Voice JDrama of Ikuta Toma now Subbed!

Good news everybody! Ikuta Toma's forensic science Jdrama, Voice, is now being subbed by the Giri Giri Fansub Group. You can download the video of Voice <-- here, including the soft English subs. The sub group has finished until the third episode.

Just a few things to whet your appetite. Turns out this drama is called Voice because as forensic medical students, they are asked to pick up the thread of voice that the bodies have left behind.

Episode 1 basically shows how the forensic science group was formed. The main character, Kaji Daiki, actually applied to be a part of the heart surgery department, but the head of the forensics department had him moved to his group, because he believed that Daiki had an inquisitive mind and a unique talent for observation. Ishimatsu Ryosuke, Ikuta Toma's role, is the son of a renowned gastroenterologist, and is expected to follow in his father's footsteps. Ryosuke goes against his father's wishes and chooses forensic science, instead. Not everyone is supportive of Kuboaki Kanako's choice to go to forensics either. The other doctors feel that it is a waste of her talent to examine dead bodies.

In Voice, forensic science is not a very popular field in Japan. People, including majority of the doctors, associate doctors with saving lives, so the idea of examining a dead body is perceived as a useless thing. As a result, a lot of bodies are left unexamined and are written off as accidents.

This newbie group is given their very first assignment on day 1 when a dead body arrives with an unusual set of circumstances. The group decide to go beyond the library and the hospital and goes to the scene of the crime to find clues about the case, and try to decide whether the death was an accident or a murder.

Episode 1 was a good one. We immediately see the different personalities of each character and the dynamics among them. Ikuta Toma is the outgoing one among them, and his sunny disposition is an absolutely plus in the drama. It's also good to see his serious side, which I believe will show up regularly as his conflict with his father starts to bubble up. We also get the privilege of seeing glimpses of Daiki and Kanoko's past, which contributed greatly to their being in the field of Forensics.

I must admit that I had tears in my eyes by the end of this episode. You'll see why. I recommend watching this show if you appreciate dramas.

Opening to Ikuta Toma's Voice Drama

Weeeeeeee! Check out the opening to Ikuta Toma's new drama, Voice, here:



I almost melted when I saw his face! I've absolutely missed him. This serious pic of Ikuta Toma is absolutely different from the crazy, gawky Nakatsu he played as in Hana Kimi.



Now if only they can release the English subbed version of his episodes pronto, so I can start watching. :X

Ikuta Toma's two new Dramas - Maou and Voice

I'm absolutely thrilled! Not only did Ikuta Toma recently star in this suspense drama flick called Maou, in which he plays a detective out to fight against Maou (devil), the antagonist of the film, he is also slated to be one of the medical students in the upcoming medical mystery series called Voice.

The subtitles for Maou are here:
http://www.d-addicts.com/forum/viewtopic_63167.htm

Unfortunately, the series is licensed so we can't watch it on crunchyroll.

Here's just an itty bitty taste of who will play in the Voice TV series with Ikuta Toma (plays a doctor named Ishizue Ryosuke). The fact that they are using Coldplay's Viva La Vida is enough to keep me real curious. The flick is going to start on Jan 12, 2009.



Hooray for Ikuta Toma! :)

Oguri Shun now dating Yamada Yu!

Ladies, some disheartening news. Oguri Shun is now currently dating 23-year old actress/model Yamada Yu. I just heard this last week from my host sister in Japan, who always keeps me up to date with the latest Shun and Toma news! Thanks Saori chan!

Yamada Yu's a very pretty girl and thinks Oguri Shun is Sugoi Suteki, which just means she is absolutely smitten by him.

Here's Yamada Yu:



Got this picture from Google.

They make a very good-looking couple, ne? ^_^

Toma Ikuta - The underrated talent (And 2 Toma Ikuta wallpapers!)

I've been browsing around for some good Toma Ikuta sites and it really depressed me to realize that there are only a few of them. Toma Ikuta is one of those unique talents who have not gotten such a good break. He has yet to achieve the superstar status that Matsumoto Jun and Kimtaku have achieved.

Knowing this, I am dedicating this post to Toma Ikuta - the underrated talent. I feel that he deserves more publicity than he is getting. He is a versatile actor, with roles ranging from the nerdy Otaku at Akihabara (at) Deep to a man out for a vengeance in Hana Yori Dango.

He has a charming exterior, with an intensity to him that allows him to play passionate roles, and a soft, humorous side to him that helps him play lighter shows. There is something unique with the way he laughs, and it's quite catching. This 22-year old deserves that big break at fame.

I've made two wallpapers for him, hope you like them. I made the theme a little on the white side, since Toma Ikuta's favorite color is white.




And a buddy icon to highlight his laugh:



Click here to see all my Ikuta Toma goodies and posts!

And please: Leave a comment if you're a fellow Toma Ikuta fan.

Hana Yori Dango Wallpapers and Buddy Icons!

Some Hana Yori Dango goodies for you: from Oguri shun icons, Junpei icons (gotta love him despite his evil-ness), Nishikado icons to Makino-Domyouji icons and 1 happy ending wallpaper :) Here go the icons:












And the wallpaper! Now if you haven't watched the last episode of season 2 then this may be a bit of a spoiler:




Hope you like them. Would love to get a comment :)

Hana Yori Dango Wallpaper

The Ebisu Garden Place is where everything began.

It was at that fateful day in the rain where Makino had reluctantly met Domyouji, still unsure of this ill-tempered man and what his intentions were.

It was the symbol of Domyouji's devotion to her - how he waited under the rain, cold and shivering, on the verge of a fever... waiting for Makino. Later on, he would wait again for her... till night fell. It was also the symbol of Makino's love for him - calling him up to meet with him, when she felt all hope was lost and Domyouji had forgotten her. It was her place of solace, where she could drift into her own world, lost in thoughts of him.

And yes, there was much pain attached to this court as well. Misunderstood events, outside forces that wished for the lovers' demise. Words that shouldn't have been spoken, words that could have been spoken.

In the end, however, their life becomes a fairy tale. This place had finally brought them their happy ending, never to be shattered again.

This wallpaper celebrates The Ebisu Garden Place and the memories - all the hurt, the laughter, the love, the sacrifice - that this seemingly nondescript plaza has given way to.



If you love the wallpaper, I'd appreciate comments. Thank you =)

Oguri Shun Wallpaper

3 variations for Oguri Shun Wallpaper:





Hope you guys like it :) Leave a comment if you like it.

Love Revolution

I have finally finished watching the subbed drama Love Revolution. After years of agony, waiting for someone to sub the show, SARS Fansubs and Mugen finally answered my prayers. I have written a short synopsis of the show below, to convince you that this is a very good show

Love begins at their 30's for Dr. Asaoka Kyoko and Mariko Endo, a heart surgeon and a stewardess, respectiveley. It all begins on their trip to Rome, where Kyoko chases after a man who had inadvertently lead her on, only to find that he was merely being polite. What's worse, the man was dating a nurse at Kyoko's hospital!

Before their trip ends, an old lady predicts that Kyoko will find love and get married in Rome, riding atop a beautiful horse. Immediately, the revolution of love takes its course when, during the plane ride home, Kyoko manages to help a chef (Fukuda) with his stomach ailments. The chef turns out to be from a prestigious restaurant in Tokyo called Il Porcellino. He falls head over heels for Mariko.

Once in Tokyo, Kyoko begins to wonder if the old lady was true, knowing her unlucky track record in love. Being a very intellectual, career-oriented, and independent lady, men find her a tad intimidating. In truth, however, Kyoko deals with a lot of insecurities and finds it hard to express herself. Mariko, on the other hand, who has a bubbly personality, has better luck with men, as she also sparks interest from the chef's friend, Yoshida.


Things finally start to pick up for Kyoko when she meets a mysterious silent-type actor, Yabuki Mamoru, who secretly holds a flame for Kyoko, and a playboy news reporter, Suga Eiichiro who is everything but discrete about his affections for Kyoko.

The love revolution continues.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TOMA IKUTA

Today is Toma Ikuta's Birthday! Let's all greet him today! :) Post in all your blogs, myspace accounts and whatnots =) Hopefully, the greetings will reach him :)

I also made 2 wallpapers for him as a gift :) Ikuta Toma, Otanjou-bi Omedetou Gozaimasu!!! Click on the thumbnails below to view the full 1024X768 version of the wallpaper. You can use this on your desktop to your heart's content but please don't offer them on your site :)

Enjoy!




Here's a great, great youtube video made by yamapink!

Ikuta Toma and Oguri Shun star in Hana Kimi

What could possibly be better than a hilarious JDrama with Ikuta Toma and Oguri Shun starring on it, and a couple of other good-looking guys? Absolutely nothing.

Hana Kimi is about a girl named Ashiya, who wishes to place a smile back on a high-jump record holder who goes by the name of Sano (played by Oguri Shun). After an incident with thugs, Sano had quit high-jumping, and Ashiya feels responsible for what happened.

The catch? Sano studies at an all-boys high school in Osaka. Determined to achieve her mission, Ashiya cuts her hair short, leaves her family in the US and goes to Osaka posing as another male student, hopeful that she can rekindle Sano's desire to do the high-jump, and return him his happiness.

With a high school whose only requirement for those applying is to be good-looking, a flurry of competitions against the three dorms of the school, and the stubborn loner ex-high-jumper, what has a girl like Ashiya gotten herself into?

This is exactly the kind of Jdrama that could act as Ikuta Toma's springboard to popularity, as he plays Nakatsu, a hilarious student from Dorm 2 who finds himself falling for Ashiya in some weird way and despising himself for it. Ikuta Toma is both hilarious and endearing in this show, as he has some rather touching scenes in the show. Oguri Shun's performance was as perfect as ever. As the versatile chameleon he is, he is able to act as the serious loner, with a heavy burden on his shoulders, but can also play scenes as the kissing drunken fool, who had one too many Nara pickles. Ashiya, played by Horikita Maki, is a good choice for the role, as she can pass as a boy, without losing her feminine identity.

The other characters in the show are not to be forgotten, as their contribution to the drama is essential. They provide more color to the show, from the boy with the third eye, the playboy, the drama king, the overly zealous Taekwondo leader, the questionable nurse... the list goes on. This show must be on your playlist.

I'll be having episode synopses in the later posts :)

Hana Yori Dango Season 2 Episode 1 Part 2 Photo Summary =)

After the F4's graduation, Hanazawa Rui and Makino manage to keep in touch. During one of their lunch get-togethers, Rui brings up Domyouji, and wonders how Domyouji is, as he hasn't contacted him in ages. Makino, trying to act like he is unfazed by the sensitive topic, humors about it and tells Rui that Domyouji probably found himself a busty American blonde girlfriend by now. Rui is more perceptive however, and points out that Makino must be missing him. Makino immediately dismisses the thought, telling him that she is relieved that she hasn't been talking with Domyouji because she may not be able to concentrate and go through school. Her body language disagrees with her, however.




In truth, Makino did miss Domyouji terribly. She reminisces about him, while she is at Ebisu Garden place on their first date. Yes, Domyouji was a pompous jerk, but she fell in love with him. She had thought their love would last. At first, it seemed that way. After 3 months, however, Domyouji stopped calling and Makino could not reach his cellphone.


At first, Makino was extremely worried that something had happened to him. But one day, an old friend/enemy showed up by the name of Sakurako, with her new Australian boyfriend, and told Makino she had seen Domyouji in New York, still with his curly perms and his pompous attitude. Knowing now that Domyouji was alright, she decided it was time to move on.


And with perfect timing at that. Makino attended a reunion with her old classmates, and was able to catch up on good times and distract herself from Domyouji. She also makes a large realization during the reunion that she had been less ambitious since she came to Eitoku and that she was still unsure of what she wanted to do after she graduates.

Suddenly, a very good-looking guy comes in the restaurant. He is the cousin of one of Makino's friends and he goes by the name of Oribe Junpei. As soon as Junpei met Makino's eyes, he was thrilled. Apparently, he also studied at Eitoku and he knew all about Makino - how he fearlessly confronted Domyouji and how she managed to win 2nd place in the Teen of Japan (TOJ) contest. Junpei tells her that she would make a good defender of justice. Yuki notes that Junpei must have a crush on Makino and Junpei casually admits, much to the shock of Makino.

Later that night, Makino and Yuki talk, and Yuki brings up Makino's potential of becoming a lawyer. This got Makino thinking, and recalling Shizuka, her idol, who is also a lawyer, she decided to give her all to that ambition. With a goal in mind, Makino opened her books and began her intensive studying.


To be continued...

Hana Yori Dango Wallpaper

2 new wallpapers:


Actually, they're just different versions. Can't decide which is better.
Enjoy :) You can freely use this on your desktop but please if you plan on putting this on your site, let me know first.

Gatsby Ad featuring Kimura Takuya!!!!

All I can say is: WOW. It's kinda funny too, with that revised lyrics - "I can give you Gatssssubiiii, Gatsssuubbiii, Gatsssuubbiii. hahahahah :) Kimtaku is really so adorable. Check it out:

If you don't know Kimura Takuya then I pity you hahahaha. He's the lead actor in very famous JDoramas like Pride, Engine, Hero, Good Luck, etc. He's also part of the SMAP band. Still not ringing a bell? He was also the model of Levis:

Hana Yori Dango Season 2 Episode 1 Part 1 Photo Summary =)

Hey guys! Hope you enjoy the photo summary I have here. I'll be making photo summaries for each episode. =) Special thanks to Sars-fansubs. If you haven't watched HYD, and you want good quality fansubs, go to their site at http://www.sars-fansubs.com/.
You can click on the pictures to view a bigger version and download it to your heart's content.
I'm starting with Episode 1 of Season 2. I might do Season 1 too if you like :)

Episode 1 Season 2 Part 1

The show starts with Makino feeling absolutely lost in New York, trying to find Domyouji. With an inadequate grasp of the English language, she desperately tries to find her way in the crowded streets of New York, overwhelmed by all the people and how they look like famous celebrities (It's hilarious how she pronounces Brad Pitt - Bra-do Pit-to).

As if she wasn't in quite a predicament already, someone manages to snatch her bag, where all her money and essentials were kept.


Even worse, she encounters a group of hooligans. She tries to get into their good nature, with her hilarous English but only manages to piss them off even more. She cries for Domyouji's help and the hooligans could only look in disbelief at this girl claiming to know a high-profiled man like Domyouji.


Lucky for her, her knight in black leather pointy shoes (guess who *wink**wink*) comes to rescue him.



But before we find out who that guy really is, the show backtracks to an ordinary day at Eitoku Gakuen.

Things in Eitoku Gakuen are back to normal now that word is out that Domyouji has been ignoring Makino.

The people are as snooty as ever and are horrible to Makino. Makino does her best to ward them off as usual.

That day also marked the graduation day of the upper batch, which included the illustrious F4 minus Domyouji.

The principal congratulates the F4 (who are in their stylish suits as usual) and announces that the F4 have generously donated money to demolish the current canteen and build an F4 lounge.

Everyone is awestruck, except for Makino, who finds it unbelievable, still, that people could have that much money to spend.

To be Continued...