Warning: This is a highly biased review written by a YUI fangirl. *might contain spoilers*

Before we go in further, here's some useful links in case you are confused.

Movie Version

Showing date: 17/06/2006
119 minutes
Debuted no.6 first week
Theme song: YUI for Amane Kaoru - Good-bye days
Official Website Wikipedia

Drama Version

Airing date: July ~ September 2006 (TBS)
10 Episodes
Average Ratings: 10.3% <--- Not very good
Theme song: Shibasaki Kou - Invitation
Official Website Wikipedia

Other useful links:
Japanese Wikipedia
Jdorama

Lets begin~



The main actress for movie version is our dear YUI and drama version is Sawajiri Erika.


This is YUI's debut acting movie, I think she did a pretty decent job portraying Amane Kaoru (basically she's just playing herself). However in most her interviews she only associated herself with Kaoru merely on the can't-live-without-music part. She rarely talks about the similarities between her and Kaoru (unless people asked her). It's fun to read/ see her comments on the movie, how difficult was it to maintain the correct intonation (she's from Fukuoka, her accent was slightly different apparently), the ways to memorise dialogues (first timer), how impressed she was with Tsukamoto Takashi's natural acting skills. She really did alot of 'homework' to play this character, even though there are parts in the movie that she seemed lost, especially during emotional scenes. But then her kawaii voice and priceless expression were already suffice enough lol.


The spacesuit was integrated with 3 fans (hot ma). After the Tsukamoto guy pinched YUI's face, here comes the scene that detroys the hearts of thousands fanboys around the world. One of the most memorable scene in the movie =D (I changed the original translation, 'That's too much' seemed lack of something. She said 'hidoi' in chinese means '好过份')


As for Sawajiri Erika, I was deeply touched by her performance in One Litre of Tears, one of my all time favourite jdorama. When I read that she's gonna be the main lead in Taiyou no Uta, I was skeptical about her doing the singing part (imho Shibaski Kou is the only actress-singer who really do well in both areas), and since YUI is a singer herself she already set up a pretty high standard on it. I think she did a pretty decent job acting as a singer. Just that the way she played the guitar looks awkward. Not very convincing since she should be the girl who 'treats guitar as part of her life'. People who don't know anything about guitar said that her playing looks fine and belivable though. As for acting, well she's one of the promising young actress around so I shall say acting wise she's good. Erika is not just a pretty face.


The spacesuit comes in pink color as well lol.

They both released a single under the name of Amane Kaoru（雨音薫）.



Some information regarding the singles:


YUI for Amane Kaoru - Good-bye days
*Highest rank in Oricon Chart: no.3
*Total sales (till 2007/01/01): 227,694 (Overall no.32)
*Written and composed by YUI


Kaoru Amane - Taiyou no Uta
*Highest rank in Oricon Chart: No.1
*Total Sales (till 2007/01/01): 482,521 (Overall no.7)
*Best selling single for female singer in year 2006.
*Highest sales (debut single) for a female artist.
*Written and composed by Shiratori Maika. <--- main point lol.

Yea I know Erika's single sold more than YUI's twice =/ It's because I didn't buy lol. I know alot of people have said it before, I like Sawajiri Erika, as an actress, but I don't think this single deserved to be the Best Selling Single by Female Artist for year 2006, even Koda Kumi's 4 Hot Wave (not my fave either) sold alot less than this single. The song is nice but not great, and it didn't left a big impact like what Good-bye days did in the end of the movie. Where are all the other female singers went??? Top 20 only got 2 females =/ I can play Taiyou no Uta better than Good-bye days in guitar though lol (cos no barre chord haha).

Live performances (TV):


Sawajiri Erika only did one live performance on CDTV, but she lip-synched =/ (hate artists who lip-synch), so we cannot determine her singing skills. I'll forgive you since you're an actress, not singer. Again, why this single can sell so much but the drama ratings sucked? I think mostly because the pervert out there bought 2-3 copies at once (Erika used to be a gravure idol). Do not estimate the power of fanboys/ girls hee.

Back to the movie. Talk so much on other stuff but the movie. Besides the Kaoru Amane, we have other singers as well. (Left: Movie, Right: Drama)


Some random guy and Tachibana Asami played by Matsushita Nao, she released her debut album named Dolce few months ago. It's an instrumental album and she played the piano.

Th male lead, Fujishiro Kouji was played by Tsukamoto Takashi (movie) and Yamada Takayuki (drama) respectively.


Kouji in the movie version doesn't know how to play guitar. But in real life Tsukamoto Takashi can play quite well, he's currently looking for bandmates for his new band.

Family having dinner scene. Kaoru is the center attraction, always.



Motor riding scene, romantic-ness >.<



Performing with other musicians.


This is my favourite scene throughout the movie, with Skyline as the background music. YUI was jamming with some people she stumbled along the way. Liked the one in drama as well. Kaoru and her bandmates.



There are other movies with similar theme might be better than this (personally I like Lindax3 more hee), however if without YUI, this movie will be boring as hell (this explains why she was the production team's first choice). The first dialogue came in after 8 minutes, sometimes will have long intervals without dialogues as well, depends on how you view this movie actually. I might not watch this movie for beginning till the end for the second time, but I can watch certain scenes over and over again, especially the confession scene lol, and the ones with YUI singing of course. Didn't really pay attention on other actors, too focused on someone. Kishitani Goro (the father) really caught my eye, that's what we called veteran actor =x As for Tsukamoto Takashi, I saw alot of his dramas, he's good in most of it, very natural indeed, in Taiyou no Uta as well. In the interview he said this will be the last chance I acted as high school student, I might as well enjoy every moment of it =D




Well for the drama, it started out very good, I was waiting impatiently for the next episodes each week. As the story progresses, the producers started to add alot of other pointless side plots to it. Love triangle thing, bad history thing, media thing, it gets boring after being recycled for so many times. It went downhill as the story progresses. And the ending, *speechless* just....normal. It's not bad, just average, and the 2 main leads just delivered their usual, on the par performance, nothing spectacular compared with Sekachuu, Byakuyakou (Yamada), or the touching Ichi Ritoru no Namida. I liked the cast though. Especially the hot music producer lmao. My brother said Shibasaki Kou's theme song was nicer than Stay with me, wonder why they used her song instead of Erika's.

To sum it all, YUI = Amane Kaoru, Sawajiri Erika = Ikeuchi Aya
*Runs away*

Besides Taiwan, it will be shown in Singapore (Dec 14) and Hong kong (Jan 25) as well.



What about Malaysia?!! ZzzZzzZzz.....*Sigh*

Woot finally finished this entry, spent 3 days writing this =/ (it was dated on 8 Dec)
Sorry about the pics, some it's quite dark (most of the scenes were at night =x)
Hope to see your comments about it (please be gentle lol).

Screencaps were captured by me, and for the movie posters, video file (MellowB@Jpopsuki for the movie, tvbt for the drama) and what not, credits to whoever I 'stole' it from.

And to Sin Chew Jit Poh, please republish your review regarding this movie/ drama. It's an insult for dear YUI and for me as a Malaysian.　(yea I'm making a big fuss about it lol)

I scanned it out.


Till then, アデュー！