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Giuca

Lost in the Cloud....

Giuca

Lost in the Cloud....
Yangotonaki Ichizoku japanese drama review
Completed
Yangotonaki Ichizoku
0 people found this review helpful
by Giuca
Dec 25, 2023
11 of 11 episodes seen
Completed
Overall 8.5
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 6.0
Rewatch Value 5.5
This review may contain spoilers

With all due respect, another Cinderella story?

I really don't know how to rate this drama. Frankly, I never felt so many contrary emotions about a show. I loved it and I hated it, I was amused and I was disgusted, I was hooked and I wanted to drop it - all at the same time. It is another fairy tale mash up with an american soap opera with a very japanese twist to it. In the first episode there is a food and pillow fight together with hair pulling: I really thought I was watching Dynasty! The opening credits' still was a photo of the cast in the typical US soap poses so...The reason I was so confused by it is that I could not pinpoint exactly which genre this belongs to: comedy, satire, drama, makjang, soap? It has everything in it!

So what happens when Cinderella marries her prince and goes to live in his castle? Will she obey to rigid antiquated customs or will she rebel? Well, this is the 21st century, the women empowerment has swept the world and has even reached Japan where young women of today refuse to submit any more. Sato, our Cinderella, is someone like that and she does everything in her power to change the stale atmosphere that reigns in her Prince's castle. And she does it all with kindness and with a smile on her face, understanding even the meanest persons trying to hinder her and destroy her. And those people are many! Fortunately her Prince is there!

The drama was actually really about women in japanese society: their position and how they are seen by the male dominated society and how they need to work hard to obtain their independence and freedom. But should I look at it from that point of view (criticism of contemporary Japan) or consider it just some fluffy, meaningless entertainment, far from reality?

The cast of characters was very colourful. Cinderella was a kind, strong willed, intelligent and sweet women: an ideal. Her Prince was a kind, sweet, supportive man. They unwaveringly loved each other (even when the last problem - amnesia!!! I kid you not! LOL) was thrown at them!

The horrible Pater Familias was the only one who did not show any character growth : his ending was rushed and frankly ridiculous!The others: the submissive mother, jealous brother, envious sister-in-law etc. all went to many trials and tribulations and came out stronger. I actually loved to hate the sister-in-law: the Prince's older brother's wife. She was funny when she was mean, singing nursery rhymes to mock our Cinderella, gloating but deep down hiding many insecurities.

Everything is so OTT here! The lifestyle of the indecently rich people is frankly indecent: huge scary mansions, the bling bling everywhere, dozens of servants lined up like army troops accompany them everywhere, ugly ostentatious cars, clothes. And still, the mansion which is on top of the hill, looks like situated in the desert, everything behind the entrance gate is yellow, cold and desolate! Cinematography was really good: it made me feel very uncomfortable!

I watched it on viki and they forgot to edit out the in-episode previews: I guess the episodes were cut in three parts while airing and there were previews before every commercial break. But on viki, there are no commercial breaks so it took me some time to realize what was going on with these scenes out of context!

Should I recommend watching this? Well: "All's well that ends well!" so it is up to you!
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