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virgievirgie
Lost in Dramaland
A very different but more enigmatic and charismatic Meguro Ren
Subjective Gut Rating: 8.25
“Trillion Game” shows us a different side of Meguro Ren. He’s no longer the gentle, quiet or shy character that we know in “Kieta Hatsukoi”, “Silent” or “As Long as We Both Shall Live”. In “Trillion Game” he’s the ruthless, calculating and scheming Haru. It does take me a little bit to get used to this new Meguro Ren. I’m glad he branches out to different roles, but personally, I am not a big fan of over-the-top anime/manga acting. So I much preferred his shy roles. Having said that, Meguro Ren is charismatic and really does shine in this drama. It’s hard not to focus on him when he’s on the screen.
His counterpart/business partner/friend is a total opposite of Haru. Gaku is a shy and introverted computer geek. As the genius hacker, he complements Haru very well. The duo tackles the internal and external crisis of building a business seamlessly. I have enjoyed watching their friendship and partnership grow, and especially the trust they have in each other. Although Haru is more enigmatic, we do see character development from Gaku and how he’s slowly changed.
Playing Princess Kiri is the beautiful Imada Mio. Kiri is sassy, cool and sassy. You won’t see a trace of her shy portrayal of Miyo in “As Long as We Both Shall Live”. When she’s alone, she dazzles. When she’s with Haru, the chemistry is there, even if there’s really no romance in this drama. It’s lovely to see both Menguro Ren and Imada Mio play such different roles together. I always look forward to the eye-catching and somewhat over-the-top outfits that Princess Kiri wears. Every time she shows up on screen, she has a different outfit. It’s like her own fashion show.
Rinrin the human AI is the moral compass of Trillion Game. She steers the ship through rough waters and keeps it on the right path. As the honest, ethical and passionate President, her character might be more one-dimensional than the other three.
This is not a serious business drama, nor a romantic comedy. Comparatively, it’s not as overdramatic as other anime/manga live adaptations I’ve seen. It’s fast-paced and with a decent supporting cast. The two veteran actors are great,and a good contrast to the younger cast. In order to build the Trillion Game, you will see Haru and Gaku overcome each challenge and build the company one piece at a time. These building blocks can seem repetitive at times, and also appear to be quite easy. You can also guess where Haru is going and that he's always 10 steps ahead of everyone. I would have liked to see more backstory of the supporting cast, but there isn’t enough time for that. I think I enjoy the second half of the drama more than the first, when the stakes are higher and Meguro Ren’s character is less over-the-top but has become seriously manipulating.
With 10 quick episodes, this is an easy and enjoyable binge. Would I have loved to see a little more romance developed between Haru and the Princess? Yes. But sometimes, the unspoken but obvious affection and interest could be just as sizzling.
Completed: 12/13/2023 - Review #382
“Trillion Game” shows us a different side of Meguro Ren. He’s no longer the gentle, quiet or shy character that we know in “Kieta Hatsukoi”, “Silent” or “As Long as We Both Shall Live”. In “Trillion Game” he’s the ruthless, calculating and scheming Haru. It does take me a little bit to get used to this new Meguro Ren. I’m glad he branches out to different roles, but personally, I am not a big fan of over-the-top anime/manga acting. So I much preferred his shy roles. Having said that, Meguro Ren is charismatic and really does shine in this drama. It’s hard not to focus on him when he’s on the screen.
His counterpart/business partner/friend is a total opposite of Haru. Gaku is a shy and introverted computer geek. As the genius hacker, he complements Haru very well. The duo tackles the internal and external crisis of building a business seamlessly. I have enjoyed watching their friendship and partnership grow, and especially the trust they have in each other. Although Haru is more enigmatic, we do see character development from Gaku and how he’s slowly changed.
Playing Princess Kiri is the beautiful Imada Mio. Kiri is sassy, cool and sassy. You won’t see a trace of her shy portrayal of Miyo in “As Long as We Both Shall Live”. When she’s alone, she dazzles. When she’s with Haru, the chemistry is there, even if there’s really no romance in this drama. It’s lovely to see both Menguro Ren and Imada Mio play such different roles together. I always look forward to the eye-catching and somewhat over-the-top outfits that Princess Kiri wears. Every time she shows up on screen, she has a different outfit. It’s like her own fashion show.
Rinrin the human AI is the moral compass of Trillion Game. She steers the ship through rough waters and keeps it on the right path. As the honest, ethical and passionate President, her character might be more one-dimensional than the other three.
This is not a serious business drama, nor a romantic comedy. Comparatively, it’s not as overdramatic as other anime/manga live adaptations I’ve seen. It’s fast-paced and with a decent supporting cast. The two veteran actors are great,and a good contrast to the younger cast. In order to build the Trillion Game, you will see Haru and Gaku overcome each challenge and build the company one piece at a time. These building blocks can seem repetitive at times, and also appear to be quite easy. You can also guess where Haru is going and that he's always 10 steps ahead of everyone. I would have liked to see more backstory of the supporting cast, but there isn’t enough time for that. I think I enjoy the second half of the drama more than the first, when the stakes are higher and Meguro Ren’s character is less over-the-top but has become seriously manipulating.
With 10 quick episodes, this is an easy and enjoyable binge. Would I have loved to see a little more romance developed between Haru and the Princess? Yes. But sometimes, the unspoken but obvious affection and interest could be just as sizzling.
Completed: 12/13/2023 - Review #382
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