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  • Location: Argentina
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  • Join Date: March 1, 2015
12 days ago
2 of 2 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.5
Story 8.5
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 9.5
This review may contain spoilers
I've already posted a lengthy review on OL Returns with my feelings on the overall season, so this is going to be just a note for those trying to figure out what's going on with the spin off/side-stories situation.

There are two side stories/special shorts (labeled here as “spin offs”) of Returns. One of them (this one: Forbidden Gout Temps Nouveau) consists of two episodes and can be found in some places labeled as 9.1 and 9.2. The other one (Haruta to Maki no Shinkon Shoya) is only one episode and can be sometimes found as a “special clip”.

This particular spin off (both of these episodes) should probably be watched after the season, to avoid spoilers. If you haven’t watched the series, read with caution the summary, or leave it for after you’ve watched the season to make sure you’ve got the right episodes. The two episodes of this spin off are:

1. One in which Takegawa calls Maki and Haruta on their day off to help with a last minute work issue that Izumi messed up with. Maro is also called. It seems to be set somewhere in the middle of Returns, definitely after episode 6 but before episode 9.

It’s centered on them talking about dates they’ve had: Maki and Haruta mention the double date that is referenced in the main series with Haruta’s mom and her boyfriend, Maro talks about Choko and him going on a date after the wedding, Takegawa talks about Shigen without them yet knowing who he means and Izumi talks about Akito. There are flashbacks included.

This episode is approximately 20 minutes long.

2. One in which Maki and Haruta invite Takegawa, Maro and Izumi over for a hot pot meal. It seems to be placed directly after Maki and Haruta have to take care of Goro, so somewhere around episode 7 of Returns.

They talk about some of the things that happened in the wedding, Izumi explains what he meant when he mistook Haruta and Akito for the first time, Maro does a party trick that goes wrong. They also reference and there is a resolution to a sort-of-argument Haruta and Maki had about who fell for the other first.

This episode is approximately 16 minutes long.

Both of these start and end with Maki and Haruta being domestic and soft. I hope that helps clear out some stuff for those who might be as confused as I was! I’ll leave the explanation of the other spin off to the review section of that one.

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Ongoing 5/5
Yu Yu Hakusho
1 people found this review helpful
by Luly
Feb 15, 2024
5 of 5 episodes seen
Ongoing 0
Overall 8.5
Story 7.5
Acting/Cast 10
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 9.0
I haven't written reviews in a while, but I think my young self would hate me if I didn't write one for a long awaited Yu Yu Hakusho live action adaptation.

Here's the thing about this one: it's way too good for them to have adapted just this small portion of it and, with the script adaptation they had, they wrote themselves into a corner if they were interested to continue it.

The cast is sublime. I was expecting stellar work from Shison Jun (who you may recognize from other manga adaptations like Tricornered Window and that one shojo about a toxic monk) and Hongo Kanata (who you may recognize from other manga adaptations like The Prince of Tennis and GOTH) but Kitamura Takumi as Yusuke, Uesugi Shusei as Kuwabara, Furukawa Kotone as Botan and Shiraishi Sei as Keiko were all *chef's kiss*.

I don't think I can totally convey how very "Yusuke" Kitamura Takumi was. The facial expressions, the body language, the tone of voice. This guy got the assignment 100%. They all did.

The fight choreography was amazing, they all look so grounded and real, which is key for a shonen like Yu Yu Hakusho, in which battles are more rooted in the street fight and less on the grand effects (which we also get here, don't get me wrong).

They also did a great job with costume and make up, with added details in the classic outfits of characters like Kurama, Hiei and Yukina (the embroidery???).

The problem is that, with all the amazing ingredients they had, they still didn't have the confidence to pull a script that would allow them to continue this organically if they wanted.

Yu Yu Hakusho has four main arcs, the first one being the introduction to the world and Yusuke's detective work, the second one being the best arc in the manga/anime (and one of the best in manga/anime history maybe? am I exaggerating?): The Dark Tournament. For the Tournament to have the gravitas that it did, it required a lot of world and character building, introducing the human world and the demon world to then combine them together in this epic scenario.

This adaption merged the first and second arcs, getting rid of the Tournament setting and introducing The Big Bads of that arc in this one. They used pristine ingredients to cook only a snack.

This is not the first time (and probably won't be the last) in which an anime/manga adaptation blows the storyline in a first part, having to attempt to mend the pieces as best as possible in later adaptations, once they figure out it was a good idea to make more. Fullmetal Alchemist is a great example of that, with a first movie that changed a lot of the plot and having to fix it in the next two films, which thankfully were much better.

With this, though, it's very difficult to know how they could save it if they wanted. In order to do the Dark Tournament they'd have to change the characters they're going against or pull some writing gymnastics to justify it. And making another season with the third arc, Sensui's arc, wouldn't be at all impossible but it'd feel like we're missing the best part of Yu Yu.

I'm also not sure if there was enough room for this introduction to convey all that it had the potential to show to an audience that's unfamiliar with the source material. I think it will be entertaining and engaging to newcomers, it will most definitely interest them to know what happens to these characters next, but it would have probably been a lot more certain had they had the time to develop it more, like the anime/manga did.

All in all, it's a great adaptation, but it's disappointing that they squandered it in such few episodes, attempting to cram so much of the plot in them. If these 5 episodes would have been just the introduction of the world and characters, before the Tournament, it would have left the door clearly open for more, and I think audiences, fans and newcomers alike, would have wanted to see it. I hope they do make more, because this cast and director deserve it, but it's going to be a challenge to see how.

If I had any decision making power, though, I would also humbly request them to record the character songs because I feel they'd slay. Just saying.

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Completed
Koisenu Futari
1 people found this review helpful
by Luly
Jan 24, 2023
8 of 8 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 9.5
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 9.5
I debated whether or not to write this review, because I think that it's been a while and, at this point, it may not matter, but I would be betraying myself if I didn't sing the praises this drama deserves.

When I heard that Erika Yoshida, who had written one of my favorite aroace characters of all time (Nozomi Fujisaki in Cherry Magic) was writing a whole drama with two aroace leads, I was looking forward to it immensely. After actually watching it, this drama did not disappoint in the least.

It's difficult to find aromantic, asexual or aroace representation in media. It's even more difficult to find good representation. Furthermore, fanon never helps with it, given that it's more often to see characters that could be interpreted as aroace in canon shipped in fanon, as if it was always, unequivocally, a "problem to fix".

This drama doesn't give you one, it gives you two aroace characters who, upon talking about their experiences, decide to live together and figure out if a family born from a love that isn't romantic can withstand just as strongly, whether society around them likes it or not, understands it or not, sees it for what it is or not.

Having two characters that are so diametrically opposed in personality (Sakuko is easygoing, charismatic, doubtful and insecure; Satoru is introverted, quiet, confident and passionate about what he loves to do) and who experience their aroace-ness in different ways, coming from different histories with relationships, makes it incredibly rewarding and allows to portray their identities not as a set, unmovable label, but as complex experiences on a spectrum.

A very pleasant surprise for me was Kazu, a character I thought was going to become too pushy with his amatonormativity, but he became a great asset to not only showcase how people can adapt to understanding others but also, probably, allow those who don't know about the aroace experience to have someone to learn with.

The story isn't a thrilling, action-packed one. This is one of the domestic, day-to-day, cozy ones. Both Satoru and Sakuko deal with work, their life aspirations, societal expectations, family and friends; but the seriousness with which the drama takes the subject and the way in which it centers itself in the portrayal of aroace experiences, makes it more emotionally vulnerable than other domestic dramas, especially if you identify. Honestly, I wish this drama was more easily available with different language subtitles so I could watch it with people who may not understand. I think it'd be a fantastic way to help those around learn about things that I wish they understood.

If you're anywhere in the asexual, aromantic or aroace spectrum, do yourself a favor and look for this drama. There is little else out there that does such a good job and has such respect towards the subject. I can only hope Erika Yoshida continues to give us this rep, because she is great at it.

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Completed
The Prince of Tennis
1 people found this review helpful
by Luly
Oct 21, 2021
42 of 42 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 10

The best live action Tenipuri I've seen to date

I'm sure this review is unnecessary, considering this title came out a minute ago and my opinion isn't worth much but I'd be dishonoring my younger self if I didn't give credit where credit is due where a Prince of Tennis product is concerned.

Like the title says, this might be my favorite live action adaptation of Prince of Tennis (without counting tenimyu, because that's another beast entirely). Hands down.

Even though the characters and teams were re-named (due to the switch of country), their personalities were fleshed out really well and the characterization was delivered with a lot more nuance than I had anticipated. The relationships between the characters was explored more than in other live action versions and they chose their focus well.

The age of the characters was increased, going from the original middle school age (which is whacky bananas at this point, Konomi, that 40-year-old-looking-man is not 14) to a more believable high school age, with actors over the age of 20. That worked, not only because it fits the target audience better, but also because they were able to go in depth with added conversations I was super impressed with.

My favorite, for example, was that they gave Oishi/DaYong a struggle with anxiety that made his fight with Eiji/Jiale a lot more intense when it happened and the match against this version's Hyotei a lot more meaningful. It works really well narratively-wise to deepen his journey as a vice captain, considering his abilities and the situation regarding Tezuka/SiYang's health, with something like that, and they handled it really well.

They also gave Sakuno/Qi Ying more room, as well as her relationship with Ryoma/Lu Xia, which gives the show a bit more of a romantic flare than the original, not enough to interrupt the tennis, but enough to sustain the show in a market of cdramas by its own.

The references to the original were everywhere (cakes with chibi versions of the characters included) and, despite the insatiable censorship, the tension between the characters that the anime loves to play with was there 100%, for whoever wants to know.

All in all, I hope with all my heart this gets another season and we can see them at Nationals because it's been a blast and there's still more Prince of Tennis to adapt with a cast as great as this one.

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The Handmaiden
1 people found this review helpful
by Luly
May 27, 2020
Completed 0
Overall 9.5
Story 10
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 9.0
Wow. Just wow. What an impeccable movie.

Watching this now, four years after it came out, I realize how many movies might have been inspired by this one, but none of them did this story as well. This movie is a masterclass of film making.

The script is exceptionally written, with twists, turns and moments of intrigue that fit together like a well-crafted puzzle. It's hard to describe the story without spoiling anything important, I suggest going in with as little information as possible and letting yourself be guided by the storytelling. Jung Seo Kyung did the best job in the entire movie with that script, but everyone played a part in making it shine.

The acting is mostly good, especially Kim Min Hee in a sublime performance. Her role is probably the most difficult to pull off efficiently, to tie in the suspense and the narrative of the story as it is, and she did an amazing job at it. My only problem, which is why this is not entirely a 10, is that some of the actors didn't fully convince me when it came to portraying the Japanese characters, but it didn't ruin the experience.

The movie is explicit, in different ways. There's a contrast between two different kinds of scenes that involve explicit content, and the way in which they are shot and performed, as well as written, weaves in a message that is super intense, in many ways.

It's absolutely, in my opinion, one of the best lgbtq+ films of the 2010s, I have no doubt about that. I had heard a lot about it and I had expectations, especially after having seen other films compared to it, but the expectations were met and surpassed. There is a love story between two women in the heart of this film that upholds and maintains the plot at all times, and everything is built upon showcasing that story, not only of love but also of redemption and empowerment.

All in all, great movie. Wow.

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Completed
No Touching At All
1 people found this review helpful
by Luly
May 4, 2020
Completed 0
Overall 8.0
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 7.5
You know what? This was good. I had low expectations, because I read some comments that were kind of harsh, but this was actually a good one, all things considered.

I knew where I was getting into in terms of production value, considering it's a 2014 jmovie with a mlm subject matter based on a manga with actors that I knew from indie dramas or tokusatsus. When you've been around jdramas for a while, you kind of know what you can expect when you line all those things up. And yes, production value isn't the greatest and the direction had some very strange choices in terms of focus, zooms, framing and other things like that.

But the story and the performances are pretty good. I mean, it can get cheesy here and there, but it's actually pretty heartfelt and honest, and also focused on an adult relationship, with all that implies. It doesn't get unnecessary interruptions for shock value or easy dramatic flare, it deals with the two characters, their relationship, fears and worries and develops that throughout the movie. Maybe in a drama's length, they could have had more room to fit other nuances, but I thought it was pretty well balanced and overall well organized.

I'm really surprised that for a 2014 movie, they deal with the subject matter more openly, albeit being a bl adaptation with what that implies. They do talk about aspects of bullying, societal expectations, family and children, even if sometimes in a way that isn't as deep as other dramas that were to come years after, it's still done in a pretty interesting way for something of this kind, especially considering the climax of the storyline has to do with these things and with personal fears and values rather than external complications, as most romantic dramas (of any type of relationship) do.

After watching the movie, I read the manga, and I think that, surprisingly, the movie handled some things in a better way. The manga has a side relationship, which is very interesting in its own right but there wasn't room for it here, but when it comes to how subjects are portrayed, I think the movie did a good job of updating the narrative to a more inclusive lgbtq+ mindset instead of keeping some of the "bl" tropes that could make it problematic.

All in all, it was a pretty interesting and heartwarming movie, which focuses on an adult relationship, and the story for me was interesting enough to overlook all the things that may have distracted in terms of low budget or director choices.

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Completed
The Confidence Man JP
1 people found this review helpful
by Luly
Oct 4, 2018
10 of 10 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 7.5
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 7.5
Music 7.5
Rewatch Value 7.0
Jdramas about swindlers have always been a popular subject. Sometimes they're aimed more towards the dramatic aspect, because they can show gritty situations, and other times they go towards the comedy side, because they can be very formulaic. This one, surprisingly, is a little bit of both.

What you need to know right away is that this is one of those dramas which, for the most part, consists of episodes which tell a "case" from start to finish, sort of one-shots, if you will. Each one is centered around one "catch", a character these three swindlers (Dako, played by Nagasawa Masami, Boku, played by Higashide Masahiro and Richard, played by Kohinata Fumiyo) are going to trick for their money. All of those catches are primarily set as "bad" people, but their nature sort of develops as the case grows, which leads to some very interesting character development and some insightful reflections that you don't normally get from this kind of drama in which comedy is very present.

The only episode which has a connection to what we could call an underlying plot, of sorts, is the last one, which is by far the best episode of the bunch and which made me up my rating from 7 to 7.5 because a) the writing is very good and b) Sato Ryuta is a delight.

My problem with the drama is that the dynamic between the characters gets a bit too repetitive for a story that stands so much on the unpredictable. Considering that the twists and turns have to do with how these people do their tricks, it would be better if their characters weren't so recurrent in the way they are with each other. They aren't one-dimensional but the repetition becomes both a bit exhausting and a bit predictable. You know who's the one that always has the upper hand, which one is the sentimental, which one is always lying and that can lead you to predict some twists and turns.

I wasn't a fan of Dako's character, which sucks because I like female leads out-witting people. But I was bothered about her attitude and the way the character lacked depth in comparison to others. The entirety of episode 8 I also disliked, I don't think the themes in it were handled well at all, but I can't expect much from male writers and directors handling the subject of the female beauty industry and representation of plus size characters correctly in jdramas, I've seen worse at least.

I'd recommend this drama to people who're looking for something fun, which can tend to the dramatic at times, shows some heart and those who don't want something too plot heavy to watch at a slower pace. If you like swindler-themed dramas, this one is a recommendable one of those.

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Completed
37.5°C no Namida
1 people found this review helpful
by Luly
Jun 28, 2016
10 of 10 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.5
Story 8.5
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 8.0
I'm catching up with 2015 dramas so I didn't take part on the poll on last year's best, but I'm amazed to find so many great dramas, like this one, were not even close on the most voted. This drama is one of the best I've seen from 2015 so far.

The story is about an introverted and hardworking girl, Sugisaki Momoko (played by Renbutsu Misako) who is a new asset of the agency Little Snow, which employs what we can call"nanny-nurses", people who take care of kids when they're sick enough they have to leave school yet not enough to be in a hospital. When parents can't take care of them because of work or other issues, these people are called in to help.

As in many medical dramas, the plot relates cases of the families Momoko works in with her own life in an abusive and neglecting household (content warning there), and we unravel Momoko's past and reasons for being the way she is step by step. Connecting with families with different realities and learning from parent-child relationships in very different environments, Momoko will discover more about her true calling in life.

The plot deals with very heavy subjects such as parental abuse, child neglect, toxic living environments and violence, but it does so in a way in which it isn't for shock value, it's narrated and explained and every perspective is depicted. It's not merely about parents or kids, it's about relationships, and I found its narrative very well handled. I'm not one to feel comfortable with these kinds of narratives and I was scared I wasn't going to be able to watch it all through, but the story is so well told and it gives you enough moments of peace to catch your breath and to keep wanting to watch. Instead of using the subject like a device to put people in a "good vs bad" situation, like other more popular jdramas which came last year did, this one shows it in grayscale and attaches it to the amazing performance of Misako as the lead character.

There's a bit of romance and a love triangle of sorts, but it's not really the center of the story (to the point in which a character actually states Momoko "doesn't have time for that right now"). There's fluffy and nice situations involving very adorable kids and their relationships with their parents, but I was also moved to tears for many different reasons more then once. Contrary to some, I don't feel the ending was rushed, I feel there's a very consistent narrative pace throughout the drama, and I'm very pleased with every aspect of it, especially the acting.

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Completed
Gokusen Special
1 people found this review helpful
by Luly
Jun 19, 2015
1 of 1 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 7.0
Story 7.0
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 7.0
Rewatch Value 7.0
There's not much to review on this one, really. As a closing to the series, I thought that the final episode of the drama conveyed more heart and resolution to the first storyline than this special did. It's not bad at all, but I felt the conflicts were not as crucial to the plot as the final episodes of the series were.

Storytelling-wise, the construction of the episode was a bit strange to me, I felt like we had two independent episodes put together, since the first conflict had almost to no relation to the later conflict and to the resolution of the episode. Still, it does provide closure to this class and these characters.

I did really like Matsujun's performance in this one, I'll be saddened not to see his character anymore (I understand that's different in the manga) and Yukie was great once again.

All in all, it's ok, it doesn't add much more to the storyline but it's entretaining to watch.

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Completed
SHARK
1 people found this review helpful
by Luly
Jun 6, 2015
12 of 12 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 7.5
Story 7.0
Acting/Cast 6.0
Music 10
Rewatch Value 8.0
I'm not gonna lie, I was a bit skeptic when I started this drama. When I think of underground independent j-rock bands, Johnny's Jr (technically they aren't all Jrs now but you get the point) isn't what comes to mind (and neither is stage musical actors, I was surprised to see Kakizawa Hayato there). That being said, this is a very good drama.

The plot probably isn't something you haven't seen before: indie band trying to break through and find their place in a very strict and unfair industry while facing personal strife and group struggle. Still, the story advances in a well-paced speed that doesn't leave you bored or unwilling to continue. At least, for me, that wasn't at all the case.

The characters are all pretty interesting in their own way, given that there's always characters who aren't as developed as others in this kind of format, and the acting is, in general, ok. It's not great, it suffers from some inexperience here and there, but the heartfelt moments are well done and the soul of the story is portrayed well enough. I really liked Hirano Sho in the lead and I think most people do. He has a character that could easily be the most annoying lead ever yet he makes it very convincing and belieaveable and achieves some great dramatic moments.

The music was definitely my favorite part of the drama. It's really REALLY good and I never got tired of it.

I felt the ending was a bit too open but I'm giving it a pass for the time being, considering there's a 2nd season I haven't yet gone through (although I'm aware it doesn't feature the same band and that already makes me a bit uneasy because these guys were pretty interesting).

All in all, a good musical drama with good music but where acting and plot aren't out of this world. Still, I really liked it and, if I was being more subjective, I'd give it a higher score because this is my kind of drama, but I'm trying to be completely fair. Those who like j-pop alone and are here for the cast should know this is definitely a j-rock based drama and those who came for the j-rock and are surprised about the cast should know the music is good and the genre is, all in all, well represented. It's a strange combination but I think it works out for the most part. I'd recommend it.

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Completed
Nobunaga Concerto
1 people found this review helpful
by Luly
May 28, 2015
11 of 11 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.0
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 7.0
Rewatch Value 8.0
I should clarify that I entered this drama knowing nothing of the original source material in manga form or its anime incarnation. I also know very little of this period of Japanese history, which is why I watched it with a friend who does and she pointed me in the right direction at times. That being said, as a drama on its own, it's very good. If you don't know much about Japanese history in this specific period, you may lose some surprise elements and get a bit lost in some situations, so I advice you to check some source. However, you don't get completely lost without it, but it's much better for the whole enjoyment of the drama to be aware of certain things.
When it comes to acting, this drama has a great cast overall. Oguri Shun does a great job but I particularly enjoyed Shibasaki Kou a lot in this one, and Mizuhara Kiko is always a pleasure to watch. I also loved the production design, costume design and photography; it seems like an amazing production for a drama, I have high hopes for the movie on that regard. Whoever was in charge of the costume design has my utmost respect, honestly.
The pace, for me, was a bit slow at times, which is why I'm giving it an 8. I feel like the first episode put me in a mood that was slowed down a bit when the drama was half way through, to pick up again in the last 2.
And, as a last comment, I'll say that people who are very much into Japanese history and want something 100% accurate, almost biopic like, you should watch this drama with a different perspective. It does respect history but, being the plot as it is, takes diversions and freestyles some facts and characters.
That being said, it's a very recommendable drama and definitely a high point for last year's releases.

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Completed
Tumbling
1 people found this review helpful
by Luly
Mar 27, 2015
11 of 11 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 8.5
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 6.0
Rewatch Value 9.5
I sincerely did not think this drama was going to be so good when I decided to watch it. It has become one of my favorite sport dramas of all time. It's emotional and sincere in a very believable way, it allows you to understand where the characters are coming from and relate to them in a very successfully. Each story-line is compelling and they all come together really well, the cast did a fantastic job in every angle and I can't recommend it enough. It isn't just another sports drama, it spends enough time with the characters for you to understand their motivations and root with them till the end. Very emotional, very approachable and very relatable kind of drama, definitely more than what it seems at first.

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Koe Koi
2 people found this review helpful
by Luly
Mar 2, 2017
12 of 12 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.0
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 7.5
Music 7.5
Rewatch Value 7.0
I read some bad comments on this one after it won the family category in the 2016 poll (to be fair, I get that it's not really what we consider a "family" drama) but I thought that, after all the problematic love triangles we got in 2016 (A Girl & Three Sweethearts, Happy Marriage, Good Morning Call, etc. for all eternity), this was the most harmless and heart-warming take on romance triangles. Seriously, this is so pure and adorable that Sakura Shimeji does the theme song. But let's talk about it.

The plot of this drama is centered on a girl, Yoshioka Yuiko (very well portrayed by Nagano Mei) who falls for a classmate, Matsubara, after hearing his voice (to be fair, they chose Sakurai Takahiro to voice him, which is pretty brilliant, if you ask me, and seiyuus are really taking over idols lately in the j-music world, so this could be the beginning of something here, but I digress). When she meets him, we find out Matsubara hides his face behind a paper bag, something rooting in reasons we'll find out as the drama goes on. Yuiko accepts Matsubara since the very beginning and doesn't ask questions, focusing on who he is as a person and that relationship will help him open up about his past and his feelings.

There are, of course, love triangles galore. There's a couple girls who like Matsubara at different points of the drama, but I found them rather bland, especially in comparison to another character who is in love with Yuiko: Hyodo Makoto (brilliantly played by Ryusei Ryo). There are other smaller stories involving Yuiko's and Matsubara's best friends, as well as Makoto's friends (including a really good performance by Sakurada Dori).

This drama surprised me, in a good way. I was expecting that, for the whole cutesy aesthetic and the school romance, it was going to be just that, but it's so much more. There's social anxiety, growing issues, self-doubt, strong friendships and, since the whole harmless vibe it has leaves out any possibility of mindless bullying (everyone just accepts Matsubara without really asking much), it's allowed to focus on their inner troubles rather than cliche problems. Matsubara's biggest obstacle is always himself, as is Yuiko's, and that's very refreshing in this kind of story. Maybe a bit naive, but it's a different take on something we may have seen before, albeit in a different form.

I wouldn't go as far as to call it the Nobuta Wo Produce of its time, but it's definitely a breath of fresh air of actually meaningful relationships and healthy roads towards self-improvement in a year marked with toxic love triangles.

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Completed
Paradise Kiss
2 people found this review helpful
by Luly
Mar 27, 2015
Completed 0
Overall 3.0
Story 5.0
Acting/Cast 5.0
Music 5.0
Rewatch Value 1.0
This review may contain spoilers
I was extremely disappointed in this movie. Ai Yazawa is one of my favorite mangakas and her work has revolutionized shoujo manga as a whole, she focuses on characters and gives them a multi-dimensional take that creates complex relationships and realistic problematics. This movie took all of that away. They made a bland romantic comedy out of a complex and interesting story. By changing the ending, they let her settle with the person that Yazawa spent 5 volumes explaining in detail why she wasn't supposed to end with. They were bad for each other, very bad, and no matter how much they tried, they just were not good as a couple. This was never meant to be a cutesy romantic comedy, that's not what Yazawa writes, this was meant to be a manga about extremely different people with very complex walks of life coming to age and facing what lies ahead of high school. Yes, there is romance, but not in a fairy-tale happy-ending kind of way. Not to mention the aesthetic is way off and I saw more fashion in Runway Beat than I saw in this movie (I've seen cosplayers doing better renditions of that blue dress). I also believe the casting choices were very weird, casting an actor with the range of Yususke Yamamoto for a character that is extremely low-key and Osamu Mukai for a character that should be excessively over the top, I don’t know how that happened. I can only appreciate Shunji's performance as Isabella, who is my favorite character in the manga, and who should have had more time to develop herself as a transgender woman facing an unaccepting world, but Shunji did the best he could under the circumstances. I can understand that people who have never read Ai Yazawa could have enjoyed this, but I sincerely can’t look past what they did with a story that was so well written. Especially, after the NANA movies were so well-done, I was really expecting more. If you have read the manga and liked it, I recommend you watch this movie with a punching bag beside you. If you haven’t read the manga and loved this movie, the manga is probably not for you.

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Completed
Risou no Musuko
2 people found this review helpful
by Luly
Mar 27, 2015
10 of 10 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 6.0
Story 6.0
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 5.0
Rewatch Value 4.0
I'm torn with this one. I really liked the idea of the animals and the characters that represented them, there were a lot of likable young characters in this drama, and Yamada Ryosuke is an extremely talented actor, he can pull off comedy as well as drama and it's great to watch him. But the whole relationship between mother and son did make me feel rather uncomfortable at times. The mother's character is extremely problematic and she never fully faces her issues and how she manipulated her son throughout his life, that for me is a no. There were some sub plots that I found much more interesting than the mother's tribulations, like Taipi's career and his mother (A+ for Taipi in that last scene he was in, really great handle of drama) or both girl characters with their extremely opposite yet very interesting backgrounds (we never get to know the resolution of one of those arcs, actually). I feel I would have enjoyed it more if it had been either more balanced in content or if the mother had actually faced half the things she did as problematic. Everything that had to do with Daichi's school life, I loved: the classmates, the fights, the coming-to-age aspect, the problems his friends had to face (including Yuto's character, which was complicated to get through at times but it did pay off in the end), the friendships, the school loyalty, the troubles between schools, the prejudices, everything. But the family aspect, which is supposed to be the central part of this drama, that's where they lost me. I felt the connection between them was so strange and co-dependent that I couldn't quite feel their attachment as something I wanted to root for. Maybe that's the point of the drama, maybe they want you to want them to get it over with, but with the mother never fully accepting that she did wrong (she apologizes for things she had no control over, like being poor or not offering him more but never for using him to try to get a house and economical stability through constant "brainwashing", as she called it), I can't fully say I completely loved it. The acting, especially the acting of the young cast, is reason enough to give it a shot, though.

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