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NChan
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Registered: 01-2009
Posts: 16
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Re: J-Drama: 天地人 (Tenchijin)
class blockquote Hiroshi66 wrote:
I have a friend who is originally from Niigata --
Really? I am in Niigata City. Nice place but very cold. I guess we will be
seeing lots of snow in Tenchijin.
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1/26/2009, 5:18 am
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calimike
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Re: J-Drama: 天地人 (Tenchijin)
I miss first 13 minutes show (guy is stare at gravestone on top of the mountain). It was ep. 1 is pretty good and can't wait to watch for ep. 1 part 2 next sat. show is widescreen instead of full screen or HD. Why can't show put on 18.1 HD? 
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2/7/2009, 10:47 pm
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ExoticNeurotic
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Re: J-Drama: 天地人 (Tenchijin)
class blockquote calimike wrote:
show is widescreen instead of full screen or HD. Why can't show put on 18.1 HD? because all the episodes of all Japanese dramas are all in SD. not sure how many more years this is going to continue.
until utbhollywood bought the rights of OR got the licenses to Hi-Def Japanese dramas from Japanese TV companies, all you will be getting is SD. so even it's on HD channel on HDTV. it is still going to look awful. I know it sucks, but there is nothing you can't do about it.
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2/8/2009, 8:39 am
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Hiroshi66
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Re: J-Drama: 天地人 (Tenchijin)
#1 (Part 1) - The Five-year-old Vassal
Well, looks like our 2009 taiga drama has finally begun! I thought it was a good start, and it certainly looks like the production has put a lot of effort into the scenery and costumes. I also noticed that for the first time in years, the color and font for the taiga drama subtitles was changed. They've now changed it to a white color with a slightly different font. I guess it will take a little getting used to now, LOL! But otherwise, I thought it was a pretty good start. I still think I'm on withdrawal from Atsuhime though... that was just too good!
It looks like this drama takes place in the late 1500s in the province of Echigo (which is present-day Niigata Prefecture.) Beautiful place, looks like there is a lot of mountains and snow. The story seemed to jump a little bit in the beginning (it started off in 1586, when Naoe Kanetsugu, the hero of our story, met with Toyotomi Hideyoshi), so I was a little confused at first. I'm glad the story jumped back to the beginning of Kanetsugu's life, when he was still known as Yoroku. I read that he was born in 1560, so since the beginning scenes of this drama took place in 1564, he must have been 4 years old during those early scenes.
Yoroku lives with his parents (Soemon, who is a low-level magistrate at the castle) and Ofuji, as well as with his younger brother Yoshichi and his younger sister Kita (still an infant). I haven't heard much about Echigo before, so it was a little confusing in the beginning when the narrator was explaining the history behind the province as well as the various power struggles. It seems the clan that rules the area where Yoroku lives is known as the Nagao clan, who had recently fought with the Uesugi clan for control of Echigo. The two made peace when Uesugi Terutora, the head of the Uesugi clan, arranged a marriage with his older sister Momo-hime to the head of the Nagao clan. Now, however, the head of the Nagao clan was found dead, and many members of the province feel that Uesugi Terutora arranged an assassination. We still don't know who was responsible for Lord Nagao's death, but he left behind his wife Momo (who took the tonsure and was re-named Lady Sentoin) as well as his young son, Kagekatsu. Lady Sentoin seems to have a good relationship with Terutora, but Kagekatsu seems to blame him for his father's death and even attempted to stab him to death with a dagger. Good thing Kagekatsu wasn't punished on the spot!
And then we were introduced to some of Terutora's vassals -- Naoe Kagetsuna, his wife Oman, and their young daughter Osen. Osen reminded me so much of Atsuhime... especially when she was running around the house with all the attendants after her, LOL! Made me smile and think of those many scenes we saw in our previous taiga.
Great job by the young child actor who plays Yoroku. He really captured the curiosity of the young boy well, especially when he ran to the castle to see the impending battle despite his mother's orders to stay away. Yoroku has that very curious and daring personality. I was surprised at the end, when he fought with those older boys when they insulted his father. He sure has courage! How ironic that Kagekatsu stopped Yoroku from punching one of the older boys. Then Yoroku asks Kagekatsu, If they insulted your father, wouldn't you do the same? How ironic that Kagekatsu had, in a way, done the same thing by attacking the individual he feels is responsible for his father's death (Terutora) with a dagger.
Uesugi Terutora is played by Abe Hiroshi, and is doing an excellent job. He seems like a powerful individual -- even the mighty Oda Nobunaga is trying to impress him with gifts, LOL! I think the narrator mentioned that Uesugi's main rival at this point is Takeda Shingen, another powerful clan lord. One of my favorite characters is Lady Sentoin. Great performance by Takashima Reiko. She has a very distinguished presence -- and it'll be interesting to see her role in this drama from here on out.
Interesting start so far. I just hope I'll be able to get into it like I did with Atsuhime. We're now in 1564, and I wonder if Lady Sentoin will consent to her brother Terutora adopting her only son? We'll see... Episode 1/Part 2 airs next Saturday, 2/14!
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2/8/2009, 8:40 am
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brad6
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Re: J-Drama: 天地人 (Tenchijin)
I found the over abundance of advertisements rather confusing with this first episode. However, I am impressed with the drama itself. It is so satisfying to see the characters that I already know about , having seen them at different stages of life in other dramas. The animosity between Uesugi and Takeda Shingen was ongoing all their lives. Oda Nobunaga was a small lord at this time and I don't think he will beome a very powerful person yet in this drama.
I loved the child actor who was so full of courage against the older boys. His facial features are quite like the older actor might have been as a child.
I am happy to see my favourite Kasuki Kitamura in a good role. I have admired him for years. He is a really good actor.
The settings and the costumes will be lavish I think ,so I am looking forward to seeing this drama a great deal.
Peggy
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2/8/2009, 10:31 am
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calimike
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Re: J-Drama: 天地人 (Tenchijin)
First time I've seen more scenes in Echigo Providence than few scenes seen in Fuurin Kazan. Why not northern Japan in Taiga? I know there is no historic drama/taiga in northern japanese since Fujiwara clan seen in Yo****sune. anyone idea why?
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2/8/2009, 2:45 pm
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Hiroshi66
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Re: J-Drama: 天地人 (Tenchijin)
Peg, I also noticed that there were quite a few more commercials last night than usual. Yeah, all the breaks made it a bit confusing to sit through and watch the whole episode.
I enjoyed those scenes with Oda Nobunaga and Hideyoshi. In the beginning of the episode (1586), when Hideyoshi met with Kanetsugu, Hideyoshi was already in power. When we went back 22 years to 1564, though, we saw Hideyoshi running behind Oda Nobunaga's horse. Hideyoshi was still Nobunaga's lowly vassal at this point. Who knew that he would become so influential later on!
You're right, Calimike -- we haven't seen that many taiga dramas centered in or focusing on Northern Japan until now. Then again, I guess the same could be said for Kyushu Island/Southern Japan, until Atsuhime was produced last year which partly took place in Satsuma. Maybe the taiga drama producers are deciding to begin concentrating on other regions of Japan, not just the central areas near Osaka, Kyoto, or Edo.
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2/8/2009, 4:55 pm
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nchristi
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Re: J-Drama: 天地人 (Tenchijin)
Now we have the entire Episode 1 (The Five-Year Old Vassal) under our belts. I think this one will be an interesting taiga. I have a more favorable impression than I was expecting.
Abe Hiroshi - I have to chuckle every time I look at him in this early stage. He looks like a Middle Easterner playing Musashi! That high-rise, ratty top knot and heavy facial hair going on doesn't strike me as typically Japanese! LOL! (But then there's nothing very typical about Abe Hiroshi, is there!) Then there are head priest Hokko's dark colored mutton chops adorning his shaved head. (I'd like to whip out my trusty razor!)
Looks like Hideyoshi is the worst of the worst in this one. Is Kiheji's mother, Momo, the same Momo character we saw a couple of taigas back? All these characters are overlapping in my memory. I need a cork board with pictures/names I can move around to keep straight the relationships in whatever I'm currently watching.
Another very familiar face is the actor playing Yoroku's father. He has been in a lot of warrior/historical dramas and here he is again. At least he has had some good contemporary roles, too, like the star of the Ikegami police series. I have enjoyed his work and style.
All in all, I thought episode 1 was interesting and presented a good foundation for our main characters. It seems the taigas might be taking a different tack these days and not just stuck in the old mode of battles, war strategies, and political in-fighting. I like this new direction.
Edit: Bubu, I'd like to specifically thank you for putting the names of the characters in English on the correlation charts you do. Extremely helpful.
I noticed that Shirota Yu is also in this taiga—our bad boy from Rookies. Looks like he's got a lot of acting work going on these days.
Last edited by nchristi, 2/15/2009, 1:21 pm
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2/15/2009, 1:15 pm
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hzmonte
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J-Drama: 天地人 (Tenchijin)
The last Taiga drama focused on the northern part of Japan was the 1993/94 (?) "Homura Tatsu" (炎立つ) on the 4 generations of Fujiwara family of Hiraizumi. And before it was the 1987 one about Date Masamune (独眼竜政宗) , I think. I don't think there is any particular reason for that. In a unified Japan, exciting things usually happened in the capital. And Japan was unified during most of its history.
Last edited by hzmonte, 2/21/2009, 10:46 pm
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2/15/2009, 4:29 pm
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12/1/2009, 6:24 am
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Las Vegas Vacations