Perfect Propose (2024)

Des thématiques fortes, une romance sacrifiée...

Combien de personnes sont soumises au stress dans leur travail ? Jusqu'où la pression peut-elle aller ? Comment évoluer dans un environnement qui use jusqu'aux os ? Et surtout, quels sont les impacts sur la vie privée ? Voici ce qu'explore Perfect Propose.

Hiro (Kaneko Shunya) est coincé dans un environnement professionnel nocif. Il enchaîne les heures alors que son supérieur lui refourgue sans cesse du boulot supplémentaire. Le matin, il peine à sortir du lit. Le soit, il s'empêche de dormir afin que le lendemain n'arrive pas trop vite. Derrière ce sourire de convenance, l'usure est palpable.

Aux premiers abords, l'arrivée de Kai (Nomura Kouta) n'est pas une si bonne nouvelle. Après une scène fortement discutable (en 2024, ce genre de scènes existent encore, vraiment ?), leurs vies trouvent un équilibre, poussant malgré tout Hiro dans ses retranchements.

La dynamique du duo est mignonne, parfois audacieuse, en dépit de l'égoïsme d'Hiro. L'un est audacieux, l'autre tendu comme un arc. Leur relation progresse avec des flash-back de leur amitié d'enfance inutiles. En réalité, il aurait été intéressant de les sacrifier eux afin de laisser la romance vivre. D'ailleurs, si les thématiques abordées sont fortes, c'est regrettable que la plupart ne tournent qu'autour d'Hiro. Kai est un personnage à la passivité émotionnelle frappante, cela pouvait créer un contraste intéressant.

En revanche, la romance n'a jamais eu le temps de se développer, malgré la piste ouverte sur le fait que l'amour pourrait être ce dont Hiro a besoin dans sa vie. Perfect Propose est trop court pour explorer chaque piste. Encore une fois, la romance est oubliée au détriment du reste. Quelques baisers ne suffisent pas.

En bref, Perpect Propose aborde des thématiques importantes. Cependant, c'est au détriment de la romance qui n'a pas le temps de se développer ou de créer une quelconque étincelle

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Is it a Perfect Propose(al)?

This is six-episode, too short, yet too realistic episodes of two people coming together against a world full of expectations and responsibilities. Although I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of it and wished they added just an episode or two (or made the episodes 5 to 10 minutes longer), I’m also afraid doing so would change the dynamics of the story. So, I’m just taking in what is given to us, and just enjoy every minute of it.

Did that first paragraph make sense? If you think not, then that’s how this show is, starting with the title, shouldn’t it be "Perfect Proposal"? Somehow, a lot of the things shown in this series doesn’t make sense at all too, yet somehow, we accepted and took pleasure in it. I bet that controversial forced h*nd-j*b hooked a lot of viewers in - but who will not be, if a good-looking guy like Kai is giving it to you?

What I related most was the robotic slave nature of Hirokuni's work. Thats how I was in the real world for almost 2 decades - until I realized it was too late to change things and I’ve already missed out on a lot. Kai wasn’t only a person who needed a place to stay - Kai was also Hiro's saviour. I wish someone had saved me like that 10 or 15 years ago.

Both characters have difficulty expressing in words how they truly feel, and it’s frustrating - but that’s how we are in real life even if we don’t even realize it.

But I’m also afraid the show didn’t show me enough to make me fully understand both their situations. Flashback to their youths are so minimal and too edited, and their individual back stories are almost non-existent, that I feel like I’m just starting to unravel the mystery but never really got to the point of really caring about their characters - it’s a shame cause I feel like I want to care and know more about their individual characters and to know what happened to them as a couple.

With that said, is this a Perfect proposal? Not exactly but watching this still gave me a good feeling inside. Would I recommend this? YES! Will I rewatch? I’m not sure yet, maybe when I get bored in a layover or stuck in traffic. I also have a feeling we are going to see a lot more of these 2 fine actors in their bright future as actors. Giving this an overall score of 8.5

PS. While watching the show, i initially thought Hirokuni was being played by Thailand's Din Teerapat Ruangritkul that I had to look it up after the first episode. Their similarity is uncanny.

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