Give it a try!
I think I'm the first person to rate this drama, and I know 6.5 is very low by MDL standards, so I also wanted to post a review to clarify that this fell between average and slightly above average on my personal rating scale. I think it's still worth giving it a shot if you're looking for something relaxing and slice-of-life!I watched it raw with Japanese subtitles, and I would actually highly recommend it for Japanese learners who want to practice reading and listening because the language is super simple and there isn't really a plot, so it's easy to follow. The 32 episodes might seem daunting, but they're each barely 15 minutes long, so it goes by quick and is convenient to watch in small bursts.
I would say the viewing experience is almost like a kids show for adults - simple vignettes with a cast of quirky, almost cartoonish characters who are navigating life as ~ members of society ~. And they work at a toy company, for goodness sake! The downside is that it ends up being quite juvenile in tone, which kept me from liking it more.
Regardless, I thought the way Bando supported Ichikawa and helped her gain more confidence in herself was very sweet and I found myself anticipating what wacky compliments he would give out next.
The production is pretty noticeably low budget and no one's giving life-changing performances, but if you can look past that, it has its own charm. Although I don't think Kawasaki Takaya should quit his day job as a singer-songwriter any time soon, his slightly stilted acting suited the character of Bando well.
Was this review helpful to you?
