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Audiovisual journey
I think I've watched the opening scene in the rain at least ten times! What a banging opening<3 The cinematography was fantastic. It wonderfully enhanced the energy of the music, sparking a wave of emotions before I even knew anything about these characters. Akane on the drums is a pure joy-flavoured energy shot. Adorably infectious. I should watch her on Monday mornings to borrow some of that passion for life:)
There are so many moments like this in the drama where sound and image create a strong sensory experience that pulls you in and draws the emotions out of you. The production effort that went into this drama is insane. I loved the immersive atmosphere, striking concert performances, crowd synergy, strong sense of place, impromptu music sessions and moments of deep conversation beautifully framed by lighting and music …better than the actual plot. Well, I guess you could say that the music is the plot because that's what drives the narrative from start to finish, but unlike the music, some character arcs and conflicts lack the space to fully play out, so they feel underdeveloped or contrived.
The story circles around Naoki’s issues, which is understandable because he’s the group’s frontman and main creative power. The episode storylines mirror the process of songs taking shape from the noise in his head to a fullblown TENBLANK sound. However, since this is a four-person band I was expecting each character to get their own musical or life breakthrough, other than just serving as inspiration for the absentminded 'genius'. The passion for music that burned so brightly with him and Akane was kind of lost when it came to Sho (guitar) and Kazushi (piano). Honestly, they felt like little more than extras in some episodes and both deserved better character development. I was interested in the rivalry between Naoki and Kazushi that we were told about early on, but if it was there it slipped unnoticed by me... What was supposed to be the emotional high point of the story - the unveiling of Naoki’s secret explaining the desperation permeating his creative process and a love confession, left little impact on me compared to the musical performances. Maybe it’s because the plot relies too much on well-known cliches, while the music feels fresh and exciting.
‘Vibrato’ is my favourite arc - with a fantastic song, a crazy but emotional performance, complicated sibling relationship, drama, blood and tears;) Plus, Toya as frontman beats all the other characters in the charisma department. I found it funny when he said that Naoki dominated their duet, when I couldn't even bother to look at anyone else. A rockstar haunted by his past is not exactly an original concept, but Suda Masaki’s take on it is a terrific blend of in-your-face audacity, raw energy and vulnerability. The electric chemistry with everyone was a highlight too. I’ve become a fan:)
If I ever rewatch this drama I’ll probably do it in bits and pieces to recapture the feels and relive the vibes. Music is a universal language and images are worth a thousand words (or something like that;), so I think this type of drama may appeal to many people in many different ways.
There are so many moments like this in the drama where sound and image create a strong sensory experience that pulls you in and draws the emotions out of you. The production effort that went into this drama is insane. I loved the immersive atmosphere, striking concert performances, crowd synergy, strong sense of place, impromptu music sessions and moments of deep conversation beautifully framed by lighting and music …better than the actual plot. Well, I guess you could say that the music is the plot because that's what drives the narrative from start to finish, but unlike the music, some character arcs and conflicts lack the space to fully play out, so they feel underdeveloped or contrived.
The story circles around Naoki’s issues, which is understandable because he’s the group’s frontman and main creative power. The episode storylines mirror the process of songs taking shape from the noise in his head to a fullblown TENBLANK sound. However, since this is a four-person band I was expecting each character to get their own musical or life breakthrough, other than just serving as inspiration for the absentminded 'genius'. The passion for music that burned so brightly with him and Akane was kind of lost when it came to Sho (guitar) and Kazushi (piano). Honestly, they felt like little more than extras in some episodes and both deserved better character development. I was interested in the rivalry between Naoki and Kazushi that we were told about early on, but if it was there it slipped unnoticed by me... What was supposed to be the emotional high point of the story - the unveiling of Naoki’s secret explaining the desperation permeating his creative process and a love confession, left little impact on me compared to the musical performances. Maybe it’s because the plot relies too much on well-known cliches, while the music feels fresh and exciting.
‘Vibrato’ is my favourite arc - with a fantastic song, a crazy but emotional performance, complicated sibling relationship, drama, blood and tears;) Plus, Toya as frontman beats all the other characters in the charisma department. I found it funny when he said that Naoki dominated their duet, when I couldn't even bother to look at anyone else. A rockstar haunted by his past is not exactly an original concept, but Suda Masaki’s take on it is a terrific blend of in-your-face audacity, raw energy and vulnerability. The electric chemistry with everyone was a highlight too. I’ve become a fan:)
If I ever rewatch this drama I’ll probably do it in bits and pieces to recapture the feels and relive the vibes. Music is a universal language and images are worth a thousand words (or something like that;), so I think this type of drama may appeal to many people in many different ways.
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