Mioka

Title: Mioka

Country: Japan

Genre: TV Drama

Seasons: 1

Episodes: 10

Duration: 54min/ep

Air date: 10 Jul, 2010 - 18 Sep, 2010

Actors: Yoshitaka Yuriko, Hayashi Kento

Plot:

Hashimoto Taichi is a third year university student that doesn't know what he wants to do in the future.

One day he sees a girl - Mioka- standing at the top of the roof of the school building and thinks that she's about to commit suicide.

He runs up to her - ignoring his phobia of high places - and taking her in his arms, begging her to not commit suicide.

She answers that she's not about to take her life and runs away.

Later they meet again and Taichi starts to care more about her.

What he doesn't know yet is that she has a life threatening disease.

Review:

This drama made me cry a lot, and I'm really sad that it's over.

I would like this drama to last forever, because I really don't want it to end like this.

Even though it's so sad, it also made me laugh sometimes.

My favorite scene is when Mioka accidently drops a bowl with flour all over Taichi's head.

He looked really funny, and it was easy to laugh even though it was supposed to be sad.

Mioka has a great charisma, she does and says whatever she want and she's also an inspiration for all.

Even though she has a life threatening disease, she tries to be happy and outgoing.

It was heartbreaking to see how people in her surrounding acted at first, and to see her get worse due her illness.

Though, I really was happy that she could feel alive with Taichi, that she didn't give up.

Her ending scene wasn't as convincing as it should be.

That's the only thing I didn't like, but that has nothing to do with the character itself.

Taichi wasn't a great character at first, it seemed like he didn't want to be her, but felt guilty and had to be with her just to keep his promise to her.

Though he evolved as a person in each episode, and I really liked him at the end, because sure he was still quiet and such, but he showed his true feelings and everything he had in his heart instead of keeping it all inside.

He felt like a person and not a shell.

Kaori is Mioka's mom.

The reason why I didn't like her at first was because she wanted to put an end to the relationship between her daughter and Taichi, even though it would put an end for her happiness as well.

I know she only wanted what's best for her daughter, but I don't see why she would end a happiness like that.

Later she changed herself, because she could finally see what's really was best for her daughter.

I'm happy that she changed her mind, because I don't think she would like to be the reason why her daughter was so unhappy.

In the end, I liked her.

Hiroyuki is the doctor that felt more as a member of the family.

He's so understanding and does everything he can to help them and also lets Mioka has her fun.

Hiroyuki is my favorite character, he doesn't care what his boss tells him to do, he only cares for his patients.

I loved this drama, and I'm really glad that I watched it.

I only give this show four stars of five possible, because there was a few things that could have been better.

For an example Taichi could have been more caring instead of holding everything inside.

And the last Mioka scene wasn't convincing, but I swear that this show is worth watching.

4/5: 

The Prince of Tennis

Title: The Prince of Tennis

Original title: tenisu no oujisama

Country: Japan

Genre: School, Sports

Duration: 110 minutes

Released: May 14, 2006

Actors: Hongou Kanata, Shirota Yuu

Plot:

Echizen Ryoma is a twelve-year-old talented tennis player who transferred school to Seishun Academy, that is famous for their strong tennis team.

He's not accepted at first and realizes that there are better tennis players than himself.

This is his journey to become the prince of tennis.

Review:

This was the first japanese movie I've seen, and the first time I saw the movie title, I admit that I was critical.

But then I realized that it was good, maybe a little bit unrealistic, but still good.

The characters were different from each other, and of course I have a favorite.

Ryoma isn't my favorite, even though he's the main character.

I thought he was arrogant, he might have helped that mute girl on the bus, but he thought that he was the king of the world, and better than everyone else.

Fortunatly he learned that there was people that ere better than him, and he played to get stronger than he was.

He really evolved as a person.

One thing I thought about a lot was that he looked like he was about to cry throughout the movie.

I know that he only was twelve years old, but I didn't like to see that all the time when he's trying to look older than he was.

Nanjiroh is Ryomas father and also my favorite character.

The reason why is that he's really funny, and he's everywhere, literally.

He's also the one who has trained his son to become the talented tennis player as he is.

I thought it was cute when he played with the white kitten, so cute.

Tezuka Kunimitsu is the trainer for the team who has an injured arm, he's kind and are willing to do everything for the team.

He's a really strong character.

Shion Higaki is the mute girl that Ryoma helped on the bus.

I really don't know why she's in the picture.

I must have missed something important.

She's almost everytime where Ryoma is, and nothing's ever happen.

Egate McLeod Higaki is Shion's older brother and he's more arrogant than any character in this movie.

He has his reasons, but he's very annoying after a while.

Though he cares for his little sister, and truly are a great tennis player, but he's still very mean to others.

I don't know what to think about him so I think nothing about him.

This movie was cute, but weird.

You don't have to play or even like tennis, it's amusing anyway.

I would like to give this movie 3 stars of 5 possible, because I wasn't bored when I saw it, but I didn't love it either.

It was an okay movie, but nothing more.

3/5:

Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

Title: Vampire Academy

Series: Vampire Academy #1

Author: Richelle Mead

Genre: YA Paranormal

Format: Paperback

Pages: 332

Published: August 16th 2007

ISBN: 159514174X

ISBN-13: 9781595141743

Plot:

There is danger at St. Vladimir’s boarding school in Montana.
This is a school for Moroi and Dhampirs to learn their magic and bodyguard skills.
Rose was in training to become her best friend Lissa’s guardian, before she discovered the danger against Lissa.
They escaped the school and were found two years later and were brought back.
In this book you will see love, a friendship and a betrayal.
Rose was right; there is danger at school and it wants Lissa…

Review:

First time I read this book I was confused by all the terms, such as Dhampir, Moroi and Strigoi.
I didn’t learn everything until I was in the middle of the book, so I’m going to write them down for everyone who is going to have the same problem.

Strigoi = Dead vampires, they live forever and dies in sunlight, isolated from all magic and gets stronger if they get Moroi blood.

Moroi = Vampires that survives in sunlight but annoys them, they can do magic and hides from the Strigoi to survive, drinking blood from volunteer humans.

Dhampir = Half vampires, they train to become guardians for the Moroi, they are just like humans only that they are stronger, faster and so on.

Rose is a Dhampir and can be a little bitchy sometimes, but her character wouldn’t be the same if she weren’t.
I really like her taste in men I might add, and she’s really a good friend who does everything for Lissa.
Her training goes really well after a while - she’s really strong both her personality and her battle skills.
I wouldn’t mind having a friend like her. I would feel protected and happy.

Lissa is a royal Moroi who became quiet after the loss of her brother and parents two years ago.
She doesn’t really want the popular cute guy who has totally fallen for her.
She doesn’t even want the be in the cool crowd, so I’m glad that she found true friends after a while, even though it might have been hard to trust any new people.

I should not talk about the guys in this book, but I’m sure going to talk about them in the review of the second book, because I don’t want to spoil anything if you haven’t read this book before.
What I liked about this book the most, was that the love was so pure and open, and also forbidden.
I liked the way Rose thought, even though the jokes were a bit lame sometimes.
But hey, she did come up with something.

I would recommend this book and series as well to all people who enjoy vampires and true love.
This might have been the best series I’ve read, so don’t you dare miss this book because it’s mainstream right now.
This book is totally worth reading.
I would like to give 5 stars to this book to prove my point.
5/5:

/Tessie

Beastly by Alex Flinn

Title: Beastly

Author: Alex Flinn

Genre: YA Paranormal

Format: Paperback

Pages: 304

Published: October 1st 2008

ISBN: 006087418X

ISBN-13: 9780060874186

Plot:

Kyle is rich and handsome and has the most beautiful girl at school as his date for the spring dance.
Just for fun, he asks an ugly girl (in his definition) to the spring dance who says yes, and then leave her without a date in the end.
Sadly for him, the girl he stood up was a witch who wasn’t sad as he expected.
Later that night she transforms him into a beast, and he has only two years to transform back.
He has to find his true love that loves him back and proves it with a kiss.
But who would love him when he looked like a monster with fur, claws and fangs?

Review:

This book made a big impression on me. 
At first I thought it would be like any other book I read, but it wasn’t. 
Beastly is a modern tale of Beauty and the Beast, and I could recognize a lot from earlier books I’ve read about the same story, also the Disney movie.

I felt sorry for Kyle from the beginning when I read all the quotes from what his dad have told him in his life.

I knew that the father might be one reason why he acted that way. 
The other reason was that he was blinded by his surroundings; his dad was on the TV all the time and had no time for him, and when he actually had the time he told his son that beauty and money was all that mattered. 


Later in the book he finally could see the real beauty, the beauty within. 
He could see the beauty in a cheap rose instead of an expensive orchid. 
What I really liked was that he evolved to a better person, that he didn’t lived in a bubble, he saw the whole world as it was. 
He could even see true love. 


I liked Lindy from the beginning, when she didn’t have a date for the spring dance and was by herself receiving the tickets from others. 
She thought the white rose was beautiful at first sight, and I knew she had to be a great person to see through the superficial façade. 


One of many things I liked in this book were the magic mirror that was used a lot more than in the Disney movie if you compare. 
I admit I was a little bit jealous of that mirror; I’ve also wanted to see some people in my life when I couldn’t. 


One thing I disliked was the reaction from Lindy when Kyle/Adrian transformed back, it just felt like a fake reaction. 
Sure, it would be weird to not being confused, but then asking where the beast was. 
That just felt unreal. 


After the transformation I had the same feeling as Lindy. 
It didn’t feel the same way as when he was a beast, sure it’s easier to go out with a normal human, but it felt like he would stop loving her when he’s handsome again. 
Almost that it was better when he was a beast, a special guy that you can recognize and know it’s real. 
That he was more beautiful as a beast instead of a human. 
I could feel that, even though it was from Adrian’s/Kyle’s point of view. 


I loved this book, and I also felt sorry for Kyle in the beginning when he had to get used to the thought of being a beast. 
It’s hard to go from really handsome to an ugly beast when you have a dad who hates all the ugliness. 
Then also hearing the truth, that no one even liked you, not even your best friend. 
It’s not the ugliness who makes you a prisoner, unless you want the shallow friendships or relationships. 
Is it really worth being popular to miss all the chances for a true love or friendship? 
That’s what this book wants to say, and I think it’s a must read for everyone out there.

I give this book five stars of five possible, and I'm not generous here.

It's really worth it.

5/5:

Bitten & Smitten by Michelle Rowen

Title: Bitten & Smitten

Series: Immortality Bites #1

Author: Michelle Rowen

Genre: Paranormal

Format: Mass Market Paperback

Pages: 400

Published: January 1st 2006

ISBN: 0446617008

ISBN-13: 9780446617000

Plot:

Sarah Dearly was going on a blind date that her friend Amy set up for her.
The guy is clearly a lunatic, because he bites her on the first date, literally.
He also gets killed by vampire hunters.
Yeah, the guy’s a desperate vampire.
Sarah has to run for her life when the hunters discover the bite marks, and she runs into a 600-year-old vampire who wants to commit suicide.
He’s helping her, though, and not just with the hunters.
Sarah would be dead if it wasn’t for him, because she needed his blood to survive as a vampire.
But a life as a vampire wasn’t what Sarah wanted; she’d do anything to be a normal human again.

After a while she meets a guy named Quinn at a bar, and she tells him that she’s a vampire (good move, Sarah!) and he tells her his little secret too; he’s a vampire hunter.
So now she’s running from a vampire hunter who knows her name and what she looks like, and she can never rest.
At least not until he becomes a vampire too…

Review:

Bitten & Smitten captured me from the very beginning.
It was so funny, I actually laughed out loud many times.

Sarah can be a little bitchy sometimes, but her heart is pure.
She saves her reality with lots of denial at first, then with lots of sarcasm.
I don’t really buy her so-called love to Thierry, just that she thinks that he’s very hot, mysterious and hard to get.

Thierry is a private man, with not so much of a personality.
He’s kind of boring; I guess his personality disappeared with his age.
Though, he has his moments when he doesn’t understand what Sarah’s talking about.
I would say that he really doesn’t belong in a relationship with Sarah; sure it can be a great fling with both of them, but nothing more.
But seriously, Sarah’s an outgoing woman who knows what she wants, and Thierry?
Well he just wants to die.
I don’t say that he should die; it would be nice to have him around, just not as Sarah’s boyfriend.

Quinn on the other hand is great for Sarah in my opinion.
Sure he was going to kill her at first sight, but he didn’t know that vampires are like humans in some ways.
There are good vampires and bad vampires, just like there are good humans and bad humans.
He was raised to think that all vampires were bad, so it’s not really his fault.
Honest now, wouldn’t Sarah and Quinn make a cute couple?
Even Amy thinks that.

Amy is a very unique character, she believes in true love and that it will last forever.
She might have made a mistake with Sarah’s blind date, but it really wasn’t her fault.
Her reaction when Sarah says that she’s a vampire is priceless.
First she’s about to scream and then she’s super-jealous.

Bitten & smitten really is well written, and very funny.
The characters came alive with their personality, well… most of them.
I assume that Thierry has his personality in his own way… the private way, but I still don’t like him.

I would like to give this book five stars of five, it's really brilliant and really deserves it.

5/5: