taifuu no tame

Last-Friends01

So far I've watched the first five episodes and they're just all wonderful! Last Friends, to me, is just way up there, almost on the same level as Hana Yori Dango! Both these j-dramas are the epitome of the very reason why I love j-dramas! Walang sayang na eksena! And the characters, whether originally created or adapted from another story, are given so much depth you don't see them as characters anymore as the story unfolds - you begin to see them as real people. You wouldn't be surprised if you find yourself bumping into them the next time you go outside (that is, provided you're in Japan hahah!).

The story was crafted to define the human psyche against issues and emotions that the current generation can relate to. The opening theme presents five words that pretty much sum up the conflicts evolving within the series - LOVE. AGONY. SOLITUDE. LIBERATION. CONTRADICTION. But the single theme, I believe, is how the human soul reacts when it hungers for love. People with different personalities, each having seen a different face of life, react differently to this hunger, and with varying intensity. Michiru (Nagasawa Masami), for instance, portrays the weakest link among the five characters. In the early scenes I kept saying the girl was just stupid, allowing herself to be her boyfriend's object of violence. But the episodes slowly revealed things about her that made me understand why she chose to put up with such a disturbing situation. The story made me understand how utterly low she actually feels about herself, because she believes no one has really loved and cared for her, not even her own mother, until Sosuke (Nishikido Ryo) - the two-faced boyfriend who treats her gently one minute and hurts her till she bleeds the next - came into the picture. Caring for Sosuke was a burden she willingly placed upon herself, because she believes he also doesn't have anyone else to care for him, therefore she imagines his pain as very much like her own. Idiotic, really. It's something that I somehow understand but will never perfectly grasp the thought of. Yet, come to think of it, it does happen in reality. This is still one real issue actually happening across generations and different societies. And these women, who allow themselves to be constantly subjected to such pain, might just have the same psyche as Michiru. In the end, they all hunger for love, so much they're willing to take any form of it, or what's seemingly like it, even if it eats their life away, as Episode 3's subtitle aptly puts it.

And then there's Ruka (Nodame Cantabile's Ueno Juri), Michiru's best friend. She seems to be the strongest lead in the story. While Michiru grew up in a world where she hungered for attention, Ruka grew up in a warm home. Her family's always there to support her dream of becoming the best Motocross racer in Japan, and her father is her greatest fan. All seemed right, it would seem, for Ruka, but as one of the characters said in one of the scenes, we will never really know how lonely a person is even if we're looking at them close by. For Ruka actually has gender issues - she's not comfortable with her body, she's dead scared of people getting too close, especially men, and she's in love with her best friend. She doesn't know how she will let her family know about it, especially her dad whom she said she doesn't ever want to see saddened by anything. Worse still, she doesn't have the courage to tell Michiru about how she really feels, and it pains her to see her friend constantly being hurt and getting manipulated by that spawn-of-the-devil boyfriend of hers. Ruka aches for Michiru's love. But above all, she wants freedom from the gender-oriented conforms of the society.

The story so far revolves mainly on these two characters, while breadcrumb trails of info about the other three are gradually being inserted in the plot, which makes them equally interesting. The inner conflict has already been established for each of them but, following the Asian belief that everyone has their good and, erm, not so good side, I'm expecting there's a true cause that the story will unravel later on, which will explain why the inner conflict was there to begin with, particularly for Takeru (played by Eita). Why he's just as afraid as Ruka in getting intimate with the opposite sex is still a mystery. I've a theory inside my head that's quite more disturbing than Michiru's issue, but I'm not gonna say it yet until I've seen enough proof. In any case, I would love for him and Ruka to eventually be together (because he's actually falling for Ruka!), but for some reason I'm having a nasty premonition about what will happen by the end of the story =(

Did I mention the opening theme earlier? Oh, but I didn't mention how SUGOI the opening theme is! Both the video and the song are just so perfectly done, and the combination married well with the concept of the series. Utada Hikaru's Prisoner of Love, as expected from my fave artist, ROCKS! And the red thread thing - it's actually based on Japanese (or was it Buddhist in general?) belief, where the red thread usually represents the thread of life that connects one person to another, in the context of fateful encounters, whether friends or lovers. Galeng di ba? ^_^

Lastly - I'd just die if I didn't say this - the actors are just all fantastic! They all play their part so well, especially Ueno Juri-san! For crying out loud, I saw her as Nodame and she just looked so laughably dumb, spaced out, but downright adorable there hahah! And then I saw her here and it was a complete 360-degree transformation! Best actress ikaw ba yan?

All things considered, Last Friends is a MUST-SEE J-DRAMA! Heck, but I haven't blogged like this, THIS LONG, for a very long time now! I never even wrote something like this for HanaDan (shame on me!). So, yeah, saying I love this j-drama, and that I would definitely recommend everyone who hasn't seen it to SEE IT ALREADY --- it's 100% understatement ^_^

yup, we just got married. hahah!

Certificate of Marriage

This is to certify that
Ohno Satoshi
and
tiramisuaddict
were married on
May 17, 2008
Marry Your Favorite Character

saw this DHL ad way, way back, but i just saw it again and decided, heck, i've just got to share this! It's awfully sweet and equally hilarious!

he's such a humble person. getting motto yasashii despite him becoming ever more popular. that's my ohno. that's why i love him so. *and now another wave of flailing begins*

2008.05.02. Arashi Discovery <Hai. Next!> - 大野智☆Ohno Satoshi

http://ohnosatoshi.groups.vox.com/lib...

人には様々な感情があります。怒ったり、泣いたり、笑ったり。さて、怒るという感情を英語では何と言うでしょうか？次の三つの中から選んで下さい。1：ハングリー　2：アングリー　3：シャーリーWe have many emotions. Time to time we rage, cry and laugh.Now, what do you call the feeling of displeasure and hostility in English?1: Hungry 2: Angry 3: Shirley

my baby's singing the ARASHI anthem!!! and sho's facial expression is just as precious!!!

this is how RIIDA looks like during summer hahah!

Ohno_satoshi_smexy

tamang-tama! i also just had a tan after a balai laiya (batangas) day trip with friends last week. bagay kami ni riida! EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEKKKKKKK!!! *flailing and hyperventilating*

dunno when exactly this pic was shot though - thanks to Tha_Twins at the aibakaland forums for sharing this uber wonderful, sexy pic of my our beloved RIIDA.

Minna-san!

Am planning to get magazines for April - Myojo and Popolo - because my beloved Arashi is featured on them ^.^ Yes, Arashi and other MECHA KAKKOI and SUGOI JE IDOLS - MECHA MECHA SUTEKI NE! ^.~

Check out the sites/scans I've just stumbled upon and see how good April will be for us JE fans:

Heysayjumpcalendar-thumb

The April issue features Arashi, Hey!Say!JUMP, KAT-TUN, NEWS, Kimura Takuya, Tackey and Tsubasa, KinKi Kids and more! PLUS, they've got Hey!Say!JUMP Calendar included in the issue!

Popolo April - it's got a lot of Arashi goodness! Tenjo Style and Arashi Princess have been more than happy to share the scans ^.^

I might also get March issues of Potato, Popolo, Wink UP and Duet. You can check on this link for the scans courtesy of pocco_moco

Anyone in the Philippines who also wants to have a copy of any of these magazines - leave a message here or send me a note at lifeisabusride@yahoo.com - am thinking of having issues shipped in bulk, that's if I can get enough requests ^.^

*Hyperventilating mode*

I've just come across boys_paper's scans of the latest Myojo (March) issue!!!

I've just ordered Riida-chan's butai DVD last week. Now am thinking of buying magazines too kyaaaaaaaa~~!!!

Speaking of..... imohto-chan cathalina09 just texted me about Myojo Nov 07 issue up for bid - currently it's at Php1150 - bid at P50 increments - fight!!! Msg her or me through LJ if interested, minna ^.~

ok... i need to calm myself down............... 

it's been a long while since i last explored vox and the arashi communities, big thanks to my uber stressful work of late.

i just found out ohno's BUTAI DVD - TENSEI KUNPU - will be released this march *flailing to the highest level* WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!

am currently creating a cdjapan account, heaven help me. in the name of LOVE - na itatago ko sa pangalang OHNO SATOSHI. hahah!

my friend Julie-chan and i went to the food district in Morato in Quezon City, to Sushi Katsu. we had our fill of their famous nabe yaki udon - YUM YUM! plus some sushi - QUADRUPLE YUMMY!

but the highlight of this night's quest was the infamous fermented soy beans of Japan - the NATTO. i previously only saw it on TV and in magazine - i know it just looked sticky. now that i've had my first experience of it, i can gladly add a few more words to associate with the proverbial thing. so to complete its definition in my mind: it looks sticky, smells icky, and tastes kinda yucky - hahah! no offense meant to Aiba-chan, really!!! but i now find myself wondering why almost half of Japan's population eat natto. guess they eat it along with another much tastier food, huh? ^.^