Title: L: Change the WorLd
Release date: 2/9/08
Genre: Supernatural, Detective
Cast: Matsuyama Kenichi, Fukuda Narushi, Fukuda Mayuko, Kudoh Youki
Plot: During the final 23 days of his life, L takes the time to solve one more case. This one involves a bio-terrorist group intent on killing most of the Earth's population with a virus.
What is good: Matsuyama is as good as ever!
What is bad: Well...I fell asleep...that can't be a good thing, right?
Letter rating: C
Overall: I really wanted to like this sort-of sequel to Death Note. Like many others, L is one of my favorite characters. Unfortunately, this case seems to be a pretty big waste of his talents. The only reason L seems to be involved in this case is because people just randomly send things (and people) to him. As much as I wanted to watch the movie, I did fall asleep because it was so dull. L deserved a better ending than this.
Jmovie review: Death Note - The Last Name
Title: Death Note - The Last Name
Release date: 11/3/06
Genre: Supernatural drama
Cast: Fujiwara Tatsuya, Matsuyama Kenichi, Nakamura Shido (voice only), Kaga Takashi, Toda Erika
Plot: In the sequel to the first Death Note movie, the game between Light/Kira (Fujiwara Tatsuya) and L (Matsuyama Kenichi) continues. This time Kira finds himself a partner in idol Amane Misa (Toda Erika). With two Death Notes on earth, will L be able to prove the connection between Light and Kira?
What is good: It is enjoyable watching Light and L trying to outwit each other.
What is bad: Since this is mostly psychological, there isn't a lot of action going on.
Overall rating: A
Overall: I really enjoyed the first Death Note movie yet I was disappointed that there wasn't more interaction between Light and L. This movie definitely delivers that. While lot of the first movie was familiar to me since I watched part of the anime, I knew almost nothing about the sequel as it takes place in the episodes I haven't seen yet. I love watching Matsuyama as L. In my opinion, he was the absolute perfect choice in casting. I can't say too much else about the movie without giving away big spoilers. If you are a Death Note fan, you definitely have to watch this.
Jmovie review: Nana
Title: Nana
Release date: 9/3/05
Genre: Romance, Slice of Life
Cast: Nakashima Mika, Miyazaki Aoi, Matsuda Ryuhei, Matsuyama Ken'ichi, Narimiya Hiroki, Maruyama Tomomi
Plot: The story of the lives and loves of two Nanas. Osaki Nana (Nakashima Mika) is a punk princess determined to make her way to the top of the Tokyo rock scene. Komatsu Nana (Miyazaki Aoi) is a naive girl following her boyfriend to Tokyo in the hopes of marriage. The girls meet on a train in the middle of a snowstorm. Little did they know how intertwined their lives would become from that one fateful meeting.
What is good: The emotional rollercoaster that is the girls' lives.
What is bad: Since this movie only takes us about halfway through the Nana storyline, the ending seems a little abrupt.
Letter rating: A
Overall: I adore the Nana franchise. On one hand, I wish I could rock like Osaki Nana but on the other hand, I wish I knew how to be the "perfect" housewife like Komatsu Nana. I watched the movie before watching the entire anime series so it really was this version of the story that I fell in love with. Nakashima Mika was the perfect choice to play singer Osaki Nana and I thought that Miyazaki Aoi did a really good job bringing the innocence and puppy-dog characterization that is Komatsu Nana. While I didn't like the Trapnest songs very much, I did enjoy GLAMOROUS SKY, the movie's theme song which was written by Hyde of L'arc~en~Ciel fame. This is definitely a girly movie but I think any girl who has ever loved a boy before would love this movie.
Jmovie review: Death Note
Title: Death Note
Release date: 6/17/06
Genre: supernatural drama
Cast: Fujiwara Tatsuya, Matsuyama Kenichi, Nakamura Shido (voice only), Kaga Takashi
Plot: When a human's name is written in a Death Note, that person will die. Light (Fujiwara Tatsuya) finds a Death Note and, disbelieving of its powers, begins writing the names of known criminals in the book. Soon those people mysteriously die of heart attacks. Light deems himself the God of Justice, silently killing any criminals that he can find. The police attempt to figure out why prisoners are dropping dead in their cells when the genuis L (Matsuyama Kenichi) joins them in their investigation. Thus begins the game of cat-and-mouse between Light and L.
What is good: The CG for the Death God Ryuk is absolutely stunning.
What is bad: There may be a few things that could have been explained a bit more to help those who haven't seen the anime or read the manga.
Letter rating: A
Overall: I haven't read the manga version of Death Note but I have seen some of the anime. This made a really good transition into movie form. In the anime, Light flaunts his genius but in the movie, he's a little more subdued about it. He knows that he is outwitting the police yet he doesn't brag about it to Ryuk. I liked the slight changes they made in L's character as well. In the anime, he was a bit more eccentric. In the movie, he seems to be just hopped up on caffeine and junk food. Ryuk's animation is breath-taking. He is a bit jerky when he's laughing but that was probably the intention. One of my favorite scenes with Ryuk was a simple one where Ryuk and Light are walking up a slight hill. Before you can see either character, you see the tips of Ryuk's wings. It shows the amount of thought that went into his animations. I would recommend this movie to just about anyone. While it involves death, there isn't a lot of blood so even those with a weak stomach should be able to handle it.