Itazura na Kiss: Love in Tokyo (2013)

There's something about japanese dramas that korean ones can't seem to have... sweetness. Watching Itazura na Kiss was a really sweet experience. No melodrama, no tears just for the sake of crying... Now it's not a masterpiece either, but INK Love in Tokyo has a good plot, lovable characters and an overall aura of lightness and it was exactly what I expected from it.

I'm a huge fan of the anime version and I have seen both taiwanese and korean drama versions and I gotta say INK Love in Tokyo beats them both. The taiwanese one was way too long and therefore was boring at times and the korean one... well, not so good actors and even though I love the story, I couldn't help but being hella bored while watching Playful Kiss.

INK Love in Tokyo managed to still be interesting to me even though I knew the plot (and its twists) by heart. Now yes, the over the top acting (especially the main actress) was kinda off-putting at first but once I got past it, I really got fond of the characters and the main couple. I loved their chemistry, even if (no) thanks to the author, Irie Naoki's character is difficult to understand (to the point you just want to shake the hell outta him) and Aihara Kotoko's one is way too dumb to not be frustrated with her at some point. Still, loved them both together and individually.

The drama has its fun moments, not to the point where I'd like, laugh out loud or anything but enough to make me smile and feel good when watching them. And again, that was exactly what I expected from it. No more, no less.

I'm really glad it got a second season even if I already know how it's going to end but the drama's amazing characters and its sweet aura will definitely manage to keep me interested throughout its second run.

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I was planning to see this since when it came out.
For series made out of mangas, I think japanese versions are better.
Not because korean or taiwanese versions are not good, but because there are some things just japanese culture can express when it comes to manga/dorama adaptations.

I never read the manga but I know the mangaka's style; I can say I liked this very much but there are also things I'd like to point out.
I made some considerations thinking also of the korean version.

The plot; The plot is nice and the things that happen not so unreal. It is a cute and sometimes moving story about love and about growing up.
Even though some episodes are boring, it is not difficult to watch since you fell for the characters.

The characters and the casting;
Naoki was good; good looking and well played by Furukawa Yuki. I liked him better than the korean one, because I felt like he was more professional and more like the real Naoki. I mean, you have the feeling the actor is doing a great job because you can feel the cold-and-warm-at-the-same-time heart of Naoki.
The only thing that I have to point out is that at the end his character changes too fast, and it seems a little weird. I think it is something that is in the manga too, but well, he is just perfect this way.
Kotoko is a character I love and hate at the same time. I love her because she never gives up, but I hate her because she is a little bit too much in stalkering Naoki. Anyway, it is a good and fresh character that makes you smile.
Despite of what everybody says, I liked Miki Honoka. She's 16, ok, but she is good to be a 16 yo girl! Her exaggerated expressions were part of the script, in almost every comedy japanese doramas there are this kind of expressions. Most of all, I could really feel the change between the firstepisodesKotoko and the lastepisodesKotoko. Everything was good.
Speaking of the age incompatibility between Honoka and Yuki, Yuki said himself he thinks Honoka is very mature to be 16, he didn't feel the age differences at all, and I think so.
I liked the other characters too, both families, and the friends.
Kinchan was portraied better than the korean version: funny, immature but also mature when it comes to be like that.

Music: I liked the op, it was just perfect for this drama, very japanese style.
Also the other songs of the ost are good and suitable for the drama.

In the end, I liked it very much. I recommend this to everyone who wants romance, and also who wants to see something about school, friendship and growing up.
A very good drama!

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