This review may contain spoilers
WOW, what a phenomenal drama! Please watch this if you have the time to! It is simply AMAZING! The story is super intriguing. Just imagine being able to go back in time over and over again to change your life to the
"perfect" life that you want to live. I wish this was reality sometimes! Our main characters, Saiko and Otaro, have such
great character development throughout this drama. We see them grow as individuals, and we see them improve on
themselves by the end of the drama.
Each character has flaws in this drama, and we get to see how their flaws affect their endings and the flow of the story.
I can't really be specific because I don't want to post spoilers, but this drama is SIMPLY AMAZING! The characters are
all intriguing, and I love everyone of them, even the "evil" ones!
For anyone who is skeptical on watching because of what they might have heard about the ending, do not worry! It's not
bad at all in my opinion. Just watch and you will see! And make sure to watch episode 10 of Todome no Parallel for a complete
ending as well!
All in all, a very interesting story that keeps you at the edge of your feet with really good characters that you will fall in love
with by the end of it. And bonus, this drama has AMAZING music! PLEASE WATCH! Easily one of my favorite dramas of all time!
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I've said it before but potentially my favourite part of this drama was the dynamic between the two leads. Two very contrasting but equally unusual and fascinating characters coming together in a strange situation.
Eight is a playboy who doesn't believe in love, he is selfish and seduces woman for money and to get ahead in life. In contrast, Saiko is an extreme introvert - her awkward nature often makes her seem eccentric or strange - oh, not to mention her kiss kills you and takes you back 7 days to the past.
All in all I really enjoyed it! I kind of discovered this drama out of the blue and didn't expect to like it so much, a pleasant surprise.
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This review may contain spoilers
Can a man without conscience learn to love? The short answer is yes. The long answer is this unforgettable, zany drama.I'll start off by warning you that there is no sugarcoating the fact that the main character, Otaro Dojima aka Eight (Yamazaki Kento), is a gigolo. If you are sensitive to that sort of thing, then you are in for a rude awakening. I don't think I have ever seen a drama character kiss and sleep with this many women. He does it with zeal, and obviously for money. It isn't like he is taking advantage of them, however. Everyone he is involved with is clear about his intentions. But there is no doubt about his profession. You'll need some patience and tolerance for the first two episodes. But once you start to get a clearer picture, you'll be awestruck by the clever plot and ready to immerse in all the craziness.
After learning that a strange woman, Sato Saiko (Kadowaki Mugi), who keeps appearing before him, can kill with a kiss, but also bring you back to life 7 days in the past, Eight begins to scheme to use her to land the biggest prize of his life: marry the wealthy heiress, Namiki Mikoto (Araki Yuko). The one endearingly known to him as "10 billion."
Here's where the really fun part begins. Eight's relentless attempts to woo Saiko so she would kiss him are both comical and cute. She isn't going to make it easy for him. There is this scene in the show where he asks her flirtatiously, "What kind of man is your type? Could it be...me?," as the camera zoomed in on his pretty, smiling face. What is even more adorable is her answer, because she shuts her eyes completely and points to an ugly stuff doll by the road. And I could not stop laughing at Eight's utter disbelief of: "That?!" This is the one woman who wouldn't get in his bed! It's an excellent example of their dynamic throughout the drama that is so entertaining to watch. Saiko is a little odd and that's because she grew up lonely from the burden of the curse. Unlike what we were led to believe in the beginning, she is actually very kind. Eventually, they come to an agreement. You should see the way he looks every time he is about to kiss her to go back in time, like he couldn't get enough of her. Don't be fooled though. It is his enthusiasm for money that is fueling this desire to kiss her. The kisses, of course, sends them back in time, for better or for worse. They are always accompanied by a montage of images and a vibrant soundtrack that got me excited in anticipation for a different story to unfold. Eight never strays from his goal of marrying rich and he does everything in his power, whether that be manipulating, lying, or blackmailing, in order to accomplish that. Nevertheless, I could not help liking him. All I could do was shake my head at his scheming, but I kept watching. Maybe it's Yamazaki Kento's charm but it works!
As they spend more time together, we started to see subtle hints that indicated Eight is falling in love with Saiko, like him stealing glances at her when they got close, or hug her instead of kissing her. It's ironic because despite the onslaught of kisses, it is these understated acts that are touching and sweet, and conveyed sincere feelings. But I guess it's hard to change a person fundamentally because despite Eight's obvious feelings, he proceeds to go ahead with the wedding even though he is clearly unhappy about it. His reluctance finally surfaces when it is time to kiss the bride and he simply cannot. At this point, Saiko arrives to protect him from a knife wielding antagonist and subsequently dies. Though this scene felt bizarre and lacking in emotion, the next scene of tearful Eight desperately trying to start their time traveling clock in the hopes of reviving Saiko was poignant. In the following days, the realization of his love for Saiko hits him hard. When he learns that there is a chance to go back 3 months in time, the choice is clear to him and for the first time, he shows his true self to Mikoto. With apologies, he tells Mikoto that he loves Saiko and all he wants is Saiko's happiness. And there, I melted into a puddle.
This is a zippy drama with peculiarities attached to it; I enjoyed it immensely. And in spite of the premise, it also portrays one of the sweetest romances I've ever seen. Though the ending is bittersweet, in a way, I get why it ends the way it does. After all the terrible choices he made, Eight deserves some time alone to reflect and pay for his sins. But I still wanted my happy ending after all the love I developed for these two though, which is why I'm glad we have Todome no Parallel, which is sort of like an extension to this, that will provide (in the last episode) the (happy) closure we wanted to see.
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This was never on my PTW list. It's just that seeing it got through to the final listing of MDL best Jdrama 2018 award, made me a bit curious about it and so here I am writing a review for the first time ever. I'm sorry if by any means my writing hurts anyone who loves this drama feeling.
The overall story is cliche. I mean we have seen this back in time to correct mistakes plot over and over aren't we? The only saviour for this type of plot is when you have a heartwarming story alongside it. Normally family/relationship related stuff is used by the screenwriter. Think JIN, Ryuusei Wagon, Suteki na Sen Taxi, ProDai.
Similar for Todome no Kiss, but the "alongside" story was kind of half-ass IMO. At the beginning, it appeared as a revenge plot in disguised by "desire to become rich" of the ML. While everyone who's watching the drama knows how the characters are related to each other, and could roughly predict on it's direction, the screenwriter made a plot twist (not making sense one) by making the ML clueless about it until half way of the series. Even so, he did not seem like taking revenge after knowing the truth and chose to become rich instead.
There was also plot hole in the writing, for example a major time-travel inconsistency on episode 3. Apart from that the characterization of the ML doesn't written properly too. At times he was portrayed as someone who's smart and sly (and because of that the screenwriter need to remind the viewer by making each female character to say KUZU in each episode), and at some other time he looks much stupid than elementary school student.
The cinematography was nothing spectacular as well. It's as good as you could see in other standard Japanese dramas out there.
However, there are also few good things to mention. Especially Suda Masaki's acting throughout the drama. He has small role and few screen time, but leaves a greater impact with his warm presence. Other than that, the last episode was good IMO even without having to watch episode 10 of "Parallel" (which I also watched BTW).
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I've only seen Yamaken in LDK before this, and it was too cliche and boring, so I dropped it. But after watching him in this, I can definitely see that his acting is being wasted by always appearing in shoujo movies. I hope he gets more roles that are more complicated and not always tsundere. There was one emotional scene in the end and he nailed it! Masaki Suda..... his character is... one of a kind. I didn't like his character, but he nailed it. His talents were wasted in the drama though. Should've given him more scenes, or a better role.
Speaking of Suda~ I didn't know that he could sing! and he sang the title song! and it was good!!! I bought his music on iTunes after seeing his drama~ y'all should check his stuff out too!
This drama is worth a watch. It wasn't exceptionally good, but it wasn't bad either. It just left a lot to be desired. Despite all of that, I'm a fan of Yamaken now! (and I just have to say, Mackenyu is one GORGEOUS man!!!)
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Time Travel at its best! :3
I loved it! I think it's the first time a japanese drama got me so amazed and excited! It is defenitely one of my favorite Dramas!STORY:
Great storyline! At first I got a little bored at some scenes we already saw. But later on it got better and better and got me hooked up in the story. I think it was neither too long nor too short. It was perfect! It was addicting and interesting. With every episode I anticipated the next!
CAST/ACTING:
Kento Yamazaki is an amzing actor. He is very handsome and very talented. I believed every word he said. He fit his role perfectly. But it was Mugi Kadowaki, who got me surprised. I never watched a drama or movie starring her before. I didn't know her. But she is simply amazing! She didn't play Saiko - She IS Saiko! Saiko had an extremely interesting character. But I loved Otaros character developement the most! He changed slowly but unknowingly through Saiko. And only in the last episode he faced himself. That fitted perfect to his character too. And then there was Masaki Suda! xD He got me curious and at the same time was totally hilarious!
MUSIC:
Even now I listen to Masaki Sudas "Sayonara elegy"! Awesome song! After the 10 episodes I could perfectly sing along :D
ALL IN ALL:
A great Drama! Totally rewatchable! I got a little sad About the ending but happily there is "Todome no Parallel" ;)
Enjoy!
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This review may contain spoilers
So when I read the synopsis for this drama, I was like, "Yeah, I'm gonna pass." And it wasn't because this seemed like yet another drama dabbling with the time travelling trope, albeit with a somewhat unique approach. No. It was actually because,... well how do I put this? I wasn't really sure if the theme of the drama would suit my taste or not, what with the main lead being a host and all. (Yes, I'm rolling my eyes at me too). Anyway, after seeing a few positive posts about this on the feeds, I decided to give it a chance. And, well, who am I kidding? Yamazaki Kento is as big as an incentive I'm ever gonna have to give a drama a go. Now that I have finished this drama, I'm glad that I went with it, 'cause I enjoyed it a lot. ( For the most part.)Now, on to the "actual" review:
- Not to sound redundant or anything, but let me just say that if you're a YK fan, you should really watch this. And if you're not, then you MUST watch this, because it'll make you his fan. Yes, the man (uh, boy?) has done that good of a job here. I'm not trying to underappreciate the rest of the cast or characters here (I'll get to them later). That being said, I believe that this is one of YK's finest works. First of all, because it's so different from all his previous roles (which even I can tell, even though I haven't seen all of his works.) And second, because he did such a tremendous job portraying Eight/ Otaro. So, do watch this, for him!
Okay, gushing over!
- This is the first time in my drama-watching life, that I've finally understood the allure of a 'bad boy'. Eight is no typical tsundere male lead. He, for sure, does not have a heart of gold. And he's definitely not misunderstood. He is a greedy opportunist. But you'll love him. Oh, you'll so love him. There is no other way! Even when he's downright manipulating someone, you won't be able to help but fall for his smirk. Seriously, that smirk (you'll know it when you see it)! Don't worry though, you will get to see his human side. But it won't be until much much later. And it'll just make you love him more.
- Now, on to the plotline. Like I said, at first glance, it might seem like a typical time travelling drama. It's not though, not really. Not just because their 'approach' to the whole idea was different. Since the synopsis is pretty vague, I won't go into much detail, just in case it gets spoiler-ish. So I'll just say that the storyline was actually pretty interesting, much more than it seemed. It's really intriguing, actually.
- The suspense in the drama is maintained at a good pace. I mean, it's not by any means, nail-biting suspenseful, but it did have it moments where the viewers were like, "Oh gosh, what's gonna happen now?!" Which was exaggerated if you watched it while it was airing (what with only one episode per week), even if (if being the keyword) it might not seem like that big of a deal if you're marathoning the drama. Still, I'd say the writers did a good enough job with the suspense genre.
- All the actors did a really wonderful job portraying their characters. Whether it was Saiko, Mikoto, Takauji, Harumi or any other character. The intensity of tension, anxiety, confusion, romance between them, it was really on-point. And that's actually one of things I really liked about this drama.
- About the ending. Once again, can't really say much about it, 'cause, spoiler! But if you happen to see a comment or two, and it makes you hesitate to watch this, please don't. Hesitate, that is. Just watch the first episode and you'll see for yourself what I mean.
- The OST is a good listen. I'm not familiar with J (or K/C) artists, but even I found the song catchy, and found myself humming ( 'cause that's all I can do, really) to it.
If you managed to not quit reading this review after the first two points (for all I know, all my gushing, erhm fangirling, over YK could have the opposite effect, and could have actually driven you away from the drama. In which case, gomenne) and got up to this point, I'll just say this. I seriously hope that you give this a chance.
Happy Watching!!
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I started this drama because it kept on appearing on every place I went so why not give it a try? Like I said before this is my first time with Japanese dramas (I used to watch only j-movies), and I obviously found some differences from what I'm used to in kdramas, principally with the editing and the number of episodes, which are less then in the usual kdrama.
I was really confused during the whole first episode, because I didn't read the sinopsis and I didnt know abou the supernatural stuff, but even very confused I loved the first episode and wanted to know more about everyone, principally our kissing woman.
We follow Dojima Otaro, an host that because of his past believes that love makes people unhappy, he is a very greedy and selfish person that only cares about the money. He is the tipical drama jerk but this time he isn't rich. While at work he ends up being kissed by this weird woman and he dies, just to wake up seven days before the incident. Saiko is the mysterious woman, and because of an acident she had when she was a child, she gain this weird power of time leap through a kiss.
Namiki Mikoto is the 10 billion girl Otaro is after. Personally I didn't like her to much, for me she was like a plain white paper sheet, that couldn't do anything for herself. In the other hand I felt really bad for her, because when she tried to actually give an opinion on her life no one would listen to her, even though they were always saying that they wanted her happiness.
Namiki Takauji is Mikoto's adopted bother, at the beginning of the drama he is a nice guy that couldn't hurt anyone and had a weird relationship with her sister, but after Otaro started to go back in time to get the things like he wanted, Takauji was slowly losting it. He literally went crazy in my opinion. I don't know if I loved him or hated him.
Also we have this weird homeless guy that is even more mysterious than the kissing woman herself. He is crazy and you know from the very beginning that he knows more than it seems.
This drama doesn't have romance as the main focus in my opinion. Its more about character development and growth, but at same time remain true to oneself. Otaro and Saiko had the biggest character development that I've ever seen in a drama, and it was some how realistic, it took them time to change, not like in some dramas where the guy is a complete jerk in the first episode and in the second becomes a cupcake.
The ending even though a lot of people didn't like it, it was realistic, and not rushed or out of nowhere. But if you didn't get satisfied by the ending you always can watch the spinoff series which has a better ending to the story.
The thing about this drama was that even though you knew that Otaro is a complete jerk the writers managed to made you really root for him throught out the drama. In the other end the innocent looking antagonist, being a jerk just like Otaro, its much more easy to dislike.
Acting/ Cast: I just watched Yamazaki Kento movies, which he is a highschool sweet heart most of the times, so was good to see him in a different role, I think he gave life to Dojima Otaro. Kadowaki Mugi also did and amazing job as Sato Saiko she was able to portray Sato Saiko many faces really well. Mackenyu was brilliant portraying Namiki Takauji, even though I didn't like his character I can deny that he did a good job. Araki Yuko, she did good with what the writers gave her, in the middle of so many grey characters a white one would look plain and dull no matter how good the actress is, so after all she did a good job.
I really liked the cinematography of this drama, principally the sequence of images every time they went back in time, it was really well done, as well as the sound mixing , the music really fitted the mood.
Will I watch this drama again? Yes, I really liked the plot and the characters. I really recommend this drama for someone looking for something different and refreshing to watch. If you like character developmente and time-travel this dramas is definitely for you.
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This drama had me hooked by episode one! It was definitely a darker drama filled with flawed characters, secrets, revenge, etc. However, it was such a guilty pleasure watch that had me at the edge of my seat, anxiously awaiting each week’s episode. I loved the supernatural element, the romance, the plot, the acting, and the soundtrack.
First of all, the cast was amazing. I fell in love with Kadowaki Mugi who plays Saiko in this drama! She was amazing, but honestly the entire cast was. I loved the humor and facial expressions of Suda Masaki, I loved the versatility that this drama allowed Kento Yamazaki to show, and how Mackenyu could go from terrifying to loveable in 2 secs flat. Definitely all actors and actresses to look out for in the future!
In addition, the soundtrack was enjoyable as was the cinematography and writing. Making this an amazing drama, as there was such remarkable performances both by those on the screen, and those behind the scenes. Highly recommend.
Happy Drama Watching! :)
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This review may contain spoilers
This review..or opinion..is gonna be a lit bit.. pretty.. spoiler-ish so please don't read if you don't want to be spoiled..
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The Title sure attracts you at first, but its not just limited to that.
The story is weirdly superb and the chemistry of the main leads has an unexpected sweetness and vulnerability, which makes you root for them all the way.
This drama is very engaging and enticing, keeps you wanting to know more, every character has some vulnerability, good and bad qualities of their own. and a very engaging point of view..
Especially our Lead male main character is easily throwing us into a loop all the time, he is easily a villain, yet there is still something in him that you want to root for him, he is freely being carefree(looks like??), and rooting for his own happiness, till the very end, when he learns his lessons, even his sacrifice he takes in the same league.
The villain could easily have been a hero, and probably is. I guess its trying to say that every character could be so. There are are many interesting characters..
the cast did a cool job too.
The sweetest character is the lead girl, this heroine, is so innocent, sweet and adorable, that she really brings the sweetness and humanness in the hero, she brings the balance, although at first mysterious, and her mysterious almost creepy smile actually makes you doubtful towards exactly what her intentions are, or who she is, to be honest, it is actually her that you are always rooting for. The actress is so perky and her own kind, I just had to become her fan.
That said, if you find to find real solace in the ending you must watch Todome no parallel, the spin off. which has its own very interesting angle and plot.
I am a sucker for happy endings, ..although (not all) Jap doramas that I recently watched didn't give any that easily, but I was almost expecting for a happy ending in this one, which this easily could have without spoiling the rather perky beauty of this drama, it would have been beautiful, never-mind, you will still get some of it on finishing the spin off.
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Let’s weigh this totally unpredictable dorama on our drama beam balance and see what makes it such a huge hit amongst drama lovers.
Good Weights
I enjoyed watching Todome No Kiss because…
…the plot was highly engaging. Time travel is not my favourite concept and I have hardly watched any movies or dramas based on it. But after watching Todome No Kiss I feel like watching more time-travelling dramas. ???? Yes, frequent repetition of scenes would become a little tiresome but it was still interesting to see the same event occur differently. The suspense around the ‘kissing girl’ and her link to Otaro’s life will surprise you. Even the reason why she does what she does is nothing expected. The plot is very fresh and unique.
…the writing was crisp and the story concluded excellently. I specifically want to applaud the show’s conclusion because I have seen several dramas that add all kinds of diverse story arcs but do not give a reasonable ending. This drama knew exactly what to do with the arcs added. It started well and concluded even better. With all loose ends neatly tied up by the end, it has me content and happy.
…I was genuinely stunned by all the shock elements in the drama. I was at the edge of my seat (literally) throughout the drama. The drama is fast paced and leaves no room for a single dull moment. Even when scenarios were repeating it did not feel boring because of its different treatment.
Bad Weights
I did NOT LIKE Todome No Kiss because…
…the director keeps panning to left and right for dramatic effect. This is not really a bad weight and I am not reducing my ratings because of it but it was annoying to see the same camera movement after every alternate scene.
As you can see there is no bad weight on our drama beam-balance which shows how much I loved it. When you watch a drama like Todome No Kiss you also wish to be able to go back in time and correct your mistakes. However, the drama beautifully depicts the futility in attempting to change one’s past. Unlike a regular Japanese drama, Todome No Kiss is replete with kisses. It has all kinds of kisses from romantic to angsty to angry to desperate. However, this drama should not be watched for steamy scenes because there is a lot more to it than just the kisses. Also, the kisses may not appeal to everyone as the main leads appear to be in a lot of pain each time they kiss. So, do not watch it only for some intimate ‘action’.
I give Todome No Kiss 4.5 out of 5 rating. It is a well-written and terrifically executed dorama. You just cannot afford to miss this one.
Originally posted on AlphaGirlReviews.com.
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This review may contain spoilers
A guilty pleasure (includes tw/cws)
There are many "yikes" moments in the writing yet this drama is creative and entertaining. I adored Saiko so much and wanted to see her get a happy ending. Otaro is a horrible person but incredibly charming and Saiko is so lovely but susceptible to manipulation :(( I found her very relatable. This drama is hard to explain/recommend because of the problematic content, but after 3 years since I watched it I still think about it all the time and would love to talk about it with someone/rewatch.Important for people who haven't watched it yet, here are some content warnings!
- Non-consensual kissing (quite literally the main plot device)
- Homophobic representations of gay men (making the singular one homocidal); homophobic reactions to ideas of gay male relationships/men kissing; fetishization of lesbians (this one is debatable but it was immediately a red flag to me amidst this other stuff!!)
- Emotional manipulation and abuse
- Pseudo-incest (or straight-up incest depending on your personal definition. the feelings are between individuals who always knew they weren't blood related but were raised as adoptive siblings)
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