Drama season - summer 2012

J-dramas


GTO

Date: From 10.00 p.m., Tuesdays, 3 July 2012
Station: Fuji TV
Cast: AKIRA, Takimoto Miori, Yamamoto Yusuke, Takachi Noboru, Takizawa Saori, Yano Masato, Fujisawa Ayano, Nagasawa Nao, Kobayashi Yumi, Sugichan, Fuse Eri, Tayama Ryosei, Shirota Yu, Kuroki Hitomi, Kawaguchi Haruna, Takada Sho, Morimoto Shitaro, Nishiuchi Mariya, Honda Tsubasa, Miyazaki Karen, Shirahama Aran, Nakagawa Taishi, Yamada Yuki, Suzuki Nobuyuki, Sano Gaku, Takatsuki Sara, Takara Hikari, Shinkawa Yua
Synopsis: Through the introduction of his friend Danma Ryuji (Shirota Yu), Onizuka Eikichi (AKIRA), the former legendary bike gang member, visits Meishu Academy to tend to the trees in the garden as a part-time gardener. Learning that Yoshikawa Noboru (Nakagawa Taishi), a student in teacher Fuyutsuki Azusa’s (Takimoto Miori) class is being bullied by Uehara Kyoko (Shinkawa Yua) and other classmates, Onizuka befriends and saves Yoshikawa. Seeing Onizuka’s unprecedented but visceral, powerful response to problem solving, the school’s president and principal, Sakurai Yoshiko (Kuroki Hitomi), overrides resistance from her vice principal Uchiyamada Hiroshi (Tayama Ryosei) and makes Onizuka a teacher. Onizuka goes on to tackle many issues as the teacher in charge of the most problematic class, Class 2/4.
Reasons: LOOK AT THE FUCKING CAST!!! Ok. I watched and loved the first version, the one with Takahashi Sorimachi, and at the beginning, when they said that in the remake there would be Akanishi as Onizuka, I was totally against this remake. I'm not against remakes in general, I just thought that Akanishi wasn't good for that role. AKIRA, instead, is simply PERFECT. And the cast *__* Yusuke, Shirota Yu, Kawaguchi Haruna, Nishiuchi Mariya ç___ç There's only one thing I really, really don't like: TAKIMOTO MIORI. I've watched her in 3 different roles and still don't like her. AT ALL. Fuck :/


Boys on the Run

Date: From 11.15 p.m., Fridays, 6 July 2012
Station: TV Asahi
Cast: Maruyama Ryuhei, Taira Airi, Saito Takumi, Ueda Tatsuya, Minami Akina, Asada Miyoko, Sato Eriko, Jinnai Takanori
Synopsis: Tanishi Toshiyuki (Maruyama Ryuhei), a salaryman who works for a small toy manufacturer, has never had a girlfriend in the 27 years of his life. Naturally he has no experience in women too. Ridiculed as uninteresting at his workplace, Toshiyuki is a hopeless employee nowhere near getting ahead in life. He is in love with his colleague, Uemura Chiharu (Minami Akina). However, he is not able to approach her, and relieves this dejection every day through telephone dating clubs and adult videos. Then one day, Toshiyuki appears to make progress with Chiharu following coaching by the elite salaryman Aoyama Takahiro (Saito Takumi) whom he got to know at his workplace, but … 
Reasons: I could watch anything, if there's Maru, and I'm really happy that he's gaining more and more attenction as an actor... but the story is strange XD I just hope it will be a funny and not-so-much-awkward thing... (no, it will be awkward as hell XD)
I'm scared and excited at the same time *___*


Dragon Seinendan

Date: From 12.55 a.m., Tuesdays, 17 July 2012
Station: TBS
Cast: Yasuda Shota, Renbutsu Misako, Endo Kaname, Honda Chikara, Araki Yuko, Santamaria Yusuke
Synopsis: A dragon appears in modern day Japan, causing a great uproar in Tokyo. On the other hand, at Mitsuyama City located at the foot of Mt Fuji, Yoshio (Yasuda Shota), Kenji (Endo Kaname) and Tamotsu (Honda Chikara), members of the young people’s association, talk idly at the cafe where Yoko (Renbutsu Misako) works. Yoshio, who had gone to buy a game, obtains a mysterious, old document at a secondhand bookstore. It is written literature about dragons. They learn that: warriors of the light had previously destroyed a dragon, Mitsuyama City is the town of their descendents, and a sword and crystal are needed to vanquish a dragon. And, the descendents of the light, who are the new heroes, have coats of arms. A good look reveals that Kenji and the others have them too. The four of them wonder if it is a joke even as they search for the crystal. A variety of reasons make them decide to destroy the dragon despite their conflicts. The spirit of adventure which they had almost forgotten, blossoms, and they take action, for world peace and regional devevlopment.
Reasons: I have two reasons: the presence of my favourite fairy (Yasu) and the fact that the story is really original, for a J-drama *_*
And I want to see Yasuuuuuu <3


Beginners!

Date: From 9.00 p.m., Thursdays, 12 July 2012
Station: TBS
Cast: Fujigaya Taisuke, Kitayama Hiromitsu, Goriki Ayame, Ishida Hikari, Yanagisawa Shingo, Kaga Takeshi, Sugimoto Tetta, Koyanagi Yu, Okamoto Azusa, Mizusawa Erina, Ishii Tomoya, Mori Ren
Synopsis: Shimura Teppei (Fujigaya Taisuke) grew up watching his policeman father who would ride side-by-side in marathons because he was a motorcycle cop, and dreamt of being a marathon runner as a child. But Teppei’s father lost his job and disappeared. Teppei ruined himself by becoming a well-known delinquent in the area. Under the influence of his childhood friend, Yuichi, Teppei chose to become a policeman after graduating from high school. He miraculously passed the recruitment exam and entered the police academy. However, he has been assigned to a “class of reserves” (Goriki Ayame, Koyanagi Yu, Okamoto Azusa, Mizusawa Erina, Ishii Tomoya, Mori Ren) which is a gathering of odds and ends. There are eight of them and each day they are only instructed by the assistant teacher, Ryuzaki Misaki, to sweep the academy grounds...
Reasons: if you only look at the poster, it may seems a porn... no, wait, I'm not watching for this reason o.o Tough Gaya's face........ ANYWAY. It seems nice, I just want to watch it. I haven't any serious reason XD


Rich Man, Poor Woman

Date: From 9.00 p.m., Mondays, 9 July 2012
Station: Fuji TV
Cast: Oguri Shun, Ishihara Satomi, Aibu Saki, Asari Yosuke, Nakamura Yasuhi, Yagi Nozomi, Maikawa Aiku, Nomura Masumi, Furukawa Yuki, Maruyama Tomomi, Nakahara Takeo, Sano Shiro, Arata
Synopsis: 29-year-old Hyuga Toru (Oguri Shun) is the president of an IT company. He has a very flawed personality, but through a combination of chance and luck he has become a billionaire rich and appeared on Forbes. On the other hand, Sawaki Chihiro (Ishihara Satomi), a Tokyo University student, devoted herself to studying and getting qualifications to ease her way in life, but still has not been able to find employment. Chihiro and Toru meet through a strange turn of events and fall in love. They frequently have conflicts, but grow as they get to know each other … …
Reasons: I like the story, and it's been a while since I watched a drama with Ogurin! I just hope it won't be so cheesy and that Ishihara Satomi character won't be annoying (her characters always annoys me)


Omoni Naitemasu

Date: From 11.10 p.m., Saturdays, 7 July 2012
Station: Fuji TV
Cast: Nanao, Nakamaru Yuichi, Kusakari Mayu, Takaizumi Atsuko, Kato Ryo, Aoyama Noriko, Tsubokura Yoshiyuki, Tajima Reiko, Adachi Yumi, Kazama Toru
Synopsis: No words are adequate to describe the beauty of the unfortunate Konno Izumi (Nanao). Nearly all the men who look at her fall in love at first sight, even if it is a fleeting encounter. Because they almost certainly bear down on Izumi to ask her to go out with them, her beauty is her ruin. She is not able to work and leads a lonely life concealed from society. And while she is mistress of the popular oil painter, Aoyama Jin (Kazama Toru), who is a playboy and professor at the Tokyo Institute of Art, she does not get any money from the series of paintings Aoyama had done with her as his model because his income is controlled by his wife.
Reasons: the synopsis here doesn't say it, but in this drama Nakamaru will pretend to be gay. This is my only one reasons u.u



K-dramas

BIG

Date: from 21.55, Mondays and Tuesdays, 4 June 2012
Station: KBS2
Cast: Gong Yoo, Lee Min Jung, Shin Won Ho, Suzy, Jang Hee Jin, Jang Hyun Sung, Go Soo Hee, Ahn Suk Hwan etc
Synopsis: After a fateful car accident, angst-ridden 18-year old Kang Kyung-joon finds himself trapped in the body of 30-year old pediatrician Seo Yoon-jae.
High school teacher Gil Da-ran is engaged to Yoon-jae, and she is now tasked with dealing with having her husband-to-be possessed by the spirit of her mischievous student, Kyung-joon.
Meanwhile, Kyung-joon's not-so-normal friend, Jang Mari (who has a crush on him), tries every effort to get the souls to switch back.
Gil Da-ran decides to call the wedding off. Seo Yoon-jae leaves with his mother to stay in America. One year later, they meet again at an elevator at a wedding of a friend.
Reasons: Actually, I've already started it, and I'm acually at the 8th episode ^^ I started watching it because I like both Gong Yoo (*ç*) and Suzy, but it's really a nice and funny drama **


Miss Panda and Hedgehog / Porcupine and Miss Panda

official image, but not official poster
Date: from 20.50, Mondays and Tuesdays, 16 July 2012
Station: Channel A
Cast: Lee Donghae, Yoon Seung Ah, Lee Moon Hee, Choi Jin Hyuk, Yoo So Young
Synopsis: Panda and Hedgehog is a love story between a hedgehog-like picky man named Go Seung Ji (played by Donghae) and a panda-like bakery owner (played by Yoon Seung Ah).
In a white patissier uniform which fits him perfectly, Donghae has changed into a cute patissier who makes sweet cake unlike his ruthless personality. His handsome face is especially increasing many people’s expectations on the series.
Reasons: do I really need to say it? Because I'm in love with that piece of perfection called Lee Donghae. Stop. (also, the story seems a typical Korean love comedy, and I like it, but well, who cares)


To the Beautiful You

not official image
Date: from 21.55, Wednesdays and Thursdays, 9 August 2012
Station: SBS
Cast: Sulli Choi, Choi Minho, Lee Hyun Woo
Synopsis: Kang Tae-joon (Minho) is a gold medalist in the high jump, but he has been mired in a slump due to an injury. In order to help her idol Tae-joon, a girl named Goo Jae-hee (Sulli) disguises herself as a boy and transfers to his all-male high school.
Reasons: I'm a big fan of Hana Kimi ♥ I loved the first live action (2007), and totally hated last year's remake, so I'm looking foward to this one. Korean dramas are longer than Japanese ones, so I hope we'll more scenes from the manga in this version!
(also, a drama totally produced by SM entertainment? YES *_*)


Nice Guy

not official poster
Date: from 21.55, Wednesdays and Thursdays, August 2012
Station: KBS
Cast: Song Joonki, Moon Chae Won, Park Siyeon, Lee Kwangso
Synopsis: The drama is a classic melodrama involving betrayal, revenge and romance. The plot is about a man who gets betrayed by his girlfriend, and he decides to get revenge by using an amnesiac woman, but ends up changing his outlook on love.
Reasons: This would be my first 'tragic' Korean dramas (I've only watched comedies, until now) so I'm not sure... I'd like to try it because I felt in love with Joonki watching Sungkyunkwan Scandal XD


Arang and the Magistrate

official images, not official poster
Date: ??, ??, 25 July 2012
Station: MBC
Cast: Lee Junki, Shin Minha
Synopsis: The drama is based on famous folklore, as all ghost stories are: During the Joseon era in the city of Miryang, Arang was the pure, beautiful, goodhearted daughter of a magistrate. She grew up without a mother, and was raised by a wicked caretaker who conspired to have her be raped and ruined by a servant. He attacked and she resisted, so he stabbed and killed her, and left her body to rot in the woods.
Her father the magistrate just believed that she dishonorably eloped with a man and so resigned his position swathed in shame. Thus the legend goes that every time a new magistrate comes to Miryang to fill the position, Arang’s vengeful ghost shows up to tell him her story and he flees in terror.
But one day a new magistrate comes to town — a young man by the name of Lee Eun-oh. Arang appears to him like every other magistrate before him, but this man doesn’t flee, and instead sympathizes with Arang, and promises to find her killer and avenge her death.
Reasons: the story intrigues me a lot... and I like a lot Korean hystorical dramas, so I'll try it!