Tiger & Dragon

Status: 11 Episodes (complete & subbed) + 1 special episode(subbed)

Synopsis: This award winning drama series tells the story of a yakuza[Japanese mafia] member Toraji, whose job was collecting debts. He encountered Ryu, a clothing store owner who's also the estranged son of a rakugo story teller[rakugo is the art of telling Japanese comedy stories while sitting down i.e. sit-down comedy]. He decided to quit yakuza and learn rakugo. However, there's one problem. He looked so scary that people were afraid to laugh at him. Plus, his jokes were always lame. Finding the rakugo stories 'old' and incomprehensible[well, he's a bit of a baka haha], he decided to tell rakugo using his own style. He modified the stories to fit in with modern times & events that happened around him.

Eye-candies: Nagase Tomoya as Toraji [He's the bumbling guy masquearading as a cool singer in Mukodono], Okada Junichi as Ryu...

Why you should watch: This is a unique drama. Who would expect that it actually contains elements of traditional Japanese culture? I certainly enjoyed watching how the writer managed to modify the traditional rakugo stories to fit in with modern times. Each episode is about one rakugo story intertwined with events happening in Toraji's life. Basically, you get two version of the story. The traditional one, and the modern yakuza-flavoured version as told by Toraji. It does help that the events are usually hilarious and the dialogues are funny.

I think this drama is not everyone's cup of tea. But give it a try. When have you ever watched something that is educational yet funny at the same time? heh this was one of the few dramas that I managed to watch twice. [An incredible feat considering I've only finished 50% of the drama series that I started..]

@ Arfah - Ader rumours Tiger & Dragon 2!