Meari21

The Obliteration of the Samurai

Last Samurai Standing is about an impoverished and struggling ronin just trying to make ends meet in the Meiji era where the samurai class had been abolished, wearing swords is considered illegal, and the remnants of his kind are shunned and treated like scum. Saga Shujiro is a former distinguished retainer of the powerful Satsuma clan that helped restore the Meiji rule in Japan and defeated the Tokugawa shogunate. He is betrayed and discarded like trash by the very people he reinstated in power. In a world where the samurai have become as obsolete as their katana and code of honor, they are forced to resort to drastic means just to survive, including engaging in a deadly game orchestrated by those in power.

At a glance, this seems like a simple story about people killing each other for survival. But it really is not. This doesn't only have a historical setting but also features known figures in Japanese history. Lord Okubo, the Home Minister was a real person who led the Satsuma clan during the Boshin War. He was named the Home Minister of the Meiji empire and helped shape the future of the country with his ideals and accomplishments. Unfortunately, with change always comes resistance and though he quelled many rebellions (many were led by his former associates), he ultimately couldn't escape assassination by his own former comrades. That segment of Japanese history is the core of this drama. It is also the reason why the “Kodoku” exists. The abhorrence for the samurai and the old ways stems from their inability to accept and adapt to change as well as their gruesome history of bloodshed, unsquashable belief in their code, and their previous position as the elite military class of feudal Japan that they so vehemently abused. There is no unfounded hatred for them, they were hated as much as they were revered. Kawaji most likely suffered or have seen people suffer from the hands of the samurai who demanded respect from peasants and ordinary folk. I do not condone his actions but I do understand his hatred.

The Zaibatsu or the four powerful oligarchs involved in the Kodoku are based on real power hungry families who had a hand in governing the new Meiji empire. They were most likely in favor of obliterating the samurai considering their positions in government and their desire for reform. The death game aspect in Last Samurai Standing is merely a tool to demonstrate the lengths that this new government took to rid itself of its former military class in order to modernize Japan. I just wish they had written them in a less caricature-ish way, though.

The rest of the characters are more complex, thankfully. Shujiro is not your typical hero. In fact, he's flawed, cowardly, and selfish. He left his siblings to fend for themselves because he was afraid. He fought under the Meiji banner with the goal of reforming his country, but he was betrayed, lost allies, and drifted away into obscurity. He started a family but is on the verge of losing them to another enemy, the cholera epidemic that hit Japan. He wanted only to save himself and his family until he met a young girl who reminded him of his dead daughter. So no, he didn't join the Kodoku to save his village. Far from it. Even Kanjiya is not your cookie cutter villain either. In a time when warriors that were bred to do just one thing, which is to kill, lose their purpose, they struggle to find their place in the world and refuse to accept a world that no longer needs them. Sakura is also an interesting character, a former samurai who decided to help oligarchs eliminate his own brethren. His story has yet to be revealed.

While the plot may be more straightforward with little to no twists, I don't think it's that predictable. For one, some characters that were played by prominent actors were killed off almost immediately after being built up to be potential contenders in the game. So really, how did they know who will die exactly? Not to mention Tsuge's character is still a mystery. Do people who say that it's predictable actually know his plan? Who is he? What kind of twists do they want to see? That Saga Shujiro is actually the mastermind? I just can't with some of the comments and reviews of this drama that I've seen on MDL and Reddit. lol

Yes, it's no Shogun, I've been telling people that from the start. But it's not like any other death game story either. It is not a Squid Game-wannabe. In fact, the “death game” concept was popularized in Japan as early as the 1990's, reaching global heights in 2000 with the highly acclaimed Battle Royale. It doesn't rip off from Squid Game. If anything, it's Squid Game that follows this Japanese trend. But that's another argument.

It's also not Rurouni Kenshin. Although the setting is the same and both main characters were former retainers of powerful clans who supported the Meiji restoration, Shujiro is no Kenshin. He doesn't have a strong “no-kill” code and he's not idealistic or self-righteous. He became a samurai because he was raised as one and that's all he knows unlike Kenshin who had a traumatic childhood that drove him to pursue fighting for the weak and affecting change. The fights in this are visceral, bloody, and undeniably brutal that mirrors the horror of Feudal Japan. The fight choreography is more grounded and less stylized, very reminiscent of samurai films of old.

The cast is perfection! Okada Junichi channels a young Sanada Hiroyuki with every swagger and precise strike of his sword. Ito Hideaki is almost unrecognizable as the monstrous Kanjiya, fully immersing himself in the role and probably having a blast with it. Almost all of the cast members are highly popular actors. If you're familiar with J-entertainment, you could probably recognize all of them. lol

This is a well-produced and excellently acted drama that deserves more praise than it's getting. I would recommend it to anyone who has an ounce of interest in Japanese history and samurai culture. Action-fans will no doubt find this enjoyable too. It is now the number 1 most watched show on Netflix globally so a season two is certain at this point. The only question is, when will it come out?

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Grandline Here We Come!

Let me start by saying that this live action iteration of the beloved manga created by Oda Eiichiro is not perfect. It's not even as great as many are claiming. And no, it's not as good as the manga or the anime, and it never will be. But it's not meant to surpass the source material or even equal it, its purpose is to introduce the series to those who haven't read the manga or seen the anime and don't plan to. It will never replace the original work and that's alright. It will never ruin the manga or anime, far from it. For those who prefer them, you can still enjoy them and they will be around for as long as people appreciate them. For long-time fans like me, it's a reminder of how much I love One Piece and that it truly is one of the greatest stories ever told, and that's all that matters.

This second season is, I dare say, better than the first. The action scenes, for one, are better choreographed, and Zoro's Kill Bill-ish fight against 100 Baroque Works agents is reason enough to watch it imho. The special effects have improved as well, but that's to be expected as Netflix started investing more money into it when it was clear that their One Piece live action will become their new cash cow for many years to come. The casting this season is more spot on. I was on the fence about Charitha Chandran's casting as Vivi at first, but she quickly grew on me. I wanted Jamie Lee Curtis for Kureha, but Katey Sagal is a more than worthy actress for Dr. Kureha, so I have no complaints about that. Mark Harelik as Dr. Hiriluk was an inspired choice, he was the character come to life much like their casting for Mihawk. Same with Joe Manganiello as Crocodile, Clive Russel as Crocus, David Dastmalchian as Mr. 3, and James Hiroyuki Liao as Ipponmatsu. It's like they stepped out of the manga or something. But the most perfect casting was definitely Lera Abova as Nico Robin. She is absolutely wonderful! I am looking forward to seeing more of her in the succeeding seasons.

I also liked Usopp so much more this season. They finally gave him the chance to shine and I'm glad they did because that was one of the disappointing aspects of the first season for me. But the real achievement of this season is successfully bringing Tony Tony Chopper to life. If they had messed that up, I don't think the fandom would ever forgive them for it. But thankfully, they didn't and of course we know why they got him right. This may be a live action adaptation but the creator of the manga is very much a part of the series and that's the real reason why this show has resonated with so many people, more so with those who weren't even familiar with the manga/anime initially.

I do have some beefs with it, though. Mostly the same complaints I had with the previous season so I won't repeat them here. But they are forgivable for the most part, so I don't want to dwell on them too much. I don't know how to feel about the spoilery stuff they included in this season, though. I mean, I get that they have to move things forward and it would probably have a different ending from the manga. But I'm worried that some key story arcs like Sanji's origins might be skipped because of that scene where he talks about his mother. For some reason, it felt like that scene was a kind of consolation for them skipping Sanji's story. I hope not. I also thought some scenes could've been better executed and should've had more emotional impact. But then I had the same issues with the first season. They just don't hit as hard as the anime or even the manga.

All in all, this was a fun eight hour-long-episode journey with the Straw Hats. I laughed, cried, and fell in love with One Piece all over again. As a fan, I'm just glad this live action version exists. And I am thrilled to know that people who wouldn't have dared touch the anime or manga, are acknowledging and appreciating the greatness that is One Piece because of this adaptation.

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A Journey to Love and Loss

A Journey to Love is a wuxia romance that will probably go down in history as one of the better dramas in the genre despite its controversial ending. After all, it has an engaging story, endearing characters, superb fight choreography, and a great balance of humor and drama with found-family tropes and heartwrenching emotional beats. I put off watching this for three years, knowing how divisive the ending is. But I finally gave in when I decided to go on a Liu Yuning drama binge. I have to say, I'm glad I did. The ending did indeed disappoint a little, but I'm getting ahead of myself.

The story starts off with Ren Ruyi, an elusive and enigmatic spy/assassin set on revenge and determined to unleash hell on those responsible for her demise. By chance, she meets Ning Yuan Zhou, a former rival and the indomitable chief of an opposing organization, and perhaps the only one who could best her in a one-on-one face-off. She finds herself going on a critical diplomatic mission with him and his chosen team of elite warriors to accompany a timid princess for the sake of a kingdom. Not gonna lie, this plot reminded me somewhat of Star Wars and that's one of the reasons I was drawn to it. But it proved to be so much more! It has two of the best-written female leads I've seen in a while and one of the best performances from Liu Yuning.

Princess Yang Ying and Ren Ruyi represent two types of strong female characters, one is a seemingly weak political pawn who learns to take control of her own life, and the other is a fearless warrior who shows vulnerability, and admits her loneliness and desire to rely on others. I rarely see that in C-dramas or in any medium these days. It's always the badass Mary Sue who is basically a woman written with male characteristics or the damsel in distress waiting to be saved. Yang Ying's character development is the best I've seen to date. She grows from being the frightened princess that everyone bullies into a powerful leader and strategist. He Lan Dou is a revelation to me in this role. I certainly would want to see her in another project again.

Ruyi, on the other hand, may have the prowess of a male character, but she keeps her undeniably feminine charms, and displays weakness and emotional turmoil. She realizes that she's not indestructible and has to depend on others in times of distress. Liu Shishi is brilliant as the best assassin of the Crimson Guard. She absolutely sells the badassery of the character and she does look like a true martial artist, reminding me of Michelle Yeoh when she was younger. Her relationship with Ning Yuan Zhou is the foundation of this drama. Similarly, Yuan Zhou is an interesting well-fleshed out character. Despite his obvious masculinity and dominance, he is not the least bit misogynistic like most men of his time. He is not embarrassed to be bested by a woman or follow her orders because he judges people based on their characters and capabilities, not their gender or station. He is, in all sense of the term, a good man. As Ruyi states in one scene, there is only one Ning Yuan Zhou, a truly rare gem, and a feminist at that, among manly men of that era. And Liu Yuning shines in this role. No wonder this is considered his breakthrough performance that garnered him acting awards and critical acclaim as an actor.

But the real draw of this drama to me is the found-family trope, and the boys of Six Realms Hall completely endeared themselves to me. Fang Yi Lun, who kinda looks like a cross between Hyun Bin and Yamapi, is the standout for sure! He almost steals this show from Yuning... almost. He is so adorably flamboyant that I just couldn't help but love him. I had to rack my brain to remember where I've seen him before, later realizing that I first saw him in The Longest Promise. Chen You Wei as Yuan Lu is my second favorite among the bunch. His chemistry with He Lan Dou half carried the show for me. They were my ship!

The production in this drama is not particularly outstanding, but the fight choreography is impressive. I don't see these kinds of fight scenes in wuxia dramas anymore. These days, they rely too heavily on special effects that wuxia dramas feel more like video games than the ones I used to watch as a kid. I'm not overly fond of this change. Although I did notice that in some scenes, Yuning was moving strangely due to the injury he suffered while shooting the series, it didn't hinder me from enjoying the drama.

The music is one of its strong suits. I can still hear the cool Ren Xin/Ruyi theme playing in my head even as I write this review. And of course the songs from Yuning and Jason Zhang are now included in my C-music playlist.

But as all war stories go, this does not end well. Personally, I don't mind the tragic ending. I actually like that there are real stakes involved and no plot armors for the main cast. This was a suicide mission from the start and they knew it. My complaint is not how it ends but how they come to that conclusion. The last few episodes felt like they were written by a different screenwriter. It's as if the original writer left them in a lurch and someone had to take over and quickly end the drama. The narrative style changed as well as the pacing like there were key scenes missing but were purposely taken out to meet the 40-episode limit. And that ambiguous dream sequence-ish ending seemed totally out of place. Just tell us they died and became heroes! Period. If they really wanted to go that route, then at least put the right characters in that scene not Chu Yue who barely knew the main characters except Yu Shi San, and wasn't even introduced to the story until much later. They could've at least chosen to show Princess Yang Ying and Li Tong Guang with the boy. The dream could've been a symbolic passing of the torch from masters to their pupils. That last scene was just off no matter how hard they tried to make it emotional. That was NOT it! The drama would've been one of the best C-dramas ever made if they had only managed to stick the landing. But even so, I would still consider this an accomplishment. As a whole, it is still a great watch and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good wuxia drama with compelling characters.

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Her Heart is Like Water and Water Wears Down Stone

“My heart is like water and water wears down stone.” This basically sums up The Prisoner of Beauty. It follows the story of a clever girl named Xiaoqiao or affectionally called, Manman, as she wades through the turbulent waters of an arranged marriage with a man who has held a long-standing and deep-seated grudge against her family. The Weis and the Qiaos were once allies, their patriarchs once the fastest of friends and co-visionaries who dared to build a canal that would benefit the people of their region. But this seemingly steadfast alliance was broken when the Qiaos failed to honor it, resulting in the deaths of three generations of Wei men and countless others. The only survivor of this massacre was a young Wei Shao, who swore vengeance upon those responsible, including the Qiaos for not coming to their aid when they needed it the most.

Fast forward some 14 years later, Wei Shao had grown into a fearsome warrior and highly intelligent leader of the Wei clan. In order to save themselves from his rage and warmongering, the Qiaos come into an agreement with the Wei matriarch to marry their eldest daughter to the lord of Wei. But destiny has other plans, or to be more accurate, Manman decides to change her own fate. It was supposed to be her cousin, Daqiao, who was intended to be Wei Shao's betrothed. But in fear of her cousin's safety, Manman chooses to take her cousin's place and allow her to marry for love, while she plots to become the lady of Wei for the sake of her family and people. Raised and mentored by her grandfather, Manman grew up to possess the tactical mind of a general adept at strategic and psychological warfare, and armed with knowledge in politics and diplomacy. But above all, she holds great courage, a strong sense of duty, and compassion for others, qualities that Wei Shao soon notices and comes to admire. After all, it takes a brave woman to willingly enter the lair of wolves looking to devour her alive. The drama centers around her developing relationship with Wei Shao and their push and pull slowburn romance, and how she holds her own, expertly foiling plots against her and dealing with death threats, mockery, and open hatred towards her and her clan.

From the first episode, I was immediately pulled in by Manman's character. This is not your typical idol drama female lead. She is calm, collected, and incredibly intelligent. She schemes and manipulates, but never for her own selfish gains, rather for those she cares about the most. Even when she is trying to obtain the upperhand in her battle of wits against Wei Shao, she shows great compassion for him, and when she chooses to lend him her aid, she is always sincere, never expecting anything in return. Wei Shao, for his part, may be cold and aggressive on the outside, but he's always just and treats her with respect, something that Manman grows to appreciate. Eventually, their mutual distrust and hatred towards one another turn to mutual fondness and love. That is the core of this drama.

Both Liu Yuning and Song Zuer play these characters like nobody's business. You feel their every heartache, you know they mean every word, and you shed a tear or two for them. I'm a Yuning fan so I may be biased, but he is absolutely excellent here! I was especially impressed when he acted in a tearful and tense scene opposite Liu Duan Duan, who is known to be a tremendous character actor and another one of my favorites, and yet he held his own without being overshadowed by the latter. I so love that scene!

But perhaps my favorite characters are the Four Generals of Wei, the comedic relief boys, and Wei Shao's most trusted brothers in arms. They were hilarious! They made me laugh and cry. Kudos to the actors who played them. The rest of the cast impressed me as well, particularly the villains. Su Ehuang, played by Wei Wuxian's adopted sister, made me so irritated I couldn't help but give her props for her acting chops. I don't remember the actress' name but I will always associate her with her The Untamed character.

I also have to tip my hat towards the production team. The set designs, costumes, and overall production value of this drama is S-tier level. It didn't feel like an idol drama at all. The subdued color grading and saturated colors of the costumes give it a more somber and serious look, which are not common in these types of dramas. The tone also feels more grounded and gritty with the battle scenes depicting the more brutal nature of war. If China didn't have stringent censorship policies, it might've rivaled the violence in Game of Thrones. The music helps set the tone of the series, sounding dark and frightening in tension-filled scenes and whimsical when it takes a breather with a little bit of comedy.

All in all, this was a very solid watch, an engaging historical romance with strong performances from the cast, a lovable main couple, and endearing supporting characters. My only complaint is that there were parts where it dragged a little. The drama and its pacing could've been better if it had been shorter. Still, I happily give this a 9.5 out of 10.

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Dance Is Love

“Dance is love”. That pretty much sums up this movie. The dancing and the palpable chemistry between the two male leads take center stage, and their story is told through the waltz, the cha cha, and the tango as they lead each other on a journey of self-discovery, strife, and love. Yes, there is love, though not the tangible kind that some people might expect from a BL movie such as this. This is a tale about two rivals that despise and obsess about each other for years until the moment they hold hands and decide to dance together. These same two men who have never really opened their hearts to another nor probably even considered being with another man, suddenly find themselves gravitating towards each other in a maddening and feverish attraction they cannot explain, but only becomes fathomable when they dance together. It's like poetry, there are underlying meanings to every word spoken, every gesture, every glance.

I didn't read the manga so I had no pre-existing expectations or biases going into this. I just knew that this was adapted by Yoshida Tomoko (My Tomorrow, Your Yesterday) from a popular BL manga, directed by Otomo Keishi (Rurouni Kenshin), and led by two of the brightest stars in Japan right now, so I kinda knew that this was going to be a poignant tale of love and woe as Yoshida is known for that type of writing. While I agree that the writing could've used a bit more work, especially that ambiguous ending, I think this was the best they could do within the limitations of a two-hour run time. This would've worked better as a mini series, to be honest. It would've afforded them more time to flesh out these characters more and give certain plot points room to breathe. An extra 30 minutes could've given the narrative a better flow with more scenes to iron out the kinks in the script. I don't think this was lazy writing, though. I believe the writers were just hindered by the time constraints. If only there was director cut somewhere and that they'd be willing to release it.

But everything else from the production value to the acting was marvelous. Machida Keita and Takeuchi Ryoma certainly delivered and are even dead ringers for their manga counterparts. They slaved for months to perfect their dancing skills for this, and for that, I thank them. I truly enjoyed the dancing parts in this. Their chemistry is undeniable that I could practically taste the sexual tension in the air between them. Their titillating scenes, though few and far between, are executed well. Suffice to say, I bought their growing attraction and fondness for each other. I felt their longing and pain. Sugiki tearing up as he watched Suzuki dance, proud and happy for the latter's accomplishments and also realizing they cannot be together encapsulates his complicated feelings for him.

In a nutshell, this was a great watch. I loved every minute of it and this will probably be even better on a second watch. Is it perfect? No, of course not. It needs a sequel and that is the only reason why I won't give it a rating higher than 9. I hope this does well enough to warrant a sequel.

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The Guardian of Dafeng

An unsuspecting young man + a mysterious game = a transmigration story full of comedy, plot twists, and epic adventure. The story starts with Yang Ling, a personable and promising young man who aspires to enter the police force as an investigator. But as luck would have it, he fails to do so and is forced to work as a struggling salesman. One night, he decides to play a seemingly harmless mystery game with his colleagues and suddenly finds himself transported into the magical world of Dafeng. In this world, he is known as Xu Qi An, the nephew of a low-born government official. In order to leave this world, he has to solve the mystery, and so he assumes the identity of this character and decides to make good use of his deduction skills. As he rapidly climbs the social ladder in this intricate world of Dafeng and becomes more and more attached to the people in it, he unknowingly uncovers a sinister plot that could put him and his loved ones in critical danger.

I immediately found myself enamored with Dafeng and the more I immersed myself in its rich world and colorful characters, I became more fond of it. Wang Hedi positively shines as Xu Qi An. If I may so boldly claim, I believe this role was practically written for him and his best one yet. Yes, I know, this is was based on a novel, which I haven't read by the way. But the role fits him like a glove that it feels like it was written with him in mind. Many have compared the drama to Joy of Life, including myself, and I must agree, they are quite similar. But they're also very different. Joy of Life is more politically driven with far more complex characters that are neither black nor white. Guardians of the Dafeng has more idealistic characters that can be likened to superheroes in terms of principles and traits. In short, it's a more straightforward story with a role model type of main character who's driven by his sense of justice and has friends who share his ideals.

The Guardians are probably the coolest part of this drama, especially Xu Qi An's close-knit circle of friends. They're basically the Justice League or the Avengers of C-drama and I loved watching them on screen. I also became very attached to his wacky family. They reminded me of Fan Xian's equally adorable family from Joy of Life. One of my favorite characters in this is Wei Yuan, who is the counterpart of Joy of Life's Cheng Ping Ping. Both are powerful eunuchs and highly intelligent strategists and are probably the most interesting characters in their respective dramas. I like all the characters except one. I wish they hadn't added a love interest. I know that Xu Qi An marries her in the book but he was supposedly more in love with the Royal Princess and she was his primary romantic interest. To avoid the harem angle, they could've just made them fall for him but he didn't need to return their affections. That way, the drama would just be a straight up male-centric story revolving around Xu Qi An with no romantic entanglements and complications.

Strangely enough, I actually enjoyed the first few episodes even though many viewers complained about the slapstick comedy and slowburn plot progression in the beginning. I started to lose interest the moment the princess showed up and began causing all kinds of havoc. The character doesn't contribute anything of value to the story, frankly speaking. She is no more than just an unnecessary accessory, the tasteless edible gold leaf embellishment to the proverbial cherry on top of an already well-decorated cake. She annoyed me to no end. I skipped all of her scenes save for the ones that involved a subplot regarding another princess. I didn't feel the need to watch the rest and I didn't lose anything from not watching them. They could've completely written her out of the story and it wouldn't have mattered. I wish they had focused more on the Royal Princess, she's a far more intriguing character in my opinion. It wouldn't have mattered if she was the love interest or not because she could've played a more significant role in the court politics and her interesting relationship with Lord Wei needs to be explored more. I get the feeling that she's actually his daughter and not the emperor's. I hope they'd delve more into her character in future seasons.

All in all, this was a highly entertaining drama that could've been great if not for the hiccups in the writing of the love interest, the silly mistaken identity subplot that slowed down the story for several episodes, and the abrupt ending that made me cuss and complain that they could've fit everything in just 40 episodes if they didn't add so much unnecessary stuff that only dragged the story. I would've given this a much higher rating if they had actually done that. Anyways, I'm still going to watch the second season if they ever make one.

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If Back to the Future Was Made in Korea...

I know Twinkling Watermelon is a highly rated K-drama. It's even branded as one of the best K-dramas ever made. But frankly, I think it's just above-average good. Probably one of the better ones out there but definitely not flawless or even close to being up there with the best, imho. It's still pretty good and worth the watch, though.

First off, this is a Koreanized version of Back to the Future. Yes, yes, they are not completely the same. I'm not saying it's a Korean remake of this Hollywood classic nor do I think it's a copycat. But they did take the plot of the first Back to the Future film, tweaked it, mixed in some undeniable Korean flavors (gochujang and sesame oil and everything), and then added a social commentary about physical disabilities to make a family oriented drama that's moving and heartwarming with memorable characters and wonderful life lessons. Yes, I did like this drama to an extent. But it was more because of the characters. Despite its flaws, it was an entertaining watch.

Let's talk about the things I disliked first. If you've seen the Back to the Future films, you'd recognize the similarities, from the time travel aspect (the main character meeting his parents and getting them to date because he messed things up) to literally changing their lives for the better. There's also a Doc Brown character who takes him back to the past and becomes his mentor. Plus, he happens to be a talented guitarist like Marty McFly and also plays rock 'n roll music that sounds either like the 1950's-60's classic rock featured in BTTF or modern-day K-pop, which sucks because this was set in 1995 when alternative music ruled the airwaves. Sure, they did mention Kurt Cobain, made references to Nirvana, and showed posters of Bon Jovi and album covers of Radiohead's Pablo Honey. But they're no more than just cosmetic add-ons to remind people that the drama is set in the 90's. It doesn't really feel authentic, though. Apart from the pagers, cassette tapes, and vintage computers, it felt like any other K-drama set in the present. I thought maybe they just wrote a script and had to pick a timeline based on the ages of the main characters and their parents when they were teens. Nothing about the plot screamed original to me and I felt that little to no research was done about that era because none of the music they chose for this drama fit the setting. Not to mention they kept talking about Kurt Cobain as if he was still alive. He committed suicide in 1994 due to depression, and he was even rumored to have been murdered by his own wife. So for them to say that they want to be like Kurt who can get all the pretty girls was downright insensitive and ignorant. Also, by 1995, the bands that were making waves worldwide were Smashing Pumpkins and Pearl Jam. Kurt's death ended the grunge era and made way to alternative and post-grunge music. I know because I lived through this era. I'm the same age as the parents in this drama and I was a huge rock fan back in the day. So the musical aspect and overall atmosphere really disappointed me because the setting just felt like a studio instead of an actual place, and the vibe just didn't feel like the 90's at all. I also wished they had made Eun Gyeol more skilled at playing the guitar because for a supposed musical genius, his skills weren't very extraordinary. For someone who started playing the guitar at a young age and continued to improve over the years, he should've sounded way better.

Another thing I disliked is the way they handled the time travel. In theory, you can't alter your past by traveling through time and go back to a changed present, rather you'll end up creating an alternate timeline or a different dimension. But since they borrowed the concept from BTTF, the main character ends up changing the past and creating a new future for himself and his loved ones. I don't mind this as much. But they should've corrected what BTTF got wrong, which is making the parents remember Eun Gyeol and putting two and two together. After all, they spent a good amount of time with him, even had pictures of him lying around. They should've seen the resemblance between their son and the guy they used to know, and how they're so alike in personality. That's the part where I had to try hard to suspend my disbelief. Unlike Marty who only spent a few days with his parents, Eun Gyeol actually lived with them, bonded with them, and played a huge part in their lives. He formed a band with his own dad and his friends, and became his mom's savior. How could they have forgotten him? None of them even looked for him when he left? Not even one mention of the Eun Gyeol they knew as teens.

I also think the drama could've been shorter. There were far too many unnecessary scenes and music video-ish montages that are very typical of K-dramas. This is the biggest downside of implementing hour-long 16-episode dramas instead of just choosing the optimum length for a drama depending on the story content. I'm glad that other dramas are dropping this format and going for shorter episodes and run time, it makes the drama more compact and the pacing faster.

But those are the only ones I have complaints about, the rest I actually really enjoyed. The cast, for the most part, are excellent. They played their roles to a tee. Although I thought Choi Hyun Wook as Yi Chan was a bit too extra. I mean, I think he acted great in this but did he have to shout all the time? It was driving me nuts! lol My favorite was the ex-gang member bass player, though. I actually loved the side characters, they were so much fun! And the kid who played young Eun Gyeol really stood out to me. When he cried, I cried. Really good child actor! I hope to see him in future projects.

Even though the story closely resembles that of BTTF, I like that they put their own spin on it and made it obviously Korean. I also appreciate the fact that they pushed the social commentary about prejudism against people with disabilities. I don't think any K-drama has tackled that issue before, so I'm glad they made it an integral part of the plot. We need more social awareness for these kinds of topics. I wasn't too fond of the romance but that's just me. Romance is just not my thing. But I did find myself wanting to watch one episode after another. If I wasn't so busy with work that I only had time to watch a couple of episodes before bed time, I would've binged the whole thing. All in all, this was an enjoyable drama that left me feeling great after completing it. It's a great feel-good family oriented drama that can bring you to tears, but also make you laugh and take you back to a more carefree time.

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Another Live Action Iteration I Shouldn't Have Watched

I finally managed to finish Fullmetal Alchemist: The Revenge of Scar after trying several times. Unfortunately, my initial assumptions were right, this is a dumpster fire of a movie that should never have been created. It is an insult to Arakawa Hiromu's manga and a slap in the face to FMA fans everywhere. The first one was already a tragic anomaly much like the disturbing chimera that was Nina Tucker and her dog, but this is not even a successfully created homunculus, it's nothing more than a distorted version of the author's original version.

Most of the cast members are capable actors in their own right, but they do not fit their respective roles, not even in the slightest. Yamada Ryosuke is so ill-fitting for the role of Edward Elric that I rolled my eyes every time he tried to do Ed's “angry chibi” mode. Just because he's short like Ed doesn't make him suitable for the part. Mackenyu as Scar is tolerable but still ridiculous. Mackenyu sporting a “brown” face was too much for me to bear. He just did what he could with what he was given, though. Fujioka Dean may be handsome but he is NOT Roy Mustang, faaaaaaaarrr from it! He practically does nothing except look cool and that is not the character I know from the manga and anime. Honda Tsubasa is painful to watch as Winry Rockbell. Whoever thought this girl can act must be high on drugs. I've seen her in quite a few projects already and she has the acting skills of a potato. Watanabe Keisuke as Ling was alright, probably the best casting decision they made for this movie because Ling is supposed to have Asian features and one of the few characters in the story who should be played by an Asian. The rest of the cast are even more 2D than their 2D counterparts, the anime characters have more depth imho.

The action scenes are laughable, so many cuts in the scenes that you hardly see the movements at all. Don't even get me started on the special effects. *groan* I promised myself to try and enjoy these live action movies but I simply can't. The plot is all over the place. Characters appear out of nowhere and they have their own agenda but their subplots don't add up and come together at the end. I'm convinced the writers smoked weed when they wrote this shit and it was the bad kind of weed, too.

Sorry, but this is a prime example of what NOT to do when making a live action version of a popular anime. I'm not one of those people who thinks anime should never be made into live action as I've enjoyed some live action iterations in the past. But this is not it. It's not because of the goofiness of the anime, it's the horrible writing, execution, casting, and acting. And most of all, it should remain largely faithful to the source material despite some of the changes that need to be made for this medium. However, most of these live actions are just money grabs and are done by people who have no love for the original material. These movies should be burned and forgotten, or better yet, exiled beyond the Gate to be tormented for eternity.

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The Best Godzilla Movie Since The Original

I saw the theatrical version earlier this year but I waited to see the black and white version to write a film review, so this is technically a review of both versions. Godzilla Minus One is a cinematic achievement, especially since it was made with a meager budget at just under 15 million USD, but it made at least quadruple that worldwide. Many have praised it as the best Godzilla movie since the original 1954 version and I am inclined to agree as I've seen quite a few Godzilla movies that came after both made in Japan and Hollywood, and they simply don't measure up to this movie helmed by Yamazaki Takashi.

This Godzilla goes back to its 1950's roots and is set in a war-torn Japan, centering around a dishonored kamikaze pilot suffering from PTSD. The black and white version really brings you back to that era and I found that it gave everything a more sinister look to it, making it more frightening. The story deals with the horrors of war and how nations at war throw away the lives of their people as if they're trash that needs to be disposed. It also questions the need for people to sacrifice their lives for honor and country, and why honor means you must obey orders even though it is clearly wrong. It throws shade at how the Japanese government mishandled the war and treated its people poorly. It's a story of despair but it's also about hope and starting over. I was specifically moved by how two of the characters in this movie went from hating the central character because he failed to die to save his countrymen, to urging him to live and believing that he deserves a second chance at happiness. This movie doesn't lack heroism either. The valor shown by the Japanese people who just survived a disastrous war as they fight for their futures made me tear up a bit. As the Cap said, he doesn't like doing the dirty work but somebody's got to do it.

It's an almost perfect film from the moving story and well-written and relatable characters, to a beautifully designed and terrifying Godzilla that's just a force of nature. The visual effects could've been better but considering how much money they spent on creating them, they accomplished quite a feat. I especially loved the sequence where they were being chased by Godzilla in the water. That was definitely a nod to Steven Spielberg's Jaws. Sure, there are some suspend your disbelief type of stuff in this movie, but they're forgivable because the movie as a whole is a beautifully orchestrated symphony that can move you to tears, stir up anger in you, strike fear, and make you feel that there is good in humanity still. Amidst the darkness and ugliness of war, there is beauty in life and human connections. The greatest lesson that can be gleaned from this story is that as long as there is life, there is hope.

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A Moving Story Told From The Eyes Of A Cat

I originally wanted to read the book version of The Travelling Cat Chronicles or Tabineko Ripoto, but when I found out Sota Fukushi is playing the lead in this movie adaptation, I thought it might be worth my while. And true enough, it was! The movie is narrated by a cat named Nana and he tells the story of his life with his human, Satoru. It starts out pretty light and funny, so I mistakenly thought it was one of those feel-good stories. Halfway through the movie, I already had an inkling that it's more than that. And boy, I ended up doing my ugly cry! I kept thinking about my dog and how he would feel if he had to sit and wait for me every single day and not see me or even hear my voice anymore. I wonder if he'd look for me. Those who have ever owned pets or loved animals like me have always dreaded the time when we have to say goodbye to our beloved best friends or children, but very few of us have ever thought how devastating it would be for them to not have us around anymore. This movie explores that and it's written from the point of view of the cat, making it all the more touching and emotional. I recommend this movie to all cat lovers or pet owners in general, provided of course that you're in the right mindset.

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Kudaranai!

Ajin is a prime example of what happens when movie producers, writers, and filmmakers don't respect the original material and just create a live action adaptation of a popular manga/anime series for the cash grab. I can think of only one word for the movie, “kudaranai”, which means pointless. Although it has a great cast of actors, none of them (except one) are appropriate for the parts. With the exception of Tamayama Tetsuji as Tosaki, the rest of the cast don't look or act like the characters in the original series. Nagai Kei is supposedly a 17-year-old high school student aspiring to become a doctor and yet they chose to cast a nearly 30-year-old Sato Takeru. Instead of casting a suitable actor for the part, they changed the character into a 26-year-old med student to fit the actor they've chosen. I would have been fine with this change if they had bothered to actually give depth to the character and explained his motivations instead of just making him an unusually intelligent young man whose intentions are not quite clear.

Nagai is not your garden variety ajin, his IBM and black ghost first appeared when he was just a baby so he has an excessive amount of the stuff, allowing him to call upon his black ghost multiple times unlike most ajin. He also has low emotional intelligence, making him almost emotionless, cold, and indifferent. But he's incredibly smart and observant, allowing him to think more logically and strategically. None of those things are explored in the movie. Shirota Yuu as Tanaka is just a waste. With the way they wrote the character, he could have been played by basically anyone, there was no need for them to hire a popular actor. Shimomura is reduced to a mere sidekick, not one bit of character background is given. But my biggest disappointment is Sato. Ayano Go may be one of the most popular actors in Japan these days but his acting talents simply cannot make anyone believe he's actually an elderly man. Sato is not even Japanese! His real name is Samuel T. O'Brien (Owen in the manga), Sato is just the name he used when he came to Japan. He was born in the 50's and he's a war veteran with exceptional combat skills. He also appears to be a friendly and kind old man, that's why Nagai initially trusted him. He may be brutal and calculating but on the surface, he seems calm and respectable. By changing the age of the character, they completely scrapped this aspect of his persona. Ayano's portrayal comes off as psychopathic and warlike, the complexities of the character lost in his John Wick-like gun-fu. It's probably one of the worst casting choices I've ever seen.

Tamayama Tetsuji's portrayal of Tosaki is the only thing that remotely reminds me of the source material. But even his character has no real depth, his motivations are also unclear. The rest of the characters are as pointless as this movie, just mere fodder. The special effects are decent but could have been better. Why Japanese film producers continue to hire the same old popular actors instead of holding auditions and finding the perfect actors for the roles, escapes me. I am now utterly convinced that the anime stage play productions are so much better at adapting anime/manga series for they really try to remain faithful to the source material and cast the most appropriate actors they can find.

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The Count of Monte Cristo Melodrama-style

The Double is a revenge drama that's very much in the same vein as the classic The Count of Monte Cristo. This is perhaps the main reason why it drew audiences. After all, who doesn't like a good revenge drama and root for the underdog? It follows the story of Xue Fangfei, the daughter of an upright magistrate who is betrayed by her husband whom a powerful princess coveted. She finds help in a young woman, Jiang Li, who shares a similar fate, having been betrayed by those closest to her as well. When Jiang Li dies, Fangfei decides to take on Jiang Li's persona and swears revenge on the people who wronged them. As she plots her intricately calculated revenge, she meets Xiao Heng or Duke Su (as he is more famously known) the loyal and coldblooded right-hand man of the Emperor charged to root out all the corrupt officials in the kingdom and bring his father's killer to justice. Their plans align and they form an uneasy alliance with the tacit understanding of one another's goals and trickery. As they maneuver through royal court politics, they discover a much deeper and more sinister plot against the kingdom.

What I like most about this drama is that the lead characters are highly intelligent, cunning, and almost always make smart decisions. The dialogues are well-written for the most part, the kind that forces you to read between the lines in order to understand the malice and hatred that are implied with each flattery and seemingly polite remark. It was fun trying to decipher the meaning behind each statement and watching the characters play an elaborate and deadly game of weiqi. I also like that most of the characters are layered and mature despite the fact that it is an idol drama. Xue Fangfei or Jiang Li, like Edmond Dantes, is a schemer set on revenge. Although I found some of her plans outright ridiculous that I'm convinced would never work in a real-life setting, she formulates some pretty interesting ones that are actually doable and believable.

This drama is quite difficult for me to review because even though I found it entertaining as a whole, there are some parts where you simply have to turn off your brain in order to enjoy them. There are scenes that just made me chuckle and scratch my head because I can't believe they did that. Just plain absurd! The inconsistency in the writing also made me lose interest at some point. But my biggest beef is the ending, especially the last three episodes leading to the finale. For the life of me, I really do not understand the need for overly dramatic scenes when it could've been done more simply with less melodrama. Nothing wrong with a straightforward happy ending, but these writers can't seem to grasp the importance of resolution and closure. Of all the C-dramas I've seen, only one gave me a truly satisfying ending and that is Zhang Ruoyun's Under the Microscope. The rest just couldn't quite stick the landing, while others completely missed it. This drama completely missed the mark. In fact, it crashed and burned and left a bitter taste in my mouth, reminiscent of Nirvana in Fire's ending that I still refuse to acknowledge. They had to film an extra 5-minute scene to fix the damage, but it was a little too late. Nothing can save that awful half-baked ending they concocted. Sure, the battle scenes look good, it makes Wang Xingyue's Xiao Heng all the more heroic and dashing, but damn it, you don't need that to make a compelling ending!

I thought about why I was so drawn to this drama in spite of its many flaws. I mean, I didn't like the music, I thought the songs were all awful, especially the duet that plays whenever Xiao Heng and Jiang Li have their lovey dovey scenes. The qin music was nothing special. Just not my cup of tea, I guess. The visuals and cinematography are alright, nothing to write home about. It's obvious that this drama didn't have the biggest budget. The romance was non-existent, at least for me. I am not big on romance so I rarely see chemistry in couples, but when I do, there's always a good reason for it. Fans of this drama have all raved about the explosive chemistry between the leads but I just can't see it. I gag whenever I see them looking so chummy. I may like the character of Xue Fangfei/Jiang Li, but I'm not fond of the actress. I actually knew nothing about Wu Jinyan before this drama so I had no preconceived notions about her acting skills. Apparently, I'm not the only one who noticed how wooden she looks in most of her scenes and how her eyes look like those of dead fish. I can't seem to connect with her character because I don't feel genuine emotions from her. She always looks like she's performing with those eerie looking dead fish eyes. *shudders* And the fact that she's already 34 years old did not escape me. She does look her age (for an Asian woman) and I don't understand why they thought she could pull off the role of an 18-year-old. They should've gotten Bai Lu or someone of her caliber and looks instead. As for her supposed chemistry with Wang Xingyue, she has more chemistry with Li Meng who plays Princess Wanning, and Xingyue has more chemistry with his fan.

But I digress, I was trying to write about what attracted me to this drama, and I could only think of one thing, Wang Xingyue as Xiao Heng. The fact that he's only 22 years old and was 20-21 years old when they filmed the drama blows my mind to this day. He has this husband material aura and a tremendous screen presence that just makes him swoon-worthy to say the least. His charisma is so undeniable that I believe most women watched the drama just for him, I am not ashamed to admit that I am one of those women. His acting skills still need a lot of work, but I believe he will become an in-demand leading man pretty soon.

As for the rest of the cast, Li Meng as the psychopathic Princess Wanning stands out. I can't stand her character and I give props to the actress. I was even slightly sympathetic towards her character in the end because she expertly portrayed the role of a mentally unstable and damaged princess. And for some reason, I found her more attractive than Wu Jinyan. Joe Chen as the scheming stepmother, Ji Churan, is another standout. I also have to give credit to Liang Yong Qi as Shen Yurong, Fangfei's cowardly husband. The villains in this drama (save for one) are superbly written and acted! I completely understood their motivations and the drama explicitly shows how their questionable morals and wrong choices led them to their eventual demise. Lord Cheng, however, could've been incorporated into the story earlier so he could've been more fleshed out. For the supposed biggest baddie of the entire series, his character felt flat, insignificant, and formulaic. The other supporting characters are great as well, no complaints here. Although I would've preferred some of them weren't killed off.

Without these things I mentioned, this drama would be mediocre at best. But thankfully, they got themselves a captivating leading man, great villains, and intelligent writing (for the most part). I give The Double a generous 7. It's great fun, highly addictive, and you'll love it if you can suspend your disbelief and throw logic out the door from time to time.

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The Dragon Boy and His Mortal Beloved

For a xianxia idol drama, Back From The Brink is pretty good. In fact, I was happily surprised by how good it is. I actually expected it to crash and burn so badly I would have difficulty finishing it. Well, it did crash and burn right at the end, but it was good for the most part, in my opinion, so I'm not too disappointed. After all, I didn't expect much from this as it is an idol drama and I just wanted a light and fluffy romance to cleanse my palate. Little did I know that I would like it so much and even shed a tear or two because of the emotional beats and well-acted scenes.

The story revolves around a powerful dragon spirit named Tianyao who was isolated in his kingdom for a thousand years, so he was oblivious to the struggles of his fellow spirits. In this fantasy world, spirits and humans are mortal enemies and lowly spirits are hunted and enslaved by the powerful Taoist cultivators. Think wizards and witches enslaving demons to become their familiars and do their bidding by using magical spells and traps. Tianyao falls in love with a human woman named Suying, who covets his dragon scales as they can grant immortality. She eventually betrays him and renders him disabled and almost at the brink of death. In his desperation, he manages to take his heart scale containing his inner core and throw it into space to prevent the woman from completely stealing his powers. His heart scale falls into the hands of a young child born with a heart defect and it miraculously heals her, allowing her to grow up into a healthy young woman named Yanhui. She grows up to become a cultivator herself, but one who doesn't understand the hostility between humans and spirits, so she is deemed a traitor by her own kind. Without his dragon powers, Tianyao is forced to take his human form and live without his powers as a mortal. He crosses paths with Yanhui and enlists her help in finding his missing dragon parts that were scattered all over the mortal world by Suying. This is how their journey starts and as the story progresses, more secrets are revealed, and I did enjoy some of the plot twists. I was attracted to the plot because it initially reminded me of the love story between Haku and Chihiro in Spirited Away. There's something about a dragon boy falling for a human girl that just gets me.

The production value of this drama is nothing to write home about, it is after all a low-budget series with clunky CGI, passable cinematography, and cheap-looking sets. But I didn't mind because it suited the vibe of the drama for some reason. The CGI used for the fight scenes are not too bad, though. I rather liked the dragon fire special effects. But the music is awesome! The opening theme has an Evanescence sound to it and the ending theme by Liu Yuning is perfection! I also liked Hou Minghao's contribution to the soundtrack.

The writing, though, could've been better. It has great world-building and the social commentary about racism and discrimination is a good addition. There are also very moving moments in the drama that can make you tear up and some beautiful life lessons worth pondering on. But the positives end there, I'm afraid. The drama starts strong but falls off somewhat in the middle and then completely goes off the rails at the end. For the life of me, I don't understand why they had to end it like that. But I have to give the writers props for tying up some loose ends. Just when I thought something is an obvious plot hole, they come up with something that kinda explains things and makes it logical... sort of. Not to say that there are no plot holes at all because there are plenty and I still had to suspend my disbelief several times. It's just a shame because this drama had the potential to be soooo much better.

As for the acting, I really loved Zhou Ye in this. She is one of the few Chinese actresses that I find undeniably pretty and not annoying (thank god!). Although I think she still has a long way to go in terms of acting skills, I believe she did well as Yanhui and I rooted for her all the way! She has great comedic timing, too. I love her with Hou Minghao! I swear, they are a match made in heaven! The moment I saw them together, I felt their palpable chemistry. I don't think I will be able to see them paired with other people without complaining that they just don't fit right with anyone else. At first, I didn't think much about Minghao's acting but he eventually proved that he has some acting chops hidden somewhere just waiting to be uncovered. Then there's the fact that he is quite dashing. He and Zhou Ye make a gorgeous couple. I just loved seeing them onscreen. The rest of the cast are very good as well, no complaints here. The villains are so good that I wanted to kill Suying and her vile sister. Suying could've been made a sympathetic villain instead of a complete lunatic, though. When the truth is finally revealed, I actually felt some sort of pity for her. But she could've been written and portrayed in a way that would've made her more relatable. So again, this is a problem with the writing.

But as a whole, this was a good watch. I had fun watching this and I fell in love with Tianyao and Yanhui. I loved immersing myself in this world and I felt sad leaving it. I just wish they had tapped into its full potential because the story is solid, the characters are layered and interesting, and the world that the original author created is rich with lore. But just the same, I will miss my dragon boy and his mortal beloved.

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A Live Action Remake That Could've Been Better

Let me start by saying that I really enjoyed the anime version of Oshi No Ko. I thought it had an interesting enough concept and I loved that they showed the dark reality of the showbiz industry in Japan. But this live action version is a hot mess. I only watched this out of curiosity because I wanted to know how they'd adapt certain aspects of the story. I haven't read the manga so I don't know how it ends. I heard the ending is divisive to say the least. We'll see.

The story is about the most popular J-pop idol, her life, her achievements, her children and the people she affected, and her tragic death. But it also has bits of magical realism and fantastical elements in it since there's a reincarnation angle. Anyways, I can't really delve further into the plot because I've already spoiled a lot just by giving a brief background. Let's just say that the story is full of twists and turns, intrigues, scheming characters, murders, and disturbing events. In other words, it has a lot going on.

The anime did quite well in juggling all this, but the drama, with just 8 episodes in total, didn't. In fact, it nearly made it unwatchable for me. Like practically every anime live action done in Japan, it tries too hard to be like its animated counterpart and that's why most live action adaptations fail. Having (supposedly) naturally blonde-haired Japanese characters is way too uncanny valley for me. They look so unnatural in their blonde wigs, like dollar-store cosplayers attending an anime convention for kicks. The plot progression is weird and confusing with exposition dumps and mostly narration ruining the flow of the story and making it downright cheesy.

Thankfully, the acting was mostly good. I did like the two female leads and the actresses they chose to play them. The male lead is kinda cute. He reminds me so much of the Chinese actor, Xiao Zhan, so I can't complain. I hate how they infantalize women in this, though. I understand that many of them are teens. But come on! Do Japanese teens actually act and speak with annoying baby voices like grade school kids?! Yes, I know that's how it is in the manga and anime, but you see, this is live action where realism is important to sell your story and make it more relatable to the general audience. Japanese filmmakers/writers, in general, seem to have missed that fact. If only (mostly) fans of the source material, J-drama fans, and domestic viewers can understand and appreciate it, then it's not very well made. This is why Japanese media, for the most part, aren't suited for international consumption. They tend to stick to their own style of filmmaking and storytelling, and focus on creating content solely for their local audience.

I'm also disappointed that they took out certain parts and replaced them with far inferior substitutes. One very good example of this is their decision to not adapt the 2.5D stage play and turn it into a drama instead. I understand that the auditorium where the play was held no longer exists in Japan so they can't film there anymore, but they could've just used a regular stage. Stage play adaptations of manga/anime are massively popular in Japan. The drama could've capitalized on that and even promoted them to overseas fans by showcasing that industry in this drama. That was actually one of my favorite parts of the anime because it gave me a glimpse of how stage productions are done in Japan. Instead, they turned Tokyo Blade into a cheap live action drama and gave the actors uninspired and awful-looking costumes. They even changed the story of Tokyo Blade. Was it because of budget constraints? I don't know. I just can't get behind this change.

The dialogues are copy paste from the source material. But most of them fell flat for me because the scenes just didn't have the same impact as the ones in the anime. The payoff wasn't quite there either. The music I just didn't care for. Save for some of the rock songs used for the opening and ending themes, the music is utterly forgettable. As a matter of fact, I had to skip some of the “music video” type scenes because they felt so out of place imho.

This live action drama could've been brilliant if they had done it justice, made it more grounded and realistic, and had a better script, not to mention a more capable director at the helm. But sadly, it pales in comparison to the anime because it doesn't try to do something uniquely different. I wouldn't have minded slight changes to the plot and characterizations as long as they could make it work. They also crammed way too much stuff in just 8 episodes, making the drama feel rushed and underdeveloped. This is your garden variety live action adaptation that further justifies the idea that some things should not be turned into live action at all.

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Of Chocolates, Mental Illness, and Love Connections

I've been looking forward to this the moment the project was announced so I'm happy to report that I'm not disappointed. It is the best J-drama I've seen in quite some time. I have been avoiding J-dramas in general because I can't seem to understand its appeal anymore, something about their low-budget production quality, directing style, and acting that no longer meets my standards. Netflix-produced J-dramas, however, seem to be several notches higher than their network/cable TV produced counterparts, and this is no different. In fact, it has some of the best productions I've seen in a Japanese drama, period.

While this is a remake of a French-Belgian movie, at its core, it is still a J-drama through and through, from its formulaic and cliched but heartwarming story to its endearing characters and life lessons. The focus on the chocolate-making industry is also typical of a J-drama. The professions of the characters are almost always highlighted and treated like another character in the story and that's something that I've always appreciated. As a chocoholic, I couldn't be happier.

The main characters, Sosuke and Hana, are endearing albeit imperfect and lacking in many ways. That one episode in which they searched for the “God Send” cacao fruit perfectly encapsulates what this drama is all about. A rotten fruit that is meant to be discarded can produce one of the best tasting chocolates known to man. Even an awfully flawed person can still do some good and achieve greatness. I love that symbolism!

I also love how everything is interconnected and that every episode features different stories of people, their heartaches, their triumphs, and their love for chocolate. I'm glad that they showed how debilitating scopophobia and OCD can be. Mental illness is as real as the air we breathe and shouldn't be taken lightly. People do struggle with these disorders every single day of their lives and more movies or dramas should feature them to raise awareness. I do like the group counselling scenes. They are enlightening as well as moving. Yes, it's predictable and tropey, but it's still good entertainment. Not every drama should flip tropes over their heads and contain plot twists to be enjoyable or good. Some just need the right recipe to satisfy one's palate.

My only real beef with the drama is the storyline of the second couple. I honestly don't think it's necessary. It feels out of place to me. Or maybe it's just not as well written as the main couple's that I found it incredibly lacking and unsatisfactory. So both of them also struggle with emotional problems of their own, I get that. But how did they meet exactly? How did they fall in love? What actually happened between them? I can only assume they met through Sosuke?I have so many questions. Even the way they got back together in the end felt rushed and forced. I feel like this was missing at least one episode because they skipped the mont matcha in the Rainbow Palette box. Maybe that was supposed to show more of their history together and also tell us why it was Sosuke in the kendo dojo sparring with Hana instead of Hiro.

Romantics Anonymous is by no means a perfect drama. If you're not used to the quirkiness and style of Japanese dramas, then you'd probably have more things to nitpick on and complain about. But I did enjoy this immensely. I may be biased as I'm an Oguri Shun fan and food dramas are right up my alley, but this really hit the spot. I've been mostly disappointed with J-dramas of late so this was a welcome change. I'm glad they decided to make this and I hope they will do another season with Sakaguchi Kentaro and Song Joong Ki. I will surely check that one out too.

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