Heartwarming, Cozy and Intelligent

Cozy, intelligent, heartwarming, whimsical - there are so many ways to describe this drama, which just goes to show much care and craft was put into it. I actually finished this drama awhile back, around the time it aired. Then I found some old notes about it on my computer and realized I never actually left a review.

The best of this drama is the characters. I love their dialogue and interactions. What the characters say and how they are saying them, feel clever, intricate and layered. I always appreciate a well-written and intelligent female lead and WYW really delivered. She will likely go down as one of my favorites. I loved the character chemistry and how the major relationships, romantic and friendship, turned out. This was due in large part of cast chemistry as well. The acting on everyone's parts (especially our FL) is phenomenal from tone and infliction down to subtle interactions. The comedy here was especially good in part because though minute movement and expressions landed so well.

The plot is good too. I really enjoyed the court cases although I have no idea how "accurate" they are. I appreciate the insight the show gives on how it's not always about "justice" and the moral grey zone that comes with large corporations. I did think the ending was a little rushed and the "main" storyline was a little sloppy.

Music was okay, nothing memorable sticking out but complemented the tone of the show. As for rewatch - I will still go back and watch clips from this show.

In conclusion, I highly recommend this show for a good time.

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Satisfying ending

It's a satisfying ending and the loose ends are tied up. It's fun to see how things that were set up in Season 1 run their course in Season 2 like dominos. Although the characters all deserve it and I'm glad everything turned out the way it did, I am also glad to see that revenge can have consequences, big or small.

The acting was great, even better than Season 1. After the leads, my favorite would probably be Yeom Hye Ran. Kim Jung Young was also another who did not show up a lot but stole the scene every time she did - I just loved her and her son's interactions.

The music add well to the vibe, as does the tone and color gradations. Overall, this was my intro back to dramas after a long slump and it gets the bar pretty high.

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Good at holding interest, even better visuals

This was my intro back to drama after quite a long hiatus and it set the bar pretty high. I went in with lowish expectations based on my experience of how 'revenge' dramas pan out in kdramas, especially when it's the FL pursuing the revenge. But so far, so good.

I like the way the story will weave between the past and present to uncover things gradually. The drama can take a slow, meandering pace in order to fully get things set up but its not unenjoyable. The story itself feels well thought out. It can be a bit dramatic at times but never veers too much into makjang territory. I do like how the characters have some depth in them; the antagonists, while evil, are not cartoonishly, 1D caricatures. The acting is very well done on everyone's part. Our FL really shines here and I am very much enjoying SHK's performance.

The drama has really good visuals and scenery. The music, while not really memorable on its own, does add well to the mood and vibe. Let's move on to Part 2!

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A subtle and well written melo

This was my intro back to dramas after a good 8-month hiatus and the bar was set pretty high after completing this. The has the elements of a melodrama but told in an almost slice-of-life way that makes it entertaining but still easy to digest.

I think the best of this drama are the characters and, of course, the actors who brought them to life. I was looking for a female lead like Woo Jo. I love her straightforward (but not entitled) attitude. I like that she is not perfect. She is very flawed and frequently gets called out on her flaws but still very likable and relatable. I like how, though the ML’s character, she calls out the hypocrisies and fake “nice person” behavior we often see in drama and real life. LSK does an excellent job portraying her. I really liked our male lead and how gentle he was. It was nice to see how our leads matured and changed because of each other. In fact, I loved how all the characters stayed consistent while being allowed natural development as the episodes progressed. I really appreciate the story that was told. Given the character set-ups, they had a lot of opportunities to turn to annoying cliches (unnecessary love triangles or misunderstandings) but they didn't. In fact, it kind of feels like the story that could be told when you take away cliches. This lets the show explore its themes in a more mature and meaningful way, especially the concept of revenge.

The execution was decently good. There were a couple time the camera work, although on theme with the vibe, would feel a little slow, or an angled or artistic shot would be a second too long. Plus, the filter felt a little dark at times; I appreciated the daytime shots more. The music fit the mood of the drama well but not memorable outside of the drama.

Overall, this is a very well written and acted "subtle melo" with strong character development.

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Rom-Sit-Com Comfort Drama

This is spoiler-free until the end and no major spoilers. Sh**ting Stars (still can't get over how weird this name is) was my intro back into kdrama as I had been taking sort of a break and the few dramas I was watching were cdramas. I was hesitant to start this because of that awful title and expectation of it being very cliché. I am happy to say that I was very much satisfied with this drama and it exceeded by expectations.

The story starts off like a classic sitcom, or like a weekender type drama to compare to other Korean shows. Rather than a hyper focused linear storyline on 2 main leads, it has 6 main leads and meanders through the general scenarios of them all plus the side characters. I really liked this method - it felt fun and fresh and was used well to show how the characters interacted with each other. It was nice how most of the characters had individual and group relationships with each other, almost like an interconnected family. I also liked how the celebrities were treated more like colleagues and the final product was something the entire company works on together. The characters themselves were all super endearing and all felt very much their own. I really appreciated that they made the female lead someone very competent (and passionate) in her career. In fact, I liked how most of the main cast was were experienced in their careers - it just added to that collegial feeling mentioned above and was a fresh approach to the cliche rookie angle most dramas take (especially for female leads). The comedy was very a good mix of straight man, camp and slapstick that was very entertaining.

The acting for all the cast members was amazing and bring all the characters to life. The chemistry between the 2 main (main) leads was so sweet and general cast chemistry was excellent. The music was fun and zippy and really elevated the drama to give both happy and comfort vibes. The sound effects or little tunes were expertly placed and also added greatly to the vibe. It would be a decent re-watch. MOST important, I very much appreciated that the medical scenes in this drama was accurate! There is no mouth-to-mouth in CRP!

All in all, it's a fun, funny, sweet, energetic and entertaining drama about entertainment that feels like a family/weekender/sitcom drama and is a delight to watch.

Some thing points of contention (possible SPOILER): while the plot and pacing were clearly thought out and executed well, it felt like the drama had to undergo this total shift in tone to portray the heavier aspects of the plot around the middle, which made it lose some points for me. It shifts back to its original light-hearted and zany vibe towards the end but the tone shift is so obvious one of the characters even kind of lampshades it. There was one particular ship that I had a really hard time coming around too and it felt the drama itself was trying to convince the audience about this ship - I eventually came on board but it was still meh for me. It was sort of weird how many of the actors were 'discovered'/street-casted, like performing arts schools were non-existent. And the monolithing and stereotyping of Africa came off as pretty ignorant and tone-deaf.

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Independent Female Lead, Crackling Romance, Gorgeous Clothing - So Glad I Gave This a Shot!!

I found out about this drama though an internet review. I was hesitant to watch because of the borderline rating (I almost never watch dramas rated lower than an 8) and comments about the pacing but I'm so very glad I did - I really enjoyed this one! To be fair, I believe it has a lot of elements I favor which might have played a huge factor like such independent and calm female lead, devoted male lead, amazing romance, ROC clothing and vibe and well-written characters.

I think the biggest reason why I loved this drama is the female lead and her narrative. The character herself is cool, calm, elegant, intelligent and somewhat morally gray, which are all traits I especially love seeing in a female lead and the actress pulled it off really well. She looks gorgeous too! But more than that, our FL is an active character in that her decisions influence the plot and her influences and is influenced by many characters throughout the show, which to me is the hallmark of a well-written character. You may not always like the things she does, but 1. she is the one doing things rather than passively reacting to them and 2. her emotional reasoning is pretty sound.

I ended up loving the male lead to bits too. It was really interesting because at first I the actor himself did the boyish and arrogant-young-master aura really well but was struggling when trying to portray the charisma and authority of a more mature adult. But later in the drama he pulled off those scenes amazing well too and it makes it wonder if the earlier awkward acting was almost deliberately so reflex the character's ability as that time and later development. If so, well done! I really loved our main lead's romance as well and the chemistry was on fire.

I really appreciated that the other characters - especially a lot of other other females roles like the sisters, the concubines, the finance - had their own back story and motivations too, even if the drama itself did not spend too much time on it. Everyone had their own reasons for doing things and very few characters existed solely to create obstacles for our main leads. Acting of the supporting cast was excellent as well. And yes, the plot did have some various sized holes pacing did suffer a little in the last 25% but overall it was not bad - I liked the overall drama enough that it did not detract from the viewing experience.

The setting/production/clothing was all gorgeous. Although some of the sets did look a little constructed, it did not take away from the aesthetic. I like the ROC time period for as a drama watcher because the whole era has this theme of the war and corruption and tragedy underneath all the dazzling glitz and glamour, which can make for great drama. This drama fits into this theme very well. Plus, all the pretty clothes an d its always fascinating watching a changing era where you can see how the past becomes the present.

This would be a decent re-watch, especially the cute couple moments. Overall, especially if you like the tags of this drama. I would definitely recommend.

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It's brilliant

Practically everything about this drama - plot, pacing, production, acting - has so much care and scrutiny put into it and it shows. This is the kind of drama that sets the bar really high and makes it hard to go back to mediocre dramas. It's quite addicting, episodes fly by and its one of these just-one-more-episodes type dramas. I can even say it's a drama that may even get one out of a drama slump.

The writing has a lot of detail and logic to satisfy the mystery elements but the pace is also fast to complement the action/thriller elements of the story. While the main characters are quite smart, the deductions they have make sense and they are not unrealistic geniuses. I really, really liked our male and female leads. The dilemmas they face and they have and evoke with all the other characters are also quite reasonable. In fact, the way the writing fleshed out almost all of the characters was wonderful. Time-looping can be a very tricky subjects but the flow of story was very smooth.

The acting matches the quality of the writing and it is extremely well done, especially all the micro expressions needed by actors at certain scenes. Our leads had a very good chemistry as well. The production quality was also excellent and again, so much attention paid to quality and detail.

The only, only gripes quite minor. Being an action/mystery set-up, our leads did go through some character development but on whole generally static characters as the norm with these genres. However, there was a little bit about the male lead's background and resulting character that was introduced and mostly but not entirely followed up on. Also, there is a specific point towards the end that spends quite some time at one points, story wise. It's very well-done but in consequence the wrap-up of the resulting scene was a little quicker than I would have liked. But these are very nit-picky and do not detract from the over all story.

This would be an interesting re-watch to try to spot the clues in advance and how everything break down. In conclusion, this is the kind of drama that is really hard to find. No matter the genre of preference, this is one most people should enjoy.

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Something different

Being a collaborate Malaysian-Taiwanese production and set in Malaysia, this drama does seem different. It was nice seeing all the different clothing and the snippets of a multi-ethnic background (although very much snippets).

The story was pretty interesting, mostly because it was, as stated above, something different. Being only 6 episodes, it is easy to binge and does not drag a lot. It was pretty good mix of genres of family, mystery and comedy with a side of romance. However, there were a couple areas that were not as fleshed out and left to viewer interpretation. The acting was pretty good too. It was mostly new faces for me although I know the actors themselves were not new. I liked the main cast and the female lead. Although the female lead was written in a slightly air-headed manner, the actress did a good job keeping her grounded. I think some of the most memorable scenes are in episode 5, where Yan Hong converses with both her mother and Tian Bai.

My only gripe with the drama is how modern it feels, from the hairstyles, speech, social interactions, background music and even the outfits. Granted, I have never been to Malaysia and I looked it up that the country has a pretty high economic ranking. However, if I had not been told that it was set in 1890, I would have assumed it was taking place in modern times in a more non-Westernized area or at most 30 years ago due to the lack of cell phones. The super-modern and at times electro/house music, although fun to listen to, did not help. It does not detract a whole lot though because the overall look of the drama is very pretty. The twist at the end, although logical, was also underwhelming.

It does not have a crazy amount of suspense so overall a pretty decent re-watch. In conclusion, for something that feels a little different, looks nice, is well-written and pretty short, I have zero regrets moving from my Plan to Watch to Completed List.

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Instant Classic

The thing about this drama is that it isn't groundbreaking or revolutionary. It really is a standard Kdrama rom-comedy/drama with more comedy > drama and the reason why I kept putting this off. Despite this, this show is high quality.

The show does have tropes and cliches but it uses them to enrich the story, not be the story itself. This is either by playing them straight and expanding upon them or subverting them, all to create more organic content. The humor is excellent with a lot of tongue-in-cheek lamp shading and breaking the fourth wall.

Kudos to the writers for writing two excellent female leads. Most dramas fall into the trap of making the 2nd FL a foil to highlight the first one but these two are actually quite similar. Both are rich, classy and confident with a don't-mess-with-me attitude and it was interesting to see their differences played out through the detailed writing and visual production, although not in a demeaning way. I absolutely loved Yoon Se-ri and admittedly, it personally took me some time to warm up to Seo Dan but very likeable she does become. All of the other characters are also so endearing and even characters that start out mildly irritating (for me, Pyo Chu Si) become lovable by the end.

The good writing comes hand in hand with the amazing acting. The leads, off course, did an amazing job and had stellar chemistry that helped carry the very sweet romance. The rest of the cast did great too. It was so fun hearing the NK accent and I wonder how much the actors had to practice for that. I really liked the actor who played Man Bok, his range from serious to comedic was great.

The visual production, prop, setting was all excellent and really helped with the immersive world-building, especially the NK village setting. It was nice getting to see the different portrayal of NK other than what it always heard on the news. It makes me wonder what Koreans think about the division, especially since there are people that might remember a time before the country was split.

Overall, this show is that it is what Kdramas do best while putting the best effort in. IMO, it is one the modern classics (similar to the same older dramas the show refers to) that will be remembered in years to come.

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Action Packing and Engaging

There is a lot to like about this drama. It's addictive, fast-paced and very-well produced and acted. This was a solid 9-9.5 until almost the last episode where plot seems almost rushed and character decisions toe the line between making sense and not. Still, it is a solid conclusion and the drama as a whole is incredible so I averaged it to 8.5

At 8 episodes screen time but the same amount of content as a standard K-drama, the writing is pretty well-paced with little to no filler. As someone who watches some but not a ton of crime/revenge dramas, some of the twists and turns were cliché but executed well enough to be entertaining while others were a true revelation. I really appreciate that this was female-lead driven. Despite the plethora of physically/mentally strong females in drama nowadays, 1) action dramas are still mostly male-lead driven and 2) the writing for these females can be inconsistent or overdone. Jiwoo consistently maintains her physical strength and her thought process remains consistent with her characterization. More importantly, her actions help drive the plot and at the, this is her story. Mujin is also a very interesting character who evokes a lot of different emotions and Pildo just brings so much positive energy.

On this end, the story is brought to life with amazing acting. All the actors/actresses did a phenomenal job, especially Han So Hee. The production, sets and lighting are also incredibly well-done; I loved that somewhat somber lighting. The music is also astounding. Not only are the tunes catchy and entertaining on their own (I was listening to Mediocre Life on repeat these past few days), they completely complement and elevate the drama. This is decent re-watch.

In conclusion, honestly, the only reason I watched this was because it was a female-lead led action drama. That aside, it is an engaging drama with good writing, great production, terrific music and supreme acting that I would definitely recommend.

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Fluffy and laidback with excellent music

This is simple, fluffy drama with low-tension, something to kick back to at the end of a long day or a lazy weekend. It gives Love O2O vibes; even beyond the similar gaming, campus life, silent/snarky/computer-genius male lead elements, something about the writing and production felt like I was watching a spin-off.

Despite the gaming and entertainment industry tags, this show is pretty relaxed. I think all the turtlenecks, fuzzy sweaters and large coats add to the cozy feeling. In fact, this drama barely feels like its premise. It does not feel like popular, famous person falls for non-celebrity and really does not feel like older female/younger male. Our female lead, certainly, does not really like a big celebrity. This is probably because she is pretty down-to-earth and 65% of the time she was lounging at home in pajamas. Our two leads feel very equal and the relationship is very wholesome with lots of sugary, fluffy moments. The acting is decent and chemistry they have is very cute and helps carry the entire show. That aside, I do really appreciate that ample time is spent on her career and goals outside of the romance. Main leads aside, the second couple had a pretty cute romance to. The actress for the second female lead has this subtle enigmatic vibe to her; I think she would do really well in a serious slice of life or mystery drama.

Besides the couple chemistry, the other thing that carried the show is the music. This drama probably has the best OSTs from any modern c-drama ever and they are so catchy, no matter how many times they are repeated. Since it's a pretty laid-back drama, it would be a decent re-watch.

In conclusion, this is a great pick for a no-stress, sugary-sweet romance with a devoted coupled and amazing music.

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Great characters with mediocre story, my perfect rating would be between 8 and 8.5

Well, my suggested rating is 8.5 so I will go with that but if I could, I would like to give this drama something like an 8.2, which co-incidentally happens to its actual current rating. The beginning starts off absolutely amazing and while the middle and ends are not horrible, they finish off into something mediocre just due to plot pacing.

Characters: Now, to start off with, the characters are great and basically the highlight of this drama. This is in part due to the superb acting on everyone's part. I believe this drama wanted to convey the struggles of various women at the hands of the patriarchal system and unintended negligence of males and they did it quite well. There was one of the Xu family concubines who my heart just completely broke for and the only scene which brought me to tears. Despite her actually being in the wrong, I hated everyone for doing this to her.

The female lead was amazing. Calm and competent female leads are my absolute favorite but they are sadly few and far between. While it may seem like Shiyi is letting people walk over her one, in her position there are certain things she cannot do and two, she focuses on what is really important. I also appreciate how it is not easy for her and we see how she has to work very hard to obtain success. While I dearly wish there were more of these types of female leads, I know part of the reason why Shiyi is so great is due to Seven Tan's amazing acting; she really brought this character to life. The male lead was also pretty good and I like how his character gets some development too. I appreciate the second male lead because his character had an interesting conflict and he knew when to back off.

The plot is what brings that drama down. I believe the drama wanted to express too many ideas, some of which contradicted each other and it showed. For example, it wanted to show how conservative and rigid this era was but also resolved certain conflicts by completely ignoring this. For example, ***SPOILER*** women should not be seen in public, especially concubines. But there is a soup kitchen arc where are all seen standing on stage in front of a large crowd. There are also scenes where Luo Furen is furious at Shiyi for not making it official with the Marquis then furious when she does. Certain plot points (like Zhun) popped in and out based on convenience. The multiple they-knew-all-along conflict resolution scenes got a bit stale towards the end. Finally, it was a little exhausting having conflict after conflict with no room to breathe.

The music was nice, it added a nice auditory aesthetic but all the fade-to-black transitions and somewhat choppy editing ruined some of the visual aesthetic. I think it would be an okay re-watch. Overall, the plot could use some consistency but the themes were well conveyed and the characters stayed very consistent with appropriate development which still make a good drama worth watching.

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Really Enjoyable

I usually drop more lakorns than I finish so finishing this one means I had a good time watching it. I had to take points off because it does suffer from the usual lakorn logic and production qualities but the acting and chemistry between our two leads more than make up for it.

The story does get somewhat draggy and there are certain things that get completely forgotten (like Pong's friends) but the acting was very good. Our two leads did a pretty good job and, more importantly, they had enough chemistry to carry their scenes.

Surprisingly, I think the characters were decently consistent. I liked how Risa's maturity was portrayed. Once she was committed (whether Pong or Aik) she tried to hold strong in the face of adversity instead of immediately giving in - it kind of shows that a relationship is beyond just the feelings but also a choice to commit. It was a interesting contrast to Pong's immaturity that was not explicably spelled out. I think the drama made an interesting choice with the second female lead. Although she has the mold of the typical batshit-crazy/screeching/jealous/selfish lakorn second female lead, she was given a little depth so you could see why she was behaving the way she did (not that it gave her any excuse, but it made sense). She was also an expert manipulator and so good at playing the innocent victim card particularly when a part of what she is yelling about are facts (like when she told Aik that really, he was the worst out of everyone). The actress herself has a waif-like physique and delicate features which I think also reduces the evil persona. In fact, I think the actress's delicate physical features are why they always had Risa dress in white/light colors while she wore bold or flashy outfits, just to re-emphasize the difference. Ah Ma (Pong's grandmother) is one character that was highly underutilized, particularly because she was very open-minded and the voice of reason for everyone.

The music was super intrusive and honestly did not always correlate to the scene so points off for that.

In conclusion, this is a fun and enjoyable lakorn. While I will probably never rewatch this, I would recommend it for decent entertainment.

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Amazingly Addictive

I have become a big fan of sleep as of late and I have, in a situation where I am a bit tired and can choose between staying up or shut eye, I always chose rest or sleep. So it's been a while where I have chosen to stay up, especially to watch a drama but this drama was worth staying up for. It's quite addictive, and it's easy to click to the next episode without even realizing.

Story: Although ghost stories and exorcisms are nothing new, this drama takes a fresh angle by incorporating the real estate market and shedding light to SK's real estate problem. It ties in well to the episodic cases and the main storyline. The episodic cases are interesting and enough depth is given to these short-appearing characters. I really liked how all the spirts did not talk or have expressions. Unlike other dramas that have ghosts acting just like humans, this non-expression state honed in the point that these spirits are not human; they are a remnant of something that once was and something that needs to go. I also really appreciated the female lead's relationships with her mother and her secretary/aunt. It was so relatable for her to be so independent yet also dependent on her mother, something I think a lot of adults or young adults can relate to with their parents.

In terms of acting, everyone did a pretty good job but Jang Nara absolutely nailed it. I really wish there more female characters like Hong Ji Ah (despite the increase of strong-willed female leads, I do find most of these intelligent and aloof roles go to the male characters) but it was Jang Nara that made her such a great character. Her tone of voice, her enunciation of her certain words, her gait and her facial expressions, like the slight narrowing of her eyes, were all so on point. In a less experienced actress's hands, Hong Ji Ah may have come off as pretentious or rude. I very much appreciate that Hong Ji Ah is given struggles and has to make important decisions - aka she is an active character.

The music was good and added some nice quirk. The production was well-done too and I liked the homey street area set location. While the drama does have some interesting twists, there are no major crazy shockers that take away the enjoyment of a re-watch. Overall, recommends hands down, especially if you want something with solid writing, a very interesting and well-written female lead and/or spooky themes. Spoilers below:





***SPOILERS***

So why not a higher rating if I loved this so much?

First, the villain character, Do Hak Sung, felt so one-note that he felt less like a character and almost more like a concept or plot device. Second, Kim Tae Jin and the ML's uncle Oh Sung Shik. I know the drama was trying to create two somewhat morally grey but ultimately sympathetic characters with these two but I could not come to like either. You can do bad things but there are some bad things (even minor bad things) you cannot do for audience to like you and the drama failed on that, for me.

Kim Tae Jin was supposed to be what I guess was a down-on-his-luck thug that served as comedic relief and ultimately comes around but I personally am still very upset at the problems he caused. Irl, he would be the type where I would maybe forgive but never call a friend. And Oh Sung Shik chose to put himself or his family over others twice. And when given a chance to try to repent aka confess, he eschews that again, to his own detriment. I know that he was doing it all for this family and it really Do Hak Sung's fault but this is where I come back to Do Hak Sung feeling less like a character and more like a plot device. To me, Oh Sung Shik's actions are equivalent to being forced into unforeseen circumstances (like a natural disaster) and choosing to sacrifice others over yourself. I don't hate him and I cannot condemn him but I don't have much good feelings toward him either.

But overall minor stuff in an otherwise amazing drama!

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Heartwarming drama that keeps getting better

I'm going to divide my review into two parts - one a non-spoiler general thoughts and another thoughts as an Asadora, with spoilers.

In general, this is a very heartwarming drama. The story is well-written and well-paced with good transitions between arcs and good connecting themes that brings things full circle. Natsu, our main female lead, is a really likable character and it it really is a joy watching Natsu experience new things and working on her dream. I really, really like that fact that Natsu has to put in hard work and practice and not some special genius.

There is a huge cast of endearing characters that influence and get influenced by Natsu as well. I'm sure the one most viewers will like the most is Jiichan (the grandfather), there is enough characters for everyone to have their own personal favorites. The acting is also top-notch. I appreciate how the background, i.e. life on a diary farm, is properly shown and not just there for show. I also appreciate how much anime design technique is explained and expanded upon. It's really neat seeing how a story comes together from a storyboard to the moving picture. Almost makes me want to become an anime creator myself.

There production is very good too and there is good attention given to detail. I love seeing random posters of Natsu's work in her families' homes. The shots from Hokkaido (if that's where it was really filmed) are gorgeous. It makes it all the most easier to immerse myself into the drama-world. Overall, this a great drama, especially if you are in the mood for something laid-back with focus on family, friends, achieving your dreams and anime creation. Spoilers below:










***SPOILERS***

Now, as an Asadora, I thought this was good but not great. I felt like this drama could have been the GOAT but felt more like lost potential. I've watched a couple of asadoras at this point and maybe I might be viewing the others through nostalgic, rose-tinted lens but I could not help but compare them to Natsuzora.

1. The pacing: as I said above, the pacing is good throughout the drama is pretty good. But it felt a little slow and somewhat limited as an Asadora, which is generally supposed to be about the main lead's life. I was having doubts when Natsu was still a child at close to the end of the second week. The pace does pick up but she does not start animation until almost 1/3 to 1/2 into the drama and the drama ends when she in her mid-to-late thirties. Women's lives don't end at age 36; in fact, some women start their lives at that age. You can still grow and experience change - I think of how Asa ga Kita was planning on opening a university at that time and Beppin-san was expanding her financial pursuits. The real-life animator Natsu's character was based on, Reiko Okuyama, had some great works later in life. She lived until 2007 and was working as an animator until she passed away.

2. Animation: Especially in light of this focusing on Natsu's journey through Japanese animation, which hits it really big globally 20 years later, ending the drama so early seems like wasted potential. The drama ends with hints of the team going on to achieve even better things and ending themes of 'a new future' or 'beginning again' or 'going on to achieve our dreams.' But really, why? If you're going to make a drama about someone working on achieving their dreams, why not actually show them achieving it? As I stated above, the drama stops around the mid-1970s, when Natsu is in her mid-to-late 30s. She would have been around to see the birth and success of the infamous Studio Ghibli and shows like Sailor Moon, Dragon Ball Z or Pokémon become household names across the world. I think those scenes would have really added depth to her life as an animator and be really moving to watch as a viewer.

3. The cast of characters: this one is kind of minor tbh. Having a huge cast of characters seems to be an Asadora hallmark. However, it felt like with the other few Asadoras I've watched, despite the huge list of characters, there were no "wasted" characters. Whether they had a major or minor role, almost all of the characters had a good amount of development and/or important roles that influenced the plot. This did not seem to be the case here and some characters felt more like props. Akemi is a good example - she is there but we never get to know her. Of course, some characters (like Yumiko) got better development later as well.

So overall, it's still a good drama I would recommend hands-down but just with a lot of wasted potential.

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