Strawberry on the Shortcake (2001)

I watched this drama following the recommendation of a friend, whose judgment in terms of good dramas I've come to trust completely. And, not surprisingly, I loved it.

It's not well known, possibly because it's not studded with the usual idols fangirls swoon about. Sad, because it is wonderfully acted and incredibly original, from the surprising beginning to the absolutely unexpected ending. The pace is slow, which can deter some, but I personally found it perfect, with the exception of a couple of instances by the middle. The symbolism of it captivated me from minute one, and I think this is the most fitting title of a drama ever.

This dorama is a collection of memorable lines and even more unforgettable characters.
Takizawa Hideaki and Fukada Kyoko do a splendid job in portraying their characters: the first leads the viewer where he wants, once liking him, another time hating him, then again fearing him or feel compassion; she, on the other hand, is either love or hate. I usually am deeply annoyed by girly girls all cuteness, pink and seeming candour, but she is so artless, even in her machinations, that I found her adorable. This is not a pretty girl playing cute: cute is her essence, and even in her apparent silliness, there's an unexpected depth of thought.

But who really did it for me are the secondary characters, played by Yosuke Kubozuka and Uchiyama Rina. Terrific acting skills and wonderful character development by both. Not that I doubted it: I still have to see Kubozuka playing a part without doing an outstanding job. And Uchiyama is downright brilliant in this.

The music is another very strong point. Without being a fan of Abba myself, I thought the soundtrack was chosen with sense and logic. I like it when single music pieces identify a single character, to the point you know who's going to be portrayed even though you close your eyes.

In conclusion: I watched this thanks to a Perfect recommendation; I hope to be able to pass on a little of that with my review.

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I just finished watching this drama and I am still awed. The characters in this were simply amazing, you could feel everything with them and the acting was great. It was really believable, even though it had such a unique and sometimes unrealistic storyline.
I really liked how different this drama is. It's nothing like I expected and the ending was surprising, I changed my viewpoint every episode and didn't even know how I wanted it to end.

Of course it gets a 10 for the music. The ABBA songs fit perfectly on the one side and on the other side they seemed totally off. It's something you will definitely remember, though and I loved it.

This is a really emotional drama without much action, but lots and lots of love.

Let yourself be surprised and watch it, it's worth a try. :)

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