It is hard for me to pinpoint how I feel about this drama. It had a lot going on for it but also had a lot of flaws. It had some of the most beautifully shot and memorable scenes, yet so much of the drama was filled with skippable fluff.

The setting of the drama is what initially attracted me. At the turn of the century, it is an important time for Joseon, where their fate for the next few decades, even up to our day and age, would be determined during that time. One of the themes that were emphasized in this drama is the injustices some Koreans went through at the hands of their people, especially due to hierarchy. This resulted in many people with a grudge against their own country, especially against the nobles.

Another very strong point about this drama is the character development. Other than the Japanese antagonistic, and the depiction of some traitors, many of the characters were given layers and layers, that you can't help but feel for. Of course, it all bloomed thanks to the talented actors behind it. Starting with Kim Tae Ri playing the character with a mission Go Ae Shin. This character could've easily become overbearing (think Gaksital FL), yet here she remains constant. As the story goes on, you can't help but be driven by her plight. And that is what happened with all 4 other leads. Eugene Choi on the other hand is the character I connected with the most. The feeling of not belonging to neither country can be lonely. You see him struggle daily trying to understand where he stands. I admired how he never felt ashamed of his origin and felt for his pain and grudge against those who caused it. Then you see his grudge falter as he is met with people that kept challenging the preconceived notion of his birthplace. Lee Byung Hun really gave his all for this character, especially towards the end.

Watching Yoo Yeon Seok after seeing him in "Hospital playlist" it is difficult to accept that is the same person. Looks aside, his character is the most pitiful and toxic. He has no problem slicing anyone in half if they got on his wrong side, yet he won't hesitate to protect them if he sees anyone being unfairly treated. The most tragic character is Kudo Hina / Lee Yang Hwa played by Kim Min Jung. Having been sold off previously like some commodity really shaped her personality. She is all about being in control, however, the one thing she could never control is the action of her parents. This breaks her time and again throughout the drama. You can also sense the sadness in her eyes. Finally, Kim Hui Sung played by Byun Yo Han was the main reason for me for starting this drama. He was the actual sunshine here. His smile lightened my day, even when you could feel the heavy burden behind it.

Of course, what made this drama memorable is a large number of supporting characters. Gunner Jang was a character I followed and rooted throughout. This story was as much his story, as it was Go Ae Sin's story of a man who rejected the leaders of his country but chose its people. He was the forever rebellious Jang. Another character that stood out is the king. He was frustrating for most of the drama, but as the story went on, you realize how helpless he felt, and how carefully he chose his actions to protect his people. Being in his place is the most crumbling experience. There were many more, too many interesting characters.

The horror of colonialism is really well exposed here. The actions the Japanese did makes you wonder if it was possible to lose one's humanity to this point. Now, I do not know if what was portrayed was exaggerated. Some instances couldn've been, while others not. However, I do know the dangers of collective brainwash. When being constantly fed on how those "other" people are less than you, your brain accepts it and you become desensitized. Seeing what my beloved Japanese people did was really conflicting. But that is the truth of becoming a colonizer. Though they suffer a lot later due to losing the war, I think that was a blessing in disguise. It helped them reflect on what they have become and change. That opportunity was never offered to those that never lost a war.

Action scenes were great overall, but especially the sword fights with Gu Dong Mae. The scenery was beautiful, and some scenes were haunting. The train scene will probably go down as one of the most beautiful scenes in my memory.

While the drama had all those great things going for it, it still took me so long to finish. I lost my motivation to watch due to the lack of direction for the story to take. Each episode was between 75 - 80 minutes, with much of it had the characters walking around and eating dessert. The actual story starts at around episodes 19-20. Yes, it took THAT long for the story to take off. That is too much fat needed to shed. There is also the mix of history and myths that bothered me, and no reasoning given for actions that took so long to be taken. For example, the Mori character made no sense. They used it to turn the Japanese colonization of Korea to be some family centuries-old conspiracy when this had nothing to do with the truth, nor the overall story. Just added drama that didn't amount to anything. The portrayal of America is also in the same vein. On one hand, it's treated like this paradise, only to be brought down to reality by our Korea-American hero. One line said really stood out:

"America & Britain lent Japan a total of $410 million dollars, and 40% of it is being spent on the war. The two countries basically forced Japan into the war. Hence, America will never help Joseon. The Russo-Japanese war will result in a great deal of profit for America”

The music was overall negligible, but there was some sweet background that brought peace to the scenes.

It was overall a good drama to watch if it wasn't for the dragginess. I do recommend it to all.

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Watched for Eita and the team. Generally, fun and most did not disappoint. The first episode was especially heartfelt while the last episode was weak. I found the second case did not have a satisfying ending, though not a terrible one. Overall a fun, light watch but nothing too memorable.

I always saw Fukada Kyoko as a terrible actress, but she was also out of place here. She was just here to look pretty. I like her style though!

Eita shared more chemistry with Aoi Yu. They hit it off right away. I love how she teased him and how he looks at her with admiration. Her presence actually made the drama better even if she wasn't one of the leads. Lili Frank was also pleasant to have here he fit right in :D

The cases they take on stood out not really for their weirdness, but more each case felt like a whole different drama.

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The whole idea of the "parent story" Todome no Kiss" intrigued me and I thought of writing an article about it, but saw my feelings about the drama were shared among the many reviewers of the drama. Since I was short on time, I gave up writing a review. However, after watching this one, I felt I had more to say, about both Todome no Kiss and Todome No Parallele, together. I think having them together makes the drama whole.

The original story is about a man who discovers that, by kissing a certain woman, he gets to go back in time. He uses that power for his own selfish needs. Along the way, he discovers how each action may cause a series of reactions. It may change the fate of many people, their attitude, their world views, their eventual actions and choices, and finally their lives. Later on, he learns when he goes back in time, it creates a parallel universe, and the original world keeps going. That is where Todome No Parallele comes in and explores those different worlds.

Fro there you can see how the creators were having fun in dealing in "what-if" scenarios. The tone of each episode vastly differs from one another. Some are very serious, some comedic, and some go full-on meta. What's interesting for me is how humans become in each world depending on their actions and their reach for their desires becomes at risk. Some characters stay true to themselves, while others change drastically. It just demonstrates how, when you're comfortable in your skin, your core rarely gets shaken. However, when you lack faith in yourself, the slightest change may have a huge effect on your character. For example, this can be seen through both Takauji and Hasebe. Through Otaro's actions, Takauji changes the most while Hasebe stays true to himself. This I find to be a very interesting point the drama explores. Takauji constantly wants to keep a front while, as we discover throughout the drama, is falling apart inside to the point of self-destruction. His constant living in fear, living while feeling inadequate, gets him easily influenced by his surrounding. Hasebe, on the other hand, has a clear head, knows right from wrong, and is always comfortable with his choices.

For that reason, I disagree with reviewers and commentators saying to just skip to the last episode. Not only you are missing out on the fun, but you are also missing out on what the overall message the drama is trying to deliver.

Another message in this drama is the perception of love. As a Japanese drama, it probably had the most number of kisses, yet none were romantic. Many were acts, and all were to get something out of it. Love, on the other hand, true love that is, was portrayed through sacrifice. Sacrificing what you want to protect the ones you love. Keep going after to desires may have a big cost on your loved ones. And so on and so forth.

It's actually my first time watching Yamazaki Kento. Though not the best, I think he delivered his character fairly. It's an interesting choice of a drama for him. I enjoyed the chemistry he had with Kadowaki Mugi. As far as the characters go, I was not rooting for them as an end couple. Actually I wasn't rooting for Eight to end up with anyone. It was such a poisonous relationship. It was still very interesting to watch. It's my first time watching Mackenyu as well. Though subtle, his character development(s) and deliveries were most entertaining and impressive. He could easily change from light-hearted to dark and scary. And as the drama progress, despite his actions, he felt more like the victim to the evil Eight's scheming (among others).

That is not to say the drama is perfect, nor great. The drama is fun to watch but as its own flaws. Its biggest flaw is the portrayal of the female characters. Most are flat. Saiko, the most interesting among them, is a doormat. There was so much potential for her character, and the lovely actress can definitely deliver on that. Unfortunately, her story lacked depth. Mikoto's character is another one with so much potential. Part of the failure, I find, is the lack of delivery from the actress playing the role. They were trying to portray her as your typical manga female lead, but the character needed to be much more animated than this, to become even remotely interesting.

So overall a fun watch. If you have watched Todome no Kiss, I definitely recommend watching this drama, the whole drama. If you haven't seen it, I recommend checking it out :)

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This movie is about following Ayumi, an apprentice connector (Tsunagu) with his first cases of giving people that one chance to meet with someone who has already passed on. The story itself is sweet, the setting shifting from being realistic to being somewhat mystical.

I wasn't impressed with the writing. the dialogs were too long and the stories bounced from being sweet to being overly sentimental. Some of the stories were pretty standard while others were better. Personally my favourite was that of the two highschool girls. It contained so many complicated emotions and didn't settle to be convenient. There is also the mystery behind Ayumi's parent's death that seems to haunt him, which had an interesting reveal, could've been given a darker more interesting twist.

On the acting department it did not disappoint. I originally wanted to watch this movie for Matsuzaka Tori and he did a great job here + he has the cutest smile EVER! Seeing the heartwarming Kiki Kirin in it brought me so much joy. There is also Hashimoto Ai with weirdly huge eyes blowing me away with her acting. The rest of the cast did a great job with their characters as well.

Overall sweat movie with strong performances ;)

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The World's Most Unfortunate Private Investigator doesn't realize her luck some times

What a delightful watch! I kept postponing it because somehow I misunderstood the synopsis when it said "The World's Most Unfortunate Private Investigator" to be dumb but that wasn't it AT ALL. She was just unlucky in that things always seemed to go the more difficult path for her. Yet as the story goes on, she seems more lucky than she realizes, just not in the predictable way.

The character of Akira herself is interesting to follow, as is her thought process and attitude. The people at the bookstore who work with her are likable but, except for the female, don't get time to get fleshed out as characters besides being some sort of information gatherers. The characters of the cases get much more attention in understanding their resolve, even if not all get clarified.

Another great seller of the drama is Mamiya Shotaro. Though he doesn't show up often in most episodes, when he does, he has such a strong presence and IMMEDIATE chemistry with Shishido Kavka who plays Hamura Akira from the first time they meet. It's hard to describe it, especially when their relationship is pretty formal but like they can't ignore each other's presence. It's also interesting that halfway through the drama you start doubting Detective Okada's intentions which makes their interaction even more interesting.

My only complaint is that the drama isn't a full-length drama. It is true the story doesn't answer all the questions it poses, but it's not some glaring open ending. They are just answers that weren't found by the detective. In any case, while this drama is not for all I highly recommend it if you like Japanese quirky dramas with a bit of a SPEC element.

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Would this drama make drink more coffee?

Up to episode 6, it was such a relaxing beautiful watch! I loved the first 4-5 episodes where we followed 2 stories revolving around different types of coffee. When we got around the main lead's background, yes the drama took a turn, but it remained interesting. I think it's in part due to Nakamura Tomoya's acting, it was interesting to see his vulnerable and human side. However, the last 2 episodes became kinda wishy-washy with that 3rd generation boss due to his That self-pity cry-me-a-river coddled spoiled brat persona who's upset he's not the centre of everyone's attention. Like Ewwwww. And the way it was resolved made less sense. I have to admit some punches given were great timing and much-needed.

Up to episode 6, it was a 9.5-score drama for me. Episode 7 brought it down to 5, and the last episode brought it back up, but not enough. Basically what disrupted my joy of watching this drama was the character of the 3rd generation boss.

It is the type of drama you'd want to keep watching and not want it to finish. Therefore if there is a 2nd season, I'd definitely watch it! it'd definitely be better than the first season since we'd get more of what he had in the first couple of episodes, which was perfect and beautiful

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Ridiculous premise yet such a fun ride full of heart.

I started watching this drama for the premise and for the leading man Mamiya Shotaro who has earned my admiration since his role in Mr. Nietzsche in the Convenience Store. Not many actors can convince you at being serious in a ridiculous setting. The other actors that come to mind are Yamada Takayuki & Sato Jiro. That's why I don't think they could've picked a better choice than him for this role.

Initially, I thought the premise was kind of ridiculous. But then I thought of the dilemma and identity crisis our hero goes through throughout the drama, and suddenly these thoughts become all too familiar to me. Especially during teenagehood and early adulthood. Didn't we all go through something similar during those years of searching for ourselves? Don't we sometimes show a different part of ourselves to different people? It is very true for me, having lived as a minority in a country where the majority are from a different background. The person I showed to the outside world was and still is a part of me, but polished to fit their liking. But I never showed that side to my family, who know my inner self more than myself. Then there are my close friends who are aware of both sides and treat me as a whole. Therefore I felt a particular Familiarity with Tsuyoshi's conflict.

Another point I found ridiculous in the setting is the Nanba family and their expectations. You'd think they'd be overjoyed that their son is thinking seriously about his future rather than chasing some pointless teen glory, yet they eat and breathe it daily. I thought maybe it's because it's the only thing the parents feel can be proud of since they raised their kids to be proud and not back down. The fact they provided a loving home for their children should've been more than enough (and they are such a loving family!)

As the episodes go on, Tsuyoshi makes as many friends as he made enemies and each friendship felt genuine. My favourite was episode 4 where he catches up with a previous middle school classmate. Despite all his sacrifice to attend the school of his choice, ironically not a lot of time was spent exploring his schoolmate, except for 3 of them (one an ex-gang member), however, his attachment to the place does grow on you. Many viewers complain about the love interest and, yes she does make a REALLY BAD impression on us early on, but it made sense for him to like her. And to not like the other girl in the club. It's because she's part of the package he wants, while the other girl would be too similar to the life he's leaving behind (though they'd make a strong powerhouse, especially for their duality haha). Anyways all this to say, even where at times things don't go where I prefer them to, it makes sense in the context of the drama, and in the character of Nanba Tsuyoshi.

Now to explore another department of this drama, acting and casting ranged from excellent to mediocre. As mentioned earlier, Mamiya Shotaro is what makes this drama work, this couldn't have been cast any better. most other characters were perfect for their role, to say the least. The one miscast in my opinion was Kamio Fuju. Don't get me wrong he is pretty and nice to look at, but the role and whole character felt awkward, and unnatural in the drama. Honestly, nothing about his character felt genuine as it did with say, Daimaru, Takeshi, Ichimatsu's boss in early episodes, or even that annoyed neighbour of theirs. But since I'm biased and enjoyed his looks I was okay with it :P

Music is rarely something I give much thought to while watching a show, unless, like it is here, it is an essential part of the show's identity. It just added to the fun of watching this drama.

Overall fun drama, I recommend it for a fun ride. Just, don't take it too seriously.

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Makes one wants go to prison ?

Unoriginal concept. Original storytelling and story unfolding. Spot on comedy despite the somewhat heavy subject. True to anyone who’s seen work penned by Kudo Kankuro

It’s actually interesting that, other than one character, they all were guilty of their crimes. Watching them come to terms with what led them there was endearing. Being in a place away from their comfort zone and influences helped them find companionship through their true selves. By the time I was done with the drama, I loved each and every character despite their flaws.

Also, the presentation of gaslighting was frighteningly accurate. They don’t name it but it’s recognizable right away.

The acting ranges from excellent to perfectly matching the character played. I could write a whole essay about the characterization of some of the characters but my time is limited so I will leave it at “it was beautiful to watch”.

I do wonder though, is that an accurate presentation of prison in Japan? Seems too neat to be true. Life seems to go really well once all the prisoners go out into the world. Forgiveness isn’t what Japan is known for. Is it satire? Also the number of qualifications one can get made going to prison better than going to college XD

It does make it easier to watch either way.

I had a hard time going through episode 5 due to the subject of the episode. I’m glad I did. The ending outcome was satisfactory.

Highly recommended!

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What’s most interesting about this drama is how Ito seems to be a reflection of each one of the women he gets involved in their lives. Is Ito a shitty human? That’s for sure. I definitely recognize all the narcissistic traits in him. His presence in those women’s lives can either destroy them or help them move forward (by stepping on him). Looking at it this way, I appreciate the characterization.

I enjoyed the way the story was presented, like a puzzle. The ambiance and setting were on point, and so was the music. The acting was alright, well chosen for each character. The ending felt kind of lacking. It’s probably because the drama was too short and could benefit from additional episodes to delve more into the main characters’ lives.

The drama was engaging enough to keep me interested, but bland at times. The 20 minutes long episodes fit perfectly with this style.

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Too much ToDai promotion?

Comparing this drama to its predecessor from 16 years earlier is unavoidable. But since my memory of the first season is vague, the memory of my impression of it will probably be biased. That being said, there are a few angles to analyze as to what worked and didn't work for me in this season.

I'll start with the setting. In the first season, my impression throughout the whole drama was Sakuragi saying it doesn't take a genius to into Tokyo University, just the right tools and tricks to study. ToDai was never presented as this "solve-all" solution. That is the impression I was given in the current season. While students were encouraged to choose their own paths in the end, until they got there all Sakuragi was saying was something along the lines of "if you don't give your all to enter ToDai you will remain a loser. It felt like the whole drama was promoting the university.

Next, while the setting was annoying, I liked how the school was presented. It did not exaggerate it to be all teens rebelling and playing around. It was a normal school. That did make me realize how colourful people were in the early 2ks and how visually dull it is nowadays. I did like how the students were gathered and their individual stories. Some stories were stronger than others. My favourite was Fujii's and the growth he goes through. Suzuka Ouji was great at performing a vulnerable character hiding behind a know-it-all bully.

If anything did annoy me about some of the student backstories, it would be the condoning of all sorts of abuse and not taking any actions whatsoever about it. Some things can be forgiven away, but some require getting people accountable for their actions. While there was more than 1 character abused in the drama, Iwasaki's was the most irrational and ridiculous to not address.

Finally, the biggest detractor of this drama in my opinion is the conspiracy surrounding the school. While it did give the story an interesting angle of not necessarily wanting the special class to succeed, it did consume a lot of time in the drama and was generally written badly. Hayashi Kento was so wasted here, that he barely said anything and spent the whole drama just giving mischievous laughs while his friend and he were too obvious. The characters taking part in the conspiracy were all caricature-like it wasn't even funny.

Overall worth the watch for nostalgia's sake!

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Will 2.5 households become the norm in reality?

It's an enjoyable and relaxing watch of a lovely family in their sweetness and flaws. As Masaharu takes small steps to move forward in life, we see the family adjusting to the new situation. It sounds great on paper, but adjusting or readjusting yourself to live with others isn’t easy. But with rising inflation and recession felt worldwide, probably more and more people will look into living with family as an option like they used to in the past. Therefore the situation presented here will have an increasing number of viewers identifying with it, myself included.

The characters feel very mundane, everyday people which makes it easy to connect with the characters. The focus here is on the choice to live together or on our own. Both have their challenges and rewards, and one must choose which challenge they are willing to face.

There is the grandpa who is used to being served and not pushing himself to help out. He can’t stand being criticized for it by his daughter because he’s always been told it’s okay. Grandma is always here robe of help to everyone, never vocally complaining but her health can’t help it and internally judges. She loves her kids so much that she does too much for their good. The daughter and her husband struggle with wanting support but not wanting to lose their place in their children’s lives. Saori in particular is typical of every working mom, trying to do her best everywhere, an impossible feat, and constantly feeling guilty that she’s unable to attain such expectations. It comes out as frustration and being ungrateful. Ema is a sweet teen whose introverted self makes her resistant to change and moody about it. As for Red, not only is he adorable, but rarely do we see children on TV present it authentically. That morning resistance to go somewhere where he’ll essentially play all day is oh so very real.

Then, there Masaharu. Unlike stereotypical Hikikomori, he’s actually a very normal guy in the way he lives his life immersing himself online in ways he can’t in the real world. It’s not online when we immerse ourselves in sites like MDL and others but maybe gone to the extreme. It’s not like he refuses to live normally, he just doesn’t have the courage. Taking the step for it needed a little motivation from the outside and a GENTLE push from within. I love his connection with the convenience store clerk. But you can tell one of his more important reasons for change was to improve his relationship with his niece. That development went smoothly and felt authentic.

The point here isn’t for the protagonist to become independent and work. It’s made clear that it’s okay to stay, accept help and receive support, as long as an active role is taken at home, to do things together while also pursuing things alone. That’s the difference between being reclusive and being home.

The only part of the drama I might be critical of is Saori’s workplace. It was shown as if we know the characters and are just returning to them, as Saori is. The failure is, that we never get the chance to connect with them or even be interested in them. The cut to their scenes always felt off place and sometimes I’d just skip it.

I have to say, I love the way the new house was presented and the camera filming the family’s movements. The directing makes viewers feel as if they’re peaking into the lives of everyday people. It made the scenes at home that much more interesting and intimate. The actors never felt like they were acting but just going through life, which in itself shows their talent.

The drama is rounded up with fitting music with many quiet moments for contemplation.

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