Buzzer Beat

Yes, I finished another one ... in less than a week. It's not that I don't have other things I should be doing, so I haven't been watching it all day or anything, but I decided that I would rather watch this series than sleep, so that's what I have been doing. ^^

I ADORED this series, I really did. I know what you are thinking; 'You say that about every J-drama you watch,' which may be true, but I love them all for very different reasons. Some, such as Zettai Kareshi and Koizora, I loved for the fact they made me bawl. Others, from Tokyo Dogs to Hana Kimi, I'm attached to for how much they made me laugh. Hana Yori Dango was awesome for how much it made me feel for the characters (read: Rui). The rest was probably just eye candy. Buzzer Beat I adore for its realism (and Yamapi).

Sure, it had its stereotypical J-drama cheese, such as falling on to each others lips (almost) and LOTS of dramatic hugging but other than that, it was just awesome. I was hooked right the way through, so much so that it was the last thing I watched before bed and the first thing I did in the morning. You honestly cheer for Naoki and Riko's relationship; you want them to be together in a way that I don't think you come across very often in these dramas. You cry when they argue, and you cheer when they finally get together.And there was REAL KISSES. None of that closed mouth barbie crap. It was lovely.

Its basically about a young struggling violinist called Riko and a basketball player called Naoki. Riko finds Naoki's phone on a bus, and returns it to the basketball coach, Kawasaki, who instantly falls in love with her. Natsuki, Naoki's girlfriend, is cheating on him. By chance, the two meet in a local park and become friends, not realising that Riko was the one to find Naoki's phone. They get closer and promise to achieve their dreams no matter what; Riko's of becoming a successful violinist, and Naoki's of becoming a stronger basketball player.

Naoki was in Kurosagi and Nobuta wo Produce. His best friend, Shuji, was in Hana Kimi, although I cant say I particularly remember him nor can I place Mai, Riko's best friend, in Hana Yori Dango. Yoyogi, the guy Natsuki cheats with, was in Samurai High School. Natsuki was Riko in Zettai Kareshi (it killed me to see her not being lovely and all conflicted about her love for a robot). Naoki's mum was also in Zettai Kareshi, and his sister was in Yamato Nadeshiko Shichi Henge and Mei-chan no Shitsugi.

OH MY GOD, there's no Gokusen link.

So yes, basically loved this series. It turned me into a girl, and that's always good every so often. I guess I don't mind when J-drama's do this to me as much as I do when western media does, as I have to concentrate on the subtitles so I don't have time to get bored.

Next up is Gokusen 2. It's the first time I've not completed the whole thing when I've hit one series, but I gather its pretty different from the first season as its a new school etc. I have high hopes! Fight-oh! Oh!

<3 x

Drama: Gokusen 2 ep 1.
Manga: Hana Kimi 50 / Darling blah blah blah 24