Renai Rubi no Tadashii Furikata (2025)

This wasn't a proper way to write love!

The whole drama struggled with an identity crisis just as much as both the lead characters did. I was confused from the very beginning about whether it wanted to be a revenge love story or settle for a soft slice of life romance. What we got was a confused mix of half-baked angst and very shallow storytelling with the strangest attempt at romantic justice.

The premise is shaky. The whole "change your hairstyle, you are a whole new person" was asking a bit too much of our suspension of disbelief. And worse than that, both the leads are dating without Natsuo asking for as basic as the real/government name. What century are we in?

The romance felt like a chore. The infamous "he likes me, so he pulls my pigtails" trope didn't help either. There was a constant seesaw of self-esteem struggles of both the leads, some awkward glances here and there and monologues that seemed a little insincere. The chemistry and passion felt very mechanical... You blink and you will miss it.

Natsuo appears very full of life and spontaneous character and has this unwavering interest/love towards Hiro and I fail to understand why. The plot didn't give me enough reasons or scenes to convince me of the idea that “love at first sight” could be this intense, especially when he is unaware of Hiro’s true identity.
On the other hand, Hiro was completely opposite. To put it mildly, very plain Jane and a wallpaper personality. On paper, he was meant to be this intense, witty love interest harbouring revenge when he first meets Natsuo, but in truth, he seemed frustratingly boring. There was a significant contrast between how he thinks and how he acts.

The last episode was definitely better than the rest but the story left too many loose ends to tie for the finale. Their intimate sequence was nicely choregraphed and I could finally see the chemistry but it was little too late.

Hiro's workplace arc was another point which brought the drama down. It was both overdeveloped and underdeveloped at the same time. The focus should have been on the leads and their love story instead of wasting a little too time on competitions, which barely added anything significant to the story.

They really tried hard to convince this wasn't superficial with selling gardening and hair dressing as some big metaphor for life and love, but to me it felt like filler. A few of the garden scenes felt very abrupt and out of place. Why are we searching for who is plucking flowers in a garden rather than sitting and talking about each other, that too on a date ??!!

Acting-wise, it just felt fine. Not cringeworthy but nothing to run home about. I wasn't attached to both characters, so overall it felt very superficial. I do think the script also didn't give them enough to work with.

Overall, this was a miss for me. What could have been a simple and emotional story felt bland, and the pacing dragged in all the wrong places. It's definitely not unwatchable but it also never gave me any reason to care. The drama's whole focus was on aesthetic fluff rather than a meaningful romance.
Will I recommend it? Honestly, no or maybe. It didn't work for me, maybe it will for you. So if you are curious, the short runtime makes it an easy gamble.

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A Proper Way to Mess Up a Series

I went into this drama expecting a gripping revenge arc—or at least a compelling love story. What I got was… complicated. The premise had real potential, but the execution left me confused, frustrated, and occasionally entertained—though not always for the right reasons.

I didn’t really like how this drama unfolded. Hiro wants revenge, but the way he goes about it feels completely wrong. He’s not even trying hard enough, and it’s honestly frustrating. I wanted revenge. I wanted to see the plans he came up with, but everything falls apart so quickly once he realizes he misunderstood Natsuo’s actions in the past.

Hiro only misunderstood him because Natsuo never expressed himself properly. Like, come on, you were a jerk on the rooftop! Natsuo didn’t want anyone to know he liked Hiro, let alone confess to him, so instead, he acted like an even bigger asshole.

Now that Hiro knows Natsuo has always liked him, why is he even staying? He doesn’t want to be touched, doesn’t fully open up emotionally… but slowly, he starts to develop feelings. Hiro begins to see Natsuo as someone who’s always by his side—like during the competition, when Natsuo tried to support him emotionally, or when he helped him after Hiro injured his hand.

Hiro was an outcast in school, and later in life, he changed his style just to fit in. He likes plants and even taught kanji to Natsuo (which is why Natsuo liked him in the first place). He’s just a nerd, and it kind of bothers me that he felt the need to hide that. Shouldn’t you just be yourself?

As for Natsuo, he’s a whole mood. I actually like his character. He’s ridiculous, his smile is huge, and he clearly likes Hiro. He’s way more open about his feelings now and more considerate than he used to be. That said, he’s still so naive and honestly kind of stupid sometimes. Like, how does he not realize that the guy he likes now is the same guy he liked back in high school? It’s kind of unbelievable.

Still, I felt like the show was so focused on the past that it forgot about the present. The flashbacks—how Hiro felt back in school, how those feelings evolved—were interesting, but they took up too much space. Once Hiro realizes Natsuo had always liked him, his whole perspective shifts. And that could’ve been powerful. But by then, we’re so bogged down in backstory that it loses its impact.

Also, what was with all the filler episodes? I did not sign up to watch a hairdressing competition or meet Natsuo’s friend who looks exactly like Hiro. All of that felt completely unnecessary. What I wanted was to see their love story develop and grow, not be half-baked.

Did they have chemistry? I guess so. But it wasn’t until the final episode, the most raw and intimate scene, that I truly felt it. That’s when their connection, love, and chemistry finally hit.

Their acting? It was okay. Nothing stands out, but nothing terrible either, just average.

🌀 Final Thoughts: What Was This Even About?

Honestly, I don’t even know what this series wanted to be. Was it a revenge plot? A lighthearted drama? A story about two people navigating love and trauma? It felt like it was reaching for something deeper, maybe even sadder, but it never fully committed. The tone kept shifting, and instead of blending genres in a meaningful way, it just left me confused. Some moments hinted at emotional depth, but they were lost in scattered storytelling and unclear direction.

Would I recommend this?? Honestly, it’s like sipping lukewarm tea, kind of meh, not worth the hype, but you might finish the cup just to say you tried it.

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