Story:
I personally found Anohana as a live action to have met and well-exceeded my expectations of what i thought the drama would be like. Some fans may complain that the plot is not followed to the T, but that is exactly what i appreciated the most. An 11 episodes anime squeezed into 2 hours is quite an incredible feat by itself, and i am impressed the essence (friendship and portrayal of Menma) still remains. Kudos to the production team. The live action is well-executed and is as realistic as it can get given the supernatural-ness that surrounds the whole story. The only complaint is that the characters are not being developed enough to show us how different each of them are from one another and how Menma's death affected them, that It kind of became plot-driven. Still amazing nonetheless.
Acting/Cast:
The cast is awesome. There is no other way to describe how great the cast work to portray the originality of the characters (i felt that they did their homework, and they aced it). However, it is a tad disturbing/uncomfortable when you see tears and more tears as the story progressed. I mean i am impressed how much the actors could cry and the whole point is to be tear-jerking. Yet especially in the second half of the movie, it felt as if the story could not continue without any tears. Like seriously? I do believe however that the young actors/actresses are quite new for i never heard/watched them before. They are definitely worth looking out for :)
Music:
For the whole duration of the movie, there is only one song playing from what i have heard -- ''secret base ~Kimi ga Kureta Mono~ (10 years after ver.)''. It was the ending song for the anime. This is my bias-ness speaking for this very song is one of my few favorite Japanese songs ever, but it does fits perfectly into the whole atmosphere of the live action. I love how both the original song and the instrumental version are played.
Emotional? Check.
Beautiful friendship? Check.
Selfless Menma? Check.
What more can one ask for? But be forewarned: prepare a (or a few) box full of tissues before you start watching because you would need it (my tears flowed like a dam throughout the entire movie).
Definitely highly recommended! :)
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Acting: I have to give high props to both Seo Woo (Kang Yi Kyung) and Kim Yeo Seo (Kang Seo Yeon). These two women did an excellent job in making you love and hate them. The things Seo Yeon did to her sister, wow! I cannot give anything else away on that.
The two male leads, Lee Ji Hoon (who I love) and Park Jin Woo were at best decent. It was my first experience with Park Jin Woo, such a handsome guy and I look forward to see more of him in the future.
Overall, unless you have hours and hours to invest, these short 30 minutes will sweep you into a story of family, revenge, and murder unlike any you have seen before (okay, Yellow Boots is next)!!
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It goes from being a typical drama in the first few chapters to something so much bigger than that afterwards. It is like an onion(Shrek, too much?), it has many layers and you only discover more the further you watch it.
It is a love story, a family story, a story about forgiveness, a story about being true to yourself and your feelings, but it is also a story about treason, about the two sides of the story, that not everything is what it seems at first sight.
The characters are really well written, each has a hidden depth that you see little by little. The drama pushes you to watch more for you to understand the story, it doesn't lays it out at simple sight like most dramas do.
I saw this when it came out in 2009 and I remember being super impatient all week waiting for the next chapter to air. Since then I've watched it two times. I have the OST on my computer, and the MV of the theme song.
Taiwanese dramas are always being underrated because of the acting, but anyone who watches this will be really impressed with it, and if I have to name my favorite actor, it definitely is the little boy, he's just so cute and adorable, yet mature.
If you are reading this is because either you haven´t watched it and you aren't sure if it's worth your time, or you have already watched it and want to see if anyone feels the same way about this drama that you do. If you are in the first category, let me tell you that yes, it is worth your time, this is a brilliant drama by any standard, and even if you don't like love stories (very unlikely because you watch dramas) you won't be able to deny that this is genius. And if you are in the second category, yes, I think like you, this is genius and it is one of my favourite dramas. If I had a flavor of the week of "sucker for romance dramas" this one would definitely would be in there. Either way, I hope you find this review helpful.
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A Touch of Green is consistently heartbreaking, heavy in its themes, yet amazingly gripping, painfully realistic and most importantly, so very human. A shining gem in the age of stagnating Taiwanese dramas, this terribly underrated show is 100% recommended for its superb subtleties in writing, excellent character developments and fantastic acting amongst other things.
Strong female characters in a feminist drama, three-dimensional yet flawed characters, a touch of romance and sheer quality in writing+dialogue intertwined with great acting - what's there not to love?
PLOT: It is hard to summarise this show into a seemingly exciting synopsis without sounding like every other historical drama. In fact, it’s because there are SO MANY THINGS happening that you are just pulled along with each episode without much time to think about what just happened. And things don’t necessarily happen in clear cut arcs either, unlike more simplistic drama plots. What are cliches even?
However, a more important reason for this is the sheer heavy nature of the show. The first third of the drama is still fairly easy to watch quickly given its relatively more lighthearted nature. The show even arguably has its fair share of unexpected comedy to balance the heartache.
But soon, you will realise the drama is gonna take you to discover new lows. Just when you think that things cannot get worse, the drama proves you wrong time and again. It seems nearly impossible not to cry at all throughout the entirety of the show.
Hence a word of warning for all those (planning on) watching this, this drama definitely requires mental preparation. However!! This should never act as deterrent for you from watching the show! The story and characters are all so good there was no way my friend and I were planning to drop this.
CHARACTERS: In this highly character-driven plot, the characters are the backbone, flesh and the shining glory of this drama in many essences.
Again, it is hard to describe the main characters succinctly because it would do them no justice at all to create a stereotype for them to fit in. All of them are so complex and unique that the show definitely acts to shatter typecasting of the actors themselves.
In a nutshell attempt, Zhu Qing is independent and takes no BS from anyone yet beholds an unspoken innocence. Guo Zhen is also not just a charismatic and defiant pilot, but also harbours darkness in his heart only leaked through his sarcastic jabs and comments.
A great source of enjoyment from this show was simply watching the character development of all of the characters, especially across the more obvious “arcs” across time. It was also brilliantly portrayed and written how the characters kept their quirks and personality in some way or form across time. Yet all of them also grew and changed because of their respective painful experiences into new roles that the audience would never have thought to expect from the characters.
Human nature is so strongly presented in this show to our delight~. None of the characters are stereotypically “good” or “bad”. Most significantly, the wives and their seemingly demure nature is contrasted with the sacrifices and moral dilemmas that they are willing to go through for their husbands.
The relationship between the main characters are also constantly changing with new events. While they are friends and love each other, they fight, they leave snide remarks, they seek forgiveness and even betray each other.
Sometimes the characters even do seemingly inexplicable and irrational things, yet that is exactly what makes the show so human and complex. Even minor new characters are constantly introduced with almost none of them disappearing insignificantly.
STORYTELLING: Another part about this show I enjoyed very much was the narration/dialogue and many subtleties delivered in the filming direction.
Using the voice of Mo Ting, Xiao Zhou’s daughter and various objects in the show, many beautiful metaphors are delivered – the fake math equation 5×1=3, time being a drug with unknown side effects; a dove; plane 513; and the pilot’s bomber jacket next to Shi Niang’s qipao being kept.
There is simply so much depth being included into every scene whether with dialogue or not that not a single scene should be missed
OST: The main reason that I came to know of this drama was through Hebe Tien’s OST MV for this show titled "As it is" which can also be translated as “Numbed” or “Jaded”. This theme song alone epitomises much of the show’s heartbreak and complexity in its lyrics and appropos dramatism.
Clearly, the MV was enticing enough to reel me in to desperately find sources for it just to find out what this interesting-looking story was about.
REWATCH VALUE: There's probably so much more subtlety to appreciate from the script through rewatching, especially with the level of depth and complexity in the writing of characters. Hence, there should be a lot to still enjoy in the sheer quality of this drama, as long as you're prepared for the whirlwind of emotional drama to ensue.
CONS: If there is any thing to complain about this show, it’s that it can be hard to understand. The show uses specific and historically related references, so it’s somewhat easy to get lost and not catch why certain things are happening to the characters. Simultaneously, the characters themselves often use roundabout sarcastic jabs and often don’t mean what they say. So once you lose the context, it’s hard to understand what they really intended to mean.
PLEASE do give this show a try, because this show is really THAT good. I cannot do enough justice to this epitome of an underrated drama which swept accolades at the 2016 Golden Bell Awards, other than you being able to simply watch it and see it for yourself.
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I don’t even know where to begin with this review but what a ride this has been…
Let’s start with the negatives first one of which was Kul…..It pains me to say this as I am a frequent visitor of Bua’s lakorns but this is honestly the first time I’ve ever been disappointed in one of her work. It’s not her fault at all but for someone whose supposedly a Main Character, she was given scenes like she was in a Supporting Role. She played her part perfectly fine but Kul was one of those “alright, let’s bring in the girlfriend for a few scenes here and there” characters which makes me sad because she’s a good actress and I feel the writers let her down.
I came for the Body Swap as well as Krating but to my dismay, I liked Namtarn and Alek scenes even more - partly due to the fact that Krating’s character post swap, Wat was somewhat of a trigger for me, one who gave me a bit of a headache at times but I was still able to enjoy his acting. There is an Attempted Assault which is supposedly “the norm” in lakorns but as I was aware of it due to the trailer, I was able to skip such scenes but unfortunately the people behind the scenes love this little thing called flashbacks so I was quite annoyed by this. Because of this, I am not accepting of Wat and Kul pairing but I do appreciate his Character Development and background.
Story had many twists and turns which I guessed some but not all.
Romance between Tet and Ginny were really nice and they provided some comedy which I really appreciated in between all the endless danger. I didn’t know until this lakorn that Alek and Namtarn were a pairing that I needed, they were such a pleasure to watch. I think they were possibly the most selfless characters I’ve ever watched in the 4 years I’ve been watching lakorns.
Acting all round was really good, I think it was a team effort and they worked really well together but Alek really impressed me. Some scenes were rather difficult to watch without crying which honestly doesn’t happen a lot when I watch Lakorns but this one just hit a sore spot for me. There are some inconsistencies and logical stuff like when Tet and Ginny claimed to have no more money but they were still able to drive their car everywhere lol, bad casting “high school” flashback of Tet’s parents etc. Probably best to just ignore stuff like that to get full enjoyment.
Music - whether dramatic or soft - were quite fitting. No romantic music during assaults like they usually do.
Overall, I truly enjoyed this lakorn. I can easily say it’s my second fave lakorn of 2021 which probably isn’t saying much cos this year has been really bad but you still get to see some really nice ones along the way. I would recommend this if you like Body Swap plots, lead’s who do whatever to help and protect each other, no damsels in distress.
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It’s the baddies that perhaps make this show
Si Jin for most of its run was a consistent story that had much to offer viewers. The OTP were very good together. In fact, so much so, the ML never doubting the FL was refreshing.The Royal Princess is hard to beat as the pick of the characters. Her performance was fabulous. It’s always pleasing to see such actors give it their all from beginning to end - a ver professional performance. Her daughter, was a mini me and one that even frustrated her mother.
The emperor’s character was criticised by many as he wasn’t the same as in the novel. However, I thought his character was flawed, as it should be, with a solid performance. Forgiving his sister continuously, the Royal Princess was a tiny bit frustrating but it seemed to keep the story moving.
The friendship between the ML, FL’s brother and the upright magistrate was delightful. The latter two also had very nice relationships with their partners.
As for the OST, I enjoyed the song that played over the closing credits of each episode. It very much is a subtle composition that has an ear wig melody going on.
The costuming was also very good.
However, the final four episodes were, although good, too condensed and over very quickly and perhaps diminished one of the key elements regarding the Saintess.
Si Jin is worth your time 😊
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Thai vs Chinese
I saw the Thai version Hua Jai Sila first and I felt that had a better storyline and was tied together so much better than this version.The only reason I watched this version was cause of the actors. I liked them in other shows and wanted to see how they would take this show. Overall they did a good job.
This version just felt like it was very low budget with little effort. It definitely could have been way better. It felt extremely rushed, but it did get the whole story within 24 episodes. Definitely recommend Hua Jai Sila over this.
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Setting aside my embarrassment, I watched it at home again without any kids or grannies around.
To be honest, this was the first film that I have appreciated Ando Masunobu in. I've first seen him in "Synesthezia" with Aoi Miyazaki, but I didn't like his character there too much. Here in Sakuran I loved the way he acted as Seiji who was the "keeper" or "care-taker" of the Oiran, (the highest ranking female prostitute in the house) which was eventually transferred to Kiyoha (Anna Tsuchiya). I loved the way she played the hot headed TOP Woman. Even though she wasn't the Oiran yet, she already had the attitude of one. She was spunky and feisty for a woman who lives and breathes the life in a brothel. Though this was her role, her life as an Oiran in the making was bitter and sad, she's witty and beautiful but was kept in a container, thus her life is compared to a goldfish in a bowl.
The story was manga based, so it had a bit of a shoujou-ish plot line going on. Nonetheless, it was a great movie. The ending was just my taste, the setting was perfect and beautiful, as well was the over all cinematography. Everything was vibrant with hues such as red... red... and more red. I think that color has so much significance for this movie. It makes sense that the bright colors used for the film was very appropriate for its theme. The sound track was fit for the whole movie and it has caught my attention so much that I researched about the singer Shiina Ringo and discovered the band Tokyo Jihen, hence I now have the collection of their songs.
I have already re-watched this Movie several times and would re-watch it again in the future.
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I was so excited to watch this drama only for it to be a huge disappointment.
Why are ML's in all the Thai dramas I've watched, so ANNOYING. I thought this would be better, considering the fact that this show finished recently. But, every enemy to lover Thai show I've seen, or tried to watch, has the same kind of ML who assumes everything is the FL's fault, that it was her "plan". I am SICK of the word "plan".I think "flirty female lead" TAG is really not the right phrase to describe the FL. If being confident of yourself and being nice to someone, including men is considered "flirty", than she is flirty.
The best part of this drama was the friendship between the ML and SML. They didn't even have to fake it for people to think they were gay, it was hilarious. The friendship between the SML and FL was also really nice, I'm definitely watching their next drama together where they play a couple.
I get why the prophecy or whatever said the ML needed the FL or he'd die. His stupidity and ignorance would have been the cause of his death. He is so easily manipulated and always trusts the wrong people.
I didn't hate a charecter more than I hated the FL's sister. That is why I couldn't be invested in her "romance" even though I LOVED the SML. She was hypocritical, self-righteous and outright useless especially when it came to her own family matters. I get that she's suppose to be young, but how is she so immature. I found out she was under 18 in episode 10 and couldn't believe it, how does she have the job she has at her age. It also made her pursuit of the SML both annoying and disturbing.
The FL isn't that great either. She should have walked away from the ML a long time ago, and never looked back. Who willingy marries a person that hates them and will openly cheat on them, without hesitation. I just wish she loved and ended up with the SML. I did not want a happy ending for any of the couples on this drama. The only good thing about this drama was the comedy.
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This movie feels heart warming and this isn't a waste of time.
The story is good and the actors are believe-able. You'll feel with both actors and you are going to understand them both. The music does fits every scene and might intensify your emotions.
This movie is a def. watch and also a def. rewatch, I'd recommend it to anyone to watch this and let this movie lead you.
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A mix of fantasy and romance that actually worked!
Story: It's complicated but it's also quite straightforward. In a nutshell, this is a fantasy story about a guy who could travel between "dimensions" - which were essentially stories from many different novels. His mission when travelling to the different stories was to collect "spiritual energy" by completing missions given to him by the "system". Once he had collected enough "spiritual energy", he would be able to return to his own world. The female lead was a college student who may seemed at first, un-connected to whatever the male lead's doing - but by accident, found herself in a story where the male lead had just completed. In order to bring her back to her own world, the male lead decided to enter the story again to help her complete her mission. Hence, begun a fantasy joyride of jumping from one story to another - from sci-fi to ancient to modern. The romance between the male lead and female lead developed as they completed missions together. My personal favourite was the ancient story part. :) There was also the underlying sarcasm about how many of these stories featured predictable romance between a female lead (who's always given the character of a victim and requiring help) and despicable male characters who took advantage of the female lead. There were also scenes and things the book characters did that were "standard" that provided some comedic relief.Acting/Cast: Mostly new actors. The female lead acted well. The male lead's a bit stiff but his character will slowly grow on you. Side characters all acted well.
Music: Standard music.
Re-watch value: With only 12 episodes and with each episode adding to the progression of the story with no boring bits, it has excellent re-watch value for when you run out of good dramas to watch. You can very easily marathon this in one day.
Overall: If you want to be really picky and question things like, "What was the identity of the male lead and why could he travel between dimensions? The Book Spirit merely mentioned that "Master is different"- what did that mean? Was he even human? Which world did he came from? What was the logic of collecting "spiritual energy" to send the male lead home? How did that work? Which world did the female lead belong to? Was "the real world" where she came from actually part of a story as well? etc etc etc - then you will struggle to understand and enjoy this drama. Personally, I think the answers to these questions are not important for the enjoyment of this drama. The fantasy bits were merely settings. What this drama did really well was merging the idea of a fantasy story with a smooth progression of romance. It's really a weirdly successful formula despite the many potholes in story and acting. Overall, this was a worthy watch -much to my dumbfounded surprise!
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beautiful drama
everything is well done in this drama, the acting, the plot, the music !2 Korea, one kingdom, one republic, and a way to go from one to another world.
The story is very well built, when you re-watch it you see how thorough it is.
The OST is one of the best i know for a series, always a pleasure to hear.
The casting is great, the 6 main roles are absolutely perfect. The chemistry between the FL and ML is good, but also the Bromance between Lee Min-Ho and Woo Do Hwan, and the "more than friendship" relationship between Kim Kyung Nam and the FL. The prime minister is very well played as well.
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very enjoyable K-BL
Overall: there was sweetness, angst, realism and non-realism. I waffled between an 8.5 and 9 but I'm feeling generous so 9 it is. Aired on Viki and GagaOOLala (varied by country).Content Warnings: violence off screen, punch, manipulation
What I Liked
- the premise
- acting
- sweet and cute moments
- mostly realistic relationship trajectory
- the supportive female friend
- physical affection once they were officially together
- was happy with how Ji Ho Joon handled his dad in episode 8
- production value
Room For Improvement
- wish they had told the story in linear fashion as the flash forwards and flashbacks made things unnecessarily confusing, was also kind of choppy, we'd jump from one scene to the next
- unrealistic elements (dad said to sell all the cars but he still has one? no hotel rooms in what looks like a large city?)
- was sad about the cliched lying at the end of ep 7/beginning of 8, there would have still been drama if the character had been honest
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