefer.
Sato went on to become Kenshin Himura from Rurouni Kenshin, how he grew! For more enjoyment of the wonders of Sato's singing this was his character song, Yes:
And would you believe that the ever cute Kenta 'Kenken' Kamakari went on to be lead singer in a reasonably successful rock band called Cocoa Otoko? Shame they split up really. They were good!
Bloody Monday/Bloody Monday 2 (2008/2010) - another live adaptation from a manga. Hacker 'Falcon' is drawn into an anti-terror unit. 'Falcon' is actually teenager Fujimaru Takagi (Haruma Miura) and his father worked for Third I within the National Police Agency (NPA). Takagi enlists friend, and highschool newspaper president, Otoya Kujo (Takeru Sato) to help investigate the group looking to unleash a deadly virus on Tokyo following their successful practice run in Russia. In BM2 Takagi is charged with preventing nuclear armageddon...amongst other things.
The story is complicated and often compared to 24 in terms of story and suspense. As mentioned in my film blog, Sato and Miura are real life best friends and the chemistry helps make the character's friendship and tensions more believable.
Sabu (2002) - technically a film, but this was made for TV by Takeshi Miike and adapted from the rite-of-passage novel by Shugoro Yamamoto. I'll quote the plot from the Wikipedia Page:
'Framed for a crime he didn't commit, Eiji (Tatsuya Fujiwara) is subjected to the harsh realities of the Ishikawa Island Workhouse. Sabu (Satoshi Tsumabuki), Eiji's longtime friend, must discover who is responsible for his incarceration, before prison life consumes him completely.'
I got this on DVD because Tatsuya Fujiwara is one of my favourite actors (see previous blog on films) and was blown away that this was only shown on TV. His visually stunning with great acting performances and epic scenery. A Miike classic.
Death Note (2006 - 2007) - based on the manga in 37 episodes and a more truthful adaptation than the live films (see previous blog) but does have a cameo in the original Japanese dub from Ken'ichi Matsuyama who played L in the live films. The story follows teenager Light Yagami who finds a 'death note' dropped by a shinigami (god of death) and his attempts to create a better world, free of crime. It starts well, but the power soon goes to his head and soon L, the world's greatest detective, is brought in. Trouble is that Light's father is working with L in his capacity within the NPA and no one knows Light is the culprit writing the names of criminals in the 'death note' as he goes by the name 'Kira' (Killer). Things get more heated when a second Kira (Misa) comes on the scene. This becomes the ultimate battle of minds. Watch to find out who wins (it is not as simple as it seems).
I won't ruin it for you, but you will fall in love with L.
Black Butler/Black Butler 2/Book of Circus (2008/2010/2014) - known as Kuroshitsuji in Japanese and based on the manga by Yana Toboso, the anime sees 12 year old Earl Ciel Phantomhive and his demon butler seek personal revenge for Ciel's humiliations and loss of family while solving the underworld's crimes for Queen Victoria as 'The Queen's Guard Dog'.
Much of series one (2008, 25 episodes) stays true to the manga but there are additional characters (angel Ash/Angela) and after the Curry Contest (later blog on manga) it goes off on a tangent. Very good and true characters for the most part. Also, you'll fall in love with the theme song on the opening credits (Monochrome Kiss - SID - more of which in a later blog) and be shipping 'Bassy' and Grell in no time. The stories cover most of the character development lines at the very beginning of the manga such as Jack the Ripper (introducing grim reapers) and the Curry Contest (the arrival of new friends Prince Soma and butler Agni).
Season two (2010, 12 episodes) has nothing to do with the manga. It sees Ciel continuing to seek revenge, all except so is Lord Alois Trancy, who is also 12 and fighting for revenge and to be loved. The demon butlers, Sebastian and Claude, have a fight for Ciel's soul and demon maid, Hannah, wants Alois. All very weird and wonderful despite being totally different to the manga. Fans seem to ship the boys with their butlers and with each other. Strange fans.
Book of Circus (2014, 10 episodes) is just that, it follows the Book of Circus arc from the manga almost exactly and follows on from the Curry Contest as if series two never existed. This will keep the manga fans happy. Also, SID return with a song, written especially for this series, called Enamel. The OVA this series are two 1.5 hour animations of Book of Murder covering that arc in the manga which is not long enough to be a stand-alone series. BoC sees Ciel and Sebastian investigate Noah's Arc Circus which is linked with missing children around the country. They work undercover in the circus and in the process Ciel finds out a sordid truth linking his own past to the circus. BoM is a murder mystery in the Phantomhive Manor in the style of a Sherlock Holmes mystery.
This is the theme by SID, Enamel:
Free! Iwatobi Swim Club/Free! Eternal Summer (2013/2014) - based loosely on a light novel and some ideas from tumblr (of all places!), this is the story of Haruka, Makoto, Nagisa and Rei who are four boys with girlie names who restart their highschool swim team and attempt to win some competitions, but soon their friendship becomes more important to them than winning as their friend from younger school days, Rin (also a girl's name), returns from training in Australia...and swims for a rival team!
Season two sees them all friends again and Makoto, Rin and Haru trying to work out what to do after finishing school. Rei and Nagisa are left to work out how to keep the swim team going in their final year...if Nagisa's parents let him stay part of the team (his grades are falling and they want him to give up the swim team).
Both series are really about friendship and growing up and are lovely. It is funny, original and well animated. It will leave you feeling fuzzy inside.
Ghost Hunt (2006 - 2007) - made of 25 episodes and based on the light novel by Fugumi Ono. It follows Mai, a highschool student, who becomes involved with Shibuya Psychic Research (SPR) and 17 year old manager, Kazuya (who gets the nickname 'Naru' which is short for narushito meaning 'narcissist). They are joined by a Buddhist monk who is also a rock star, a shrine maiden, a young Catholic priest and a TV psychic along with Naru's assistant from China, Lin. The series follows their adventures and relationship developments through the cases they solve together.
Brilliant, fun and genuinely scary at times. It helps to know some of the Japanese beliefs in spirits, but not essential. Give it a watch.
Princess Princess/Princess Princess D (2006) - these are two different beasts but I am putting them together and you'll soon see why. Princess Princess is closely based on the manga of the same name. Toru Kouno transfers to an all boys school and is chosen to join Yuujiro Shihidani and Mikoto Yutaka as Hime or 'Princesses'. As there are no girls, first year boys are chosen to dress as girls and effectively act as cheerleaders while being given incentives, such as free food, to do so. Toru and Yuujiro enjoy it while Mikoto is worried his girlfriend will find out. There are elements of 'yaoi' or 'boys love' as Yuujiro and Toru pretend to be lovers to get his adoptive sister/cousin to stop obsessing over him. At the end of the year Toru has to decide whether to stay at the school with his new friends or leave. All the main focus is on Toru in this story arc.
In the live action version there are 10 episodes and the focus is more on Mikoto (Kenta Kamakari) who initially hates being a Hime. Toru (Takeru Sato) and Yuujiro (Ray Fujita) love the role. New to the story are the 'Dark Princesses' or 'Black Princesses' (referred to as both) led by Otoya Hanazono (Yuichi Nakamura) who want to topple the student council and replace the 'Princesses'. This turns out to be a case of sibling rivalry as the student council president is Otoya's older brother. The Hime split up but reunite to face off against the 'Dark Princesses' in the ultimate kawaii battle.
The TV live show is widely acknowledged as being 'loosely' based on the anime/manga (in that the characters are the same and there are similar jokes like Mikoto's terrible singing). It is also deemed terrible, but I love it! Instead of killing Sato's career before it got going, this TV (and actually acting) debut for him probably helped somehow. The anime is fairly true to the manga so it depends on what you prefer.
Sato went on to become Kenshin Himura from Rurouni Kenshin, how he grew! For more enjoyment of the wonders of Sato's singing this was his character song, Yes:
And would you believe that the ever cute Kenta 'Kenken' Kamakari went on to be lead singer in a reasonably successful rock band called Cocoa Otoko? Shame they split up really. They were good!
Bloody Monday/Bloody Monday 2 (2008/2010) - another live adaptation from a manga. Hacker 'Falcon' is drawn into an anti-terror unit. 'Falcon' is actually teenager Fujimaru Takagi (Haruma Miura) and his father worked for Third I within the National Police Agency (NPA). Takagi enlists friend, and highschool newspaper president, Otoya Kujo (Takeru Sato) to help investigate the group looking to unleash a deadly virus on Tokyo following their successful practice run in Russia. In BM2 Takagi is charged with preventing nuclear armageddon...amongst other things.
The story is complicated and often compared to 24 in terms of story and suspense. As mentioned in my film blog, Sato and Miura are real life best friends and the chemistry helps make the character's friendship and tensions more believable.
Sabu (2002) - technically a film, but this was made for TV by Takeshi Miike and adapted from the rite-of-passage novel by Shugoro Yamamoto. I'll quote the plot from the Wikipedia Page:
'Framed for a crime he didn't commit, Eiji (Tatsuya Fujiwara) is subjected to the harsh realities of the Ishikawa Island Workhouse. Sabu (Satoshi Tsumabuki), Eiji's longtime friend, must discover who is responsible for his incarceration, before prison life consumes him completely.'
I got this on DVD because Tatsuya Fujiwara is one of my favourite actors (see previous blog on films) and was blown away that this was only shown on TV. His visually stunning with great acting performances and epic scenery. A Miike classic.
Death Note (2006 - 2007) - based on the manga in 37 episodes and a more truthful adaptation than the live films (see previous blog) but does have a cameo in the original Japanese dub from Ken'ichi Matsuyama who played L in the live films. The story follows teenager Light Yagami who finds a 'death note' dropped by a shinigami (god of death) and his attempts to create a better world, free of crime. It starts well, but the power soon goes to his head and soon L, the world's greatest detective, is brought in. Trouble is that Light's father is working with L in his capacity within the NPA and no one knows Light is the culprit writing the names of criminals in the 'death note' as he goes by the name 'Kira' (Killer). Things get more heated when a second Kira (Misa) comes on the scene. This becomes the ultimate battle of minds. Watch to find out who wins (it is not as simple as it seems).
I won't ruin it for you, but you will fall in love with L.
Black Butler/Black Butler 2/Book of Circus (2008/2010/2014) - known as Kuroshitsuji in Japanese and based on the manga by Yana Toboso, the anime sees 12 year old Earl Ciel Phantomhive and his demon butler seek personal revenge for Ciel's humiliations and loss of family while solving the underworld's crimes for Queen Victoria as 'The Queen's Guard Dog'.
Much of series one (2008, 25 episodes) stays true to the manga but there are additional characters (angel Ash/Angela) and after the Curry Contest (later blog on manga) it goes off on a tangent. Very good and true characters for the most part. Also, you'll fall in love with the theme song on the opening credits (Monochrome Kiss - SID - more of which in a later blog) and be shipping 'Bassy' and Grell in no time. The stories cover most of the character development lines at the very beginning of the manga such as Jack the Ripper (introducing grim reapers) and the Curry Contest (the arrival of new friends Prince Soma and butler Agni).
Season two (2010, 12 episodes) has nothing to do with the manga. It sees Ciel continuing to seek revenge, all except so is Lord Alois Trancy, who is also 12 and fighting for revenge and to be loved. The demon butlers, Sebastian and Claude, have a fight for Ciel's soul and demon maid, Hannah, wants Alois. All very weird and wonderful despite being totally different to the manga. Fans seem to ship the boys with their butlers and with each other. Strange fans.
Book of Circus (2014, 10 episodes) is just that, it follows the Book of Circus arc from the manga almost exactly and follows on from the Curry Contest as if series two never existed. This will keep the manga fans happy. Also, SID return with a song, written especially for this series, called Enamel. The OVA this series are two 1.5 hour animations of Book of Murder covering that arc in the manga which is not long enough to be a stand-alone series. BoC sees Ciel and Sebastian investigate Noah's Arc Circus which is linked with missing children around the country. They work undercover in the circus and in the process Ciel finds out a sordid truth linking his own past to the circus. BoM is a murder mystery in the Phantomhive Manor in the style of a Sherlock Holmes mystery.
This is the theme by SID, Enamel:
Free! Iwatobi Swim Club/Free! Eternal Summer (2013/2014) - based loosely on a light novel and some ideas from tumblr (of all places!), this is the story of Haruka, Makoto, Nagisa and Rei who are four boys with girlie names who restart their highschool swim team and attempt to win some competitions, but soon their friendship becomes more important to them than winning as their friend from younger school days, Rin (also a girl's name), returns from training in Australia...and swims for a rival team!
Season two sees them all friends again and Makoto, Rin and Haru trying to work out what to do after finishing school. Rei and Nagisa are left to work out how to keep the swim team going in their final year...if Nagisa's parents let him stay part of the team (his grades are falling and they want him to give up the swim team).
Both series are really about friendship and growing up and are lovely. It is funny, original and well animated. It will leave you feeling fuzzy inside.
Ghost Hunt (2006 - 2007) - made of 25 episodes and based on the light novel by Fugumi Ono. It follows Mai, a highschool student, who becomes involved with Shibuya Psychic Research (SPR) and 17 year old manager, Kazuya (who gets the nickname 'Naru' which is short for narushito meaning 'narcissist). They are joined by a Buddhist monk who is also a rock star, a shrine maiden, a young Catholic priest and a TV psychic along with Naru's assistant from China, Lin. The series follows their adventures and relationship developments through the cases they solve together.
Brilliant, fun and genuinely scary at times. It helps to know some of the Japanese beliefs in spirits, but not essential. Give it a watch.
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