It's been two years and two months since I came back from a two-and-a-half-year stay in Japan. I learned to speak quite fine during that short time, and managed to even pass a proficiency test. Though slowly but surely, as expected, I'm losing my Nihongo.
Watching Japanese anime, dramas, and movies have been such a big help in retaining what little I have left. I have hardly any use for a third language here. Being able to speak Nihongo is something very dear to me - a beautiful memento of the dream-like days I spent in that splendid country. Just hearing the language being spoken aloud is a priceless experience. I don't know how many anime, dramas, and movies I've seen so far - too many to remember right now. I do regret that I didn't bother to keep a record of all the series I've seen to date. But what better time to begin than now?
Most recent anime: Nodame Cantabile Finale
I've loved this series since the beginning. It helps that I have a deep love for classical music as well. This anime is a hilarious romance centering around eccentric Nodame and the colorful and musical love she shares with Chiaki. I'd say the story is mostly character-driven, but I would be remiss if I didn't mention that it is the music that gives this series all the more energy and vitality. It also has a live action version that I've also seen through. Highly recommended for a good laugh and an inspiring, revitalizing dose of great classical music. It will lift you up in every way.
J-drama of the moment: Yokai Ningen Bem
"Unexpected" is the most appropriate word I would use to describe it. One must not be fooled by the premise - this is far from a shallow adventure/hero story. I can't recall many other stories that have dealt with the suffering, pain, and beauty of being human more deeply and emphatically than this series. Each episode looks at life from a very different perspective - what would it be like to WANT to be human? Being human is not easy, and people deal with their difficult lives in very different ways. Who would want to be human when it seems that all we have is grief, fear, and suffering only to end up dying anyway? Such questions. This series is truly worth watching.
I'll try to recall most if not all the other series that I've seen; all those wonderful stories that I've managed to experience in a language foreign and yet so beloved to me. This is just a beginning. Let it be good.
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