Everything about the movie “Symbol” was talked about so vaguely: the teasers, the trailers and even the press conference interview with Matsumoto himself. It was like he didn’t want to give anything away to anybody and hence it had built up a lot of hype at the time, even here over seas for us Gaki no Tsukai fans. ^-^

But now, on to the actual movie! The movie “Symbol” follows two main story lines that couldn’t be any more different. The first one to start is about a family in Mexico, consisting of a cursing nun sister, a gentle grandfather, and a young boy who looks up to his mediocre wrestling father named Escargot Man. The other story line starts off with Matsumoto lying on the ground of a blank, tall, pure white room sleeping in bright pajamas and sporting a long bowl haircut. Hundreds of white cherubs morph threw the wall and then back into the wall leaving only their nether region parts to be seen on the wall. Eventually Matsumoto’s character figures out that every cherub penis on the walls acts like a buttom, and if he pushes one something random will show up or happen. Through pushing those buttons he finds a door and works towards getting through it to finally escape the strange room, but of course he encounters many difficulties.

I want to go through another part of the movie, but i don’t really want to give too much a way so sorry. “Symbol” is a pretty slow movie and you’re left confused through most of the movie until close to the end where you are dumped with all kinds of symbolism, connections and deeper meaning, but then you’re still scratching your head trying figure and sort threw those thoughts. Ultimately you’re left hanging for what happens next. But on the bright side, all in all i did enjoy the movie. It had several humorous moments, most of them were in the white room with Matsumoto. I also thought the combination of the two stories lines and how they relate were pretty original. The creativity of the rooms and how they differed was very interesting and memorable.

I would suggest this movie yes, but it is fairly slow and boring most of the time so you could also use the time to do homework, stitch, play solitaire, etc while you have it on.

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for a little more information: IMDb Shinboru
youtube video trailer:

drama poster

I had been waiting for this drama for months when i first found out that Miura Haruma was the lead role. And when i heard he’d be dressing up and playing samurai as well, i was all “hot damn” excited!

Miura Haruma plays the goofy, outgoing high school teen Mochizuki Kotaro. One day he visits a library and is recommended an ancient book about a war hero from the Sengoku Period (400 years ago) by the librarian Himiko. Kotaro notices the heroic samurai in the book has the same name and age as him and is then sucked into a life-like flashback of the samurai Kotaro in battle. Later his father tells him that they might be descendants of a powerful samurai which confirms Kotaro’s theory that the samurai is his ancestor.

can you see the difference? XD

Ever sinceopening that book Kotaro has felt something strange inside him but he doesn’t know if it means something. In fact it did. Whenever Kotaro is put in a situation where his dignity or morals are threatened his DNA goes through a change and his ancestor samurai spirit trapped within him takes over his body. This ends up becoming a reoccurring problem, especially when the samurai stays in control of Kotaro’s body even after the big fight. Together with his childhood friend Nagasawa Ai and new found friend Nakamura Tsuyoshi they encounter, face and fight problems.

So all together this is a high school drama about facing school and life problems while learning to stick up for one’s self and others. But that doesn’t mean things always stay serious, Kotaro is still a jokester. ^-^

My opinion of Samurai High School: my expectations were too high. I was probably too blinded by having Miura Haruma in it. The plot is okay, the pacing reminds me of Gokusen (every episode a new problem arises, self realization, fight scene and everything turns out alright).

never knew Miura Haruma was so strong! 8D

If you’re looking for a light and short drama to watch that still has drama, hot fighting and quirk to it i would recommend Samurai High School. But if you’re looking for something to get really sucked into, this really isn’t that kind of drama. Like i mentioned, kind of disappointed. But damn Miura Haruma was one fine looking samurai! <3

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to start watching now: Samurai High School ep1 (veoh)
for more information: DramaWiki Samurai High School

movie poster

Now first off let me explain the BL part. BL stands for “boy’s love” meaning real life yaoi! ohhh hot damn right? XD
But if you no likely you no talk bad, ok? Let’s keep this a friendly environment ne! ^-^

Out of all the Asian BL movies I’ve seen (Ai no Kotodama, Itsuka no Kimi he, Sukitomo, Takumi-kun Series Shoshite Harukaze ni Sasayaite, Water Boys (if you consider it), Antique Bakery, and No Regret) Ai no Kotodama has to be the best! Not only do i prefer the storyline and how the two got together but there is more eh-hem, touchy-feely-kissy to it. But don’t get too excited it really isn’t hardcore, it’s mostly fluffy physical stuff. If perhaps you want more than that i’d suggest No Regret, but i hate the storyline and people.

Anyways onto a summary of Ai no Kotodama (Words of Devotion)! To start off, this started as a 2 vol manga series.

Tachibana (Tokuyama Hidenori) and Shinya (Saito Yasuka)

The movie revolves around the gay couple Tachibana Miyako and Ootani Shinya who have been friends since their very early years and have just stayed together. Their relationship with each other is not at all awkward to them because they are just so used to always being a part of the other, but they do try to keep their romantic relationship a secret from others. An old friend from high school, Yuki-chan, is back in town visiting and runs into them. Yuki-chan is very excited to see them both again, but seeing as how Tachibana is the more outgoing of the couple him and Yuki-chan get along well, or too well in Shinya’s eyes. Tensions increase as a nastycloud of jealousy hangs over them, but is it all just a big misunderstanding? Watch and find out ne! XD

Now, i really wish they did more in this movie (you know what i mean ^_~ ) but you aren’t left without any BL fanservice. Another thing, if you aren’t watching this for the BL in it, then it’s a pretty “ehh” movie. A couple other opinions i have: Shinya is very hot (plus he has almost anime styled hair), i don’t like the acting of the chick playing Yuki-chan who can’t even fake a cry, and i am still able to watch this movie over and over and not get bored (equals pretty big accomplishment).

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to start watching now: Ai no Kotodama

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On another note, i think the next BL movie i want to review will be Thai film Formula 17 which is my other top favorite BL movie (one of the cutest movies ever!).

Oldboy movie poster

Now Oldboy is a major deal in Korean media and culture because it is so often referenced. I can give you two examples off the top of my head: in the 3rd episode of You’re Beautiful Manager Ma comes up with the idea to imprison Tae Kyung in the manner Oh Dae-Su was, and in the Super Junior-H music video “Cooking? Cooking!” it starts and ends with someone playing as Dae-Su in his prison eating dumplings.

Oldboy the movie is based off the manga Oldboy by Garon Tsuchiya and Nobuaki Minegishi.

I am finding it rather difficult to come up with a summary without giving too much away, but i shall attempt.The movie Oldboy starts off with Oh Dae-Su holding a man from a building roof’s ledge by the tie, he tells him that he wants to tell him his story. His story begins with an intoxicated Dae-Su being an obnoxious drunk and has been taken to a local police office/box for harassing a girl. He continues to rant drunkenly and disturb the peace even in front of the police. He is picked up by a friend and soon after disappears from him.

You next see Dae-Su locked up in a cell that looks a lot like a cheap hotel room. Dae-Su is kept in that room for 15 years where he is fed dumplings, watches TV, and pretend fights everyday. When he is released he searches for who locked him away and why with the help of a girl he met, Mido.

Oh Dae-Su choice of weapon: hammer.

The movie is about the search and path of vengeance and how it doesn’t always end up how you think it will; vengeance ultimately makes a bigger mess of things and leaves even bigger scars.

I do have to warn that some people/groups might be somewhat offended/appalled at this movie seeing as how it does break a couple taboos, it all depends on your open-mindedness like most things (also some upper female nudity in the movie). I, myself, find Oldboy to be a very interesting, gritty, beautiful and a sad movie that artfully demonstrates many human flaws. The movie is filled with vibrant colors, shocking/cringe worthy moments and many memorable scenes. The movie, the actor Choi Min-sik (Oh Dae-Su) and director Park Chan-wook have received several awards because of Oldboy.

Mido hugs Dae-Su

I HIGHLY suggest this movie as it is one of my favorites.

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to start watching now: Oldboy part 1of3
for more information: Wiki Oldboy

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On another note, the director Park Chan-wook directed 2 other movies with a central theme of vengence. Including Oldboy, the 3 movies are known as his Vengeance Trilogy although they are not actually connected. Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance was the first, next was Oldboy and lastly Sympathy for Lady Vengeance. I will write seperate reviews for each as i see them/have time.

Anyways, back on topic. I have yet to write about the two and their new 2nd season dramas coming up! First i’ll start with a summary of Bloody Monday season 1.

Bloody Monday (1st season) was about biological terrorist group threatening to release the deadly virus Bloody X in Japan. Japan’s Public Safety Special Third unit, aka THIRD-i, is the team faced with the task of countering and stopping the terrorist group. To figure out the origins of a past attack with the deadly Bloody X virus they recruit a former member’s son Takagi Fujimaru who is an expert hacker, but he then gets deeply involved with the chase. Now that Fujimaru is in, there is no way for him to get out and protect his family and friends other than unraveling the terrorists plots and catching them.

I enjoyed the drama very much, even though i am more accustomed to more light hearted stories. Bloody Monday kept you on your toes, threw twists and turns at you, made you yell at the screen, and was an overall good suspense/action drama. Plus Miura Haruma is just damn fine. ^-^

Next is Code Blue (season 1). This drama is a medical drama, it is about incorporating the new Doctor Heli program with the hospital. Doctor Heli is a program in which a helicopter will fly the medical team to the site of the accident to treat the patient there because they are unable to get to the hospital in time or at all. There are 4 new young physicians that arrive at the hospital as flight-doctors-in-training. The 4 doctors vary greatly in their approach with work, people, and how they will be chosen to fly on the helicopter. The doctors face challenging medical situations, human interactions and ambitions, the fragility of life, and they begin to learn how to be a better person and doctor.

Code Blue was very dramatic, sad and suspenseful at times. It was an okay/good drama. I watched it at the begining because of Yamapi (1st ep there’s a chest shot of him and DAMN is he ripped!), but i got into it pretty quick and had to finish it. It sometimes got kinda boring, but it was worth finishing it. There was also a Code Blue special at the end of the season.

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There will be a season 2 for both dramas and i cannot wait!

There is no summary on DramaWiki for Code Blue season 2, but there is one for Bloody Monday season 2.

Whereas the first series dealt with a deadly Russian weapons-grade virus, the new season is set two years later when an aircraft bearing a new kind of nuclear weapon threatens Tokyo. –Anime News Network

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Bloody Monday 2
airs Jan 23rd
hard subs by TimeLesSubs

Code Blue 2
airs Jan 11th
soft and hard subs will be by Querbeet

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Bloody Monday (S1)
to start watching now: Bloody Monday ep1
for more information: DramaWiki Bloody Monday

Code Blue (S1)
to start watching now: Code Blue ep1
for more information: DramaWiki Code Blue