Japanese Actors Discussion Thread

[acidalia-san]

welcome back! Lree!
this thread has missed you, too!

@Lunar: ohh...how is MARS? what is it about?
I have started watching "Coffee prince"..it hooked me up...

[Lree]

thank you acidalia-san

Coffee prince is a good choice. It only gets better and better. I heard that one of the actors died in an accident not long ago. Don't know his name, but it's the goofy, tall guy who is in love with someones sister.

[acidalia-san]

It is really good. I like it so far..well I am quite far..episode 8.

ohh ..I feel sorry for him. Bc he seems to be a cheerful person...well I just know him from coffee prince.

what did you do over easter vacation?

[Lree]

I went to visit my mom, my brother and my grandfather. I grew up in the eastern part of Norway, but now live in the western part, so I usually visit them every holiday. It takes 8 hours to go there by car, and since there is school or work most of the time, I don't get to go very often. It's always sad to leave and I always think about moving back there when I visit them, but after so many years here I've got lots of things I love here too.

[acidalia-san]

Ohh seems like you had a nice vacation then! You must have been missing them alot! I am also staying at some other city then my parents , but I am only 60 km away so I get to visit them nearly every weekend. For me the current place I am satying is just temporary (university studies) and it way too small. So I plan to move away as soon as I am finished.
ahh..well it is hard, but I think it is part of growing up.
Are you somewaht staying close to Bergen?

[Lree]

YES!!! That's right. Just half an hour by car south of Bergen. Both school and work is in Bergen. Been there?

[acidalia-san]

That is cool! unfortunately I haven`t been there , yet ...but heard much about it. One of my fellow students husband was from there. He used to speak much about it. It seems to have quite a cool music scene.
They live now in Oslo.

[Lree]

Bergen is OK. Better than Oslo, but I like Trondheim even better. The people up there are so funny, and their dialect is the coolest. I think many people from Bergen take themselves a bit too serioulsy. For example they have a well known "phrase": "I'm not from Norway, I'm from Bergen." Like they are too good to be a part of this country you know. These are the most extreme of course. Far from everyone here is like that, most people are nice.

[LunarPhoenix]

Originally Posted by miyuki_chan

Jpop groups ~~~

U like smily happy groups... than I suggest Kanjani 8 as well ~~ They are a bunch of Kansai kids who make things SUPER crazy! LOL Go look them up ~ They just released a new album so should be easy to find them. LOL Or ask me ~~~ haha I'm a huge Kanjani 8 fan.. HAHA

*bursts into song* "Wahaha!" I'm pretty new to Kanjani8; I'll definitely have to expand upon that. Do you have a favorite song (or two or three)?

Originally Posted by acidalia-san

@Lunar: ohh...how is MARS? what is it about?

Mars is a romance at heart -- shy/timid artistic girl, "Kira Aso" (in the Taiwanese series, "Han Qi Luo"), meets outgoing motorcycle-racing playboy, "Rei Kashino" (in the Tseries, "Chen Ling"). They have a few chance encounters and their relationship progresses from there. Rei ends up being the first guy Kira's really given the romantic time of day. Kira ends up being more than one of Rei's infinite romantic flings. Turns out, thanks to some life experiences, they both can relate more than they initially thought, and they grow and heal from life together.

The story includes lots of "sensitive material" drama... I don't want to give that away b/c it unfolds as the story progresses, but if you want me to, I can PM you a context spoiler. But it's a beautiful story that satisfies to full-circle completion (my favorite!). Five reasons I love the series:

1. Twists and turns and surprises galore! (largely thanks to Rei having a dash of amnesia) & like I said, the plot comes full-circle -- even gets tied off with a bow.

2. Both characters offer/receive something deeply meaningful from the relationship. I adore that kind of balance better than when a magical hero figure sweeps in and saves the day (although the latter does its place in playful escapism... I particularly prefer my female characters to possess or grow to own their ovaries...).

3. The two learn to stick together: confronting "bad guys" (including misunderstandings and supposed "family") and walking the journey of life hand-in-hand.

4. The psychological journeys: interpreting memories, integrating (instead of ignoring) past traumas, learning coping mechanisms (including to stand up for self), healing, maturing from selfishness, learning to trust and love...

5. The two characters each have their own personalities/interests, their own personal dreams, their own two feet... They find shelter in one another and the encouragement to evolve toward their higher selves, but don't unhealthily dissolve/disappear into each other. They each walk their own paths with their own two feet; they just happen to be looking in the same direction, sharing hearts and lives.

Honestly, I think it's a series you either love or find "meh." Aside from the points above, I'm a huge (quality, healthy) romance fan. Plus I related to their journeys, so I found depth and beauty in the series that someone else might brush aside (assuming they see it at all). If any of the above catches your eye, I recommend. Of course, it doesn't hurt to give something a chance.

Final note: there's the manga series (15 volumes, plus a one-volume prequel called Mars Gaiden ... so 16 total) and the Taiwanese live action series. I read a review that said the Tseries mirrors the manga. So far, that has indeed been the case. So yay!

[Lree]

Lunar: I agree with you. Mars is absolutely worth seeing. I've seen the taiwanese drama. Very cute and entertaining.