Then I also wanna touch Shouta's and Mao-chan's face as I can't believe what a beautiful skin they have. I never had skin problems either but they just look TOO perfect.
(If anyone can't tell, I'm just kidding.)
But, seriously, I couldn't believe that anybody could have blemish-free skin like that. Through the first 2-3 episodes, I kept on wondering what kind of foundation/makeup scheme they did with Mao to make her look so . . . blemish free, and whether her lips were really that colour. In contrast, they did a CRAPPY job covering up Jun and Shun's acne/acne scars. How the heck did Jun become a pop idol with that crater complexion?!? Did he, like discovering smoking just before shooting?
As for that: Oh so perfect Shizuka and womanizer Akira seriously in the need of seeing the dentist, almighty Doumyouji being much shorter than everyone else but supposedly able to beat up anyone , redoubtable Kaede being short and cute and smiling a lot,...
To be honest, Akira looks like a guy who just got his braces off and still thinks they're on. Plus the actress doesn't really fit my image of Shizuka. Not that she had a remarkable character design in the manga, but there was a certain mix of big sister and "Mrs. Robinson" in her relation to Rui, that was glossed over in the show. Regal Shizuka shouldn't have been so impish, and Rui/Shizuka should have more of that cheesy/unreal "movie movie" romance quality. That being said, I thought Shun played Rui's feelings toward Shizuka just right.
One of the things I liked about the original story is that, because Rui/Shizuka is the first real relationship we see (and the first troubled relationship we see), "Domakino" feels initially like a contrast, a comic counterpoint to this "cheese and whine" couple. If Rui/Shizuka was, erm, the "K-drama" fantasy, then Domakino was the black sheep, the rebound from the shoujo pedestal, the "cat and dog reality" of real relationships. Domakino felt rebellious. It didn't "belong", and so it (or, rather, evil Domyoji) had to fight for our affection every step of the way. For awhile, I really wondered whether Rui really saw either Domyoji or Makino as sort of his children.
2. The cinematography comes close to a dogma movie (for both visuals and sounds). Whereas the first two episodes had some interesting shots and camera angles, they just filmed ANYTHING in the other 25 episodes.
I've definitely noticed that with Mars (which I think was also produced by the same as MG.) The audio is very, very noisy, which is good in its own way. Also, it looks like they use a lot of handicam and natural lighting in some dim locations in order to create a gritty, unromantic feel. It's perfect for the story, because most of the time, you get the sense that you're watching two confused college students trying to talk things over. I think it's perfect for Mars, though I'm not sure how the same could be applied to a HYD story.
Though, I also can't believe how much money was put into producing HYD. Besides the ludicriously opulent locations in epis 1, 2 and 5, they've actually done one heck of a job in the edit room, splicing together concurrent narratives with stylish fades and such. I mean, dude, they shoot Jun's girly fighting style as if it's Kill Bill, but Gokusen basically gets two static cameras and a generic warehouse to shoot its weekly fights. Eh?!? Plus I've been extremely impressed with the lighting of the show, and also how they've kinda backed off using the soft-focus reflexively. The night shots are gorgeous (i.e. the fountain bit, the Rui looking at Shizuka bit.) I mean, wow.
And the makeup job with Dom's mom is incredible. How the heck can you get eyebrows to do that?
. People are smirking when supposed to look angry, plus those guys were OBVIOUSLY having a hard time doing film kissing (and this sort of film kissing is like the cheapest fake of all - even a child could tell there is no passion whatsoever when they press their lips together as if the other had really bad breath).
I've actually kinda noticed that Asian TV dramas don't do kissing all that well. Even in the Mars show, it's kinda cutesy and demure, rather than coming from genuine passion. Though I would add that there's such a comfortable vibe coming from the two actors, it's unusual. And, yeah, I'm worried about Mao/Jun's big scene. With how so much of the show they've acted in isolation of each other, I'm still not sure whether their "real kiss" is going to fly. It would be easier if I knew they were dating each other . . .
it's a pain watching the show and that idiot always getting nervous over the silliest things. Also that girl is so freaking doll-like, it's scary. Where's the personality?
From what I gather without watching subs, Densha Otoko is about a short man who cries a lot and a tall woman who is a female robot, and there are socially inept men online who watch the short baby and the beautiful bot fall in love, or blow up a city? Heh heh. I don't know; he seems to cry a lot and in front of a computer. Good for him!
Then again, if I watched HYD without subs, maybe I'd think it's a retelling of Purple Rain.
And i don't think that mars is just to college students trying to talk things over... more you read.. and more you watch Mars you sense how dense are..
). In Kimi wa Petto, I think Jun and Koyuki did a pretty decent kissing scene. 
I love telenovelas. The twists and turns reminds me of a kdrama. Thalia became huge at our country a decade ago. I was addicted to Marimar(Aw costanita soy! 
I think it's a great decision. At least those who compare hanadan and meteor garden would not compare this two series anymore. 
__ 
It is definitely rare to find a climax as the last episode.. I don't, I'm still a bit skeptical about how they're going to go about ending this series. I just wished that they would have thought this whole thing out much more clearly before starting this series. It bites knowing that there wasn't any networks willing to take this series up and that it had been a last minute choice. 
About the katakana.. sorry! I'm in the process of learning the writing system as well as the language.. I won't bother you any longer once I've had a better understanding of it.. 
