Yukari-kun wa Gap ga Zurui (2026)

Unexpectedly good but missing the extra sauce to be REALLY good

I was going into this drama with really low expectations, thinking it would just another all-fluff-no-substance romance, but I was pleasantly surprised! While it does have some of the typical cliche plot points, I found the way they were handled pretty refreshing, and there was a fun energy to it that kept it from feeling stale.

I particularly really like the character of Meiko, which was surprising because I'm very picky about this kind of plucky, go-getter female lead. Usually, they tend towards being too clumsy and airheaded for my taste, but Meiko actually acted like an adult and thought through her problems herself instead of relying on the ML for everything. The way she navigated her relationships with her friend and students outside the ML also gave her some unexpected depth, and I like that her background and skills as a former aspiring announcer had a purpose in the story instead of just being set dressing.

However, I think because the characterization of Meiko was so strong, Yukari seemed glaringly bland in comparison. We don't really get to understand who he is as a person or see him work through his own struggles, so it makes the romance feel uneven and half-baked because it feels like Meiko is falling in love with a hot piece of cardboard lol. Maybe the producers got distracted with how attractive Takao Hayato is (and don't get me wrong, he is EXTREMELY handsome here) that they forgot to do anything with his character.

The acting was quite good and the two leads had cute chemistry, so I overall enjoyed myself, but because they showed me a glimmer of competent writing in addition to the strong visuals, I can't help but mourn the potential this drama had.

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