There are not that many scenic spots in Tokyo for alfresco dining, or at least there are not many where the view of concrete is minimal unless, of course, you picnic in Yoyogi Park. Last Friday, however, I found a pretty spot for summer lunches: The Canal Cafe. That Friday, the erratic Spring weather went in my favour as I was greeted by cloudless blue skies and a warm sun on arrival at Iidabashi station.

The Cafe was a strange experience if only because for the while that my friend and I were there, we did not feel like we were in Japan. The quaint white boathouse appearance of the restaurant, with assorted pot plants and decking for that alfresco touch, looked more suited to Stratford upon Avon than the steaming Japanese metropolis. I think the only thing that rooted it to some sense of reality was the interesting presentation of food ordered. In the UK, such a cafe would serve drinks in proper cups but to save time here, the cheaper ‘cafe’ side takes a fastfood approach with beverages in paper coke cups and food in paper trays. The food however did not taste or look cheap enough to befit this presentation; smoked salmon was combined with cream cheese and capers in a tasty raisin bagel that proved a delicious light lunch. It was an odd juxtaposition of unfussy cafeteria and refined cafe. Having said that, I can put presentation issues aside for the sheer enjoyment of eating outside. Summer is coming and I may spend a few more lunches there.

It’s back! After three years, it’s time to give Nakama Yukie and the next crop of JE boys the bump again. Yankumi has returned to manage another unruly class of schoolkids, fall in love with another boring man and fight in either a warehouse or under a railbridge every episode. Don’t I sound impressed?

I read in all the D-addicts forum comments that Gokusen 3 was great. Tonight I watched it and while I could stand two seasons of the same-old same-old, a third time around is too far. It is flogging a dead horse. Even the main characters look directly influenced by MatsuJun’s ‘Sawada Shin’, except they share his hairstyle. I must admit I was faintly looking forwards to Gokusen 3; I had such fond memories of 1 and 2. I could just about bear the third installment until The Warehouse loomed onto the screen, all cavernous inside with nothing adorning the dusty ground apart from some iron poles that will later be used to beat up one of the 3-D students until Yankumi runs in to do her Yakuza thing. It is a continual source of mystery to me as to why they end up fighting in these conveniently placed warehouses that Yankumi can always find. It is as mystifying as the ‘drama run’, a convention of every drama that believes one can always find anyone within Tokyo’s sprawling mass merely by running around.

Then again, Gokusen must be doing something right. In it’s first week it got a 26.4% rating! I personally blame the adolescent Hey Say Jump fans tuning in to give their boy the boost in popularity stakes. Given the quality of the other offerings this Spring: Last Friends, Zettai Kareshi, Rookies and Hokaben, Gokusen’s high rating seems so very undeserved although it does admittedly have the widest appeal of all series this Spring. My mature adult eyes are blinding me to the obvious marketing winner that Gokusen shall be for NTV. Meanwhile I shall simply not watch and just moan for no reason instead.

Surely NTV cannot do a Gokusen 4…

Last Friends, possibly the most eagerly awaited drama of the spring season has started on Fuji TV. It is a serious drama that seeks to tackle social issues facing the youth of Japan today.

Drama Wiki summary:

Last Friends tackles issues that afflict the current generation. Michiru’s mother has brought a man back to their home and she is bullied at her workplace where she works as a beauty parlour assistant. She starts cohabiting with her boyfriend, a good young man who works at the Child Welfare Division and the only person who can give her emotional support, but ends up the victim of domestic violence and becomes fearful of love. The boyishly charming Ruka was a classmate of Michiru’s in junior high school. She has performed brilliantly as a motocross racer and aims to win the national championship, but as the story progresses, a deep worry that she can neither confide in her parents or close friends grows evident. Takeru is a hair and makeup artist acquainted with Ruka. He is a good confidant to females due to his kindness and perceptiveness, and finds himself attracted to Ruka but has a phobia of sex as a result of a past trauma. The three of them become house mates and through their associations with others, gain the capacity to be positive about life.

I am looking forwards to the subtitles being released for this; the subject matter is not one my Japanese ability could start to comprehend without assistance.

Last Friends features Prisoner of Love by Utada Hikaru as the theme song, featured in the most stylish opening video for any television show I have seen for a while.

Another post about live music. I will make more entries about other interesting things but recently it really has been a world of lives for me.

Akasaka Blitz, the famous live house in Tokyo has recently reopened its doors to the public. In celebration of this grand rejuvenation they are holding a long opening ceremony series of concerts of which one was Ayabie. During the MCs at the concert, Aoi referred to the pride he felt at being included in this ceremony but on each occasion, Ayabie were referred to as ‘The Visual Kei band’ and he poked fun at this by repeating, ‘Ayabie: Visual Kei Band’ a few times. The opening series is also, I imagine, to justify the reopening to investors, or at least that is how I would explain the strangely high number of old men in suits sitting in the guest area. I can’t imagine that Ayabie, a group of 5 fairly fey 20 year olds (one of whom dresses his nails up like a girl) would be popular with old men unless they had a fetish for young femme-boys

Anyway