This review may contain spoilers
Slightly Dark but Heartwarming Series
Ah~ so this is how it feels to watch BL which is an original screenplay. Most of BL series out there, specifically Japanese, is an adaptation from manga and light novel.To begin with, the premise of the story sounded interesting. I assumed it would be dark and angsty, but turned out it is lighter. Surely, the moment when the two main characters confronted each other and bickered are a bit scary. The tension was in a right amount to pull me into their emotions. Besides, I also agree that this series, which the interesting premise hinted complexity potential, needs longer duration to show more proper closure for Fumiya and Ritsu.
Next off, the cast was superb! I have no complain. Their acting skill, especially Suzuki Kosuke's potrayal is stunning. We all know that Fumiya, played by Suzuki, is a person who bottles up his feeling and thoughts. Suzuki successfully showing them from his eyes, the way his expression changed from one second of disappointment to patiently smiling, hiding all his negative emotion. Never thought he could play so much better than the main role in one of his previous work. For Honda Kyoya, I was a bit surprised for the transformation he showed me for this series. I mean, his image from Animals (that makes me start adoring his visual) totally different in here. He is totally into Ritsu whose appearance is warm and fluffy, also the sweet soft voice, just right to presents us his emotional sensitivity. Again, eyes, like Suzuki, Honda also displayed how Ritsu easily moved and hurt through them. I love to see them sparkling from happiness and filled with tears when Ritsu is in pain (*˘︶˘*).｡*♡
About the music. I would give a 10, but I'm not into the OP soundtrack, so I lower the score a bit. I love Miwa and her songs since many years ago and the ED song sounds perfect for me. All the background music was perfect. As expected from the same composer as Eternal Yesterday. The difference is just, the bgm sounded more suspenseful than making me feel sad. The tension in them kills me (in a good way) (◍•ᴗ•◍)✧*。
I gave 8/10 for rewatch value since I am someone who watch shows that is emotionally stimulating, Jack O'Frost can be an alternative choice. The unhealthiness in the relationship makes me cussing Ritsu and Fumiya unstoppably for 6 weeks + 1 week before it aired + 1 week when it was not airing.
Overall, the time when I overthink the plot, making theories, and cussing the characters only show that I invested in this series. It was a fun rollercoaster ride and worth my time! ♡˖
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This review may contain spoilers
Amnesia Plot done right
This brought me back from my BL slump I have been in recently. I normally don't like Amnesia plots because they feel very forced and unnecessary to me but in Jack O´Frost they did it right. The whole story revolved around Ritsu trying to remember his time with Fumiya and falling in love all over again, while Fumiya realises that he needs to work on himself for their relationship to work. I loved how natural and well rounded the characters felt and how sweet they were with each other . They didn't have weird drama that felt out of place or a forced side couple it was simply them getting to know each other even more and falling in love harder after revisiting their memories. I think this is definitely a comfort BL with a big rewatch value.Was this review helpful to you?
Grabs your attention from start to finish
This was a very good series. The script did a great job hooking you into the storyline. It kept my attention up to the very end. My only complaint is the medical aspect is not very realistic, but it’s only a minor detail. After all, this is only a 6-episode series. The actors were great at portraying their characters. The cinematograph was beautiful and they did an excellent editing job. I love how they used the frost aspect as a metaphor for Ritsu loss of memory of Fumiya.Random Note:
I know this is only minor, but the opening and closing credits don’t really fit the mood of the whole series.
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Kept frozen for too long but takes too quick to defrost
Japanese BLs always deliver more mature and depth storytelling to the audience, which is always been a hit. However, I felt like this show is just an average one; not too bad but not too good. At first, I thought that Ritsu was faking his amnesia since the only sequence of events he can’t remember are those he shares with Fumiya.The ending was too rushed. Everything happened in just one episode; the reconciliation, gaining back his memories, and the conclusion. Yet, I somehow feel great that they finally decided to be back together.
For me, the best element of the show is how they showcase such alluring and hot intimate scenes. The birthday surprises prior to their breaking up scenes are just wholesome. That licking of whipped cream from Ritsu’s mouth is captivating in the sexiest way. Their voices speaking in a low tone while doing their bed scenes are perfect. I love to hear it every day. EP05 is the best among the six episodes that this show has. A BL that is short yet good enough for a quick watch.
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Can we truly start anew when our love is deep rooted in our memories?
The drama centres around love ,memory and the complexities of relationships. The story revolves around the bond between Ritsu and Fumiya which is hindered by an accident that leaves Ritsu with temporary amnesia.Both the characters felt less developed and confused more often than not. Fumiya's decision to hide their past in hopes of rekindling their romance and still keep and create boundaries constantly while living with Ritsu made it hard to side with him. Didn't he want to start over?
Ritsu character, on the other hand, was very hazy and nebulous. His whole journey of rediscovering himself was hard to empathise with because we only know him from the few fragments of the past presented.
Though the characters were flawed, it was still a visually stunning journey. I liked how dedicated Ritsu was to his profession and how Fumiya supported him. The cinematography was good capturing the push and pull of longing and nostalgia. The acting was believable throughout.
Overall, it was a heartfelt exploration of how fragile love can be and how honesty is important in any relationship. While the character's motivation was questionable, it is still a touching story (undercooked but touching)
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Down the memory lane
Recently, my rule of thumb when rating series was whether I play mobile games while watching the series on my laptop or not and, if yes, how much do I play! Some people fast forward, I multitask! With this series I managed to avoid games until episode 4, I played for 10min and then rewatched the episode and dropped the games till it was over! I do not remember the last time I did this! This drama is a short and easy watch so dropping games must be easy, some would say! No, no,no!!! I managed to play the games through a number of Thai short movies. So....As the series was airing, I kept reading the comments and feeds which all generally started with a highly positive notes to end up disappointed with the last episode! I do not get it! Why didn't you like this? There is a couple with amazing chemistry, some serious skinship and a compelling adult(not school!) story! So why?
Jack O'Frost tells a story of a relationship going bust and how an accident provokes a reset for it. Lack of communication, the last drop, forgotten good times...accident makes them realize what is really important and how to deal with problems; talk, talk, talk!!!
This is a beautifully filmed series: all in beige sandy colours both interiors and exteriors. The writing is superb: the story is told in flashbacks, short and to the point. Music is really nice as well though not enough to put it on my playlist. It did fit the drama but it was forgettable!
I did not quite understand the reference to Jack O'Frost a cheeky winter elf playing pranks. The story does take place in the winter and when I saw Ritsu drawing it again in the same place like in the past, I thought that they were doing "he's only pretending to have amnesia". That was just a red herring, leading the viewers down the wrong path. The story is much simpler and so much better for it!
Anyway, this slice of life romance is definitely worth your time so give it a chance!
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Not Cute Enough to Hide the Flaws
The story idea is good, but several flaws drag it down.I get that Fumiya is trying to save his relationship with Ritsu by pretending they weren't dating... but why does he never try to start a new relationship? He keeps insisting they're just friends even when it's clear Ritsu likes him. Ritsu, on the other hand, never just guesses they were together even though it should be obvious. They live together and yet there's only one bedroom? Fumiya sleeps on the couch every day. All their clothing is in the same room, to the point that Ritsu grabs Fumiya's sweater thinking it's his own. And you expect me to believe Ritsu never got curious about that?
Their reason for breaking up is a good one if you put thought into it, but it's not executed well so it felt a little pointless. However, if the relationship was truly that strained, Fumiya wouldn't have been so unerringly in love with Ritsu anymore. Basically the two plot points don't match well for me.
Other reviews have said the chemistry is good, and yeah the two guys get along well and they didn't have a problem being in each other's space, but I'm not sure I'd say their romantic chemistry was good. Their kisses felt like a caricature of real kisses - the barest press of faces in a lip-oriented location. Their first time having sex had an awkwardly blocked hand on what I assume was meant to be Ritsu's crotch, but the lack of reaction or motion made it obviously unrealistic.
Overall, the show had some good moments and a good premise, but the execution wasn't always well done, the acting was passable, and the scenes don't entice me to want to rewatch the show.
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Wasted potential
Words cannot express how much I loved this drama so much. It's everything what I expect in a BL drama i.e• Good acting
• Simple and captivating storyline
• Chemistry between lead actors
• The OST
Regarding the characters:
Fumiya was hella annoying to begin with. I understand where he was coming from because even I suck at expressing my feelings directly through words but to break up w/ someone right on their bday? Hell nah, that's straight up disregarding the feelings of the other person. Ontop of that when Ritsu happen to lose his memory, he had the audacity to first lie about his relationship and be jealous of Ritsu's interaction w/ his ex while he was the one to first break up? Like bitch, why was he trying to act like the victim when Ritsu eventually acknowledged the truth which he tried to hid under a rug in the first place? Seriously, he was the most immature character in the show.
Despite the flaws, I must acknowledge his dedication to improve himself and his relationship with Ritsu.
On the other hand, . I wish they could've added more depth to Ritsu's character so that the audiance could've understood his perspective in a better way. His main flaw was that he lacked self awareness and dismissed his bf's feelings whether it being unintentional. Also, I think the makers tried too hard to make his character cute which was a bit off because no matter how adorable he looks, at the end he is an adult.
Ontop I loved Ritsu's younger brother and their neighbour. Although they had limited screentime but still they managed to carry the show on their back.
The makers shouldn't had introduced Ritsu's ex bf as the character felt bland and unnecessary in the middle of the climax. I understand that they wanted to create conflict but there are other ways instead of just bringing up another person to just give them a 3 seconds screentime.
The chemistry between Kyoya and Kosuke felt so natural and it did not even feel awkward at all. Seriously I hope they would work together in another bl drama because they're so cute together on screen.
I wish the show had more episodes because it had so much potential. Also there should have been a proper redemption arc for Fumiya because I felt like the creators suddenly dismissed his flaws like nothing and just made Ritsu the damsel in distress for few episodes.
But regardless of it, their relationship felt sensual, emotional and comforting.
In conclusion, the acting and chemistry of the leads saved the show because otherwise it would have been a downfall honestly.
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Sadly not sold on this one
It is one of the most mentioned dramas, when it comes to recommendations.Now, after watching it finally, my impressions about this show are … well … mixed.
At the beginning it has gotten some additional love from me just for reminding me of my favorite MM book trilogy Missing Pieces by N.R. Walker.
There the couple needs to navigate the new and changed realities after a traumatic brain injury.
Gladly in this drama the injury wasn’t nearly that serious and resulted “only” in a partial amnesia.
I liked the cast and their acting was good most of the time. The MC conveyed chemistry and the shown intimacy - emotional and physical - was convincing most of the time. The only bummer here was the bedroom scene: if the actors don’t feel comfortable showing physical desire and pleasure in front of a camera, close the door on the scene earlier. Writing and directing should have found a workaround here. That part was awkward.
But that was still only a minuscule blip on my judgement radar.
I had my bigger issues, with how the story was told. It felt choppy and hasty most of the time with important parts missing.
Within 8 or 10 episodes the plot could have been given more depth, which could’ve brought more insights into the characters and their intentions behind their actions and decisions.
Especially the fact, that they had issues as a couple on a level, that they were on the brink of a breakup at the beginning, got nearly completely abandoned in the end.
These issues should have been addressed.
Yes, they were reunited at the end. But without resolving their underlying problems it is a HE without a solid ground to stand on.
That leaves us viewers behind with mixed feelings.
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Well worth watching and a cut above most BL offerings.
I was totally pulled in to this depiction of mature age BL story of love and breakup.The acting was wonderful and all the small nuanced gestures kept the feeling real. This couple have reached a rocky point in their relationship and the more conservative Fumiya calls it quits. This breakup on, Ritsu's birthday, is incredibly real and raw.
Then we are taken on their journey as Fumiya learns that Ritsu rushing out that night has been involved in an accident. Fumiya realises Ritsu has lost all memories of him and any associated with their life together. He resolves to assist Ritsu and makes the fateful decision to label himself as his roommate.
This decision seems counter-intuitive here. Fumiya has the perfect opportunity to 'reset' their relationship and regain the love. I can only surmise, as he avoids all of the 'signals' from Ritsu to form a love relationship, that he is worried that Ritsu, upon regaining his memories, will recall the ugly break-up.
Their relationship is shown in a series of flashbacks as places they have previously been to are revisited. The love and care is beautifully shown and I was very invested in their getting back together.
The writers do a wonderful job of slowly revealing the arc of their story and there is a very satisfactory and believable ending.
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Watch it DUH
I was in fact completely consumed by this show. The scenery, the acting, the storyline is just giving. I remember the agony of waiting for the next episode and when there was the last episode left and how I felt unhinged. I feel like this series probably should have been at least a 7 or 8 episode series to fully flesh out their problems but nevertheless I wasn’t disappointed. You know though what they say “ all good things must come to an end.” What heartlessness person ever came up with that? Nah I say we continue until we can’t no more. Anyways I love a good ole quiet BL. I still can’t get over how good looking Suzuki Kosuke has gotten since Takara-kun to Amagi-KunWas this review helpful to you?
A Melodramatic BL Drama
I quite enjoyed the 'Jack o' Frost' drama. I thought the drama was wonderful. I also thought the drama was melodramatic. The story was intriguing and engaging. The cinematography was melancholic. The music was lighthearted and a little moody.All the actors acting were natural, especially the main actors. The main actors' Honda Kyoya and Suzuki Kosuke acting were natural and realistic.
There were heartwarming, emotional, and bittersweet moments from the first episode to the last episode.
In some scenes, the camera was shaky. I don't know if the shaky camera was intentional or not. If the shaky camera was intentional. Then I think I know why. I'm going to assume the reason why the camera was shaky at times was cause of their rocky relationship. In simpler terms, the shaky camera represented their rocky relationship. And with all that said, the drama ended on a good note.
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