reel: ROURUNI KENSHIN るろうに剣心

Movie: Rurouni Kenshin

Romaji: Rurouni Kenshin

Japanese: るろうに剣心

Director: Keishi Ohtomo

Writer: Watsuki Nobuhiro (manga), Kiyomi Fujii,Keishi Ohtomo

Producer: Takero Hisamatsu, Tatsuro Hatanaka, Masahiko Ibaraki, Hiroaki Kitano, Osamu Kubota, Hiroyoshi Koiwai

Cinematographer: Takuro Ishizaka

Release Date: August 25, 2012

Runtime: 134 min.

Genre: Action / Based on a Comic / Period-19th Century / Samurai

Distributor: Warner Bros.

Language: Japanese

Country: Japan

Budget: US $20 million

Box Office: US $61.7 million (worldwide)

CAST

TAKERU SATOH as Kenshin Himura / Himura Battosai

EMI TAKEI as Kamiya Kaoru

MUNETAKA AOKI as Sanosuke Sagara

YU AOI as Megumi Takani

KOJI KIKKAWA as Udo Jime antagonist

SYNOPSIS

Kenshin Himura (TAKERU SATOH) is a former assasin - “Battosai” but has now sworn never to kill again hence becoming a “rouruni” ~ a wandering swordsman. He is passing by Tokyo when he ran into Kamiya Kaoru (EMI TAKEI) whose goal is to capture the “battosai” and put an end to his evil ways. Turn of events and Kenshin saved Kaoru from the blood-hungry battosai-wannabe Udo Jime. She invites Kenshin to her once-popular dojo. They build a friendship, maybe even more.

REVIEW

Satoh Takeru is officially a bad-ass!! I loved him since Bloody Monday with Miura Haruma and I knew that his got talent but he brought Rouroni Kenshin to life and much more. His action scenes are breathtaking. His chemistry with Emi Takei (Kaoru) is so genuine that I believe they love each other for real. (lol) If you love the manga, the anime, you will love the live-action better! 5 out of 5 stars!

NOTES ~

related titles

Rouroni Kenshin: Kyoto Inferno (part 2)

Rouroni Kenshin: The Legend Ends (part 3 and final movie)

theme song ~ “The Beginning” by ONE OK ROCK

reel:THE BEAUTY INSIDE 뷰티 인사이드

Movie: The Beauty Inside

Revised romanization: Byooti Insaideu

Hangul: 뷰티 인사이드

Director: Baek Jong-Yeol

Writer: Kim Sun-Jung, Park Jung-Ye

Producer: Park Tae-Joon

Cinematographer: Kim Tae-Kyung

Release Date: August 20, 2015

Runtime: 127 min.

Genre: Romance / Fantasy

Distributor: Next Entertainment World

Language: Korean

Country: South Korea

Box office: US $4.2 million

CAST

HAN YO-SOO as E-Soo

PARK SEO JOON as Kim Woo-Jin

LEE JIN WOOK as Kim Woo-Jin

SEO KANG JOON as Kim Woo-Jin

PARK SHIN HYE as Kim Woo-Jin

UENO JURI as Kim Woo-Jin

LEE DONG-HWI as Sang Baek (Woo Jin's best friend)

SYNOPSIS

Woo-Jin transforms into a different person every time he wakes up. He could be a man, woman, child, or an elderly person. This started on his 18^th birthday which lead him to drop out of high school but his childhood friend Sang Baek (LEE DONG-HWI) is the only friend who knows his secret. They started a customized furniture company ALX together. One day Woo-Jin is so intricately looking for the perfect knob on his latest design, when he saw E-soo (HAN YO-SOO) selling furniture so passionately. He fell in love.

REVIEW

I love this movie! The story is unique, the cinematography is wonderful, the director did an amazing job and every actor did an awesome job. Han Yo Soo is so lucky to be the love interest of such great (and handsome) actors such as Park Seo Joon, Lee Jin Wook, Seo Kang Joon. Even her on-screen dialogue with Ueno Juri is so heartfelt. 5 out of 5 stars!! MUST-SEE!

HIGHLIGHT
trailer

ost ~ "TRUE ROMANCE" by Citizens

AWARDS

2015 52^nd Grand Bell Awards ~ Best New Director “Baek Yong-Jeol"

2015 36^th Blue Dragon Film Awards ~ Best Editing “Yang Jin-mo”

GALLERY

*PARK SEO JOON as Woo Jin with E-Soo*

*UENO JURI as Woo Jin with E-Soo*

*E-Soo her dilemma with too many hot guys XD*

*LEE JIN WOOK as Woo Jin (most gorgeous version) with E-Soo*

reel: CLOVER クローバー

Movie: Clover

Romaji: Kuroba

Japanese: クローバー

Director: Takeshi Furusawa

Writer: Toriko Chiya (manga), Taeko Asano

Cinematographer: Mitsuru Komiyama

Release Date: November 1, 2014

Runtime: 120 min.

Language: Japanese

Country: Japan

CAST

EMI TAKEI as Saya Suzuki

TADAYOSHI OKURA as Susume Tsuge

SYNOPSIS

Suzuki Saya (EMI TAKEI) is an Events Programmer for the elite Toyo Hotel who falls in love with her strict manager. Susume Tsuge (TADAYOSHI OKURA) is the most eligible bachelor manager of Toyo Hotel and he took interest on the young, beautiful and innocent Suzuki Saya.

REVIEW

Clover is based on the manga of the same title. However, I never the read the manga but I really enjoyed the movie. Emi Takei is always wonderful! The love story of Tsuge-chan and Saya is very close to reality. Lovers have misunderstandings that often never resolved and will cause the couple to break up. Tsuge-chan's character drives me to the wall (he is hot and cold) but he will later on redeem himself. Must-watch! 4 out of 5 stars! ^_^

TRAILER

GALLERY

credits ~ Asianwiki, Google Images and YouTube

reel: NO LONGER HEROINE ヒロイン失格

Movie: No Longer Heroine / Heroine Disqualified

Romaji: Hiroin Shikkaku

Japanese: ヒロイン失格

Director: Tsutomu Hanabusa

Writer: Momoko Koda (manga), Erika Yoshida

Release Date: September 19, 2015

Runtime: 112 min.

Genre: Teen-Romance / Based on a Comic

Distributor: Warner Bros.

Language: Japanese

Country: Japan

Box office: US $20.5 million

CAST

MIREI KIRATANI as Hatori Matsuzaki

KENTO YAMAZAKI as Rita Terasaka

KENTARO SAKAGUCHI as Kosuke Hiromitsu

SYNOPSIS

Hatori Matsuzaki (MIREI KIRITANI) is a cheerful high school girl whose in-love with her childhood friend and classmate. Rita Terasaka (KENTO YAMAZAKI) has been friends with Hatori for 10 years and she is waiting for him to confess his love. One day he helped out a classmate Adachi from bullies and began dating each other. Hatori is devastated and she plotted to regain her "heroine" status. Meanwhile, the most handsome and popular student Kosuke Hiromitsu (KENTARO SAKAGUCHI) shows interest in Hatori and asked her out on a date. 

REVIEW

The comedy is over-the-top however Kiratani's kawaii-ness makes up for it. Of course the flower boys Kento Yamazaki and Kentaro Sakaguchi will make any movie worth watching. The excitement of this love-square romantic comedy will put you at the edge of your seat. I couldn't stop laughing and giggling that I almost woke up the whole house, and watching this at 1am does not help either. Yamazaki's appeal on-screen is so compelling that I watched two of his movies in a row, and I can't wait to watch more. This is a light-hearted romantic comedy that is full of “the feels”.  

HIGHLIGHT

Kosuke and Hatori's meet-cute.

Kosuke waiting for Hatori at the Fireworks Festival. 

Kosuke teasing Hatori.

Kosuke and Hatori on their double date ~ bowling! 

 
Rita and Hatori's fireworks kiss

GALLERY

*CAST*

(left to right) Rita Terasaka, Hatori, Kosuke, Nakajima (Hatori's friend)

Adachi (Rita gf), Kosuke's ex-gf, Rita's Mom, Lunch Guy

*HATORI and RITA*

 

*TRIO ~ RITA, HATORI and KOSUKE*

*my fave ship ~ HATORI and KOSUKE*

credits ~ Asiawiki, Wikipedia and Google Images