Maggi64

Exactly. If fans want to read only praise, then they can read the promotional material that the show's producers put out. This forum, however, is supposed to be for viewers' honest appraisals. I can see complaining if the thread had gotten ugly with all sorts of personal attacks. But so far I've only seen people express their criticisms politely.

I love how people are complaining that some are "ruining it for them" because we've voiced criticisms, as if this is a "Praise" section instead of a "Comment" section.

Critics of the show have said that the characters have not evolved from Season 1, Ep 1. Since they voiced this opinion in a mature, polite manner -- with no ugly, personal attacks so far -- it is legitimate for this forum.

Exactly, we know where the writer is taking us with the whole "living together" plotline. It's gonna be Akira acting like a frightened, frigid schoolgirl avoiding sex, while Shin pursues him. But yea, if we get some shots of Shin's naked torso coming out of the shower, it might be worth a watch! lol.

A place to do his homework, lol. The thing is, I stuck with season 1 cuz Shin was so sexy and forthright and the chemistry was good. But the back-and-forth of Akira accepting, then rejecting, Shin's love got dragged on waaay too long. So by time they finally agreed to date, I barely cared. And now to see Akira playing it the same way in season 2? What are the writers thinking?

Looks more of the same that made season one so lame. A 29 year old man avoids his boyfriend's kiss on the cheek -- the cheek! -- and later freaks out when his boyfriend asks to spend the night. Akira's known Shin for a year and they've been dating 3 months but still haven't had sex? What, is Akira frigid? Then we have poor cutie-pie Asuka hooked up with that repulsive freak again. So, yep, it means the Undertaker Brothers are back for season 2.

I don't get how we got a 2nd season of a 12 ep show that nobody particularly loved the first time around, when better, shorter J-BL's don't get a season 2. Consider that there's no season 2 of the immensely more popular J-BL "Old Fashioned Cupcake" that was only 5 eps and where Togowa's crying confession scene trended on Twitter. So how, dear lord, how did THIS get a budget for a 2nd season of 12 eps? I tuned in hoping the relationship would've matured by season 2. Nope, it's still infantile and silly.

He did not spoil the plot twist, because it's right there in the plot synopsis that the criminals hijack the ship.

Based on a true story from the 1990's about a high powered exec from a rich family and top university who had a double life working as a prostitute by night, and was eventually murdered by a client (the murder happens in the first minute of this movie, so this is not a spoiler). Sion Sono embellished the story to make it, in his estimation, more interesting. Alas, he made it less interesting because the plot elements he added were far too outlandish to ring of truth. It started off well enough, but degenerated into a big mess with too many unrealistic twists and character motivations that made no sense.

A much better version of such a story is the American 1970's movie with Diane Keaton, "Looking for Mr. Goodbar." It was fascinating because it stayed in the realm of reality while depicting a traditional school teacher from a nice, middle class Catholic family who had a double life carousing singles bars for sex with strangers by night -- one of whom eventually murders her. This was also based on a true story, and since the movie followed the true story it worked. Sono's outlandish embellishments to the Japanese true story, however, ruined his movie. It ended up feeling not only inauthentic, but by time we reached the over-the-top climax, just plain silly.

Not a great movie, but since it's set in America it's great for showing how the Japanese perceive this country. Which is to say, a land full of crime, drugs, violence and guns. Guns, guns, guns. It's a vision where there are urban ghettos in which a foreigner can be mugged in broad daylight with crowds milling about and nobody does a thing to protect the victim, nor even voices the slightest protest. All of which is to say, it's a pretty damned accurate depiction of our country. Indeed, it made me ashamed of us and the way our non-existent gun control laws allow for such a plethora of guns. If I had to sum up the director, Sono Sion's, idea of America, it would be that we are a nation of guns. Guns, guns, guns.

NOTE: It lists Joe Odagiri in the main role, with Jae West in a supporting role. But the fact is, Jae West is the true star of this movie. With his intense charisma, charm, humor and pitch perfect American street slang, he stole the movie. He also has just as much screen time as Joe Odagiri, so it makes no sense that MDL lists him as a "supporting role" He's the star of this movie all the way.

Yep, he was the hot boxer. He was very young in that. It was 2008, so that was 15 years ago. He is even hotter now. And he does a lot of great movies, such as Burning which I mentioned above, and which won a prize at Cannes. But Punch is my fave.

I agree with all you say about America. But even if we elected an orange game show host, we also elected a black man not once, but twice to be our President. Our culture is full of such odd contradictions politically. But if we view our culture strictly in the confines of our attitude toward drug addiction, one must admit that we advanced in this area. We no longer demonize addicts but show compassion. I am an addict/alcoholic myself, so I know first hand that people treat it as a disease not a character flaw. My employers and friends/family are all remarkably forgiving. So there's simply no denying that America has advanced in its attitude in this area.

Excellent point about them likely responding differently if it were a hetero couple who were 15. They would not be so worried about the teens being "uncomfortable" as they put it, if it were a hetero kiss.

Thank you so much! The other links below take us to blurry versions of the film, or to Internet Archive where the subs are incomplete. But your link takes us to a perfect copy of the movie, so thank you so much.

I would give it a 10 for the first half set at the prison. But I was disappointed by the second half set at the farm, so I'm giving it an 8.

I totally agree. Episode 3 is where I became intrigued by this show. We are now seeing the development of a complex and unusual relationship. The whole "friends with benefits" arrangement is clearly not this emotion-free thing that the two of them are pretending it is. And it will be fascinating to see how the charade will fall apart when the 2 of them admit that they are in love.

Oh, and yes, Kazuma without a shirt was smoking hot! lol.

Wow, you are the 2nd person I met on MDL who worked for Samsung and told a story like this. I have never been to Korea nor worked for a Korean company, but after becoming immersed in Asian cinema 3 years ago I read much about Japan's and Korea's history and culture. I also follow the careers of actors I respect, such as Yoo Ah In. Thus I know how the culture is severely punitive to those who veer from the normative social rules. They destroy celebs who fall from grace.

This is pretty obvious just based on the sheer number of Korean celebs who kill themselves. Over 30 in the past decade have killed themselves. In April 2 killed themselves in the same week. It's an epidemic. So it's insane that a person above accused me of being a "self righteous American" for pointing out how the Korean culture is unforgiving toward celebs who fall from grace. I mean, there is actual, factual proof that this is true.

As for Yoo Ah In specifically, yes, you are right that he is beautiful. He is also enormously talented. He got international critical praise for his performance in "Burning" in 2018 and his career was flourishing with new movie deals ever since. Then he was discovered to suffer from addiction and -- bam! -- they killed his career. I maintain that this would not happen in America or Europe. Just look at Robert Downey Jr. He was in freaking prison for drugs, but the public rooted for his recovery and is proud of him for beating drugs and making a comeback.

I just want Yoo Ah In to learn English and come here to make movies. He is so talented that it would be a travesty for him to never make another movie. You should go to his MDL bio for past movies and watch "Punch" "Voice of Silence" "The Throne" and "Antique Bakery." He is very young in "Antique Bakery," which is a super funny movie and sooo gay, lol. But his best work is in "Punch" from 2011.

Have you seen any of these?

Where did you watch this? I cannot find it. Can you provide a link?

BTW, I see you everywhere, lol. We must have the same taste because I see you on all the movies that I watch.

Thank you. You totally nailed that fool who wanted to make it seem as if America also demonizes addicts when it clearly does NOT. You proved beautifully how it does not with actual, factual examples.

Google Yoo Ah In and "drugs" and it's all over. The poor guy lost his movie deals, his ad endorsements and is facing prison time. All because they found drugs in his residence. He's been forced to prostrate himself before the public making abject apologies and it seems his career is over.

Please, you know full well that the current policy against drug use in Korea is draconian. If you want to pull back and look at historical reasons, then the US can lay blame on Europe for its cultural attitudes. We can do this for all cultures, but it would be pointless because we all have cultures effected by our past interactions with other nations. Only people like you whose college professors taught them that being anti West was a proxy for intellectualism make comments like this. If you were, however, a true intellectual, your reading comprehension would have allowed you to see that my comment refers to current Korean policy vis-a-vis America's current policy. THAT is the argument at hand.

BTW, I am an addict/alcoholic and as a result I have been in rehab twice, and hospitalized once. My employers and friends/family have all been massively forgiving. So I can tell you first hand that our culture treats addicts with compassion. The problem here is that there is insufficient funding for treatment. If that were your point, I would've agreed. Alas, you just came out swinging with some lame argument wanting us to go back to Nixon in order to prove that America is an Evil Empire.

In the show, it's just drugs. If it were sexual assault, then yes, that would destroy a career in American too.

I don't get all the comments about 15 year old actors kissing. Don't any of you watch American and European movies and shows? Kids that age are constantly shown kissing. I don't know the nationalities of people on MDL, but judging by these comments, I must assume that few of you are Western, because kids this age are always shown in sexual situations in Western media. To be clear, I think the Western media over sexualizes teens and this is a problem. But the point here is that it is commonly shown. So why are you all so surprised to see this in a Japanese show?