Tiger and Dragon

Taiga…taiga…jyutaiga…(*the catch phrase that Tora -the main character always says in the beginning of his story-telling time)

I cannot stop laughing from the very first time I watched this dorama. To summarize in few words, this is a story about a young yakuza named Kotora who wants to be a professional “rakugo” (read: traditional Japanese lone storyteller/traditional Japanese comical monologues).

Yamazaki Kotora, which is played by Nagase Tomoya (previously played in Mukodono as Sakuraba Yuichiro (Kotora name can be translated as tiger cub) is a yakuza whose work is collecting debts from people who borrow money from his boss who he refers as “oyaji” (read: father). Until one day he comes to a restaurant to collect the debt owed by Hayashiatei Donbei. Donbei borrowed a huge sum of money from Kotora’s boss to help his son, Ryuji (literally Ryu means dragon) who wanted to open his own clothing line called Dragon Soda. Unfortunately, the shop doesn’t do well and Donbei can’t pay back his debt. Pretending to go to the toilet, Donbei tries escaping by leaving the place via the back door. Tora apparently can read his plan and secretly follows Donbei. The chasing ends up in a small theater where rakugo shows are held. In that place, Tora gets to know a profession called rakugo at the first time. He quickly learns that Donbei is a rakugo master and in fact a quite famous one. Everybody is always expecting his appearance on the stage. While waiting for Donbei’s next move, Tora sits in the audience seat and ends up enjoying himself watching Donbei’s performance till the end. Having encountered the world of rakugo for the first time, Tora gets too excited and suddenly approaches Donbei (with his usual scary expression XD) uttering his motives to learn under Donbei’s supervisionto be a professional rakugo.   In short, Tora finally makes a deal with Donbei that he will pay tution fee 10,000 yen (around $100) per story and Donbei will pay his debt using that money. 

At the end of each episode, I guarantee you will be laughing watching Tora pays Donbei his tution fee while expressing his gratitute for what he has learned and couple seconds afterwards he turns from student and back to his yakuza’s job, then acts scary forcing Donbei to pay his debt (obviously using the money that he just gives to him) .

Tora does not have a talent to be a professional rakugo. He cannot remember clearly his story and often forgets his line while on stage, which makes the audiences get annoyed and complain about his flaws. But as the story develops, we see that Tora experiences many real-life stories in today’s modern world which are in many ways very similar to the rakugo stories that he is about to perform. By realizing this, he later uses his experiences to retell the story with the same title but using a way, what so called, Tora’s style.

In contrast, Donbei’s son, Ryuji, is a natural genius born rakugo. However, because of dissapointment caused by his rakugo shinsei (teacher) who is also Donbei’s competitor, Ryuji decides quitting rakugo for good and starts with his own essentric clothing line business.

The two meet up when both of them cross path through a girl named Megumi. Megumi, played by Ito Misaki (from yama onna kabe onna). Megumi is a beautiful girl who is nice and kind to everybody and she is loved and adored by everybody especially men. Guys love Megumi even they know this woman changes partner from time to time but they can always forgive her. No exception for Ryuji who is head over heels in love with her and gets so upset when he knows Tora has one night stand with her (not forgetting Megumi keeps mentioning they’ve done it twice). But always…Megumi chan is always forgiven because she’s cute and kind.

I think this dorama is one of a kind. You will enjoy every episode which is always combination between rakugo traditional Japanese folk story (potrayed in Japanese old time) and real modern time Tora’s style story.

I can’t (be) without you…(Omae yannai to akannen)

Having finished with Code Blue….I came accross this old dorama from 2003, Mukodono (translated as son-in-law/my husband). The comments on this dorama on J-dorama site were pretty much varied from one to another. However after watching the first episode, I found that this is a kind of dorama that I like…a story of a super star named Sakuraba Yuichiro whose off stage life is giving a totally different image than when he’s on stage…I got that “undercover superhero” feeling when watching it. The only difference is that superheroes tend to appear normal and weak when “not in action” but Sakuraba covers his true “childish crazy” nature and turns to be “cool and cold” type of person when he is appearing to the audience as a star.

I do not have much to say about this dorama…but before this post ends, hereby the insert song lyric sung by the star during the airing of the series…a nice romantic proposal song in Kansai-ben (read:Japanese with Kansai dialect):

Lyric (taken from Mognet.net)

女に　わからへん　男の意地があるし

onna ni   wakarahen   otoko no iji ga aru shi

素直に　言われへん　孤独な夜もあるし

sunao ni   iwarehen   kodoku na yoru mo aru shi

わかってくれるか　おいらを全部

wakatte kureru ka   oira wo zenbu

一生かかっていいから

isshou kakatte ii kara

ただまっすぐ　この夢を　叶えようよ

tada massugu   kono yume wo   kanaeyou yo
WOW YEAH

Reff:
星空達が　おいら達の未来を

hoshizora-tachi ga   oira-tachi no mirai wo

今　見届けてるから　ほら　口付けをしよう

ima   mitodoketeru kara   hora   kuchidzuke wo shiyou
WOW YEAH

おしゃべりでええねん

oshaberi de ee nen

どんくさいのもお前やねん

donkusai no mo omae yanen

ついて来い

tsuite koi

verse 2
女に　見せられへん　男の涙あるし

onna ni   miserarehen   otoko no namida aru shi

なかなか　忘れへん　いろんな思いもあるし

nakanaka wasurehen   ironna omoi mo aru shi

わかってくれるか　おいらを全部

wakatte kureru ka   oira wo zenbu

一生かかっていいから

isshou kakatte ii kara

憧れてた　あの店を　予約したよ

akogareteta   ano mise wo   yoyaku shita yo

WOW YEAH

Reff:
星空達に　おいら達の未来を

hoshizora-tachi ni   oira-tachi no mirai wo

ほら　宣言するよ　絶対　幸せにするよ

hora   sengen suru yo   zettai   shiawase ni suru yo
WOW YEAH

寝ぼすけでええねん

nebosuke de ee nen

料理へたのもお前やねん

ryouri heta no mo omae yanen
ついて来い tsuite koi

WOW YEAH
星空達が　おいら達の未来を

hoshizora-tachi ga   oira-tachi no mirai wo

今　見届けてるから　ほら

ima   mitodoketeru kara   hora

(words)
“I WANNA KISS NOW”

WOW YEAH
おしゃべりでええねん

oshaberi de ee nen

どんくさいのもお前やねん

donkusai no mo omae yanen

ついて来い tsuite koi

WOW YEAH
星空達に　おいら達の未来を

hoshizora-tachi ni   oira-tachi no mirai wo

ほら　宣言するよ　絶対　幸せにするよ

hora   sengen suru yo   zettai   shiawase ni suru yo
WOW YEAH

寝ぼすけでええねん

nebosuke de ee nen

料理へたのもお前やねん

ryouri heta no mo omae yanen

ついて来い tsuite koi

ついて来い tsuite koi

English translation:

There’s pride in a guy which a women doesn’t understand
And there are lonely nights which I can’t speak of
Will you understand me? Everything of me?
Even if it takes a lifetime
Straightforward, let’s make this dream come true
WOW YEAH
The starry skies are watching our future
So let’s kiss
WOW YEAH
It’s okay if you’re talkative
Being clumsy is you too
Follow me

There are guys’ tears that I can’t show a woman
And there are feelings that I can’t show often
Will you understand? Everything of me?
Even if it takes a lifetime
I reserved a place in that restaurant

WOW YEAH
To the starry skies, we’ll announce our future
I’ll make you happy
WOW YEAH
It’s okay if you’re a sleepy head
Being bad at cooking is you too
Follow me

The starry skies are watching our future

“I WANNA KISS NOW”

WOW YEAH
It’s okay if you’re talkative
Being clumsy is you too
Follow me

WOW YEAH
To the starry skies, we’ll announce our future
I’ll make you happy
WOW YEAH
It’s okay if you’re a sleepy head
Being bad at cooking is you too
Follow me

Follow me