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  • Last Online: 2 hours ago
  • Gender: Female
  • Location: Turns out, there's really no place like home
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  • Birthday: August 14
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  • Join Date: August 19, 2011
  • Awards Received: Flower Award5 Coin Gift Award1

BrightestStar

Turns out, there's really no place like home
On The Victims' Game Feb 16, 2024
It has an overall strong going from the beginning, solid cases and a believable way of connecting the dots. Most importantly how the characters are built up and how we explore the layers upon layers. The line between what is right and what is wrong is blurred.

While, in my view, the characters kept their consistency to the end, the story and pace unfortunately did not. It didn't affect the actions that led to the ending but the process was painful. It was endless monologues that completely changed the tone of the story. that applies mainly to the last episode and a bit before the last.

I particularly find it weird that the main detective just suddenly switched in the last episode he switched to being all friendly without ever any type of build.
On Yankee Bokou ni Kaeru Feb 14, 2024
Just glad I’m done cuz it was overall annoying to watch. It had some good points but overshadowed by the annoying students. The only student I liked is the ex yakuza, and the one with daddy issues became sorta tolerable later on. That bully girl that put herself as leader argh I think she ruined it for me the most.

I love the theme song though!
Replying to cocoa2blossom Feb 9, 2024
Title The Sealer
I agree that it was giving off a bit of a Tokusatsu feel, I was getting Garo vibes specifically
yes same!
On Dr. Storks Season 2 Feb 2, 2024
While the previous season was about giving birth in all its miracles and difficulties, this season shifts the focus on what is next. How will the parents deal with the child? How will the doctors in those fields grow?
The season started and ended at a high but kinda lagged in the middle. I think it’s because, in my view, the characters themselves aren’t that interesting. Where the drama differs and where it succeeds is with the individual cases, with the mothers, with the fathers lost in this areas, and with the babies.

The drama has some biases, but still approach it with care and consideration. Like the issue of Down syndrome, as mentioned, there is will be regrets, especially for the mom whether they decide to have the baby or not. I also appreciate how they keep reminding fathers the importance of their role as support for the mom and as parents themselves.

I think this drama touched me mostly because the journey to giving birth is rarely dramatized yet so close to reality.

I highly recommend this drama to everyone to watch, especially to mommies.
On The Legend & Butterfly Jan 29, 2024
I’m not sure how to rate this one. I enjoyed it, it was engaging thanks to the performance of the cast, especially the leads. Ayase Haruka was as expected but I always underestimate Kimura Takuya but at this point I think I need to admit to myself that he really grew as an actor over time. He wasn’t bad before but it always felt like I see his ego all over the characters he played but it has immensely decreased overtime. He was always good at creating chemistry with his costars.

I do find some of the casting questionable, like that of Akechi Mitsuhide. I wish I had seen more dimensions to Ito Hideaki and Nakatani Miki’s characters. They are very capable actors, in my opinion even more than the leads.

Story-wise it was hard to follow, even for me who already went through the Sengoku period multiple times from various perspectives. On one hand it was too focused on the leads, on the other it wasn’t focused enough neither on their relationship nor on what was happening at the time.

Anyways, I recommend it. Just read a bit of history ahead.
Replying to TimiZero Jan 29, 2024
1. Not so effective Nobunaga-Nohime characters writing. The "female domineering" felt unnatural and forced. The…
I agree with all the good & bad points of the movie. Perfectly summarized! I didn’t know about Takeshi Beat’s movie about Nobunaga, it sounds interesting
Replying to andoR Jan 27, 2024
Title Burn the House Down Spoiler
In Japan there's no "shared custody" or visitation law or whatever's called. Either the mother or the father gets…
That’s exactly what I thought! A psychologist/therapist that can evaluate the parents. It can be costly but I think it would help a society as a whole for better parenting/family surrounding for children. But yeah I don’t think it would ever be done that way.

Haha yeah I’m like I’m good on my own rather than end up with another idiot 😆I don’t know why men seem great when you have them as friends, but the moment you try to look for a relationship they all look like idiots!
Replying to andoR Jan 26, 2024
Title Burn the House Down Spoiler
In Japan there's no "shared custody" or visitation law or whatever's called. Either the mother or the father gets…
Women’s equality is still suffering in Japan but actually when it comes to custody, women get the children like 90% of the time and decide if the father can be in their lives or not. This is where it ties into the name. Mom takes kids then their family changes to mom’s. If mom remarries, they take on stepdad’s family name so kinda become step dad’s kid officially. So while the family name legacy isn’t a thing officially but seems to still be in the customs.

Also if the mom wasn’t married while pregnant, she’s automatically the sole parent of the child (unless advised otherwise) which doesn’t work in favour of mom when dad can just bail from responsibility.

If either parents is a foreigner, court will automatically rule in favour of the Japanese parent unless the Japanese parent doesn’t want the kid.

I had to deal with the law in western courts and they aren’t really favourable to women either. Many women stay in miserable marriages until their kids are older so they don’t have the kids 50% of the time with an irresponsible/abusive parent without supervision.

It’s complicated I don’t know which is best. I hate how in the west the forced shared custody can endanger kids, but I also hate how the system in Japan just removes a kid from the life of the parent so easily. Both sides claim the best interest of the child but that isn’t the case actually.

On my end, my child doesn’t know her father and I beat myself up about it most days of the week. I saw multiple professionals to learn the best way to deal with it + immense family support yet it’s still hard and far from perfect. I don’t know how some mothers can just easily remove the father of their children’s lives so easily without thinking of the effect.
Replying to andoR Jan 25, 2024
In Japan there's no "shared custody" or visitation law or whatever's called. Either the mother or the father gets…
Yeah I read about that recently but there is still child support that should be paid though hardly implemented (as in western countries)

I know part of it is Japanese culture that put more emphasis on the name than bloodline, that’s why divorce is for the family not just the parents, and the kids take the family name of the parent they stay with. It’s still hard for me to understand, probably because I don’t agree with it (weirdly I’m living a similar situation)

Also in the context of the drama the mom had no problem the dad contacting them, the dad just chose not to. Also, they weren’t too young when the separation happened they could’ve contacted their dad.
Replying to Ryuto_Accel Jan 21, 2024
Title Dr. Storks
It was adapted from a manga so yes, since the main character in the manga has curly hair, they had to portray…
no hate on curly hair, actually his hair in the show looks fine and nicely curled, it’s just the poster but now that you mention trying to assimilate to a manga character it makes sense. In any case it was my prejudice and now I know better 😉
On Killing Romance Jan 21, 2024
Brilliant comedy that brings to light abusive relationships and why it's hard to end them. I enjoyed the way all the characters were portrayed and performed. The storyteller was an added delight. I don't know why they chose an English storyteller, but she sure reminds me of kids storytelling time haha

Lee Sun Kyun is a special talent and will be missed :(

Also as mentioned in a comment below, this colourful movie is similar to musicals and artsy movies like the famous French movie Amelie (which ironically I never liked but enjoyed this movie).
On Miss Mystery Jan 20, 2024
Title Miss Mystery
It should be expected with such a short-run web drama, the execution won't be mindblowing. But I think the most important part of these types of stories is the tension between the leads which, trying to be righteous, there was just NONE!

Also, the female lead seemed to be kick-ass at the beginning but somehow kept falling into traps not fighting back, and passing out when confronted by something she wasn't ready for. The male lead's "love" never made sense to me.
Replying to yeeqianxis Jan 19, 2024
Title Vivant Spoiler
It disappoints me how flat of a character Yusuke was. I felt much more empathy for Beki and his found family because…
I think Hayashi Kento's acting is the secret behind the empathy towards Beki. He's maybe the only actor who didn't feel like he was overacting yet still delivered extremely emotional scenes. That actor has always managed to capture my attention and empathy, even here where I found all the other characters laughable (I am not sure if it was done on purpose but hey, it made the drama ridiculously fun haha)
On Talio Jan 18, 2024
Title Talio
Fun short drama with nothing original but lots of references to past popular dramas. The mysteries were most of the time obvious, but the best part was the leads’ bickering and bantering. I was thinking how to describe their relationship, I think the term frenimies fits well, maybe. The ending was rushed but overall an overall fun ride. I enjoyed it more than I expected to
Replying to Taishi Miwa Jan 17, 2024
Title Dr. Storks
there's a reason leading to that stage name.
do they explain it in the 2nd season or did I miss it on the first season? 😅
On Dr. Storks Jan 17, 2024
Title Dr. Storks
I guess the biggest issue that kept me from this drama was Ayano Go's hair in the poster. It just didn't vibe well with the theme for me. Oh boy was I wrong to avoid it and about his character here.

Overall, all the main characters in the drama are typical characters found in most dramas, and most performances don't go beyond what the character is meant to be. That being said, that isn't a detractor here. While I doubt any doctor in Japan (or anywhere really except for those highly VIP/Private hospitals) has enough time to spend with their patients, I appreciate the kindness and humility all patients are being greeted with. Overall, all the main characters were likable.

This drama is where typical Japanese over-sentimentalism works well because, birth, just like death, is the biggest equalizer that cannot be controlled, which can cause the deepest emotions.

I think the best part of this drama is the patient stories and how they were performed. I love how varied the stories were and how they were brought from every walk of life.

But, am I the only one who thinks having "Baby" as a stage name is weird?
On The Killer Is Also Romantic Jan 10, 2024
Easy quick watch, nothing deep just more of a guilty pleasure type of mini drama. A lot of commentors likens it to Mr & Mrs Smith but I’d say this drama is way less intense and more comedic. My main issue with this drama is the lack of chemistry in my view. The female lead felt much more mature and the male lead just never matched her energy. The secondary couple was cute bur nothing remarkable.

An issue that doesn’t have anything to do with the drama but affected my enjoyment is the terrible subtitles. I pur it with it cuz. It’s a short drama but better be warned.
Replying to Alfie Jan 7, 2024
Title Vivant Spoiler
Religiously butthurt?
🤣butthurt over disagreeing opinion?
On Vivant Dec 28, 2023
Title Vivant
Though a fast and easy watch I cannot give it a higher rating than 4! The criminally propaganda-type nationalism aside, the story just made no sense. Though I had black listed Sakai Masato just because his overacting annoys me, I checked this drama for the vast cast, many of whom I follow. To my surprise, Sakai wasn’t the worst one here, it was Abe Hiroshi, one of the reasons I started this drama. To be fair, most characters had a flair for the dramatic. I don’t exactly regret watching it, but the story and how the events unfold is so ridiculous I thought it couldn’t get worse. Then it actually did with the weird ending.
On A Man Dec 22, 2023
Title A Man
Almost excellent if they hadn't dragged out 1 of the flashbacks. The characters here struggle with their identity, who they are, who they are perceived as, and who they want to be. One particular scene when Rie's son asks if he will need to change his family name again.

There is this contrast of culture for me. I'm not sure if other countries are similar, but in Japan they don't seem to put an importance of being a biological parent. That is why the name has much more influence.I guess it does go back to samurai history, where an adopted son can take over as clan leader, even if there is a biological son.

It's a slow movie, and despite the heavy theme, a light watch. I highly recommend it.