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This review may contain spoilers
I didn't watch the Taiwanese version nor read the original manga. If my review makes you want to advice me to watch the Taiwanese version or read the manga, I won't do it. So my review will be based on my real thought for the first time to watch this series. (^_^)vThe first thing that stand out the most is the 'packaging'. The 23 minutes duration reminds me of Korean web-drama, short with beautiful editing, scene transition, color correction and the backsound music, even this MARS were presented in such a 'kawai' frame. It's kinda rare tho finding this editing treatment.
In the opening of each episode, there is always a highlight caption or something like a synopsis from each episode. For example in the episode 3, it's said "Kira's important drawing gets plagarized. That painting gets circulated and a side of Rei that has never been shown before is seen..." ==> ( I hope this doesn't count as a spoiler ;-)
I don't think that kind of synopsis is necessary. Even though the sentence leaves some mystery, some how I feel like "oh in this episode the character X will appear, doing something evil to female lead and then the male lead will be her saviour". I already can draw the story right after the opening credit (-_-)>. I think those caption were added in order to makes viewers keep drawn with the story. It's just too bad that a short duration but the story already can be pictured in the beginning. After 2 or 3 episode I skipped the opening to ignore those caption, for me it's more fun without it, no big deal.
Fujigaya Taisuke is good enough to played Rei's character, he can pulled double side Rei's character well enough (in whisper mode: he's such ikemen tho so I'm totally fine with it XD ). He always wear necklace with feather chain, whenever I saw it I expected that necklace will be an iconic item in this drama, but my prediction was wrong, LOL. That necklace looks really appealing so I though it could be main lead's important or memorable item, like you know that kind of typical drama always put something iconic stuff to makes the story more meaningful.
Kubota Masataka is my second reason to watch this drama, and his character is the most I anticipated. At first his fashion really distracted me. He always wear loose outfit, fine with shirt or sweater, but his pants is totally disappointing and reminds me about first generation K-Pop boyband [Please somebody bring the scissor, my hands is so itchy wants to cut that pants XD]. Kubota Masataka played as Kirishima Makio who obsessed to Rei. This! this is my favorite side story. His hidden true character really the best one. Now I'm sure that he has awesome murderous expression. I praised the writer to write his character really well, especially in episode 9 and 10 where his character at its peak. Those two episode woke me up who almost fall asleep. It can be counted as a twist but the reason behind it is just really deep. *thumbs up*
Iitoyo Marie is a new face, but I feel uncomfortable to watch her in this drama. Her character was the main reason why my rating dropped a lot. She looks awkward to me, she keep bowing her head and folding her hands. It's true that Asou Kira is supposed to be a timid girl but I don't think she expressed it well. Even her character in this drama was a little bit off to me. Let's see, Rei and Makio has strong past story and bold character. Their past story were told in backflash so it feels make sense and I can understand their feelings. But not with this Kira. Kira's identity was introduced as "High school girl who has closed off her heart" (it appeared in every episode opening along with Rei and Makio) but her character didn't through my feelings, there is no backflash story about her (well it's not a must tho) and the main reason why she closed off her heart was untold clearly.
Sometimes I think why Rei just randomly picked an introvert girl as her girlfriend, their fateful meeting didn't strong enough to make him fall in love with her. So it makes me feel like Rei-Kira's relationship was a bit off. So in the end, this drama visually beautiful and fast. I'm looking forward on the next movie on how Makio character will develop.
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I loved the Mars manga, it's one of my favourites of all time so as an ardent drama lover I was understandably very excited for this adaptation. Immediately the short length of the 10 episode series with each episode little more than 20 minutes long was slightly disappointing (for reference the manga is a 15 volume emotional rollercoaster). Still I held out hope that they would just focus on the first section of the manga and do that justice, and whilst they did follow the plot points of the manga, there were various things that were amended and added for the sake of making the drama more appealing to the teen audience as well as the omission of plot points such as Rei's motorcycling career. This made it a bit of a confusing watch for me at first, but after telling myself an adaptation does not have to be 100% true to its source material I soldiered on.
The main leads of Rei and Kira were interestingly cast, both are complex and playful and make for enjoyable viewing, however they both seem to lack that slight undercurrent of darkness which make their characters so interesting. Masao's creepiness is really played up, maybe even overly done, to the point sometimes I was wondering if I was seeing Masataka Kubota's Light Yagami instead of his Masao at time.
The music was great and a plus for the series, all in all it was a good watch but not a great one. i enjoyed it mostly for the novelty and am glad I saw it but probably won't be rewatching any time soon.
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9 and 10 episodes was totally disappointing. I'm not feeling like the story was over.
The actors was just ok. Not great.
In the end, I think that could be better. But in the reality, is not.
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For a Japanese manga-to-live-action drama, I think they did a good job. It was so short, so they left a lot out (which was disappointing) but given the length, I think they kept what was really important about the story and that is how Rei and Kira both help each other grow through their love for one another. It sounds so cheesy—but they both make such a great couple and it’s so refreshing to see two people who can bring out the strengths in each other rather than just being together for the sake of the show.
I will say that episode 9 was a complete waste of screen time. I couldn’t care less about Makio’s inner dialogue and I was frustrated that they basically wasted a whole episode (or nearly two episodes, since a lot of it went in to episode 10, too) on flash-backs just so we could hear his dark, brooding thoughts. No thanks.
Taisuke Fujigaya was a surprise for me as Rei and I thought he did a great job. Rei is a difficult and complex character to play but Taisuke did especially well showing his gentler side. The looks he gave Kira *swoon*
The production was really “Eh.” I didn’t like the editing and the music seemed out-of-place which all-together made the drama seem aged and of poorer quality.
Overall, I think it could have been so much better, but I am happy with what we did got and will just keep hoping and praying for a Korean adaptation (crossing fingers SO hard).
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don't think it's usual love story (like it seems in first part)
for those people who don't know anything about this manga, other adaptations or what is story about; If you, like me, just picked it up and think watch or not, if you like me think drop it after few episodes, because it looks like another romance about shy girl and popular/cool boy, nothing new or exciding ... JUST WAIT... this drama isn't about love story between Kira and Rei ))))you will see signs and start understand in second half of the drama but everything will be shown in last 2 episodes, you will see who tells the story and who is main hero/God of war )))
was worth to watch for last 2 episodes full with angst and mystery
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