[Taiga Drama] Yoshitsune

Name: Yoshitsune
Episodes: 49
Type: Taiga Drama (Historical/Period Drama)
Network: NHK
Original work by: Miyao Tomiko's Tale of the Heike and Yoshitsune
Narrator: Shiraishi Kayoko

Cast:

• Takizawa Hideaki as Minamoto Yoshitsune / Kuro / Shanao
  
• Matsudaira Ken as Musashibo Benkei
  
• Nanbara Kiyotaka as Ise Saburo
  
• Ujiki Tsuyoshi as Suruga Jiro
  
• Itoh Atsushi as Kisanta
  
• Kaito Ken as Sato Tadanobu
  
• Miyauchi Atsushi as Sato Tsugunobu
  
• Ueto Aya as Utsubo
  
• Goto Maki as Yoshiko

Full cast list here.

Synopsis:
The 44th NHK Taiga Drama is about the life of Minamoto no Yoshitsune (源 義経) (1159 - May_17, 1189) was a late Heian and early Kamakura general of the Minamoto clan of Japan. Yoshitsune was the ninth son of Minamoto no Yoshitomo. His older brother Minamoto no Yoritomo founded the Kamakura shogunate. Exiled and seperated from his mother at a young age by Lord Kiyomori, who he thought to be his father, Ushiwaka learns of his place in the Genji family and that Lord Kiyomori was his enemy and that he was destined to lead the Genji to battle against Lord Kiyomori of the Heike.

I've been watching this series for a while now and am nearing the end. So far, this has been the best Taiga I've seen. 2004's Shinsengumi was good but this is so much better. The way the story develops, the relationship between Yoshitsune and his vassals, the strengthening of bonds and the occasional appearence of Ueto Aya as Utsubo make this series an all out hit for me. The action is choreographed with great care to give the feel of a real battle from the time of feudal Japan. The politics, the military, the devious Ex-emperor, and the fight for the capital and a new country of peace drive the warriors on either side of this epic encounter of power. I recommend everyone should give it a try.

Useful Links:

• J-Dorama: http://jdorama.com/drama.898.htm
  
• Drama Wiki: http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Yoshitsune
  
• D-Addicts: www.d-addicts.com
  
• SARS: http://www.sars-fansubs.com/?id=bt

Tatta hitotsu no koi

anyone watching this drama.. its so good... toda erika is in it and she is hot...
the main girl is hot as well but can't remember her name..

i suggest people watch it. its about a poor teenager trying to battles against prejudice and to maintain his love relationship with a rich girl. its such a dramatic drama lol

but enough from me ... general details:

Title: たったひとつの恋
Title (romaji): Tatta Hitotsu no Koi
Also known as: Just One Love
Format: Renzoku
Genre: Drama / Romance
Episode: 12 in total
Synopsis :
A story of pure love between the son of a man who runs a ship repair factory beset with financial troubles and the well-bred daughter of a national jewelry chain store owner.

Cast

Relationship Chart
Kamenashi Kazuya as Kanzaki Hiroto
Ayase Haruka as Tsukioka Nao
Tanaka Koki as Kusano Kou
Hiraoka Yuuta as Ayuta
Toda Erika as Yuuko
Kaname Jun as Tsukioka Tatsuya (Nao's brother)
Tanaka Yoshiko as Tsukioka Mitsuko (Nao's mother)
Zaitsu Kazuo (財津和夫) as Tsukioka Yasuhiko (Nao's father)
Yo Kimiko as Kanzaki Akiko (Hiroto's mother)
Saito Ryusei as Kanzaki Ren (Hiroto's brother)

THIS IS A SCREEN SHOT FROM EP 4:

J-Dorama Summer '06

Now most of the spring dorama has finished, such as Kurosagi, Attention Please etc. and I guess all you dorama fans are waiting for the new series of summer dorama no? Let's discuss which dorama you'll be chasing this summer, some of them look really promising to me in terms of casting, story.

Here's a partial list of summer dorama '06:

Taiyou no Uta Shimokita Sundays Suppli Regatta Dance☆Drill My Boss, My Hero Hana Yome wa Yakudoshi Dare yori mo, mama wo ai su

My best bet will be on Taiyou no Uta, mainly because of the casting and the story. This dorama stars Yamada Takayuki and Sawajiri Erika. A movie based on the same story are currently showing in Japan starring YUI and Tsukamoto Takashi, which probably generated enough hype for this dorama to be a success. Sawajiri looks really pretty in this dorama with long silky hair, take a look at this beautiful promo image:



I'll definitely keep my eye on this dorama once it start being broadcasted in Japan. Other dorama that looks promising includes Ueto Aya's Shimokita Sunday and Itoh Misaki's Suppli, which also stars KAT-TUN's Kamenashi Kazuya (so we have Yamapi for spring and Kame for summer eh?).