This special has all the feel-good energy of the drama, which I consider as heartwarming as the meals they prepare in it. If you liked the food, the feels and the domestic fluff of the series, this has all of it.
Storytelling-wise, it doesn’t add anything too crucial (aside from Miyazawa Rie making an appearance as the famous Mitsuya Mami), but it does develop interesting elements upon what the show discussed. There’s more about Shiro’s feelings towards his relationship with Kenji, about their plans of growing old together, and details about his relationship with his mom, past and present. This drama has never shied away from difficult subjects while remaining positive, and the special is no exception. A specific scene with Shiro’s mother got me feeling all sorts of emotions.
The special is divided into three mini arcs, the first and last centered in Shiro and Kenji, whereas the middle one is centered in Kohinata and Wataru, which I could have lived without, but I think it’s amenable enough, all things considered.
All in all, it’s an extension of the series that delves into some of the aspects outlined there but doesn’t add anything too major. Still, this is such a feel-good series, I come back to it when I need some pick-me up energy, and this is a good way to come back. The food is still amazing, by the way.
Apparently, there will be a movie, so maybe this special was meant to tie the two. In any case, it’s as enjoyable as the series, so if you liked it, I’d give the special a go.
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excellent follow up to season 1
Overall: because there is more comedy I actually enjoyed this a bit more than season 1. The special is 1 hour and 15 minutes. GagaOOLala picked this up in September 2023 which is when I watched it (GagaOOLala picked up the whole franchise and the order to watch is: season 1, special, movie, season 2 which is airing October 2023).What I Liked
- comedy, I burst out laughing several times
- cute moments
- communication progress
- Wataru, yes he's immature but he's honest and his partner enjoys their dynamic so I won't judge them
- tighter pacing than the series
Room For Improvement
- the fake out (I'd rather they show nothing at all than the 'stop right before it happens')
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Continuing Saga
It is a worthy way to spend your time as you will see two imperfect older men come to grips with getting older, slowly grow to love one another more deeply, and enjoy each other’s company mainly around the dinning room table. They would and I would conclude that their lives are content. Perhaps there is nothing better than that!This is a story not about food but about the companionship of them and others. Along the way is the food! It would seem that food is their center of attention. And this series does a masterful job of almost making it feel like you are watching a cooking show, what with its almost step-by-step instructions on how to cook many meals. But it is the finished product that is really the aim and goal. It is their sitting down, eating and being together that is reinforcing, not the food.
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The Sweet Life Continues
I love seeing the authentic struggle of frugality and making of true authentic dishes wrapped up into one movie. It’s interesting to see the comparison of Shiro/Kenji and Kohinata/Wataru, how the two differ so much in terms of standard of living with Wataru living in a modern day palace but complaining all day, and permanently dissatisfied no matter how many chips bags he buys, he’s like a bottomless black hole starved of real love. Their relationship almost looks like a kind of bondage where Kohinata though he seems to be a high earner, he becomes like an overly spoiling parent to Wataru, slaving away to satisfy his tantrums. It shows that there is no real happiness in such a relationship, only an addictive cycle of tantrums, spoiling, and martyrdom in the name of love. Meanwhile Shiro and Kenji go through real struggles of finances, housework, and the challenge of overwork and not being able to spend meals together, and yet Wataru the black hole senses something in Shiro San’s relationship with Kenji even though he trolls them, he finds a kind of wholeness in them, a beauty of spirit that is not their in his codependent dysfunctional relationship with Kohinata. In the end it’s an exploration of relationship dynamics of push and pull and feeling out where the balance is… all while making delicious food of course.My favorite was the Omurice- Kenji out of loneliness and a need to indulge and “do something for himself,” ends up making this decadent version of Omurice to have all to himself, and just as he’s about to dig in, Shiro San shows up from work and they end up sharing the meal instead- it makes Shiro San so happy to eat such a delicious dish, and at the end of the day, Kenji managed to save money for the month, which he seemed incapable of doing. I started to see a kind of balance restored from the starting point of Kenji the extravagant carefree splurging one vs Shiro the frugal, anxious, serious one, into Kenji taking responsibility for the cooking and money saving, while Shiro has to work harder. Since Shiro knows how much work cooking takes, he’s able to appreciate what Kenji does for him all the more.. Wataru also has his cooking moment, where Kohinata is given a surprise meal and a balance moment in their relationship too.. overall, very interesting themes explored and I enjoyed it thoroughly. On to the next movie!
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Bacana, mas não especial.
É um episódio legal de assistir, porém parece um junção de diversos episódios em um só. Não tem um arco principal, parece diversas sketches. Se for pra ser assim, melhor só continuar na sequência na série.Foi interessante ver um pouco mais do personagem Wataru/Gilbert. Confirmou que ele realmente é um insuportável e que aquela barbicha ridícula é de propósito, mas também mostra que ele se importa com o que Kohinata pensa dele (porém a vontade de que ele desse um chega pra lá no menino é forte).
Vimos um poucos mais da rotina e evolução do Shiro e Kenji.
Mais receitas deliciosas sendo feitas. E foi isso.
A essência da do jdrama permanece. Leveza, bom humor e reflexões.
Mas como episódio ~especial~ não acrescenta em nada.
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