What I watched in MARCH 2013: Digest Version

b Shonen Onmyouji: Okay, there was this period when Geneon USA was circling the toilet when they started doing these horrifically, ruinously bad offshore dubs.  This is one of those dubs.  Unfortunately, when I was watching this show, I was busy gathering medical records and stuff, so I didn't have the time to watch it in Japanese with English subtitles while not gathering  medical records.  So I think the show is better than my English-dub impression of it.  It must be or everyone would hate it instead of just 50% of the people.  It's the story of a boy and his dog-like spirit companion.  This boy is the grandson of a famous spiritualist, but he's notorious mostly for having no spiritual powers AT ALL.  Then he meets up with this critter, and his life changes, and he discovers his real powers and meets a girl and has all these weird adventures involving the mythology of the Japanese spiritual world.  Did I mention the dub is really bad?

"What good is love if the fireflies aren't real?"

b Taisho Baseball Girls: This cute little series about junior high girls who form a baseball team for various reasons is short and sweet.  The team interactions are fun and cute for the most part, and you respect their grit and determination and the troubles they face.  It's also a fun glimpse at an interesting time in Japanese history as East and West collide and traditional views of womanhood seem on the verge of changing.

b You're Beautiful: So, I had a certain amount of expectation built up for this show.  It more and less met these expectations.  There were some surprises in the end, but it was a good experience over all.  One of the most interesting parts was actually the extras.  Some of these folks are really quite good at acting.  In real life some of them are very different.  The female lead and the happy-chipper dude (Blondie in Sarah's review that started it all) are SO DIFFERENT, I was floored.  The DVD box set seems somewhat impossibly priced out of print, but you can watch it legally streaming at Amazon.

Sister Doofus and Murderbot Strike Again

I am watching this show called You're Beautiful.  It's a Korean live-action drama that I am currently using to encourage me to exercise for longer at a time.  It is pretty much awesome (the review and the show).  There are some things that are a challenge to adjust to, but there is more than enough bizarre to keep me coming back for more one hour and seven minute installments on my cheap stairclimber in front of the TV.

I recommend reading the review first because it is hilarious in its own right and will give you a good idea of whether or not this is your brand of cracktastic.  Also, it doesn't really spoil much, in the long run.  Frankly, the show is much more enjoyable when you think of characters by their Sarah names or remember how she summarized certain scenes when you finally see them on screen.  And I really hope she finished watching the show because there are some doozies after episode 9 that I think she might have caused herself mirth-related injuries by watching.  It also helps not to look at evil actress.  She scares me not just because she's evil but because she seems almost anorectic.  It hurts me to look at her too skinny legs and arms (those protruding wrist bones could give you nightmares) on a frame that is obviously not built by nature to carry that little flesh.

Things to adjust to:

• Pacing: At 1:07 per episode, it might seem likely that more would happen in each episode.  The truth is, not really.  You know those anime episodes where you feel like they didn't keep the time accurate for the storyboards, and then they made the episode and found out they had another 3 minutes, so they went back and stretched scenes out forever and did wraparound camera angles and reaction shots of everyone and replays and some flashbacks from earlier in the series or same episode?  It's kind of like that sometimes.  Here in the states, we're used to longer live action stuff, but longer is life 42 minutes in a 1 hour time slot.  You need to keep your focus for a comparably long time here, with no more reward because of the slow pacing.
• Music: After several episodes, you will likely be able to sing along to some of the songs.  In Korean.  Because there aren't many of them.  Startlingly few for a show about a band.  It may begin to wear on you, but persevere.
• Acting: I would say this show is about 90% goofy comedy with about 10% drama.  There is a lot of exaggeration in the facial expressions and physical comedy and numerous zany (and just plain stupid) miscommunications and misunderstandings.  Just deal with it.  It sort of grows on you, after a while.  If you're not in the mood for goofy, though, stay away until you are.
• Korean fashion:  Some episodes are worth it solely for the WTH reactions the clothes cause.
• Stupidity:  Some of the plot contrivances are stunningly bad and patently ridiculous.  Like, seriously eye rolling.  This is part of the charm.  Admit out loud that certain things are totally stupid, and then just let it go and stay along for the ride.

2-3 exercise sessions a week prevents me from just marathoning the whole thing or getting too irritated by all the craziness, zaniness, and slow pacing.  It keeps the plot moving and the suspense present.  So many secrets and selfishness and lies, all wrapped in goofy comedy.  I highly recommend it and Sarah's review and leave you with the following quote about a scene between Murderbot and Sister Doofus:

SCENE: Guess whose sheets have sparkling sequins on them and whose have manly stripes!
SCENE: Guess whose pyjama top is scandalously low cut!
SCENE: If you haven't guessed Murderbot's are the sequins and the revealing night attire, you have not been paying attention.

I put myself at risk for an asthma attack every time I read this review.  I urge you to do the same.