BrightestStar

Totally agree about Ai Hashimoto. It was the perfect role for her that emphasizes everything she is. And she sure is beautiful, and most importantly classy. Her older sister relationship with Sumire was refreshing as well. All her conversations with Sumire were beautiful

Felt high quality but boring at times. Didn’t like Kiyo and Sumire’s relationship where giving is 1-sided and taking too. They are very young so I don’t think their friendship will last, at least not this way. I also don’t get how Kiyo went from a youthful teen to a grandma within 1 year.

Maiko house members was fun to watch, though felt unrealistic how they get along all the time. Maybe it’s just me. My favourite story in the drama was that of their mother and her daughter.

Food looked amazing. Overall worth to check it out to learn more about the art, the culture in Kyoto, the requirements and expectations, and finally the prejudice they could face.

yeah I found that scene with the kid at the hospital confusing

Solid 5 for me. I liked the idea, and I liked some parts of it, but as a whole, it was missing something. I think my biggest issue is the dialog being childish as if meant for pre-teens. The story itself has nothing that stands out from your usual j-dorama, which made the soundtrack, being so grandiose, out of place, and annoying.

I mainly watched the drama for Odagiri Joe and Matsushita Kohei. I'm fine with Yamazaki Kento but it annoyed me how he was always pushed to the forefront of the scene when the limelight should have been shared with. I'm not sure if my problem was with the fl or with the actress playing her but she was annoying,

So that ending is like the happiest ending you can give to such a story. I can’t decide if I like it or not. On the one hand, it undoes all the character growth/relationship growth/bonds/lesson learned/guilt that happened throughout the story. On the other hand, the trauma those characters would have to deal with if the memories remain would be unmeasurable and might take their whole lifetime to process and get over it.

It’s not completely pointless as those who didn’t survive the game didn’t make it alive, but like did those events really happen? Does it have an effect to them? Or was it a dream forgotten once awake? While they have forgotten, they do feel familiarity to those around them they met in borderland while they were strangers before, so I guess that is something.

Good continuation and a more or less satisfying ending but a couple of points that didn’t make sense to me:
- How did a child even manage to survive to the next level?
-How did Ann’s visa not expire during the time she went on her quest?

Some games went on too long, and my enjoyment of them varied. I enjoyed most the games Chishiya completed. They gave a Liar Game vibe (+ great visual effects and needless violence).

On a personal level, I didn’t appreciate the nudity of that one character. But that could be just me. It didn't add or remove anything to the story though.

I do wonder about the ending, and what it meant for those who decided to accept the offer. More to say about the ending.

Can't think of a rating yet. The characters in this drama are sweet, too sweet. So sweet like you're overdosing on it. I mean I was looking for something chill but the way they get along was weird. Especially Dai-Chu-Sho, they're not normal. The only way 3 brothers can be this sweet to each other, with no conflict, and always follow their sister's instructions, is if they are secret assassins.

The only character that felt real to me was Manato, and that is thanks to Hayashi Kento's acting skills and the way he portrays emotions. In that scene in the Ferris wheel, his vulnerability in what he thought as he went through a traumatic event in his life was so beautiful.

I did like other sides to the drama but overall was too nice for my taste. I prefer dark chocolate over milk. A little bitterness in life makes it more interesting.

It’s not an action drama

Not perfect and at times confusing but a great emotional roller coaster about the tragedy of trauma when not addressed properly, especially on time. You can always heal, but the longer you wait, the harder it gets. If whatever happened to you happened when you were young, it’s critical that the adults act well. So here our heroine might have suffered from a tragedy, but she suffered more from enablers that those that preferred to live an illusion instead of facing reality.

The ending was happy and hopeful.

Tiffany Hsu was great here. First time watching Toby Lee. I think I preferred the rugged version of the character here haha

This movie took me so long to finish! Like weeks!My rating is biased. On the one hand I love the cast, I watched for Okada Junichi. On the other hand yakuza stories just isn’t my thing. And I just had a hard time getting into the story, let alone understand what’s going on. The action though was top class, in a raw, at times disturbing ways.

This drama never set out to stand out, only to follow a certain formula and it succeeded at that. I enjoyed it for what it was. It was a great choice of acting. I can also see why an actor like Suda Masaki would take on the role he did. I also found Hoshino Gen and Ayano Go to be great, took up fresh roles from their usual choices and seemed to be enjoying it. I wouldn't call their chemistry through the rough but it was working. I also enjoyed Aso Kumiko as always.

My rating was brought down though because I just found the execution of the last episode a failure.

Still, a fun drama to watch when bored.

I think they also had such an effective theme song that always helped give final scenes of each episode an emotional drive.

Not even low key, just the best. She's the sunshine everyone needs

I agree. I don't think I would have been able to appreciate this drama had I not faced certain struggles, and learned about trauma (and still learning). This story portrays heavy subjects like abuse and abandonment, and their side-effects in such sensible ways but I don't think a young audience who (thankfully) haven't experienced any of those issue would understand (just like how Bo Young couldn't understand until she faced her own demons).

I feel like I have a lot to say, but no energy to express it. I guess it's enough to say it's a lovely, relaxing, thoughtful drama that covers difficult subjects with such care and consideration. It doesn't happen often, and though the drama is slow-paced, it never felt dragging.

What I like most about this drama is how each and every character is self-absorbed in their own life/world/problems/aspirations/dreams. Though he has leading characters and supporting ones, each character feels like the leading one in their own story.

So some episodes were stronger than others but generally lovely drama. My only problem is, I want more of this! Relaxing and relatable. Koreans can be great when they remove the forced melodrama from their shows.
Go Bi can be a bit awkward lol. I developed a big crush on Park Seok. If you have any recommendations of dramas/movies with this actor, recommend away plz.

Most of all! I want a second season of this!

Honestly of all of Tsumabuki's performances (and he has many movies and dramas I enjoyed more) I loved his performance in this movie most. He had perfect control of his energy and facial expression, he felt like a whole different person from anything I've seen him in before.

A bit on the depressing side, but gets quickly hopeful and more fun with the appearance of Ikematsu Sousuke's character Shunpei. I was surprised by Tsumabuki's character, with how low on energy he is, completely different from his usual roles. His character was the most interesting for me, as the movie gives enough to let us know of his weaknesses and the immense efforts he puts to overcome them though it might not show and you're constantly afraid that he would break any moment. The relationship between each family member with the other was also beautifully revealed. They are all good people yet difficulty communicating can sometimes create distance.

Kosuke (Tsumabuki)'s wife was the worst in my opinion. I understand her opinion but she came out as apathetic.

I wouldn't call it a comedy as the tag suggest. The beginning was pretty depressing but it did start to get entertaining as the story moved forward. Hikoshiro is easily a likable character so it's easy to root for him over other characters.
The choice of music was... odd. Music rarely affects the way I view a show but here it was just so out of place.
Overall a fun watch :)

Perfectly said it's exactly how I felt while watching it. I thought at least to write an article exposing the worst offenders. I mean at least the tree inspectors came clean with where they went wrong, but that Doctor? He should have his license revoked!

Haha same I came to watch Tsumabuki Satoshi and probably the only thing satisfying for me in this movie :P