Hachikuro drama and Higurashi movie

December 22, 2007 | 15 Comments

Hachikuro 15-Sec CM (YouTube video)
Hachikuro 30-Sec CM (YouTube video)

It's obvious that I've been living in a cave that I didn't even know until now that there will be a Honey and Clover live action drama coming up on the 8th of January next year. Just when I thought they can't milk this even more, Fuji TV proved me wrong. If the movie was good, I might have been more receptive towards this one but the movie was a disaster so I'm wary about this drama. Thankfully they get the casting of Takemoto right this time around. Ikuta Toma definitely looks more like Takemoto than Sakurai Shou. And it's not like Shou was an acting powerhouse in the first place so he will not be missed. Unfortunately they decide to cast Narimiya Hiroki as Morita. Sorry to his fangirls but I dislike him very much. I find his 'acting' to be the worst part of NANA: the movie. I wish they had cast Eita as Morita. As for the rest, the girls who'll play Hagu and Ayu and the guy who'll play Mayama look okay. Also, that Hirai Ken's theme song is awesome.

I'm just hoping that the drama will avoid one major trap that the movie fell into. I'm referring to the fact that the movie makes the series look like it's all about romance when the series is actually more than that. A big portion of Honey and Clover is about Takemoto finding out about himself, what he wants to be, what he can't achieve, and his desperation to find his future path. These are elements that make the manga and the anime feel resonant to most viewers. The movie foolishly sidesteps this and look just like any other Japanese love story as a result. I can understand that there is a limit of 2 hours time for a movie but the drama is not limited like this so it really has no reason to exclude those elements. I just rewatched the anime again the other day and I still find many parts of the story to be easy to relate. Even characters like Kaoru, who only appears for a few episodes, feels like an important part of the entire series.

Continuing the hiding-inside-a cave theme, I also didn't know that there will be a Higurashi movie. Look, I like the concept of Higurashi. I wasn't sucked into the series because of the "Loli killer" or whatever fad terms people invented to make the series sounds more sensational than it really is. I really do think the series can be exciting and tense at times and I like the twist and turns that the plot offers. Unfortunately, the animation left me cold. I hated that abomination Studio Deen came up with. Except for the OP/ED animation, the rest of the series looks rather bad. This live-action, if done correctly, could be the definitive version of the series. Japanese film industry is pretty good when it comes to delivering horror stories so I hope this will turn out okay. The trailer on the official site look promising and I think the cast are pretty acceptable. Although if I may nitpick, Rena looks like she's half foreigner?

Hachikuro drama (8th of January 2008)
Higurashi movie (2008)

Posted by Garten

Comments

December 22, 2007 | Annalisa wrote:

I was wondering if you had checked out the second season of Higurashi, Kai? The animation definitely improved hugely. The character designs were completely reworked. It still isn't perfect but it's much better than season 1.

And well, to be honest, anything is an improvement over the original games' art!

December 23, 2007 | Ferna wrote:

I wonder if the Hachikuro live action will go all the way to the ending of S2.

I especially wonder if Shuuji and Hagu will....uh...hook up like in the anime. That will be...interesting to see

Show Spoiler

December 23, 2007 | xerphon wrote:

"Sorry to his fangirls but I dislike him very much. I find his 'acting' to be the worst part of NANA: the movie. I wish they had cast Eita as Morita."

I agree. Morita looks like he has OCD and stalker-problems in this CM. Who's Eita, btw?

December 23, 2007 | J wrote:

I heard rumors that the timeslot for Hachikuro was supposed to be a drama version of Hula Girls...but they didn't have the budget. It's just supposed to be a vehicle for Narumi Riko who plays Hagu. She's a good actress but seems more mature than Aoi Yuu. I like Ikuta Toma as Takemoto, but his casting released all the fangirls who don't really care about Honey and Clover but just want a romance story for him. Finally, I remember there was once a drama version of H2 where the plot lines kind of got shifted because they wanted more air time for one of the actresses, Ishihara Satomi. While I've never read the manga I can only hope that Fuji TV doesn't leave a mixed message that Takemoto still has a chance with Hagumi at the end.

December 23, 2007 | J wrote:

Er, I meant to type I never read the H2 manga to know whether it was made more "Haruka" friendly because of the pressure. I hope they just don't cater to Ikuta fans because of his fanbase was my point. Sorry :)

December 23, 2007 | Garten wrote:

Who's Eita, btw?

The actor who plays Mine in "Nodame Cantabile" drama. He's quite convincing when it comes to playing funny/odd characters.

While I've never read the manga I can only hope that Fuji TV doesn't leave a mixed message that Takemoto still has a chance with Hagumi at the end.

That will be the worst ending they can come up with. The ending of the original was good because they don't need to sugar coat the fact that while Hagumi loves Takemoto, she is not in love with him.

December 24, 2007 | 何 wrote:

Anyone know what this Higurashi Kai season 3 is all about?

December 24, 2007 | Annalisa wrote:

We don't know specifics yet, but Part C of 24 looks like it's setting up Saikoroshi-hen, which is a post Matsuribayashi-hen game that appeared on Higurashi Rei (a fan disc game that was released by 07th Expansion). There's a summary of it on Wiki.

I think it's likely they may also explore the nature of Frederica Bernkastel, the individual who appears in Part C (in other words, that's NOT Rika, at least judging by what we know of the connection between Frederica and Rika). There is a lot of light being shed on what is REALLY happening in Higurashi since the release of the first chapter of Umineko no Naku Koro ni, 07th Expansion's new game. On the surface level it bears no direct relationship to Higurashi, but there are things going on in the background which might end up explaining the whole story. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4bgwgpTeiok

December 24, 2007 | Haruka wrote:

Annalisa's right. The second season of Higurashi is definitely an improvement from the first season. Not only is the animation better, but so is the comedy and they don't leave out as many subtle-but-nonetheless-important scenes. The second season is definitely heart wrenching. Even tatarigoroshi and various moments of Meakashi are nothing to this. In the second season you can definitely feel the thrill, the descent of anxiety, and then the cruel twist of fate that renders the characters helpless. Hope you give the series another chance. And since the second season is such an improvement from the first, I am anxious to see as to what the third season will be like!

December 27, 2007 | Os wrote:

I wish I was more excited about the live action Hachikuro. As you said, the Movie was not so great -though I still ended up buying the dvd regardless-.

When I first went through the cast, I liked the male side of it all. Ikuta Toma will definately make a better Takemoto than Shou, there is no doubt about that. It is his performance in HanaKimi that makes me think he has a chance to at least portray Takemoto rightly, not hit an out of the park homer. Narimiya Hiroki I also thought would be able to knock down the quirky parts of Morita... but I worry about the serious parts of it. He just has that cat-like grin that I cant help but imagine when I think of him that wont let me take him seriously and we all know Morita is pretty damn serious. Mukai Osamu as Mayama... that was my least favorite. I dont even remember him being in Nodame until I looked it up. I remember him from Bambino and he wasn't taken seriously then. He's more of a mystery, but he's got potential.

Like in Nana2 where they changed Hachi to look sexier, the same holds for Narumi Riko. And how tall is she really? I pray this doesn't turn out wrong. -She's cute though-. And for Harada Natsuki as Yamada... at first I didn't think she was anywhere near as sexy as Yamada should be especially with her part in HanaKimi, but that's not really solid grounds for not believing in her.

Either way, I'll watch it all through if only for the love of the anime.

December 28, 2007 | Shannon wrote:

I think that even if they wanted Eita as Morita, they wouldn't be able to get him because he's in some other drama in the Winter 2008 lineup. I think Atsu-hime or something?

And I hope Hiroki does fine. I thought he was alright in Orange Days... but then I saw him in Ima ai ni yukimasu the drama and saw all the flaws.

He's much better comedic... thankfully Morita has comedic flair.

(I think I may watch dramas too much.)

December 28, 2007 | omusubi wrote:

Hi Garten, I totally agree, Eita might just be able to pull off Morita. But I am still keeping my fingers crossed that Narimiya can somehow pull it off (though I have my doubts and was not expecting him of all actors to be chosen for the part).
More importantly, will you have time to blog about the live action drama? :)

December 28, 2007 | Garten wrote:

Merry Belated Christmas, everyone.

omusubi, if it's good, I probably would since I don't have many series that I follow that month.

February 18, 2008 | Lena wrote:

They're currently making a remake of Hachikuro in Taiwan as well. I found a site that shows the casts in the making of it (as well as some NGs).

http://www.ku6.com/show/7k0zBIDJoe4bSkA5.html

May 31, 2008 | Ka Wing wrote:

Thanks, I have been watching Honey and Clover Taiwan version and am quite disappointed. I think out of the movie and live-action. I loved best the japanese characters from the movie. Though, both the japanese adaption of the series was disastrous. But the overuse of anime effect in the Taiwan version made the whole series very silly. I think the reason to have live adapation is to show how closely it is to the anime but also to have a realistic side, especially a great anime like Honey and Clover. I really want to see all the characters more as a real person than someone who jump out from an anime.