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When stupid is an understatement
I had to write a review because the drama is mind boggling.I was so happy to see this drama available on Netflix because I had been wanting to watch it for a long time. The drama started pleasant enough for me to get entertained by it but even early on I could see the issues with the writing and characters. The story is all over the place, and overkilling here and there. I get they wanted to get the whole "you can't trust anyone" vibe, but it just got ridiculous at how much characters fall for obvious traps. There is no critical thinking. I mean, how many times do you need to get kidnapped to know to check whos knocking before opening the door? Also, I have never seen this weird birth secret that all came out of nowhere. There was no introduction, no hint, nothing what so ever and suddenly there are a couple of birth secrets.
I get twists and turns. I like twists and turns. That wasn't it. That was coming up with things as you go.
As for the characters and their storylines, nothing makes sense and all was forced. There wasn't any hint For a detective drama, it sure had a lot of romance. Honestly, from the first episode I hated Wu Ying Xiong. He's rash, acts before he thinks and doesn't realize the damage he's causing. Throughout the whole drama, I didn't see him solve anything. All he did was brood over his love life, also without taking any actions about it. Chen Zai Tian's backstory is weird but his character was pleasant enough. My favourite scenes of him is when he's interrogating those girls when he was put in a different team (was it social committee team or something, I don't remember). The only character doing actual police work was Lan Xi Ying and she wasn't even police. Also, she was ignored by everyone else all the way to the end when she's the one who saved the day. Xiao Ming is basically a Deus Ex Machina, here to save the characters when they are all acting stupid. Everything concerning the mafia boss and the police is deranged stupid.
My favourite part was early on in the drama with Kingone's character Gao Yi. I found that performance outstanding and maybe the only thing worth checking out. That and maybe some other characters that are pleasant to look at haha
The ending is weird at best. Basically, we get a couple of things to read about the fate of some characters, enough information for a whole second season. We also a scene showing some terror action still happening, pretty much an open ending that makes you wonder what was the point of watching this story. Not that I’d watch a continuation or a second season.
I love the music though, typical of that era. It made it a little bit easier to finish up the drama when it became to frustratingly dumb to continue.
Also, as a side note for a character backstory you can't be "pure" when you have an affair with a married man who has a family.
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Tokyo MER: Hashiru Kinkyuukyuumeishitsu
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Formulaic but good acting
This drama is smooth ride to watch. It’s formulaic and doesn’t even try to break from it. The MER Team all their support reminds me of shonen anime, with the aloof but brave hero, his competent foil turned bestie-ish, his various support team from serious to silly with each getting a bit of highlight at one point, the grumpy ojichan that becomes his biggest fan/support, frail person for the hero to protect… The only difference is the love interest is placed outside this circle.If I were to start with the positive I would say production is great, from setting to all the tech used and the view. I also liked the theme and the use of music in this drama.
That wouldn’t come to a surprise especially with the presence of Suzuki Ryohei and Kaku Kento among others, the acting and delivery was great. It really made the drama engaging enough to want to complete it. Seeing Kaname Jun as a grumpy ojichan was a delight though he can still pass for a youthful character.
I don’t mind formulaic dramas nor do I mind this particular type. My problem with the writing is that despite the long episodes, little time is given for the outcome of each episode and almost no room is left for character development or even character understanding. All characters, even the lead, are used as devices each episode. While there was a final goal to the drama but it didn’t feel like we actually had a story. Villains were so cartoonish though and lacked creativity.
So overall a fun watch but doesn’t add anything of value when watching.
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No one is immune to mental illness, it can happen to anyone.
I decided to write a review for this drama because the number of negative reviews doesn't reflect the immense positive this drama has to offer. In general, it rarely bothers me when a drama I like gets criticized, sometimes I even agree while still enjoying it. What bothered me this time was how the critics of this drama are stuck in technicalities and apply their biased view of the situation (or apply their country's laws about it).Enough ranting and now on to what made me love this drama. Like most of my favourite dramas, it's all about the characters. They were all flawed in their own way and can be annoying at times, but at the end of the day good people. Beyond the main characters, I enjoyed the subtle growth in friendships shown with supporting characters, relationships that were originally ignored yet later become endearing.
The second aspect that made me enjoy this drama is the consistency in the pacing and not forgetting its initial message. By episode 11, it gets even spelled out for us: no one is immune to mental illness, it can happen to anyone. Having it spelled out might be a bit much, but when I think about the main target viewers I understand and applaud it. While in some countries, mental illness has become known, and less to no stigma to those suffering from it. However, in countries like South Korea, it is still a taboo. And while people try to avoid talking about it, a growing number of their population is suffering from it, and maybe don't get treated on time often (an assumption from the country being from the top countries with high suicide rates). Thinking of this situation makes me appreciate this drama better.
Now when it comes to illnesses, I am sure we are bound to find some flaws with how it was dealt with. The way the nurses dealt with patients didn't always seem the most ideal, or even professional. That being said, this isn't a documentary, it is a drama that is meant to engage us with the stories. It's not about the illnesses, it's about how characters deal with it. I also appreciate how it doesn't just blame outside influences for it. Some of the patients had great support, yet it didn't prevent the illness. Also, most of the illnesses portrayed are for those in the hospital, whose cases are more to the extreme. But less extreme cases and scenarios are also presented.
For those looking for romance, though present, it isn't something grand. The relationships are cute but I was indifferent to how they end up. For me, that wasn't a flaw at all. Though I didn't mind who the characters ended with if at all with anyone, I still cared deeply about the characters and enjoyed the growth they go through.
Finally, the way some problems related to mental illness get resolved is more on the unrealistically optimistic side. For me, that still made sense in the context of the drama even if it cannot be found in reality. After all a drama giving introductory lessons about various mental illnesses was showcasing what SHOULD be happening in those cases, not what could. It was part of the lesson.
I highly recommend this drama to anyone, really.
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Hamura Akira - Sekai de Mottomo Fuunna Tantei
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The World's Most Unfortunate Private Investigator doesn't realize her luck some times
What a delightful watch! I kept postponing it because somehow I misunderstood the synopsis when it said "The World's Most Unfortunate Private Investigator" to be dumb but that wasn't it AT ALL. She was just unlucky in that things always seemed to go the more difficult path for her. Yet as the story goes on, she seems more lucky than she realizes, just not in the predictable way.The character of Akira herself is interesting to follow, as is her thought process and attitude. The people at the bookstore who work with her are likable but, except for the female, don't get time to get fleshed out as characters besides being some sort of information gatherers. The characters of the cases get much more attention in understanding their resolve, even if not all get clarified.
Another great seller of the drama is Mamiya Shotaro. Though he doesn't show up often in most episodes, when he does, he has such a strong presence and IMMEDIATE chemistry with Shishido Kavka who plays Hamura Akira from the first time they meet. It's hard to describe it, especially when their relationship is pretty formal but like they can't ignore each other's presence. It's also interesting that halfway through the drama you start doubting Detective Okada's intentions which makes their interaction even more interesting.
My only complaint is that the drama isn't a full-length drama. It is true the story doesn't answer all the questions it poses, but it's not some glaring open ending. They are just answers that weren't found by the detective. In any case, while this drama is not for all I highly recommend it if you like Japanese quirky dramas with a bit of a SPEC element.
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Would this drama make drink more coffee?
Up to episode 6, it was such a relaxing beautiful watch! I loved the first 4-5 episodes where we followed 2 stories revolving around different types of coffee. When we got around the main lead's background, yes the drama took a turn, but it remained interesting. I think it's in part due to Nakamura Tomoya's acting, it was interesting to see his vulnerable and human side. However, the last 2 episodes became kinda wishy-washy with that 3rd generation boss due to his That self-pity cry-me-a-river coddled spoiled brat persona who's upset he's not the centre of everyone's attention. Like Ewwwww. And the way it was resolved made less sense. I have to admit some punches given were great timing and much-needed.
Up to episode 6, it was a 9.5-score drama for me. Episode 7 brought it down to 5, and the last episode brought it back up, but not enough. Basically what disrupted my joy of watching this drama was the character of the 3rd generation boss.
It is the type of drama you'd want to keep watching and not want it to finish. Therefore if there is a 2nd season, I'd definitely watch it! it'd definitely be better than the first season since we'd get more of what he had in the first couple of episodes, which was perfect and beautiful
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I enjoyed the way the story was presented, like a puzzle. The ambiance and setting were on point, and so was the music. The acting was alright, well chosen for each character. The ending felt kind of lacking. It’s probably because the drama was too short and could benefit from additional episodes to delve more into the main characters’ lives.
The drama was engaging enough to keep me interested, but bland at times. The 20 minutes long episodes fit perfectly with this style.
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Too much ToDai promotion?
Comparing this drama to its predecessor from 16 years earlier is unavoidable. But since my memory of the first season is vague, the memory of my impression of it will probably be biased. That being said, there are a few angles to analyze as to what worked and didn't work for me in this season.I'll start with the setting. In the first season, my impression throughout the whole drama was Sakuragi saying it doesn't take a genius to into Tokyo University, just the right tools and tricks to study. ToDai was never presented as this "solve-all" solution. That is the impression I was given in the current season. While students were encouraged to choose their own paths in the end, until they got there all Sakuragi was saying was something along the lines of "if you don't give your all to enter ToDai you will remain a loser. It felt like the whole drama was promoting the university.
Next, while the setting was annoying, I liked how the school was presented. It did not exaggerate it to be all teens rebelling and playing around. It was a normal school. That did make me realize how colourful people were in the early 2ks and how visually dull it is nowadays. I did like how the students were gathered and their individual stories. Some stories were stronger than others. My favourite was Fujii's and the growth he goes through. Suzuka Ouji was great at performing a vulnerable character hiding behind a know-it-all bully.
If anything did annoy me about some of the student backstories, it would be the condoning of all sorts of abuse and not taking any actions whatsoever about it. Some things can be forgiven away, but some require getting people accountable for their actions. While there was more than 1 character abused in the drama, Iwasaki's was the most irrational and ridiculous to not address.
Finally, the biggest detractor of this drama in my opinion is the conspiracy surrounding the school. While it did give the story an interesting angle of not necessarily wanting the special class to succeed, it did consume a lot of time in the drama and was generally written badly. Hayashi Kento was so wasted here, that he barely said anything and spent the whole drama just giving mischievous laughs while his friend and he were too obvious. The characters taking part in the conspiracy were all caricature-like it wasn't even funny.
Overall worth the watch for nostalgia's sake!
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Will 2.5 households become the norm in reality?
It's an enjoyable and relaxing watch of a lovely family in their sweetness and flaws. As Masaharu takes small steps to move forward in life, we see the family adjusting to the new situation. It sounds great on paper, but adjusting or readjusting yourself to live with others isn’t easy. But with rising inflation and recession felt worldwide, probably more and more people will look into living with family as an option like they used to in the past. Therefore the situation presented here will have an increasing number of viewers identifying with it, myself included.The characters feel very mundane, everyday people which makes it easy to connect with the characters. The focus here is on the choice to live together or on our own. Both have their challenges and rewards, and one must choose which challenge they are willing to face.
There is the grandpa who is used to being served and not pushing himself to help out. He can’t stand being criticized for it by his daughter because he’s always been told it’s okay. Grandma is always here robe of help to everyone, never vocally complaining but her health can’t help it and internally judges. She loves her kids so much that she does too much for their good. The daughter and her husband struggle with wanting support but not wanting to lose their place in their children’s lives. Saori in particular is typical of every working mom, trying to do her best everywhere, an impossible feat, and constantly feeling guilty that she’s unable to attain such expectations. It comes out as frustration and being ungrateful. Ema is a sweet teen whose introverted self makes her resistant to change and moody about it. As for Red, not only is he adorable, but rarely do we see children on TV present it authentically. That morning resistance to go somewhere where he’ll essentially play all day is oh so very real.
Then, there Masaharu. Unlike stereotypical Hikikomori, he’s actually a very normal guy in the way he lives his life immersing himself online in ways he can’t in the real world. It’s not online when we immerse ourselves in sites like MDL and others but maybe gone to the extreme. It’s not like he refuses to live normally, he just doesn’t have the courage. Taking the step for it needed a little motivation from the outside and a GENTLE push from within. I love his connection with the convenience store clerk. But you can tell one of his more important reasons for change was to improve his relationship with his niece. That development went smoothly and felt authentic.
The point here isn’t for the protagonist to become independent and work. It’s made clear that it’s okay to stay, accept help and receive support, as long as an active role is taken at home, to do things together while also pursuing things alone. That’s the difference between being reclusive and being home.
The only part of the drama I might be critical of is Saori’s workplace. It was shown as if we know the characters and are just returning to them, as Saori is. The failure is, that we never get the chance to connect with them or even be interested in them. The cut to their scenes always felt off place and sometimes I’d just skip it.
I have to say, I love the way the new house was presented and the camera filming the family’s movements. The directing makes viewers feel as if they’re peaking into the lives of everyday people. It made the scenes at home that much more interesting and intimate. The actors never felt like they were acting but just going through life, which in itself shows their talent.
The drama is rounded up with fitting music with many quiet moments for contemplation.
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