Paradise Kiss

I love the anime and when I found out the movie I was more than happy. As I've seen, most of the times, the movies change the plot of the anime/manga or simplify it but this one didn't. Usually the Japanese movies don't change the plot of the original mangas or animes, thankfully. Anyway, Paradise Kiss is all, in my point of view, about life in general. About hopw you can find love in the strangest places and how you have to think about your future carefully.

As most of you know, the story is about Yukari 'Caroline' Hayasaka (Keiko Kitagawa) who doesn't really sees a meaning in her life. She's a normal high school student who tries really hard to get into a respected university. On the other side, her life gets shaken up when she meets the ParaKiss group and falls in love with George Koizumi (Osamu Mukai). Initially, I got annoyed with Yukari's personality because I do know very well what to do with my life and she seemed very thoughtless. However, I started to get into her skin and realized that there are lots of girls who go through the same situation in real life too.

The choice of actors was very good. I, personally, love Osamu Mukai. I've seen him in Nodame Cantabile, one of my favourite animes, Atashinchi no Danshi, where he was just too cool and, recently, Hungry. I admire this actor a hell lot and, adding to his acting skills, he's just so loveable in his dramas/movies. He gets you addicted to his character and you can't get yourself to hate him. Now, there's also Yusuke Yamamoto, who I sincerely didn't know he plays Hiroyuki Tokumori. In my vision, he wasn't really that good for portraying Tokumori but he did well enough. Nothing surprising, though. As the lead role, Keiko Kitagawa was pretty good. I've seen her in Buzzer Beat as Riko and she was also amazing. Now, in Paradise Kiss she definitely acted different and she improved. She's a good actress and she's really pretty. Now, next to these actors there are Shunji Igarashi (Isabella), Kento Kaku (Arashi) and Aya Omasa (Miwako). I totally love them too. Aya's real personality is closer to Miwako's than Sunako's. However, she seems to glow in both characters but I guess she does play Miwako better.

Overall, I love both anime, manga and movie and the subject has a more subtle message. The actors played very well, the subject hasn't been shortened but there are slight differences. The ending, thank God, is new. They do meet again and they stay together. That's one thing I hate at the original piece. George leaves for France, if I remember correctly, and Yukari marries someone in the anime and manga but it's really nice they meet again in New York in the movie.

You should check the movie out; doesn't matter if you have seen the anime or not, just check the movie out. You'll love Keiko and Osamu.

    

Yamato Nadeshiko Shichi Henge

Yet another drama I found quite unique is Yamato Nadeshiko Shichi Henge translated as The Wallflower. I seriously didn't know what to expect from it because I didn't know the manga/anime either so I took it as a challenge. Surprisingly, even though the plot is not that extraordinary, it takes a alternative route. It talks about the negative part of being blessed with beauty and other things that you eventually realize throughout the drama.

For those who don't know and want to check it out, it's about this good looking guy, Takano Kyohei (Kazuya Kamenashi) who suffers from being handsome. On the other side, there's Sunako (Aya Omasa) who's that type of goth girl who lives in her own dark world. They collide when Mrs Nakahara, the landlady where Kyohei lives with other three guys, sends Sunako to get beautified and turned into a lady by the boys. If they won't succeed then that's bad. However, they do make some changes into her life and she definitely changes Kyohei's. It's quite something with this drama that I can't put in words. I got slightly annoyed on some points with Sunako's character, because she's really stubborn and she has to be always persuaded by Kyohei in order to open up a bit, but in the end is all about you, as a person. Each one of us has its own personality and own unique way of living and throughout the story, Kyohei, Yukinojo, Takenaga and Ranmaru realise that Sunako is amazing exactly the way she is and she doesn't need to be transformed into a lady. I believe that's a subject that doesn't appear much into dramas or at least, isn't obvious enough.

Overall, The Wallflower is a good manga/anime/drama that shows people some aspects about beauty.