Zenkai Girl bears all the hallmarks of a well-made Japanese romcom!

Believe me, everything about this drama is just great. WATCH IT NOW!

There was not a single dull moment, all the characters are so endearing and likeable, and the chemistry between the two leads is just OVERFLOWING it makes you root for them to be together until the very end. Nishikido Ryo played his character so well, and the little girl who acted as Hinata is so talented. Every episode had moments to make you laugh, cry, pull your hair out of anger/frustration, and feel butterflies in your stomach (Episode 8 in particular!). This drama was chock-full of romantic moments and moving life lessons. AND the writers ended it perfectly. It all came to full circle at the end and I couldn't have asked for a better way to wrap up the story. Will definitely be re-watching this in the near future and for many years to come. It's THAT good.

P.S. Get me a man like Yamada Sota (aka Nishikido Ryo)... He's so fine lol. His puppy eyes make me melt every time.

Read More

If you want to watch a lighthearted yet profoundly meaningful drama, this is the perfect fit.

First, let's talk about the story. The premise of a samurai from 150 years ago being transported to today's modern age is such an attention grabber. The way they introduced the story in episode 1 was more than enough for me to keep watching. I was especially excited to see how Takechi Hanpeita was going to react to modern Japan and the various modern inventions within it like showers, cars, phones, laptops, TVs -- suffice to say the drama did not disappoint in this regard and I can't count the times I literally laughed out loud while watching this drama. Second, it manages to stay lighthearted despite touching on more serious topics like corruption, crime, social unrest, and the importance of human values like courage, friendship, respect, and social etiquette. In this drama, you can gain a lot of wisdom while having a good laugh. Third, the dynamics and chemistry between Nishikido Ryo (Takechi's actor) and Kamiki Ryunosuke were out of this world. I enjoyed most of the scenes where they were on screen together.

Now onto the things I wish could have been better with this drama. The female lead was doing my head in sometimes. The way she grumbles and complains was kind of tiring to watch, but the ending delivered in a way that managed to make up for the times when I was annoyed with her. I also wish they would have spent more time fleshing out the characters especially with Rio, Tora, Saeki and basically almost all the supporting characters. Every character is so endearing in their own way that I wanted to see more of them. Stretching this drama out to 10 or 11 episodes would have done the trick but I don't know why the writers limited themselves to 8 episodes only.

Overall, this drama was so much fun to watch and I learned a great deal from it, especially about Japanese history.

Read More