Japanese Dramas and Movies

Below is the list of dramas and movies that I have seen for as long as I can remember. They are ranked on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the highest and 1 being the lowest. I judge in terms of likeness as well as quality and production value. For the ones that I do not remember  they are represented with a “^” and for short dramas and short movies, they will be represented with a “#” depending on which category they fall under. These ratings are ranked in their category.

Japanese Dramas/Short Dramas (represented with a #) That I Have Seen

• Antiquarian Bookshop Biblia’s Case Files (AKA Biblia Koshodou no Jiken Technou) (2013) – If you have great knowledge on antiquarian books and are a huge lover of it, then you will love it. However, that is not me. And because of that, I felt that many of the cases did not make sense, and some of it also felt unsolved. (3/10)
• BORDER (2014) – I like Oguri Shun but I didn’t feel the drama allowed him to showcase his acting to full potential. The writing of the drama was a let-down for me. There wasn’t any excitement with each ep and it was quite a struggle for me to continue watching. (5/10)
• Itazura na Kiss: Love in Tokyo (2013) – This was quite and fluffy! I liked the drama’s progression and the leads had a chemistry that really drove forth the drama. It was a very fun watch. (8.5/10)
• Itazura na Kiss: Love in Okinawa (2014) –
• Kaseifu No Mita (2011) – This was very interesting. It was quite different from dramas that I have seen. I loved the eerie atmosphere and I especially enjoyed watching the different friendly bonds being formed. (8/10)
• Last Cinderella (2013) – The basic Cinderella line was there but there wasn’t much done to it to make it special and unique. The OTP didn’t have much chemistry so this was a let down to the drama. The start was impressive but thereafter it just started to slug and was no longer interesting. (7/10)
• Lucky Seven (2012) – I really enjoyed it! I especially loved the performance from Eita. The way the cases were woven into bringing the seven detectives together really nicely done. It was very upbeat and hearty. (8.5/10)
• Rich Man, Poor Woman (2012) – My first ever Jap drama! (: & I just love it! It has all the elements of romance, work and and interpersonal relationship that are all neatly and creatively worked into the drama. I just love Makato and Toru! They are adorable together with amazing chemistry! I cannot get enough of this drama! It is too short. (11/10)
• # Rich Man, Poor Woman Special (2013) – More Makato and Toru! They are so cute! I really enjoyed watching their interactions. It also tied up the drama really well filling in the missing time period that was left with the drama.
• Shitsuren Chocolatier (2014) – It was a very deflating drama to say the least. I lost interest after the first two eps and had to push myself to finish it. I like the eye candies (mmm, the delicious chocolate) and the chemistry between our leads but the story just wasn’t well told. (4.5/10)

Japanese Movies That I Have Seen

• Chonmage Pudding
• Handsome Suit (2008) – It was comedic and really enjoyable to watch. I enjoyed how the movie played out and it really did pack quite a lot in the time frame that it had. (7/10)
• Kiki’s Delivery Service
• Like Father, Like Son (2013) – This was so beautiful! I love the portrayal of such a human theme and how it really tore my heart apart watching the two families with their struggles. The movie really knew how to tug my heart strings! (10/10)
• Paradise Kiss (2011) –
• The Secret World of Arrietty – I absolutely loved it; the animation was amazing and the music was just perfect for the movie! It was really beautiful and the plot flowed along quite well. (9/10)