Kisarazu Cat's Eyes

Official website: http://www.tbs.co.jp/catseye/

Drama (TBS, January 18, 2002 – March 15, 2002)
Twenty-one year old former high school baseball player, Kohei, learns that he is dying from cancer. He is told that he only has six months to live, and decides that he wants to do something daring and risky. He proposes to five trusted members from his former baseball club that they form a ring of cat burglars that would steal from those who commit crimes. His friends think it odd, but feel they cannot turn down a dying man's request. With only six months, how much could they do anyway? -TBS (Wik)

The story of this series follows a young man at the age of 21 named Kohei played by Okada Junichi. The setting of the story is in Kisarazu (hence the title of the drama series), which is a city in Chiba, Japan. He is diagnosed with cancer and has been told that he has a total of 6 months to live. Instead of being depressed, Kohei decides to do something else, something daring and unique.

The show focuses mainly on Kohei and four of his close friends. The five grew up together as they were all on the same high school baseball team. Bambi (Sakurai Sho), Masta (Sato Ryuta), Ani (Tsukamoto Takashi), and Ucchie (Okada Yoshinori). Kohei, known as Bussan to his close friends, forms the group Kisarazu Cat's Eye. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kisarazu_Cat's_Eye)


Notes:
* A year after the series, in November 2003, the movie Kisarazu Cat's Eye: Nihon Series (http://www.tbs.co.jp/catseye/index_main-j.html) was released. The same cast were retained.
* Kisarazu Cat's Eye: World Series (http://www.tbs.co.jp/catseye/ws_pre/index-j.html), which was shown last October 2006, was the finale of the entire Kisarazu Cat's Eye series



The Movie: Nihon Series (2003)
When Bussan learns he has less than a year to live, he decides to continue his life as usual. He spends his time with his friends, a band called Kisarazu Cat's Eye. Their funny adventures range from playing gigs to solving a mystery surrounding counterfeit money, but Bussan's impending death is never far away.




The Movie: World Series (2006) --> I haven't seen this one.
The story picks up three years after the death of Kisarazu Cat's Eye leader Bussan (Okada Junichi). The rest of the gang - Bambi (Sakurai Sho), Master (Sato Ryuta), Ani (Tsukamoto Takashi), and Uchi (Okada Yoshinori) - has disbanded, and it seems the days of the past are long gone. Masta and Ani have left for better places. Ucchie is in the Self-Defense Force, mostly getting harassed by his menacing female commander (Kuriyama Chiaki, Kill Bill). Only Bambi remains in Kisarazu, and one day he hears a voice from above: "If you build it, he will come." Bambi goes about rounding up the original gang, and sure enough he - Bussan's spirit - does return Field of Dreams-style, along with a baseball team of zombies. (Yesasia)




Theme song: A Day in Our Life [Arashi 嵐]
Check out the song here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7B7ilU-1EMY
(it's really cool song, I like it first time hear it)


Tidbits
Awards for Drama
* 32nd Television Drama Academy Awards: Best Screenwriter: Kudo Kankuro
* 32nd Television Drama Academy Awards: Best Director: Kudo Kankuro
* 32nd Television Drama Academy Awards: Best Opening
* 32nd Television Drama Academy Awards: Best Cast


Buy DVD: http://www.hmv.co.jp/search/index.asp?keyword=kisarazu+cat

*****

This is a must to see. Kisarazu has unique story. The way the story goes was incredible unsual. They using flashback style. A bit confusing at first I admit, but later I really enjoyed this flashback style. In fact, it's made the drama more interesting to see. Like you've keep curious what is actually happened before..

The casts also superb. Okada Junichi of V6 portrayed Bussan very well. I had his image as a calm guy, but not this Bussan^^ The other casts; Ryuta Sota, Tsukamoto Takashi, Okada Yoshinori, Sakurai Sho of Arashi and Wakana Sakai also played well. Sakurai Sho surprised me. This is the first time I saw him act. His bad tempered image was really fell off here. No bad tempered Sho at all. He's Bambi. With his looks, Sho even more suitable to have a personality like Bambi than Sho^^ (am I too much? sorry :P)

I got Kisarazu Cat's Eyes fever for several months after watching the drama. Really. It's like all things in my mind was Bussan and his crazy fellows and the city. I put them as my signature in one forum before :P Yeah, it's that good!

As for Nihon series, the movie.. after you saw the drama you'll want this. The story is related of course. Moments before Bussan's death.

I'm still looking how to get the World Series..

Cat's! Nyah! Cat's! Nyah! Cat's! Nyah! ( ^ o ^ )