Learning to Love

Learning to Love Again

There are spoilers in this review. Read at your own risk.

So close! I really really really love this drama and I really wish it had been more. It was a bit messy and chaotic, especially towards the end. And I don't mean just the storyline. There were a lot of random cuts towards the end that were kind of weird. As if they didn't know how to smoothly transition from scene to scene, even though some scenes were literally 2 seconds apart from each other. Not like the next day or week.

The premise of this show is great. 2 different people from 2 different backgrounds who deeply struggle through life, in their own ways.

The thing each of them have in common is not wanting to fall in love.

She is 35 atm and a new teacher at an all girls school. A couple years prior, she was working with books; that was her dream job. She had already thought she fell in love with someone and was set to marry them, but she got obsessed about him and stalked him. He ends up breaking up with her, understandably, and she wanted to die.

She tries to kill herself. She is scared of falling in love again because of how it made her feel. Her controlling and overbearing dad sets her up on a blind date with someone in his company. She tells him on their blind date about her obsession past, hoping it turns him off of wanting to date her, but he becomes weirdly fixated on her for being so upfront. He is not a good guy at first. He already has a sex buddy, who is married, but he eventually starts to really like the main girl and ends that sex relationship to be serious about the main girl. He becomes a bit obsessed, manipulative, and starts stalking the main girl. Not in a super creepy way of wanting to kill her, which is good. It's still messed up because he often tries to manipulate the situation with him and her and the main girls best friend, who is a reporter. They all try to look after her, but they end up babying her for the most part.

The main guy is 23 and works as a host. A job looked down on in society. His job is to convince women he's their's if the price is right. He wants to be the number 1 host of the club he works for. He seems to want to do whatever it takes, no matter how shameful or degrading.
One of the main storylines is another number 1 host got killed and they didn't catch the murderer yet.
The main guy has a mother who leeches off of him financially and neglects him emotionally. She jumps from man to man. She had another son, who is a lot younger than the main guy. The younger brother gets sick a lot and the mom always asks for money for him, which the main guy gives it to her. She then starts asking for money for her boyfriends failing business, which he gives, but its never enough. They always want more.
So, with how his mother is and how his job is, he sees relationships with women as transactional and never genuine.

The main girl and guy meet at the host club because 1 of her students ended up liking the main guy and she thought he really liked her back but it's his job to make women hooked on him to spend as much money as possible, so that he can become number 1.

The main leads have a 13 year age gap, which is one reason, but not the main reason they are told they shouldn't be together. The main reason is he is a "lowly host" and she is an "upstanding teacher" who needs to be a good role model for her students. Teachers aren't allowed personal lives Japan I guess. I can understand how the main guy falls for the main girl, but I struggled to see how the main girl falls for him. They make it seems more like pity, but keep telling us its not pity through the main girl. That didn't convey very well.

The main guy falls for the teacher because she doesn't try and use him for money or anything. She wants to help him when she finds out he can't read or write well. She takes a lot from others who can dupe her easily. His character is frustrating at a lot of parts. I get that he tries not to let anything get to serious. He struggled a lot to fit in and has a learning disability that made school impossible without proper help.

He does know that he can affect her standing in society, and tries to distance himself from her because he doesn't want her to be "dragged down" by him because others think he is lowly and deemed no good.

It kind of gives off Yakuza vibes a bit. As if he is in a gang or something. I like those parts. I enjoy most of the forbidden love tropes, especially if they can say "screw everyone and everything else" to be together.

The main guy really tries to turn himself around and with the first person who actually believes in him, he tries to become something more to be able to stand by her properly, in society. However, she is prepared to lose everything to be with him. Again, they didn't make it clear as to why she falls for him. There are moments where he shows he's caring, but slips easily and often into his other mask of being a clown for everyone else.

Idk. I have mixed feelings about it, but there were a lot of heart fluttering moments that I enjoyed enough to give it a decently high score.

As with most dramas, I wish they would have had a proper ending in the happier times together, as a couple. I don't understand why they make romance series without proper skinship and intimacy (physical intimacy and non physical). It drives me crazy and is why I rarely watch heterosexual couples anymore. It's fine if a drama doesn't want to add those things, but I cannot really consider it a "romance", especially a drama where they would give up everything to be eith each other and they barely hold hands? That's odd to me. They do kiss in the drama, but its rare. They do have some intimate feelings of longing for each other, those are nice.

In the end, in a rare twist, everyone around them, coworkers, friends, both sets of parents, the main girls ex want them to be together. The only thing standing in their way is the main guy feeling like he isn't good enough to be with her.

Anyway, it was good enough and one of the few Japanese dramas I like.

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DYSLEXIA presented in a different and interesting way. Sweet. Evoking. Maybe even poignant.

Kudos !
to the writer(s), creators, producers and investors for making this excellent TV program showing the socio-economic damages and life-long suffering that DYSLEXIA (consequently, other learning disabilities too) can cause in people's lives.

It's amazing that this show managed to be funded, produced, and aired in Japan and be brought internationally (for example, via Netflix in the US).

We are in the 21st century... and yet to learn that governments and societies in Japan (proud of its modernization) and in so many other countries (and not just developing countries... as I found out after doing a bit of research) are not systematically addressing learning disabilities is rather shocking.

Hence, this TV show is amazing because it not only addresses DYSLEXIA, but also other socio-economic prejudices, stigma and problems in a relatively light-hearted, sweet, and chewable format (light romance) so it may be more appealing to a wider audience.

Please read other people's comments and reviews about the romance, production, actors, plot, etc.
I just decided to comment about the dyslexia because I have not seen much about this important subject.

(By the way, I do not know of relatives or close friends suffering of learning disabilities, but my heart goes out to those who are and have been.)

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Emocionante e inspirador

Os doramas japoneses tem essa maturidade de conteúdo que os destaca dos coreanos e chineses. Eles mostram uma realidade mais crua, mas também com muito lirismo e inspiração. Essa série é muito gostosa de assistir, põem na mesa vários questionamentos sobre o machismo, a moral e os bons costumes, o ensino e o mercado de trabalho que atropelam sem dó os menos favoráveis como as mulheres e as pessoas com deficiência (neste caso na figura do personagem principal Taiga que tem dislexia). Mostra como uma sociedade totalmente pautada no sucesso, competitividade e excelência absoluta de educação tem seu preço, e ele é muito caro aos que não tiveram as mesmas oportunidades dos naturalmente mais favorecidos. Gosto demais desse tipo de narrativa, escancara com muita elegância a hipocrisia dessa sociedade e ao mesmo tempo nos dá outra perspectiva de esperança e perseverança, apesar de todas as dificuldades. A trilha sonora é muito bem escolhida, uma delícia de ouvir, e os personagens tem todos seus altos e baixos com evoluções próprias e particulares, ninguém ali é 100% bom ou mau, são tão bem construídos que não caem nos estereótipos, tornando esse dorama até um tanto imprevisível e interessante de acompanhar. A jornada da personagem principal é um excelente exemplo disso, passando de uma moça totalmente acuada, que se anula e vivendo à sombra de um emprego estável e um pai extremamente protetor para uma adulta independente, que respeita e defende seus próprios limites e desejos, e até mesmo disruptiva e irreverente. Ela é um exemplo lindo de superação, desapego e autoestima construída com o tempo.

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Apprendre à écrire c'est appredre à vivre et à aimer...

Je l’ai beaucoup aimé !! Si la situation est convenue, elle est très intelligemment traitée, soutenue par des dialogues bien écrits et des personnages à la psychologie tout-à-fait crédible. Jamais ils ne tombent dans la caricature, même si parfois c’est sur le fil du rasoir pour le père, ou la « cliente » addict de son hôte. Les situations de la culture japonaise sont mises en place clairement (mariage imposé, autorité patriarcale, différences de classes sociales infranchissables, système scolaire écrasant et le fameux club d'hôtes… ) J’ai vraiment cru à un moment que ça allait mal finir…  

Le drama est porté par l’interprétation brillante des deux principaux acteurs. Kimura Fumino est d’une justesse parfaite, illustration de l’infirmité mentale que l’éducation à la japonais (ou à la coréenne, d’ailleurs !) peut infliger ! Ce que j’ai aimé, c’est la délicatesse avec laquelle le scénariste a écrit son « réveil » et sa prise de conscience  de son besoin de liberté. L’autre personnage fascinant, c’est Kaoru, interprété magistralement par Raul ( Murakami Maito). D’après ce que j’ai lu ici et là, il est dans son naturel, car plus qu’acteur, je crois que c’est un showman, un animateur d’émission et de spectacles. Il a une façon superbe de jouer de son physique (1,92 m du genre filiforme) avec grâce et fantaisie, et j’ai mieux compris d’où venait son visage particulier : moitié japonais, moitié vénézuélien, il doit y avoir une goutte de sang indien Arawak !! Il peut-être très touchant, ou très manipulateur, deux facettes d’un homme resté enfant dyslexique incompris et méprisé, caché derrière le masque souriant du séducteur professionnel ! C’est elle qui, la première, ressentira une attraction amoureuse, sans doute parce qu’elle est plus âgée, mais lui ira de la fausse relation professionnelle à une tentation d’amour filial,  mais comme elle le traite dans un rapport d’égalité  en adulte responsable, ses sentiments vont évoluer vers un amour plus mûr.
Je pense que ce drama sort maintenant à cause de la nouvelle loi sur le divertissement que le Japon a émise en juin dernier, interdisant la « manipulation émotionnelle » des femmes, et les « techniques de séduction » en clair le mensonge et la tromperie ! Il faut être au Japon pour légiférer là-dessus et que ce soit nécessaire !!  Bon courage aux flics pour distribuer les contraventions à ceux qui ne respecteront pas la loi !! C’est fort bien explicité dans le drama, d’ailleurs, qui se passe au moment de la promulgation de la loi.

Les personnages secondaires sont très bien, avec cependant un bémol : ils changent (en mieux) un peu trop vite et facilement, ce qui donne à la fin un aspect rapide un peu bâclé, genre « fin obligée »mais bon, ça passe quand même bien !!

J’aime aussi que la relation du couple principal, si elle est devenue claire et bien installée, ne donne pas de concrétisation lourde façon « engagement pour la vie et ils se marièrent et eurent beaucoup d’enfants »  Il leur reste encore bien des problèmes à résoudre, mais l’avenir est lumineux et positif…pour le moment ! 
Dans l’ensemble j’ai passé un très bon moment, et j’aimerais bien découvrir Raul dans un tout autre genre de personnage, voir de quoi il est vraiment capable !! 

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tinha potencial...

inicialmente, fiquei muito empolgada ao descobrir que a trama girava em torno de uma relação professora x aluno porque, deixando o romance de lado, como professora, adoro analisar as práticas pedagógicas abordadas nas histórias. gosto de acompanhar as dificuldades sendo superadas, o desenvolvimento da leitura e da escrita e, principalmente, como esse processo pode transformar a vida do protagonista.
infelizmente, senti que o drama falhou muito nesse aspecto. apesar de sabermos que ambos os protagonistas estão dispostos a ensinar e aprender, o roteiro perde tempo demais com subtramas pouco interessantes. a trama da casa noturna, por exemplo, é algo com que eu não poderia me importar menos.
muita gente fala sobre essa ser uma história de superação, mas confesso que não consegui enxergá-la dessa forma, justamente porque não senti que o taiga/kaoru teve um desenvolvimento satisfatório. se aquela sequência final tivesse acontecido no episódio 8 ou 9, eu não teria ficado tão decepcionada. ainda teríamos dois ou três episódios para desenvolver questões que ficaram pendentes. mas não: ela acontece quando restam apenas dez minutos para o drama acabar. como acreditar nessa superação se mal tivemos tempo de acompanhá-la?
para não ser injusta, gostei bastante do desenvolvimento da manami. ela não foi uma protagonista por quem me apaixonei, mas, para mim, foi a única personagem que teve um arco bem construído, com início, meio e fim. quando o drama termina, você realmente consegue perceber o quanto ela mudou.
sobre o romance, sinceramente, é um casal que não consigo imaginar junto por mais de dois anos. não senti química entre eles e, mais uma vez, acredito que o roteiro tenha sua parcela de culpa, ao dar tanta atenção às subtramas, acaba deixando em segundo plano justamente o desenvolvimento da relação que deveria sustentar a história.
enfim, não acho que seja um drama ruim, mas tinha potencial para ser muito mais. fui atraída pela proposta, especialmente pela possibilidade de acompanhar o processo de aprendizagem e a transformação do protagonista, mas saí com a sensação de que o roteiro não soube aproveitar o próprio material. não me encantou.

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Enfin terminé..

Enfin terminé après plusieurs mois de pause 😅

Visuellement, le J-drama m’a un peu déçue : montage parfois brutal, coupures étranges en plein moment intense.

Mais côté histoire, j’étais à fond ! Une romance impossible bien construite, avec des sentiments sincères et progressifs. J’ai vraiment accroché jusqu’à la fin.

Petit bémol pour le jeu de Kaoru, parfois un peu trop exagéré, contrairement à Manami qui était excellente — très belle découverte.
C’est vrai que le traitement du harcèlement m’a un peu dérangée, trop banalisé à mon goût 😅
Mais malgré tout, ça reste une bonne série : 8/10, je recommande 👍

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L'école des sentiments tarifés

Les romances réprimandées par la société, malgré leur exploitation dans la littérature depuis Genji Monogatari, font encore le bonheur des producteurs et auteurs, tout média confondu, en cette bientôt fin de monde annoncée. De surcroît au Japon, terre de la bienséance et de la discrétion. Imaginer une amourette entre une professeure et un élève analphabète peut encore, malgré le cliché de la situation, faire vibrer les foules en 2025. Et pourtant, on a du mal à imaginer faire mieux que Garden of Words de Shinkai Makoto, surtout qu’en 2013, avec son trait de crayon et seulement 46 min, il avait tout dit et tiré les larmes nécessaires à la situation.

Ici, pour faire vibrer la corde sensible, le cordonnier est remplacé par un host de Kabukicho, ce qui ne nous rassure pas au premier abord. Du rentre-dedans et des beaux mecs androgynes vont parsemer 10 épisodes de hime-sama en direction des trentenaires à la recherche de l’aventurette télévisuelle. Vous entendrez donc soit votre voix intérieure, soit celle à côté de vous dans le canapé vous dire : C’est honteux cette exploitation de la misère amoureuse, tout en sachant que le voyeurisme est la raison principale de notre fascination.

Mais en réalité, tout est fait pour dénoncer le mizushōbai, à commencer par le ridicule dont les jeunes hosts s’affublent. Car si l’ensemble des intervenants semble donner les bons arguments pour critiquer l’exploitation de la solitude des femmes, ce sont les situations vécues par les hosts qui en font la meilleure critique. Mis plus bas que terre, traités comme des moins que rien, pas seulement par leur patron. Les clients, la société, les regardent comme des caniches à maman. Et c’est d’ailleurs très touchant de voir à quel point le héros de l’histoire cherche à travers son métier la reconnaissance maternelle qu’il n’a pas eue dans sa jeunesse.

Le trait sera donc forcé pour l’héroïne incarnée par l’excellente Kimura Fumino, en mère courage prête à tout pour sauver de l’illettrisme Murakami Maito Raul. Sa photo illustre d’ailleurs sur Wikipédia la définition de vieille fille. Dans son tailleur grisâtre, affublée d’un chignon et de lunettes, esquissant très peu de sourires face à sa classe de jeunes filles d'une école privée catholique. Oui, tout est dit. Les clichés sont ultra-forcés, comédie romantique oblige. Le paradis blanc, la journée. L’enfer rouge, la nuit. Raul-kun est présenté comme un Satan prêt à dévergonder la plus toute jeune vierge. Il faut choquer le bourgeois, que diable.

En vraie, la production cherche à choquer un public habitué et donc anesthésié par les mœurs de Kabukicho, mais n’y arrive pas vraiment. Encore moins si on vit au Japon, où les lieux de culte catholique n’ont pas réellement de sens au-delà du mariage. Mais toutes ces montagnes de clichés gâchent-elles l’expérience ? En réalité, très peu, car on assiste ici à de très belles performances d’acteurs. Kimura Fumino est évidemment habitée par sa mission de super neketsu sensei (celle-là je vais la ressortir à chaque fois, maintenant) mais sans en faire trop. Elle met énormément de temps à succomber au soi-disant charme de Raul-kun. D’ailleurs, est-ce qu’elle y succombe seulement ? Ces situations donnent une part de réalisme bienvenue. Ce drama est ancré dans la vraie vie et fait finalement très peu de place à la romance. Exit les longs plans "je te regarde dans les yeux pendant une minute". Kimura Fumino refuse et exècre les tapes sur l’épaule et autres avances ou mots doux appris à l’école des hosts. Les histoires de couple sont bien ancrées dans le Japon d'aujourd'hui: mariages arrangés, rencontres sur appli, misère affective, monétisation des sentiments. Les questions sociétales sont nombreuses, bien amenées et rendent le suivi de l’histoire passionnant.

En effet, Raul-kun ne cherche pas à faire plaisir à sa professeure, en apprenant à la vitesse grand V à écrire. Au contraire, le jeu du chat et de la souris dure et montre à quel point enseigner n’est pas donné à tout le monde. Une IA est encore loin de remplacer le contact humain, tant vouloir faire apprendre quelque chose à quelqu’un contre son gré est délicat. Délicat sera donc le mot d’ordre du drama.

Loin donc d’un énième reportage voyeuriste pour occidentaux prêts à se complaire dans des remarques du genre "tous des pervers ces Japonais", tout en se rinçant l’œil. Ce drama renforce la certitude de chacun sur la nécessité de mettre fin à ces pratiques d’escortes. Pas seulement pour les arnaques à l’argent, mais surtout pour les arnaques aux sentiments. Et pour cela, une seule solution : l’éducation.

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