HamsapSukebe Jdorama awards 2007

There are plenty of shows I haven't watched, some shows I dropped quickly and some shows have not yet finished being subbed.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: KITAOJI KINYA (Karei-naru Ichizoku)

Come to think of it, Aibu Saki has been in 3 shows last year. Her management must be doing a good job.

Easiest decision ever. To me, he upstaged KimuTaku with his portrayal of the stoic and tragic Manpyo Daisuke. To me, he was the main and most interesting character of Karei-naru Ichizoku.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: SUZUKI KYOKA (Karei-naru Ichizoku)


Supporting actresses are mainly to look good and be plot devices. Unfortunately there was no memorable actress in a supporting role except for Suzuki Kyoka in Karei-naru Ichizoku. Her role as Manpyo's mistress was so memorable.

BEST ACTOR: 3 WAY TIE!


This is the hardest one for me to choose. One one hand you had Santamaria Yusuke and his as Dodoh Hajime in Konshu Tsuma ga Uwaki Shimasu. He really showed once again that he has the acting chops and screen presence to carry a jdorama.

If Aragaki Yui were my daughter.....

On the other hand there's Tachi Hiroshi who became the only reason to watch Papa to Musume Nanokakan. Albeit he had tons of fun doing his role and he made up for Aragaki Yui's bad acting.


Thirdly, there's Takahashi Katsunori in Tokumei Kakarichou Tadano Hitoshi 3. It is so rare for an actor to have two career defining roles. Though Tadano Hitoshi and Kintaro are sorta similar, ultimately, they are very different series. While his acting will not win awards, no other actor could have pulled off his tough guy role.

I can't decide or rationalise something out so I'll be lazy and call it a tie.

BEST ACTRESS - KANNO MIHO (Watashitachi no Kyokasho)


To me every actress has the one role which is a perfect fit for them. As bad as Itoh Misaki is, Densha was the perfect show for her crap acting skills. Kanno Miho to me has always been a decent actress just waiting for a right role to shine and her role as Tsukimi Tamako in Watashitachi no Kyokasho clearly demonstrates that she has learned something after more than 10 years of acting. Too bad the same cannot be said of Fukada Kyoko.

Contrast her acting in Watashitachi no Kyokasho to Ito Atsushi's lame attempt at being serious. Her brilliant acting as a lawyer torn between seeking redemption and working for her future allowed me to ignore Ito's crap acting and lifted the show to pretty good status despite the lame final episode.

Really special mention to Aibu Saki for her excellent portrayal of Suzu in Utahime. She proved that she's more than just a very pretty face and I'm sure she has many more chances to win a hamsapsukebe award. Ohga Suzuka (Sexy Voice & Robo) deserves kudos as well.

BEST GUEST ACTRESS: YAMAGUCHI SAYAKA (Konshu Tsuma ga Uwaki Shimasu)


She came in when the show was really slowing down and really genkied it up with her riveting role as Dodoh's former flame, Mizusawa. Its a shame she didn't have a bigger role but what she did in one episode speaks volumes. I always enjoy performances where what is not said is what matters.

BEST DORAMAS OF 2007

6. KAREI-NARU ICHIZOKU



If only KimuTaku wasn't the main actor. Teppei in the end turned out to be an idealistic idiot and I didn't give a fuck about him. Everything else about the show is top notch. So close to being a classic.

5. IRYU 2


Almost as good as the 1st season. Its a miracle that they've managed to capture the magic again. Please don't do a third season.....

4. TOKUMEI KAKARICHOU TADANO HITOSHI 3


I had so much fun watching this show. Yamashita Tomohisa should watch this show to see how to actually play a character who puts on disguises all the time. cough. Kurosagi. cough. Perfect cure for all the johnnys in jdoramas. Did I mention all the chicks and nudity?

3. LIAR GAME

OMG, we won a HamsapSukebe award????

Probably the most memorable show of the year. Like Tadano Hitoshi, it won't win awards but its so much fun watching it.

2. KONSHU TSUMA GA UWAKI SHIMASU



They don't make shows like this anymore. I love how they made Tohko seems like the 'villain' but halfway through, you can't help but feel sorry for her.

1. UTAHIME


Not my personal favourite due to the ending. Putting aside my personal feelings though, this is one hell of a jdorama and the best made one this year. Everything about this show is excellent, from acting to sets to music to pacing. Its very rare to have a big budget dorama with a tight script and no stunt casting. I'm pretty sure when I finally get over the ending and rewatch it, I'll appreciate it more.

Actually, with 6 must watch shows in 2007, not counting Wonderful Life which came out a few years earlier, it was a pretty good year. Better than 2006 definitely except that 2006 had the classic KDO. Maybe it was the really crap shows that gave me the impression that it wasn't that good of a year.

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENTS OF 2007

5) Ushi ni Negai wo: Love & Farm - so much talent couldn't save the pathetic script. It was my guilty pleasure of the year though.

4) Proposal Daisakusen - Yamashita Tomohisa was way out of his league in this show. They needed someone who could actually act, like Tsumabuki Satoshi.

3) Papa to Musume Nanokakan - Script 'protected' Aragaki Yui too much making her role super boring. Really wanted to see whether she could act.

2) SP - How can you have 'filler' episodes in an 11 episode series where nothing happens? Where cool classical music is playing the characters are just posturing? Someone should have had the balls to cut it down to 9 episodes. And the action scenes at the end are so lame and defy logic. Just to have the shot of the killer standing among the bodies of the SP.

1) Dream Again - Anyone who can fuck up such a fail-safe premise has no right to call herself a scriptwriter. Poor Sorimachi Takashi. This and the horrible Blue Wolf probably killed what's left of his acting career.