This review may contain spoilers
SO ACCURATE TO THE MANGA.
I MADE AN ACCOUNT HERE JUST TO POST THIS REVIEW.I know we're only on ep 1, so the rating is based on ep 1 only for now (i will update this review if possible)
If you like realistic stories that go deep into different types of struggles that people go through, fighting injustice, self-growth, the two main leads creating a strong bond before leading to romance, PLEASE WATCH THIS.
Even if BL is not your cup of tea, this story will touch your heart I'm sure.
Also has peaceful vibes, the bonding scenes will make you giggle and kick your feet, it also is hella funny at times.
Now let me just say:
IT'S SO GOOD. it does the manga justice!!
It is significantly better than the movie. Not saying the movie was bad! It was cute! But for a long manga, it was rushed & had some faults that had bothered me watching it (which is very understandable)
Here's my thoughts on the ep:
***SPOILER***
+ Taichi is a really loud person, that Kouhei was able to hear him easier than the other people, and he spoke more clearly. I love how accurate it is in this current drama. In the movie he was a bit too quiet to imagine an impaired hearing person could hear him and that bothered me.
+I'm so happy that this Taichi is very Taichi-like, his aura just screams "manly, straight forward, cute, clumsy" Both main leads acting is on point.
+The cinematography is very very very beautiful. I almost cried. It's so beautiful, so accurate to how the manga vibes are.
+I love how renovated (?) their world is. The manga was released 2013, they had flip phones in the manga if not first generation smartphones. It was so refreshing to see them using Tiktok, talking about Hiroyuki (famous youtuber) etc.. it felt so "this era" and made them feel more alive
+Their choice to air this series in summer is GENIUS. It's just genius. You could FEEL the summer from the series as we live through it, I love it so much.
For now totally totally recommend it's a very beautiful story, I'm probably bad at giving reviews (this is my first time) but please give it a watch, you deserve happiness. ?
P.S: flumpool singing the opening had me GOING NUTS. GOD I LOVE THIS DRAMA SO MUCH.
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a coming of age story with 3 protagonists
Overall: the first half of the series had me hooked as a romance/coming of age. However, the addition of a 3rd protagonist and the lack of romantic progression changed the focus of the story which I did not enjoy. I think I read the first volume of the manga a long time ago and I've seen the prior 2017 movie but I'm basing this review on the 2024 series' own merits. 12 episodes about 25 minutes each. Airing on GagaOOLala https://www.gagaoolala.com/en/videos/4485/i-hear-the-sunspot-2024-e01Content Warning: punch
Watch Suggestions (to focus on the m/m leads)
- watch episodes 1-6
- skip episode 7 (can watch the 40s recap the beginning of ep 8)
- start episode 8 at 14 minutes
- start episode 9 at 7 minutes
- in episode 10 skip 19:30- 21:40
- watch episode 11 beginning to 4:20 and 15 to the end
What I Liked
- dynamic between the leads (in the beginning half, then they needed to communicate)
- acting
- representation with a character who has hearing loss, showing how even people who are trying to be kind can isolate a person
- generally not a fan of extended flashbacks but episode 2 and the beginning of episode 3 gave us critical background information to understanding the characters and I'm glad we had this towards the beginning of the series
- that Taichi sought communication in episodes 2 & 5
- sweet moments like fishing together
- production value (some really gorgeous shots in the beginning episodes that conveyed things by showing like opening the curtains or how the basketball court went dark and empty, also good shots in episode 11)
Room For Improvement
- starting the series with a flash forward and also some of the ominous voice overs
- the camera blocked kiss, I don't care if that's how it was in the manga, we are at a different time and place from when the manga was written and I expected a non camera blocked kiss
- Taichi was written to seek communication but then was unbelievably dense and didn't communicate any more
- Maya's backstory was way too late and the way she was written did not evoke empathy, the writers did her character dirty
- too many flashbacks in episode 9
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Full of feel-good vibe. Not my fave story, but Kohei & Taichi friendship was delightful & memorable.
Due to his hearing impairment, Sugihara Kohei (Nakazawa Motoki) has a hard time socializing at school. One day. he meets an outspoken and direct Sagawa Taichi (Kobayashi Toranosuke), who’s enthusiastic about food. Taichi offers to help Kohei with notetaking as an exchange for lunchboxes. As they grow closer, their friendship unfolds their personal growth and aspirations.It's refreshing to see more disabled characters as leads in dramas lately... although for me, the highlight is Taichi, the cheerful and confident foodie! :) His gesture and personality is like sunshine. To some people he maybe too loud at times, but I love how direct and sincere he is to Kohei. Kohei who is a guarded and reserved person finds comfort within Taichi’s loudness. Them together make a balanced bond, which to me not really romantic, but heartwarming and supportive. They encourage each other out of their comfort zones in a positive way
I do have qualms on the storyline, especially on the second half. There are some twists from the characters around Taichi and Kohei that come off as stereotypical and frustrated me. In those parts, I just want to fast forward. I'm glad that they were resolved eventually, so it's not affecting my impression on this drama too negatively.
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The script is in the hands of Kawasaki Izumi, known for writing the series 'Nagatan to Aoto: Ichika no Ryourijou', 'Jimi ni Sugoi! Koetsu Garu Kono Etsuko', and the specials 'Zettai BL ni Naru Sekai VS Zettai BL ni Naritakunai Otoko' and 'Zettai BL ni Naru Sekai VS Zettai BL ni Naritakunai Otoko 2', among other serials and films.
'Hidamari ga Kikoeru' is a compelling Japanese youth, college and LGBTIQ+ romantic drama that delves into themes of identity and personal growth. The series explores the relationships and identities of two teenagers who begin a journey of discovery and transition from what they should be to what they want to be, in which their group of friends will also participate, who are united by the search for their place in the world. Its plot begins by narrating the difficulties that Kōhei Sugihara has hearing, since the current university student had suffered from a sudden sensorineural hearing loss during high school. Circumstances have led him to become a lonely, distrustful, introverted, unsociable and distant boy with great difficulties relating to other people. He himself admits to feeling "out of place wherever he goes."
Thus, the creators present us with a love story between two teenagers of the same gender, and analyze the problems that the world can pose for a person with hearing problems.
Kōhei's entire life changes when he accidentally meets Taichi Sagawa, who offers to take notes in classes for him in exchange for the lunch that the disabled student gives him every day. Kōhei will soon discover that he can hear the loud voice of the new acquaintance without difficulty.
This is how a friendship develops between a boy who had always had problems socializing, because his hearing problems caused him to be marginalized by his classmates, and another happy, optimistic, determined, empathetic, energetic boy and extrovert who lives practically in poverty, needing to work while attending university in order to survive. Both will help each other and, little by little, they will give in to their feelings, unleashing a beautiful story of friendship and love.
Taichi will make Kōhei open up to the world once he assures him that his hearing loss is not his fault. Taichi's kind words pierce through Kōhei's usual defense mechanisms and open his heart, causing his feelings for Taichi to turn into love.
This relationship changes Kohei forever.
Thanks to Taichi, Kōhei begins to smile and integrate into the social life of the campus. Others also begin to see him with different eyes. Taichi becomes the friend he never had or perhaps lost when he lost his hearing and was ostracized. Taichi teaches him "that there may also be a place for him on the other side."
Taichi and Kōhei challenge gender norms on a journey of self-discovery. His story takes us into themes such as the search, the formation of identity, personal growth and the transition to adulthood. But it also addresses feelings such as loneliness, happiness, marginalization or improvement.
The two protagonists spend time together outdoors while having lunch or in other spaces on the university campus, creating an intimate and comforting atmosphere. Beautiful scenes filled with subtle gestures and glances highlight the growing connection between the characters. As they exchange words, smiles and shy glances, viewers are left with a sense of anticipation of what is to come in the next episode until the series' conclusive close.
There are many challenges that this production more than overcomes, and several reasons that enhance its plot proposal. Beyond the structural, acting and logistical aspects, which through austerity allows this series to achieve a lot, and the virtues in the themes addressed, and their management, the narrative structure must be highlighted.
With a slow pace, and alternating different timelines that go from the adolescence of the two protagonists, narrating the moment in which Kohei begins to lose his hearing and how he isolates himself from the world, or the divorce process of Taichi's parents that It led to him going to live with his grandfather, to the present day, each episode, from less to more, manages to generate expectation, interest, entertainment, and leaves an important space for personal reflection.
This slow pace creates a context that allows for the correct development of the protagonists' story. As a weak point we can mention, on the other hand, the lack of depth in the construction and history of other main and important characters in the story: Yokoyama Tomoki, Sugihara Ryoko, Yasuda Satoshi, Sagawa Genji, Miho, Maya...
'Hidamari ga Kikoeru' is a story of growth, of the transition to adulthood, and the team behind the cameras knows how to put themselves in the eyes, the body, the sensitivity of those young people who are just beginning their steps in the university world, young people among the adolescence and adulthood, for whom the conflicts they are going through would be deciding "their entire life."
The tempo, the music, the movement of the bodies build a truth in which some lines of the script may be redundant. A detail that in no way detracts from an endearing and loving story, which knows how to deviate from the commonplaces that the universe of television series has built.
The young and promising actor Nakazawa Motoki, in his first leading role after appearing in the film 'Sayonara Monotone', from 2023, and several series, including 'Saitama no Host', plays Sugihara Kohei.
For his part, rising star Kobayashi Toranosuke, also playing his first leading role, after debuting in 2022 in the series 'Kateikyoushi no Torako', takes on the role of Sagawa Taichi.
Nakazawa Motoki and Kobayashi Toranosuke had already worked together before, when in 2023 they coincided in the series 'Gekokujo Kyuji', in which the former played Inuzuka Sho, while the latter played the character Hioki Soma.
Personal and sincere, with a cast that is simply perfect and which is joined by Usa Takuma, who we saw in the role of Sakuma Hajime in the BL series '25 Ji, Akasaka de' or in 'Kiss x Kiss x Kiss: Love ii Shower', of the same genre, and music that carries the narrative drift with sensitivity and fairness, 'Hidamari ga Kikoeru' is a series of enormous beauty.
These three actors, along with the committed performance of a cast that includes Natsuki Omi, Nishida Naomi and the renowned veteran actor Denden, is another reason why viewing this series becomes an interesting experience.
It is not a simple love story between two teenagers, but rather it represents the problems that can arise in a romantic relationship when one of the two members of the relationship has a hearing disability. Thus, beyond a standard love theme, 'Hidamari ga Kikoeru' is a call to eradicate the mistreatment and discrimination that society carries out on minority groups, be it the members of the LGBTIQ+ group or the disabled, in this case, those who have hearing problems. "Stress is the worst for you... Living in a society designed for those who can hear might be the biggest challenge," the doctor will tell Kōhei.
In this way, the series becomes a manifesto to demand the equality of all human beings. The fact of being homosexual, something considered taboo in Japan, a country that does not yet accept equal marriage and where members of that community face discrimination and constant challenges that heterosexual people do not experience, should not be seen as something bad, but rather it should be to be integrated into society until, one day, there is no type of exclusion for the mere fact of being different from others.
To the delight of manga and BL lovers, the series does not have the same ending as the 2017 film of the same name. As I expressed in the review of this feature film: "Despite the fact that the development of the plot is very similar to the story created by Yūki Fumino, its ending has nothing to do with the original. Instead of the magical and emotional ending of the manga, the one of the film directed by Kamijo Daisuke leaves BL lovers with a bad taste in their mouths.
'Hidamari ga Kikoeru' is, ultimately, a series whose main theme is simply love, and focuses on the fundamental idea of accepting each individual as they are and showing respect towards others, a message that runs through the story of the two young university lovers.
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Kobayashi Toranosuke's acting deserves an Oscar.
I owe respect and gratitude to everyone who participated in the making of the film.
I hope that there will be a sequel to this movie later and that the two main characters will appear together in other movies.
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This review may contain spoilers
you will feel all the emotions with this one
really love this show it’s dealing with all the issues of friendship love disability judgment love hate jealousy etc. Kohei seems like a really lovely guy who just suffered from a terrible tragedy and is trying to navigate his new life as best as he can. Taichi is not only helping Kohei live among the “hearing” helping him with school work and becoming his friend there is also their romantic relationship, plus Kohei is struggling with his own issues of working to survive plus school all after being abandoned by his own parents. I’m hoping that in the end they can become each others safe zones and we get a happy ending for themWas this review helpful to you?
Whispers of the Heart: A Journey of Unspoken Love
It began with the aroma of a meal, one finding satisfaction in eating, the other in watching. Their bond, a delicate thread of fate, grew stronger as they carefully explored their own and each other’s hearts. Even as one’s hearing faded, the other remained a constant source of light.Taichi, usually so carefree, diligently took notes for Kohei, capturing essential knowledge.
Kohei, mindful of Taichi’s comfort, quietly restrained his passion.
We, silent witnesses to their love, are deeply moved by their journey and await Taichi’s awakening.
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Really amazing
I absolutely love this drama! The acting is incredibly natural, and the story is so sweet. Each character's struggles are portrayed beautifully, making it relatable and heartfelt. It's a perfect adaptation of the manga, capturing its essence perfectly. While it's slow-paced, it adds to its charm. Overall, a delightful watch that you’ll adore!Was this review helpful to you?
A Beautiful Continuation of their Story
The word 'Beautiful' perfectly encapsulates this series. The story, the sounds, whether a summer or a rainy day, the characters, and the people in their lives all come together to make it a beautiful and comforting watch.This series adapts the story from the manga and movie into something unique. The world of two beautiful souls who have been neglected in different ways; they meet and form a beautiful connection. While this version is familiar, several changes have already improved the overall story. My expectations are high.
A bonus is that I'm already in love with the actors' interpretations of these roles and look forward to watching their chemistry unfold. I definitely recommend this one!
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I see potential..
This is one of the very few dramas I've found interesting from the beginning. Taichi is energetic and Kohei is calm and put together, I think they are gonna have a great chemistry in the future. I haven't read the manga but the first episode made my expectations high.One thing I didn't like about Japanese bl's were they didn't know how to put makeup on men! They most of the time looks bare faced but here, both the makeup and lighting was better.
Still, can't say much, will keep editing in the future.
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utterly adorable, a must watch for sure
I've read the manga, seen the movie, and now finally watching this series-- this story gets me every time. This series is one of those rare occasions where the adaptation adds even more depth to the story, and watching the slow forming romance between these two is just really adorable.The story follows Taichi-- a naturally loud and honest guy who often gets himself into fights with his blunt words and tendency to talk with his fists. He quite literally slides into Kouheis world one day, an anti-confrontational loner who is hard of hearing, and seemingly hard to approach. Taichi however has no such difficulty getting close to him, and they become fond of eachother almost immediately.
You immediately fall in love with both of the MCs, the chemistry between them is so well done, and the flow of their relationship has such a natural feel. The actors themselves are adorable, they both do an amazing with their characters.
Production is good too, unlike a lot of manga adaptations, this drama doesn't have corny transition sounds or effects, yet they still stay incredibly cannon to the manga. If you've watched the movie, you'll notice a lot of the first 5 episodes are almost identical, and from the manga they really only changed a few things, super accurate!
Looking forward to new episodes, this review is based on episodes 1-5 only, but I'm really betting this one will be a gem, with our long awaited happy ending. I'll update the review as more episodes are released!
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This review may contain spoilers
Cutest BL I've ever seen
This is the cutest BL I've ever watched. Even though I've only watched 1 episode, I really like the story and the amazing cast, I want to pinch Taichi and Kohei because them so adorable , (^o^).It's like Taichi who talks a lot, continues to be blunt and often defends people (like when he was at the shop and ended up getting fired because he hit the owner too, :O. He's cute, kind and brave. Aaaa I love his character so much.
As for Kohei, he's a sullen person, an introvert, doesn't like crowds. Even though many girls like it, unfortunately he is hated by famous guys in that university (ewwhh, b'tch, what famous guys? Are they kidding?, they are bullies and envious people, hahaha LoL). He's a good person, how could he not be good, the first time he met Taichi, he immediately asked Kohei for his bento and he gave him everything, really good...
I swear this is really exciting. This is the funniest BL and cutest BL I've watched (similarly to Love by Chance) (^o^). Can't wait to watch episode 2 and wait for episode 3^_^
Update Episode 2 : I really really like it. How this episode tells about the past of Kohei, who had lots of friends, was talkative, and liked hanging out with other people. He even missed his high school friends. However, because he started to lose his voice, he became distracted and became quiet. Kohei is so narakk( Cute ) in this episode(^o^)
Update episode 3 : The story has started to develop and become more beautiful, where this episode tells of Taichi's gloomy past and how Kohei found his purpose in life (he even tried to Coo..... Oops.. Spoiler lol.) ahhhhhh I really like the scene during filming Zombie , Kohei's face really really funny hahaha :-)
Update Episode 4 & 5 : I saved up for this episode and i am swear..... This is the most beautiful episode, from where kohei's hearing begins to fade, jealousy, kisses, and many more. It's really amazing episode. The problem that exists is also detailed from all aspects. It's just not long in duration, XD
Update Episode 6 & 7 : the story is more great in this eps, not just about chemistry, but the drama, the jealousy, and the everything is really amazing. Really love it. And Idk why everyone hate that girl, i mean nothings wrong the way she thinkin about her senpai. She just assumed that Taichi just use her senpai cus his treat/bento & i mean because everyone is assume other people ( and mosly is just assuming and of course wrong because they really don't know that real person is ). Pretty good so far
Update Episode 8 : Ahhhhh, it's pretty amazing. I really love it for this episode. It's very calming me, the story, the background( nature ) , the bird & crickets voices it's shooting, i can't get enough for that. But i got sad because whattttt the next episode trailer it's so feeling down, like whattt!!!!
Update episode 9 & 10. Whyyy........? It's getting not fun again. I mean whyy Taichi dropped out from university. My koeheiiii:-(
Can't wait for next episodeeeeee!
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