First Love

Fate can be a powerful thing

First Love is what the kids these days might describe as “a vibe”. The nine episodes Netflix series is based on two songs by Hikaru Utada– “First Love” and “Hatsukoi. First Love delivers those feelings of giddy young love, of painful separation, long absences, and sudden reconciliations in spades. It’s at least a couple of episodes too long, but it’s impressive in its construction, visuals, performances, and emotional power.

This series spans over 20 years and tells the story of Yae Noguchi and Harumichi Namiki, two highschool students who fell in love in the 90s, but are then separated due to unusual circumstances. As a kid who was born in the 90s, it especially hits closer due to the flashbacks of the 90s era and how love used to happen in those times. A very good series under Netflix, First Love will feel like a slideshow presentation of young love, how it blooms and bundles of emotions that becomes a part of it.

My Rating : 8/10

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Each memory has a soundtrack of its own. It takes 1 song to bring back 1000 of memories.

First love hatsukoi is a poem that you can read over and over again but still won't get bored. A love story full of heart breaks, mistakes and tragic turns.

I watched it in the past and now I came here again after rewatching this, made me realise that how many times I watch this, I'll cry the same. This story makes you feel nostalgic, happy and sad all at once.

Actors did their job very well. Music is good. Overall quite overwhelming. Cinematography was beautiful. Found a extremely delicious looking dish Napolitan, I have to make that for sure!

P.S.- Don't forget to bring tissues. You'll need that.

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What it's like to live with a piece of your soul missing

This entire drama felt like you’re riding your bike under falling leaves of cherry blossom trees in the spring, only for someone to come out of nowhere and slam your fingers in their car door

Over and over

You’re eating a tasty dessert and someone comes and snatches the plate and fork from you

You’re enjoying a swim and someone comes up behind you and holds your head under water

You won the lottery and someone runs up on you and snatches your ticket

There’s a lot of pain, heartbreak and missed opportunities but oh, the joyous moments are filled with so much joy, and warmth.

This was a wonderful telling of the excitement and joys of youth-the carefree nature of that time. First love, dreams, hopes, family and everything else that seemed so fresh and novel-deserving of your excitement and reckless abandonment in an attempt to attain it.

It showed what it is to have hope and want for more from life and also how regret and a misstep can kill your spirit and alter the course of your life

Kido Tasei, you’ll always be famous💖 the eyes and smile that broke my heart

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This drama is a total cliche, but a good one.

So I'm not the biggest fan of Japanese dramas for different reasons, but this one is worth watching.
I'll mention my good and less good thoughts about this drama.
1. As I mentioned I'm not the biggest fan of Japanese dramas so I didn't know Mitsushima Hikari and Satoh harumichi, and boy, they are such brilliant actors. they have made me feel every emotion and thoughts that they had.
2. younger versions of harumichi and yae were so cute!! they definitely delivered the youth's first love, and every time that taisei (aka young Namiki) appeared on a scene, the whole mood brightened up! he's such a gem actor.
3. the story was definitely a cliche, but a good one. I was really afraid that yae's lost memory will ruin everything, but that wasn't the case.
4. Harumichi and his sister's relationship was so pure and wholesome. I loved their beautiful connection and understanding of each other.

Now the less favorite things.
1. younger version of yae did a great job, but I hated the fact the actress is way taller than the mature one. it just didn't make any sense lol, but ok.
2. I HATED the fact that harumichi cheated on Tsunemi. that was very unnecessary and didn't fit his genuine and gentlemanly character. I've felt so bad for her. she was such a sweet one.
3. the sex scene was unnecessary. it could have been easily a 15+ rated drama without this scene but whatever lol.
4. I know that it's probably an unpopular opinion, but I would have been totally ok if harumichi and yae wouldn't end up together. people can grow and move on with their own journey and the return of yae's memory was a little bit forced. also, their chemistry together romantically wasn't so great for me either. actually, the actor had better chemistry with Kaho (akaTsunemi).

overall the series is great. the cast did a great job, and the cinematography was beautiful.
it gave me the 'this is us' series kinda vibe, which I like.
it's a 9/10 for me.

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Sad love story but last it has happy ending

Story revolved around past and present . How two persons fall in love in their school age ,they cherish their relationship and even their parents didn't have any problem with it . But suddenly something happened and female lead's character met an accident and she forget some precious memories of her life . She only remembered her mother . She forget her love and even her friend too . Doctor adviced her mother not to try to recall her old memories . But at this stage her mother took a wrong decision which totally ruin her life .
Two things I had learnt from the story first not always parents decision prove to be right for their children . They take such decisions for their children sake that their children donot live the life which they are living . Their thought may be right but sometime it might ruin their children life .
Second before marrige girl's and boy's parent should talk clearly that what their expectation towards their son in law and daughter in law respectively so rich and poor status never come in their life . This rich and poor thoughts ruin the two people life .
I liked the story .I will give thumbs up to it . But wait, It is very slow and emotional story . Sometime might it feels bore.

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YOU MUST SEE IT ABSOLUTELY!

I watched it all at once until one o'clock in the morning.
I really liked the story, a love destined to exist and external forces are useless, in one way or another they always find each other. The thing that drives me crazy is the idea of ​​being able to fall in love again with someone you don't even remember. If this isn't destiny, then what is destiny?

The cast was exceptional, starting with the young actors of the past and ending with the protagonists of the present.
The soundtrack was gorgeous too! Very sweet and romantic, fits the whole concept.
I don't deny that I also got emotional at the end when I found out that he was in love with her even before she confessed her love to him. The way he changed his life for her, the way he waited for her and sought her in every look and every detail of the world around him.
One of the most emotional sentences was the one in which she says to him (without knowing yet that he was her first love):
"I live with the feeling of having lost something important!"
Here I understood that although she has lost her memory, there is something that goes beyond (I don't know whether to call it destiny or in another way), something great that has meant that she unknowingly hadn't forgotten about him.
Then the scene where she remembers everything was beautiful, the actress was very good and sincere in her acting.

I also wanted to open a parenthesis about main character's girlfriend. I felt sorry for her, loving someone who will never love you, being aware of it, but accepting it anyway. It's very difficult! I would never have the strength to accept all of this. I was sorry when he broke up with her because she was a good girl and she sincerely loved him, but it was the right choice for her. She deserved true love and he knew it so he let her go.

The fault is entirely of the protagonist's mother. She had to give her the opportunity to choose her path, instead she preferred to take her away from her first love to marry her to a doctor full of money. And then in the end? Her daughter got divorced, she had to give her son to her ex-husband because she didn't have the money to raise him and this thing destroyed her and then in the end anyway she came back with her first love because she was meant for that man! Her mother only wasted her precious time and took away her freedom of choice.

I really enjoyed the story, even though I found the past memories a little confusing sometimes. So for this reason, I didn't give 10.
Despite this I have no other faults to attribute to this drama.

However the ending was right! Honestly I was anxious until the end because I thought it would end badly, but luckily everything went well! Love, true love has triumphed!

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You're always gona be my love ....

It was really a great experience watching this.
I will highly recommend this one to those who like Romantic dramas mixed with slice of life elements. This a good blend of this genere.

This sure does have cliche tropes but I really loved it. Everything feels so refreshing that you'll not bother about the cliched elements of the show. The director needs a great appreciation for the stunning visuals and cinematography. It's so mesmerizing and eye pleasing

The OST's makes the drama more beautiful. The performance of the casts is really good too.

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I genuinely thought this drama will end tragically, judging by the title, playlist, and the beginning episodes. The summary didn't help either as we know that the FL was in a serious accident and many, many years passing. And this show indeed had a lot of sad moments; the only happy ones where in the past and in someone's memories, but I still end up watching the show anyway, because I am a sucker for tearjerkers.

I must say I loved two things about this drama: Satoh Takeru's acting and Utada Hikaru's songs. Those were enough to propel this drama into better than mediocre. There's very little chemistry between the adult FL/ML since they were mostly apart, but the younger versions of the couple more than make up for the lack of romance between Yae and Namiki. I'm not sure if I buy into the "fate" that they keep talking about in this show; there's too many coincidences that happened for me to consider them believable. Also the flashbacks were kind of confusing, but watching Satoh's pining away for his first love was worth it.

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Fate and destiny can only do so much for us most of the times... Sometimes we need to take the lead

First and foremost I was really excited the first time I saw the trailer for this series!!!! "First Love" by Utada Hikaru will always be one of my ultimate favorite love songs <3

Casting was superb from the young actors who played the leads to the adult casts. Hands down!!! Super great chemistry!!!! Satoh Takeru is such a fine man omg <3

Aspiring viewers beware this is not your typical fast paced love story but it has its own charm that will keep you hooked until the end. Personally, I have a soft spot for first love stories as this is something I really hold dear to me. So my review will be bias but that's alright.

At first, the story telling was kinda confusing for me as it has flash backs a lot throughout the episodes but once I tried to really focus on the show I got to understand and appreciate the plot more. As a viewer, it became more engaging for me and it made me appreciate more what is happening in the present time. I also loved how realistic the story telling was. I know fate played a big role in making things happen for the two leads but it's okay. It also happens to us every once in a while.

It was really nice to see them grow from high school students to responsible adults. When they were young and in love, they let fate and destiny take the lead for them. The universe gave them one more chance when they became adults (Thanks to Tsuzuru and Uta). Unfortunately, fate and destiny can only do so much. Which is why I think they got separated again. But luckily, this time, Yae took the lead and made things happen for them one last time and that's how they got their happy ending <3

The only reason I did not give this a perfect score was because of the ending. I was actually hoping that after all they've been through, the writer/director would have given them a bit more screen time together. Don't get me wrong I loved that they were able to fulfill their childhood dream together but I would really love to see more of them <3

PS: This show really makes me think of my first love during high school and how lucky I was with him <3 It was He really did love me the same way as the ML here loved the FL. Unconditionally. Like I was his last love. And that's what I became, his last love. "First Love" is the song I dedicate to him the most as I will always have a special place in my heart for him. He was the one who taught me how to love. I really miss him and how I wish he was still here.

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Hatsukoi

First of all, the song is phenomenal. I have known this song for so many years now, more specifically the Tagalog version. (First Love Repablikan)
The Tagalog version is basically about loving someone fictionally. Like anime. It's crazy because when this drama first came out on Netflix I felt goosebumps and instantly felt emotional. I guess this song has a soft spot for me.
It took me a while to watch this because I didn't want to feel sad😅. Just the title makes me emotional but I finally took the courage to watch it cuz I felt emo at that moment.
It's crazy. This drama is good!
The approach of their love story, the struggles, the life of being in their 20s and the pressure from their parents are well portrayed.
The twist…. I'm speechless.
That twist significantly impacted my decisions again in life. It's like choosing a path. Left or right. I don't know how to explain it but I cried numerous times. The romance between their youth life made me so emotional. The actor and actress, (Taisei & Rikako) definitely did an outstanding job. I like their chemistry more than the adults. Probably because being an adult is hard and going back into your youthful years seems freer.
Also, the adult main character stated that Taisei and Rikako did an excellent job portraying their characters and I agree. Every time they do flashbacks, I reminisce. I don't have experience at all with love but watching them just gives me chills.
Moreover, this drama was worth walking.
It hit on the spot.
Yae’s mom… ugh. Bat kci 🥹😭
Anyways. Goodbye.
12:22 pm
9/11/23

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