My interest in Anime and video games led me to this wonderful Japanese drama called Nodame Cantabile. A drama I went into somewhat rambling detail about how much I love it, love classical music and how much I love the cast in particular Ueno Juri (上野 樹里) and Tamaki Hiroshi (玉木 宏). As a result, I decided to sign up for a Japanese language class in the hopes that one day I might be proficient enough that I would be able to watch anime and jdorama without relying on English subtitles.
Then Poh Kim, one of Singapore's largest dvd/vcd distributors, began importing tons of Japanese dramas into Singapore and I decided to get a couple of them.
What I definitely didn't bargain for is my new current obsession. It has consumed all my free time and now all I do is watch Japanese dramas. =)
For the longest time, I had this impression that jdoramas were weepy affairs or highly exaggerated melodramatic dramas and hence, I had very little real interest in watching them. This is mostly due to the strong impressions that Oshin and old Yamaguchi Momoe (山口百恵) series left on me when I was a child.
Matsushima Nanako, Inoue Mao and Matsumoto Jun
As a result, I almost missed out on Matsushima Nanako (松嶋菜々子), Takenouchi Yutaka (竹野内豊), Inoue Mao (井上真央) and Matsumoto Jun (松本潤). But by far my most favourite Japanese actor of all time right now is Matsushima Nanako.
Matsushima Nanako
She ranks right up there with my Ada Choi Siu Fun obssession and like with Ada, I have tried tracking down as many of Nanako's series and films as possible. The likelihood of me ever getting my hands on all of them is very slim as some of Nanako's series are quite old but those that I've managed to get my hands on have only increased my regard for one of the best Asian actresses I've ever watched. Unlike Ada, who in my opinion didn't manage to attain the level of regard she should have as one of the best actresses of her generation in Hong Kong, Nanako is loved by many Japanese and scores of Asians and I am one of them.
While I would love to wax lyrical about Hana Yori Dango 1 & 2 (Inoue Mao and Matsumoto Jun were fantastic and Nanako looked lovely) and how divine Nanako was in Majo no Jouken, Bijo ka Yajiuu, Koori no Sekai, GTO, I really need to go as I would like to try and watch as much of Yamato Nadeshiko as possible before the avalanche of work hits when work begins tomorrow.
Someday, maybe I will go into greater detail on just how wonderful Nanako's acting is. Here's hoping that Nanako will continue to act even though she gave birth to her second daughter with husband Sorimachi Takeshi in Nov 2007. She's been working a lot less since her marriage to Sorimachi and I would be really sad if she decides not to work completely anymore. =( I read some where that there is suppose to be a Hana Yori Dango movie which will go into production in January of this year and Nanako will have a small part in it if she recovers in time. If she makes it into the cast for this movie, I would be in 7th Heaven. =)
Okie dokes... am off to watch more Nanako and I leave you with these youtube videos of a series of Nintendo DS =) commercials featuring the still stunning Nanako. =)
cheers =)
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