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Shitsuren Chocolatier

Lily_B
Panda-san wrote: This is going to sound kind of odd but throughout the time this drama was airing it kind of felt like I was watching it with you guys who continuously commented on this thread. We may be in different states or different countries but it was nice sharing opinions over these few weeks lol. Let's do it again! Any particular drama any of you plan on definitely watching while airing this upcoming season? I know for sure I will be watching both Nino and Ohno's (Arashi) dramas. From what I can tell neither of them will have a romantic theme. Well, we'll see if and/when I make a thread lol.


I know, I feel the same way! It's fun talking about an airing drama with other people. I hope to do it again, but I'm not sure about which dramas I'll be watching next. We'll see. :)
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Panda-san
Cool! *hands out e-popcorn* And about the optimism thing I agree, BUT, I really don't like that this guy hits his wife and there is no retribution whatsoever. I honestly think they should have showed him repenting for his actions in some way or at least apologizing and begging for her forgiveness. We can be better people....Once we've recognized and paid for our wrongs. It's just that I have personal experience with the whole thing and when I see men in dramas get away with this crap and the subject is glazed over it grinds my gears. But there's only so many episodes, I guess.
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Lily_B
Oh, I was just a little bit hungry before, but now that I read "popcorn"... *is starving* You're right, Panda-san. I feel that the whole thing with the husband was handled the wrong way. We'll just have to guess that he begged for her forgiveness in a deleted scene. Or re-write the drama in our own heads. ;) (That reminds me that I used to write fanfiction before. I stopped that when I began watching j-dramas, for some reason. Probably because it feels silly to spend time on writing that kind of stuff, when I can watch the next and the next and the next episode of something already written instead!)
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yankumicho
Despite my lack of commenting in the last few weeks, I have enjoyed reading all of your posts. Life gets in the way of responding, sometimes, lol.

Anyway, here's my take on the final episode:

*The final episode had a nice denouement. It was more realistic than what we see in most dramas; what I mean by this is that no one ended up with Souta. Most of the time, someone will end up with the hero, even if it's completely forced in the narrative. I found this interesting because the show defies the consistent example of what comedy endings have been for centuries. Take for example, Shakespeare. Shakespearian comedies always end happily with everyone having someone (except for the villain, of course). Here, we still have the happy ending without the drama relegating itself to the specific trope of its genre.

For me, the happy ending for Souta lies in the fact that he will now have to look to himself for inspiration rather than to a specific muse. He now has the opportunity to form an identity without Saeko, both as a person and as a chocolatier, which will guide him on his journey. As a writer, I found this particular point appealing because it is a constant struggle for me as well.

The endings for Saeko, Kaoroko, and Erena interested me as well. I LOVED that Erena (who I wanted to end up with Souta initially) dumped Souta in the end. Erena and Kaoroko's independence was a great addition to the drama. I'm sad for Saeko, who didn't get the same treatment in that department. I don't know if this is because it's believed that she can't be a single mom or something, but it definitely sends an incorrect message concerning domestic violence and how one deals with it. That being said, I hope that Saeko's husband is the better man now, like Joe said.

The pregnancy thing didn't really bother me much. I figured it wasn't Souta's from the moment she found out. Even though the show didn't specify time, I had assumed not much time had passed since Saeko had left her husband.

Overall, I enjoyed the show immensely. I loved the fantasies of the characters and the way that the majority of the show was written. I gave it a 9.*
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SumiTheCat
Panda-san wrote: This is going to sound kind of odd but throughout the time this drama was airing it kind of felt like I was watching it with you guys who continuously commented on this thread. We may be in different states or different countries but it was nice sharing opinions over these few weeks lol. Let's do it again! Any particular drama any of you plan on definitely watching while airing this upcoming season? I know for sure I will be watching both Nino and Ohno's (Arashi) dramas. From what I can tell neither of them will have a romantic theme. Well, we'll see if and/when I make a thread lol.


indeed every journey is far more enjoyable with someone to share it! reading everybody's posts was certainly something that made me appreciate this drama even more.
hope to see you again on antoher thread with another exciting story to discuss (i'm planning to watch Nino's an Ohno's drama as well...)!
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SayItAintSoJoe
I agree with Yankumicho's post. Nice commentary on the ending.
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THATCRAZYOTAKU
yankumicho wrote: Despite my lack of commenting in the last few weeks, I have enjoyed reading all of your posts. Life gets in the way of responding, sometimes, lol.

Anyway, here's my take on the final episode:

*The final episode had a nice denouement. It was more realistic than what we see in most dramas; what I mean by this is that no one ended up with Souta. Most of the time, someone will end up with the hero, even if it's completely forced in the narrative. I found this interesting because the show defies the consistent example of what comedy endings have been for centuries. Take for example, Shakespeare. Shakespearian comedies always end happily with everyone having someone (except for the villain, of course). Here, we still have the happy ending without the drama relegating itself to the specific trope of its genre.

For me, the happy ending for Souta lies in the fact that he will now have to look to himself for inspiration rather than to a specific muse. He now has the opportunity to form an identity without Saeko, both as a person and as a chocolatier, which will guide him on his journey. As a writer, I found this particular point appealing because it is a constant struggle for me as well.

The endings for Saeko, Kaoroko, and Erena interested me as well. I LOVED that Erena (who I wanted to end up with Souta initially) dumped Souta in the end. Erena and Kaoroko's independence was a great addition to the drama. I'm sad for Saeko, who didn't get the same treatment in that department. I don't know if this is because it's believed that she can't be a single mom or something, but it definitely sends an incorrect message concerning domestic violence and how one deals with it. That being said, I hope that Saeko's husband is the better man now, like Joe said.

The pregnancy thing didn't really bother me much. I figured it wasn't Souta's from the moment she found out. Even though the show didn't specify time, I had assumed not much time had passed since Saeko had left her husband.

Overall, I enjoyed the show immensely. I loved the fantasies of the characters and the way that the majority of the show was written. I gave it a 9.*

Same thoughts here!
I liked the ending, it was realistic. Gave it 8/10
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yankumicho
Thanks, Joe and THATCRAZYOTAKU! :)
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Shepard
Just started watching this a few days ago. I was a bit surprised to see mizuhara kiko in this though and she looks almost as good as she did in Helter Skelter. But I didn't know that she was from the trashiest city along the I-35 corridor though.
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boutux
i too agree with the views shared here. this was the only drama i watch last season (nothing else caught my interest). i too was rooting for erena even though in the beginning i disliked her (maybe not the character so much as the actress. i'm sorry but smtng about mizuhara kiko irritates the hell out of me) but as the wks went by i was able to put my feeling for the actress aside and enjoy the humbleness, honesty and beauty of the character...maybe i even dislike the actress a lil bit less as a result. and while i like ishihara satomi i hated saeko-san. i had the same feelings for her as kaoruko-san...i quite enjoyed her inner monologues.

The ending i enjoyed. SPOILERS*** i expected the typical romantic thing but was pleasantly surprised. this was definitely the right way to end things for all but saeko-san. and while i feel no woman should remain in a DV situation i am not surprised that this is how she ended up given the realness of the ending. her ending actually seems the most true to life scenario of all the characters. as wrong as it is, as much as it send the wrong msg about acceptable behavior in a rel'p, most women who are not independent ( and specifically for Japan where personal discussions of one's rel'p and divorce are taboo) would be expected that to return to the husband even without a baby to think about. so on one hand i applaud the drama for being realistic. on the other i fault it for being used as a platform to show that DV is unacceptable in any rel'p.

i have to add that i enjoyed this drama until shota hooked up with saeko-san. partly because it was frustrating to watch both of them do things that they both knew was wrong. i wanted to smack both of them a few times.****

that said overall this was a good drama.
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GentleRain
I stopped it after one and a half episode. The characters were so irritating, especially Sota. I love Matsumoto Jun, but this is a drama of his, that I wish I would have never ever started.
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Memey
Haha.. I think this drama good, despite of Saeko-san was really annoying. And aslo Sota was really stupid guy I think. I only care Sato and Erena scenes.
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