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This review may contain spoilers
Watch The Director's Cut For An Extended, More Satisfying Ending!
Realistic, honest, and overall heart-warming.
General spoilers. The biggest thing is that the director's cut has an extra 10 min that makes the end immensely more satisfying than the rushed & abrupt series end! 2 mins of slightly extended scenes (without dialogue) within the series and then 8 mins at the end that's a mix of extensions and completely new material!
The cinematography and coloring were symbolic and beautifully done. Yuuki is like the sun and brings soft orange warmth. When he and Akira aren't together, life is a lonely cold-blue.
The mental conflict Akira went through was so realistic and hit home for me. Though it was hard to forgive the character it was an honest portrayal of a struggle that, sadly, not everyone conquers. At least Akira finds a way through it, as messy as it is for multiple people's lives.
The screenplay did a great job with that moment one realizes the ideology behind their thoughts and actions are not actually their own, but rather learned from family or society. And then also with the moment where something snaps and the determination to finally accept and choose what's best for oneself leads to the resolve to stop pretending to be "normal" and stand up for oneself.
For those struggling to understand certain actions of Akira, keep in mind that in Asian culture especially, there is tremendous pressure to marry and have children because society (and even status) is extremely family-oriented. This pressure is not emphasized in the screenplay because, I believe, it is already a cultural understanding.
Raiku as Yuuki was perfect. Yuuki didn't have as big of an arc in character growth to go through, but Raiku embodied all of his emotions deeply. It came through in his face, voice, and body. Every emotion he felt, especially when he was hurting, I felt deeply too.
Shirasu Jin was very good but his emotional experience as Akira felt flatter even though the character had more emotional arcs to go through. There was just a little something missing in nuances and behind the eyes for me. It was largely because of this that the shorter series end wasn't satisfying. Continued below but there is a spoiler on the ending...
ENDING SPOILER.
I needed to see more than 1min of them being happy in their life together to be able to feel their happiness myself after the 8(?) years of pain Akira put Yuuki through before going back to him. The director's cut gave me that.
The music fit well and was often beautiful. There were two specific songs I added to my playlist.
General spoilers. The biggest thing is that the director's cut has an extra 10 min that makes the end immensely more satisfying than the rushed & abrupt series end! 2 mins of slightly extended scenes (without dialogue) within the series and then 8 mins at the end that's a mix of extensions and completely new material!
The cinematography and coloring were symbolic and beautifully done. Yuuki is like the sun and brings soft orange warmth. When he and Akira aren't together, life is a lonely cold-blue.
The mental conflict Akira went through was so realistic and hit home for me. Though it was hard to forgive the character it was an honest portrayal of a struggle that, sadly, not everyone conquers. At least Akira finds a way through it, as messy as it is for multiple people's lives.
The screenplay did a great job with that moment one realizes the ideology behind their thoughts and actions are not actually their own, but rather learned from family or society. And then also with the moment where something snaps and the determination to finally accept and choose what's best for oneself leads to the resolve to stop pretending to be "normal" and stand up for oneself.
For those struggling to understand certain actions of Akira, keep in mind that in Asian culture especially, there is tremendous pressure to marry and have children because society (and even status) is extremely family-oriented. This pressure is not emphasized in the screenplay because, I believe, it is already a cultural understanding.
Raiku as Yuuki was perfect. Yuuki didn't have as big of an arc in character growth to go through, but Raiku embodied all of his emotions deeply. It came through in his face, voice, and body. Every emotion he felt, especially when he was hurting, I felt deeply too.
Shirasu Jin was very good but his emotional experience as Akira felt flatter even though the character had more emotional arcs to go through. There was just a little something missing in nuances and behind the eyes for me. It was largely because of this that the shorter series end wasn't satisfying. Continued below but there is a spoiler on the ending...
ENDING SPOILER.
I needed to see more than 1min of them being happy in their life together to be able to feel their happiness myself after the 8(?) years of pain Akira put Yuuki through before going back to him. The director's cut gave me that.
The music fit well and was often beautiful. There were two specific songs I added to my playlist.
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