Overall, Tatta Hitotsu no Koi is very good. Cast, story, music, etc. all good. It's fast and to the point, which is also a plus. It has definitely changed my mind about jdramas and I'm giving more a chance.
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This review may contain spoilers
STORY 7/10The story is kinda cliché and uses all well-known tropes. But it caught my attention from the beginning and it made me finish the show in one day. I was just so worried for the characters that I couldn't stop watching this.
There were like three things I didn't like about the story. The first is that Nao's parents, while presented as loving, emotionally blackmailed her, had little regard to her feelings and this 'communication problem' was never really resolved. The second is that I would like to see more of the protagonists' character development. The third is that the ending felt rushed and I would appreaciate if we saw more of the characters' future.
ACTING/CAST 9/10
They were all good. I loved seeing Toda Erika in the sympathetic role of the heroine's best friend. I wish the screenplay gave more space to Kamenashi Kazuya at least in the final two episodes, I really wanted to see more emotion from him.
MUSIC 6/10
Seriously...there was like one main theme that played over and over again. It was a good and memorable one but aside from that, I cannot say I remember any score pieces from this show (and I just finished the show!).
REWATCH VALUE 5/10
I wonder about this one...maybe if the mood was right, I would consider watching this again, but I don't think it'll happen anytime soon. Except maybe rewatching my favorite scenes of course :).
OVERALL 7/10
WHAT KIND OF FEELS THIS SHOW GAVE ME
Melancholic and happy-ish, mostly. Episode 7 broke my heart and when I was watching episode 9 I was like 'where the f*ck are they going with this?'. Several scenes made me laugh, two made me cry and my heart did beat really fast very often because I was so worried for the main couple. I hope it's not a big spoiler when I say that the ending was happy and almost satisfying.
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Let’s weigh Tatta Hitotsu No Koi on our drama beam balance and see what makes Nao and Hitoro’s love story so special.
Music: The soundtrack is magnificent and suits the tempo of the drama. It builds the mood for the scene and will have you totally involved with the characters.
Ayase Haruka and Kamenashi Kazuya: Haruka is cute as a button. She is gorgeous and plays the role of naïve and innocent Nao to perfection. Ditto for Kame. Kame looks extremely bony and at times I wanted to stuff some meat on him because it became unbearable to see someone so skinny. But it works for his role as he plays a poor chap over-burdened with family responsibilities at a very young age. Kame and Haruka bring Hiroto and Nao to life with such ease that makes their characters relatable. They share a sparkling chemistry which works great for this drama and makes them a memorable couple.
Sweet Moments: This drama may not have several kisses as expected of a romantic drama but it has several sweet moments that will surely touch your heart. For instance, Nao lives in a high-rise building and can see Hitoro’s house from her balcony. One night she flashes a shiny ball in her balcony as a sign from her side. She wants Hitoro to flash a light in response to her so she knows that he can see her. She feels dejected when there is no response from his end but a few seconds later he flashes a torchlight and Nao jumps like a little-excited baby seeing the light. Nao looks so damn cute in the scene. Similarly, there are many such delightful moments that make Nao and Hitoro an adorable couple.
Script: The premise of this drama is the regular rich girl meets boy and falls in love with him. However, the script makes the drama stand out. Hitoro and Nao’s love story is nothing that you would expect it to be. They do have their struggles like every other couple but they do not follow drama clichés. Hitoro does not suddenly become rich nor do Nao’s parents accept their daughter’s love. The drama sticks to reality and does not follow the usual drama path of showing impractical solutions. Also, there are no forced kisses, no wrist grabbing and certainly no accidental falls. Just sincere characters and their honest approach to life and love. This is what I love about Japanese dramas. They try to be as real as possible. All the characters in the drama feel real and relatable.
The supporting cast has their parallel storylines that are intertwined with Nao and Hitoro’s lives. I liked all the supporting characters as they add to the story and make the drama more enjoyable.
Bad Weights
Nothing. I would say Kame’s bony face did make me cringe a little but I will let that pass as the guy acted well.
Tatta Hitotsu no Koi is not flawless but is very endearing and I love absolutely everything about it. I loved its music (that is playing on my PC as I write this), the lead characters, supporting characters, the cast, the plotline, and just about everything about this drama.
I have ignored all the minor flaws in this sweet drama and am strongly recommending it because it warmed my heart with its fresh appeal. Do watch it if you love watching lovable romantic dramas.
Originally posted on www.alphagirl.in
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I must say the music caught my attention at the very beginning, it just drew me and it meshed so well with the cinematography and the story. The story is extremely straightforward. Ofcourse the backdrop of the rich girl/poor boy does exist but the representation isn't extremely clichéd. There are those romantic scenes for people who like more of a visual representation than just words and silent stares and yet it's innocent and subtle, but impactful. The emotions seem sincere and the whole cast has acted extremely well.
I'm going to turn 20 this year and like the characters at 20 I could related to them. The dillema and uncertainty of the future, fighting on to live happily and innocence of youth are all beautifully captured. Also this is way back in the year 2006 and I still marvel at how it's been 12 years since...anyways something about the clothes to their hair and everything feels really endearing.
I also liked that this drama had 10 episodes because like I mentioned I've watched some Jdramas and left halfway because when a drama has too many eps no matter how good it starts the moment it drags it's off-putting. This drama however was short and I spent my entire day today and completed it. No regrets!
I gave the rewatch value a 9/10 because this is definitely something I think I'd watch again. I don't know when it might be, after a year or a decade but it just feels like one of those short and sweet things I remember from once upon a time I want to revisit.
I gave it a high rating overall and it totally deserves it. I love all kinds of dramas and the genre or country of origin doesn't really matter. Some dramas as fun while watching and it's over and that's not a bad a thing. But, some dramas just leave this haunting feeling behind and that feels great. This drama did that for me. I would totally recommend this drama to any Jdramas beginners and anyone looking for something that isn't too long to watch.
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The plot was excellent in story and pacing, and only contained a few realistic "roadblocks" to their relationship. Although it's essentially a typical poor/rich romantic drama the script writers, producers, and actors just did such a good job, which made it really stand out from all the others. The ending was really cute too.
The acting was phenominal and the chemistry of the actors was perfect.
Music is rated low because although I liked the soundtrack at first they kept playing the same songs over and over which got kind of old. (I think they used some of the titanic sound track).
I will definitely rewatch this drama.
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But I stuck it through and I'm glad I did. I think anyone who remembers the pangs of their first true love and how overwhelming it was will feel for these two characters - especially anyone who has ever suffered a really painful breakup when that love ended. There were moments that seemed like nods to Romeo + Juliet (the movie from 1996, which I've always had a soft spot for despite the fact that a lot of people hated it) - the water wall where they see each other at the party, the fall into the pool. The balcony. There's even a character that turns out to be a "Paris" type - father approved.
Anyway, I'm also a sucker for dramas where the lead is a good man - and Hiroto is certainly that. He doesn't belittle or bully Nao, though at first he is rather aloof. He has a world of responsibility on his shoulders at age 20 and takes it very seriously - he wasn't looking for a grand romance, and he's mature enough to know that because of the difference in their status, falling in love with Nao is probably a mistake - but he can't help it.
"Cool Whispers" is lovely to listen to, so I enjoyed the music, too, and unlike the last drama I watched with Kame as the lead, I felt he had good chemistry with Ayase Haruka here. Maybe not wall-banging, toe-curling chemistry - but sweet first love type chemistry at least. If you like sweet romantic stories with a side of angst, give this one a shot.
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To be honest, if it wasn't because of Kamenashi Kazuya, I will not be watching this. The story is indeed cliche. There were novels, movies, etc. that had been used this kind of plot before, but it is no that overrated unlike the poor girl fell in love with the rich, popular, bad boy hero.
They pick the right actors to portray the roles. Even the supporting cast did very well, too. I can't express how much I love how they portrayed there roles. Hahaha. But Kamenashi and Ayase, had a very strong chemistry. I even hoped that they will another project together or they will end up together IRL.
Another thing that I love in this drama and somehow, can make this drama standout is the way story have been deliver; the narration; the way they express their feelings, it was romantic itself that will definitely touch the hearts of viewers. If you are a romance novel reader, you'll absolutely know what I mean. It feels like I am watching a Nicholas Sparks novel turned into live action.
I don't know if I did a good review but to sum this up, this is a really great underrated drama that's a must watch. Highly- recommended! :)
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The two leads have such amazing chemistry and I could not stop watching. I usually watch one episode a night, but I watched the last 3 in one go because I got so hooked around the end. I would totally recommend this to anyone who loves Romance/Drama in a show. The writing was well done and like I said, very believable situations. You really feel the struggles between the social classes of these characters.
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This is one classic 'rich girl poor guy', or Lady & Tramp plot, with a pretty couple helming the show. Its already months since I watched the drama, and yet scenes from the story, with the dreamy OST 'Cool Whispers' hauntingly beckoning a sense of nostalgia, tempts to watch it again, if i wasn't already committed to a long list of dramas.
Also, we have a solid cast here - Kamenashi, Ayase, Erika Toda, all of whom are superb actors, and the also very good support casts whose presence themselves added interest and value to the drama. Of course,
Like many love stories, there are ups and downs, but yet, there are no draggy vexatious subplots or ridiculously unrealistic developments. Tatta Hitsotsu offers a fairy-tale-like love story, and yet it is more - a love that is pure, innocent, and beautiful, and certainly a hope-bringer to audience who want a break from sleazy "meet someone, then within few minutes - naked in bed" kind ofone-night-stand culture.
I highly recommend this drama. Unless you hate romance stories :)
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Unlike many dramas which construct grand schemes and complex tragic plots to evoke such heartfelt emotion, such as My Love Eun-Dong, the author of this story chooses to centre the plot upon the simple, yet ubiquitous premise of class and familial divide. Though clearly inspired by the age-old narrative of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, this tale brings a unique nuance to the romantic voyage of our lovers. We see the wonderfully portrayed characters grow through their experiences, yet remain fallible to the very end. It is this growth, and the sense of almost tangible loss that the journey provokes, that makes it such a wonderful story to be a part of.
This story is coupled with beautifully captured cinematography and an evocative soundtrack which both help bring the entire narrative to life. I could not recommend this to you more if you are looking for a tale of earnest young love between a disparate, yet clearly fated couple.
I truly hope that you enjoy it as much as I have.
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Easy Watch, Typical Story
LIKED:Ren by Saito Ryusei, was well performed. Acting was great by Kamenashi Kazuya as Hiroto. And Toda Erika did well as the best friend. Not as much chemistry between FL and ML as I originally thought.
Production was good until last episode; shaky camera and zoom in too close. The cinematography was well done for the most part too. No fx that I saw. Loved when Ren and Hiroto built something together using shells and ocean glass they found on the beach.
DISLIKED:
Time Management Failed: the ending felt rushed and I wanted to see what the characters futures looked like, if they cut the time used for literally running around (especially for Kamenashi Kazuya’s character Hiroto), the girls have cell phones, could call a cab, they can afford one.
More screen time for Kamenashi Kazuya at least in the final two episodes was needed.
OST Song: one main theme song that played over and over again, to the point I muted it and hoped it would stop.
The supportive friend who worked at cafe Ayuta?, had no conclusion for his character
Disliked parents of both FL and ML
Director sucked in that often Nao and Kou had WAY too slow reactions to things. To the point that it made them seem mentally handicapped.
OVERALL: It's a decent watch, nothing really emotional or fantastic to grab the viewer. Because of Kou, it could've been listed as a Rom-Com. I wont rewatch, but many would.
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It's now been a long time since I found it and last watched it, but I still remember the feelings it brought me. Although the plot of the story might not seem as magical to me now, I'm sure that if I watched it again I would be as touched by it as I was years ago. Something that this drama holds inside it still amazes me.
I truly recommend this to everyone.
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