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[Discussion] Alice no toge

Lily_B Author VIP


Alice no toge


Mizuno Asumi is a doctor at the University Hospital. Her only objective in life is to avenge the death of her father, a death caused by immoral and negligent doctors. She wants to reveal to the world their mistakes and corrupt behaviors, with the hope of preventing them from furthering their practise as doctors.

CAST:

Ueno Juri as Mizuno Asumi
Kikuchi Asumi as young Asumi
Nakamura Aoi as Gendai Yuma
Odagiri Joe as Nishimon Yusuke
Tanaka Naoki as Chihara Junichi
Omi Toshinori as Hinata Makoto
Nakamura Baijaku as Mizuno Kazufumi
Fujiwara Norika as Date Risa
Musaka Naomasa as Ebisu Masahito
Iwaki Koichi as Gendai Shuichi
Kuriyama Chiaki as Hoshino Miwa
Kunimura Jun as Arima Tsuyoshi
Takeba Ryusei (竹場龍生) as Minegishi Kenta
Mashima Hidekazu as Osanai Takao

So, are you watching Alice no toge? So far, two episodes have aired... What do think? Are you enjoying it? :)
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Lily_B Author VIP
My thoughts on episodes 1-2, SPOILERS below! After two episodes, I have to admit that I feel like my expectations were too high. I have read comments, and it looks like many people like this a lot more than I do so far. I wonder why? (What’s wrong with me?) I think I had expected a colder atmosphere, something more chilling… I want to feel like “oh, no, how terrible!” while at the same time being on Asumi’s side! To be honest, I don’t really feel much of anything yet. A perfect execution of an elaborate scheme by a smart main character should be more enjoyable… right? I think it's impressive how the main character is dealing with the situation (such a talented stalker and everything!) but how interesting is it going to be if it goes on like this? I mean, now she has repeated the same pattern three times… The one she punishes always blames another person, so the chase goes on. I’m waiting to be surprised by something here! So far I feel that the antagonists are too obviously not likeable. The male nurse in the first episode, it didn’t take many minutes before I was thinking “what an unpleasant man!” The same with Date and Chihara. My point is, I hope the supporting characters are going to be more interesting. I haven’t lost hope. :) I also think there are too many flashbacks. Am I too critical?? Something I do like is that young intern, the professor son. It’s cute how he looks up to her. He’s innocent, younger than her even, but the son of one of her enemies (I assume; at least the father seems like a cold and not nice person to me, and she seems to have already known who he was the first time they talked, at least I think that’s why she didn’t comment “are you the professor’s son?”) so that’s probably going to be a problem for her at some point! Any thoughts? Am I wrong? What am I missing here?
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Evony
I agree with you, haven't seen the whole second episode yet, but I'm not impressed with what I saw so far. The main heroine is completely unreletable, I just don't feel her character. Yeah, I know her sad backstory, but still, she's too robotic and we don't know much about her besides those flashbacks you mentioned (and yeah, they are annoying). I guess it was supposed to be like that, she's just concentrated on her 'revenge', but it's sooo cliche! Nothing new here, so I'm disappointed. The only person I'm quite interested in is the guy played by Odagiri Joe.
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Grumpy Witch VIP
lily_b wrote: My thoughts on episodes 1-2, SPOILERS below!


After two episodes, I have to admit that I feel like my expectations were too high. I have read comments, and it looks like many people like this a lot more than I do so far. I wonder why? (What’s wrong with me?) I think I had expected a colder atmosphere, something more chilling… I want to feel like “oh, no, how terrible!” while at the same time being on Asumi’s side! To be honest, I don’t really feel much of anything yet. A perfect execution of an elaborate scheme by a smart main character should be more enjoyable… right?

I think it's impressive how the main character is dealing with the situation (such a talented stalker and everything!) but how interesting is it going to be if it goes on like this? I mean, now she has repeated the same pattern three times… The one she punishes always blames another person, so the chase goes on. I’m waiting to be surprised by something here! So far I feel that the antagonists are too obviously not likeable. The male nurse in the first episode, it didn’t take many minutes before I was thinking “what an unpleasant man!” The same with Date and Chihara. My point is, I hope the supporting characters are going to be more interesting. I haven’t lost hope. :)

I also think there are too many flashbacks. Am I too critical?? Something I do like is that young intern, the professor son. It’s cute how he looks up to her. He’s innocent, younger than her even, but the son of one of her enemies (I assume; at least the father seems like a cold and not nice person to me, and she seems to have already known who he was the first time they talked, at least I think that’s why she didn’t comment “are you the professor’s son?”) so that’s probably going to be a problem for her at some point!

Any thoughts? Am I wrong? What am I missing here?


Hmm, I added this to my list a few days ago, maybe weeks...lol, but after reading this... I don't know. I thought that too. I'll check back in later.
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SumiTheCat
@ Lily_b : I don't think you're wrong or you're especially missing something. I do agree with most of what you've said, but I ended with a different feeling. maybe it all depends on what kind of dramas you are used to watch. Plus it was one of the most anticipated one on the forum : sometimes we are disappointed by things so many others are fired up.

I personnaly like this drama a lot. First because the story is good, and mostly, maybe, because i'm not used to this kind of plots. So i may not see some of its flaws. Moreover, i didn't have any expectations at first, because i've always been reticent to watch revenge dramas (even if I ended liking them so much more than others). i just gave it a try because many people anticipated it a lot. It's finally the one i'm liking the most this season (and i'm rather disappointed by those i anticipated the most, ironically).
that said, my thoughts.
* I don't find Asumi's character likable, though her terrible past. but I don't think she sees herself as a good woman. she just wants to achieve her revenge. In fact, there aren't lots of likable characters, except, maybe, the young intern. hope he won't become too annoying by being so nice and cute.
So far, watching her succeed in her scheme is really enjoyable. But you're right, that could become boring if everything goes well until the end. Hopefully, J-dramas can be unpredictable sometimes. I guess something will not get right in a couple of episodes (episode 4 is often the turning point i J-dramas, so i'm looking forward to what will happen then).
That intern, he may be the one who makes her fall. I do agree with you; she will surely confront dilemma in the next episodes, and he may be the one who will affect her the most (as well as her nice father at the restaurant), i'm looking forward to what the writers have to offer when things won't go as anticipated for her. hope we won't be disappointed . In a drama, things are supposed to become more and more dramatic, aren't they?.

Finally, my first drama with Odagiri. i've heard so much about him, it's about time to know the man. he maybe was the real reason I started the drama, and so far i'm liking both the character and the actor. it's maybe too early for me to understand why he is so praised (if that drama is really a good way for such an approach). I just don't know what to think of the character : just a pretty handy accomplice in the scheme or another twist in perspective. maybe too early to determine.
I had reticence with Ueno, that I don't particularly like nor dislike (i don't have so many good memories of her in Nodame). But i'm enjoying seeing her in a serious role.
Generally speaking, it's always a pleasure to watch a drama with this kind of cast : lots of strong second lead actors. i'm looking forward to the next battles. *
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Lily_B Author VIP
Ari_Lee wrote: Hmm, I added this to my list a few days ago, maybe weeks...lol, but after reading this... I don't know. I thought that too. I'll check back in later.


*lol* Don't take me too seriously! After all, there are people who love this. Maybe you'll find that you agree with them more? :)

@SumiTheCat: You're right, j-dramas can be unpredictable!! I'll just wait and see...
And yes, I have also seen people talking about Odagiri Joe and I have the same thoughts as you.
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Panda-san
So far I am enjoying this drama. I think Ueno Juri really shows her versatility as an actress here. We are only two episodes in so we don't know what will happen. I understand the fear of repetitiveness, but to my understanding there were not 11 people who aided in her father's death, so I greatly doubt that it will be the same cycle for each episode. On the other hand, many genres of Japanese dramas in general tend to be repetitive in execution. When you look at detective dramas its: A mystery arises (usually a murder), suspects are interviewed, clues collected, in between is banter between main and side characters along with the revelation of the back story of murder victims/suspects, then the ultimate climax with the murderer being found out, and the murderer describing how they did it (Watashi no Kirai na Tantei broke from this a bit with the detective not listening to the back story but even that got old). Medical dramas and police dramas are pretty much the same with that cyclic plot structure.

But this one doesn't seem as cyclic as the average medical drama. I think it will change up within the next few episodes. I want to see more of Chiaki Kuriyama's character.

I have an inkling of what will happen:

I think that once she has eliminated the main people she wants to get revenge on, she will be found out and probably have to leave her job. I also think that she will find out that her father wasn't perfect and that he himself was involved in some questionable dealings. I think that because her father died when she was young, she saw him as this ideal person, as children tend to do , so she really didn't see the man he really was. I also honestly think there will be a tiny minuscule hint of romance.

Apart from that I really hope they don't keep reusing the same flashback in every episode. That's gonna get old after a while.
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A_Korean_In_America
I gave it a positive C+

Alice no Toge #Jdrama Initial Review: Want "Revenge"?

http://akoramerica.blogspot.com/2014/04/alice-no-toge-jdrama-initial-review.html
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A_Korean_In_America
#AliceNoToge #Jdrama Initial Video Review: Want "Revenge"?
http://akoramerica.blogspot.com/2014/04/alice-no-toge-jdrama-initial-video.html

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soracantabile
actually I tried to watch this drama just because of ueno Juri so I didn't have any expectations. I didn't have any idea about what kind of drama it is; didn't even read the synopsis And i think I'm glad for it... :P well, so far I like it because of Ueno Juri and the story... ah, also the background music... I'm a fan of bjork and heard similar voice as hers in the BGM but I was wrong... It's Japanese indie band called ajysytz :)
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Acidalia-san
Just watched ep 7 and I think Ueno Juri`s character got more profile and depth to it. So maybe two episodes were just showing her resolution to get her revenge, she was emotionally prepared to do anything, no matter what, but with time and her letting other people getting closer to her, her shell breaks and we see a different character? That is what I think. I personally enjoy this a lot. The plot is really good and OMG this episode ended in such a cliffhanger!! I think the pattern also changed after episode 3. So continue watching. But lol I can`t hear this "15 years ago" anymore. Any one else watched up till episode 7? I don`t want to spoil anyone here. :P
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Lily_B Author VIP
I watched episode 7. I do think it got a little bit better starting from episode five, but I'm still not hooked on this. *Like, usually when Character A needs to break up with Character B because of "noble" reasons by telling lies to hurt them, I feel that it's super frustrating, like "oh noooo you fool what are you doing!!". This time when Asumi broke up with Yuma, it's the first time I've felt that it was the right thing to do... Hm, but I don't know. Maybe we aren't supposed to ship them anyway? She obviously doesn't have feelings for him.* Anyway, I find myself rolling my eyes more than biting my nails. *Were we supposed to be surprised that Arima couldn't be trusted?* As for the cliffhanger, my guess is *that the poor boy dies.*
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Cheer
This was pretty much a disappointment. Absolutely NOT one of the best revenge dramas I've ever saw.
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