This is a tv show that, seeing the title on your guide, you might assume to be one of the currently popular wedding shows featuring spoiled brides, money drama, the perfect dress, and the rest of it. However, this show is actually a fascinating glimpse into the gypsy, or traveler, culture of the U.K.
Each episode of course features at least one wedding and some of the preparation that goes into that, but it is a show more about the life of an average traveler girl. Weddings just happen to be the most important day in their lives, and the most frequent, or only, time they will make contact with a person who is not a member of the traveling community, the dress maker. The weddings are events of ridiculously impractical extravagance. Thousands upon thousands of dollars are spent on dresses and transportation and venues, but that's just one part of the show.
A more significant aspect of the program is allowing the audience into their very fascinating world. They have episodes dealing with how boys live and interact with each other, the lesser but still extremely ostentatious event of the first communion, that marriage is expected of each and every young girl, and what every day life is like. They show these strange juxtapositions, like how the girls dress very scandalously and scantly, but are in fact very pious and will not even spend time alone with a boy if there is no one else around, and how they spend most of their day cleaning and doing chores. The whole community seems to be fixated on appearance, and what other people will think of them, that they should be impressed. That also plays a role in the extravagance of their celebrations.
If you're looking for another wedding dress show, this one may not be for you (as their dresses are completely ridiculous) but as a study of a people that we don't really hear or know a lot about, this is a really interesting show.
Also, they made an American version of this show, and I recommend that you not watch it, it's a rip off of the original, and not a very good rip off. The people in the show almost seem like they're just average Americans who say gypsy a lot. I didn't commit to watching the American version of the show, but the episodes I did watch seemed to place more importance on the drama and the dresses. The original is more about the people and their culture and less about their tempers and greed. And it's better.
I stumbled across this anime and was intrigued by the plot. A very brief description of it would be that it's a combination of Danganronpa and Death Note, with some time travel tossed in.
The main character is named Yuki, a very solitary boy who keeps an observational journal on his phone. He has no friends, by choice, and is in every way an observer of his own life, not actually taking part emotionally. His only 'friends' are imaginary beings, a god named Deus, and a little sprite my creature. One night while talking with his imaginary friends, Deus tells him that things are going to change, and the next day, he finds that his diary posts on his phone have already been written for the day, telling him what will happen. He happily takes advantage of his soothsaying device, until on day, a girl in his class approaches him, and reveals that her phone is also special, also able to predict the future. This freaks him out obviously, but it isn't until that night when he meets Deus, as well as several other faceless strangers, that he finds out what's going on. He, as well as several other people, have been granted devices that tell them the future, and they must use these devices to find and kill each other. When a person has been targeted by another diary user, their own diary will tell them that they have a 'dead end', and they must try to change their fate if they can.
The last person standing becomes god. And all diaries are different, and reflect the personality of the user. Yuki is an observer, so his diary predicts events that will happen around him, but there are other types of diaries too. Yuki then is faced with a battle royale to inherit the seat of god.
I had some annoyances while watching this. Yuki is a very timid boy, which is fine, but he doesn't show any significant growth until very late in the show. He's always whining and crying, and the other characters comment on this as well throughout the story. What was refreshing is that this personality is usually given to females in anime, but all of the females showed various levels of considerable strength, which was nice. Yuno's character, the girl who is apparently obsessed with Yuki, was also troubling at times, but her character became more of a mystery as the show went on, so I was more curious about what her story was than annoyed by her rabbid obsession.
This is definitely not a pg show. There is physical, sexual, and emotional violence, as well as some nudity. It is a pretty good show however. The plot becomes increasingly complex and surprising, and will leave you guessing to the very end, after the credits. It's only 26 episodes long, and that goes by pretty quickly. It's one of those shows that you'll want to marathon. And while you might be annoyed by some of the characters at various points, you won't be bored.
This is a really good series. So far three seasons have come out, but a fourth is in the works. It is a horror series, and each season deals with a different theme often dealt with in the horror genre.
The first season was about a family that moved into a haunted house. At first, everything appears to be normal, but they are repeatedly warned that the house is bad news and that there have been many killings there. Strange things start to happen, and with each episode, we learn about a new ghost that is cursed to forever live in the house. We travel back and forth in time and discover what happened in the house in years past and why the friendly or angry spirits reside in the house. How they died. What will happen to the family currently living there I wonder?
The second season takes place in a 19th century insane asylum. A reporter goes into an asylum to report on a new resident there supposedly guilty of murder, and who is supposedly a sick serial killer who skins his victims, but she is then not allowed to leave. We see some of what life was like in those institutions at that time, complete with human experimentation, evil nuns, exorcisms, shock therapy, and more. Will this reporter ever be free? And will she encounter this brutal serial killer?
The third and most current season was about a coven of witches. Young girls with special abilities attend a school of magic to learn how to properly use their skills. At the same time, they must learn who the next supreme, or ruler, will be. We have the classic magical school genre here, but we also get to see some voodoo. This wasn't as scary as the other seasons, but was still worth the watch.
The upcoming season is called circus and will take place at... A circus.
The stories are all very well written and interesting, but what really stands out for me in this series is how the actors are recycled. The same actors reappear in every season, and the fascinating thing is that they play the same character. For example, in each season, Jessica Lang plays a woman was once powerful, but now that power is fading, and she has or does use sexuality to gain or wield that power. Sarah Paulson always plays a woman with a 'sight' and with latent potential not fully realized. She seems to be able to see things that others can't. Evan Peters is always on the search for a seemingly unattainable love, and ends up being some woman's tool. Lily Rabe always plays the innocent who is later corrupted, used, and destroyed by evil that she did not initially seek out. And so on.
It's a fascinatingly complex story that is well written, and has very interesting characters. Worth the watch.
This is a 13 episode anime that was originally a video game on PSP. It's a murder mystery story about a group of kids who are enrolled in this elite high school, based on a skill they specialize in, only to find that they may never be allowed to leave there for the rest of their lives. The school is abandoned except for the students, and this malicious talking bear. The bear tells them that the only way they'll be able to leave the school will be if they are the only person alive. If ever there is a death in the school, all of the students will meet as a council to try to figure out who the murderer is. If they guess correctly, the murderer will be killed. If they guess incorrectly, everyone except the murderer will be killed, and the murderer can walk free.
This was a surprisingly good show. When the rules of the school were being discussed at the beginning of the show, I initially thought that this plot sounded suspiciously similar to Battle Royale, but we quickly find out that there are some differences that make the two-story lines distinct. Another thing that made me kind of hesitant to get into this show were the character drawings. All of the characters are drawn in a way that is so stereotypically cliché that I almost didn't want to continue the series, thinking that the story would also be just as cliché. While the character artwork is definitely not my favourite, I was able to get past it by appreciating the actual plot.
The story was surprisingly intricate and well thought out. Murder mysteries can by kind of difficult to do, because it's a challenge to come up with a good plot that the audience won't be able to guess right away, but this show does it brilliantly. With each event that takes place, we are shown the evidence that the characters see as they inspect the crime scene, and then go with them to the trial and hear them deduce what they will. The first couple of murders are pretty straight forward, but as they go on, they become increasingly difficult to figure out. Also, as another person is murdered, a different section of the school is opened up, and typically the next murder will happen in the new wing of the school. All the while, the students are simultaneously trying to figure out how they will be able to escape this place and who is behind this torturous game.
It's a fast-paced story that keeps you guessing until the very end. They also play with a few different styles of animation, which keeps things fresh. I know it looks kind of cheesy, but give it a try. You will enjoy it.
You can watch the first episode here for the time being.
This is a Japanese drama about a young woman who really loves food. Her life isn't the best. She works at a cafe, really just putting the hours in, but really doesn't care about the work. What she does care about however, is when lunchtime comes around. She will do whatever it takes to take her lunch on time, and when that time does, she goes on a hunt for the best lunch in town. She even keeps a book full of notes on the places she's tried. It's just another day for Natsumi when, on her very precious lunch break, a strange man pulls her into an alley and begs her to come home with him, pretending to be his wife. He says that his father is dying and he wants to see him one last time, but he'll be so disappointed if he doesn't bring home a wife, she would only have to pretend for the day, etc. Natsumi is having none of it... until the guy says that he will give her the best omurice (rice omelet) that she's ever tasted, so she goes.
As it turns out, this guy's family runs a restaurant, and he's just back to con them out of some cash. Because Natsumi took pity on this guy, she lost her job at the cafe, and without that has no way to pay for her apartment. In addition, she has a very strong love for food, and fell in love with the restaurant's flavour. So she goes back to the restaurant, claiming that as their brother's fiancée, they have to help her. She will work at the restaurant until that guy comes back. At first, the brothers are understandably having none of it. But they slowly warm up to her, especially Jun, who develops a crush on her. She tries her best to do her job well, and she eats with such gusto that they can't help but enjoy her presence. As she lives with them, she learns more about the family and their struggles to continue the business and preserve their unique flavour. At the same time, Natsumi runs in with some people she used to know, people in a bad crowd, and she has to juggle the two worlds. Will her 'fiancee' ever come back to fix the mess he made? If he does, will he have to fight off his younger brother for Natsumi's supposed affection? Will Natsumi be able to hold on to this world she find increasingly dear to her? Watch to find out!
I liked this drama. The characters are all fun and energetic and genuine. As with most of these shows, they really try to capture that 'artist' essence and the importance to try hard and give it your all, which can be heartwarming. The biggest thing though, is that this show makes me hungry. I wouldn't be lost walking into a Japanese restaurant, but I've never been to Japan and have not tried 'authentic' Japanese food. I've never had an omurice, but watching this show... I want one.
This is a cartoon about a boy named Timmy, and how he was lucky enough to obtain a pair of fairy god parents who grant him wishes. Timmy lives the unfortunate life of a 10- year old boy. His parents don't pay him much attention, his babysitter is the spawn of Satan who's only pleasure in life comes from making people's life miserable and making a buck, both of which she achieves when she babysits Timmy. He also receives the hateful attention of his teacher at school who seems to take great pleasure in giving F's, and who is obsessed with the idea that Timmy has fairy god parents that he must discover. Because of how unpleasant his life is, Timmy was granted fairy god parents to make his life better by granting him almost any wish he makes. The only catch is that if anyone discovers his fairy god parents, Timmy will lose them forever.
This is a really fun, imaginative show. The fairies, Cosmo and Wanda, are funny and the scrapes Timmy gets him into are engaging. Timmy makes a lot of small wishes, but the big wishes he makes either changes the life he's living in some way, or the entire world he's living in. Time and time again, Timmy is initially happy with the wish he made, but eventually comes to regret messing with reality, and tries to make everything the way it was before the wish. Teaching that no matter how bad your situation seems, it could always be much worse, and also that you should be careful of what you wish for because you just might get it... and it may not be what you expected.
The show incorporates several side stories into the plot, such as the fairy obsessed teacher trying to out his secret, Vicky and her evilness, an alien from another planet that he interacts with, comic book heroes, etc. and the cool thing they did with this show is to make these side stories recurring. Ordinarily, we may meet a side character just for one or two episodes, and then never hear of them again, but this show keeps all of the smaller story lines continuously running, making the entire show more intricate than it seems on the surface. They have a lot of room to play with (to stop the storyline from stagnating or repeating) and they make good use of it. Also, as a fan of the original Batman tv show, I appreciated the character of Catman, voiced by Adam West.
It's really a fun show to watch. Mostly for children, but an older audience can also find something to enjoy. It makes fun of itself, it's funny, sarcastic, romantic, dramatic, suspenseful, and more. But still for kids. Good show.
This is a hilariously sarcastic show about the lack of morality in big business. It's about a guy named Ted who works in the research department for a huge corporation that does everything. The show looks at the struggle between big business objectives, and human morality... and how the two sometimes have trouble connecting. It plays with the idea that 'there is no right or wrong in business, only success or failure'.
It's a situational comedy, so each episode deals with some issue that may have moral weight, like race, or family, the value of an employee as a person, and the episode will centre around a product that the company wants to test. For example, in the first episode the company wants to test whether the technology for cryogenic freezing is ready for human testing, so they decide to freeze one of the scientists who work in the lab. They go ahead and freeze him, but then three days later an accident in moving causes him to thaw out and he thereafter makes this piercing howl unconsciously. Ted's boss then wants to fire him, but also doesn't want him to sue the company for freezing him. There's also another funny bit where Ted tells the scientists to created an office chair out of this very uncomfortable material. They're able to do it, but it's a very uncomfortable chair to sit in, and they discover that discomfort actually helps with productivity because people are too uncomfortable to daydream or waste time at work. Each episode has a funny invention that, though maybe making the corporation more successful, is actually worse for humanity/ the environment/ etc.
The two women in Ted's life are his boss, Veronica, and Linda, one of the testers who sometimes plays the role of the 'conscience' of the company to Ted. He has complicated relationships with both of these women. Veronica is hilarious. She completely embodies the morality of the company and seems to have to human emotion or sense of moral right and wrong. She is one of the aspects of the show that makes it worth the watch. The two scientists are also funny. They have an almost husband and wife relationship in that they're always bickering and fighting, but need each other to be successful. They're too academic to really fit into the business world, and so are almost as funny as Veronica in their failure to connect with 'humanity'.
The show was cancelled, with only two seasons made... but don't let that fool you if this has slipped under your radar. It is hilarious, and worth the watch.
This is a short, anime, only one season of 12 episodes, but it has an interesting concept. The anime is based on a book series and a manga.
The story is about a very reserved girl who lives in a mountain shrine with her guardians and has been sheltered and protected for her entire life. She feels that there is nothing special about her, and indeed, the only thing we know about her to be different is that technology shorts out or even breaks when she touches it. She has been told however that she is a very important person, a princess, and must be protected at all costs. The story begins with her act of cutting her extremely long hair to make bangs for herself... a seeming act of rebellion as magical strength is sometimes linked to ones hair, and this act is the first step in her taking a very small step toward self actualization. Or at least affirming that she is able to do something by her own will. The next change is that an old childhood acquaintance re-enters her life, and she is told that this boy (who has never been nice to her and seems disgusted by the fact that he must do what he is told) is her servant and will be enrolling in her school to protect her.
The plot progresses, and these two interact with each other (reluctantly) and meet new people with magical ability, throughout all of which she discovers that her body is to house a very powerful spirit and grows in magical ability herself. She very slowly comes out of her shell and begins to make personal relationships, and more actively begins to interact with her magical abilities and with the spirit world.
This was an unsatisfying anime to watch. Not because it wasn't good, because it was; the characters, narrative, and take on the fantasy genre were all very compelling. It was just too short. The characters developed too slowly for the length of the show, as did the plot, and by the last episode I felt as though I was at the inciting moment of the plot... where the true story should now begin. The story ends before any of the characters resolve any personal tensions, before the relationship between the heroine and the spirit possessing her was explored and we understood the boundary between the two, or if in fact they were two people at all, and what would happen to the heroine's spirit if they aren't. We aren't even told in any great detail the significance of this 'very powerful' spirit, and the ramifications of her presence or lack there of in our world. It ended at the beginning basically. The book series might go into more detail, bu the anime is highly unsatisfying.
Not un-worth the watch though. In what they do show you, the character development is well done, and the interactions with the other world and with various magical abilities are well thought out and the basis for a very good show. If this show was one or two more seasons long, it has the potential to be one of the better animes... but it doesn't go far enough. So I would still recommend it to be watched in appreciation of the story, but prepare for the unsatisfying ending.
This anime is of the 'magical girl' genre, but unlike Sailor Moon or Cardcaptors or Shugo Chara, it's a bit darker.
For those who may be unfamiliar with this type of story, the magical girl genre involves stories about girls (usually ordinary girl next door type of girls) who are contacted by some magical being, and are given the choice to accept magical powers. They are then obligated to use these powers to combat evil magic already in the world, or to complete some task with their magic.
In this story, the girl's name is Madoka, and she is a sweet, good- hearted girl. She doesn't have anything that distinguishes her from any other girl... in fact, she may be lacking in several areas in comparison. Everything changes for her however, when a new exchange student transfers into her class. The girl stares at Madoka, who oddly enough had had a dream about her the previous night. The girl warns Madoka that if she values her friends and family, she should not make any changes to herself. Madoka of course finds this odd, but disregards it. Later that day, she hears a voice in her head calling out for help. The voice belongs to this cat-like creature, who the new transfer student is apparently trying to kill. Madoka and her friend are then exposed to the hidden world of witches and magical girls. The cat-like creature, named Kyubey, explains that he has the power to grant a chosen girl any one wish in the entire world. But in exchange for that wish, the girl must agree to become a magical girl, and devote her life to hunting down 'witches' or evil spirits that are the cause of many unexplained evils in the world. Madoka and her friend Sayaka are both chosen by Kyubey, and try to learn more about this world, to see if any wish they might make would be worth giving up their freedom, and maybe their lives. However, the transfer student is adamantly against Madoka becoming a magical girl, and does everything in her power to prevent this. Kyubey said that Madoka would be the more powerful magical girl who had ever existed to this point if she were to choose to turn. Is the new girl afraid of her power? Is there anything Madoka would wish for that would compensate for what she might lose? Why is someone as insignificant as Madoka so important in what seems to be the fate of the world?
As I said before, this is a darker manifestation of the magical girl genre. There is a very real possibility of death with every battle the girls may face, and indeed we witness several deaths. A couple, quite significant to the plot. The girls are fighting against these monsters, but they are also fighting against themselves for territory. If a girl kills a witch, she gets to cleanse her source of magic with what is left over from the witch, and if the girl doesn't do this, something bad may happen to her. As the story progresses, we find out that being a magical girl is not at all a fun thing, that a lot of sacrifice and heartbreak and loneliness results from the wish they make. We also learn that there may be more to the contract with Kyubey then we might have been initially told. The show deals with the idea of 'good deeds', and how much of yourself you would be willing to give for the benefit of someone else, without getting anything in return. It makes you wonder, is there anything you would want enough to sacrifice your life for, or at least your livelihood? Just how valuable are the relationships in your life? What would you give to keep them, or let them go? Just how much do you actually care about others? And more interestingly, what do you consider about yourself to be human? Your body?
An interesting, if not somber, show. The animation was interesting as well. The anime was very detailed at some points, but the scenes with the witches played around with animation styles. Another interesting thing about this show is that the main character of this 'magical girl' show, is for the most part, the only main character who is not a magical girl. It re-imagines the genre, and positions it for an older audience, who maybe grew up with the more traditional magical girl shows. It takes a little while to get into, but it brings a new level of complexity to the genre. It's only 12 episodes long and can be seen online.
This is a great show. It's a cartoon about two brothers and what they do over their summer vacation. We aren't talking scouts and basketball here though, these two boys are brilliant engineers in the making and build outrageous creations. Roller coasters, time machines, pet translators are only the tip of the ice burg, a running joke in the show is that the delivery person who delivers the parts they order asks 'Aren't you a little young to be ...' And they always answer, 'Yes, yes I am.'
Phineas and Ferb also have a sister named Candace. All siblings take a perverse pleasure in telling on each other, but Candace takes this to the extreme, especially because her brothers are doing extremely outrageous things. However, she never seems to be quite able to complete this task, because whenever she gets her mother to come see what her brothers have created, it mysteriously disappears.
This brings us to the other portion of the show. Phineas and Ferb have a pet platypus named Perry. Little do they know however, that Perry is a secret agent working for the government! Every day he disappears and gets his mission to go stop the evil Dr. Doofensmirtz from doing... Whatever it is he's doing. As with all evil villains, Doofensmirtz wants to take over the world, or more specifically, the Tri-State area, but he tries to do this in wacky ways, most involving some 'tragic' back story, like how his parents made him be a lawn gnome. He also creates a machine for every episode and ends it with -inator. He also feels it necessary to explain how and why he's doing what he's doing to Perry after he captures him, and if he cannot do that he can't go through with his evil scheme. He's just a really hilarious villain with a chivalrous heart and a burning desire to rule the world because of his past disappointments.
One thing I don't really like about the show is that every episode there is this really bad song scene. I know this is Disney... but that doesn't necessarily mean a requirement for bad music. Other than that however, one of the better shows on tv!
Word Girl is a children's television show about a young girl who lives a double life as a superhero, fighting crime and teaching everyone new words. When I first heard of this show, my initial judgement was that it would be another boring attempt at educational programming. While vocabulary can be fascinating, it's not what immediately comes to your mind when you think of engaging, entertaining children's programming, but after watching a few episodes, I'm happy to report that the show is quite effective for its target audience.
Word girl is from the planet of Lexicon and when she cane to earth she was adopted by human parents who gave her the name Becky, but they don't know her true identity. The only one who seems to know about her double life is her pet monkey Bob. She tries to balance living a normal life with fighting crime in the city, brought on by various cooky villains, and she usually defeats them by somehow incorporating one of the words of the day. There are usually two new words that are defined in the show and they are explained and demonstrated throughout the length of the episode.
In an age when high school kids have trouble spelling basic words and the use of 'big words' are a source of uneasiness and even scorn, shows like this are really encouraging to see. We are in the information age, and yet our society grows increasingly more stupid. We should empower future generations with knowledge, not perpetuate ignorance and fear. Vocabulary is not indicative of a person's intelligence, but it becomes how one presents them self to the world. Lets have our kids 'dress' for success.
I bought this show for a dollar on a whim, thinking it would be the worst thing I've ever seen. It was however shockingly close to par in terms of 80's cartoon goodness.
The premiss of the show is that six kids go on a Dungeons and Dragons ride at an amusement park and get magically transported to the dungeons and dragons world. When they get there they are in immediate danger, facing a huge five-headed dragon, and then the evil villain of the series, Venger. Then this little man (the dungeon master) appears out of no where and gives them all magical items that grant them special powers. The items all coincide with types of characters are in the dungeons and dragons game, so there is a ranger, acrobat, cavalier, thief, barbarian, and magician. In each episode, the dungeon master gives the gang a hint, telling them which way they should go to get home. They meet a lot of people on the way and each character is explored a bit.
It's not an amazing show by any means, but I have to say, it's a lot better than I thought it would be. And it might not be the best show of it's era, but I would watch it if it was on tv.
This drama was about a dysfunctional family that hires an emotionless housekeeper. Apparently the ratings were very high for this show... but I've personally seen better.
The story opens with four children and their father dealing with the death of the mother of the family. It's been a couple of weeks and the father decides to hire a maid to do the housekeeping. What with the mother gone the work around the house wasn't getting done as it used to. When the housekeeper arrives, the family is kind of taken aback by her appearance and presence. Unlike other housekeepers, she has a heavy coat and a baseball cap and she is very curt with the family, speaking without any trace of emotion. Despite this though, she was excellent at what she did, so the family decides to keep her. As the story progresses, the family learns that there is something kind of off about this housekeeper, Mita-san. One of the things is that she will do anything that is commanded of her, anything, and this of course is one of the central plot points of the story. As the plot progresses we learn more about each of the children, and their father, and of course, Mita-san plays a role in fleshing out each of these discoveries. Usually being directed to do something immoral or illegal. We also learn more about the mother's death, was it an accident? and of course about Mita-san and why she is the way she is.
All of the main characters in this story annoyed me. First off, the father and the youngest daughter look kind of weird. The father looks like a snake, literally, and it's sort of unsettling to look at him. Sometimes I find myself looking at him just to find what I don't like about his face. In addition to that his character on the show is a pathetic, spineless loser. Harsh but true. The youngest daughter doesn't look odd at first glance, but there's something weird about her teeth. They're too perfect for a kid her age. Also, she whines constantly. The oldest daughter is sort of weak-willed. There's a funny part of the show where she orders Mita to kill her, and then runs away in fear as Mita pursues her and tells her to stop. Then she orders Mita to kill her again. Its filmed like a horror scene... but it's just ridiculous. The Oldest son has huge anger issues. I can easily see his character in an abusive relationship. Never before in one drama have I been so dissatisfied with the cast.
This drama is watchable, but I was tempted to drop it half way through.
This is a really great cartoon about test tube triplets with superpowers. The girls, Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup were born in a freak chemical experiment combining sugar, spice, everything nice, and an accidental dose of chemical x. The girls use their super powers to save their city, Townsville, from the numerous villains that try to rob the townsfolk, take over or just destroy the city. And each episode you can be sure that the day will be saved thanks to the Powerpuff Girls!!! In most episodes anyway.
This show is so exaggerated it's almost a satire of the superhero genre. That's not to say the show doesn't take itself seriously, because it does. It's a legitimate show in its own right with original characters and problems (as much as that's possible), but there's also a sense that they play up every theme in the show. The characters personify their personality traits in an almost hyperbolic way. A good example of this is the way Mojo Jojo talks. He doesn't just speak, he states something, and then restates it, either explaining it or using more expressive words, which is an example of his personality. The up-tight genius that pays too much attention to detail, to the point where he over does it. The characters are all subtly well-thought out in this manner.
The show itself is pretty clever. Sure, when you look at it to looks so childish and cheery (almost falsely so), and on some level it is, but there's another level of the show to be appreciated if you look for it. For example, the show plays around with different animation and film styles, paying homage to some of the styles that have come before. There's actually a whole episode shot like a silent film, one shot with the old west in mind, etc.
Also, this show has one of the most terrifying villains I've ever seen, Him. Him is an amazing villain, probably the scariest super-villain in your father's eyes as he's a cross-dresser. Looking back I can't believe I didn't question it when I was younger... In addition to Him, Mojo Jojo has to be one of my favourite villains of all time. He's like Wlie E Coyote, but with a voice. Diabolical, intricate, genius plans executed energetically, that always backfire. One of my favourite episodes shows us the life of Mojo, and he's like a crotchety old man who just wants to eat breakfast, read the paper, and kill him some Powerpuffs- 'Just Another Manic Mojo' is the episode's title. But really, they're all gems.
If you're a fan of cartoons you'll like this one, and if you like superheroes you'll like this too. Fun for all ages, this is a great show.
Wonder Woman is a woman from Paradise Island, an island that has been forgotten by the rest of the world, and by time itself. Wonder Woman and the women on Paradise Island are supposedly amazons from ancient Greece. They have super human strength and speed, the speed is used in an activity called bullets and bracelets where one person shoots a gun and the other uses their special bracelets to knock the bullets away. How a race that has been isolated for thousands of years not only knows what a gun is, but got a hold of one and developed a weird defense against it is beyond me. Wonder Woman is the daughter of the queen of the amazons, next in line to be exact.
The story begins with a German plot and American retaliatory actions during WW2. An officer, Steve Trevor, from the US army's plane goes down over the ocean, right by Paradise Island, and he washes up on its shore. Wonder Woman takes it upon herself to return him to his homeland (as there can be no men on Paradise Island) and returns him in her invisible jet (also.. how an ancient civilization managed this I'll never know). When she's there she eventually learns of the Nazis and decides that she had better stay where she is and help defeat the Nazis. She creates an alter ego for herself named Diana Prince, and works as the secretary of the man she saved earlier.
From that point on Wonder Woman find out about Nazi schemes through the war department office or when she's out with Steve, and then Wonder Woman will miraculously appear when there's trouble. As for the role gender plays in her superiority, Wonder Woman has a huge naiveté. She doesn't know anything about the present day and this often humbles her or gets her into compromising situations. From a not-so-accepting-of-female-independence perspective, it was ok that she was physically superior to men because she was really ignorant and still needed male guidance. This kind of thing came up several times in the show and was kind of annoying. For a princess she wasn't exactly regal. On the other hand, she was pretty pro-feminism for the time.
The pilot was very long and almost boring, with several parts dragging on and on, but the actual show is very watchable. It's not my favourite superhero tv show, but it's pretty good.
This is a really good show from the '7o's/ '80's about the romances that take place on a cruise ship. Each episode features three storylines about three different couples and the troubles they're having in their romantic lives.
The couples are usually passengers on the ship so we never really have a continuous storyline, but we do have a steady crew that we meet each episode and slowly get to know better as the show progresses. When watching this for the first time I was surprised to find how relevant it was. It may have been my prejudice of the time, but I wasn't so sure that what I was sure was to be cheesy romance plots from the '70's would be able to stand the test of time. However, most of the stories are still plausible... even though we may use different language today to describe it.
What I love about this show is the guaranteed happy ending in a short amount of time. Actually, you get three for the price of one. Usually if you want that happy ending feeling you have to wait an hour and a half and you probably have to go through a couple of unhappy scenes to get there. With this show however, there isn't enough time for a lengthy unhappy scene, especially with two other stories to share the space. There's just enough time for one problem to arise and be solved. And you get three happy endings every time!
In Japan there are apparently two kinds of workers that allow offices to function smoothly. There are the full-timers, the salary-men Japan is so well-known for, and there are the temp workers, called haken in Japanese. As one would expect, temp workers are not regarded with as much respect as full-time workers, and this show plays with that dynamic.
There are two main characters in the show. One is the narrator, Mori Miyuki. She is just entering the haken profession and isn't that good at it. She has no skills, no friends, and no confidence. This show is partly about her personal growth. The second main character is named Oomae Haruko, and she is a class A haken, which means she is extremely good at what she does and is very qualified. We never hear her perspective or thoughts as the show progresses, but see her only as an outsider would.
These two enter into a 3- month contract at the same time with a company. Mori is shy, nervous, and extremely willing to please, which is closer to what full-timers would want or expect from a haken. Oomae on the other hand is the extreme opposite. She refuses to work overtime (a big deal in Japan) and refuses to extend her contract. She only responds respectfully to her boss, either ignoring everyone else or curtly telling them to get back to work, or to do their jobs better. All of this is put up with however because she is the best at what she does. The two haken are put into the newly formed marketing department with a very good-hearted, well-meaning manager. The manager's friend however, in the sales department, seems really upset with Oomae's attitude. He goes out of his way to prove that full-timers are better than haken, and that he is better than her. He obviously ends up having a crush on her.
Each episode discusses some of the injustices haken's face... it's not an overtly political show by any means, but the premise is based on injustice. In every episode there is also some huge catastrophe that can't be solved by anyone in the company, and Oomae always comes to the rescue with her many random qualifications, like midwifery, or elevator technician. As the show progresses we discover that Oomae is the way she is because of a past event in her life, and she only treats full-timers with such perceived disrespect because they disrespect hakens, even though hakens do the work full-timers are unable to or don't finish.
When I was watching the show, I didn't really think Oomae's attitude was so very bad. Japanese society is really concerned with group activities and togetherness, for example when work is done, sometimes all of the employees of a department will go out for drinks to strengthen their bond, or if one person has a problem, everyone on the team will try ease the burden.. because as a group it's everyone's concern. Oomae's attitude was more North American in that she was only concerned with working exactly the amount of hours she was getting paid for. She also didn't want to see her peers outside of the office and was mercilessly disinterested in her fellow employee's troubles. She of course always ended up playing an important role in ending their troubles as well. In the end, everyone is affected by Oomae and she changes many people's lives, especially Mori's. Oomae also changes a bit, but the change isn't as apparent as it is in the other characters.
Japan's a pretty hierarchical society and it's interesting to see how this plays out in a professional setting. The show is only 10 episodes long and is worth the watch.
You can watch the first episode here. The first minute is just explaining the haken situation, and then we meet Oomae for the first time backpacking in Spain. If you want to skip right to the show's 'intro' it's at 10:18.
This is a high school drama about a girl named Mei whose parent's die. After their death she discovers that her estranged grandfather is very wealthy and she will inherit his empire, but first must attend a fancy all-girl reform school to become a lady. This school isn't just any school though. There are no desks, but rather cushy arm chairs and side tables and the campus is a third the size of Tokyo, but the weirdest thing of all about this school is that all of the girls must have butlers.
Mei is sort of resistant at the thought of becoming like these weird people, but eventually finds a reason to stay despite her reservations. Of course there are several people who are against her being there and make life hard for her. One girl in particular, the girl who has earned the highest rank on the lady- scale in the school, turns out to be her rival (in more ways than one), and even after she wins over some of her classmates, it is this adversary who is the real trial for Mei. The girl- butler dynamic is important to the plot. We learn as we watch that being a butler isn't just about waiting on someone hand and foot, but that there is a special bond between master and servant, and that the servants choose to serve.
I thought overall that the drama was interesting in theory, and the story line was well done, but the heroine was kind of pathetic. She was always whining or moping about. When she had a problem she would just stand there dumb-struck until someone saved her or until it was almost irrelevant for her to step forward. I also didn't like the actress who played her. She has one of those faces that seem to always be frowning, or smelling something disgusting, and yet her character was supposed to draw people to her and see how amazing she is. For the most part the characters weren't extremely attractive, but in addition to her unattractiveness, she couldn't act. If they had chosen a different actress to play the heroine this drama would have been much better. As it is though, it's still worth the watch.
The whole thing is actually up on YouTube for the time being, so knock yourself out.
This drama is about a girl of questionable femininity according to Japanese culture who is forced to live with her manager during the summer of her first love (that love of course not being the manager).
The story opens up in the office building of a successful interior design company. We see the employees hard at work, all fashionably and professionally dressed of course. After work a group of female co-workers go out on a group blind date. To encourage some of the younger women who aren't currently in a relationship, the more experienced women say that at least these women are out trying to find a man, unlike an undesirable form of womanhood which they call 'himono- onna' or a 'dried up fish- woman'. A woman who has lost her womanhood. And here we are shown the main character Hotaru. A dried up woman is someone who doesn't go out on the weekends or a night, but prefer staying home wearing sweat pants, drinking beer, and tie their hair in a knot on the top of their head.
By day, Hotaru dresses like a professional and 'normal' woman while she's at the office, but when she gets home to a very messy apartment, she turns into a 'himono onna'. Her manager is going through a separation with his wife and was kicked out of his home, so he decided to go back to his parent's old house to live. As it turns out, his father gave Hotaru permission to live there, so the two decide to try living together.. even though the manager is appalled at Hotaru's himono-ness.
Meanwhile at work, a new and attractive designer returns to the company from working abroad and Hotaru is struck by his handsomeness, but of course doesn't do anything to try to get close to him. One day she went to oversee a project and fell asleep in a chair. The new guy, Teshima, comes in and seems to be struck by her and gives her a kiss, which wakes her up. She's startled and makes a quick escape, but from that point on develops a severe infatuation for Teshima. Another woman at work also has her eye on Teshima, and she is much more lady-like than Hotaru is. Hotaru is clueless about love, but with the help of her manager and a few comments from her other coworkers, she does her best to secure her love and become a woman!
I really enjoyed this drama. It was funny and dramatic and I really enjoyed the main character. However, going into this I was of course somewhat conflicted as the subject matter was suggesting that a woman is only a woman if she is attractive and out trying to get a man. I think it's no secret that the west sees femininity somewhat differently than the east does... and yet it's not so different as you might think. In the west it's currently popular for girls to wear yoga pants like normal pants, but yoga pants are in fact just another type of sweat pant. The top knot/ samurai knot/ get my hair out of my face knot is also really popular and if girls don't wear it out, you know that most wear it at home, and it's considered cute. But at the same time, these girls are still trying to be attractive, for what purpose? To attract men. The western equivalent of the 'dried up woman' might be a tomboy or a woman who doesn't care about men and put's no effort in her appearance, maybe wearing no name, unattractive clothing. In the west, this type of girl is seen as the opposite of the ideal type of girl... the one who wants a man. The difference between the two might be that in the west the 'dried up woman' is still considered a woman, albeit an unattractive one, while in the drama Hotaru is told that she is no longer a woman. In the end, Hotaru doesn't end up changing her lifestyle and people just accept her as she is.
One of the things I enjoy about watching Jdramas is that there isn't always the same pattern when it comes to love stories, so you don't actually know who the heroine will end up with until later episodes... unlike what happens with western movies. In your typical chick flick you know within 10 minutes of watching the movie what will happen in the end, because they all use the same pattern, but in dramas you never really know. Sometimes they don't end up with anybody at all.
* Spoiler* What I really enjoyed about this series is that we get to see a full relationship, and then get to see that relationship fall apart. The show sets up those characters as the main romantic couple we should be rooting for in the series, but then makes their dates feel awkward, and breaks them up. I love finding stories about heartbreak because it's not a popular topic. We love the happy ending stories so much that very rarely in the west do explore the idea that sometimes what we think is love isn't love, and that's painful. I also like finding stories where the 'unnoticed best friend who really loves her' character gets the girl. I thought this drama did a great job with both of these ideas and tied them in together well. * Spoiler*
This story was well done and gives the audience something to think about in terms of what it means to be strong and what it means to grow. Worth it. And the girl is cute.
This is a Japanese television drama about a young girl who has an incurable degenerative disease, and the boy who falls in love with her. It's based on a true story, the illness part. The actual girl Aya published a book for other with her disease, to give them hope.
The main character is a 15-year-old high school girl named Aya Ikeuchi. She's the ideal girl in many respects, she is very kind, hard-working, and optimistic. She's on the basketball team, has many friends at school, and has also caught the eye of one of her upper-classmen, so potential romance there. Just your typical Japanese high school girl.
Then one day as she is leaving for school, she takes a pretty bad spill and splits her chin on the concrete. The doctor takes her mother aside and tells her that the fall was not ordinary, and that Aya had a rare disease that would slowly make it harder and harder for her body to function on its own. Stealing away the power she had over her own body. The mother tries to keep this from her as long as is possible, but starts to notice that Aya is having difficulties with everyday activities, like misjudging the space between objects, or being unable to use chopsticks.
At the beginning of the first term of high school we are also introduced to a young man, Haruto Asō , who is in the same class as Aya. He wasn't even going to take the entrance exam to the school, but fate would have it that the day he met Aya, he was sort of forced into taking them. Haruto isn't exactly a delinquent, but at the beginning of the story he seems to have a sort of disregard for everything happening in his life. One day he happens to see a web page Aya was on and discovers her illness. He starts to pay more attention to her and slowly begins to fall in love.
The title of this drama sounds really cheesy, and I almost didn't watch it the first time I heard of it, but the show is oddly true to its name, and not cheesy at all! One of the things that gets me every time I watch one of these is how good the Japanese are at these emotional roller coasters. It doesn't matter if it's romance or action or tragedy, you'll be enthralled, maybe even to a heart-wrenching degree. This one in specific, the tragedy/ romance genre. You don't get too many of these in modern Western film, the only two that come to my head immediately are Butterfield 8 and A Walk To Remember. It's not as scarce in Japanese television, which is alright I guess because they do it justice. I cried the first time I watch this, maybe for 3/5th's of the series, and that's a big deal for me. There are is one, maybe two movies that make me cry, I take pride in the fact that I don't cry easily when it comes to film, but this one had me balling. Sometimes when watching tv shows or movies from other cultures, you'll have to be understanding with some of the content. The culture's different and you might not understand all of the references, but the emotions are universal. You'll have to watch this online if you want to see it, and you'll have to put up with fan subs, fan made subtitles, but it'll be worth it.
Here is a trailer made by a fan of the show with some scenes
