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My Prescription for J-Drama Sanity: A Dose of Sakaguchi Kentaro
In my ongoing quest for a J-drama that wouldn't leave me drowning in a pile of tissues, I reached out to my main man, Sakaguchi Kentaro. And let me tell you, I hit the jackpot! This drama, Konin Todoke ni Han wo Oshita dake desu ga, was the kind that keeps you teetering on a high wire. One moment, you're ready to punch a hole in the wall out of sheer frustration, and the next, you're glued to the screen, desperate to witness just how much character development a human being can squeeze into ten episodes.
Japanese scriptwriters, bless their creative, often bewildering hearts, are masters at walking that razor-thin line between perfectly normal and utterly unhinged. This particular project? It sailed right to the top of my "What were they smoking?" list. At its core, it's your standard contract marriage trope: a rich, stable male lead paired with a struggling female lead. But then, they sprinkle in a generous dose of an ML with extreme OCD, who's an introvert with social awkwardness so profound it's almost an art form. All of this, of course, is wrapped up in a handsome face supported by an ethereal jawline that I swear every camera operator dreams of.
Now, if you're someone who gets a bit ruffled by cultural quirks you don't quite grasp, this might not be your cup of tea. Or, you could just lean back for ten episodes and simply bask in the breathtaking glory of Sakaguchi Kentaro, even when he's hiding behind what I lovingly refer to as "the Tokyo haircut." It’s true, contract marriage plots aren't exactly realistic in our 99% world, but the writers just decided to plonk two people from completely opposite universes under one roof. The ensuing chaos? Pure comedic gold.
Watching this unfold on a platform with a live comment section was an absolute game-changer. It felt like being in a sports bar watching a nail-biting football match. Some viewers hated it, then inexplicably fell in love as the episodes progressed, only to swing back to hating it again. By the end, there was nothing left to say but blame the referees – those endlessly inventive Japanese writers.
I'm giving this a solid 8.0/10 and heartily recommend it. Why? Because, for once, nobody tragically dies, and Kentaro's presence alone is enough to glue me to the screen. Even if they did craft him into arguably the "slowest," most "brain-frozen," and quite possibly most virginal male lead I've ever encountered. Oh, and prepare yourselves: you might just walk away with a fresh diagnosis of SLS (Second Lead Syndrome) by the time the credits roll!
Japanese scriptwriters, bless their creative, often bewildering hearts, are masters at walking that razor-thin line between perfectly normal and utterly unhinged. This particular project? It sailed right to the top of my "What were they smoking?" list. At its core, it's your standard contract marriage trope: a rich, stable male lead paired with a struggling female lead. But then, they sprinkle in a generous dose of an ML with extreme OCD, who's an introvert with social awkwardness so profound it's almost an art form. All of this, of course, is wrapped up in a handsome face supported by an ethereal jawline that I swear every camera operator dreams of.
Now, if you're someone who gets a bit ruffled by cultural quirks you don't quite grasp, this might not be your cup of tea. Or, you could just lean back for ten episodes and simply bask in the breathtaking glory of Sakaguchi Kentaro, even when he's hiding behind what I lovingly refer to as "the Tokyo haircut." It’s true, contract marriage plots aren't exactly realistic in our 99% world, but the writers just decided to plonk two people from completely opposite universes under one roof. The ensuing chaos? Pure comedic gold.
Watching this unfold on a platform with a live comment section was an absolute game-changer. It felt like being in a sports bar watching a nail-biting football match. Some viewers hated it, then inexplicably fell in love as the episodes progressed, only to swing back to hating it again. By the end, there was nothing left to say but blame the referees – those endlessly inventive Japanese writers.
I'm giving this a solid 8.0/10 and heartily recommend it. Why? Because, for once, nobody tragically dies, and Kentaro's presence alone is enough to glue me to the screen. Even if they did craft him into arguably the "slowest," most "brain-frozen," and quite possibly most virginal male lead I've ever encountered. Oh, and prepare yourselves: you might just walk away with a fresh diagnosis of SLS (Second Lead Syndrome) by the time the credits roll!
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