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美しい彼〜嘘!
this drama has some good aspects but I do not change my earlier critique。 a lot of the acting in the first half school episodes ーI assume reflecting the script ーwas superficial and unpleasant in the cliched way so many Japanese school dramas focus on bullying。as for the relationship of Kiyoi and Hira、 for five and half episodes out of 6 I see a disturbing narcissistー codependent relationship fuelled by Hira's obsessive love attraction which - as Proust shows so well - really derives its strength from projection of a fantasy image on the loved object。 then we are asked to believe in the last half of the final episode that this was all a misunderstanding and the flame of love was buried but now lights up after years 〜but! Kiyoi is still putting down Hira and this is somehow the basis of a lasting relationship when anyone with self-respect would walk away :if it does lead to some kind of relationship then it is a twisted one。 the ending has some appeal and it is nice if you can view it as somehow a happy ending、 but being honest this is simply not reconcilable with what is depicted in the previous five and half episodes。 I do not criticise the main leads who made the best of a ridiculous script。Was this review helpful to you?
Queer Movie Butterfly: The Adult World
3 people found this review helpful
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Beautiful story of enduring GL
For me the main virtue of this short GL Chinese movie is that it actually contains openly gay scenes ?️? maybe just escaping the Chinese homophobic censorship〜 the story is nothing unusual of its genre except possibly the green blood❇️ and the mermaids of the title seem different from humans only by this and their possibly more ethereal makeup and clothing〜〜 but indisputably the best part of the movie is the end: brilliant original unexpected moving and beautiful with the music overpowering me with emotion ??(♡ᵉ̷͈ัॢωᵉ̷͈ัॢ )‧₊°♡
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Look at the blue sky
This is not just yaoi mystery stories, it it is the the romantic friendship of Sakaki and Tori, and the caring of Sakaki that rescues Tori and extends his feelings to care for people, especially those who are in trouble or different from other people, sensitive to life in special way, and feeling for beauty in ordinary nature around us. All in understated way. You have to notice at start the blue sky?azure?? egg of the title Sakaki plays with, stands I feel for beautiful delicate shell around and protecting our feelings. I feel the music adds to feeling of delicacy in this drama. You can call this "tearjerker". As it says, if you feel sad and alone, go outside and see the blue sky that connects us all. I wish all people could be so caring. OK, I am sentimental. Perfect. Yokatta!Was this review helpful to you?
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This review may contain spoilers
manga bender
enjoyable comedic drama but as it went on for me it became more than just this and was thought provoking too on nature of gender and also where reality and fantasy begin and end with manga passion transmuted into ”real life” 〜very touching and well thought out ending though slightly disappointing from one viewpoint acting good all round:I think Matsuzaka is in characteristic style here as accident prone "little guy" finding himself in compromising situation but ?maybe? seems slightly ill at ease in same sex scenes here but Iura quite at ease and excellent??Was this review helpful to you?
look through the politics and you will find an endearing short Chinese GL drama series
enjoy this good story attractive actors, costume, background but the modern political prejudices are hardly well hidden [Kuomintang one-sidedly portrayed as the inhumane thugs] and it is fairly obvious why Chinese censorship did not take a heavy hand with this despite the same sex undertones (some parts even contain virtual lectures:do not let the start put you off):maybe in 2017 they thought with the propaganda it is worth risking effect of the heavy friendship! yes、 end very telescoped (but you could say this about the whole drama) but it worked〜 look through the politics and use your imagination (though with Zhou Yao Huayou's character played by Yan Zi Dong maybe do not need much imagination) and this is endearing same sex drama〜☆*✲゚*。(((´♡‿♡`+)))。*゚✲*☆
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great drama of political intrigue
after slow start (maybe because I did not watch the prequel so not familiar with background)I loved this superlative action drama and very involving once you begin to unravel the overload of information about various courts intrigues and players〜one I watch many episodes together〜 also this drama really lives up to its name as it is episode 4 and I have not seen a single female: how do they reproduce?(^_-) as usually it seems with Chinese dramas the introduction songs are too long、 I assume Chinese audience like action shots with music as a distinct part of the show〜but though I like rock music it seems bizarrely out of place in this type of period drama〜my only criticism is the very unsatisfactory ending on which see separate comment with spoliers〜〜Was this review helpful to you?
original mystery treatment of the exam pressure trope
nearly dropped it after slow confusing episode 1 but after that it became EXTREMELY good mystery plot around the pressurised exam system but looked at very much from the teacher's viewpoint and examining their interactions, characters and motivations as well as how the students handle it 〜good example of Japanese drama taking an overused trope and seeing it from a new angle it has the best qualities of a mystery story in making you want to know what comes next and how the characters develop so I finished it very quickly〜you need to like following plot details and reading character, there is not so much action, but if you like a drama of this type the effort is worthwhile〜 ?Was this review helpful to you?
Inspirational message
certainly set in different background from usual school drama which I find interesting〜 there is room for some social class comment although of course a romanticised view of technical schools as this is fiction〜as to the girl in boys school trope、this has a different more original feel than similar dramas: of course heroine is too good to be true as we would all like to be but this is fiction!and then also a love triangle but it feels like this was put in as part of the formula and is not a main focus〜but interesting plot elements showing hard background stories of some students 〜such as one involving single parent、 another financially struggling〜 really add interest and are well developed though finally it is obviously intended as inspirational message for teenagers rather than realistic 〜still no boring part and I liked this more as I watch it really good show so 10 / 10Was this review helpful to you?
dark but compelling drama about caste and bullying in school setting
First a general point. it is unfortunate that the traditional emphasis on community, family, groups in Japanese society, which has tended to stamp on anyone out of synch with social norms and hierarchy (though now improving in more liberal cities) is truly reflected in the type of bullying in schools typical of Japanese school drama and especially in this drama looked at from the angle of caste。 Like others I thought this drama would be more comic but it is actually quite depressing with the bullying tropes and unremittingly dark 〜actions of some students in this drama are extreme to point of sociopathic but this I suppose is part of the fictional exaggeration for dramatic effect。 however despite the darkness it hooks you as a very good school mystery genre for the first 10,5 episodes and the the evil is counterbalanced in that it is effectively being challenged by Baba (and later her friends)。especially moving is the genuine feeling and character of Baba's passion in the last episode which unravels the mystery and the darkness。it is also a good satire at times on uncaring or just ineffective teachers and teacher to teacher bullying (in one episode at least)。the final episode is nicely finished and neatly resolved、 though the festive side departs from any sense of realism and is rather out of character with most of the story 〜I also find it interesting how the argument comes full circle with the students ultimately demanding the very class system which through the abusive caste system shown in the drama produced thee bullying problem: it seems what they want is not to retain the good part of Japanese communal spirit while getting rid of the negative effects〜 an ideal solution indeed if it is only possible in reality!still this is a drama where fictional dramatisation is used very well to examine real social problems and lifts it above pure entertainment〜 though I am happy to say bullying is becoming less of a problem in my experience〜finally I really liked the music of Exile。Was this review helpful to you?
Another watchable Chinese fantasy production
finally I enjoyed this series very much as the characters developed and for me this and the fantasy were the best parts。 it was disappointing the relationship between Zhao Yun Lan and Shen Wei was sanitised by censorship but unfortunately not unexpected and you have to learn to use your imagination in these Chinese dramas〜 some actors are better at being suggestible than others:here for me only 70%。It was also a learning curve working out how the double characters fitted。 I think the less good part was the production values、 very basic with the same unconvincing cardboard sets and props throughout and the total populations of Haixing and Dixiang in crowd scenes seeming at most 40 or 50 people: must be the budget〜also the obvious and very artificial and mostly unconvincing attempts to insert straight romance between certain characters。but looking beyond this the larger story including back story was very well developed coming together nicely in the second half Music was good especially closing song。Not close in quality to 「The Untamed」 but a very good show that had me watching one episode most nights to the end of the series which means for me it must be very good。Was this review helpful to you?
5*すげ〜〜〜〜
It is difficult to add to the other good reviews except to say this is one of best dramas of its type I have seen. I saw first episode and left aside for some time as it seemed not so different from similar stories、now I wonder why did I wait? comedy, mystery, suspense to the end。good fun zany, a lot going on that almost becomes confusion but just avoids it。great characters and character development、 all were wonderful、 highs and lows。goes straight into my top ten K-dramas〜 hairstyles, clothes look really dated although the show is only 13 years ago。 LMK I hardly recognise compared with other shows [even「 Really Really Like You」 which is from the year before this] maybe it’s the hair。 music very catchy though sometimes too repetitive。definitely a re-watch11/10*Was this review helpful to you?
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Blood
this drama I had doubts I would stay with for 20 episodes but in the end I completed in binge session of last 3 episodes. I think it started out better、 then too much unconvincing romance from around episode 8 [do people really turn 180 degrees round in love-hate relationship?] spoilt it for me but more tension and plot turns and surprises toward end kept me hooked. I do think the romance element was really very weak spot in this drama and truly interfered with the drama but luckily the drama improved and in last episodes I was hooked to see what happened next. as it turned out the drama in the final ending was not for me as good as expected, although the final twist was very original and surprising. I have my own individualistic interpretation about the last two episodes and romance ending which others may not agree with but for me is as convincing as what we are maybe expected to feel 〜that is Park Ji Sang's true love was Joo Hyun Wooー there are hints all over the earlier episodes.ーso when Hyun Woo died in episode 19 Ji Sang was emotionally dead and more accepting of his own sacrifice because his true love was gone. I never found the relationship between Ji Sang and Ri Ta convincing and still less the one created from thin air between Hyun Woo and Soo Eun. I am not saying there was no feeling between him and Ri Ta, just that it was not as deep as for Hyun Woo. the only reason this was not spelled out in my opinion was because they wanted the show to conform to the conventional boy-girl romance、 the last romantic scene between Ji Sang and Ri Ta was emotional bit for me seems very artificial and conventional〜but maybe this is just my fantasy。 also what was the last part all about? total fantasy ?Ri Ta meet an unknown brother or clone of Ji Sang in Kochenia? or had she died and met him in the afterlife? just a continuation of the unconvincing romance to give sort of happy ending I feel。 but in all a very enjoyable drama with excellent start and sufficient interest to stick with to the end 。Was this review helpful to you?