An interesting dive into adult entertainment in Japan

At first I was critical but I wanted to watch it because Itsuki is in it. After the first episode I was hooked because of the lead character. This drama gives a very complex insight into not only the adult entertainment in Japan and how women fall into it, but also an overall oversight of society's expectations of women along with rather complex takes on different emotions. Each woman is flawed in their own way in this show, at first you might not like them at all but as it goes on you are shown more and more why they act as they do. I don't love all the characters but I somewhat came to understand them.

To my understanding the acting is really great, everyone seems authentic and they manage to explore complex emotions of their character pretty well. Some character seem totally one dimensional at first but the actors manage to bring out the inner turbulence during each story. So far my only issue with the drama is that nothing seems to be really resolved. Issues you think have been taken care of are suddenly undone off screen and a character returns back to 0.

This drama had me really involved, I cursed and felt with them, I judged and then understood somewhat. It was a journey for sure and I am sad that it only has 12 episodes. It is deeply entertaining and I recommend it to anyone who is open to learn more about the topic of adult entertainment.

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Just a tad too much

Finally it's here after having waited years, the second part to the High&Low The Worst franchise. When I tell you that I was at the edge of my seat when this was announced! And it didn't..fully disappoint.

As usual the action was amazing, the acting was splendid especially from those having their acting debuts in such a physically demanding movie, and the cinematography never disappoints. The issue is the same though as it is with every movie that has a giant cast: it lacks in the story department.

With so many characters involved it is impossible to flesh out a proper arch or motivation for them which leads to a lot of times of me wondering why they were actually there. I cant help but compare it to Crows Zero (especially since this a Crows Zero universe CROSSover) which also had a big cast . Difference is the cast then was made up mostly by background characters rather than characters meant to have archs/enemies of their own so they could focus on the main conflict. I believe it is best to simply focus on less characters but build on them for a more compelling story.

I think this is where casting so many of your own artists, along with other prominent artists, becomes an issue since of course you want your people to all get to shine as much as possible and broaden their fan circle (sell some of that music along with it) while with actors you can solely put focus on the few characters actually needed.

I was genuinely disappionted with the premise of the movie as well as the motivation for our main "villain". Unless this is your first introduction into the Yankee genre you won't find anything new about the storyarch. I had also hoped to see some more of the cast we already know in the movie (aka Fujio's friends whom we also know from their small drama adaptation) instead of this many new and basically irrelevant characters.

Overall the story was lacking for the fault of cramming as much as possible of the big cast into the story and missing originality, but the action and acting definitely made up for it. As usual Kazuma as Fujio is a stellar character whom I love cheering for and his crew is definitely getting the attention they deserve. I will always love that they didn't go for the typical, edgy protagonist type you see the most in yankee media and instead chose to write Fujio as a sunshine with fists of steel.

If you are a jpop fan you will dedinitely love seeing all these familiar faces taking on these tough roles, which honestly is also a point of enjoyment for itself. Obviously if you are an action fan like me and simply enjoy watching people bashing some heads in that too is really fun. But if you are looking for a compelling and interesting storyarch to go along with all that, this is not the watch for you.

While I have rewatched the first movie several times, I merely find myself skipping through this one to my favorite few fights. I think that perfectly sums up my impression. It felt like many cool action scenes thrown in a pot while the story to connect it all felt like an afterthought.

Lastly of course the music was absolutely perfect, I immediately added some of the soundtrack to my playlist which was to be expected with so many LDH artists involved.

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A movie beyond BL

Truthfully one of my favorite movies of the year. Had I watched it in 2022 as it was released it would have been my favorite movie of last year. It is honestly stunning.

Showing off the typical, simple yet beautiful Japanese cinematorgraphy it grabs you with it's silence. Instead of using music to underline a lot of the moments the director chose to go for somber quietness that has you focus and ponder on the scenes. Both actors gave it their all, making for an authentic and stunning portrayal of two gay men simply engaging in everything they are feeling. For a while they make you feel safe, content even until the movie takes a turn. What goes from a queer romance transformed into a movie about love, loss and family, being so much more profound than what is usually released in this genre.

Don't get me wrong I do love your usual, sweet, slightly awkward BL so this is not a jab at any other media but this is simply so much deeper than that. It had me wondering about my own life, about the people I love and how I should treasure them more since time is limited.

Honestly a stunning movie.

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An exploration of loneliness despite among people

Chihiro-san is a stellar example for the beauty of Japanese slice of life films. It is a slow movie that has you taking in the beauty and silence of Japanese countryside while taking you along with Chihiro's day as a former sex worker on her journey of connecting with people.

While at first the film makes you believe she is the typical, always happy and spreading sunshine protagonist we so often see in Japanese media (Drama and Anime alike) without further depth, it is made clear along the way that there is a deep loneliness within her. It humanizes her character and reminds the audience that often times the outwardly happiest people are struggling deep inside.

What really makes the film is this humanization, this relatability really of feeling alone despite surrounding yourself with people you love and being unable to escape that feeling regardless of where you go.

The film is also filled with beautiful, and quotable, dialogue that has you ponder on them for a while. Despite the slowness of the film I did not feel bored once which is rare, I believe that is partly for the way the script made sure to give some time to the audience to ponder on the dialogue and think about how you relate to it. Not to forget the cinematography really knows how to acventuate the beauty of Japan's seaside which draws you into the scenes.

In the end this is a movie for those who enjoy slice of life and aren't afraid of having the common sadness along with small joys of life visualized on screen.

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Painful and raw

Definitely an infuriating, frustrating, painful and in the end numbing movie. At every turn of the story you want to believe that things will take a turn for the better, that with that good for nothing bum of a husband out the picture that maybe she can turn things around but fate is against her. Pushed to the absolute edge of her own sanity you still want to believe that now that she has snapped there might be another turn that even with that dark twist at least she might somehow get a grasp back on her life just to then realize that no this movie won't have a happy ending. And maybe the dread of life slapping the viewer in the face is what makes this movie so special. It's a raw depiction of all the worst in life coming down on a teenager who deserved better, who has tried and failed.

The acting is absolute perfection and brings the conflicting emotions of the characters across in a way that has you just as confused as the director wants you to be. The cinematography is simple yet impactful switching between very bright to very dark scenery where our main characters hair is somewhat often the focal point.

This is not a movie for those with thin nerves nor for those struggling with their mental health. Please be cautious before watching this and if you do, please know that it is a caution tale and not a reflection on how things have to end in life.

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I want more

Arimura Kasumi is really becoming my favorite actress with roles like this and in Chihiro-san. In this film she takes on another role that goes beyond the usual surface level female protagonists that we often get. Its an exploration of the different ways that people deal with trauma and shows hope that you can make something positive out of it.

This film challenges prenotions about criminals by giving us a protagonist who has gone through something traumatic yet decided to do her best in seeing the good in people. All that while not portraying her as naive or guillable but as a woman who has her head straight on, is quick witted and unafraid. But she is also not shown to be perfect as she still struggles and has still some more work to do on herself to overcome unresolved struggles. I definitely wanted to root for her all the way through and really wish I could see more of her in action, be it in drama format or a sequel movie.

This film also tackles a topic I have never before seen, giving an interesting insight in the probation system in Japan. I would have never guessed that probation officers are unpaid civilians (please pay these people omg). Based on that alone I already recommend it.

My only problem was the romance aspect, if one can even call it that. I definitely could have done without a romance backstory between her and the officer. In general I think the police officer should have shown more remorse in how he had treated her. Again, this IS an exploration of how everyone deals with their individual trauma but I wish his had been tackled and worked through some more like hers was. Of course that is hard to do in a movie format so it is totally fine.

Overall its a film with an interesting topic, amazing acting and thoughtful intend.

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Otsuka-rainbow to the whole team!

I love this drama. There really isnt anything else to say. I love the way it tackles topics like gender, sexuality and gender expression. It teaches things that may already be a matter of course to some while not having been addressed before to a Japanese audience.

Often times this type of "someone not usually found at a school goes to school to reach a certain hidden goal" can get rather repetitive, and yet despite this drama following the usual pattern it still made it completely its own. I fully enjoy Noburo's honesty as well as his "not taking any shit" attitude. I think for some people in the queer community it might be a bit extreme to show a gay man dressed in female clothes as they could think that it pushes stereotypes but the show does so well in plainly explaining that gender, sexuality and gender expression can be completely seperate, so honestly I dont see an issue there.

This has been the third time I have watched this drama now after some time and its been as enjoyable as the first and second watch. The young actors did a good job in making their characters feel real despite some exaggerated story archs for them as well as of course the more seasoned actors really bringing everything to life.

I think this is an enjoyable drama for queer and non-queer audiences alike!

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A hefty dose of fatphobia on a platter

First up I did not watch nor read the source material, this is solely based as a first time watcher of this movie on its own.

I watched this because i love Miu's acting and wanted to see her as a co-lead. Unfortunately with her being cast you can always somehow expect stereotypes and hatefulness to be the theme, even if underlying. I really thought I was prepared based on the synopsis but the fatphobia was even worse than anticipated.

Lines were dropped that truly had my mouth agape in shock, which is rare. They did try once or twice to get two of the guys to point out how superficial those statements were but not once did anyone mention how fucked up it really was nor did the other guys get taught any lesson. Instead it was pushed aside and they went straight back to the main issue pretending like suddenly it wasnt an issue anymore at all.

"I will make her lose weight. Her personality is great and we know she can be beautiful when she's thin" I wont forget that line for a long time, in the most negative sense.

As someone with an eating disorder, I felt shit watching this movie and i feel shit after, despite having enjoyed the comedy and music aspects. I used to be a Fujoshi as a teen so I did have some genuine laughs about the otaku behavior but unfortunately the joy wasnt allowed to stick. Everything else made me wanna throw up and actually made me respect Miu as an actress even more.

Japan has a lot to work on when it comes to beauty standards and fatphobia I know that but it is never an excuse. To watch this movie made in 2020 display fatphobia like its 2001 is honestly disgusting. I do not recommend watching this movie as i believe it to be extremely harmful for any young girls (as well as women with body image issues of all ages) who comes across this, and any other media with this premise.

Overall just a comedy movie pushing the superficial narrative that Japanese media loves: that being liked for your looks is a goal and that you will only be truly loved and persuaded when you're thin. They had the chance to teach a valuable lesson about everyone being beuatiful how they are as long as they are happy and that everyone deserves love, but they blew it. Garbage.

Anyway, this isnt related to the movie but always remember weight has nothing to do with beauty.

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Great premise succumbing to strange writing choices

I don't need a drama to have a happy ending, that's not at all why I dislike the ending of DAS so much (other than me having basically hate watched a drama for the first time overall) but the ending of Duty After School didn't feel earned. Had they all been massacred by the aliens I feel like much less people would have complained about the ending, even though it would have been just as sad. I think the issue comes up with this decision clearly having been made in the last two episodes. While yes Yeong Soo had been established from the get go as weird and a bit of an outcast at times, none of his behavior previously was showing signs of being prone to psychosis, sexual assault or violence. So to be faced with a character suddenly doing these things from a viewer's perspective is odd.

From a character perspective or even real life you definitely never know when someone will snap, you might even call the sudden change realistic in that case but again, we are watching a drama, we are a viewer from the outside who thrpughout the drama always had a 3rd perspective on everything happening with details unbeknownst to the characters. So based on that perspective it didn't feel conclusive. Instead it felt like they were suddenly looking for a reason to give the viewers a shocking ending. Especially the way it cut immediately to the end of the literal apocalypse with the solution to the very problem they spent 8 episodes fighting being mentioned on the side with a quick "Oop they developed a new weapon and now all is well." Those two aspects in combination were jarring when you just spent a whole drama watching characters being focused on survival just for it to all end abruptly by something they didn't spend time building up to.

There is of course so much more wrong with the drama than the ending but I don't wanna write more paragprahs about all the plot holes, strange characterizations or bad chemistry. In the end the acting is really great, the premise is fun but the drama succumbs to a lot of bad choices and for me personally, a lack of relatable or even just sympathetic characters.

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Cute but awkward

More proof that I won't skip a drama or movie that Miu plays a bigger role in regardless of my worries for her being typecast for her appearance in a negative light.

While I absolutely enjoy and respect both actors in their own right, this combination was strange. The story is definitely adorable, a genuine change of pace for Japan's craze for a certain beuaty standard, the choice of casting the main characters with such an age gap made it awkward though.

I was also disappointed whenever they hammered in that she did not in fact match Japans beauty standard which yes, on one side it is realistic that she gets that thrown at her a lot by society, but on the other side I'm not a fan of using someones looks as comedic relief. I felt as though her character was rarely taken serious by the writers unless it was about her talent. It especially felt out of place in a drama that was meant to question those norms if not deem them unimportant. It was just too much sometimes and counterproductive really.

Overall the acting was fine, the story was fun and while I cringed a few times I also equally had some chuckles. A short, sweet drama that i dont regret watching and has becone a faint but fond memory.

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This thing about mourning

This one is interesting.

Just like the protagonist we are immediately thrown into the cold water. No lead up to death, no explanation just yet. This woman named Mariko is dead and we are taken on a journey of how her friend deals with it as well of what could have been the cause. And man, it's one terrible thing after another.

I find it really hard to say much about how the suicide topic was handled here since the film doesnt seem to actively make any certain statement. The suicide in fact isnt the main focus at all, even if you can interpret it as such, i think the main focus is on how to grief. Regardless how a friend died in the end loved ones are left behind and everyone deals with it differently, has to in fact. In this case I think its displayed beautiful the stages one goes through.

There is denial, texting Mariko, unable to believe its true. Then there is wanting to make good by her, put her to rest peacefully. And of course anger, one that I was waiting for during the runtime of the film and was really well expressed with the "But you had me!" That our protagonist shouts in her drunken state. And lastly of course acceptance. Those are all really complex emptions that I think the acttess did a just fine jon in portraying. At times i felt like there was a bit of depth missing in her portrayal that pulled me a bit out of the deep emotions. The scenes meant to be impactful still were impactful though. Whom I really have to praise thpugh are the child actresses. They genuinely made me believe their distress, shock and friendship. They did an amazing job!

While those stages of grief in this type of story seem rather typical, this movie does something interesting. In the end it is completely up to the audience what to make of it all. We are not being told how to feel about it, whom to judge how nor what the moral of the story is. Its all open for interpretation.

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Better than the drama adaptation

As someone who has watched the 2019 drama adaptation of this story I immediately recognized the premise upon the first few minutes. Whereas the drama had more time to really go into depth with it all, the movie actually did a better job in clarifying the emotions of all the characters and wrapping the story up properly despite the time crunch.

Whereas the drama had me believing that in the end he remained in denial of his sexuality, the movie made sure to point out the nuance of his struggle with himself AS WELL as the conclusion that he comes to with himself by the end. Mind you i watched the drama with subs and the movie without yet the ending was so much clearer and easier to understand in the movie.

What I did miss in this movie was the references to Queen and how their music really drove and accompanied the protagonist throughout this story. Which doesnt change much but has been a touch in the drama I enjoyed and would have loved to see more of here.

I havent really looked at what others said about the suicide attempt in the last act but I think it's an interesting choice. On one hand it underlines how alienated Jun felt even by himself, how he wished to escape so much that it only took that one last trigger to push him over the edge. On the other hand it is a jarring reminder that your words will always have consequences, which sometimes is needed to be shown in such a shocking way to leave an impression. I m glad though that they chose to have him recover from this as I am TIRED of the "killing your gays" trope. Let people be happy and luckily, he was.

One thing that equally upsets me about both adaptations (and possibly also the source material which i have not read) is the fact that the grown man just got away with everything. Japanese media, possibly also their society as a whole, does not seem to have much interest in seeing the grossness of big age gap romances between adults and teens which i find revolting and hate to watch. That is a middle aged man who took advantage of an inexperienced high school student who struggled with his identity and none of it was addressed as such at all. Yes, he eventually broke up with him but the movie made no point to point out the creepiness of it all as instead they chose to focused on him having a family. Even if we were to only focus on that aspect as well, not even his cheating had consequences other than losing his teen lover (gag). I know from research that it was and is very common for queer people esp. in Japan to marry the opposite sex and hide who they are to live a more peaceful life but I think it could have been tackled a bit better.

That last chunk is the main reason why this story regardless of adaptation will never get a high rating from me. It was still a compelling watch though especially as someone who is queer as well.

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I've reached my limit

I watched this drama solely for Kasamatsu Sho so the moment they offed his character I was out. Genuinely it's not a boring drama since they do have a few mysteries set up, but it makes use of every single drama and apocalypse trope in the book and at some point it got exhausting. I feel like there is only so far you can go with "i need to find my girl" and rehashing that plot for 3 seasons straight is absolutely insane. Also somebody needs to tell me why every single character falls in love with Kurumi who is written like any damsel in distress imaginable. None of their decisions ever make sense, especially since its claimed that she loves the guy and does everything for him yet all their problems would be reduced if they just communicated. Anyway, with Todoroki dead and with him also the only romance I could get behind (although their start felt as forced as every romance in this show) , I'm not going to continue.

While Hibiki and Kurumi are supposed to be the protagonists I find none of their journey to be enjoyable, rather I was always most engaged when the two of them weren't on screen together and the topic wasn't each other. I do not feel empathy for them, rather all of their actions are rather annoying. It may be because I am not a big romance fan in the first place but the apocalypse setting was interesting enough for me to watch, but at this point all I can do is roll my eyes. And don't get me started on the trope of having babies in the apocalypse, it always leads to absolute predictable plotlines. They have some vague story about who spread the virus but focus absolutely none of their time on it, because they prefer to keep rehashing the "saving the damsel in distress" over and over so the actually interesting part of the show is drowned in it.

I'm glad they got some decent actors for this show but the writing is so stereotypical it gives me a headache and the main romance does not catch on for me. RIP Todoroki and goodbye Kimi to Sekai ga Oawru Hi ni.

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