DramaWiki - User contributions [en]

Nemureru Mori

2007-04-16T16:38:17Z

Anoney:

[[File:NMori.jpg|thumb|320px|Nemureru Mori]]
==Details==
*'''Title:''' 眠れる森
*'''Title (romaji):''' Nemureru Mori
*'''Title (English):''' A Sleeping Forest
*'''Genre:''' Mystery
*'''Episodes:''' 12
*'''Viewership ratings:''' 25.2％
*'''Broadcast network:''' Fuji TV
*'''Broadcast period:''' 1998-Oct-08 to 1998-Dec-24
*'''Air time:''' [[Mokuyou Gekijou|Thursday 22:00]]
*'''Theme Song:''' ''"Camouflage"'' by Takeuchi Mariya

==Synopsis==
[[Kimura Takuya]] plays Ito Naoki, a mysterious man that seems to have some special connection with Oba Minako ([[Nakayama Miho]]) by their childhood. But Minako has lost her memory long ago and she won't remember anything about her childhood or him. Naoki knows almost everything about her and he secretly invites her to the "Sleeping Forest". From there on their story begins, into a mix of dark and romantic drama.

==Cast==
*[[Kimura Takuya]] as Ito Naoki
*[[Nakayama Miho]] as Oba Minako
*[[Natsuyagi Isao]] as Ito Naomi
*[[Nakamura Toru]] as Hamazaki Kiichiro
*[[Okada Masumi]] as Hamazaki Masateru
*[[Harada Mieko]] as Hamazaki Makiko
*[[Yusuke Santamaria]] as Nakajima Keita
*[[Kazama Shunsuke]] as Nakajima 敬太
*[[Honjo Manami]] as Sakuma Yuri
*[[Yokoyama Megumi]] as Tamaki Harue
*[[Jinnai Takanori]] as Kokubu Yoshiharu
*[[Honma Kenichi]] (本間憲一)
*[[Nagamine Naoko]] (長嶺尚子) as Shoko
*[[Sato Hiroshi]] (佐藤裕)
*[[Yazawa Kouji]]
*[[Sagawa Mitsuo]] as Ogura Keiji
*[[Yamaji Kazuhiro]] as Tamaki Kazuyoshi
*[[Nobuzane Kazunori]] (信実一徳) as Oba Yoshisan
*[[Makimura Senzaburo]] (牧村泉三郎) as Morita Akihito
*[[Inoue Kayo]] (井上夏葉) as Morita Kazuko
*[[Minami Miho]] (南美穂) as Morita Kimiko
*[[Ishibashi Ryo]]
*[[Tayama Ryosei]]
*[[Sasaki Katsuhiko]]
*[[Okumura Kouen]]
*[[Mori Kiyuki]]
*[[Ashizawa Takako]] (芦沢孝子)
*[[Yoshimitsu Ryota]] (吉満涼太)
*[[Tanaka Kenji]] (田中研二)
*[[Toraiaru Puro]] (トライアルプロ)
*劇団東俳

==Production Credits==
*'''Screenwriter:''' [[Nozawa Hisashi]]
*'''Producer:''' [[Kita Reiko]] (喜多丽子)
*'''Director:''' [[Nakae Isamu]], [[Sawada Kensaku]]
*'''Music:''' [[Yoshimata Ryo]]

==Episode Titles & Ratings==
<div style="float:left; width:60%;">
*'''Ep 01:''' 15年目のラブレター / Love letter of the 15th year
*'''Ep 02:''' つきまとう男 / A man who shadows it
*'''Ep 03:''' 記憶が嘘をつく / Memory tells a lie
*'''Ep 04:''' 暴行 / Assault
*'''Ep 05:''' 隠れ家 / Retreat
*'''Ep 06:''' 真犯人 / True culprit
*'''Ep 07:''' タイムカプセル / Time capsule
*'''Ep 08:''' 告白 / Confession
*'''Ep 09:''' マリアは見ていた / Maria was looking
*'''Ep 10:''' サンタクロース / Santa Claus
*'''Ep 11:''' 殺人者 / Murderer
*'''Ep 12:''' 聖夜の結婚式 / Wedding at Christmas Eve
</div>
<div style="float:right; width:40%;">
*'''Ep 01:''' 21.3％
*'''Ep 02:''' 24.6％
*'''Ep 03:''' 20.9％
*'''Ep 04:''' 23.4％
*'''Ep 05:''' 25.3％
*'''Ep 06:''' 25.7％
*'''Ep 07:''' 25.0％
*'''Ep 08:''' 24.4％
*'''Ep 09:''' 25.6％
*'''Ep 10:''' 26.9％
*'''Ep 11:''' 27.7％
*'''Ep 12:''' 30.8％
</div><br clear="all"/>

==Reviews==
===Review by anoney===
Hmm, I'm a little split on this drama.

I heard a lot of the praise surrounding this drama and "Sora Kara Furu Ichioku no Hoshi", and while I came away completely satisfied with that I was left feeling a little disappointed with this. The reason I make comparisons is because Kimura Takuya's character (Ito Naoki) seems to be oddly similar to that of his character in Sora Kara Furu (Ryo Katase). Both dark and brooding characters, hiding secrets and not letting people get too close.

Both dramas also start with a murder and while the solving of said murder eventually takes a backseat to the main story in Sora Kara Furu, it serves to advance the main plot of Nemureru Mori, and this is where the two dramas start coming into their own. I liked Nemureru Mori a lot. It's certainly not the best I've seen, but it's another strong performance from Takuya (who seems to be able to do no wrong according to everything I've seen of him up till now) and a surprisingly good turn from Nakayama Miho (Oba Minako) as the protagonist of the show. Minako's family were brutally murdered when she was 6 years old, and due to the trauma of being there when it happened, has lost all memory of who she was before the incident. As she is about to marry her fiance Kiichiro (a rather forgettable Nakamura Toru) she decides to make one last-ditch attempt to find out about her past by answering a seemingly innocent childhood letter which she has kept among her valuables for the past 15 years. This sets in motion the turn of events which results in Minako finally realising what exactly happened on that fateful day 15 years ago when her family were horrificly slain by a strange intruder.

[ SPOILERS AHEAD ]

This is a straight-up whodunnit story with strong elements of romance, but unfortunately will only leave you guessing up till the 7th or 8th episode as from there on the viewer can pretty much put all the pieces together. What kept me watching after I was convinced I'd figured it out was seeing how it all came together at the end, which unfortunately was a little disappointing too. For me, the ending was a little drawn-out and the final scene a little confusing. Kokubu's storyline was by far the most frustrating as his actions do not mirror his intentions in any way. When his final intentions are finally revealed I was left wondering just why on earth he had terrorised Minako and not Kiichiro. And speaking of Kiichiro, early on he seemed to not want Minako to find out about her past but was content with spilling the beans at the end like some dastardly villain. What exactly was his purpose of marrying Minako? Did he really love her? Or was he only making sure she never remembered the truth? I was never really sure whether Kiichiro was sorry for what he did, or not. The way the ending played out left me a little confused, and if not for Kimura Takuya's character and his involvment in the plot I would have been even more disappointed than I was. Minako was played very well, but about 2/3 into the show her character seemed to take a backseat to... well, the main plot (which at that point consisted of the boring chase after Kokubu).

[ END SPOILERS ]

Despite its faults, the show wraps up well with a surprisingly effective bittersweet final scene. The many twists along the way as we discover the truth about Minako's past help to keep the story going even during its more drawn out episodes. Definitely one to watch for the answers to questions you will ask from episode 1, if not for another great performance from Kimura Takuya.

The soundtrack is good with a nice lamentable orchestral main theme, despite a forgettable lyrical opening. Some of the more funky BG music gives away the fact that this is a 90s drama, but overall it fits well.

'''Rating:''' See It (3.5/5)

==External Links==
*[http://www.fujitv.co.jp/jp/b_hp/nemureru/ Official Site]
*[http://jdorama.com/drama.278.htm JDorama.com]
*[http://gb.dorama.info/drama/dramashow_common.php?num=104 dorama.info]

{{SeasonRing|Fuji TV|[[Mokuyou Gekijou|Tuesday 22:00]]|Summer 1998|-|Winter 1999|[[Ringu saishusho|Ringu Saishusho]]}}

[[Category:JDrama]] [[Category:JDrama1998]] [[Category:Fuji TV]]

Sora Kara Furu Ichioku no Hoshi

2007-03-31T12:31:54Z

Anoney:

[[File:Yuko ryo.jpg|thumb|250px|Yuko and Ryo]]

==Details==
*'''Title:''' 空から降る一億の星
*'''Title (romaji):''' Sora Kara Furu Ichioku no Hoshi
*'''Also known as:''' One Million Stars Falling from the Sky / The Smile Has Left Your Eyes
*'''Genre:''' Mystery, Thriller, Romance
*'''Episodes:''' 11
*'''Viewership ratings:''' 22.26%
*'''Broadcast network:''' Fuji TV
*'''Broadcast period:''' 2002-Apr-15 to 2002-Jun-24
*'''Air time:''' Monday 21:00
*'''Theme Song:''' ''Smile'' by [[Wikipedia:Elvis Costello|Elvis Costello]]

==Synopsis==
The story opens after a young female student kills herself by jumping off a balcony. It's soon discovered that she was in fact stabbed, and the room arranged to make it look like a suicide. And so we begin. A few minor details lead Detective Kanzo ([[Akashiya Sanma]]) to suspect that Ryo ([[Kimura Takuya]]), an enigmatic chef's assistant, knows more about her death.The two have run into each other by chance a few times, and each time left Kanzo with an uncomfortable feeling. Every clue that is revealed seems to lead to more questions about Ryo, his obsessive girlfriend, his callous and manipulative relations with several women, and about a painful memory from Kanzo's past. Things get more complicated when a powerful love/hate relationship develops between Ryo and Kanza's little sister, the beautiful Yuko ([[Eri Fukatsu]]). What exactly is their connection? As the evidence (and body count) rises, Kanza tries desperately to save his sister from Ryo's influence. He's no saint, but is he the Devil Kanza thinks he is? And why? The answers will floor you, even when you think you've got them figured out already.

==Cast==
*[[Akashiya Sanma]] as Dojima Kanzo
*[[Kimura Takuya]] as Katase Ryo
*[[Fukatsu Eri]] as Dojima Yuko
*[[Igawa Haruka]] as Nishihara Miwa
*[[Shibasaki Kou]] as Mizashita Yuki
*[[Tayama Ryosei]] as Takashi Osawa
*[[Yashima Norito]] as Kusaka Keita
*[[Morishita Aiko]] as Sugita Kotoko
*[[Ohsumi Kenya]] (大澄賢也) as Kashiwagi Naoya
*[[Kaneko Takatoshi]] as Mukai Yuki

==Production Credits==
*'''Screenwriter:''' [[Kitagawa Eriko]]
*'''Producer:''' [[Takai Ichiro]] (高井一郎), [[Suzuki Yoshihiro]] (鈴木吉弘)
*'''Director:''' [[Nakae Isamu]], [[Hirano Shin]]

==Episode Titles & Ratings==
<div style="float:left; width:60%;">
*'''Ep 01:''' 「出逢い」 "Fateful Encounter"
*'''Ep 02:''' 「悪い男」 "Bad Man"
*'''Ep 03:''' 「止まらない想い」 "Unstoppable Feelings"
*'''Ep 04:''' 「悲しい真相」 "Sad Truth"
*'''Ep 05:''' 「死のくちづけ」 "Kiss of Death"
*'''Ep 06:''' 「急展開、殺人」 "Rapid Development, Murderer"
*'''Ep 07:''' 「美羽、その愛と死」 "Beautiful Wings, Love and Death"
*'''Ep 08:''' 「明かされた過去」 "Revealed Past"
*'''Ep 09:''' 「二人結ばれた夜」 "The Night We Became One"
*'''Ep 10:''' 「悲劇」 "Tragedy"
*'''Ep 11:''' 「運命」 "Destiny"
-- ''translated by'' [[User:Awrittensin|awrittensin]]
</div>
<div style="float:right; width:40%;">
*'''Ep 01:''' 25.7%
*'''Ep 02:''' 23.5%
*'''Ep 03:''' 22.0%
*'''Ep 04:''' 24.1%
*'''Ep 05:''' 22.3%
*'''Ep 06:''' 20.3%
*'''Ep 07:''' 22.3%
*'''Ep 08:''' 19.2%
*'''Ep 09:''' 19.6%
*'''Ep 10:''' 18.9%
*'''Ep 11:''' 27.0%
</div><br clear="all"/>

==Reviews==
===Review by aNToK===
Boy, doesn't that sound exciting? So much so, that I had this laying around for 6 months until neonkinpatsu mentioned a plot twist or two that made me rethink watching. And here we are.

Folks, if you come into this drama thinking you're going to see some run-of-the-mill whodunnit drama with a little love thrown in or something, you'll be wrong. Dead wrong. If your idea of a good time is seeing a few J-idols fall in love, have problems, work everything out, live happily ever after, or if you just like salivating over Takuya Kimura, go watch Long Vacation, Beautiful Life, or Love Generation or something. You'll be happier that way. Trust me.

BUT...

If you're looking for something with realism and bite, that doesn't just poke around at the dark side of the human mind, but wallows in it like a starving pig at a trough, then you just might be ready for Million Stars. Maybe.
This is as close to a life-altering drama as I've seen yet, and I've seen a bunch. Two days later, I'm still thinking about it. Quite simply, this drama is a dark masterpiece, and noone who watches it will come out unaffected...

Like I said before, this drama is a true modern masterpiece. The characters are real, with good and bad sides to all.The burn scars that Ryo and Yuko share to me represent the emotional scars that dwell within us all. The director does an amazing job building tension in every episode, and when the slightly eerie "Mission Impossible" style music starts up at the end of every show, the cliffhanger leaves you jumping as fast as you can to the next episode.
This series is like a speeding train with no brakes. You know there's going to be a crash somewhere, but you've got to keep watching to see where the bodies fall.

After the emotionally draining experience that drama was for me, I'm going to have to rewatch Sweet 18 or something to get my head back on straight. It's that effecting.

Okay, maybe I'll play that scene from ep 11 just one more time first....<br>
'''Rating:''' See it/Life Altering (4.5/5)

===Review by anoney===
Wow.

Just finished watching this drama after having it sit on my computer for over a year. Antok's review up there had me chomping at the bit to watch this as soon as I got any free time from study/work, and boy am I glad I did.

I've not seen many Jdramas, in fact I could probably count all the ones I've seen on both hands. However, I have to say this is quite possibly the favorite, if not at least one of my favorites that I've seen so far. I rather like sad, tragic, gritty dramas (I LOVED the live-action Hotaru no Haka, much better than the anime in my opinion) so I was very at home with this tale of murder, betrayal and tragedy. Kimura Takuya gives a sterling performance as the very broken and twisted Ryo, with Akashiya Sanma heading up the "hero" side with his great portrayal of an old and tired detective who has spent his life giving more than he takes.

While the opening episode is fairly slow compared to most, it does set an intriguing premise which I defy anyone not to want to investigate further. As you follow the plot's progression through each episode, it just gets darker, grittier and more tragic. While the build-up tends to give away the tragic nature of the show at times (I didn't have the ending completely pegged but it definitely wasn't surprising save for a few points) the ending will still leave you choking and emotionally beat up. After I had watched it I felt very similar to when I had finished watching Hotaru no Haka (Grave of the Fireflies), as though someone had just kicked a dead puppy in front of me. Yes, the story is somewhat simple and there are some slow points during the show, but if you allow yourself to really get swept up in the lives of these characters then overall this will have a very strong impact on you as a simple work of fiction (if only for a few days as you mull over it). The story delves into the human psyche and asks questions about why humans act the way they do, to which it doesn't always give the answers (which may be infuriating to some). In fact, the ending may leave you feeling "Well, damn. That was sad and really unfortunate. I don't really know what I'm supposed to say, but it's sad nonetheless", which is completely fine because as a Shakespearean tragedy (which is what it feels like as you approach the conclusion) you can't help but "observe" the sadness and tragicness of the whole thing for a few days after finishing it. That is not to say that you can't analyse this beyond simply acknowledging it's tragic nature, because this had me thinking for days afterwards about the motives of the characters, what led them from one point to another, and how people generally cope with such great personal tragedy.

I can't say too much without giving details away. Performance-wise this was gripping. Ryo (Kimura) and Yuko (Eri) have such great on-screen chemistry, and Kanzo (Sanma) and Ryo's on-screen "face-offs" can be "edge-of-your-seat" stuff.

Very highly recommended despite it's minor story flaws. Just have something light-hearted lined up soon after.

'''Rating:''' Life Altering (4.5/5)

==External Links==
*[http://www.fujitv.co.jp/jp/b_hp/sorakara/ Official Site]
*[http://jdorama.com/drama.657.htm JDorama.com]
*[[Wikipedia:ja:空から降る一億の星|Japanese Wikipedia]]
*[http://www.spcnet.tv/reviews/review.php?rID=243 Spcnet.tv Review]
*[http://www.d-addicts.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=9478 Discussion @ D-Addicts.com]

{{SeasonRing|Fuji TV|[[Getsuku (Fuji TV)|Monday 21:00]]|Winter 2002|[[Hito ni Yasashiku]]|Summer 2002|[[Lunch no Joou]]}}

[[Category:JDrama]] [[Category:JDrama2002]] [[Category:Fuji TV]]

Sora Kara Furu Ichioku no Hoshi

2007-03-31T01:03:43Z

Anoney:

[[File:Yuko ryo.jpg|thumb|250px|Yuko and Ryo]]

==Details==
*'''Title:''' 空から降る一億の星
*'''Title (romaji):''' Sora Kara Furu Ichioku no Hoshi
*'''Also known as:''' One Million Stars Falling from the Sky / The Smile Has Left Your Eyes
*'''Genre:''' Mystery/Thriller/Romance
*'''Episodes:''' 11
*'''Viewership ratings:''' 22.26%
*'''Broadcast network:''' Fuji TV
*'''Broadcast period:''' 2002-Apr-15 to 2002-Jun-24
*'''Air time:''' Monday 21:00
*'''Theme Song:''' ''Smile'' by [[Wikipedia:Elvis Costello|Elvis Costello]]

==Synopsis==
The story opens after a young female student kills herself by jumping off a balcony. It's soon discovered that she was in fact stabbed, and the room arranged to make it look like a suicide. And so we begin. A few minor details lead Detective Kanzo ([[Akashiya Sanma]]) to suspect that Ryo ([[Kimura Takuya]]), an enigmatic chef's assistant, knows more about her death.The two have run into each other by chance a few times, and each time left Kanzo with an uncomfortable feeling. Every clue that is revealed seems to lead to more questions about Ryo, his obsessive girlfriend, his callous and manipulative relations with several women, and about a painful memory from Kanzo's past. Things get more complicated when a powerful love/hate relationship develops between Ryo and Kanza's little sister, the beautiful Yuko ([[Eri Fukatsu]]). What exactly is their connection? As the evidence (and body count) rises, Kanza tries desperately to save his sister from Ryo's influence. He's no saint, but is he the Devil Kanza thinks he is? And why? The answers will floor you, even when you think you've got them figured out already.

==Cast==
*[[Akashiya Sanma]] as Dojima Kanzo
*[[Kimura Takuya]] as Katase Ryo
*[[Fukatsu Eri]] as Dojima Yuko
*[[Igawa Haruka]] as Nishihara Miwa
*[[Shibasaki Kou]] as Mizashita Yuki
*[[Tayama Ryosei]] as Takashi Osawa
*[[Yashima Norito]] as Kusaka Keita
*[[Morishita Aiko]] as Sugita Kotoko
*[[Ohsumi Kenya]] (大澄賢也) as Kashiwagi Naoya
*[[Kaneko Takatoshi]] as Mukai Yuki

==Production Credits==
*'''Screenwriter:''' [[Kitagawa Eriko]]
*'''Producer:''' [[Takai Ichiro]] (高井一郎), [[Suzuki Yoshihiro]] (鈴木吉弘)
*'''Director:''' [[Nakae Isamu]], [[Hirano Shin]]

==Episode Titles==
*'''Ep 01:''' 「出逢い」 "Fateful Encounter"
*'''Ep 02:''' 「悪い男」 "Bad Man"
*'''Ep 03:''' 「止まらない想い」 "Unstoppable Feelings"
*'''Ep 04:''' 「悲しい真相」 "Sad Truth"
*'''Ep 05:''' 「死のくちづけ」 "Kiss of Death"
*'''Ep 06:''' 「急展開、殺人」 "Rapid Development, Murderer"
*'''Ep 07:''' 「美羽、その愛と死」 "Beautiful Wings, Love and Death"
*'''Ep 08:''' 「明かされた過去」 "Revealed Past"
*'''Ep 09:''' 「二人結ばれた夜」 "The Night We Became One"
*'''Ep 10:''' 「悲劇」 "Tragedy"
*'''Ep 11:''' 「運命」 "Destiny"

-- ''translated by'' '''[[User:Awrittensin|awrittensin]]'''

==Episode Ratings==
*'''Ep 01:''' 25.7%
*'''Ep 02:''' 23.5%
*'''Ep 03:''' 22.0%
*'''Ep 04:''' 24.1%
*'''Ep 05:''' 22.3%
*'''Ep 06:''' 20.3%
*'''Ep 07:''' 22.3%
*'''Ep 08:''' 19.2%
*'''Ep 09:''' 19.6%
*'''Ep 10:''' 18.9%
*'''Ep 11:''' 27.0%

==Review by aNToK==
Boy, doesn't that sound exciting? So much so, that I had this laying around for 6 months until neonkinpatsu mentioned a plot twist or two that made me rethink watching. And here we are.

Folks, if you come into this drama thinking you're going to see some run-of-the-mill whodunnit drama with a little love thrown in or something, you'll be wrong. Dead wrong. If your idea of a good time is seeing a few J-idols fall in love, have problems, work everything out, live happily ever after, or if you just like salivating over Takuya Kimura, go watch Long Vacation, Beautiful Life, or Love Generation or something. You'll be happier that way. Trust me.

BUT...

If you're looking for something with realism and bite, that doesn't just poke around at the dark side of the human mind, but wallows in it like a starving pig at a trough, then you just might be ready for Million Stars. Maybe.
This is as close to a life-altering drama as I've seen yet, and I've seen a bunch. Two days later, I'm still thinking about it. Quite simply, this drama is a dark masterpiece, and noone who watches it will come out unaffected...

Like I said before, this drama is a true modern masterpiece. The characters are real, with good and bad sides to all.The burn scars that Ryo and Yuko share to me represent the emotional scars that dwell within us all. The director does an amazing job building tension in every episode, and when the slightly eerie "Mission Impossible" style music starts up at the end of every show, the cliffhanger leaves you jumping as fast as you can to the next episode.
This series is like a speeding train with no brakes. You know there's going to be a crash somewhere, but you've got to keep watching to see where the bodies fall.

After the emotionally draining experience that drama was for me, I'm going to have to rewatch Sweet 18 or something to get my head back on straight. It's that effecting.

Okay, maybe I'll play that scene from ep 11 just one more time first....<br>
'''Rating:''' See it/Life Altering (4.5/5)

==Review by anoney==
Wow.

Just finished watching this drama after having it sit on my computer for over a year. Antok's review up there had me chomping at the bit to watch this as soon as I got any free time from study/work, and boy am I glad I did.

I've not seen many Jdramas, in fact I could probably count all the ones I've seen on both hands. However, I have to say this is quite possibly the favorite, if not at least one of my favorites that I've seen so far. I rather like sad, tragic, gritty dramas (I LOVED the live-action Hotaru no Haka, much better than the anime in my opinion) so I was very at home with this tale of murder, betrayal and tragedy. Kimura Takuya gives a sterling performance as the very broken and twisted Ryo, with Akashiya Sanma heading up the "hero" side with his great portrayal of an old and tired detective who has spent his life giving more than he takes.

While the opening episode is fairly slow compared to most, it does set an intriguing premise which I defy anyone not to want to investigate further. As you follow the plot's progression through each episode, it just gets darker, grittier and more tragic. While the build-up tends to give away the tragic nature of the show at times (I didn't have the ending completely pegged but it definitely wasn't surprising save for a few points) the ending will still leave you choking and emotionally beat up. After I had watched it I felt very similar to when I had finished watching Hotaru no Haka (Grave of the Fireflies), as though someone had just kicked a dead puppy in front of me. Yes, the story is somewhat simple and there are some slow points during the show, but if you allow yourself to really get swept up in the lives of these characters then overall this will have a very strong impact on you as a simple work of fiction (if only for a few days as you mull over it). The story delves into the human psyche and asks questions about why humans act the way they do, to which it doesn't always give the answers (which may be infuriating to some). In fact, the ending may leave you feeling "Well, damn. That was sad and really unfortunate. I don't really know what I'm supposed to say, but it's sad nonetheless", which is completely fine because as a Shakespearean tragedy (which is what it feels like as you approach the conclusion) you can't help but "observe" the sadness and tragicness of the whole thing for a few days after finishing it. That is not to say that you can't analyse this beyond simply acknowledging it's tragic nature, because this had me thinking for days afterwards about the motives of the characters, what led them from one point to another, and how people generally cope with such great personal tragedy.

I can't say too much without giving details away. Performance-wise this was gripping. Ryo (Kimura) and Yuko (Eri) have suge great on-screen chemistry, and Kanzo (Sanma) and Ryo's on-screen "face-offs" can be "edge-of-your-seat" stuff.

Very highly recommended despite it's minor story flaws. Just have something light-hearted lined up soon after.

'''Rating:''' Life Altering (4.5/5)

==External Links==
*[http://www.fujitv.co.jp/jp/b_hp/sorakara/ Official Site]
*[http://jdorama.com/drama.657.htm JDorama.com]
*[[Wikipedia:ja:空から降る一億の星|Japanese Wikipedia]]
*[http://www.spcnet.tv/reviews/review.php?rID=243 Spcnet.tv Review]
*[http://www.d-addicts.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=9478 Discussion @ D-Addicts.com]

{{SeasonRing|Fuji TV|[[Getsuku (Fuji TV)|Monday 21:00]]|Winter 2002|[[Hito ni Yasashiku]]|Summer 2002|[[Lunch no Joou]]}}

[[Category:JDrama]] [[Category:JDrama2002]] [[Category:Fuji TV]]

Sora Kara Furu Ichioku no Hoshi

2007-03-31T01:03:23Z

Anoney:

[[File:Yuko ryo.jpg|thumb|250px|Yuko and Ryo]]

==Details==
*'''Title:''' 空から降る一億の星
*'''Title (romaji):''' Sora Kara Furu Ichioku no Hoshi
*'''Also known as:''' One Million Stars Falling from the Sky / The Smile Has Left Your Eyes
*'''Genre:''' Mystery/Thriller/Romance
*'''Episodes:''' 11
*'''Viewership ratings:''' 22.26%
*'''Broadcast network:''' Fuji TV
*'''Broadcast period:''' 2002-Apr-15 to 2002-Jun-24
*'''Air time:''' Monday 21:00
*'''Theme Song:''' ''Smile'' by [[Wikipedia:Elvis Costello|Elvis Costello]]

==Synopsis==
The story opens after a young female student kills herself by jumping off a balcony. It's soon discovered that she was in fact stabbed, and the room arranged to make it look like a suicide. And so we begin. A few minor details lead Detective Kanzo ([[Akashiya Sanma]]) to suspect that Ryo ([[Kimura Takuya]]), an enigmatic chef's assistant, knows more about her death.The two have run into each other by chance a few times, and each time left Kanzo with an uncomfortable feeling. Every clue that is revealed seems to lead to more questions about Ryo, his obsessive girlfriend, his callous and manipulative relations with several women, and about a painful memory from Kanzo's past. Things get more complicated when a powerful love/hate relationship develops between Ryo and Kanza's little sister, the beautiful Yuko ([[Eri Fukatsu]]). What exactly is their connection? As the evidence (and body count) rises, Kanza tries desperately to save his sister from Ryo's influence. He's no saint, but is he the Devil Kanza thinks he is? And why? The answers will floor you, even when you think you've got them figured out already.

==Cast==
*[[Akashiya Sanma]] as Dojima Kanzo
*[[Kimura Takuya]] as Katase Ryo
*[[Fukatsu Eri]] as Dojima Yuko
*[[Igawa Haruka]] as Nishihara Miwa
*[[Shibasaki Kou]] as Mizashita Yuki
*[[Tayama Ryosei]] as Takashi Osawa
*[[Yashima Norito]] as Kusaka Keita
*[[Morishita Aiko]] as Sugita Kotoko
*[[Ohsumi Kenya]] (大澄賢也) as Kashiwagi Naoya
*[[Kaneko Takatoshi]] as Mukai Yuki

==Production Credits==
*'''Screenwriter:''' [[Kitagawa Eriko]]
*'''Producer:''' [[Takai Ichiro]] (高井一郎), [[Suzuki Yoshihiro]] (鈴木吉弘)
*'''Director:''' [[Nakae Isamu]], [[Hirano Shin]]

==Episode Titles==
*'''Ep 01:''' 「出逢い」 "Fateful Encounter"
*'''Ep 02:''' 「悪い男」 "Bad Man"
*'''Ep 03:''' 「止まらない想い」 "Unstoppable Feelings"
*'''Ep 04:''' 「悲しい真相」 "Sad Truth"
*'''Ep 05:''' 「死のくちづけ」 "Kiss of Death"
*'''Ep 06:''' 「急展開、殺人」 "Rapid Development, Murderer"
*'''Ep 07:''' 「美羽、その愛と死」 "Beautiful Wings, Love and Death"
*'''Ep 08:''' 「明かされた過去」 "Revealed Past"
*'''Ep 09:''' 「二人結ばれた夜」 "The Night We Became One"
*'''Ep 10:''' 「悲劇」 "Tragedy"
*'''Ep 11:''' 「運命」 "Destiny"

-- ''translated by'' '''[[User:Awrittensin|awrittensin]]'''

==Episode Ratings==
*'''Ep 01:''' 25.7%
*'''Ep 02:''' 23.5%
*'''Ep 03:''' 22.0%
*'''Ep 04:''' 24.1%
*'''Ep 05:''' 22.3%
*'''Ep 06:''' 20.3%
*'''Ep 07:''' 22.3%
*'''Ep 08:''' 19.2%
*'''Ep 09:''' 19.6%
*'''Ep 10:''' 18.9%
*'''Ep 11:''' 27.0%

==Review by aNToK==
Boy, doesn't that sound exciting? So much so, that I had this laying around for 6 months until neonkinpatsu mentioned a plot twist or two that made me rethink watching. And here we are.

Folks, if you come into this drama thinking you're going to see some run-of-the-mill whodunnit drama with a little love thrown in or something, you'll be wrong. Dead wrong. If your idea of a good time is seeing a few J-idols fall in love, have problems, work everything out, live happily ever after, or if you just like salivating over Takuya Kimura, go watch Long Vacation, Beautiful Life, or Love Generation or something. You'll be happier that way. Trust me.

BUT...

If you're looking for something with realism and bite, that doesn't just poke around at the dark side of the human mind, but wallows in it like a starving pig at a trough, then you just might be ready for Million Stars. Maybe.
This is as close to a life-altering drama as I've seen yet, and I've seen a bunch. Two days later, I'm still thinking about it. Quite simply, this drama is a dark masterpiece, and noone who watches it will come out unaffected...

Like I said before, this drama is a true modern masterpiece. The characters are real, with good and bad sides to all.The burn scars that Ryo and Yuko share to me represent the emotional scars that dwell within us all. The director does an amazing job building tension in every episode, and when the slightly eerie "Mission Impossible" style music starts up at the end of every show, the cliffhanger leaves you jumping as fast as you can to the next episode.
This series is like a speeding train with no brakes. You know there's going to be a crash somewhere, but you've got to keep watching to see where the bodies fall.

After the emotionally draining experience that drama was for me, I'm going to have to rewatch Sweet 18 or something to get my head back on straight. It's that effecting.

Okay, maybe I'll play that scene from ep 11 just one more time first....<br>
'''Rating:''' See it/Life Altering (4.5/5)

==Review by anoney==
Wow.

Just finished watching this drama after having it sit on my computer for over a year. Antok's review up there had me chomping at the bit to watch this as soon as I got any free time from study/work, and boy am I glad I did.

I've not seen many Jdramas, in fact I could probably count all the ones I've seen on both hands. However, I have to say this is quite possibly the favorite, if not at least one of my favorites that I've seen so far. I rather like sad, tragic, gritty dramas (I LOVED the live-action Hotaru no Haka, much better than the anime in my opinion) so I was very at home with this tale of murder, betrayal and tragedy. Kimura Takuya gives a sterling performance as the very broken and twisted Ryo, with Akashiya Sanma heading up the "hero" side with his great portrayal of an old and tired detective who has spent his life giving more than he takes.

While the opening episode is fairly slow compared to most, it does set an intriguing premise which I defy anyone not to want to investigate further. As you follow the plot's progression through each episode, it just gets darker, grittier and more tragic. While the build-up tends to give away the tragic nature of the show at times (I didn't have the ending completely pegged but it definitely wasn't surprising save for a few points) the ending will still leave you choking and emotionally beat up. After I had watched it I felt very similar to when I had finished watching Hotaru no Haka (Grave of the Fireflies), as though someone had just kicked a dead puppy in front of me. Yes, the story is somewhat simple and there are some slow points during the show, but if you allow yourself to really get swept up in the lives of these characters then overall this will have a very strong impact on you as a simple work of fiction (if only for a few days as you mull over it). The story delves into the human psyche and asks questions about why humans act the way they do, to which it doesn't always give the answers (which may be infuriating to some). In fact, the ending may leave you feeling "Well, damn. That was sad and really unfortunate. I don't really know what I'm supposed to say, but it's sad nonetheless", which is completely fine because as a Shakespearean tragedy (which is what it feels like as you approach the conclusion) you can't help but "observe" the sadness and tragicness of the whole thing for a few days after finishing it. That is not to say that you can't analyse this beyond simply acknowledging it's tragic nature, because this had me thinking for days afterwards about the motives of the characters, what led them from one point to another, and how people generally cope with such great personal tragedy.

I can't say too much without giving details away. Performance-wise this was gripping. Ryo (Kimura) and Yuko (Eri) have suge great on-screen chemistry, and Kanzo (Sanma) and Ryo's on-screen "face-offs" can be "edge-of-your-seat" stuff.

Very highly recommended despite it's minor story flaws. Just have something light-hearted lined up soon after.
'''Rating:''' Life Altering (4.5/5)

==External Links==
*[http://www.fujitv.co.jp/jp/b_hp/sorakara/ Official Site]
*[http://jdorama.com/drama.657.htm JDorama.com]
*[[Wikipedia:ja:空から降る一億の星|Japanese Wikipedia]]
*[http://www.spcnet.tv/reviews/review.php?rID=243 Spcnet.tv Review]
*[http://www.d-addicts.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=9478 Discussion @ D-Addicts.com]

{{SeasonRing|Fuji TV|[[Getsuku (Fuji TV)|Monday 21:00]]|Winter 2002|[[Hito ni Yasashiku]]|Summer 2002|[[Lunch no Joou]]}}

[[Category:JDrama]] [[Category:JDrama2002]] [[Category:Fuji TV]]