Happy birthday Aiba!!!

First teaser of Boys Before Friends (Hana Yori Dango American Version)

I know I wasn't able to talk about this before but yeah, there will be an American live action adaptation of the most famous shoujo manga, Hana Yori Dango. The announcement was first met with a lot of backlash and negative feedback. Fans of the original manga and of the other adaptations were skeptical about the project. People are asking how the makers can successfully translate this for the American audience given the difference in culture. The production has also experienced changes from the title (previously called Between Boys & Friends) to their actors (lead actress Riley Rae Baker left the production and was replaced by Claude Racine who was then replaced by Dawn Morrow).

Lupin III official casting revealed

Last June, I posted this rumored casting for the Lupin III Live Action Film based on the report by Anime News Network.

But now the official casting has been revealed. 

Happy birthday Riida!!!!

New drama for Matsumoto Jun

Matsujun will be returning to the Getsuku timeslot (Mondays at 9PM) with a new drama this coming January 2014. Entitled Shitsuren Chocolatier (Heartbroken Chocolatier), this is a live action adaptation from last year's Kodansha Manga Award winner for Shoujo by mangaka Mizushiro Setona.

I Hear Your Voice

"Even after 10 years has passed, I still recognized you. 

Even after I lost my memory, and even after I had erased you,

I loved you again.

Even if 10 years passes and even if I lose my memory again, 

or even if that time comes, 

I'm going to find you and love you again."

Title: 너의 목소리가 들려 / Neoui Moksoriga Deulryeo
Also known as: I Can Hear Your Voice
Genre: Romance, fantasy, comedy, thriller, crime, mystery
Episodes: 18
Broadcast network: SBS
Broadcast period: 2013-Jun-05 to 2013-Aug-01

Arashi and Ayase Haruka as Kouhaku 2013 hosts

Confirmed earlier today, Arashi and popular actress, Ayase Haruka will serve as hosts for Japan’s biggest annual musical event, Kouhaku uta Gassen (lit. Red and White Song Battle) which is held every New Year’s Eve. 

Kim Hyun Joong - Unbreakable MV

It's so wrong to fangirl over an MV like this in the middle of the night. I was seriously getting sleepy but after watching it, hell no, I'm so wide awake.

Lots of fangirls probably got nosebleed after that huh? Well, can't say I blame you. 

Sakurai Sho in Singapore

Well, not only Sho but Kitagawa Keiko is also in Singapore right now for the premiere of Nazotoki wa Dinner no Ato de (aka Nazodi).

Lots of Arashi fans were waiting at the arrival lobby of Changi International Airport with their handycams, cellphones and banners/posters on hand to greet Sho. The plane reportedly arrived a couple of minutes before 5pm but it took more than an hour for Sho to show his face to the fans. (Got held up in the immigration perhaps? ☺)

Thief (Love Me With Lies #3) by Tarryn Fisher

"She will be your destruction. She's not healthy."

"Then let her destroy me."

“Maybe our souls touched underneath that tree. Maybe I decided to love her. Maybe love wasn't our choice. But when I looked at that woman, I saw myself differently.” 

The Blurb:

Note to Self

Love is patient; love is kind.
Love doesn't boast or brag.
There's no arrogance in love;
it's never rude, crude, or indecent-it's not self absorbed.
Love isn't easily upset.
Love doesn't tally wrongs.
Love trusts, hopes, and endures no matter what.
Love will never become obsolete.
I'll fight for her.

Thief

Caleb Drake never got over his first love. Not when he got married. Not when she got married. When life suddenly comes full circle Caleb must decide how how far he is willing to go to get the aloof and alluring Olivia Kaspen back. But for every action in life there is a consequence, and soon Caleb finds out that sometimes love comes at an unbearably high price.

Itazura na Kiss ~ Love in Tokyo

 "The probability of getting hit by a shooting star is ten-billionth, 

meeting you is more of a miracle than that."

The Plot:

At a high school entrance ceremony, high school student Aihara Kotoko, who isn’t that smart, notices pretty boy Irie Naoki. She falls in love with him immediately. Kotoko initially doesn’t express her feelings to him, but finally has a chance to tell him how she feels. Unfortunately, Naoki turns Kotoko down, saying “I don’t like dumb women.”

One day, Kotoko’s house is severely damaged by an earthquake. Until the house is rebuilt, Kotoko Aihara and her father decide to live with her father’s friend. When Kotoko moves to her new temporary house, she is surprised to learn that Irie Naoki lives there as well.

                                       

IMO:

This story can be comparable to Hana Yori Dango in the sense that its manga has been made into different versions. We have the 1996 Japanese version with the same title as the manga, the 2005 and 2007 Taiwanese versions: It Started With a Kiss and its sequel, They Kiss Again, the 2008 anime version, the 2010 Korean version: Playful Kiss and finally, Japan made a newer version by giving us Itazura na Kiss~Love in Tokyo.

I still believe that the Taiwanese version was the closest to the manga but then again, they had 50 episodes in the 2 dramas to insert a lot of elements from the manga. Having said that, ItaKiss made a decent manga adaptation with the fewer episodes (16) they had. ItaKiss has only covered up to the wedding.

Honoka Miki played the lead character, Aihara Kotoko, who after their house was hit by a shooting star, went off to live with his father's friend's family whose son is the person who rejected her love letter a few days back. Talk about an awkward yet interesting situation. Miki is only 16 during the filming of this drama but she handled herself quite well. Her acting seems childish and a bit unpolished at times but she did pretty well despite her age. Some scenes are overacted but at least her portrayal can be stupid and clumsy without being irritating and annoying (Sorry, Ariel Lin and Sato Aiko!)

Irie Naoki was played by Furukawa Yuki, yet another unknown face to me. On the outside, he is almost the perfect Naoki. He has the looks, he appears really intelligent and speaks surprisingly fluent English (apparently, he lived abroad for a while). I say almost because in terms of acting, he could do better. But I understand the difficulty. Irie Naoki is a character who seldom speaks and his emotions are rarely on display. It doesn't require much acting but most of the time, this character has to be acted through the eyes. Unless the actor was Ninomiya Kazunari, it's really quite difficult to act only with your eyes. And FuruYuki most of the time looks like he is just staring blankly off into space. He is definitely not a bad actor because I've seen some of his plays and he's okay so I just chalked it up to Irie Naoki's character.

Yamada Yuki played Ikezawa Kinnosuke - Kotoko's long time admirer. I must say he played this character the best. Other times, Kin-chan (or versions of him) was just irritating. In this version, Kin-chan was actually endearing and sweet that when Naoki was being so cold and mean, it was easy to root for the other guy.

The chemistry of Kotoko and Naoki was palpable. Who would've thought that 16-year-old Honoka Miki and 25-year-old Furukawa Yuki will be able to pull it off so well. Though I deduced that Miki is much younger than him, I just didn't think that there is a 9-year gap between them. 

The story pacing was good but the relationship pacing was slow. I read somewhere it was being described as something like, every time Kotoko and Naoki made one step forward in their relationship, the next episode will make them take 2 steps back. And I can't help but agree with her about that.

Nevertheless, I really like this adaptation. And I'm so hoping for a second season. The next chapters in the manga are exciting and I want to see their own take on it. I also want ItaKiss to actually end the way the story ended in the anime. You know, using Tada-sensei's vision for the manga's end.

Conclusion:

The writing was good and it made the show sweet without being overbearing. The characters are not always two-dimensional and not one of them is irritating. 

P.S.

The original Aihara Kotoko (Sato Aiko) and the original Irie Naoki (Kashiwabara Takashi) made a special cameo in this drama. Isn't that so cool??? 

Veronica Mars Movie Teaser and Behind-the-Scenes

I'm so happy and excited for this! I wish I was in San Diego to attend the Comic Con. Wow, the fans who were there were so lucky. They get to meet the casts, they were able to join the panel and they were the first to see the movie teaser. Sometimes, it sucks when you live on the other side of world and you're a fan of things in Hollywood. You lose the experience of getting to participate in these kinds of things. (Unless, you're super rich and you can fly over there just to attend stuff like this.)

Nevertheless, thanks to the power of the Internet, I may not be there but I get updated through the people I follow on Twitter and through different entertainment blogs. And as a backer of Veronica Mars on Kickstarter, I also get to watch the teaser before the production released it to the media. (Obviously, this post is late but that's another story.)

                                

I might have been a bit emotional when I first saw the video above because I remember there were tears. ☺ It's just that I couldn't help it. I love this show so much and even after all the Kickstarter madness and all the email updates from Rob Thomas, I can't still believe that it's really happening. I might be dreaming for all I know. It's just so so so good to see the whole gang on screen again. All those feelings just came rushing back. I love Veronica Mars! I don't think I'll ever get tired of saying that. 

I'm not sure how these shots will be in context in the movie. 

These seem more like some gratuitous fan service to me. But I'm not complaining. XDDD

The video started with some behind-the-scenes shots with the casts commenting about the movie and the experience. There were also some Kickstarter backers on the set acting as extras. How cool was that???

Ahhh, LoVe. I miss you so much.

"It's one for the history books. The fact that these people loved the show so much that they are literally handing us their hard-earned money and being like, 'we wanna see this movie so bad.. here!' It's an incredible feeling." - Tina Majorino, Cindy "Mac" Mackenzie

 "What made it conceivable is how rabidly addicted the fans were to the show." - Chris Lowell, Stosh "Piz" Piznarski

"Fans are cool. But Veronica Mars fans are awesome. Just that kinda the way it works." - Kristen Bell, Veronica Mars 

Around 3:08 mark, the video turned into a movie teaser and the eagerly awaiting fans were treated to a first look of the movie. And wow, what a sneak peek that was! It was freaking AWESOME!!! I've never been more excited about anything. 

2014 seems so far away!

P.S.

For those like me who wasn't in the SDCC, below is a video of the Veronica Mars panel courtesy of RabidMovieFan. By the way, I want a Team Logan t-shirt. 

Rurouni Kenshin Live Action Film to become a Trilogy

Wow, this is such a good news!

After the successful run (both critically and commercially) of the latest adaptation of Rurouni Kenshin last year directed by Otomo Keishi and starring Sato Takeru, it has been announced that on 2014, the series will be getting 2 new movies. 

The sequels will be covering the popular 'Kyoto Arc' of the manga. In here, primary antagonist Shishio Makoto will be introduced. I can't wait for their take on the The Great Tokyo Fire and Legend's End storyline!

According to Jpopasia, it has also been confirmed that Takeru Sato will be reprising his role, Himura Kenshin, in the next two films.I wonder who'll play Shishio?

This is sooooo exciting! I hope SM Cinemas will once again handle the distribution of the films here so we can get them on theaters. 

Lupin III Live Action Film (rumored casting)

Yup, you read that right! There will be a Lupin III live action film.

According to Anime News Network, Tokyo Sports reported that there will be a new adaptation of the popular manga by Monkey Punch scheduled for a release next March. Playing the lead role of Arsène Lupin III  will be Oguri Shun, Sakura Sho as Daisuke Jigen and Tsumabuki Satoshi will be Goemon Ishikawa. 

Based on pictures on the right, they obviously don't look anything like the character they will be playing so I'm kinda curious on how they will pull this off. I also can't wait to see how Sho will look like with a beard. Haha.

If you're wondering who's gonna play Lupin's love interest Fujiko, apparently they're still looking for the perfect actress to play the role. The possible candidates are the following: Mirei Kiritani, Masami Nagasawa, Anne Watanabe, Airi Taira, Kyoko Fukada, Asami Mizukawa, Tsubasa Honda, Kiko Mizuhara, and Kou Shibasaki. 

I'm happy with the casting because they're all familiar to me! Though I can't believe there will be a new movie for Sho. Don't get me wrong, I love him but among the 5 members of Arashi, he's the one with the least acting skills. 

But anyway, I'm definitely excited for this movie. I love Lupin III. Well, the anime because I wasn't able to read the manga. I hope this one will turn out really good. 

Dirty Red (Love Me With Lies #2) by Tarryn Fisher

“Love is illogical. You fall into it like a manhole. Then you're just stuck. 

You die in love more than you live in love.” 

“I have done a number of things to keep this man. I have lied and cheated. 

I have been sexy and meek, fierce and vulnerable. 

I have been everything but myself.” 

The Blurb:

Dear Opportunist, 

You thought you could take him from me, but you lost. Now, that he's mine I'll do anything to keep him. Do you doubt me? I have everything that was supposed to be yours. In case you were wondering; he doesn't ever think about you anymore. I won't let him go....ever. 

Dirty Red

Leah Smith finally has everything she has ever wanted. Except she doesn't. Her marriage feels more like a loan than a lifelong commitment, and the image she has worked so hard to build is fraying before her eyes. With a new role and a past full of secrets, Leah must decide how far she is willing to go to keep what she has stolen.

IMO:

I remembered I bawled my eyes out after reading the last sentence of The Opportunist. I was so emotionally invested in that book that up to now whenever I do a re-read, I will always be left emotionally battered. I was distraught thinking that, that couldn't be the end of that story until I learned that, that book is actually a part of a series and the second book will be out by the end of this year.

I felt alive once again thinking that I will get my HEA after all. And then I learned that the book is titled Dirty Red and it is on Leah's POV. I didn't know what to think. Leah is such a hateful character in the first book and I'm not sure if I can stand a whole book in her POV. 

After reading the book, I realized that yes, I can stand a book written in her POV. And furthermore, I find that it was quite interesting to be inside her head. It was crazy, she's psychotic but nevertheless, interesting.

Tarryn Fisher did it again with this book. Though I was not that totally emotionally battered here, because like I said, I didn't like Leah first of all, and I was totally rooting for Olivia and Caleb. But this book is also really good. Tarryn Fisher is really good in writing complicated love stories and not happily ever after endings. 

So, there will be a book 3 and this time it will be on Caleb's POV. I'm just so freakin' excited for it because even though I said that I think Tarryn Fisher doesn't do happily ever afters, I'm still hoping that by the end of this series (especially after the ending we had with Dirty Red), I will finally get my happily ever after. I just don't know what's gonna happen to Noah because he's a character that I really like in the first book and further liked in the second book (though his appearance is very very brief.) 

Conclusion:

Leah is a bitch, yes, but her side of the story definitely deserves to be told.

A-

Persuaded (The Jane Austen Diaries, #3) by Jenni James

"I'm not going to let you go. I can't. I've already lost you twice. Once because of your stupid pride. And once because of mine. I don't think I could handle losing you a third time."

The Blurb:

Will he take her back, or fling her aside like she deserves?

Three years ago Amanda made the biggest mistake of her life when she let her friends persuade her to reject the guy she loved. They were convinced he was a loser and wasn't good enough for her.

Now Gregory's back in Farmington . . . taller, stronger, hotter than ever, and worth millions. Those gorgeous girls who snubbed him before are now falling at his feet and he's enjoying every moment of it.

Can he see past the pain Amanda caused him and give her a second chance? Or will she forever regret losing the only guy who truly loved her?

IMO:

Wow, I couldn't believe I finished this book in 2 1/2 hours! It was, umm, how do they say it? Unputdownable. I find it really good, enjoyable and I keep on anticipating what will happen next. After Pride and Prejudice, Persuasion is my next favorite Jane Austen book. So, I was really happy with this modern retelling.

It was kind of a surprise actually. I read Pride and Popularity before but I wasn't solved with its plot and writing but I must say, what an improvement for this book! I'm really glad. Because of this, maybe I'll check out Northanger Alibi too.

Conclusion:

I had fun with the book and I'm glad I decided to read this.

B

Hopeless (Hopeless, #1) by Colleen Hoover

“Its real, Six. You can't get mad at a real ending. Some of them are ugly. 

It's the fake happily ever afters that should piss you off.” 

The Blurb:

Sometimes discovering the truth can leave you more hopeless than believing the lies…

That’s what seventeen-year-old Sky realizes after she meets Dean Holder. A guy with a reputation that rivals her own and an uncanny ability to invoke feelings in her she’s never had before. He terrifies her and captivates her all in the span of just one encounter, and something about the way he makes her feel sparks buried memories from a past that she wishes could just stay buried.

Sky struggles to keep him at a distance knowing he’s nothing but trouble, but Holder insists on learning everything about her. After finally caving to his unwavering pursuit, Sky soon finds that Holder isn’t at all who he’s been claiming to be. When the secrets he’s been keeping are finally revealed, every single facet of Sky’s life will change forever.

IMO:

Wow, Colleen Hoover never fails to amaze me.

I don't know what I was expecting when I started this book but I definitely got something different. Something totally unexpected that I felt like it just came straight to me and punched me in the face. After reading the book, I just lay there in my bed staring at ceiling (unfortunately I don't have stars in them) and I'm just reliving the whole experience and trying to get my thoughts in order.

Sky and Holder got one of the most passionate relationship I have ever read in a book. And they also had the most beautiful and intense first kiss without actually kissing. I didn't even know that was possible.

The story is definitely not all butterflies and roses. Underneath that passionate romance is a secret that is so dark, so painful and frightening that it could actually ruin their lives. But I'm glad that they survived the ordeal together. Sky is a beautiful character and she's also strong enough to overcome the lowest point of her life.

I can tell you how many times Holder made me melt just by being so complicated, intense and passionate. The struggles he have are also no joke and he managed to rise above it even though it tears him apart every time he remembers. I love that he's totally in love with Sky and will always be by her side no matter what happened. I think I just got another fictional boyfriend.

Conclusion:

After the Slammed series, and now Hopeless... I think it's absolutely safe to say that you can never go wrong with Colleen Hoover.

A+

Disney releases teaser trailer for Frozen

Walt Disney Animation Studios, the studio behind "Tangled" and "Wreck-It Ralph," presents "Frozen," a stunning big-screen comedy adventure. Fearless optimist Anna (voice of Kristen Bell) sets off on an epic journey—teaming up with rugged mountain man Kristoff (voice of Jonathan Groff) and his loyal reindeer Sven—to find her sister Elsa (voice of Idina Menzel), whose icy powers have trapped the kingdom of Arendelle in eternal winter. Encountering Everest-like conditions, mystical trolls and a hilarious snowman named Olaf, Anna and Kristoff battle the elements in a race to save the kingdom. 

From: Walt Disney Studios UK

I can't believe that Kristen Bell and Jonathan Groff will be voicing for this movie! Plus Idina Menzel. I'm looking forward to the songs in this film. 

Meet the Director of Fifty Shades of Grey

I think it's been quite a while since I last heard of a Fifty Shades news. All I've been seeing are casts predictions for Christian Grey and Anastasia Steele. But now, after much speculation, the powers that be finally decided to put Sam Taylor-Johnson at the helm of the much anticipated film (for fans -atleast). 

Honestly, I don't know Ms Taylor-Johnson so I hopped on to her IMDB page to see if there's any movie of her that I've already seen. But apparently, none. Her directing credits include 5 films only that include Nowhere Boy and 4 short films. Wow, can I say she's very lucky? As far as I know, this is a hot job as of the moment. No wonder a lot of people were surprised at the choice.

Producer Mike DeLuca has this to say for Ms Taylor-Johnson, "Sam’s unique ability to gracefully showcase complex relationships dealing with love, emotion and sexual chemistry make her the ideal director to bring Christian and Anastasia’s relationship to life. E.L. James’ characters and vivid storytelling require a director who is willing to take risks and push the envelope where needed, and Sam is a natural fit."

On another note, Ms Taylor-Johnson is married to actor Aaron Taylor-Johnson who's 23 years her junior. Now, I know her husband. He's the Kick-Ass guy. =)

Congratulations and good luck to Ms Taylor-Johnson!

Veronica Mars Set Photos

Yes, people it is actually happening.

Well, of course, I know it is happening. I was there donating some of my hard-earned bucks (which I have the total control of on where to spend, btw), I get email updates from Rob Thomas regarding production and casting news, and media around the world has been reporting about it.

But there's something about these visual proofs of them filming that feel absolutely gratifying. I spent years hoping and praying that Veronica Mars will come back - whether on the big screen, the TV (as a series again or TV special) or even as a book. When I first watched its last episode, I was totally heartbroken. That cannot be the ending. There's simply too many loose ends. And yes, what about my OTP? What about LoVe?

But now there's gonna be a Veronica Mars movie! Sometimes, I wake up and think that maybe this was just a dream but then I get on Twitter and read tweets about new casts or receive an email update from Rob Thomas. And to think this happened because thousands of fans rallied and supported the movie idea. I know the whole Kickstarter thing was heavily criticized but I don't care. To tell the truth, I wouldn't get any rewards for my contribution because my country is not included in the 21 countries where the rewards are applicable. But I don't feel bad about it. Sure, the rewards would make contributing a whole lot sweeter and honestly, I could've given a much higher amount just for the T-shirt, but that's okay. The joy I felt after contributing to the project and the promise of a wish fulfillment were more than enough compensation for me.

So, anyway, enjoy below some of the earliest on-set photos that were released. And tell me, did it make your day also to see Kristen Bell and Jason Dohring together again? Yes, I'm talking to you, die-hard LoVe fans. ♥

 

 

And here are some photos posted by Kristen Bell on her Twitter account. Look at her post-baby bod doing that hula hoop during a break.

 

 

photos are not mine and were taken from the world wide web.