A minimalistic and quiet, yet powerful film that was engaging thanks to Beat Takeshi's idiosyncratic direction style and script, and Joe Hisaishi's haunting score. His nihilistic attitude towards violence is especially striking in this film. This is clearly not Takeshi's best work, but it's one of my favourites from him.
For a season that began with discussing some real issues, it ended in the most underwhelming & lazy way with everything…
Max and Deib - so much for talking about trust, and healing, in the end just an 'I love you' was enough?! Whatever happened to the conversations in the elevator during detention, and in the car when they were going to get the CCTV footage?
Nai and Lee - didn't they break up because they were just too different? So why did they get back together? Wasn't Lee falling for the other friend?
Deib's parents - so just because of a video (that wasn't even conclusive enough), they suddenly became so civil and had a meal with Max's whole family and apologized? Really?!
Max's dad and stepmother - in the end, we never got a single conversation with them even discussing what the problem was, and they randomly got back together because obviously last episode + she's in a ball dress. I get that she left home when he didn't show support for his own daughter but after that it got resolved when Max made the speech for her stepsis. So what was the issue after that? We didn't even get to know the real issue, and why their relationship was on a break for so long, and what made the mum give in at the last episode
the criminal investigation - worst writing ever.. like why write this into the plot if you don't even understand how it works + they dragged it for the entire drama
Kim and RJ - with zero personality beyond the leads and in the end, suddenly they decide to just become wingmen for our leads.. really?
Deib and his father - so after the father spent the entire drama making Deib feel worthless, he suddenly became so soft? Like the least the writer could have done was given them a proper scene for the father to talk about his emotions and them slowly easing into a healthier relationship. But instead the writer chose to make the dad just flip overnight
the headmaster angle from the past - sorry what did it add to the plot again?
For a season that began with discussing some real issues, it ended in the most underwhelming & lazy way with everything tied up neatly with a bow. It had the effect of rendering the good conversations and journey almost pointless. I guess I expected too much after the great first half. I don't recommend it unless you're a fan of either of the actors who did a fairly good job with what they were given or the characters.
URGH where are the subs for episode 12 part 1LIKE THEY CHOSE TO NOT HAVE SUBS FOR SUCH A CRUCIAL PARTSomebody…
wow the show went downhill from E12 onwards.. like the flow just became all over the place.
E12 - E14 the leads had this heartbreaking convo in part 1 indicating a breakup (no subs so I couldn't fully understand the words) and then cut to next scene all the characters in a detention with cop out excuses / humour instead of letting the leads just feel the emotions of what they went through.. the leads in the lift talking about trust - fair enough, but I doubt the show will be able to resolve that.
then you have Dale's ex randomly coming back and I'm like why the hell has a new character been inserted when that screen time could be with both brothers having a honest conversation.. like the fact that both brothers never got around to properly even talking about Max and what the ML is going through.. They had more scenes together when the brother was unconscious in a coma but after he woke up it's like they barely even talk?
Michiko and Dale are cute but was there a need to force this romantic relationship for them so fast? Like he just got out of a coma, give him the time to recover, spend time with family and then slowly get back to a normal life? And then he kisses Michiko and says he doesn't know if she is ready to be courted? What bullshit! Then why did you kiss her in the first place?!
then the whole headmaster/mum angle.. why was that even needed? Like why didn't the writer focus on either fixing the relationship between the couple or breaking them up? That whole headmaster/mum had a thing in the past was not even needed. Waste of screen time and space.
RJ and Kim's characters also wasted as characters who had zero life beyond the leads..
the issue with the uncle got dragged so much that now I don't even want the leads together again because a valid point was raised it doesn't even matter anymore whether the uncle did it or not, can he go back to trusting her? Will his family accept her on the dinner table because fact is uncle did have some responsibility in whatever happened. I honestly doubt the writer has the capacity to resolve these questions. I wish he/she didn't even raise them in the first place..
the convo in the car in E14 part 1 "do I love you because I see the good in you, or do I see the good in you and that's why I love you" - again a very deep and beautiful line BUT does the writer have the ability to answer this question? The FL just gave all the reasons why they don't fit together and all the problems with their relationship which is so so fair. And if this isn't resolved and they just get back together happily ever after, it will be such a disservice to their journey and the stuff written..
It's like the writer created this web but now doesn't know how to untangle it.
anyway 2 more episodes to go! Let's see.. though I have already lost interest.
On Episode 2The melodramatic monologue of Episode 1 aside, I am surprised by the maturity with which they're dealing…
E11. I love the way they didn't break up immediately and chose to hang on to each other. Smart of them to see each other secretly away from friends and family. So refreshing!
On Episode 2The melodramatic monologue of Episode 1 aside, I am surprised by the maturity with which they're dealing…
E9 The angst in the rain scene was done so damn well esp the way he came back with the umbrella for her. My poor babies. The way the ML cried in his mum's shoulder - that was some seriously good acting. I seriously didn't expect the 2nd season to be even better than the 1st.
Can you please recommend me more dramas like this?
I think you're looking for stories with an unfolding mystery, some romance & psychological elements? Some classic dramas come to my mind but they're darker than Nanyobi -
Sensei, Would You Sit Beside Me (it's a movie but has a similar style) A Sleeping Forest Kill Me Heal Me Sora Kara Furu Ichioku no Hoshi N no Tame Ni Ice World Kimi ga Kokoro ni Sumitsuita
4 
9 
2 
1 
1 
This is clearly not Takeshi's best work, but it's one of my favourites from him.
It makes me sad how films of substance like this are royally ignored on this site.
Otherwise it would have almost slipped under my radar
That is a serious blunder and I have to correct it.
Nai and Lee - didn't they break up because they were just too different? So why did they get back together? Wasn't Lee falling for the other friend?
Deib's parents - so just because of a video (that wasn't even conclusive enough), they suddenly became so civil and had a meal with Max's whole family and apologized? Really?!
Max's dad and stepmother - in the end, we never got a single conversation with them even discussing what the problem was, and they randomly got back together because obviously last episode + she's in a ball dress. I get that she left home when he didn't show support for his own daughter but after that it got resolved when Max made the speech for her stepsis. So what was the issue after that? We didn't even get to know the real issue, and why their relationship was on a break for so long, and what made the mum give in at the last episode
the criminal investigation - worst writing ever.. like why write this into the plot if you don't even understand how it works + they dragged it for the entire drama
Kim and RJ - with zero personality beyond the leads and in the end, suddenly they decide to just become wingmen for our leads.. really?
Deib and his father - so after the father spent the entire drama making Deib feel worthless, he suddenly became so soft? Like the least the writer could have done was given them a proper scene for the father to talk about his emotions and them slowly easing into a healthier relationship. But instead the writer chose to make the dad just flip overnight
the headmaster angle from the past - sorry what did it add to the plot again?
I don't recommend it unless you're a fan of either of the actors who did a fairly good job with what they were given or the characters.
Do yourself a favour and go watch the original instead.
Ariel Lin
Tiffany Hsu
Kai Ko
OMGGGGGGGGGGG THE CAST -
THE ACTORS I GREW UP WATCHING
THE GEMS AND OGs OF T-ENT
YOU ARE TELLING ME THEY ARE ALL ARE BACK IN A DRAMA,
AFTER SO LONGGGGGG
AND THAT TOO IN ONE DRAMA TOGETHER?!
I NEED TO WATCH THIS.
E12 - E14
the leads had this heartbreaking convo in part 1 indicating a breakup (no subs so I couldn't fully understand the words) and then cut to next scene all the characters in a detention with cop out excuses / humour instead of letting the leads just feel the emotions of what they went through.. the leads in the lift talking about trust - fair enough, but I doubt the show will be able to resolve that.
then you have Dale's ex randomly coming back and I'm like why the hell has a new character been inserted when that screen time could be with both brothers having a honest conversation.. like the fact that both brothers never got around to properly even talking about Max and what the ML is going through..
They had more scenes together when the brother was unconscious in a coma but after he woke up it's like they barely even talk?
Michiko and Dale are cute but was there a need to force this romantic relationship for them so fast? Like he just got out of a coma, give him the time to recover, spend time with family and then slowly get back to a normal life? And then he kisses Michiko and says he doesn't know if she is ready to be courted? What bullshit! Then why did you kiss her in the first place?!
then the whole headmaster/mum angle.. why was that even needed? Like why didn't the writer focus on either fixing the relationship between the couple or breaking them up? That whole headmaster/mum had a thing in the past was not even needed. Waste of screen time and space.
RJ and Kim's characters also wasted as characters who had zero life beyond the leads..
the issue with the uncle got dragged so much that now I don't even want the leads together again because a valid point was raised
it doesn't even matter anymore whether the uncle did it or not, can he go back to trusting her? Will his family accept her on the dinner table because fact is uncle did have some responsibility in whatever happened. I honestly doubt the writer has the capacity to resolve these questions. I wish he/she didn't even raise them in the first place..
the convo in the car in E14 part 1
"do I love you because I see the good in you, or do I see the good in you and that's why I love you" - again a very deep and beautiful line BUT does the writer have the ability to answer this question? The FL just gave all the reasons why they don't fit together and all the problems with their relationship which is so so fair. And if this isn't resolved and they just get back together happily ever after, it will be such a disservice to their journey and the stuff written..
It's like the writer created this web but now doesn't know how to untangle it.
anyway 2 more episodes to go! Let's see.. though I have already lost interest.
LIKE THEY CHOSE TO NOT HAVE SUBS FOR SUCH A CRUCIAL PART
Somebody helpppppp
I love the way they didn't break up immediately and chose to hang on to each other. Smart of them to see each other secretly away from friends and family. So refreshing!
The angst in the rain scene was done so damn well esp the way he came back with the umbrella for her. My poor babies.
The way the ML cried in his mum's shoulder - that was some seriously good acting.
I seriously didn't expect the 2nd season to be even better than the 1st.
2nd half here we come!
Sensei, Would You Sit Beside Me (it's a movie but has a similar style)
A Sleeping Forest
Kill Me Heal Me
Sora Kara Furu Ichioku no Hoshi
N no Tame Ni
Ice World
Kimi ga Kokoro ni Sumitsuita