It figures that my first post of the year is about Japanese dramas and Japanese men. ;)
But I can't help it, I have to rave about something.
It's this Japanese drama I've been watching - about 3 orphans whose parents were murdered a long time ago, while they were out of the house watching a meteor shower. The kids vow to find the murderer one day and avenge their parents.
Flash forward 14 years later, the Ariake siblings (Kouichi, Taisuke and Shizuna) are all in their twenties, and the murderer has not been found. One day Taisuke sees a man who instantly reminds him of the suspicious man he saw sneaking out of their back door the night their parents were murdered. They begin to collect evidence on this man and plot their revenge...
Okay, I suck at giving synopses, but that's the gist of it. The series (10 episodes only, sadly) is at once moving, suspenseful, funny, nostalgic and unbelievably sad. I found myself rewatching certain scenes over and over again coz they were just that good. I don't know why, but this drama struck a chord with me - maybe it's the strong bond between the siblings, maybe it's the constant flashbacks and the thought of what could have been, maybe I'm just a sucker for tortured souls with a sad past... I just loved every moment, every heartfelt scene, every ounce of anger and grief those three formidable actors displayed when the murderer was revealed. I was and still am very very moved. Not many dramas can tug at your heartstrings that way.
And of course it didn't hurt that the drama contained such eye candy - I mean - Ninomiya Kazunari, Toda Erika and Nishikido Ryo? So much pretty, I don't even know where to look.
Some talented person made a very nice trailer of the drama. Watch, watch!!!
What are you still doing here? Go and watch the drama already!
And the second part of this post is where I rave about a certain Japanese man.
Haha.
Kay, so Nishikido Ryo's no stranger to this blog... I mentioned him in my last post... I love him in all the shows he's in... but Ninomiya, the one who acted as the eldest brother - he just blew me away. His acting in Ryuusei no Kizuna was so good that he completely overshadowed the others. His expressions of anger, bitterness and profound sadness... intense. Heart-wrenching.
You can't deny that he has acting chops... he even played a main role in Letters from Iwo Jima (directed by Clint Eastwood).
And it turns out that he's a pretty good singer too! Please, I beg of you, watch the following video... this song is so sad and heartbreaking it almost made me cry.
Nino - 痕跡 (Konseki - Scar)
he wrote the song himself too
The lyrics are just... wow. To think that he wrote the song himself... just... wow. (Keeping in mind that some things get lost in translation... I'm sure in Japanese it's even more awesome).
消えぬ 消えぬ
Lingering, lingering,
五月雨のあと 乾かぬ涙の痕
After the early summer rain, remains of tears that can’t be wiped away…
消せぬ 消せぬ
Inerasable, inerasable,
闇夜に浮かぶ 愛しき人の影
My beloved's shadow floats in the dark of the night.
夕焼け川原を歩いてる
Strolling along the river banks at sunset,
君と一緒に笑顔つれて
Laughing together with you
今日の晩ご飯何にしょう?
What shall we do for dinner tonight?
少さな すごく少さな普通の幸せ
Such a small and normal blessing
死んでいったあなたは 僕の心に沈みて生きた
Though you have died, you live on within my heart
他の人を愛しても
I could fall in love with another
他の人でしかありません
But there is no one but you
幾度となく季節またいでも
No matter how many seasons I struggle through
本当は離れては 消えるのが怖くて
I’m afraid of letting it go, letting it disappear
すみれを見つめ この花キレイ
I gaze at violets, what a pretty flower
でもいつかは枯れるのね
But I know that someday it will wilt
時は夕暮れ 朱に交わると
It is now evening, if I touch the crimson waters
水面に2人残して
Two of us remain on the water’s surface
影は影を重ねて
Shadow heaped upon shadow
1つになるのを恐れて
I’m afraid of being alone
気づくのが 遅しと
But when I realised it too late
水面に1人
Only one person remained on the water’s surface
あの日埋めた心の種は
The seed that was planted in my heart that day
二十日すぎ芽吹きました
Sprouted twenty days later
姿かたち違えど変わらぬ愛
In appearance and form it is different, but my love is unchanged…
優しい光
A gentle light…
*cries*
I haven't heard such a sad and moving song in a long while. It is my new favourite song of 2009! I am going to memorise it!
Then there's:
Nino - 虹(Niji - Rainbow)
in which he plays the piano beautifully, tenderly...
there's these really pretty lines at the end of the song...
虹がきれいだよ
いいア、オマエのほうが...
*melts*
So yah, Nino's my new favourite Japanese actor of 2009.
Shall stop with the shameless fangirling right now!
......
Oh who am I kidding... here's another picture to end the post.... :p
二の かわいい！！！ 私は 大すき！
