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... Because a drama educating adolescens on love and loneliness in high school, can't score higher.
7/10 is not a bad rating and I did not dislike this drama. Honestly it was very entertaining to watch and it was very well made. The actors did an incredible job despite being so young and I have great respect for them, since they pulled off the "Mature" tag without making it seem trashy or unrealistic.
Before watching this drama you should prepare for:
sexual scenes (Underwear, over the bra touching, covered up sex scenes, making out, and other mature content.)
A lot of inside dialogue
Lesbian love
High schoolers making countless mistakes and being generally butter brained.
The feels.
This drama will not make you cry but since it is a Jdrama, don't expect things to go the way you want them. This is basically a drama showing how people grow with time and experience. YOU WILL FEEL FRUSTRATION
It was very well made, so if you have nothing against the things listed above, I think you should take your time to watch this. It will be a nice memory and each episode is only about 23 minutes long. Nothing to lose and it will surely be an experience.
ENJOY!
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This review may contain spoilers
I dropped this drama once, not liking the idea of substituting love with sex, and revisited it again when I am looking for a Japanese movie/drama to watch. After diving from the surface of many kissing and bed scenes into a deeper meaning this drama brings, you will find ideas to learn about how to distinguish love/loneliness on one side and sex/desire on the other side.STORY
Japanese dramas may have the most twisted plots with the deepest meanings and Kuzu no Honkai is one of them. The character Yasuroka Hanabi is a realistic heroine for teenage/young adult girls to learn. A heroine, as she is able to overcome the teenage girl problems mainly by her thought process, as the viewers can see there are no any significant adults in this drama (older family members) who guides her to go past broken heart, despair, and loneliness. In the end, Hanabi is able to emerge to be a mature teenager who learned many facets of love.
Having watched a lot of dramas with typical heroine as damsels-in-distress being swept by knights-in-armor trope, this drama introduces us to a strong female character who is able to overcome significant issues by herself. By the end: 1) Hanabi never falls to be a victim of sex with 2 guys and a girl she has relationship with; 2) Hanabi finally steps out and terminates wrong relationship with 3 characters; 3) Hanabi is able to develop her thought process that become the main guidance to overcome her issues.
To add, I love that the role Awaya Mugi never develops into a pushy guy. Despite of initial Hanabi's decision to have an intercourse and Mugi's experiences with other women, Mugi never pushes Hanabi into this stage when in the end she stops it. Mugi respecting Hanabi's decisions on terminating sex and relationship is rare in movies/drama, where there are so many pushy, demanding, obsessive male roles out there
Finally, this is the only movie/drama so far that I DO NOT WANT the female lead to end up with the male lead. Matching Hanabi with Mugi will just create another cliche in dramas. Besides, particularly in this story, real coupling will just create more problems, as Hanabi and Mugi's relationship does not start as liking each other but more sympathy and despair complete with a clear termination contract. Therefore, I love the last scene where Hanabi walks out of the class straight passed standing Mugi (is he waiting or hoping?) and not even looking at him, to meet her female friends for a chick hangout together.
ACTING/CAST
The highest point is given to the female lead. I am amazed a young actress like Yoshimoto Miyu (she was 19 when the drama was released, possibly 18 when it was being filmed) could pull out compelling emotional acting as a virgin teenager in desire over her male teacher and jealousy at her female teacher. I gave 9 point not 10, as I did not see the male lead Sakurada Dori acted in the same level of quality of the female lead did. The chemistry is okay between them, not as lovers, but as contract partners or caring friends.
MUSIC
Music is okay, but unless a drama song gets stuck in my subconscious mind, I don't usually rate the music part high.
REWATCH VALUE
As I am more to a light-hearted rom-com drama/movie to rewatch in the future, I will not rewatch this drama again. Besides, I am way past teenage years that I have to visit this drama back to relearn about the values it brings.
OVERALL
Many issues facing by teenagers and young adults concerning love are explored in this drama. A must watch to any female who (does not matter if she is still a teenager or is older) to understand that she does not have to be a victim of so-called love, but being able to overcome the issue to be a mature woman.
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Not your usual one....
This is one of the drama where it caught me off the guard and was unpredictable it the end.its a guilty pleasure drama that keeps you till the end.
its been long time ......that i started a drama and watched it till the end. i have finished this in one go.
loved the lead girl's acting, she played it so well . if you are bored of the sweet fluffy unrealistic one go for this.
its intense without it trying it to be.
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This review may contain spoilers
prepare thyselves
one word.intense.
this wasn't your typical high school romance where the fl and ml bump into each other and they instantly make their vows for an everlasting future together. yeah this isn't a fairy tale.
in here, we have the exploration of different themes such as the feeling of first love, the gravity of loneliness and what it can make people do and also the aftermath of one's choices.
to be frank, i wasn't entirely sold on how this teacher who is definitely broken and has many deep rooted issues suddenly fell for mr. kanai.... however, i do like the portrayal of that eery aura of ms. minigawa's character. the creepy smiles and ill intentions under the saint-like interior and you have a recipe for a nasty nightmare.
the interactions between the main leads are quite interesting and while everyone are rooting for these two to have a happy ending, i find myself thinking the opposite. yes, they are cute together. a mutual understanding was there and they comforted each other at their lows. with how they started out as replacement for each other's unrequited love, there is bound to be some time needed to recover from that.
i kinda found their farewell a bit dramatic because they're obviously still going to see each other in school lmaooo but i do love the ending and seeing hanabi meeting with her new friends; something she didn't have before.
overall, this was nicely written and well produced with heavy elements on the psychological aspects and yeeh smiles are creepy now.
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This review may contain spoilers
I needed a few days to recover from this drama - I didn't know what to expect as I do not watch J-Dramas often, and I did not read the comic or watch the anime version on this drama beforehand. Plus, I do know that J-Dramas tend to have looser boundaries than other dramas as well as speed up the action since they are usually shorter. And I am not going to lie, I still don't know how to even go about this review, BUT what I can say about it is that for what it was, it was very well done and extremely unique. For that, 10/10. But I won't be rewatching this drama anytime soon or ever. I first came along with drama on viki as well as because one of my favorite actors, Sakurada Dori, was the male lead in this, so I instantly wanted to watch it. Plus, my roommate had told me she watched the anime and it was instantly one of her favorites. I was also hooked after episode one and decided to binge watch it in a single night. Was that a good idea? probably not.
After watching this drama, I realized that there is a genre of romance dramas that I do not like. Even though the story was very unique and kept me intrigued as the characters represented different types of "scum"-y people, I did not like a single person in this drama. Of course because this is a "romance" drama, I want the leads to get together, and I was a little heartbroken about the ending, but at the same time, they were both terrible people.
Hana had many layers to her which is why I did not like her most of the drama. She was lonely, so her and Mugi formed a relationship with one another, pretending the other was the person they loved. After learning about Akane's secret, she realized that maybe she was similar to her and how she had been using Mugi because she also loved other people showing her affection. After, she decided to start another relationship with her best friend Ebato who was deeply obsessed with Hana and was ok with her using her to fulfill her needs. From my understanding, she thought that she needed to "evolve" into someone else in order for Narumi to love her. Hana then decided that to beat Akane, she would make all the people who are in love with Akane, fall in love with her, without actually having intercourse. It wasn't until the moment where Hana confessed her feelings to Narumi, that she became a little more grounded and realized the type of person she wanted to be.
Mugi...I am still trying to figure him out. He also had so many layer that I am still trying to peel back. In the beginning, we believe that, like Hana, he is in love with his tutor/teacher and uses Hana to fill in his emptiness. Which he does. But later we find out that she actually has this love hate relationship with her. Yes, he hates her because he knows that Akane manipulates men to fall in love with her, but he loves her at the same time. Later, after the audience is convinced that he started to fall for Hana and was getting jealous that she was having relations with other people, he pulls a 180 and he starts to have relations with other women (clearly not enjoying it) as well as reveals to have a complex where he hates Akane, but wants to be the man who changes her into his faithful woman.
Akane and Narumi's story was extremely odd to me. Akane is revealed to be a love and sex addict, never falling in love, but needed affection to fuel her. Narumi seems like a very familial guy who is sweet and caring and "perfect" yet his "flaw" is that because he is so in love with Akane, he is willing to let her do whatever she wants to make her happy including having out of marriage affairs. I disliked how this is the thing that makes Akane full inside and accept his marriage proposal. Like all she wanted was someone to love her and her adultress ways in order to be completely happy. PLUS, my roommate had told me in the anime that (her words) he is only obsessed with her because she reminds him of his dead mother.
I was not a fan of any of the characters, especially Ebato, who made me uncomfortable because of how strong she came on Hana. Yes, Hana was "scum" but I felt like she also felt like she was pressured into a lot of stuff because she wanted to maintain a good friendship with Ebato and because she loved affection. But every time Ebato would come on screen, I would tense up on my couch and tell Hana to run away. Fast.
Then we have the ending. For what it was, it made complete sense. Actually, it was probably the best outcome for all of the characters learning about who they were and who they wanted to be. But the drama decided that it wanted to have a touching final moment for Hana and Mugi where they were finally in a place where they could be fair to one another and were in a place where they could be with one another fully because they had complete love and respect for one another. They were both finally on the same page and free from their own personal scumminess (yes I created a new word), and ready to find true love in others, as they found it in themselves. But they decided it wasn't in each other. I was devastated. I ranted to my roommate who tried to comfort me by telling me that her interpretation from the anime was that, yes, they decided that they couldn't find that "true love" in one another, but only in that moment in time. That they needed to figure out how to love themselves fully before they let anyone else in, and hopefully they would cross paths in the future. So...yeah...that is what I'm holding onto even though these aren't real characters and this isn't a real story and we will never know if they do meet in the future. But I do hope that they cross paths in the future once they are healthier people.
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Surprisingly good
I didn't expect to like this very much if I am being honest. But it was the realistic kind of ending I wanted to see.Story: the plot centers around Hanabi and Mugí, two high school students that have unrequited loves for two different teachers at their school. The two characters have drastically different plot lines in those unrequited loves and the most uncomfortable part for me was Mugi's relationship with the teacher. I am not very comfortable with those scenarios in any drama/ show and I hadn't really expected the show to go there so... the other uncomfortable thing for me is sexualización of characters that are minors. I am from a western country that is just as guilty of it but when it is an adult and a minor it is even more uncomfortable.
*this show has a lot of sexual content between lots to characters*
Hanabi and Mugi start "dating each other basically to distract themselves from their unrequited loves and I could really see high school students agreeing to hook up because they can't be with the person they truly like.
There's a lot that goes on, but I'm not about to write a whole synopsis and I don't think anyone would like the read that anyway.
Cast: the cast it okay, nothing terrible, nothing great. The actress who plays Hanabi does a good job of expressing her confusion and emotions. There's a lot going on in that characters head and the actress really gave it her best. Etoba was also portrayed well, with her conflicting emotions and the distress she feels.
Music: it's nice and fits the lord. Nothing exceptional to comment on.
Rewatch value: I would probably rewatch it, skipping through all of the things that are uncomfortable for me. It only 12 episodes and they are all around 30 minutes.
Overall, it's worth a shot. It's just a filler kind of drama but it's more thought provoking than a lot of other things you could be watching.
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The story is about two students who has unrequited love for their teachers. How they confide in and console each other while perfectly understanding and accepting each other's situation is portrayed here. It is twisted on many levels, yes. But that only makes the drama more interesting.
Kudos to the high-school student actors who handled the depth of the characters brilliantly and naturally. Not only them, I must say all the actors involved did justice to their characters.
I liked the twisted way the unrequited love was presented in this story. I loved this story and loved this drama. If you find the overused happy ending high school romance theme boring, then this may be the drama for you.
It has dark romance, slice of life, Drama. If you like something along those lines, I would definitely recommend this drama!
Note: I have not watched the anime, hence can't compare the two.
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I read the manga before watching this and they stick to the original story pretty closely. I feel the casting was perfect for this story as Sakurada Dori really knows how to play the sexy roles. The chemistry with the FL was there although I didn’t feel it with the teacher, probably because I didn’t like the character to begin with. Music was good and suited the feelings of the scenes, but nothing memorable.
Overall, this is good if you’re in the mood for a drama to make you think, but I don’t think I’ll be watching again anytime soon.
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This review may contain spoilers
As you may already know: The story is about two teenagers, who are dealing with their broken heart. I'm a teenager my self and even though the way they are dealing with their unrequited love is not right (and adults watching this j-drama may think that it's unrealistic) I have to admit that times have changed and that's how school society works these days.What I liked:
Although this is an asian drama the directors didn't sugar-coat it by any meanings, It felt somehow new and fresh.
I've been looking for drama without the happy ending and i found it in "Kuzu no Honkai". I grabbed the oppurtunity this drama gave me and i thought about how would i react if i was in this situation,
I liked the actor and actress and the way they showed their character. I liked the story line as well.
What i disliked:
Even though the drama felt new and fresh, somehow i couldn't stop thinking about what would've happened if the story was made a bit more... how should i say it? Cliché? Traditional? Nvm, you get me. By the end I was already over the deep feels and i just wanted one happy ending. And that was something new for me, because i never wanted any of the dramas i watched to end happily.
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Intense Exploration of Love, Loneliness, Sexuality, Self and Adolescent
Kuzu no Honkai choked me with its absurd start, leaving me gasping for air throughout the drama and left me with a sense of catharsis, so overwhelming that I didn't realise my tears begin to drop as the ending unfolds. I see Hanabi as a caterpillar inside a cocoon – one that is yet to know that there is a vast world beyond the darkness of her cocoon – and the ending is where she finally spreads her fresh new wings and is ready to take her first flight in the open sky.Unrequited love that turns into an obsession slowly creeps like a dark cloud and eats into your soul leaving you empty, lonely, desolated. It is true that misery loves company and in Mugi, Hanabi finds a camaraderie that she longs for and a place to relinquish her pent up emotions. In a way, Mugi is a reflection of Hanabi. They make up a pair who shares mutual loneliness and frustration of unrequited love.
Don’t expect this drama to comfort you. There’s nothing comforting in seeing twisted lonely individuals eating each other out. Some may perhaps be turned off by the many sexual insinuations shown in this drama but for me, it is the very element that adds nuances to each character’s development and understanding of their feelings, sexuality and self. The physical contact also gives us a hint of the relationship dynamic and perhaps, underlying feeling towards one another.
Adolescence is an awkward and confusing phase of our life and it is also a phase where we begin to explore and try to understand ourselves and our sexuality. Mix in with loneliness, the story unwrap all these elements in such a twisted way.
I find that the music blends in well with the overall ambience of the story. It enters at the right moment to create a maximum impact. I also love the short opening music and also the ending song (which I find quite anime-ish imo). The main actors played their role very well and I find Yoshimoto Miyu’s performance quite stellar especially the contrast that she’s shown when she is speaking to herself or alter ego. The play of colours whenever these inner dialogues happen is also fascinating, with a strong emphasis on red and muted hues.
The only reservation that I have for this story is Kanai-sensei and his unconditional feeling towards Akane-sensei. I wish there’s more depth to their relationship to explain how he can turn a blind eye towards all her flaws and promiscuous behaviour. Kanai-sensei is also the weakest link in the story as he is too one-dimensional to warrant such fascination and obsession from Hanabi.
In the end, you can never escape toxicity without removing the toxins out. The ending is one of the most satisfying one – a sigh of relief to both Hanabi and Mugi. The promising undertone of the ending is what compels me to give this drama a higher rate, and also the fact that this story left me with a lingering aftertaste and a lot to think about.
Alas, after all the uncomfortable experience inside the cocoon, it is time to get out and spread your wings. So, fly, Hanabi! Fly!
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I love how they portrayed the role and Dori taking on a whole new level in his acting career!! I have watched a few of Dori’s dramas and movies and for me, this is the best… so far. What I mean is that he had portrayed others in a good way but for me, this is the best drama that I’ve watched and Dori’s the leading man!
Meanwhile, the name Yoshimoto Miyu sounds new to me but apparently, I’ve already watched two of the dramas she had appeared in and I tend not to focus on other characters that much so, I didn’t even noticed her. *sorry* But in here, she’s the main character and she had studied it so well. Although there are others who doesn’t really agree for her to be the lead of such mature drama but for me, she did well. I love how she battled her conscience in some episodes!
Mizuta Koki is as sweet, gentle and naive-looking guy just how I see him as a person. I couldn’t see anyone who would fit that role other than him.
And of course, Aizawa Rina. I love how she portrayed this two-faced sly bitch. It’s on a different level from her role on Kurofuku Monogatari which is sweet and innocent.
Final thoughts:
This is the best romance drama that I’ve watched… again, so far. It tackles different kinds of love in a realistic way. We all yearn for the love and attention of those that’s special to us. And how love can hurt others and change them into someone else.
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