Unpopular opinion here: I don't really get that hype for this drama. I mean, yeah, in terms of story it could be regarded as fresh, but the depiction of it is not conveying at all, for me. I usually find it squeaking when they try to transfer a manga or anime style into live-actions—I guess it relies so much on the viewer's taste and culture, though. Under my spectacles, those (and this one in particular) rip the minimum necessary verisimilitude to foster suspension of disbelief on the watcher, thus, making it feel awkward and off—I couldn't bear Tsuge whatsoever.
Definitely, the 88's the best one in the Reply series for me. Such a good storytelling of a simple almost ordinary, warmhearted story in a time, place and context: deeper and broader looks that its predecessors, captivating, genuine, flowing, the filming style, performances, and music, everything just delectably blended.
My ranking in the series: #1. 88 - impressions above (7,5/10)
#2. 97 - original, different, refreshing, daring, funny, charismatic and as genuine as de last one. Was the first one, and it shows, in a good way. (7/10)
*May come some spoilers next*
#3. 94 - promising, warm, great characters, although sometimes confusing, somewhat off and slow towards the last quarter; a bit conservative with strange deceiving twists, as if they had planned something else but regretted it in the last moment. And I'm talking about a pair, and a concrete character too; you may know who if you watched it (avoiding spoilers.) It seemed wanting to replicate the 97's formula without fully achieving it. In spite of that, enjoyable for the most part, loving, fond and comradely. (6,8/10)
That being said, I give it a 4.5.
My ranking in the series:
#1. 88 - impressions above
(7,5/10)
#2. 97 - original, different, refreshing, daring, funny, charismatic and as genuine as de last one. Was the first one, and it shows, in a good way.
(7/10)
*May come some spoilers next*
#3. 94 - promising, warm, great characters, although sometimes confusing, somewhat off and slow towards the last quarter; a bit conservative with strange deceiving twists, as if they had planned something else but regretted it in the last moment. And I'm talking about a pair, and a concrete character too; you may know who if you watched it (avoiding spoilers.) It seemed wanting to replicate the 97's formula without fully achieving it. In spite of that, enjoyable for the most part, loving, fond and comradely.
(6,8/10)