#ryu's role is The Drama

[khaotunq]

idk i just think he's neat ⇢ First Kanaphan as Ryu (Wake Up Ladies, 2018)

[dengswei]

honestly monster next door is everything i've been begging for for big for YEARS like i don't think you'd understand the importance of this drama to me and probably to big too really like i'm just rambling right now because i can't put it into words probably but big deserves this and i hope this is just the beginning of his success & recognition because it's what he deserves after not being recognised for so long

[woolydemon]

for ppl that know my tf fan lore you would think I'd be ryu/kita pilled since I was blur/bee CEO but actually I was driven by my shock/bee instincts to be drawn to ake/kita instead <- none of these words are in the bible

[mirai-e-jump]

Animage August 2024 Issue Bakuage Sentai Boonboomger ft. Main Cast & Suit Actor Interviews (translations below)

Publication: July 10, 2024 (between episodes 19-20)

Iuchi Haruhi x Hayama Yuki x Suzuki Miu Saito Ryu x Soma Satoru x Miyazawa Yu

-The newest purple warrior is a wonderful big brother-

"Since Miyazawa-san joined, has there been any changes in the atmosphere on set?"

Hayama: So far, Satoru-kun's been the one pulling us along as the oldest, but now he's here and helping us from a different approach, and I feel as though we've gained an older brother that we can rely on. I feel that the atmosphere on set has become much more tense.

Suzuki: When the five of us are together, we become noisy like a bunch of students, as we're always excited all the time (laughs). In a good way, for the times when Zawa-kun says, "I'm gonna do this here," he snaps into it an instant. When we're having fun, he does his best to enjoy the same atmosphere as us, and it makes me think, "We've got a wonderful big brother."

Saito: I feel that the atmosphere has become more tense, but I also feel that BoonViolet is really cool and strong, and that he's caused everyone's competitive spirit of "I can't lose" to start emerging alittle. Of course, we get along well.

Iuchi: Up until now, I used to watch the scenes of the other four and think, "That was good just now, I wanna steal it," but now that Yu-kun's here, I feel like I have more opportunities to learn. Sakito himself is completely different from the characters that have appeared in Boonboomger so far, and since Yu-kun's also had work in stage plays, things like his vocalization, the way he stands, and the way he moves are completely different from anything I could've imagined. I'm always learning whenever we're together

Suzuki: Zawa-kun, what's with the face? (laughs).

Miyazawa: I'm just happy.

Iuchi: It's because everyone's praising him.

Suzuki: What do you want to do about this?

Miyazawa: Hmmm, wanna go out for yakiniku after this?

All 5: Yeah!

"(laughs). How about Soma-san? He was the oldest until Miyazawa-san joined."

Soma: Only in appearance though, right? (laughs). I'd really rather not play the oldest character.

Suzuki: All you ever say is, "I don't want to be the oldest."

Soma: That's right. I don't really like being called the oldest. That's why I was grateful that he immediately took my place.

Miyazawa: I don't think I've taken your place. Please keep on being the oldest (laughs).

Hayama: Satoru-kun's also been the one leading us so far.

Soma: You think so?

Suzuki: It's more like Satorun looks out for everyone.

Iuchi: Right. He's something of a motherly figure.

Suzuki: I feel that Satorun is like a motherly big brother, while Zawa-kun's a big brother with some off vibes.

Miyazawa: Praising me will get you higher grade yakiniku.

Soma: Will each of us get two servings?

Miyazawa: Hang on, I'm the one footing the bill (laughs).

Soma: Let's go for four! (laughs).

"Did Miyazawa-san adjust to the team right away?"

Miyazawa: Joining a finished team itself was fine, as it's something that usually happens on the set of a regular drama. However, my only concern was that since we'd be working together for about a year, what if one of the five members had a personality that I don't get along with?

All: (laughs).

Miyazawa: But, on the day of my costume fitting, Ryu and Miu-chan came running over to me and asked, "What's BoonViolet like?"

Suzuki: Yeah, it was the first time we met the one playing BoonViolet.

Miyazawa: When I first greeted the five of them, I thought, "These guys are truly wonderful people!," and I still have that impression now. I can feel that everyone's having a good time, and I'm also enjoying the energy that I receive from them.

-The unanimously agreed upon person who has no gap between themself and their role is…?-

"Out of the six of you, who would you say has the biggest gap between them and the role they play?"

Miyazawa: Someone who's as far away from their role as possible you mean.

Suzuki: What should we do?

Hayama: Let's all point them out.

All: Ready, and, go!

(Iuchi-san points at Hayama-san, Suzuki-san points at Soma-san, and the other four point at Iuchi-san)

All: (burst out laughing).

Saito: Haruhi.

Soma: It's Haruhi.

Miyazawa: It can only be Haruhi.

Iuchi: Wait, what do you mean?

Hayama: You're a fool!

All: (laughs).

Iuchi: Wait, wait, hold on, who are you calling a fool? (laughs).

Hayama: Taiya himself is the leader of the other five members as BoonRed, however, the more I got to know the person named Iuchi Haruhi-kun, the more I found out that he wasn't all there.

Suzuki: Right, right.

Miyazawa: Haruhi's making an unhappy face (laughs).

Hayama: For the most recent episode, I told him, "We're going to film this now," but he had forgotten what it was about. I really feel that the gap between him and Taiya is huge (laughs).

Miyazawa: It was almost unanimously Haruhi.

Iuchi: No~……

Suzuki: Something like that happened before, didn't it?

Soma: The pepper mill incident.

Miyazawa: Yeah (laughs). I heard that for Miu-chan's birthday, everyone got her a pepper mill.

Suzuki: Yeah, I received it from everyone.

Miyazawa: When we were talking about it, I casually asked, "Haruhi, do you know what a pepper mill is?" He replied, "I know. It's a machine that squeezes out milk, right?"

Hayama: What the hell were you talking about? (laughs).

Iuchi: It's because it had "miru" in it (laughs).

Miyazawa: I said, "Did you give Miu-chan a pepper mill without knowing what it was?" He replied, "No?" I then asked, "Do you know what oatmeal is?" He said something like, "A fully automatic milk dispenser."

All: (laughs).

Hayama: Just like that, huh? (laughs). That's not it!

Iuchi: I thought "oat" meant "automatic," but I would've never guessed it was a food. (*the loanword for auto and oat are the same)

Soma: I guess "mill (miru)" takes over as "milk (miruku)" every time, huh?

Suzuki: Sure seems like it (laughs). Well, to put it simply, he's an idiot.

Iuchi: No!

Miyazawa: He himself didn't want to talk about this story publicly, but I will.

Hayama: He's cute, isn't he?

Suzuki: So cute.

Iuchi: My secrets are being revealed one after another……I'm not an idiot! Please treat me well (laughs).

"(laughs). Suzuki-san was pointing at Soma-san, while Iuchi-san was pointing at Hayama-san."

Suzuki: I'll be honest, I've been watching Haruhi-kun for a long time, so I've grown accustomed to seeing him like that (laughs). Of course, there's a gap between him and Taiya, but it's become established that it's apart of him. Genba often doesn't put everything he's thinking into words, but Satorun's the opposite and talks alot!

Soma: That's for sure (laughs).

Suzuki: Even when everyone else wants to take a short nap during film breaks, Satorun seems to have the type of body that prevents him from sleeping, so he'll wake us up by starting "Soma Satoru Radio."

Miyazawa: We're like, "It's begun today as well."

Hayama: He'll do it at random.

Miyazawa: Satoru-kun will sometimes talk to us in a strange way, right? He's like, "Where'd you put the engine now?"

Suzuki: That! I know what you're talking about!

Iuchi: That's true. I was also torn between choosing Satoru-kun, but I thought it had to be Yuki-kun.

Suzuki: (Looking at Hayama) Hey, don't look so happy!

Saito: He's got a face that says, "I love it."

Iuchi: Just like what everyone said about me, the more I talked to him, the more I saw different sides of him. I got to know Yuki-kun through filming, and I realized that he's far from the cool Chasshiro. However, Chasshiro himself is a character with a pretty big gap, so I think he fits the role very well.

Miyazawa: I think I know what you mean about Yuki's gap.

Hayama: It doesn't upset me. (In a bold tone) Thanks.

Suzuki: We don't mean it as praise. It's just a question of if there is or isn't a gap (laughs).

Iuchi: Be careful not to give Yuki too much praise (laughs).

"On the other hand, who would you say is the one with the smallest gap?"

Suzuki: What do we do? Have everyone point again?

Iuchi: I guess so.

Soma: Ready, and, go!

(All of them point at Saito-san)

"Amazing, it was unanimous (laughs)"

Iuchi: He also pointed at himself.

Saito: When I first received the proposal and saw Jou's setting, I thought, "It's me."

All: (laughs).

Saito: It was so much like me that I thought, "Is it really a role?," even my manager asked me, "Was it written for you?" (laughs). I've also admired heroes since I was little, and the fact that he's abit clumsy is a good fit for me. I have a strong sense of responsibility, like how I was always class president during my school years.

Miyazawa: You were?!

Hayama: And the class didn't fall apart?

Saito: It was properly kept together! (laughs).

Miyazawa: Did you ever say (slang) stuff like, "Wassup!" with everyone?

Saito: I've done that, and was told off for it (laughs). Also, for some reason, I was popular with the mothers in my community, and at my high school graduation, I took lots of pictures with the mothers of my classmates.

Suzuki: You did?!

Soma: Not with your classmates?

Saito: I thought I'd be asked by my classmates, but I was approached by mothers, ones who I didn't know, and they'd asked me, "Can I bother you for a picture?" The fact that I was popular among those in the parent age group feels abit similar to Jou.

Suzuki: Jou's hot blooded and loud, while Ryu-kun's the same way, he can't even whisper.

Saito: That's true.

Suzuki: It's not that his natural voice is loud or anything, it's just that his voice is always loud. Even when he shouldn't be speaking so loudly, his voice is so clear that I wonder if he's talking to someone 10 meters away (laughs).

Saito: That's why I can't keep secrets.

Iuchi: In a roundabout way, I think that's a good thing.

Miyazawa: It's kind of adorable, isn't it? Jou's friendliness is just like Ryu-kun's. He normally calls out to me with "Zawa-nii," but when he comes into my personal space he's like, "Zawa-nii, Zawa-nii."

Saito: I'm sorry (laughs).

Miyazawa: No, no! I think it's a really good thing. I don't know why, but I think it's really wonderful that he's developed this kind of personality, it's like I could forgive him regardless of if he's Jou or Saito Ryu.

Suzuki: No matter what he does, you can't hate him.

Soma: It's like, "Because it's Ryu."

Suzuki: That's it.

Iuchi: I was going to say that.

Saito: I'm so happy!

-A film overloaded with special elements-

"We'd also like to ask about the film, what was the most memorable scene from either the script or filming?"

Miyazawa: I feel that the real thrill of the Super Sentai series is when the six of us are able to accomplish something together. When I read the script, I realized that kind of scene with Sakito hasn't happened in the main story yet, so I was really looking forward to filming it.

Hayama: It wasn't my scene, but I was impressed by the fact that Mira plays an active role. Surprisingly, Mira playing an active role in battle hasn't been depicted in the main story yet.

Suzuki: Tell me about it! I'm always paired up with someone.

Hayama: I felt that it was refreshing, and as Chasshiro I thought, "I can count on her."

Suzuki: I was also very happy to feel the growth of Mira in the scenes with princess Nicola. If you've been watching since the first episode, I think you may feel alittle emotional when you see her, thinking, "That Mira is……"

Saito: I remember thinking it'd be very interesting from the moment I read the script, not only because of Mira's growth, but also because of the resurrection of the Kurumaju and our special self introductions. Especially for the self introductions, I was so excited I thought, "Wow, now this is a film!"

Soma: When I first opened the script, seeing that "HIKAKIN-san is here!" really surprised me.

Miyazawa: Yeah, you're right!

Soma: In the main story, it's often stated that, "This is the main character of this episode," but in the film, there are moments when the focus is on each character. That made me happy, everyone had their own highlight, and I think we worked very hard on those areas.

Iuchi: When I found out that HIKAKIN-san was going to perform, I became uneasy. I've been watching HIKAKIN-san's videos ever since I started watching Youtube as a kid. Because of that, there was a kind of tension that felt different from usual, but I tried my best not to let it show. On set I told myself, "I don't know this guy, so I shouldn't be nervous."

All: (laughs).

Iuchi: Nevertheless I was still conflicted about my performance, as I felt like the person I admired was right in front of my eyes. Along with the appearance of extravagant guests, the film is full of action scenes, and the amount of information on screen and the camera work is something that's unique to the film. Make sure you go to the theaters and see it! _

The Great Space Invasion Running Team Hashiriyan

They've made numerous planets their territory and have attacked people to collect the negative energy "Ghassolin" generated from human screams. The first to arrive on Earth, the newest target of the organization, are the "Sanseaters" Decotrade, Itasha, and Yaiyai Yarucar, the three on site supervisors.

In an attempt to make the Earthlings scream, the Sanseaters create monsters called "Kurumaju" out of wedding dresses, saunas, koinobori, and all other kinds of things on Earth. However, the three of them are so harmonious, that it's hard to believe that they're evil, and they're not afraid to do anything out of the ordinary, such as showing themselves off on TV shows or getting involved with the abilities of a Kurumaju. While comical villains that are hard to hate are sort of a standard in the Super Sentai series, the Sanseaters have quickly gained the passionate support of fans.

The Sanseaters will also appear in Boonboomgers film, which will be released this Summer. Not wanting to lose to Demon Thunder, the Hashinriyan Catching Captain, they challenge the Boonboomgers in order to take all the credit! The Hashiriyans and Boonboomgers, come witness the greatest battle of all time in theaters!

Ogura Toshihiro (Decotrade) x Miyazawa Yuki (Itasha)

-The Sanseaters way of naturally being out of sync-

"What were your first impressions of the Sanseaters, and what are you conscious of when playing Decotrade and Itasha?"

Ogura: I thought of the Doronbo Gang from "Yatterman" and Team Rocket from "Pokemon," and various other trios from popular anime that people may remember. In any case, I decided to just be cheerful and have fun.

Miyazawa: However, I never would've imagined that one of them was a car! (laughs).

Ogura: Yeah, there's one person who can't move so freely (laughs). Yaru-chan's got a bad mouth and will make your heart race.

Miyazawa: Yaru-chan, who'll just give it to you straight.

Ogura: He doesn't hold back, so if we're not careful, we could get hurt (laughs).

Miyazawa: (laughs). Still, thanks to Morohoshi Sumire-san's voice, he's simply adorable. When I play Itasha-chan, I try not to get knocked down, I try to survive in the story (laughs), and I'm making an effort to make her a beloved character.

Ogura: I may be conscious of being there naturally, without being bound by any form. It's like we're acting normally, but something seems to be alittle out of place.

Miyazawa: We're living at full power, at full speed.

Ogura: Yeah, we're enjoying life (laughs).

"Please tell us your impressions of each other's performances."

Ogura: Miyazawa's reaction to the performance is genius and interesting! I've never worked so hard with someone on a performance before, and I've been making suggestions and consulting with her on the spot, but her reactions are so funny. Sometimes I can't see what's going on at the set due to visibility, so when I watch the broadcast, I realize, "So this is the reaction she had!" It's really amazing, and I just feel like I need to go along with her.

Miyazawa: As for me, I also find Ogura-san's out of nowhere jokes very funny, and I find myself being like, "I'll do that too!" (laughs).

Ogura: I guess it's mutual. We may have some synergy.

"What are some of the fun parts about playing comical characters like Decotrade and Itasha?"

Ogura: That I don't have to be cool (laughs).

Miyazawa: That's right (laughs). We'll leave looking cool to the members of Boonboomger.

Ogura: Still, regardless of how people see us, we don't really intend on screwing around.

Miyazawa: Yeah, we're living seriously.

Ogura: We’re just being serious and following the script, but they’ve got alittle bit of something going on, you know? (laughs), in terms of their setting, we play an attractive role.

Miyazawa: That's right. In case you were wondering, they're good looking.

Ogura: While the Captains are fighting hard beside them, the Sanseaters are doing their best in their own way.

"What are the most memorable scenes that you've filmed so far?"

Miyazawa: I was surprised when we went to a sauna (episode 4).

Ogura: You don't go to a sauna in a costume...normally.

Miyazawa: At the time, I thought I was going to die (laughs).

Ogura: Also, I think we've been doing alot of cosplay lately. I don't know where they get their costumes from (laughs), but they seem to prepare outfits that suit the situation.

Miyazawa: Weren't the school uniforms our first cosplay? (episode 8).

Ogura: Yeah, that's right.

"At that time, they were costumes to trick all the Boonboomgers, except Taiya, and lock them in cages."

Ogura: Even though their faces are left unchanged (laughs), they think it's suitable to look like that.

Miyazawa: Surprisingly, the Boonboomgers were also fooled by the uniforms (laughs).

-Becoming beloved characters through the power of many people-

"Please tell us some of the highlights of the film."

Ogura: There's a part where the used Kurumajus appears. It made me think about all the monsters that've been created up until now. Alot of them appear, and I thought it was a gorgeous, cinematic experience right from the start.

Miyazawa: The circuit was also amazing, wasn't it? It was my first time being at one.

Ogura: Fuji Speedway, right? And, our car will also make its appearance there.

Miyazawa: Right, The Sanseater Car.

Ogura: I don't know how the completed footage is going to turn out, but we drove it hard, so I'm looking forward to seeing where it appears.

"The Sanseaters have also been seen riding the Boonboom Killer Robo in the TV series, so they're fortunate to have so many vehicles."

Ogura: That's right. We weren't even told that we were going to be riding in a Robo.

Miyazawa: The cockpit is much more luxurious too. It also has properly installed seat belts.

Ogura: Right. Normally, we don't have a fixed base, just a corner of a factory somewhere with some pots and a stove lined up (laughs). I didn't think they'd make a cockpit for us. It was incredible.

"The scene of them flying out of the blown up Boonboom Killer Robo in episode 14 also became a hot topic among fans."

Ogura: Now that I know we won't get hurt even if there's a big explosion, I think we'll be fine no matter what the situation is (laughs).

Miyazawa: We were promised that we wouldn't be leaving the show over something like that (laughs).

Ogura: The next morning, it was like nothing had ever happened (laughs). Relating to the Robo, I'll never forget the Bon Odori (episode 13).

Miyazawa: Yeah, we got the audio on the morning of the shoot.

Ogura: We had to come up with the dance within the same day (laughs).

Miyazawa: I was wondering if we'd have a choreographer or something, but all we had was the interesting audio (laughs). We came up with the choreography on the spot, didn't we?

Ogura: We were like, "What do we do? What do we do?" (laughs).

"That was quite a terrific story (laughs). In general, for your performance, do you often leave it up to someone else?"

Miyazawa: We leave most of the movements and acting up to them. If we overdo things, they tell us, "Hold on, stop" (laughs).

Ogura: Generally, things go bad atleast once (laughs).

"The Sanseaters should be proud that they haven't lost in popularity to the Boonboomgers, but how do you feel being loved so much by the fans?"

Ogura: It's thanks to the script that we've been able to enjoy acting, and I think the Voice Actors Suwabe Junichi-san, Mizuki Nana-san, and Morohoshi Sumire-san have added alot of charm to our performances.

Miyazawa: I would've never expected Mizuki-san to be the Voice Actor for Itasha-chan, it really surprised me.

Ogura: We have meetings in advance, but we also have the desire to, "Do something natural and appropriate for the situation," so we'd start adlibbing with Yaru-chan on set. The Voice Actors will see this and make it more interesting by doing things like inserting words where we haven't said them, or by adding a performance that's appropriate to the scene.

Miyazawa: We'd think, "They even put something in here."

Ogura: Yeah, I'm often surprised when I watch the broadcasts. I think it's really wonderful, and thanks to that, they've made our characters memorable to both the eyes and ears.

"Filming for the TV series will continue, but do you have any ideas for what you'd like to do as the Sanseaters in the future?"

Miyazawa: Someday, I'd like us to become friends with the Boonboomgers.

Ogura: Yeah! Once at the very least.

Miyazawa: I'd like to get to know them alittle better, it'd be fine even if it's just for one episode or something.

Ogura: That could be interesting. If that does happen, it'd make it harder to fight them in the next episode.

Miyazawa: Also, I'd like to do more cosplay.

Ogura: We've done quite abit so far, no? (laughs).

Miyazawa: You know, we get our cosplay costumes fit every single time (laughs). I'd be happy if we got something like a ski resort episode.

Ogura: Skiing?! I guess it'd have to be the right season.

Miyazawa: Just like Christmas and Halloween, there's tons of events in Japan (laughs).

Ogura: Neither of those events originated in Japan though (laughs).

"We're looking forward to seeing more cosplay in the future! Finally, please give a message to the fans."

Miyazawa: I'd like to continue to play the role of the cute Itasha-chan, and for the three of us to live happily together. I know I'm abit inexperienced (laughs), but please continue to take care of me.

Ogura: This isn't some wedding announcement (laughs). I'm happy to hear that everyone is enjoying what the three of us, including Yaru-chan have done together. However, it really wasn't only our efforts, but also those of the Directors, Scriptwriters, Staff, and Voice Actors that created characters that were so well received. As the three of us continue to work together, we'll do our best!

[sunlighthroughthe-ashes]

simply admiring how versatile byeon wooseok is as an actor. just look at the contrast in expression: his whole face seems to fundamentally change in each shot.

ryu sunjae is the "protective, i'll die for her in a second" type. he would let himself be killed for sol.

ryu shi-oh is the "touch her, and you'll die in a second" type. he would kill for whoever he decides to love.

maybe in an alternate universe, they were brothers. (oh, the fanfic ideas!)

these roles are at stark odds with each other: but wooseok is a resounding success in both. i'm pretty sure he was the only reason anyone even bothered to watch strong girl nam-soon. 🤭

looking forward to seeing him as a lead in more dramas very soon!

[guiltymepleasures]

To all the people behind Lovely Runner - directors, writers, staff, crew, make-up artists, stylists, producers, and everyone else - I sincerely thank you for being part of this drama. I have read a lot about how there were many obstacles to even get production going but you all persevered to get this masterpiece to us. Your dedication was translated well on screen.

To the supporting casts, you were all an essential part in the success of this storytelling. Big or small roles, long or short screentimes, you effectively portrayed the characters that love and are loved by our Sol and Sun Jae. The bonds formed seemed genuine and I hope they stand the test of time.

To Byeon Woo Seok, my heartfelt gratitude to you for taking this role when so many others were doubtful. You embodied Ryu Sun Jae in his essence of unconditionally loving Sol with different nuances in the different timelines. When I say you will always be Sun Jae, please see it as a high form of compliment. I am very glad to have witnessed this point in your career.

To my lovely Kim Hye Yoon, I missed you so much and I'm glad that I get to meet you again in this drama. I've always known I would like it the moment I knew you were in it, and true enough, I ended up falling more deeply in love with your acting. The scene that hooked me to this drama was your first hospital scene. I was crying and blaming the people who labeled this a romcom. Sol was a character you were always meant to play. Your love for her has reached the viewers' hearts and I'm so proud of you.

To Hye Yoon and Woo Seok, thank you, thank you, THANK YOU for being our Sol and Sun Jae, for making us believe that a love as selfless and unconditional can exist, for making us laugh and cry and hope and look forward to Mondays, for being the promising actors that you are. May your paths be filled with only love and sunshine from here on out.

To the Subeoms, it was a pleasure to be able to enjoy a drama as special as this with you. Your edits, theories, comments, and even delulu, were a welcome source of warmth and strength amidst the rollercoaster ride we were in. We all deserved that happiest happy ending!

A drama like Lovely Runner comes only once and I'm glad I was here for it.

[demifiendrsa]

Amazon Prime Video has announced that it is producing a six-episode live-action series based on SEGA / Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio's Like a Dragon (titled Ryū ga Gotoku in Japan and initially titled Yakuza in the West) game series titled Like a Dragon: Yakuza (Ryū ga Gotoku ~Beyond the Game~ in Japan). The episodes will debut on Amazon Prime Video in over 240 countries and territories in two batches on October 25, 2024 and November 1, 2024.

Overview

■ About

The series is a live-action adaptation with an original story based on SEGA’s global hit game franchise, Yakuza: Like a Dragon. Directed by the critically acclaimed Masaharu Take, the series will feature Ryoma Takeuchi as the lead character, Kazuma Kiryu. Like a Dragon: Yakuza is the latest addition to the Prime membership. Prime members in Japan enjoy savings, convenience, and entertainment, all in a single membership.

Released in 2005 by SEGA, the Yakuza game series was positioned as an entertaining game for adults, which found massive fanfare amongst its target audience. The series depicts the lives of fierce yet passionate gangsters and people living in a huge entertainment district, Kamurocho, a fictional district modeled after the violent Shinjuku ward’s Kabukichō, that acts as the backdrop of the gameplay. Like a Dragon: Yakuza showcases modern Japan and the dramatic stories of these intense characters, such as the legendary Kazuma Kiryu, that games in the past have not been able to explore. The much-loved game has captured the attention and hearts of fans not only in Japan but also internationally and will now be adapted, developed, and streamed worldwide on Prime Video.

In 1995 and 2005, spanning across two time-periods, Like a Dragon: Yakuza, an original crime-suspense-action series, follows the life, childhood friends, and repercussions of the decisions of Kazuma Kiryu, a fearsome and peerless Yakuza warrior with a strong sense of justice, duty, and humanity.

■ Cast and Staff Comments

Ryoma Takeuchi, Kazuma Kiryu Actor

“I am truly honored to be given the opportunity to play the role of Kazuma Kiryu, a beloved character and the game series. I strongly felt that I was willing to put my life on the line. Audience will enjoy the show’s human drama and conflict that unfolds around Kazuma Kiryu. Moreover, please take a look Kiryu’s intense fighting scenes with the Dragon tattoo on his back.”

Masaharu Take, Director

“I have poured out my heart, soul, and the experience that I have garnered over 35 years into Like a Dragon: Yakuza. The unbridled passion, talent, and countless hours of efforts from the entire team have helped bring this spectacular story to life in the form of a riveting series that will be launched this year, the year of the dragon. Please look forward to Kazuma Kiryu, played by Ryoma Takeuchi.”

James Farrell, Head of International Originals, Amazon MGM Studios

“We are thrilled and extremely excited to announce the Amazon Original action-drama Like a Dragon: Yakuza, based on the popular Japanese game series. The unfettered appeal for Japanese content from within Japan and other parts of the world has been growing exponentially. While Prime Video Japan continues to offer a variety of content across genres, adapting an internationally popular game franchise that has such deep resonance and layered characters presents a unique charm and makes for an extremely compelling watch. We are committed to augmenting our content library and are confident that Like a Dragon: Yakuza will strike a chord with audiences all over the world.”

Masayoshi Yokoyama, Producer and Studio Head, Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio

“Since the day I first put pen to paper on the original Yakuza‘s script, I’ve never once thought about revisiting any of my work on the series. It’s because I understand all too well the challenges and hardships that come with remaking a finished title. However, if I were ever sent to the past through some kind of cosmic joke, this is the experience I’d want to create. If I had to go through the wringer anyhow, I’d want to make the most engaging versions of Kamurochō and Kazuma Kiryu I could—and this show has it all. There is no question that Prime Video’s Like a Dragon: Yakuza will become another landmark release for the Like a Dragon series. While the games let you experience their world through the subjective lens, this adaptation will be the ultimately objective way to enjoy the show. I have no doubt that fans of the series will be drawn to how it brings the games to life and adds new surprises. Newcomers, I’m sure will find themselves invested simply in the gritty realism of the show. If anything, I’d love to watch this version alongside audiences all around the world—experiencing all of its intensity and soaking in every single second.”

[pieces-of-words]

If I die trying to save you, I'm okay with that -- a Lovely Runner fan fiction

Byun Wooseok knows that it’s part of his role, that it’s a battle he’s expected to have with his inner self - he’s had no problem in his past projects, crushing any heart-fluttering feelings at the very first sign of them - yet whenever he sees Hyeyoon’s beautiful face streaked with tears, her eyes conveying such deep sadness, he’s afraid that his heart has begun to malfunction.

Fortunately he remembers where he is, what he’s doing, and more importantly, who he is - Ryu Sunjae. He’s Ryu Sunjae, the main character of the drama Lovely Runner, who is head-over-heels with Hyeyoon’s Im Sol. 

“If I die trying to save you,” he chokes out as he leans in and cups her cheeks, unsure of where Sunjae’s feelings end and where his own start, “I’m okay with that.”

Her eyes well up again and one single tear falls gracefully down her cheek. 

“Cut!” 

He takes a deep breath to steady himself, one, two, one, two. He breaks his gaze from her and glances up at the darkening sky. 

What is he going to do with himself?

[cienie-isengardu]

Live footage of NRS when asked why they made Cyrax and Sektor women.

Person: We did it because we wanted more female fighters(ignores the existence of Jade, Skarlet and other women).

Meanwhile some writer hiding their love triangle scripts in the background.

Yeah this is the actual reason.

I think that for now it is best to wait for the story mode to see how the gender swap changed the relationship between Lin Kuei characters and if it improved anything at all. I have some theories on why it happened, but I don’t think the eventual love triangle script would be the main reason, as in, a die-hard shipper wanted, for example, Cyrax x Kuai Liang to happen, but only in heterosexual way or alternatively, wasn’t allowed to imply male x male romance so was forced to genderbending one character. Though admittedly, the letter sounds possible.

I think if anything, the eventual romance subplot will be just a side effect of the change, not a direct reason behind it, because the vast media sucks when it comes to writing a solid, wholesome relationship between male and female characters that is not based on romance or sexual tension. And let’s be honest here, a great chunk of romantic relationships are still bland and boring because authors have no idea how to write them anyway. As I imagine, female Cyrax following willingly Bi-Han and having simply an ideological conflict with Kuai Liang is not that dramatic like them being bitter ex-lovers for example. Which is not true, but like I said, the media sucks when it comes to writing the relationship between female and male characters. 

My theory is that NRS has currently no solid ideas for womens’ subplotes that would add to the expansion story. With Sindel’s death the uneven ratio of women dropped,

Nitara’s storyline may not add anything at all, same as Ashrah’s. Li Mei’s focus lies in protecting the capital city, Tanya is relevant only to Mileena's story but as the expansion is focused heavily on Lin Kuei-Shirai Ryu so far, she may not play that big role currently. Their lack of presence can be easily explained, or they may be just pushed to the background for now. Which leaves us with even more uneven ratio of female characters and yeah, I hope we will get Frost, Harumi and by some miracles maybe even Sonya. But with so many male characters, I suspect Cyrax and Sektor got gender swapped to balance the ratio by the “smallest cost”. And since they are women now, so I can imagine it really fast went from genderbend to make better ratio between female and male characters so fans won’t complain too much and too loudly (we will complain one way or another though) to let’s give Lin Kuei some additional, personal tension over romantic drama because why not?

But of course, it is best to wait and actually see the story mode. Who knows, maybe the rumors(?) about the romantic feelings between Lin Kuei will be just, you know, rumors and nothing more.

[mislamicpearl]

Okay hear me out, this idea just came to me:

RGB siblings x Brother Bear AU

No 'cause like I don't think people really appreciate how great the drama is in Brother Bear?? Like if you just remove the bits entirely that are just dumb kid's jokes with the moose and Koda and other animals and all that, there's like a whole fertile ground for angsty AU possibilities!

I mean, youngest brother messes up and gets oldest brother killed, then kills the "monster" that did it in revenge, only for the spirit of the oldest brother to transform him into the same kind of monster to teach him a lesson... and then the middle brother arrives to find the youngest brother "dead" and a monster in his place, and naturally assumes that monster killed his one remaining family member as well, and then spends the rest of the movie hunting his own younger brother down without realizing it's him?? Seriously, how has no one ever talked about how good this set-up is???

So if we plug in the RGB sibs in this situation:

Kai is the oldest brother who's killed and becomes a ghost, transforming Lloyd into a dragon to teach him a lesson about them not being monsters, and Nya is the middle sibling who finds Dragon!Lloyd and assumes he's been killed, and in anger and grief chases him down not knowing who he is. Or, if we're going by personalities, I guess Nya could be the one who's killed (and become Ocean Nya as a guide) and Kai the one to go on an obsessive angry quest for revenge. Oh and Riyu can play the role of Koda I guess.

Kai: It doesn't matter what the Masters say. You'll always be our ~baby brother~! Lloyd: Oh yeah? Well wait till I get my Element! Kai: Baby brother! Nya, smacking them both: Hey, knock it off!

Lloyd: I just want to get my handprint on that wall.(And they do do the handprint on the wall thing at the end of season 10!) Nya: Just be patient, Lloyd. When you live by your Elemental Power, you will.

Kai: I know what you're feeling... But killing that dragon is wrong. Lloyd: Wrong? Our sister is dead, and it's because of that monster! Kai: I don't blame the dragon, Lloyd.

Lloyd: Why is he chasing me...? Ryu: Because that's what they do! Lloyd: But it's not like him...

Kai: I'm sorry Lloyd. I don't even know what I'm doing anymore. I need help... *Nya appears in a nearby river and beckons him downstream* Kai: Nya...?

Ay? Ayyyyy??

[takigawa]

Mackenyu Arata (who became an internationally popular actor for his roles as the main character in the live-action "Knights of the Zodiac（Saint Seiya)The Beginning" movie and ZORO in the live-action "One Piece") and Min Tanaka star in this serious drama series “House of the Owl”about a Japanese, hidden political and financial mastermind known as the "Owl". https://x.com/takigawa_w/status/1790365255169904916?s=46&t=8Vf8aUwk_B-ZbQ5UAGv05w The owl sees everything with eyes that can see anytime, even in the middle of the night. Seventy-year-old charismatic Ryutaro Ohgami (Min Tanaka) has four children. His eldest son, Ichiro (Masanobu Ando), is unreliable, does not get along with his wife, has a Ginza hostess as his mistress, and is planning a new luxury restaurant without borrowing funds from his father so that he can leave his father's influence. Yumiko (Kyoko Hasegawa), the firm eldest daughter, has two seemingly happy children with her handsome trading company man husband, but her husband is doing shady deals (of a different kind than an interpreter for famous Major-League players) behind her back. The second son, Ryu (Mackenyu Arata), does not get along with his father, and after studying in the U.S., he returns to Japan to work for a small non-profit organization without contacting his family. One day, Ryu bumps into a beautiful American woman while jogging in the park, and her phone falls into the street and breaks. Ryu promises to pay for it, and when he asks for the woman's contact information, she gives Ryu her business card, which says "reporter" on it. Risako (Nakata Seina), the youngest and second daughter, aspires to be a singer-songwriter and is already 25 years old, but she has a natural singing voice and talent for songwriting and is expected to make a major debut. Risako tells her father, Ryutaro, about her dream, but Ryutaro is afraid that Risako will be swallowed up by the darkness of the entertainment world. One night, the son of Takeuchi (Masatoshi Nakamura), a candidate for the next prime minister, is killed after a bar fight. The son was also suspected of being on drugs. The murder suspect is caught, but "commits suicide" in jail. Overall, the story has a cool taste and a serious development. A scandal involving a politician, Ichiro's mistress, Yumiko's husband's ruinous dealings, Ryu starting a relationship with a beautiful reporter, Risako going for her dream, and their lives are vividly depicted. Hisako Manda's restrained performance as Ryutaro's wife, Kyoko, shines. The show's portrayal of the Tokyo club　(the one with hostesses)scene, with Tae Kimura's performance as a hostess, adds a touch of realism that makes the show feel all the more authentic. Tae Kimura's performance as the hostess Ryutaro values as a source of information has a realistic feel as if she actually works at a club in Tokyo. What sets "House of the Owl" apart from other Japanese TV drama series is its serious, captivating depiction of the family's struggles, without resorting to over-the-top acting or exaggerated music. There is none of the over-the-top music, over-the-top acting, or over-the-top (unintelligible) jokes that are common in Japanese dramas, nor are there any male celebrities from famous entertainment companies that have caused scandals in Japan, nor any female casts from dozens of female idol group members performing not-so-good songs and dances. Thus, we can calmly observe the whereabouts of this charismatic, mastermind owl, Ryutaro Oogami, and his family. And just as real owls have natural enemies, those who are after "owls" are also heavily represented. If you have watched the episodes carefully, you may be shocked by the series of events that occur in the latter half of the season. The series culminates in a shocking series of events that will leave you eagerly anticipating the next season. This is a must-watch for anyone looking for a drama that offers a glimpse into the complex lives of a family caught up in the world of politics and finance. I can't wait for the second season. #HouseOfTheOwl

[misscrawfords]

Strong Girl Nam Soon is falling into that sweet spot for me between being good and entertaining enough to make me invested in it and having sufficient flaws to make me deeply frustrated.

So obviously I'm going to analyse it way more than it deserves!

I think

The characterisation (or lack of it) of Nam Soon herself. Quite a lot to delve into here. She started off with a really intriguing origin and character with lots of directions in which she could go in... and she just hasn't developed at all really. She starts up very idealistic and naive which is understandable considering her upbringing. She acts charming in a childish way. She is rash and thoughtless but fundamentally good-hearted and on the side of the underdog and uses her powers for good. All of these are qualities that make sense in who she is but she is very immature. The show keeps these qualities but instead of interrogating them and allowing her to mature realistically while suffering inevitable set-backs and challenges to her idealism, she keeps all of this, is somehow incredibly attractive to both the hero and villain (despite her child-like tone and mannerisms - I genuinely find this so odd) and adds being a super spy to her list of accomplishments. (Surely being a good spy is literally the opposite set of skills to being good at brute force and not thinking before you act?) Dare I say it... she's a Mary Sue! Which leads onto the second issue with Nam Soon which is she is both over-powered and not given enough to do with her powers. The first few episodes showed her frequently using her super strength and it was very cool and superhero-like and fitted the apparent theme (and name) of the show. But she's rarely used them in the latter half of the show. Meanwhile she also has super speed, super vision and I'm sure something I'm forgetting. If she's got these skills, she needs to use them frequently and to advance the plot or it feels quite pointless. Instead, we see her playing the role of a spy which feels totally OOC. How is she so good at lying all of a sudden? It doesn't fit at all with the character we were introduced to in the first couple of episodes. Someone who just builds a ger in the middle of a public park and beats up everyone who tries to stop her without any thought for consequences is... not going to be good at a danger-filled spy mission in a high security mafia joint. Right???? It's hard to care too much about Nam Soon because there seem to be no consequences to her actions, she doesn't seem to respond realistically to what happens around her based on her own established character, and she doesn't seem to have developed from the beginning to close to the end of the drama.

Second issue is the way the romance(s) are being played. Look, I'm happy for the grandma and all and I think it's lovely she's getting a romance with sweeping soundtrack and dramatic moments but it is a bit odd that this is the relationship that is getting the most attention in the show. Nam Soon and Hee Sik are adorable and I can get behind a cute relationship without ridiculous manufactured impediments but very little attention is given to it and just as Nam Soon's character is very static, so is the relationship. There are no issues between the pair of them (and there easily should be) and their relationship doesn't seem to impact the other at all and make them grow individually as well as together, which a really good fictional relationship should do. It's cute - and that's it. As for Ryu Si-o, hmm, another puzzle. I'm usually behind villain romances and redemption arcs (I'm a Reylo shipper, for goodness sake) but I'm struggling to see it here. Mainly because Nam Soon acts so childish, I feel a bit icky shipping her in a relationship that is so adult coded. I know she's an adult (I'm not some weird purity shipper who can't deal with a bit of an age gap) but the way the actress plays the character makes her come across as so immature that I just can't read it romantically. And she has no interest in him. Nothing he says seems to sway her or interest her. She's a good little foot soldier and nothing else. Which is very boring, but that's the characterisation... Frustating. And don't get me started on the bizarre way Nam Soon's family is gunning for this "you have consummate this relationship and have strong girls when you're 22". Any normal person would be running for the hills! Why is this not creepy and an issue? Very bizarre.

The way the characters are forced to be unbelievably stupid to make the plot work. Like, it seems TOTALLY unbelieavable that Nam Soon has not been caught. She's really unconvincing as a spy - why is nobody running better background checks on her? How has Si-o not found Nam Soon before? Like, with his resources, it can't be hard! Why is nobody suspicious? Why did the police department let their supervisor lick a known deadly drug then believe him when he said he was okay and not take him to hospital etc.? Absolutely clown behaviour. Why does Geum Joo take the trouble of putting bodyguards around her family because they are all in danger but her closest confidante doesn't come into work on a very important day and won't answer the phone, just texts to say "she's ill" and Geum Joo is like "Sure, that sounds legit"? Why did nobody communicate about Nam In and the symptoms of the drug? The whole Nam In plot altogether... Why are the men in the family not just "not strong" but completely emasculated and massive losers? We're apparently dealing with wealthy and successful people but they're all behaving like complete incompetents! Which would be funny if the show had retained the comic tone it started with but it's got quite dark and so it's tonally off.

Okay. Enough whinging. Under the cut, I'm going to give some suggestions for how I would rewrite aspects of the show to try to make it less frustrating. (I'm so close to writing fanfic but I know I won't haha.)

First, the things I'd definitely keep:

The grandma's entire plot

Geum Joo being a total badass

Nam Soon's initial characterisation (and her plaits)

Cute romance with Hee Sik

Si-o's characterisation and tragic backstory

The drug plot - I don't mind it at all

In other words, I'd keep the show telling the same story but I'd alter the characterisation.

Nam Soon would have a lot more inner conflict, which she can have without losing a fundamentally optimistic outlook. She finds it very hard to living in Korea. Her homeless friends play a much bigger role and she dedicates herself to trying to make social changes to make society more egalitarian and is continually frustrated by her inability to make progress within the system. It leads to clashes with her mother after an initial honeymoon phase of being reunited who cannot understand why she can't just throw money at individuals and consider it done and why Nam Soon even grows to resent her own family's wealth. It also leads to clashes with Hee Sik, whose role as a police officer means he is upholding the very social order she finds so unfair. On the other hand, it drives her towards Ryu Si-o who she discovers knows more than anyone else in her life about destitution and who is willing to operate outside the law to effect change.

I also think it would be very interesting to have Si-o discover very early on who Tsetseg is. She is a terrible liar and not sneaky at all so he realises first that she is planted as a spy but she is so obviously terrible at it that he is more amused than angry and then he digs around and realises she is Nam Soon. He realises all this before/as he develops feelings for her. He decides to keep her around to keep the enemy close but quickly finds her straight forward attitude which comes through despite her best intentions and frustrations with many of the things that frustrate him too compelling and he ends up getting distracted from his business with the drugs in order to do big bad mafia villain type things like funding soup kitchens. And of course, social justice warrior Nam Soon who is learning about class inequality and really trying to do something about it is shown to mature by her dropping her childlike tone and mannerisms over the course of the show.

Honestly, can this end up being a Hee Sik/Nam Soon romance when he has so little he can contribute to her development? I'm honestly not sure. It depends how far down the redemption path you're willing to take Si-o. And I don't know how the show will end but redemption by death is so boring...

More exploration of strength and how Nam Soon and Si-o parallel each other. Oh botheration, no matter how I try to look at it, they ought to have the most compelling dynamic for a ship! It's just Nam Soon's mannerisms that stop me shipping it. :( On paper, it's a no brainer! Maybe I'll just plan a superhero/villain original romance instead!

Anyway, I just wish this show made more sense and was more coherent because I do like it enough to be engaged and invested. And the ideas and initial characters were so cool. Geum Joo - what a bamf! A whole series about her but without her strange lack of attention to issues with people near her... or deal with it properly as a significant character flaw.

[caliburn-the-sword]

winter chapters 25-33

figured out how to include and vaguely format photos which i'm including for my favourite passages. tumblr butchered the photos tho so rip it's blurry lol

OMGGGG I COMPLETELY FORGOT ABOUT THE WHOLE HUNTSMAN PLOT FSKDJFHSDFH THIS IS THE EXACT KIND OF DRAMA AND ANGST I LOVE

jacin's low key a gentleman for just wordlessly giving cress the cot and taking the floor instead in his OWN home

HELP THE THOUGHT OF THE RAMPION CREW BEING THE "SEVEN DWARFS" FSFHSDKFJSDHFS (i haven't reread the original fairy tale for a time so forgive me if that's actually just a disneywashed thing)

omg cress is stepping up into her role and being the hero she always wished she was <3 i love her development so much. zero to hero type beat

love to see jacin overcoming being a selfish bitch and promising to protect cress <3 positive development for him too

FINALLY CHAPTER 27 SCARLET I MISSED HER AND HER POV everything scarlet does is literally so slayed. yes girl!! break that bitch's nose!!!

HELP WHY DID I NEVER REGISTER WITH GENETIC ENGINEERING THAT WOLF WOULD ACTUALLY. BE RELATED TO A LITERAL FLESH AND BLOOD WOLF. this is in fact wilder than anything the ouat family tree was ever capable of (and i would know, because i studied that damn thing like the bible)

marissa meyer DON'T DO THIS TO ME. i will always go apeshit over a character being nicknamed "sunshine" ESPECIALLY when he's the furthest thing from a ray of sunshine ever LMAO

love how winter seems to think that the menagerie in front of scarlet's cage is the most romantic spot for jacin to admit his feelings for her. a bit silly goofy

ngl it's literally HEARTBREAKING that winter could think, even for a moment, that jacin would actually follow levana's orders and kill her (note: it was in fact a LOT of moments which makes it more painful)

NO NOT RYU. OMG I NEVER WOULD HAVE THOUGHT RYU WAS THE DEER

damn cress is like a guardian angel <3 she's always been the rampion's guardian angel

"the docks. With the mushrooms" ik that this is just winter's delulu ramblings and trust me i have been painstakingly restraining myself from going "omg alice in wonderland reference" because there's nothing more obnoxious than picking a mentally ill character and defining them by alice in wonderland but in this case,,,,

"Down, down, down we go" look i KNOW i'm reaching here because ANYONE can repeat the word down three times but direct word for word lewis caroll's alice in wonderland "Down, down, down. Would the fall never come to an end?"

jacin clay is so incredibly fucked. the paper trail leading back to him helping the princess in her escape is such a mountable pile of evidence (note: he is in fact not fucked and the queen fell for it)

OMG THE MAN IS WOLF YAYAYAY SCARLET AND WOLF ARE REUNITING I'M SO HAPPY I'M GONNA THROW UP

living for the "Devoured her." metaphor/pun. like yes. that's so little red riding hood fksdfsdkf

wolflet are cancelled for being instalove (jk it says STARTED TO for a reason)

WHAT DID I SAY CRESS???? LITERALLY THE PEAK OF ALL ROMANCE (i used to be hesitant to ship scarlet and winter because of how their relationship started but honestly with the confirmation THAT scene was when she started falling for wolf. i think scarlet is just INTO all that life or death shit. a bit of a masochist in my opinion)

"Are we running a boardinghouse for misplaced royalty around here, or what?" thorne that is SO real LMAO. someone reunite them all with kai asap

speaking of kai he literally CAN'T go ONE damn book without being SEPARATED from everyone. someone stop this before my heart explodes and breaks into a million tiny little pieces

girls girl scarlet makes a comeback

CINDER AND WINTER REUNITED CINDER AND WINTER REUNITED. am going apeshit. what a great note to end tonight's read on (note: was 11pm when i finished chapter 3)

@eddisfargo @francforever @winterrhayle @winterpinetrees @shellyseashell @luna-maximoff-22

[mirai-e-jump]

TV Guide Dan Vol.51, April 2024 Issue ft. Bakuage Sentai Boonboomger Cast Members Iuchi Haruhi x Hayama Yuki Interview (translations below)

Publication: April 5, 2024

PARTNER

"Please tell us about the other person's role in Bakuage Sentai Boonboomger."

Iuchi: Ishiro Meita, played by Yuki-kun, may look cool at first glance, but that's just him hiding his true character. Whenever I play the role of Taiya Hando, he's a character that makes me think, "Ishiro trusts Taiya." Going forward, we'll gradually get to see his cute side.

Hayama: It's true that Ishiro has a wide range of emotions (laughs). My impression of Taiya is that he values his intuition. So far, there aren't that many scenes in the show where the two of them talk together, so we don't know what led to their relationship of trusting each other, but I have a vague idea of what part of Taiya made Ishiro fall for him.

"Can you name some similarities between your roles and each other?"

Hayama: This isn't just me, as other cast members and Director Nakazawa Shojiro have also mentioned it, but Haruhi's personality is getting closer to Taiya's day after day. At first I thought I was the only one who thought that way, but when I told everyone, it seems like they think so too. I feel like he was chosen because he was the one meant to be Taiya.

Iuchi: That makes me happy (he's embarrassed). I didn't know you were talking about that.

Hayama: Taiya's a character who works quietly by himself, and Haruhi's the same way on set. During break time or when he's with the cast, he's always in a talkative mood, but before filming, he reads the script quietly by himself.

Iuchi: Now that you mention it, I think I may be like that. I like to spend time with others, but I'm also the type of person who values alone time. Yuki-kun is…

Hayama: (leaning towards him) I'm cool, just like Ishiro, right?

Iuchi: Uh, y-yeah (laughs). But, to tell you the truth, I feel that both Ishiro and Yuki-kun have a gap. They look cool at first glance, but in reality, they're cute…

Hayama: Isn't that just gap moe?! (*being attracted to the gap between one's appearance and personality)

Iuchi: That's right (laughs). In particular, I was amused by the fact that Yuki-kun recently won a figure and tote bag in a lottery for his favorite anime, and he's been carrying the tote bag with him all the time. He even takes it when moving from the waiting room, where you normally don't have to take anything with you. Seeing him do things like that, even though he's older, I think Yuki-kun is so cute that it's unfair.

"How did you become friends?"

Hayama: My hobbies are to go ramen hopping and going to saunas. When I mentioned this, Haruhi said, "I'm interested!" From there, we started going together for awhile.

Iuchi: Right! I was interested in both and wanted to get into them, but I had just moved to Tokyo and didn't know the city at all…Now, I've started to follow Yuki-kun's example, and made a photo folder with just ramen.

"What kind of ramen do you like?"

Hayama: Basically, I like everything, but I especially love Chinese soba with a soy sauce base. What kind of flavor do you like Haruhi?

Iuchi: Originally I was a soy sauce person, and liked thin, hard noodles, but recently, Yuki-kun took me to a restaurant similar to "Jiro" and I became addicted.

Hayama: It might've been a bad thing that I told you about it (laughs). The next time we have a day off from filming, us four guys, including Saito Ryu-kun and Soma Satoru-kun, should go together.

Iuchi: Yeah! It can be like alittle treat for us.

"To begin with, are you two outdoor or indoor people?"

Hayama: I'm a total indoor person. My hobbies are watching anime and reading manga.

Iuchi: We're the same. I also watch anime, movies, dramas, and have recently gotten into reading, I also play the guitar as a hobby.

Hayama: Well, if we were going to spend time together indoors, Haruhi should play the guitar as background music while I read manga. That way we can enjoy each other's hobbies.

Iuchi: Ah~ I see. But, if we were to spend time together, I'd like to go to Akihabara. I don't really go out if I'm alone, so I'd like to look around at the things we share a similar interest in.

Hayama: Alright! Come to think of it, it might be fun since we have so many things we like in common. The other three main cast members of Boonboomger are outdoor people, so it's good to have people like that by our side!

"What's something you'd like to ask each other?"

Iuchi: Ummm…when you were a student, were you smart?

Hayama: So suddenly?! why?

Iuchi: Yuki-kun, you seem like a smart guy. However, when I thought you were cool, you turned out to be surprisingly different.

Hayama: I see (laughs). I think my grade level was above half? It was alittle above the average score, but it wasn't really that high…wait, Haruhi! Are you trying to ruin my image with this interview?!

Iuchi: No, no! I'm not! (laughs).

Hayama: (laughs). This is going to be a serious question, but as I mentioned earlier, I feel that in a very short period of time, Haruhi has become more and more like Taiya, and that everyone views him as such. I read the script and make a certain plan before going to the set, but once I saw the way that Haruhi played Taiya after I got there, I changed my plans. When acting, do you do anything in addition to reading the script?

Iuchi: Hmmm…If I had to say so, I'd say that at random moments during my daily life, I think to myself, "Taiya would make a move like this right now." For example, I've always been the type of person who looks down while walking fast, but I think that Taiya would straighten his posture and walk slowly, so I've been trying to do that.

Hayama: Heh~. So, Taiya's character is taken from daily life?

Iuchi: Yeah. Otherwise, even though I'm playing the role of Taiya, I feel like I'd inadvertently come off as Iuchi Haruhi…As an extension of that, from the moment I read the script, I try to read it while keeping in mind that, "I'm Taiya Hando."

Hayama: Amazing. I'd love to learn from you!

[nfly5]

[!] N.Flying’s Lee Seung Hyub joins Kim Hye Yoon and Byun Woo Seok in new fantasy romance drama

N.Flying’s Lee Seung Hyub has been cast in tvN’s upcoming drama “Carry Sun Jae and Run” (literal translation)! On July 31, FNC Entertainment officially announced that Lee Seung Hyub would be appearing in “Carry Sun Jae and Run” in the role of Baek In Hyuk. Based on the popular web novel “The Best of Tomorrow,” “Carry Sun Jae and Run” is a new fantasy romance drama about a top celebrity who tragically meets his demise and a woman who travels to the past in order to save him. The drama will be penned by Lee Si Eun, the writer of “True Beauty” and “Top Star U-Back.” Lee Seung Hyub will be playing Baek In Hyuk, the leader and guitarist of the band Eclipse. A friendly guy who is easy to get along with, Baek In Hyuk is the closest friend of the titular Ryu Sun Jae (played by Byun Woo Seok). As someone who has always been passionate about music, Baek In Hyuk was in a band starting all the way back in high school, and his 19-year-old self winds up crossing paths with Im Sol (Kim Hye Yoon), who travels to the past in order to save Ryu Sun Jae. Notably, Lee Seung Hyub is also the leader of his band N.Flying in real life, making him the perfect fit for the role. Are you excited to see Lee Seung Hyub in this new drama?

[absolutebl]

Hi ABL! I know you hate singing in BLs but do you have any favourite OSTs? I’m looking to add some to my Spotify list!

Hum I did do this a bit ago:

I thought I had a list somewhere, oh yes! In the Kpop tracking post hold on...

My Favorite BL OTSs

Okay so “sing your feelings” is one of my least favorite tropes but still I often get asked about my favorite OSTs (original sound tracks), if I gravitate to anything it’ll just be one OTS (theme song) here are some of mine in no particular order:

Dark Blue Kiss - I genuinely love the weird drama-llama intro music, but yeah, no singing 

Color Rush by Ryu Su Jeong and Finding You by Kwon Soon Il- I like both theme songs enough to have actually purchased them 

Wish You’s Wish For You by Kang In Soo & Lee Sang (IMFACT)

I'll Be There by Johnny (To My Star) 

Light On Me’s Spark by A.C.E.

Ocean Likes Me by Holland (for the BL of the same name)

My Oxygen sung by Nut (though I got tired of it fast) 

I Still by Leo (VIXX) for Happy Ending Romance (Leo’s voice is just...) 

Sunshower by Ayumu Imazu (for Eternal Yesterday) was my favorite of 2022, it’s still lives on my playlist in regular rotation, the BL on the other hand... 

Rainbow - the refrain, not the main theme song, for Love Tractor