High&Low: The Story of S.W.O.R.D. (2015)

[CHECK THE SONGS LIST OF THIS DRAMA BELOW THIS REVIEW]

Finally something decent (even more) for our hungry brain after Crows Zero era.
HIGH & LOW: The STORY OF S.W.O.R.D is a comprehensive entertainment project by EXILE TRIBE that encompasses various forms of content media. Aside from the members of EXILE TRIBE, there are a lot of high quality cast for this drama, not only actor & actress but also other musician & models. So visually, you will be pampered with a lot of candy eyes with great acting too.
As written in the synopsis, it’s all about fighting between organization in a certain town. But the core story in this first season is about friendship and brotherhood, and more like a prologue to introduce each organization and the story base. Later, there will be HIGH&LOW Season 2 and HIGH&LOW The Movie. Let me summarize all the organization first:

=Organizations Before SWORD=
1) MUGEN
In this story, MUGEN was told start from the second generation, led by Kohaku. Other main members: Tsukumo, Cobra & Yamato. The strongest organization.

2) AMAMIYA BROTHERS
Only consist two members, Amamiya Masaki (Kyaaa Takahirooo! *oops please excuse my fangirling) & Amamiya Hiroto. They’re fighting against Mugen.

3) HYUGA GROUP
Hyuga Group is a part of GURYU GROUP (I think Guryu Group is kind of strong group but in outside of Mugen’s domain) & they’re not that popular. Hyuga Group fought against Mugen in order to make their names well known, but Hyuga Group lost and abandoned by Guryu Group.

=S.W.O.R.D=
1) SANOOH ASSOCIATION
Or Hoodlum Squad, led by Cobra (ex Mugen). Other members are Yamato (ex Mugen), Noboru, Dan, Tetsu and Chiharu. Cobra, Yamato & Noboru are childhood friends. Sanooh doesn’t have specialty or aiming any particular thing, the association just made naturally by the members who are good in fighting.

2) WHITE RASCAL
Their specialty is always white (as white as their name XD). Led by Rocky, his main subordinates are Golden Bomber* members (Bito, Aizawa, Shimura & Enari). Despite being famous with their madness, White Rascal also known for always protecting woman who have been hurt by men.
*) A visual kei rock band

3) OYA KOUKOU
School of Yankees!. The leader or they rather call it as Class Rep (lol) is Murayama Yoshiki. Just as other typical Yankee school, the one who rule the school is the strongest one. Murayama Yoshiki played by Yamada Yuki, he can pull his yankee expression but his height sometimes a little bit distracted me. He looks much shorter & smaller than his friends, in contrary he is the the strongest and unbeatable.

4) RUDE BOYS
They dominate and protect a Nameless Street, a town where people who abandoned by their parents lives, hidden and dirty. Led by Rocky played by Kubota Masataka (Kyaaa *oops once again please excuse my fangirling ;-). They declare themselves as a family who protect each other. Their specialty is parkour, this is that makes their fighting skill more artsy. This drama use a lot of camera angle, epic setting and a lot of ikemen with abs XD. Visually, I like this team, maybe because the members are actually athlete and model, whenever they walk together and make a way, it looks like they’re walking in runaway even with rag-like fashion that they wore, they can pull it off nicely. Kubota Masataka looks so charismatic with messy hair, too bad he has a weakness,what is that weakness? Well you better watch and check it by yourself :p.

5) DARUMA IKKA
Led by Hyuga Norihisa, forth son of Hyuga (played by Hayashi Kento). Alongside with Totetsu Brothers (Toutetsu Ukyo & Toutetsu Sakyo, both were kicked out from Mugen in the past) they formed Daruma Ikka to make a way for their revenge towards Guryu Group and the remaining Mugen member. I think this is the most unique organization. As their name, Daruma is their icon with blasting red color. Even when they fight, they’re using Daruma and drums as music accompaniment. Hayashi Kento looks deep but madly and vengeful here, for me it’s such a rare to see him in that kind of character, so it’s cool!.

=Organization Outside SWORD=
1) IEMURA GROUP
Iemura Group is one of the Guryu Group, the main leader is Iemura Tatsumi. With other 8 leads member, they’re called themselves as Nine Dragons. This organization is more like executive people who dominate a lot of field, including black market and greedy, so they own a lot of money. Basically they’re a bunch of rich uncles with suit and necktie.

2) MIGHTY WARRIORS
Led by Ice. This organization hasn’t been told a lot in this season, their main movement will be told in season 2 later. So, more Exile Tribe member are coming, yaaaay!.

2) STRAWBERRY MILK
The one and only girl gang. 4 members, Junko as the leader (she's so cute and funny), Asuko and Twin Towers (member of E-Girls). I love these girl, they're so funny!

There are so much red line right? All SWORD organization make their own world, never touch each other in order to keep peace in the town. The main story is started in Sanooh, Sanooh is the center of the whole story that connects all of the organization. The conflict appeared between childhood friends (Cobra, Yamato and Noburu). Noburu who just released from prison, but rather than go back to Sanooh he joined to Iemura Group. Feel betrayed, Yamato tried to persuaded Noboru to go back to Sanooh. Because he knows that Iemura Group is greedy and merciless. Noboru is trusted by Iemura to take over SWORD authority, but each SWORD organization refuse. This situation raised misunderstanding and betrayal between them. In other story, Chiharu (before he joined to Sanooh), who is actually a student in Oya Koukou, beaten up by his fellows but then he was accidentally helped by Yamato. Chiharu pled to join Sanooh, but this makes a conflict between Oya Koukou with Sanooh.
With 23 minutes average duration, you can enjoy fighting scene around 50% of its duration with great music accompaniment. HIGH&LOW also contains some sentimental, sad and funny part.

The editing, I’m so sensitive when it’s come to this point whenever I watch movie/drama. HIGH&LOW succeed this series with dramatic color correction, point of view and angle for each organization differently which is emphasize each organization’s character.

The fashion, since there are big companies who backing up the casts, they give all out in fashion too. Each organization has their own fashion style. No matter how you look at them, it does look pricey and detail from head to toe. They use a lot of expensive motorcycle and cars. One more thing, all the cast are looks neat and clean, this is one of the reason that I enjoy this drama. Or maybe they‘re just handsome and charismatic :D.

And now about the music. The music itself plays as the biggest part here, it makes this drama looks more appealing and nice. In fact, EXILE TRIBE’s album is also part of this HIGH&LOW project. There is not much I can review here because it so cool and perfectly matched with the drama. It’s EXILE TRIBE you know, what do you expect is what will you get. Each organization has their own special music background. The combination between music, fashion, editing, camera view and the cast themselves makes this drama looks like a MV. I love to re-watch this drama especially in some part like when a certain organization present themselves with powerful soundtrack, or just enjoying the each actors acting, their close up face, their cool movements even their poses. Sometimes I feel like are they doing photo shoot or what??. Seriously, their visual is on high quality level despite this is about delinquent story.

And here the list of the songs that included in this drama, it could be more than this but these are so far that I know:

J SOUL BROTHER - MUGEN ROAD
PKCZ feat EXILE SHOKICHI - WHITEOUT
GENERATIONS from EXILE TRIBE - RUN THIS TOWN
DJ DARUMA from PKCZ [VOICE OF RED feat.GS] - DARUMA FAMILY
THE SECOND from EXILE - ONE TIME ONE LIFE
DOBERMAN INFINITY - DO OR DIE
DOBERMAN INFINITY-JUMP AROUND 8
E-GIRLS - STRAWBERRY SADISTIC
ACE OF SPADES feat HIROOMI TOSAKA- SIN
Ryuji Imaichi - FOREVER YOUNG AT HEART

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If you are looking for an action drama (no romance).. this is the one for you.... it has to the point fighting, excellent parkour.... nice eye-candies (who doesn't like lots of good looking, silent, dangerous type guys?)....

and the music.. each gang has an excellent sound track linked... The characters are well defined... each gang has its own sets of rules (policies) that make people come together as a team... S believes in fighting to protect, W protects women, O (well its a high school, i never understand what kids fight for except for maybe just fighting), R are also all about protecting their family, and D.... what to say... they just fight (i still like the leader).....!!

I watched both the seasons back to back and did not regret even a minute of it..... overall the drama was awesome...!!! just waiting for the subbed version of the movie to be uploaded somewhere....

Cheers...!!!

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This drama really developed well after episode 3, especially character development and you really identified with their feelings, though still taking up too much fighting to fill up the story to rate 10/10. I suppose with this genre it goes with the territory. I liked all the characters especially in Hoodlum gang but their enemy gangs had their own different character which was good. Almost no romance - a couple of female interest - but that suits me for this kind of macho drama. I thought the last episodes also not so good, out of sync with the main story, with new gang coming in out of nowhere and a huge gang fight suddenly stopping while personal stuff took the stage and all these tough guys just stopped and watched [really???} - so the personal stuff was "touching" but not believable in my opinion. I feel the end was not so convincing, left hanging in the air and not sure where this is going, but liked it enough to try the next season. 9/10 story, 10/10 characters.

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Much More than Just Action

This series is the first installment of the franchize. Aside from telling a beautiful story of love, friendship, forgiveness, and sacrifice, it introduces the world of High&Low, and particularly the five gangs that comprise SWORD, a shaky alliance created to limit aggression among the gangs in the area.
Each of these groups has an episode dedicated to it, so I think that you will not have any difficulties memorizing them. If you have already watched High&Low The Worst, the spin-off that focuses on the delinquents of Oya High, you will see both familiar and unfamiliar faces here, but you will figure out what is going on quickly.

Each gang has its own ideals and mission. The White Rascals aim to make the town a safe place for women. Rude Boys have created a haven for the most desolate people, who have nowhere else to go. Oya High? Well... They fight for the sake of fighting. Comprised of the worst, or best – depends on the perspective – students in the country, whose average age is 23, they spend their time punching each other to determine who will rule Oya. After graduation, the strongest and most unhinged are recruited by other gangs.

The story revolves around Sannoh Association, which the S in SWORD stands for, and its founding members, the Hoodlum Squad. Quiet but fierce, wise but scary, their leader Cobra values the well-being of the Squad above everything else and goes to impressive lengths to protect it. His childhood friend and right-hand man, Yamato, distinguishes himself with the kindness of his heart, which at first glance seems so unsuitable for gang life that he is deemed stupid by some of those close to him, but which proves to be a powerful force for good in the course of the story.

The delicate balance of SWORD is upset after Yamato spontaneously protects Chiharu, who has recently transferred to Oya High, from the school's leading delinquents. Not to spoil this twisty story for you any more, I will just say that from that moment on things go south at a rapid pace, the stakes are high, and the action never ceases.

Aside from the thrilling fighting scenes, what makes this series so special, though?

1. "If we keep fighting like this, in the end we'll all perish together."

If you are tired of putting up with unlikeable characters, which are a dime a dozen in modern cinema, and of not being able to tell the good side from the bad side because both are using the same horrible methods, this series is for you. The gangsters of SWORD might be violent, but they have principles and a clear understanding of what is good and what is bad. For instance, the production and distribution of drugs is strictly forbidden. Although problems and misunderstandings are usually solved with fists, the characters do not tolerate the "end justifies means" mindset. They are also loyal and forgiving, and ready to put their pride aside and compromise for the greater good. Two of the story's main messages are that people make mistakes, but they deserve second chances, and that no matter how strong you believe that you are on your own, dismissing and betraying the friends who want to stand by you makes you weak. By making the villains well-dressed and sophisticated, the story also reminds us that the real evil of society are not the poor people who survive as they can.

2. "Wounds from fighting will quickly go away, but bonds will never disappear."

The true treasure of this series are the friendship and bromance. If you have had enough of toxic onscreen couples, this is the right series for you. From Cobra and Yamato's unshakable love for their friend Noboru, to Yamato and Chiharu's bromance that borders on romance – yes, what they have for each other has no heterosexual explanation – to Rude Boys' devotion to Smoky, it will make your heart swell from happiness and restore your faith in people. Outstanding.

Overall, this series is a gem not only in its genre, but also in general. It will keep you entertained and rooting for the Hoodlum Squad and the others for all of its ten episodes. You might have seen that some of the reviewers were not satisfied with the ending. I think that it fits the story, though, and sets the stage for season two. My only complaint is that Noboru's escape from his captivity was not explained.

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Must Watch!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is one of the best dramas I've ever seen. If you love action, great storytelling and hand-to-hand combat then watch this drama!
HiGH&LOW has excellent fighting choreography and brilliant characters.
Although HiGH&LOW introduces a lot of characters at once, you'll quickly get to know and love all of the S.W.O.R.D groups, their leaders and members, and the supporting characters. All S.W.O.R.D groups have their own style. So you can tell them apart and you can easily follow the fight scenes.
This drama is so awesome.

A MUST WATCH!!!!!!!


~ Sorry if my English reads strangely. English is not my first language.

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I was told that I would love this drama. But I didn't realize just how much I would love it. It truly feels like a manga come alive and it's so mesmerizing. The fights, the cinematography, the bonds among the characters - and especially Cobra, Yamato and Noboru.

And to the surprise of exactly no one, Iwata Takanori's Cobra is my favorite. There are so many characters, so many gangs and gang members, but he's certainly the lead even though he doesn't have more on-screen time than the others and even though Yamato is undoubtedly H&L's heart, Cobra is the centerpiece. The founder of Mugen first, then the leader of the Hoodlums, when he enters the scene you sit up and notice. When Cobra enters a fight, everyone starts paying attention because he doesn't do it often so when he does, it means something. And when it's then revealed at the end that he has done all this for Noboru... wah!

Also, I love the parent figures of the Hoodlum gang. Both women, Yamato's mother and the bar owner, love the boys - and especially Cobra and Yamato - so much and I love that they are not all "don't fight" or whatever but simply "do the right thing". I think that the Hoodlum gang is the one closest to living a normal life in SWORD.

Yeah, I have much, much, much love for this drama. It hit the right spot at the right time for me!

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The High&Low franchise is a popular one and for a good reason. The whole production must have cost a fortune, as there were so many characters and members in each gang. The four teams were interesting to watch, as each one was distinguish, with different kingdom and different costumes. The fighting scenes were top notch as well. That said, the performances were great from all the actors. The ending was kind of left some questions answered, but there is a second season. Finally, the story was interesting, although it was confusing because there were too many characters to get to know in such a short time.

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Actually i'm not someone who intro to the action - gang drama / movie,but since most of the characters are HOTTIES,so i tried to watch this drama..

YOU WON'T REGRET IT AFTER YOU WATCH IT ! This drama is highly recommended for men since the story is about fight all the time :D

S.W.O.R.D is the initial of all 5 popular and rude group in each of their district.

1.Sanooh organization
Head : Cobra (He is freaking cool XDD)
The story focused on this group..Friendship,pain,betrayal,helping the newbie,accidentaly involve in drug trafficking.If you girl,i recommend you to prepare some tissues for last episode :DD

2.White Rascals
Leader : Rockey
This organization is what the girls dream about..They protect girl from getting hurt..They want girls to keep be 'whiter' rather than be 'black'..I think this group is the richest one,since they have their own bar..

3.Oya High School
School representative (i'm still laughing whenever hear this kind of them calling their fucking boss XDD):Murayama.
I think this group is the most extremely rude group among all..They decide their boss by someone who can receives 100 punches and defeat all the members..

4.Rude Boys
Leader : Smokey
My favorite gang among all group <3 <3 <3 They protect the nameless street..They claim theirselves as a 'family'..They won't any intruders touch and hurt their family..One of the reason why i watch this drama is Kubota san <3 <3 He is freaking cool at fighting :33..This group is the coolest one for me because their parkour show (no wonder,one of the cast is parkour practicional :D)
I think smokey is also the wisest leader among all leader..The true leader always considers the others as family,right ? You will find out why he is the wisest leader on around 7-8 episode..Unfortunately,he got weakness T__T

5.Daruma Family
Boss : Hinata
I did not more about this gang,but i think the boss is the scariest leader among all..They have ambition to destroy all the gang because of reverge..

Each episode always focused on a thing..Their fighting scene is so damn good and the camera angle went smoothly..Moreover their OST are also good as background song..

There is still S2 of this series and the movie for the conclusion of this series..I hope my review will help you guys ^^

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Power Rangers for older teens

Wow, this was horrible!

I'd heard of the programme before and, being a fan of fighting films, TV shows and comics, I tracked down the first series that started it all... and it was awful!
The first two episodes are, frankly, an absolute mess. Overly ambitious in the worst possible way - the story is all over the place and makes little sense - the fight scenes, which should be the real star of the show, aren't very good, the budget is clearly low and the entire cast is chosen solely based on looks (you won't find any talent here!)... but, given how many spin-offs this has had, I figured I was missing something or that it simply improved exponentially, so I continued.

After the 4th episode, I really couldn't suffer any more of this trash.
It's supposed to be a hip programme about men fighting but it's more like the live-action version of an anime aimed at 8 year olds, with leads who look more like Korean femi-boy pop star wannabes than hard men!

Dropped.

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