Sean Akizuki's East Asian Drama and Movie Blog

I really don't like engaging in the whole division of J-Pop vs. K-Pop because it's almost like Star Wars vs. Star Trek -- you are free to pick one over the other or like both in varying degrees. A new ramble I have now may reveal my possible, tentative schedule. It's because I think my preferences may shift for the umpteenth time. I don't like new school Super Sentai that much in contrast to new school Kamen Rider. Also, I've been into K-Drama every now and then thanks to the power of the digital age -- I don't have to stay up late to watch those awfully dubbed K-Dramas on ABS-CBN and GMA-7. Now, two series are coming in early and late September 2019 namely Kamen Rider Zero-One and Vagabond. Kamen Rider Zero-One So, what's with new school Kamen Rider and why do I tend to prefer it over the new school Super Sentai entries even when I can still watch both? It's quite the reverse, actually. I tend to think that the Showa-era Kamen Rider series aren...

One thing I can say that Zi-O has broken my expectations of a total disaster due to the Shirakura-Shimoyama tandem . However, Kyuranger's Nobuhiro Mouri does learn a lot from his mistakes and he's actually doing it better -- way better than whenever Shimoyama pops in. Like I said, the only reason why Ninninger is "better" than the utter failure that's Ninja Steel is that the girls are hotter, no season split, and may I add that at least Takaharu is nowhere near as stupid as Victor and Monty. Other than that, I haven't had the stomach to re-watch Ninninger even when the girls are hotter. So how are things going on? The three-parter is interesting in this way. We see the dangers of altering time and Daiki getting more used than he was in Kamen Rider Decade. Tsukasa appears yet again to be better utilized than Shoji Yonemura did. Well as I said, I may not like Decade but at least Tsukasa has the chance to redeem himself. At least, Decade's not turned into ...

The Kamen Rider era has a long history though it's not Toei's longest-running series. Who can remember the rather shaky Showa era where there were hiatuses in between certain shows? Who can remember the successful revival of Kamen Rider in the Heisei era last 2000? The Heisei era ended last May 1, 2019, and Kamen Rider Zi-O ended as the last Heisei era Rider to migrate into the Reiwa era. Now, it's time to make way for the first true Reiwa-era Kamen Rider with Kamen Rider Zero-01. What's the significance of the numbers 01? They are read as Reiwan where you can find the word Reiwa. Is Toei punning everyone? Do you remember when the first Kamen Rider who was just called Kamen Rider was later called Kamen Rider Ichigo which means The First Kamen Rider? However, Kuuga means empty self which Kamen Rider did to empty itself from the traditional formula and it's been stuck in that framework ever since -- albeit with some changes. However, it doesn't look like the w...

I did enjoy the brutal choreography (which was close to Arnold Schwarzenegger's version of Conan the Barbarian) of Jingle Ma's Hua Mulan with one character dying after the other. Heck, I even thought the death of Jaycee Chan's character as a human version of Mushu was something satisfying to watch. Now, I thought that the ending was a cliffhanger and I hated that, "Why must Weitai marry that Rouran princess to secure a treaty? It's just not FREAKING FAIR after all they have gone through!"Some may argue that he can take Mulan as a second wife but WTF - it's just not fair for any woman to be forced into that position! Then I remembered Disney's Mulan had a sequel. Well, there's no Mushu-type character to ruin it so that means don't expect Jaycee to return. What's my possible plot? Wentai doesn't love the Rouran princess and he still loves Mulan. Mulan makes that sacrifice for the good of the nation until she sees that she still loves W...

Kamen Rider Zi-O reaches the finality of the Heisei era -- except where he gathered the powers of Kamen Rider Drive and Kamen Rider Kuuga in the Kamen Rider Heisei Generations FOREVER movie (which I still need to watch) and the Over Quartzer summer movie which will be on July 16, 2019. So how's the arc? Well, sorry for the delayed review because I was watching Jiban and Denziman. Anyway, let's get started, shall we? Maybe, I can be biased but I think Zi-O's Den-O tribute is better than what happened in Kamen Rider Decade  -- though I have to admit that like ToQGer and Season 2 of Kamen Rider Amazons that the said episode was written by Yasuko Kobayashi. If anything, I think Nobuhiro Mouri is the saving grace of Zi-O in one way or another while Kento Shimoyama is pretty much either he hits or he misses -- though I admit the Decade arc was still interesting. The side story is pretty much soap operatic. It's the typical "I can't let my family know that ...

Just as I'm watching the TV drama "Refresh Man" and now I've wondered why are soap operas well, called soap operas? I'd rather call it TV drama but I remembered being told, "You're so fond of soap operas." So why are these dramas that focused on daily life and characters called soap operas? According to " Today I Found Out " -- here's the reason that might not be too surprising:  Today I found out why soap operas are called soap operas. This all started out in the 1920’s; a simpler time where Jazz was swell; the Soviet Union was in its infancy; Robbert Goddard became the first rocket man, and the world only existed in black and white… In this bustling time, radio was the Bee’s Knees.  On the radio was a series of serials aimed at women aired during the day time.  Dames thought these were the cat’s meow and ate up every second of them.  The radio networks themselves decided they needed to think up ways to make more clams off th...

Not every love triangle needs to be dramatic or tragic. I did mention how Dream High has a love triangle . Now, we've got your typical which guy will get the girl in the end love triangle. Ji Wenkai and Wang Yizu are now both interested in Zhong Yutang. The situation with Wenkai humbles the once proud Yu Tang. Remember how Yutang frequently mistreated Wenkai for some time? Well, Yutang gets into the bottom and gets assigned to take care of the least productive department and modernize it. However, Wenkai is afraid to admit he still has his crush on Yutang and she's still single and available for her age. Instances of jealousy flare up, especially when Yizu shows up. Yizu may be a corporate secretary but he's been appointed so by his father as training. Yup, Yizu hides the fact that he's actually the heir of a huge company named Xinwei Biotech. Wen Kai is an employed Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Tian Xi while Yi Zu is the heir of Xinwei Biotech. Convenience-wise, ...