Another Great Drama From TBS
It's been more than three years since I last wrote a drama review, but I'll review REBOOT. So far, in my opinion, this is the best drama of 2026. Each episode leaves viewers curious about what will happen next. The pacing is fast and intense, but with enough plot twists and turns to keep things interesting. This might be the J-drama I’ve been most eagerly awaiting since VIVANT, to the point where I’ve been searching for theories about the plot on social media.All the cast members are perfectly suited to their roles. Suzuki Ryohei is very cold, and Toda Erika plays a cunning, mysterious character who also has a caring side, very well. Other support role suits perfectly such as Nagase Ren and Makita Aju (even she's got minor role)
In my opinion, this drama is a must-watch for the opening of the 2026 winter J-drama season.
Update: just finished this drama, i think it's another great drama by TBS other than VIVANT (2023), it's a must watching for action & mysteries lovers because the climax and the plot twist is splendid.
p.s. there's takumi kitamura cameo on last episodes
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This review may contain spoilers
Revive A Sweet Life
⏤ ▪︎ The Vibe :: A mission-impossible quest to save your family even if they are working for the bad guys.｡ ⤵︎ Watched For :: A tense mystery full of deceit, betrayal, and survival.
｡ ⤵︎ Stayed For :: Trying to figure out what on earth was going to happen next. Who lives, who dies and who gets rebooted?
⏤ ▪︎ The Premise... in One Dramatic Sentence ::
A pastry chef gets plastic surgery to disguise himself as a detective to find out who is framing him for the murder of his wife.
⏤ ▪︎ Character Weather Report ::
Gido and Ichika did amazing in their roles. I was so surprised seeing them play two/three characters at the same time. It felt like I was sitting very comfortably inside a tornado of self-preservation, sacrifice and tenacity.
⏤ ▪︎ Chemistry Check ::
😵💫 A fusion dish where you don't really know what to expect when you take a bite.
There were some interesting moments between the main protagonists, but nothing is truly romantic/dramatic until the end. This was so understandable given the nature of the plot and the genre.
⏤ ▪︎ Plot Behavior ::
I want to be clear that I am not good at predicting plot twists at all. It's a big reason why I enjoy mysteries/thrillers. I think I predicted one or two of the plot twists, so this drama kept me guessing the entire time. The pace was definitely fast and tense, but I could still tell the entire time that they were trying their best to stretch the story into more episodes.
⏤ ▪︎ What Worked ::
I think what worked the best was the Dark Banker as the main antagonist controlling them all with his ridiculous deadlines.
⏤ ▪︎ What Needed More Time ::
I think making the general motivation for the Dark Banker turn political felt unfinished and unnecessary. It would have been enough that he just wanted to maintain his dark bank and keep his clients happy. I'm not sure I understand the motivation behind having them undergo plastic surgery. That seems so expensive and time-consuming. I did not like that Fuyuhashi got away with his crimes because he rebooted.
⏤ ▪︎ Emotional Damage Report ::
I definitely shed a few tears. It wasn't a complete waterfall, more of a faucet trickle. I knew the impact that would result for the rest of the story. The Doppelgänger theory, yet again, is so real.
⏤ ▪︎ Final Verdict ::
I really enjoyed this drama, cause I went into it completely blind. I didn't read synopsis or watch the trailer. I didn't even look too closely at the cast. I just looked at the genre and themes. Since I was open to the mystery I was shocked at the direction this drama took. I liked the turn after turn of underbelly investigations on a deadline and plastic surgery plot twists.
The overall message: do anything for your family!
Rating: ★★★★☆
✫ Tension: 4 / 5
✫ Plot Twists: 4 / 5
✫ Reboots: 3.5 / 5
𓂃✍︎ Would I Rewatch? Yes, if I ever forget the plot twists.
𓂃✍︎ Emotional Status: Satisfied, and looking my next tense, investigation mystery.
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New Meaning to the phrase "Two-Faced"
This really turned out to be a much better series than I anticipated. While I've been a fan of Ren Nagase, I wasn't sure how he'd be at a darker bad guy this time around. He was great at this role. The leading cast clicked exceptionally well, too. Ryohei Suzuki matches perfectly with Erika Toda. I can't call a specific actor the protagonist or antagonist, cause there's so many character changes with the same faces, it makes it difficult, but it definitely pulls you into it from the very first episode. By the end of episode 3, we're left with so many questions, it truly becomes one of the best mystery dramas this year. From that point on, everything just kicks into a higher gear, it's a true rollercoaster ride right till the end.I must admit, it does become a bit confusing at times. Later in the series, there are so many "face changes", you really need to follow it, trying to remember who the real person is we are looking at. You really can't believe anything you see ... but definitely stay with it. The final two episodes answer every question, and the finale gives you great satisfaction in the way everything works out into a nice conclusion.
It's absolutely high marks for great acting and great entertainment.
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Not bad, not superb
This Drama was one episode longer than it needed to be and nowhere near as clever as it thought it was. The "big twist" several reviewers talked about was strongly hinted in episode 2 and blindingly obvious by the start of episode 4. This meant there was much less tension in the story, and made the inevitable conclusion so obvious that dragging it out over 10 instead of 9 was a mistake.I wasn't bad, but it wasn't really that great\. I'm not sorry I watched it, but I've definitely seen bother better and worse.
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10/10 Great!
10/10 Brilliant mystery from start to finishREBOOT quickly became one of my favorite J-dramas of the year. The story wastes no time pulling you into its mystery, with constant twists, strong character development, and a pace that keeps every episode engaging. The cast is outstanding, especially Suzuki Ryohei and Toda Erika, who deliver unforgettable performances. While a few reveals can be guessed early, the emotional impact and gripping finale make the journey worthwhile. A must-watch for fans of suspense and investigation.
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This review may contain spoilers
El atrapante mundo del reinicio
Comencé a ver este drama sin leer la sinopsis ni investigar sobre qué actores iban a estar y me quedé sorprendida al ver a caras muy conocidas del mundo del jdrama como Toda Erika y Matsuyama Kenichi en las primeras escenas luego a Ito Hideaki o Kuroki Meisa o Suzuki Ryohei entre otros grandes nombres; y ver cómo se desarrolla todo, fue increiblemente fascinante, me dejo intrigada por como trabajarían juntos, porque es raro créanme , es loco verlos reunidos en una sola historia y me encantó, realmente me encantó. Sus interpretaciones no decepcionan.La trama principal también está muy intensa, te sumerge en todas sus aristas, y creo que logra atrapar al espectador. Cada subtrama , el desarrollo de los personajes, las relaciones entre ellos, las pistas que dan en el desarrollo de la trama. todo es atrapante y deja expectante. Los diversos plot twist que se ven también. y el final es de los momentos más esperados e inesperados. Eso es lo que más me encantó.
Se ha convertido en uno mis doramas favoritos de suspenso, misterio y de investigación en lo que va del año.
Lo recomiendo.
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