anime:KIMI NI TODOKE (FROM ME TO YOU) 君に届け

Title: KIMI NI TODOKE (FROM ME TO YOU)

Japanese: 君に届け

literal meaning: Reaching You

genre: ANIME, slice-of-life, romance, melodrama

director: Hiro Kaburaki

manga author: Karuho Shiina

release date: October 6, 2009 – March 30, 2011

episodes: 38

country: Japan

language: Japanese

CAST

SAWAKO “SADAKO” KURONOMA 黒沼 爽子

~ gloomy, shy, almost scary, loner high school girl; she gained the nickname “Sadako” from The Ring because of her long black hair (usually) covering her face

SHOTA KAZEHAYA 風早 翔太

~ popular, gregarious,handsome, ray-of-light personality, intelligent but kindhearted boy-next-door

SYNOPSIS

Sawako Kuronoma is your average middle-school girl who dreams of having many friends, however her fellow classmates often mistake her name to Sadako from the movie “The Ring” instead of Sawako. Whenever she approach a classmate they end up being scared usually her long, black hair falls in her face resembling Sadako. So her cheery personality become gloomier and lonelier that she stopped trying to make friends and just accepted her reality.

On the other hand, Shota Kazehaya is a friendly, intelligent, handsome, popular boy since elementary years that he made tons of friends. He is kindhearted as well and loves to help out his fellow classmate. He embodies Sawako's dream life.

First day of high school, Sawako was lost (and late) and bumped into Kazehaya, who gave her directions. She did not notice him but she caught his eye. He knew that she was not the scary “Sadako” girl that everyone is scared of. This is the beginning of their love and friendship.

REVIEW

Besides Bokura Ga Ita (my ichiban on slice-of-life manga, anime & live-action), Kimi ni Todoke is a very close second best. Kazehaya's personality and kindness is over the top. He is also my dream guy when I was in high school. And I know that there is that one guy in every high school that all girls dream of being their boyfriend. Best thing about this story are all the friendships that Kazehaya and Kuronoma will create and cherish. I'm a true believer that a good love relationship not only involves two people but (other) healthy friendships as well. There are more feel-good moments than drama which makes this anime series really worth watching. **Note** A live-action of the same title was released September 25, 2010 starring Japanese heart-throb Miura Haruma and lovely Mikako Tabe.

GALLERY

anime: SAY "I LOVE YOU" 好きっていいなよ

Title: SAY “I LOVE YOU”

Japanese:  好きっていいなよ

romanized: Suki-tte ii na yo

genre: slice-of-life,high school, romance, drama

director: Takuya Sato

manga author: Kanae Hazuki

release date: October 6, 2012 – December 30, 2012

episode: 13 + 1 OVA

CAST:

MEI TACHIBANA 橘 めい ~ anti-social, timid, loner high school girl

YAMATO KUROSAWA 黒沢 大和 ~ popular, friendly, boy-next-door

SYNOPSIS

Mei Tachibana had a “bad experience” in her elementary school years that she decided not to befriend any of her classmates for they not trustworthy. She lives by herself in an apartment (her parents live abroad). Meanwhile Yamato Kurosawa is the exact opposite of Mei, he is popular, gregarious, just a ray of sunshine. Everyone wants to be friends with him and so does he. One day he noticed Mei and showed interest. He tries everything to befriend her. This is the beginning of their friendship and more.

REVIEW

If you love slice-of-life, romance genre, you cannot miss Say “I Love You”. I can never get enough of this genre – it gives me a new breathe of life whenever I watch it. Notes ~ A live action of same title was also released on July 12, 2014.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Bokura Ga Ita

Mars

Kimi ni Todoke

Peach Girl

Kare First Love

GALLERY

*MEI TACHIBANA*

*YAMATO KUROSAWA*

reel: LOVE IS ELSEWHERE 爱情万岁

Movie: Love is Elsewhere

Chinese: Oi ching maan sui / 爱情万岁

Director: Vincent Chui

Writer: Cheuk-yin Chan, Wai-yan Chan, Suet-yan Lau, Chi-hoi Pang, Ray Pang

Producer: Kin-Hung Ng

Cinematographer Charlie Lam

Release Date: March 31, 2008 (HKIFF) April 17, 2008 (Hong Kong)

Runtime: 98 min

Language: Cantonese

Country: Hong Kong

CAST

PAKHO CHAU as Joe Yeung

JASON CHAN as Ah Sung

SHERMAN CHUNG as Yat-Ching

KEN HUNG as Ah Sing

YUMIKO CHENG as Sandra

SYNOPSIS

Ah Sung (Jason Chan) and Yat-Ching (Sherman Chung) are lovers who run a bar that gives love advice. They both dream and saving up money to finish their Master's degree in Beijing.

Joe Yeung (Pakho Chau) is a player who will get a taste of his own medicine when his ex-girlfriend plots revenge on him by making him fall in-love with her cousin.

Sandra (Yumiko Cheng) is having doubts with her boyfriend whose always busy and has no time for her. One day, Ah Sing (Ken Hung) delivers food to her gallery and develops a crush or maybe he really fell in-love with Sandra despite of their age difference.

The story will revolve around these characters and all will eventually ask for love advice from Ah Shung and Yat-Ching.

REVIEW

It's a light-hearted romantic comedy and it will keep you entertained. At one point we all have friends (or maybe oneself) who will encounter such love problems. The movie reminded me of my old friends and the good ol' crew on our salad days. If you are bias of Ken Hung (like I am) then you will truly love this movie.

SOUNDTRACK

• "Foolish Boy" (傻小子) - Pakho Chau from the album Continue
• "Rare" (萬中無一) - Jason Chan from the album First Experience
• "Love. Gutless" (愛. 無膽) - Ken Hung from the album Love. Gutless

reel: WHATCHA WEARIN? 나의 P.S. 파트너

Movie: Whatcha Wearin'? (English title) / My P.S. Partner (literal title)

Revised romanization: Naui P.S. Pateuneo

Hangul: 나의 P.S. 파트너

Director: Byun Sung-Hyun

Writer: Byun Sung-Hyun, Kim Min-Soo, Kim Soo-A

Release Date: December 6, 2012

Runtime: 114 min.

Genre: Romantic-Comedy / Drama

Distributor: CJ Entertainment

Language: Korean

Country: South Korea
Budget: 3 billion won
Box office: US $12,490,864

CAST

KIM AH JOONG as Yoon-Jung

JI SUNG as Hyun Seung

SHIN YO-SUL as So-Yeon

SYNOPSIS

Hyun Seung (JI SUNG) is broken-hearted when his live-in girlfriend of 7 years left him for another man. Meanwhile, Yoon-Jung (KIM AH JOONG) is trying to keep her long-time relationship spicy and sexier. Thus having phone sex with her boyfriend, however she misdialed Hyun Seung's number instead. They grow a friendship over the phone and falling in love.

REVIEW

I love Kim Ah Joong but really fell in love with Ji Sung! Sexy, hot, bold, exotic and very grown-up romantic comedy drama. Definitely not your typical girl-meets-boy. The movie speaks of the realities of love relationships, it does not always end in happy ending. And you really have to kiss a few (or even hundreds) of frogs to get your prince. 
OST ~ "Show Me Your Heart" by Kim Ah Joong 

NOTES

Whatcha Wearin is the fastest adult romantic comedy movie garnering 1 million admissions in Korea in just 10 days after release date. It beat previous record holder movies Sex is Zero 2, Petty Romance and My Scary Girl.

GALLERY

credits ~ Asianwiki, Wikipedia, Google images

reel: LOVE FORECAST 오늘의 연애

Movie: Love Forecast (English title) / Today's Love (literal title)

Revised romanization: Oneului Yeonae

Hangul: 오늘의 연애

Director: Park Jin-Pyo

Writer: Park Jin-Pyo, Lee Byeong-Hun, Lee Han

Producer: Han Sung-Gu, Shim-Young

Cinematographer: Sung Seung-Taek

Release Date: January 15, 2015

Runtime: 118 min.

Genre: Romantic-Comedy / Drama

Distributor: CJ Entertainment

Language: Korean

Country: South Korea

CAST

LEE SEUNG-GI as Joon-Soo

MOON CHAE-WON as Hyun Woo

LEE SEO-JIN as Dong-Jin

SYNOPSIS

Joon-Soo (Lee Seung-gi) fell head over heels for his best friend Hyun Woo (Moon Chae-won) when they were young, eventhough he confessed his love for her numerous times, she does not believe him.

Joon Soo gives his best whenever his in a relationship however girls still break up with him.

Hyun Woo is a local weather girl and have countless of suitors including her bestfriend Joon-Soo, but she fell in love with the wrong person ~ her married producer.

They will both encounter a heartache (at same time) and will console each other, and this will be the beginning of their long-awaited love story.

REVIEW

Love Forecast is a good romantic comedy and Lee Seung-gi's first movie. I'm not a fan of the physically abusive female lead, which is popular in Korean rom-coms, but Seung-gi's meek demeanor makes up for it.

HIGHLIGHTS

1. Joon-soo's proposal gone wrong which lead to a fire in a hotel building. 
2. Hyun-woo & Joon-soo's drunken make-out session.
3. Joon-soo's gravity defying confession of his love to Hyun-woo.

GALLERY

credits ~ AsiaWiki, Wikipedia, Google images