BAMBINO!

BAMBINO!

Episodes: 11 

Synopsis: A drama adaptation of a popular comic written by Sekiya Tetsuji. After a year of working at a neighborhood Italian restaurant, Ban Shogo (Matsumoto Jun), an enthusiastic, cocky young college student from Fukuoka, comes to Tokyo to perfect his cooking skills as a chef in Italian cuisine. He discovers he has much to learn and has to continually prove himself to the very competitive, quick and efficient staff at the upscale Italian restaurant. 

MY COMMENTS: THis was a cute drama. Nothing spectacular. Though Matsumoto Jun was pretty cute in his character. He was like a little kid, getting excited..then pouting, then excitement again. It's an alright drama if you want to watch something cute and slightly amusing. It's short enough that you don't feel like you wasted your life away watching it! lol I finished it in a weekend. Give it a try. *shrugs*

Beethoven Virus

BEETHOVEN VIRUS

 

• Genre: Romance, drama, comedy
• Episodes: 18 
• Main Cast: Kim Myung Min as Kang Gun Woo / Kang Ma Eh (Conductor), Lee Ji Ah as Du Ru Mi (Violin), Jang Geun Suk as Kang Gun Woo (Trumpet)
• Synopsis: Kang Gun Woo is a world renowned orchestra maestro who is a perfectionist in his work. He is not an easy person to work with and is fear by all his players. By chance, he comes across Du Ru Mi, a violinist, and a young cop who has the same name as his and discovers that even without formal training, the young Kang is a music genius. The three soon get tangled in a love triangle.  
• My COMMENTS: First of all...JANG GEUN SEUK!!!! *squeal* I have completely, totally, irrevocably fallen in LOVE with this cutie pie! LOL I developed a major CRUSH in "You're Beautiful", which evolved into a strong LIKE in "Baby and Me" and after watching "Beethoven Virus", I've fallen HARD! It's his smile....it's the most stunning I've seen on any Korean actor yet..it makes my heart beat faster and turns me into GOO! ^___^ The drama in itself was pretty interesting also, Jang Geum-oppa is just the icing on the cake! The romantic aspect of this drama isn't what's emphasized, as you watch you realize that what's really important about this drama is the strong love for Classical music all of the characters possess, the ties the bind people together through thick and thin and the idea of working hard for your dreams and never giving up. The drama gets those ideas across beautifully in an interesting and thoughtful manner. The music is absolutely ..moving! If you're a fan of classical music this is the drama for you. It reminded me of Nodame Cantabile a little bit, but ALOT more serious. There isn't nearly as much humor in this one, though there are some characters included for comic relief, such as Bae Yong Gi (played by Park Chul Min). It is DEFINITELY worth a watch.

P.S. I will no longer rate the dramas using numbers. It's too much trouble and no one really reads my blog, anyway! lol It's mostly a way for me to catalog the dramas that I've watched and my initial reactions to them.

Smiling Pasta

Another Taiwanese drama!

SMILING PASTA

• Title: 微笑 Pasta / Wei Hsiao Pasta (Wei Xiao Pasta)
• Also known as: Smiling Pasta / Smile Pasta / Sonria Pasta
• Genre: Romance / Comedy
• Episodes: 17 

Synopsis: Xiao Shi is a girl who has gone through many short relationships, 17 to be exact, not one lasting more than 3 months hence, she was cursed with a three-month curse. After being dumped by her 17th boyfriend, the world looks grimmer than ever. At that time, a famous idol, He Qun runs past, bumps into Xiao Shi, and they end up "kissing" on the street. Paparazzi swarmed by and to avoid a bad reputation, He Qun's manager declared Xiao Shi as He Qun's girlfriend of one year and fiancée. Thus, a love contract was made. This story is about how the couple learns to like each other after having disagreements in the beginning, as well as fighting the injustices the media throw at them. Will Xiao Shi finally break her 3 month curse?

My thoughts: This was a really cute and entertaining drama. The lead characters (He Qun and Xiao Shi) were really lovable and their relationship was absolutely adorable. I loved the way they interacted, always bickering, but in a really cute way. The side characters were also just as lovable (Rita and Ah Zhe). I smiled through all 17 episodes and the ending was really sweet and nicely done. And it's quite different from other romantic comedies I've watched (mostly Korean ones). For one, there's not really a love triangle, so no evil, manipulative exes. lol Also, her family was so endearing and cute! Give it a try!

Rating: Looney Express gives "Smiling Pasta" a 4/5.

Hotaru no Hikari 2 (Glow of the Fireflies 2)

Hotaru no Hikari 2 (Glow of the Fireflies 2)

11 Episodes

Synopsis: (of Season 1)

Hotaru works for a famous interior design company. It's a glamorous job but Hotaru's private life is totally the opposite of glamorous. She lives alone, and when she isn't working she's mostly lazing about her rented house in training wear. She's not interested in men. In fact, she isn't interested in anything. "I'd rather lay around than fool around," is her motto.
Her landlord is a bar owner, and one day his son, who has just separated from his wife, comes to inspect the rental property, not knowing that someone is living there. He is shocked at the mess, but not as shocked as Hotaru. He turns out to be her boss, Takano.

My Comments: I really didn't think it was possible, but...Season 2 is even FUNNIER than the first one! BWAHAHA! I nearly died laughing while watching this drama! And Hotaru and Buchou are the CUTEST, and WEIRDEST couple I have ever seen!! They have so many quirks, but you can't help but love 'em because of it. Hotaru is essentially a slob and Seiichi (Buchou) is a perfectionist and clean freak. The way they interact with each other and show their feelings is so adorable. This drama doesn't have much depth or emotion. I mean you never feel the need to cry at any point. However, if you want something cute, light-hearted and crazily funny, THIS IS THE DRAMA FOR YOU!

Looney Express gives Hotaru no Hikari 2 a 3.5/5

Iljimae

Iljimae

• Title: 일지매 (一枝梅) / Iljimae
• Genre: Historical Romance
• Episodes: 20
• Broadcast network: SBS
• Broadcast period: 2008-May-21 to 2008-Jul-24
• Air time: Wednesday & Thursday 21:55

Synopsis: Set during the Joseon Dynasty, Yong acted as a hooligan in the marketplace by day but at night he was a thief who robbed corrupted government officials to give to the poor. After each robbery he left behind a painting depicting a plum tree branch to make his mark and was thus named Iljimae. His main purpose was not so much to rob but to search for the owner of a specially designed sword which he saw as a child was used to kill his father, a loyal subject of the emperor. Eun Chae is a government official's daughter who despite her upbringing has a lot of empathy towards the poor. She met Iljimae by chance and couldn't help admiring him for what he stood for even though she had never seen his face.

My Comments: This was my first historical drama and I was reluctant to give it a try. But, I am VERY glad that I did. Iljimae was unlike any drama I've watched before. The characters are so interesting and you cannot help but like them. The plot was highly intriguing and each episode had me glued to the screen. The storyline had a great balance of happy, funny, sad and suspense. While this drama is mostly a sad one, in that the characters go through so much in their short lives, their humor offsets the sadness, so that you not completely devastated throughout the whole drama. I really enjoyed this one and finished it entirely in a single weekend! The ending however, was a little disappointing, but still works. It's one of those most-hated open endings. Where you are simply left with the clues to figure out what happened, but you're not blatantly shown. However, it is still VERY much worth watching!

Looney Express gives Iljimae a 4/5.

Sweet Relationship

Hey World!

It's been a long time. I've been busy, busy, busy and just a bit too lazy to blog. Also, I was sucked into an anime and drama binge lately. I finished three dramas recently and thought I'd post about 'em. Here's the first one:

Sweet Relationship

Synopsis: Bai Hui has a refined palate that allows her to enjoy every wonderful texture and taste different cuisines have to offer. Ever since little, food has been the center of her world. It celebrated her college graduation and consoled her when her beloved father passed away. Her love for eating ignites passion in the heart of a genius chef, Zi Tian, who never found joy in food.

My comments: God! I hate these synopsis that you find online sometimes. They never do the drama justice! This is a Taiwanese drama starring Vic Zhou. He is the reason I decided to watch this one! ^___^ So his character Zi Tian is a cold one. He's had a tough childhood and though he is an amazing cook, he doesn't find joy in food. His love interest (though, it takes him FOREVER to admit it to himself) is just the opposite. Food has always been a central and happy part of Ba Hui's life. She decides to become a cook as a way to get closer to Zi Tian. The rest of the dramas is all drama, of course, filled with love rectangles, pain and tears, but also laughs and love. It's a really sweet drama and Ba Hui is such a sweetheart. However, the other female love interest of Zi Tian drove me NUTS throughout the whole thing. You'll see what I'm talking about as you watch. Other than her, the other characters are easily lovable and you'll find yourself enjoying this drama because of them. Give it a try.

Looney Express awards Sweet Relationship with a 3.5/5.

"Watching a Movie" by Fatuma Hydara (A Prose Piece)

Hey, this is something I wrote about a month ago and forgot to post. Totally random thing, but I kinda like it! Anyway here it is!

It’s dark.

 I’m alone, or more precisely I’ve stopped noticing those around me.

 I’m sitting on the edge of my seat…

 unable to breathe,

 not willing to blink,

 eyes riveted to the big screen in front of me.

‘Oh Shit’, the breathless scream echoes loudly inside my head, as my fingers grip the armrest tightly, tight enough for my knuckles to slowly lose their color.

The suspense, the not-knowing…

 My heart is speeding up, faster and faster. I gasp, as the figure on the screen narrowly misses a knife wound.

 I keep starring, waiting for it to end,

 hoping,

wishing,

praying.

‘Johnny Depp, you can’t die on me yet. There are other movies for you to star in!’ I close my eyes briefly, taking in a sharp breath, as the knife finally meets its intended target. I hesitantly open them again just in time to catch the flurry of action that ends with Johnny’s character as victor.

 I relax, blood pressure slowly lowers and smile. ‘What a great movie’.

The Caged Animal by Fatuma Hydara (ME, DUH!!!

A/N- I've been writing a bit of poetry lately..It's not usually my thing, so I don't know where this inspiration-if you can call it that-is coming from. Anyway, take a look at it and see what you think.

I know why the caged animal screams,

a roar of frightful pain,

having just woken up from a dream of free,

just to see his trapped reality.

I know why the caged animal cries,

a wail of aching sorrow,

having just reminisced of a past of uninhibitation.

I know why the caged animal shrieks,

a howl of nostalgic agony,

of a previous life in a wild open plain.

I know why the caged animal bellows,

in tortured anger,

for things done against his will.

I know why the caged animal screams, but do you?

He cries and shrieks and bellows,

because he is no longer free, and may never be.

Untitled- by me! April 27, 2010

A silk strap falls off a supple shoulder.

A soft, silky hand lingers.

A breathless whisper, a gasping moan, a stifled cry

Passion glazed eyes

Touches here…

there…

and everywhere…

Inflammable skin, burning hotly just beneath the surface

a coming together, hearts synced, beating a love-filled rhythm

Spirits and senses soar

higher and higher…

and higher

Then,

slowly float back down to earth on a cloud,

returning to a sated vessel,

                                             
                    a smile, a wink, a sigh… eyes gently close,

                                    in time for rose colored dreams.

Anime: Special A & KDrama: 100 Days with Mr. Arrogant

Hello World,

I know it's been a while, but I've been sooo busy that I haven't done or watched anything of interest to blog on, except school work... AND THAT'S NO FUN!!!

Due to a much appreciated snow day, I was able to finish watching an anime I started a while ago

SPECIAL A

The anime revolves around a special class in an Highschool that consists of the seven highest students on the honor roll, or whatever. They are a group of mostly eccentric rich kids. Here are the characters (curtesy of wikipedia):

Hikari Hanazono (華園 光, Hanazono Hikari^?) Voiced by: Yuko Goto

Hikari is the protagonist of the story and is ranked 2nd in the school. She is energetic and kindhearted, but rather dense to more subtle matters, in particular love. She is the daughter of a carpenter. When she was six years old she experienced her first defeat and humiliation when she lost to Kei Takishima in a pro-wrestling match. In order to beat Kei, Hikari convinced her father to allow her to attend Kei's prestigious elite school and strives to defeat Kei at anything, from academics to athletics.

Kei Takishima (滝島 彗, Takishima Kei^?) Voiced by: Jun Fukuyama

Kei is Hikari's rival and holds the 1st position in the entire school. He is good at everything he does and is always a smooth winner. He is the son of the CEO of Takishima Corporation. Kei has been in love with Hikari since they were children, but Hikari has been too dense to realize his feelings for her. He maintains a stoic and cool facade most of the time, except for when Hikari is in trouble.

Jun Yamamoto (山本 純, Yamamoto Jun^?) Voiced by: Tsubasa Yonaga

Jun is ranked 3rd in school and is the son of a music producer and a talented vocalist. He is a nice guy and is usually quiet like his older twin sister, Megumi. Like Megumi, he is very possessive of Ryuu and seems to worry Ryuu as much as he worries about the two of them. Jun is rather shy around girls, which resulted in a split personality that enables him to charm almost all women effortlessly.

Megumi Yamamoto (山本 芽, Yamamoto Megumi^?) Voiced by: Ayahi Takagaki

Megumi holds the 4th position in school and is the older twin sister of Jun. She and her brother are very close to Ryuu, whom they have known since they were children. Megumi refuses to speak so as to preserve her singing voice and writes what she wishes for people to know on a sketchpad. When she sings, her voice is so devastatingly powerful that everyone ends up dazed and disoriented afterward.

Tadashi Karino (狩野 宙, Karino Tadashi^?) Voiced by: Hiro Shimono

Tadashi ranks 5th in school and is the son of the school's director. He suffers from a bit of wanderlust, likes to travel alone and do whatever he wants or sees fit. He enjoys eating sweets, especially food made by Akira. He seems to end up as the character most comically attacked (frequently by Akira and Kei) because of his careless comments or reckless behavior.

Akira Toudou (東堂 明, Tōdō Akira^?) Voiced by: Hitomi Nabatame

Akira holds the 6th position in school and is very fond of Hikari; as a result, she is very protective of her. She loves afternoon tea and is very fond of cute girls. Akira apparently is in love with Tadashi although she never seems to hold back when hitting him. She is the daughter of the owner of an airline company.

Ryuu Tsuji (辻 竜, Tsuji Ryū^?) Voiced by: Kazuma Horie

Ryuu ranks 7th in the entire school cohort. He is the son of the CEO of a sports car company and one of his family's clients is Yahiro's family. He is an animal lover and is very good at handling children. The twins, Megumi and Jun, are unusually close to him, because they have been together since childhood and it seems that Ryuu has saved them once. It is hinted that perhaps he is smarter than 7th place, but spends the majority of the time during exams worrying about Jun and Megumi, who tend to become bored or sleep during tests.

 

This anime was soooo amusing and funny! hehe :D Hikari and Kei were the most amusing couple I've seen in a long time in anime. Actually..all of the couples were wacky! lol I won't tell you who pairs with who...you gotta watch to find out. This was a fun watch and only 24 episodes. Give it a try.

Looney Express gives Special A 3.5/5!

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Next, is a Korean movie called: 100 days with Mr. Arrogant!

 

HAHAHAHA!!!! This movie was soo funny! I usually don't watch movies, I'm not sure why, except that I prefer longer works, so that I can really see the development of the romance, but this movie may change my mind!!!

I'll start by saying it's a romantic comedy....you know..I've noticed that all I watch are romantic comedies. It may be time for a change! :) Ha-Young gets dumped by her boyfriend the day before their 100 day anniversary and upset she kicks a can on her way home... (who does this? lol) And luck should have it, said can hits someone who driving a convertible...with the top down of course...causing him to hit a pole scratching his car. WAIT! It gets even better! So, this man who is the VERY arrogant Hyung-Joon who literally hunts her down, when she runs away and makes her his slave in order to repay him the $3,000 it would supposedly cost to fix his car. And of course during her time as a slave...she falls in love. Typical..lol except Hyung-Joon is such an ASSHOLE!!! BWAHAHAH!!! But he's an incredibly charming one! Anyway..give it a go. It'll be an entertaining hour and a half!

Looney Express gives 100 Days with Mr. Arrogant a 4/5!!! 

WOOT WOOT!!!

Until whenever, my friends!!!! =D

Anime: Lovely Complex

Hey Everyone,

I'm back with another Anime review. I've just finished watching Lovely Complex.

Summary from AnimeSeason.com:

Risa Koizumi, taller than the average girl, and Atsushi Ootani, shorter than the average guy - their constant bickering and comical love-hate relationship is well-known throughout the school. They act similarly and love the same music, and their friendship is full of laughing, shouting at each other, and of course, lots of jokes about one another's height. But when Risa notices her feelings for Ootani growing, she's worried. She doesn't know if he can ever see her as more than a friend. With her friends rooting for her, she struggles to make him see how she feels about him, and that a romantic relationship between a tall girl and a short guy can work. Oblivious Ootani doesn't make things easy for her, but she stubbornly perseveres in her own unconventional way, determined for her feelings to get through to him, and finally be returned. If only she could do it without driving herself and everyone else crazy in the process...

Review: This a funny 24 ep long romantic comedy! And when I say funny, I reallly mean ABSOLUTELY HILARIOUS!!!! Risa and Otani are one of the MOST INTERESTING couples I've ever seen. But their feelings are real and very endearing. Their relationship is so sweet. You can't help but fall in love with them yourself and their group of friends who all have their own personalities and problems. This a cute anime that has it all! Most definetely give it a try.

There's also a live movie, which is also very good by the same title. Give that a shot too, while you're at it! Teppei plays Otani in the live movie...He's SOOO ADORABLE!!!! Look!

Looney Express awards Lovely Complex a 4.7/5!

Level 26: Dark Origins by Anthony Zuiker

Hiya World,

It's been a while, but I haven't died yet!
Today's a book review. Before I even start, let me just get it out there:

LEVEL 26 IS A MUST READ!!! DON'T HESITATE OR CONTEMPLATE, JUST GO GET IT!!!!!!

Alright now that's out of the way, here's the blurb:

Unlock a new level of fear.

It is well known among law enforcement personnel that murderers can be categorized on a scale of twenty-five levels of evil, from the naive opportunists starting out at Level 1 to the organized, premeditated torture-murderers who inhabit Level 25.
What almost no one knows - except for the elite unnamed investigations group assigned to hunt down the world's most dangerous killers, a group of men and women accounted for in no official ledger, headed by the brilliant but reluctant operative Steve Dark - is that a new category of killer is in the process of being defined.
Only one man belongs to this group. His targets: Anyone. His methods: Unlimited. His alias: Sqweegel. His classification: Level 26

Alright, reading this book is like nothing else that you're ever read. It is an experience. You don't simply read this novel, you live it! You fear for the victims, an you're scary shitless by the killer. Every 20 pages or so of the novel, provides with a code that you put in at level26.com. This unlocks a video clip that enhances the reading experience. The clips enable you to witness the characters fears, and the monster's thought process!

Sweegel is the CREEPIEST, STRANGEST criminal I've ever seen! He's unlike anything you've ever seen before and that' combined with Zuiker's writing style makes this novel extremely captivating. I read all 400 pages in ONE NIGHT! There was no way I could put down the book until I knew whether or not a certain someone lives, or if Sweegal is caught and how! But this book is only the first book in a series, so there's  an INSANE cliff-hanger at the end! I don't know how I'm going to wait for book 2! I CAN NOT WAIT!!!

By the way, Did I mention that Level 26 is a MUST READ!!!! I did? Well, it's worth mentioning over and over. IT'S A MUST READ!!!!!

Looney Express awards Anthony Zuiker's Level 26: Dark Origins a rare 5/5!!!! YAY? Most Definitely YAY!!!!

College Life Update

Hello Everyone,

It's me, again. Sigh.... I'm TOTALLY stressing out!!! College is such a pain!!!

Why the heck is finals week, only 2-3 weeks after Turkey Day?! The higher-ups MUST know that they is NO WAY, one can study with a turkey leg in one hand and a spoonful of mashed potatoes in the other!!!! HAHA!!!

Seriously!! So, I crapped this WHOLE weekend, doing absolutely NOTHING, but EAT, SLEEP & BATHROOM!!!! lol Then I go back to school Monday morning and I'm finishing a paper on the train ride there! IS THAT ANYWAY FOR AN HONOR STUDENT TO BEHAVE??!! HAHAHA

But I'll get over it. I always manage to get everything done in a satisfactory manner. I'VE YET TO BE COMPLETELY SCREWED BY MY PROCRASTINATING WAYS...SO I won't be changing my work habits!!! HAHAHA

Alright, I'm reallly tired...You try staying up until 4 AM everyday for 4 days, you'll be in a coma also!

Til Next time, FOLKS!!!
CIAO!!