Reality Check

*** POSSIBLE SPOILERS ***

The story for this show was truly spectacular and one of the most honestly unique yet real "true-to-life" stories I have seen in a long time. Granted it may just be my personal bias since recently I've also moved and had to go through combining households, which is tricky for any situation.

The family in this story is relatively close and friendly with each other, however, you can tell from the beginning that each member also had their own worries and challenges they kept secret, making it even more difficult for them to fully immerse themselves immediately into the "2.5 household".


Watching each character find their own pace and place within the newly built home/family was gut-wrenching and even a little heartbreaking, yet also very relatable. Watching Ema-chan go through such a big family change while going through her own turbulent private, personal growth and change was extremely relatable and made me feel so very proud of her when watching her character grow. The same goes for Masaharu-san, too; I felt attached to both him and Ema-chan, they both seemed to bring to light sides of me from when I'm depressed or overwhelmed, and even sides of myself from when I was younger. I apologize if I sound like a broken record here.


Watching the family dynamic from an outsider's point of view was truly wonderful. While there were some relatable things, there were also some moments that felt like there was a "lesson" to be learned. Though, not so much so that it felt pushy or more prominent than the story or overbearing. It was nice to see a family gathering together, even while in their own spaces, to grow as their own person and to strengthen the family without such strong feelings that overtook the show or warped the story into something completely different.


I truly enjoyed this show. It was a very calming, relatable, genuine, open, honest, funny, and comforting show to watch, while also bringing up some questions for myself, and for society as a whole on how we treat people or help people different than ourselves. After all... "what is diversity?"

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Fun~

Before I start the review, I want to put a disclaimer that I only began this show after reading the manga and watching the anime, however far back that was, and thought of giving the show a chance, too, and I was not disappointed!

The cast worked so well together that I didn't even realize I was watching a show until the episode ended. It was like watching a movie or reality television of life on "Goto Island". Each episode was hilarious, heartfelt, and extraordinarily cheerful, even with the sadder moments. I don't want to say the show taught me lessons about life within each episode, but it was truly wonderful to watch each character grow, overcome, and excel at whatever troubles each episode brought up. The dialect from the island was fascinating to listen to, too; I could listen to them talk all day! However, the big surprise to me was seeing two of my favorite actors in the show (Endo Kenichi and Okada Yoshinori) who I didn't even realize were in the cast, and most definitely fueled my excitement to continue watching.


I laughed a lot during the entire show, and yes even learned a few life lessons or how to look at a situation differently, but this show is way too good to be only 11 episodes. I would have liked to of seen more character development between a few of the islanders. I was very much enthralled with each story in every episode and the entire series, too. I could see the similarities between the live-action, manga, and anime as "Barakamon", though I could also catch a few differences in each adaptation that created a brand new story ever time.

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Genius at Work

The emotional rollercoaster this show has sent me on was not only thrilling and mysterious, but extremely dramatic, epic, intense, and bittersweet. Never in my wildest assumptions did I figure out the truth behind the curiosities throughout this story!


The "genius" suspected of murder and the avenging brother are both quite powerful; their dedication, passion, ingenuity, genuine raw honesty, emotions on their sleeves, and intense battles were quite relatable. The story's beginning until the end is smooth, full of twists and turns, impactful mystery, and bittersweet dramatics. Never would I have assumed the ending, though at some points it was predictable, too. A few things were a little annoying or too creepy for me (personally because i'm a complete scaredy-cat), and some were a little confusing, but overall, nothing was too hard to understand and within a few minutes things were usually described or defined. This is a story about geniuses, after all!


I do wish there were a few more things explained, like from episode 7 or between a couple of characters, otherwise everything seemed to be connected nicely from beginning to end. A couple of characters were really surprising! I never imagined the raw, genuine emotion and strength that came from a few cast members, especially two members of "team Fujiki" -- and that's all I'll say or hint about there!


The story isn't really original, in the aspect that someone loses someone and the other someone wants revenge. However, that's where the known ends and the unknown begins; it was really wonderful to watch each character cross Fujiki Keisuke's path, friend or foe or ally or whoever. To see the people who helped him and vice versa as well as they did, and as often as they did was amazing! I can guarantee that I've never seen something like that in any type of story (movie, tv show, or drama) before; usually there are some "conditions" for someone to help someone else, or consequences to the person needing help or the person giving help. It wasn't like they blindly followed Fujiki or helped him because they owed him, but it seemed like they truly believed in him as a person before they even knew who he was or what he was "up to".


The story was full of rollercoaster twist and turns, I've never been so invested in a show or in a cast before. I wish I knew more about a few characters, and I can't believe what happened to a couple of others! This show is one in a million, the production was really superb and something I wish I could see more of. I already knew a few in the cast were amazing actors/actresses, but in this story I saw a side to them that I've never seen them play before and it was not only super interesting, but sometimes it was sad and creepy and heartbreaking and filled me with pride and made me angry or knocked the breath right out of me. The story was intense right from the beginning of episode one, I could never guess what was going to happen next and I never could begin to guess the ending! This story needs to be seen by more people and I feel like I need a special or movie to conclude some minor questions I (personally) have!


Each actor and actress seemed to be swallowed whole by their character and the show itself seemed to mesh together like a long running movie. I completely forgot the characters were just that.... characters! Forgetting who was playing who as I continued to watch the show, I believed the roles they played so absolutely! In all honesty, it made me want to avoid Yasuda Ken so badly and I felt so awful for Kiriyama Akito. I really hope this story gains more popularity, it is truly one in a million!

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Unassuming Beautiful Story

This story is a gorgeous telling of what it means to be a member of any community and/or family, whether a new or old member of society. Each episode is full of stories of growth, honesty, raw and genuine feelings, determination, and respect. Growing from one's past isn't exactly easy to do, but with the support of friends and family or people from your community to support and guide and reassure you, anything is possible!


This story only has 7 or 8 people I recognize within its cast and that made it really interesting and enjoying to watch. I've found a few new actors/actresses whose careers I would like to follow, given this story was created in 2009 I'm sure they have a ton of new shows and movies to watch!


This show's episodes were really a mishmash of what happened on the island; it was calming and beautiful to watch, with a twist at the end that I did NOT see coming at all! However, the mystery and suspense really knocked the air out of my lungs and had me hanging on the edge of my seat! I did cry a few times during the show, so keep some tissues prepared! What I wasn't sure about was the ending, I feel like it ended too soon, and a few things needed to be expanded on or at least given a "1 month later" or "1 year later" type of conclusion.


This story really had it all! Dramatic backstory, lifestyle worries, old and new relationships, relatable problems, epic thrills, hysterical comedy, and heartfelt yet bittersweet moments. I wish they had a few more episodes than just 9, I really enjoyed watching each member of the Narumijima Island grow into their true self as they supported the community and became stronger versions of themselves. I am really interested in seeing how the Island grows and continues to address their issues, separately and as a community; each member of the cast really had a wonderful, bright, positive personality and attitude during the entirety of filming. It was something really special to watch!

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I've Never Wanted to Travel More!

When you think of Japan, most people travel there for it's popular media (music, anime, manga, fashion, etc) and other people seem to travel there for culture (food, history, architecture, museums, etc) and most people even think of one city: Tokyo! While theres nothing wrong with Tokyo, it just seems to be the most populated and popular place to visit; this show shares multiple wonderful reasons about why Kyoto and Osaka are wonderful places to venture to as well!



Each story really had a thrilling impact of intense emotions! From tears to laughter, anger to frustration, worry to pure unadulterated happiness. Each story was filled with a mixture of familiar and unfamiliar, like a mini-travel show, and while I did learn something new each time about new places to visit, I also learned new things about being a good friend or just being a good human, in general.



This show really tells a fantastic story of traveling, alone or in a group of friends or even strangers; almost like a travel blog come to life! Watching the characters and cast visit so many places around both Osaka and Kyoto, while listening to the dialects of different regions, and learning varying new things about the towns and foods and places visited was not only gorgeous but seemed to me to be an absolute privilege! Watching Kokoro-chan, Nanami-san, Sosuke-san, Jun-chan, and Miyama-san work together to help their customers or visitors throughout each episode was really charming and absolutely stunning! There were a few, tiny moments, when I thought "oh this person would fit well in this episode" or "this person would be an interesting choice for this role" but it really only lasted for a few seconds because this story really blew me out of the water! Each episode was really packed with a lot of information and entertainment; it was really fun to watch Jun-chan grow as a person and watch her confidence grow as she fulfilled each new customer's wish, even if she didn't realize what was going on. It was nice to see an airhead willing to grow within the story, instead of an airheaded victim that remains the "damsel in distress".



The show didn't really go in the direction I thought it would, it was absolutely completely different from what I imagined it would be considering the synopsis, too. I really enjoyed watching and learning so much about Kyoto, Osaka, and Japan in general. This show also served to make me extremely hungry! All the food not only looked delicious but very beautiful, too! A lot of the food I didn't recognize, but a lot I knew a little about; it was nice to see the difference in regional food names even though the food seemed to be similar, and it was nice to see the differences in regional areas. Something like that is similar to what we have here in the USA, however I think what we have is limited to accents or what we call things (buggy vs cart; etc) and in Japan it seems that it applies to more diverse things (what they call things, accents, types of foods or even mannerisms).



Wandering around Kyoto and Osaka was quite an adventure! I really liked how each episode showed off different sides of each city, town, and person no matter if they were new or recurring. The connection between each cast member was really wonderful to watch grow, I enjoyed that there were hints of romance, but nothing really ever seemed to connect, each person who visited Kizunaya (Kizuna-ya) seemed to get almost exactly what they were searching for even if they didn't realize it was coming for them. "A place where your wish can come true" seems to be pretty generic to Japanese drama, movie, anime, or manga stories; but this story is unique in and of itself! A genuine take on the human condition: kindness, anger, hilarity, sadness, courage, communication, friendship, love, facing the past, braving the future.... This story is an underrated gem full of history, growth, impressive sights, sounds, and mouth watering moments full of joy and enchantment!

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A little bit of everything

This show really has it all! Romance, fantasy, drama, mystery, suspense, hilarity, ingenuity, and even a few moments where I've had to hold my breath or grab a tissue. I did not expect a lot from this story, but each and every episode with its wonderful cast really did their best to deliver a one-of-a kind, unique, talent filled, enjoyable show!


It was interesting to see that there was a sort of "behind the scenes" look at a police officer's lifestyle besides the nitty-gritty dirty details of their work. Also, I really enjoyed watching the different types of families, with or without kids, throughout the show. For some reason, this show felt familiar to a family/slice-of-life anime style, but also with little bits of "Bewitched" and the typical family life thrown in. Each episode was filled with suspense, thrills, mystery, comedy, and sometimes even a little life lesson. I liked that the family unit for the Morikawa's was completely upended, definitely not the "typical" or "normal" family style.


Watching this story was intense! So much happening all at once, but never once did I lose my train of thought or get confused. It was really fun to watch the kids seem to have their own lives, but also come together as part of the community and support their friends and families. So many times you see kids be bratty or self centered, but it was really fun to watch each member of the little town where the Morikawa's lived come together on different, yet similar, common ground(s) at times. As an aspiring writer myself (as if my ridiculously long reviews didn't hint at that already lmao) it was also nice to watch Morikawa Akira struggle and yet still continue his writings; often in shows we only see failure and quitting or succeeding and winning or succeeding and then failing after a while... viewers don't often get to see the journey that Akira goes on throughout the episodes, so it was really fun to watch!


From cooking and stain removal to fighting bad guys and bullet proof vests to odd souvenirs and new friends to stubborn visitors and funny relatives, this story really does seem to have something for everyone! Though, if you're looking for epic gun battles and "fire fights", this may not be too interesting. The story of the Morikawa family, their neighborhood of family and friends, and how they persevere throughout difficulties and hard work together, or separately, is really wonderful!


I think this show is sort of underrated, being as I don't really see a lot of people talking about it, but if people decide to give this fantastic show a chance, I really think and believe that the viewer will enjoy themselves! I laughed, I cried, I was anxious, and even got a few new outlooks on life while enjoying myself! The narrator has a calming voice, yet he was also really funny, too! I am so interested in season two of this family and neighborhood's story!

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Danger-less Yet Still Dangerous

I'm not sure if this is supposed to be a parody of police/detective/crime dramas or if the writers, directors, staff, creators, actors, and actresses were completely serious in the making of this story. But it is one of my most absolute favorite shows, has a fantastic cast list, and a very unique and talent filled story that I've enjoyed from beginning to end!


The partner team of Suzuki Nobuyuki (Takano Shin) and Sano Hayato (Yonaka Wataru) was perfect! I felt like I was watching a veteran team of detectives at work; each played to their partners strengths and helped to cover or better their weaknesses. It was almost as if there was mind reading involved. Though, not to be outdone, the partner team of Yano Masato (Tsukiga Nashio) and Ino Hiroki (Ikiri Tatsumi) was utterly amazing; their hard work, talents, and chemistry was really intense and fantastic to watch! I'm assuming most people would see the two partner teams as trying to compete to be better than the other(s), and while that does seem apparent for a couple episodes, it also doesn't really seem likely; more so, it seems, that they work together to better the other... even if Tsukiga-san doesn't realize it!


So, while there is no animosity nor huge political issue, this show still did not disappoint! The synopsis and trailer really do help to tell some of the story, neither really tells all of the story. In their own way, both Yonaka-san and Takano-san are hardworking detectives, yet it was almost like watching a character's inner monologue as they were deciding which way to take their careers and how to handle their futures. I was really impressed with how strong, mentally and physically they all worked together throughout this story.


There didn't really seem to be an actual story or plotline throughout, but when I saw the last few episodes, I was completely surprised! There was so much going on that I wished there was more to see; this show is the definition of a cliffhanger. I wish there was more, the story seemed to end while leaving a few unanswered questions, and it felt like there was more that was supposed to be told. Each part of the story really did build up a wonderful foundation; it was really interesting to watch how each case unfolded, with their consequences and actions, but mostly how the two teams of Takano-san and Tsukiga-san worked separately and together at once.


If you're looking for a show that will surpass expectations while still being something of a hidden gem, with hilarity and surprises and twists and endings that no one will ever see coming, while also being one of the best detective/crime shows you'll watch this year then this is definitely a show you should worth checking out!

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Rental Clarity

Its been a while since I've been so emotionally involved with a show. Each episode, from beginning to end, was so intense and left me on the edge of my seat of what would happen next. I feel like this could have been a movie, it all flowed so perfectly together. But I believe this story was made in to a 12 episode show to give viewers time to collect themselves and review (talk about) the information from each episode before moving on to the next and the next, until the end. As the story continued to build, each character really created a special position for themselves within the story. It was really great to watch each character grow as their own person, but it was really nice to see how it reflected on the main characters, too.


As the Kotaki brothers continued their work, it was nice to see how reflections of each character mirrored back to the brothers. It was like watching a strong foundation being built from the ground up, and how each crack and "imperfection" would be fixed along the way to make the best foundation possible. It was interesting to see the differences in humanity, too; supporters, heartbreak, new relationships, etc.


People have compared this story to "Midnight Diner", and I can see why, the ambience or atmosphere of this show is pretty familiar; but that's where the familiarity stops. I think this show is an underrated gem, it has great power to stand on its own as a fantastic story of mystery, familial and friendly love relationships, etc; and the story of humanity at its best. How to get back up on your feet after falling down, how to ask for help even if you don't want to, how to change, or how to be the best version of yourself.


This show really had a wonderful back story. It was extremely interesting to see the differences between, not only the brothers, but in the humans and community around them. It was nice to watch them build up their careers as well; I really like the idea of a "rental person" to help with personal, private, or just random things. The story, without giving too much away, was very beautiful; about building connections, building oneself, and the hardships while doing so. This story is absolutely one of the best I've seen this year.

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A Little Bit of Everything

This story has a little bit of every genre mixed within it. Slice-of-life, romance, mystery, science fiction, family, but most importantly it really tells a story of reality and humanity and (i apologize for sounding so sappy) and the relationship with your own self.


At the beginning, this story set out to be exactly what the synopsis said: a tv screenwriter who rekindled a dream he had given up for years (in short), however, the story itself is so much more than that; and while it does seem to be a little slow in the beginning, as each episode builds and builds, the story creates a wonderful world full of imagination, creativity, mishaps, dramatics, and a fantastic adventure!


(i apologize if the below is a spoiler for anyone)
The show does resemble Ikuta Toma's drama "Ore no Hanashi wa Nagai", but in atmosphere only. I couldn't find one similarity within the script, characters, or anywhere else. This story was something like a sequel, but not quite EXACTLY a sequel... Maybe something like an alternate reality? Though I do have to say the differences between Ikuta Toma's main characters for each show is quite strong; I couldn't find any similarities between them (except for the fact that Ikuta Toma was the main character actor) and he doesn't seem the type of person to be type-casted into any roles. In fact, seeing him in roles like this (charming, family man, calm and quiet, slice-of-life, almost non-main-character type if you follow the popular views) makes me want to see him in other more active, strong, dramatic (think Ouroboros) type of roles. Ikuta Toma does a marvelous job of sucking you in to, not only admiration for his character, but also admiration for the show and each and every character.



This story is very comforting. A family that works together, yet has their own almost "secret society" within it. While most families do have this dynamic, it was nice to see that each member of the Yoshimaru household had their own life that did not revolve around the celebrity that was their parents. Yes, everyone (family included) around them wanted to celebrate the new job(s) and be supportive, but this show was so much more than just celebrating one or two specific peoples. I would have liked to of seen more of Sora-kun, Erika-chan, and Sengawa-kun, though! I feel like that is a side story worth exploring.


I think this story may be a bit underrated, but then again I'm not one that follows the bandwagon for "popular" things, either. I wanted to watch this show because of Ikuta Toma, but then I realized there were more cast members that I enjoy watching and following their career(s), and as I started watching this story the show really made me laugh out loud, gasp with suspense, and worry along with the characters. Each actor really blended in with their character well, almost chameleon like level; at some points within the show it felt like I was watching a docu-drama of a real family that was put together as a drama and not a full documentary to keep the interest and entertainment of the original story. I really enjoyed watching the ups, downs, and in-betweens of the Yoshimaru family, the co-workers, and their friends. I wonder why this did not get a few more episodes or more detailed story for a few other cast members, but I'm also kind of glad that this story wasn't too busy or cluttered with information that would be unnecessary. It was really wonderful to see the "behind the scenes" work of a screen writer!

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Underrated - Intense - Genuine - Painful, Bittersweet Reality

I was extremely unprepared and had little to no expectations for this show. I went in to it thinking it would be something of a comedy, since I mainly know Sato Jiro from comedic genre type shows and movies and I rarely ever look at the genre listing of a show (unless I'm specifically looking for a certain genre) so I won't be too biased going in to the story. I am not exaggerating when I say that this show completely blew me away, blew my mind and absolutely left me breathless.


The story is almost literally what the title says it is: a hikikomori man who regained the self confidence little by little to go outside for work, for food, and for himself. Hikikomori's are not unknown within Japan, between 2010 and 2011 there are 700,000 (according to Wikipedia and google anyways). To see a show created with hikikomori's in mind, almost as if it was created for them, with such respect, dedication, compassion, and intensity toward human kind no matter their issues and how to help not only the "main" person involved but everyone involved within the (same) problem was the definition of epic. To me, at least.


Each episode left me wanting more, to know what was going to happen to, not only the students, but the teachers and the principal, and especially to "yakitori-sensei" and Yoda-kun, too. The dramatics for each episode left me in tears; the emotions of the students and parents involved were so dramatically intense, so raw and fierce, and full of brutal, bittersweet honesty. It was inspiring and empowering to watch the students rise above their issues, not full of entitlement, but full of confidence, preservation, love, and genuinely face themselves and their problems, and especially life itself.


I completely felt depressed when covid reared its ugly head. The feelings and emotions of each person, student and teacher alike, really was a punch to the gut. It completely took my breath away. Personally, covid was a 50/50 high issue. I quarantined and got vaccinated of course, especially because I'm high risk, and I actually did get covid for a week last month, but since I'm vaccinated my covid wasn't as bad as it could have been. Watching how hard covid had hit society, even though it's oceans away from me and involved people who (even though the actors/actresses are real, the characters are not) are strangers to me and (sort of) not real was really hard to watch. I felt my breath leave my body during a couple of episodes, I was so upset and concerned for each person; I sympathized and empathized with almost all the students and hikikomori-sensei, too!


This show was very special, and to me feels underrated; it definitely needs more press and more people to see such a beautiful story full of the joys and sadness and frustrations and hardships that life deals us. I cannot wait for season 2!

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Manga Live Action Done Right!

This live action make really holds the manga original very, very close! The similarity in the episodes is uncanny and produced so well, it was like watching the manga float right off the pages, which can be a difficult thing considering this is an extremely original and unique type of story.


Granted, there are some cliche Japanese Drama/Movie tropes within the show, but they really take on lives of their own. They don't come across as too cheesy or ridiculous, each moment has just the right amount of balance for the serious, hilarious, and many more! I've never laughed out loud so much, so loud, and so often within a show as I have with this show; granted, not every episode and not the entire episode(s), either. This is one of the funniest yet sincere, honest, and most beautiful shows I have watched in a long time.


The music was really wonderful, the voices more so than the melody I thought really created a nice atmosphere for the show and built up the curiosity to find out what happens next. There were a couple of episodes where I was on the edge of my seat with anticipation! Hiroshi Tamaki and Kawaguchi Haruna really blended into their roles so well that I completely forgot who they were as an actor and actress and fell totally in love with their characters; its almost as if all the actors and actresses within this show came to life from the original story, they all fit their roles and carried them out with the highest pride, dedication, respect, and, of course, enjoyment! It was nice to see some actors/actresses that are new to me and that I will now follow their paths because I liked them in this story so much, and actors/actresses that I know and already follow in different roles that I'm used to seeing them in; especially for Takito Kenichi. I would really like to know how they did some of these scenes without dying of laughter.


I'm so glad this story continues in so many ways (manga of course, a sequel, a spinoff, the anime, a Netflix adaptation, and a movie) because the world needs to see more of these wonderful people and the story of the yakuza house husband needs to continue. This show is a hilarious yet serious and sincere, honest and genuine, raw true story of love, family, relationships, and life. I've enjoyed it very much and hope more people will, too!

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Otori no Yu is Perfection

First off, let me start by saying: no, this isn't a "typical drama", however, this is one of the most hilarious and epically entertaining shows I have seen in a long time! I laughed out loud multiple times within an episode. I got worried in a couple other episodes. This is a skit show, even says so at the beginning of each episode, though the way the story builds and continues (unlike most skit shows in America) this show is also a drama. A very exceptional even split between skit/sketch comedy and a drama story creating a fantastic show!


I thought the laugh track/live audience laughter would be annoying, but it was kind of helpful in a sense and was really nice to hear as the actors and actresses showed off all of their hard work during the 10 episodes. I wish there were more, or the episodes were a little longer, but seeing how physically demanding, imaginative, fulfilling, and creative each episode was, it's easy to see how the actors/actresses and staff/writer(s)/director(s) were giving the viewer all of their hard work, respect, and dedication to their characters and each other while working.


I like how the setting was created. Building such a wonderful set and atmosphere around the characters, instead of letting the setting build the characters. I saw a few different sides of actors/actresses who I really like and it was ridiculously entertaining. I don't really think this show can be considered a launching pad to put the actors/actresses out in to the celebrity world, but in some ways it sort of felt like it. I really enjoyed watching actors I was familiar with and unfamiliar with come together to create such a spectacular story without making it seem like one actor/actress was more popular or favorited than the others.


The story itself was really interesting! The build up from episode one until the finale was intense, it's small and unassuming, but if you pay attention the story is truly one the more genuine, unique, honest, and emotional stories I've seen. Granted, nothing like murder or the like happens, but this story has got a severe punch to the gut that will take your breath away with laughter!

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Intense Mystifying Thrills

This story is not at all what I thought it would be! I've never seen such thrilling dramatics in my life, except for maybe in a couple of movies. This show had such a fantastically unique story that I had never seen before except maybe in manga or anime; in fact, this story is like an anime or manga come to life, which I'm sure a commenter or reviewer already said (lol). IF you're looking for something different with intense story telling then try this show!


At the beginning, I wasn't sure about the main character's, they seemed like a mish-mash of people from different "acting ranks" (is that a thing?) brought together to somehow hype up the show. However, the more I watched, the more each actor and actress seemed to fit their role(s) perfectly, like beautiful pieces of a puzzle. For a story like this with its curious plot, a "mish-mash" of people involved is quite really the best reasoning. People who are brought together by something bigger than themselves to work together as a team, drawing from everyone's strengths and filling in where there are weaknesses.


The music for the ending really threw me, at first it didn't really fit within the first few episodes, and it kind of annoyed me at times so I skipped it. Though, as the show went on, and I kept watching all the way to the end (to see if the end credits had secrets lol) the song grew on me, and it even made me feel like I had a hitch in my throat; like I was on the edge of a cliff waiting for something to happen with full dramatics... which is usually did in the next episode. The music for this show was spectacular in helping to create such an amazing universe for this story.


This story is intense, very interesting, and leaves the viewer wanting more! The backstory could have been filled in more for a few characters, but I also like the way they left it blank; as if leaving it to the viewers imagination. But it also makes me wonder if this show was meant to have longer episodes, a special, or even a second season. Some things seemed left to the imagination, while others seemed either forgotten or meant to create a type of bridge to another episode/special/season two. I would love to see more if that is a possibility, of course! However, the sword fighting in this show was so amazingly talented, you could see just how respectful and cautious each person was with the scabbards (sheaths?) and the swords, as well. That had to have been a lot of hard work that pushed the body(bodies) to their limits.


The theme of this show is superb, very interesting and great at catching the viewers attention. The synopsis is a great tantalizing temptation, then you throw in the trailer, too.... and I was hooked from episode one!

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Feel Good Epic

This story is simple, sweet, and extremely charming. There are a lot of dramatic scenes within this story, as there were in season one (maybe not as thrilling as some hope, but still), that pair very well with the calming, "serotonin" giving scenes, as well. The "main characters" really do blend in to the show, not once did I think one character/person was the top shining actor/actress; throughout this entire season, everyone involved seems important and has the strength of their own "main character"!


There were so many twists and turns, laugh out loud, worrying and anxious, curiouser and curiouser moments throughout the entire season! I've never wanted to binge watch a show so quickly in my life. Without any added special affects (effects?), such as explosions or the like, the story always managed to keep me on the edge of my seat! The story really focuses more so on the heart of a town's community, the society and humanity of things, the good and the bad (and sometimes the ugly, too).


Saying that, however, this show is not at all "preachy". Not once did I feel or think that I was being "taught" or treated like a child. Each episode really does show the strengths of the characters as they grow from who they were to who they wish to become; a stronger fighter, smarter in politics, work out family troubles, create new businesses, etc... Leaving me with the feeling that the first season also left me with: that I was in the middle of an RPG video game, watching and creating a town that would prosper all while facing difficult, sometimes scary, tasks!


If you're looking for something dark and dramatic, this may not interest you. But if you are looking for something calming, cheerful, cozy, beautiful, and are in to fantasy stories that transport you so completely to another world(s), then this may be your next favorite!


PS: I need to find the song for this season and the first season, I'm way too addicted :P lol

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Beautiful Story Telling

This show was like reading a fantasy book, or watching a fantasy RPG video game in action. Each episode was charming and cozy within Tavern Nobu. The familiar feeling of Midnight Diner was certainly there, however, this tavern really does have a life of its own!


I really liked how each character began as a brand new interaction and then slowly integrated into the story; almost as if you were growing your traveling party in a game. With each new character you got a new set of information about the town, or new powers or skills to add to your group. This show has a very calming-"serotonin"-like feel to it, which the music supported very well; almost sending me in to a trance a couple of times! Each episode introduced a new character or a new food for Nobu, so it was like learning something new each time without the need for unnecessary and sometimes cheesy dramatics. If you're looking for a calm, cheerful, enthralling, magical show then this show is definitely for you!


I'm curious as to why they only had a handful of backstory for the "two main characters" (i don't think there was truly any "main" character[s] within this show; everyone really had their own time in the spotlight), however, and I would love to know more about not only their backstory, but where they and Tavern Nobu go from here! I'm so glad there's a special and two more seasons!


I can see why people would compare this show to Midnight Diner, but I can guarantee that, while it is definitely familiar, that it is also definitely NOT Midnight Diner's exact copy within a fantasy world. This story is whimsical, full of fantastical things and epic stories, not to mention the atmosphere of the show is completely different. With this show, I feel like I stepped in to a video game or in to a fantasy anime or book. This show had me captivated from episode one! This is one of the most creative, imaginative, unique, talented, genuinely realistic(ish), funny, honest, and enthralling shows I have ever seen.

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