This review may contain spoilers
Meh.
After finishing the first season, I entered into the second season with trepidation. The beginning starts off kind of rough. We are now minus two cast members. Rhys Miguel as Tob was possibly fired or didn't want to continue the loveteam with Kaori Oinuma (Michiko). Melizza Jimenez as Elle decided to focus on school instead of acting and was recast with Mikha Lim. Tob's disappearance is integrated into the plot as him "ghosting" Michiko. Despite the rough start, I really liked the first few episodes of the season. However, it started to go downhill towards the mid-point when the plot starts to focus only on the whole criminal investigation surrounding Dale being shot. I won't go into this because I could go on and on, but I hated it. It doesn't really pick back up after that, unfortunately.The leads, Donny Pangilinan (Deib) and Belle Mariano (Max), have great chemistry. They honestly save this mediocre second season. Without them I would've been so much worse. The plot does give them some great chances to flex their acting chops, but it's unfortunate that it never seems to go anywhere. The supporting cast feels weaker in this season besides maybe Michiko (played by Kaori Oinuma). They really threw everything at her. RJ and Kim just feel like they're as plot devices. They might've had something interesting with Lee, Naih, and Ysay, but the writers back out of it at the last second. Poor Migz, Elle, and Lorde are just there. And the adult drama between Max's dad, stepmom, and the new principal was kind of random but I would've preferred them focus on that instead of the stupid investigation.
The last couple episodes come out of nowhere. All of the sudden, Dale is just dead? WTH. I don't understand why he didn't die during surgery?? He died while sleeping?? He was in a hospital; he would've been hooked up to something. Okay, I did cry but how he died was so stupid. Then it's the last episode so they have to wrap up everything, but they don't do it very well. It's frustrating. Anyway, despite my complaints, I mostly enjoyed the series. I don't regret finishing it. I just wish it had matched the first season in terms of entertainment.
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This review may contain spoilers
Perfect for LizQuen fans
"Forevermore" officially launched the LizQuen ship after previous hints in the films, "Must Be... Love" and "She's the One" (I recommend them both btw). I'm going to start by summarizing the series first. Liza Soberano stars as Agnes, the daughter of a farmer, and Enrique Gil stars as Xander, the rich son of a hotelier who seemingly only cares about himself. Agnes lives on a farm, called La Presa, with a large group of people who are like a family. One day, Xander accidentally ruins Agnes's strawberries. The La Presans are desperate for cash to pay their rent and thus decide to hold Xander hostage until he repays them. He stubbornly refuses to pay them or reveal his name. Eventually, he causes so much trouble for them that Agnes just tells him to go. Agnes and her father, Buboy (Joey Marquez), later learn that Xander is the son of the president of the nearby Grande Hotel. They appeal to his father, Alex (Zoren Legaspi), who refuses to pay for his son. He instead agrees to lend Xander the money if he goes to work at Le Presa.Xander is reluctant at first, but does decide to go to Le Presa. There he has a hard time fitting in with the others who understandably don't find him very reliable. Agnes, in particular, finds him distrustful. He finds an ally in Mang Bangky (Bangkay), an old bachelor who relates to Xander's rebelliousness. Thanks to Bangky, he tries harder to win over the others though he inevitably makes many mistakes, which drives wedges into his budding friendship with Agnes. One such mistake is accidentally losing Niknok (Jesse James Ongteco), a young child who lives with his aunt Mirasol (Irma Adlawan) in La Presa. Running through the forest, Xander is reminded of the tragic death of his little brother Basty, which is shown through flashbacks. Once Niknok is found, Agnes yells hurtful words at Xander who then disappears. Agnes and Buboy go to Grande to find Xander. They meet Meg (Beverly Salviejo), his grandmother's assistant, who reveals Basty's death and that Xander's mother always blamed him. Xander eventually returns to La Presa and Agnes apologizes, starting a new chapter in their relationship.
Later, Xander realizes that he has feelings for Agnes, but is reluctant to give in to them, even telling her as much. His parents bring him back to Grande to integrate him into management now that he has become more responsible. His mother, Bettina (Lilet), resents Xander's new connection to La Presa, which becomes a frequent issue. After an earthquake hits, Xander saves Agnes from a falling down building. He confesses his feelings for her and receives permission from her father to court her. Agnes holds off on giving Xander an answer for a while, but eventually says yes to being his girlfriend. She also has to turn down her childhood friend, Andrew (Yves Flores) around the same time. Meanwhile, Bettina is working on opening an agricultural resort, hoping to earn the approval of Alex's mother Soledad (Marissa Delgado), whom has always preferred his son's first (and still legal) wife. Bettina works out a deal with Jaime and Loulie Saavedra (Michael Flores and Bernadette Allyson-Estrada), the parents of Xander's ex-girlfriend Kate (Sofia Andres).
Bettina invites Kate to the Grandes' annual Christmas party, hoping to reunite her and Xander. Of course, he is now dating Agnes. Kate seems to take this in stride and even sort-of befriends Agnes. Bettina pushes for Xander and Kate to be together, but begins acting friendlier with Agnes when she realizes that that isn't working. She invites Agnes to come work at the hotel, which will also earn her a scholarship for college. However, it goes terribly array. Xander decides to leave his family to live with the La Presans again. Meanwhile, Kate starts to sink into a depression and acts erratically. Her behavior obviously worries her parents. She lamely attempts to win Xander back. However, at the slightest pushback from Agnes and the La Presans, she encourages her father Jaime to make war on them. He attempts to seize La Presa through illegal means (having already being tasked with getting the land for the Grandes' resort). After Buboy is shot, Xander becomes overwhelmed and gives into Jaime's demands that he accompanies Kate to London. He leaves without a word, which devastates Agnes.
Two years later, Agnes, the twins Clauie and Judy (Joj and Jai Agpangan), and their new friend Karen (Karen Dematera) are attending college for a semester in Manilla. The La Presans come for a visit since Buboy and Mirasol have now decided to marry. Buboy needs to obtain an annulment since he is technically still married to his wife though he and Agnes haven't seen her for over a decade. Of course, it turns out that Marites (Almira Muhlach) is now living in Manila. Buboy confronts her and she confesses that her employer was holding her captive in Japan. Marites and Agnes are reunited after some time and Agnes allows her back into her life. Meanwhile, Agnes meets Jay (Diego Loyzaga) at school and joins his band. He gradually develops feelings for Agnes, though she seems reluctant to allow him to court her. Marites distrusts him him at first, but he wins her over when he comes to her with problems regarding his mother, who is currently working in Japan.
In the meantime, Xander has returned from London with Kate who has gotten better though still appears fragile. She eventually goes to the States after her father's shady business dealings are made public. Xander now has a successful business and loyal assistant, Orly (Jason Francisco). Orly helps Xander with his elaborate plan to win back Agnes. The plan goes up in flames as Agnes isn't even willing to hear him out. He decides not to give up yet and takes a temporary teacher's position at Agnes's college. Of course, she doesn't take this well and treats him coldly, such as only calling him "Sir." He acts respectfully towards her and, after attending a leadership workshop, the two are finally on friendly terms. The twins take sides with Clauie wanting her to reunite with Xander ("Superman") and Judy wanting her to be with Jay ("Batman"). Karen stays more neutral, though she realizes that Agnes still truly loves Xander. Agnes is seemingly ready to accept her feelings and agrees to have dinner with Xander and his family (FYI, the Grandes have since become better, more supportive family). However, when she glimpses Kate from outside, the emotions come rushing back.
Kate later finally explains to Agnes why Xander left her two years previously. Unfortunately, Agnes has now become numb to emotion, giving into fear rather than love. Xander takes this as a final rejection. He becomes depressed and his father encourages him to look at this as just a chapter in his life. Then on his way home, Alex is hit by a car and passes away. Xander, though still devastated, listens to his mother and grandmother's advice and becomes the new president of Grande Hotel. Meanwhile, Agnes and the twins return to La Presa; they are soon joined by Jay and Karen. Xander too finds himself in the area. His father's legal wife Sheree (Pinky Amador) and her brother Julius (Kit Thompson) are scheming once again. He later meets a local veterinarian Alex Pante (Erich Gonzales) and starts dating her. After his father's will is read, Xander decides to work on the agricultural resort again when the land is willed to his mother.
Xander attempts to buy La Presa, earning strong pushback from the people who once treated him as their own. Agnes meets with Xander who now treats her coldly. Her appeals don't work. However, his mother tells him that Alex likely left them to land not to complete the resort but to protect La Presa forever. Xander, realizing that this is the truth, reconciles with the La Presans and instead works out a new deal with them for a series interconnected cottages. Of course, Sheree and Julius attempt to sabotage the project by targeting the area's water supply. While searching, Xander and Agnes become lost in the forest. They spend the night holding each other. Later, Xander has Sheree and Julius arrested and ousted from the company. He ends things with his new girlfriend who has already realized that he still loves Agnes. Agnes decides to take a scholarship for a college in Japan and leaves La Presa. Xander catches up with her. They decide to start a new (albeit long distance) "forever" from then on.
Yes, that's a long summary, but it's a long show. Probably could've been cut down 10-15 episodes in my opinion. The first half of the show (e.g. before Xander leaves) is the stronger half, especially regarding the main couple. However, it does have Kate so it's not perfect The second half starts off well. It's reasonable that Agnes would act that way tbh and Jay is an enjoyable enough rival to Xander. I would argue that do they have to make Jay's life so miserable lol. Agnes's unwillingness to hear out Xander just lasts way too long. The writers could've condensed it a little. It feels like they had a hit on their hands and were just trying to extend the couple finally reuniting.
So, to conclude, I enjoyed this show for what it was. I was pretty easy to watch, despite it's length. Filipinos speak "Taglish," a mix of English and Tagalog, so I didn't have to pay 100% attention. I watched 2-5 episodes a night before going to sleep and I was able to finish it in a little over a month. It was a great comfort show. I recommend to LizQuen fans, but if you're unfamiliar with the loveteam or Filipino shows in general, I recommend watching Filipino films first.
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Mostly fluffy romance
I've wanted to watch this this for a while since I saw some people comparing it to "Boys Over Flowers" (aka "Hana Yori Dango"). In hindsight, I think it's kind of a disservice to the drama though to call it a "BOF rip-off" just because it has a similar premise. I won't get into the plot because there's already plenty of reviews of "He's Into Her" on here. I'll just list what I liked and disliked about the series.Likes
1) The premise. I will never get tired of seeing a spunky girl stand up to a clique of rich boys lol. If you also enjoy this premise, this will be a fun drama for you.
2) Friendship. This isn't an ensemble drama but I really liked the large cast of friends of the FL and ML.
3) Romance. The romance here is surprisingly strong for a teen show. Donny (playing Deib) and Belle (playing Max) have really good chemistry and I see why they're a new "loveteam" now. The side couples aren't really that strong though.
4) Theme strong. I really top-notch, boyband theme song. I love it.
Dislikes
1) Rivals. RJ and Kim are the love rivals for the FL and ML. They are mentioned semi-frequently before they finally appear, but their real appearance still feels too late in the game. They end up feeling like unnecessary obstacles.
2) Fighting. Around the mid-point of the drama, the FL and ML's fighting felt really annoying.
3) Dropped and unfinished storylines. A love triangle between Ysay, Migz, and Hunter is set up but dropped. The series ends with a lot of unfinished storylines, such as Deib's brother. This is annoying as I would have preferred the story to be self-contained with the season.
"He's Into Her" is a fun, fluffy romance. The characters are well-written for what they are. Their motivations make sense and can apply to the real-world. Though it feels somewhat like a Wattpad story, I'm happy that they went that way instead of into soap opera territory. Now time to watch the sequel. Crossing my fingers that they don't ruin it lol.
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This review may contain spoilers
Half Blue
This is only my 3rd asadora. I chose "Hanbun, Aoi" because I was looking for something a little lighter than the previous one I watched. It definitely delivers as the drama is full of comedic, light-hearted moments that I loved. If you've seen the "Reply" series, "Hanbun, Aoi" reminded me of it in several aspects. However, it is an asadora and has plenty of really emotional moments, especially as you get to the end. Some major spoilers follow!Out of the three asadora dramas I've seen thus far, "Hanbun, Aoi" has the weakest story. It starts off a little slow with the childhood and adolescence weeks, but it's easy enough to push through these and they are important in the long run. Suzume (played by Mei Nagano) is the series heroine. As a child, she loses the hearing in her left ear. This will continue to effect her throughout the entire series. "Hanbun, Aoi" picks up when Suzume finds her passion: Becoming a manga artist. These weeks were no doubt my favorite and not only because I'm a manga fanatic. The world of manga, however, is sadly a tough one. Suzume manages to make her debut, but eventually decides that she can go no further in the field. Whether Suzume should've given up or not is up for debate, but I really enjoyed how the storyline was handled.
Now the next half of "Hanbun, Aoi" was completely unrecognizable from the first. I have to say that I went through a bit of shock. I'm going to address Suzume's love interest now. Ritsu (played by Takeru Satoh) was born on the same day as Suzume and has always been on her side until they parted ways. When they reunite, he proposes to Suzume but she mistakenly says "I can't". He marries someone else a few years later. For me, this was very frustrating and only gets worse if we're being honest. On top of that, Takeru is very underutilized as Ritsu and he only gets character development sporadically.
Suzume, depressed by missing her chance to marry Ritsu and giving up her dream, starts working at a 100-yen store. There she meets Ryoji (played by Shotaro Mamiya) and they decide to marry after only knowing each other for a week. It's cute in a way, but they both come off as extremely naive in relationships. Suzume decides to support Ryoji in his dream of becoming a director, but he decides to give it up after failing and when Suzume becomes pregnant. They are a happy family until Ryoji decides to abandon them to pursue his dream again. I don't know what's worse: Your husband leaving you for another woman or leaving because you're in the way of his dreams. Yikes. Suzume returns home and meets Ritsu again.
The story becomes somewhat frustrating at this point. Suzume seems to just jump from one thing to another. I wish the writers had decided on a second dream for her and stuck with it. And worse, she and Ritsu are back in each other's lives but... Ritsu is still married and seemingly doesn't want to leave his wife, despite their problems and incompatibility. I'm not advocating giving up on your marriage so easily, but this was just another excuse for the writers to delay the main couple again. Another time-skip. Suzume is back in Tokyo so that her daughter can take skating lessons. She's failing at being a start-up businesswoman. Ritsu returns from America and is finally divorced (his wife left him!). Suzume and Ritsu partner together on a start-up. Finally, after completing their first project, they decide to be together.
"Hanbun, Aoi" has one of the most frustrating main couples I've seen in a long time in any drama. It's unfortunate because I really like them together and I just wish that we had seen more of them. However, this is by no means a bad drama because of that. Most of the characters are really strong, including Suzume (though her career choices are a bit bizarre). I love her family and her friends. She has absolutely beautiful relationships with her mother, daughter, and best friends. This is definitely the highlight of this drama. "Hanbun, Aoi" translates to "half blue." I think it means something like looking on the bright side. Though bad things will happen to you, there will always be good times. And that's a beautiful message.
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Absolutely loved it!
To preface, I'm a fan of the original Cold Case. I watched it when it was airing with my mom. So I have lots of special memories of it. When I learned there was a Japanese version, I was curious but also hesitant to start it. I was so scared I was going to hate it. Thankfully, I was completely wrong!The drama completely captures the vibe of the original from the music to the casting. Yoh Yoshida is particularly great as Yuri Ishikawa (Lilly Rush in the original). I liked that this first season we see glimpses of the personal lives of the main team. Hopefully, they will reveal more in the upcoming seasons. Much like in the original, I liked the dynamic between the main team. One thing I disliked was Yuri's sister, who I also didn't like in the original. I would've been fine if they cut her out.
There's a slight drawback that all of the episodes are based on episodes from seasons 1 to 2 of the original. I would've liked a few new cases. But I still felt engaged during nearly every episode. I will say that I didn't enjoy episodes 4 and the finale that much. This was one of my least favorite storylines from the original. My favorite part of Cold Case is the set-up and pay-off. These two episodes are the only ones where you don't get the usual pay-off.
If you're curious about which episodes correspond with which from the original, I'm including it here. I'll also my thoughts on the Japanese episodes:
Episode 1 = Season 2, Episode 11 - a great episode for the J-drama to start with. Heartbreaking and "Don't Look Back in Anger" has been stuck in my head for several days.
Episode 2 = Season 1, Episode 8 - another gutwrenching episode. I liked that they showed some social issues (such as Japanese Brazilians living in Japan) that you won't see in other dramas.
Episode 3 = Season 2, Episode 10 - we're at a 3 for 3 for great episodes in a row! Keep your tissues handy.
Episode 4 = Season 2, Episode 9 - one of my least favorites tbh, but still a good one. This is one of Cold Case's more memorable original episodes so they sort of had to cover it.
Episode 5 = Season 1, Episode 22 - I cried like a little baby so a good episode. However, it was a little too word-for-word of the original.
Episode 6 = Season 1, Episode 13 - the one instance I think they improved on the original. It covers another social issue (Koreans in Japan) and just feels more impactful than the original. This was the episode I remembered that Japan had a statue of limitations on murder! It was only changed recently and still only cases from after 1994 can be charged.
Episode 7 = Season 2, Episode 6 - like ep 5, this one is very close to the original. That didn't stop me from crying though T_T
Episode 8 = Season 1, Episode 18 - this one was definitely less impactful than the original. I can't really pinpoint what I didn't liked about it.
Episode 9 = Season 1, Episode 14 - another classic, heartbreaking episode. This one was based on the famous "Boy in the Box" case. He was finally identified last year!
Episode 10 = Season 2, Episode 23 - a follow-up to episode 4 that I knew was coming. The ending scene was great, but still one of my least favorites.
Anyway, that's the end of my ramblings! I'm looking forward to watching the next season.
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A true classic
I've finally finished "It Started with a Kiss." I found it hard to binge because of the pretty low quality version I was watching. Luckily, GTV uploaded it with subs on YouTube so I was able to watch it without frustration lol. Note: I've read part of the manga, seen the anime and the 1996 drama, so these are what I'll compare ISWAK to.I absolutely loved "It Started with a Kiss." From the beginning, you can sense the care the production took to be faithful to the manga while still localizing it to Taiwan. My one complaint would be that the drama is quite long at twenty episode with a running time of one hour and ten minutes. I feel the story could've been trimmed down a bit. The last three episodes before the finale I found to be quite draggy too. In terms of writing, "It Started with a Kiss" still manages to beat out 1996 Itazura na Kiss by several leagues and is on par with the anime.
Ariel Lin and Joseph Cheng are perfect as Xiang Qin (Kotoko) and Zhi Shu (Naoki). Their acting was absolutely superb. Ariel managed to be clumsy, dumb, and at times annoying without me absolutely hating her. I could actually relate to her since I sometimes feel useless too. Joseph was able to use facial expressions and certain movements to make his character more likeable while still staying true to the manga. Zhi Shu's and Xiang Qin's families were really on the nose; they all suited their characters perfectly. Watching the family together was my favorite part of the drama. There were some really funny moments.
I wasn't particularly charmed by Ah Jin aka Kinnosuke (played by the good-looking Jiro Wang); I'm afraid I'll find him exhausting in every version. Tiffany Hsu was great playing Zi Yu (Yuko), adding quite a bit of dimension to the character. She had a lot of especially funny moments with Xiang Qin and wasn't just some evil rival. Hao Qian (Sudou) was fun to watch, though his hair was a bit ridiculous. Also, out of the short side stories, I enjoyed Zi Qi's and Wu Ren's parts the most.
Some special notes I want to mention are: I loved that they changed the characters style and hair cuts over time since the drama takes place over five years or so. I guess the only discrepancy is that Yu Shu stays a child the whole time XD. It was a nice touch in the finale to bring back some characters from earlier on, such as Xiang Qin's teacher and Ah Jin's friends. Lastly, the OST of this drama is one of my faves. "Say That U Love" is super catchy and the opening sequence is perfect. Now on to the honeymoon in "They Kiss Again."
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Understated
I had no idea just how many films Akira Kurosawa directed until I stumbled upon this film. I have only seen two, Rashomon and Yojimbo, so far. These two films and his other well known films all seem to be historical dramas or samurai epics. So No Regrets for Our Youth really stuck out to me. It is set during the pre-war period up to the end of the war (1933-1945). Since it was released in 1946, this could almost be considered contemporary.The film is mostly told through the point-of-view of Yukie Yagihara (played by Setsuko Hara). She is the daughter of college professor ousted from his position due to his views on fascism, sparking anti-militarist student protests. A lot of Hara's acting is subtle, such as her falling for one of the protestors, Noge. She never states her feelings; you can tell from her facial expressions and actions. Hara is one of those actresses that always amazes me. Sometimes I don't understand why she did this or that, but at the end of the film it always clicks.
All in all, No Regrets for Our Youth is a wonderfully slow-paced film. Its portrayal of the anti-war efforts of Japanese people was something I never thought of. Kurosawa's decision to make this film so soon after the war is also interesting to me as it shows his convictions. It's too bad that this film isn't more well known, but I understand. It isn't a samurai epic or anything genre changing. However, it's an honest, understated picture about what feels like real people amidst political turmoil and war. And Hara is an amazing heroine from beginning to end.
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Fun fantasy film
I want to say first that this movie is not a remake of the Miyazaki Hayao film! They are both based on the same children's book by Eiko Kadono (who also makes a cameo in the movie). Keep this in mind if you decide to watch this.Though nowhere near the brilliance of Miyazaki's classic, it manages to stand on its own. It suffers from a few issues common with live-action adaptations. The CGI animals for instance, especially the baby hippo. I found it distracting for some reason. In some scenes it was a puppet, others full CGI. Other than that, the film's effects were pretty good such as Kiki flying. As for actors, I absolutely loved Koshiba Fuka (Kiki) and Miyazawa Rie (Kiki's mother). They were great in my opinion. Tombo's (Hirota Ryohei) character took a minute for me to warm up to. I found him very abrasive at first, though I liked him by the end of the movie.
Though not a certifiable hit like the 1989 movie, this film was fun overall and a perfect pick for children. I was touched during several moments and even cried during the climax. Watch this only if you're willing not to compare it too harshly to Miyazaki's movie (though I also realize comparisons are always inevitable).
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I'll watch anything with Hana Sugisaki
After watching Hana-chan in Hana Nochi Hare, I'm slowly going through her filmography. I've liked everything she has been in so far, even that weird "Bleach" movie lol. "Haken Uranaishi Ataru" is unlike any drama I've seen before and definitely would not be something I would've watched if Hana had not been in it. For J-dramas, I usually only watch romantic comedies and manga adaptations. Anyway, I'm so happy I watched this!Though I couldn't necessarily relate to every character, I found myself touched by their problems. I cried a lot, of course lol. One character hit pretty close to home for me, but I won't say which! I loved seeing Ataru help fix their problems and then see how they all changed after. By the end of the series, they all worked so well together that I wished I could have worked with them. Regarding Ataru's character, I think Hana played her rather well and the mystery of her background was a nice touch. Though I liked her best once we really got to know her.
This review got kind of rambling, gomen. I think anyone who likes slow-paced, slice of life dramas will enjoy this series.
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After being raised in India, Seira returns to Japan to attend a boarding school. However, when her rich father dies, the school's headmistress forces her to work as a maid. In this version, the headmistress at least has reasons for hating Seira, though it is still appalling to watch her treat Seira horribly. Becky is changed to a male love interest named Kaito Miura. Their love story was sweet, but I felt the episode where they visit his hometown was a bit out-of-place. Masami (Ermengarde in the novel) kind of annoyed me, while I thought Maria (Lavinia) was probably the most interesting.
SS was a sweet story but unremarkable story. I think some might find the series frustrating, because the bullying scenes were a bit over-the-top. However, I still think most people will enjoy this drama. I also recommend the 1986 (find it on YouTube) and 1995 versions, though the latter does not really follow the book.
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This review may contain spoilers
"But even so they laugh and live on."
"Hiyokko" is the 36th asadora that I've watched. Early on, this one looked like one I would really like and I eventually chose it to be the last as I got closer to the end of this almost non-stop asadora binge that began in February of last year (2024). I had a good intuition about "Hiyokko" and I can confidently say that it's one of my favorite asadoras.Mineko (played by Arimura Kasumi) gets a lot of flack for not being an "ambitious" heroine. I know asadoras are mostly known for their heroines chasing a career path, but the "unambitious" ones have just as much charm in my opinion. [I'm using quotes because I think Mineko is ambitious in her way.] There's also nothing wrong with just having a job you like instead of having a career path you pursue. Anyway, Mineko is a very giving, hard-working, and family oriented person, which are pretty common traits in most heroines. In that way, she's kind of a low-key heroine like Jun-chan in "Jun-chan no Ouenka. This, however, does not make her any less fun to watch. I truly loved Mineko every step of the way.
In "Hiyokko," Mineko has two love interests which is a bit rare. Her first love interest is a rich college student Shimatani-san (Takeuchi Ryoma). He's very sweet but blunt at times. The couple come from different social circles, which ultimately leads to their break-up. While this was predictable, the writer was smart in how it was written and I still cried. All in all, I consider them a couple I liked and was sad to see end. Mineko's second love interest is Hide-san (Isomura Hayato), a chef who works at the same restaurant as her. Their relationship starts as a friendship and develops slowly over time into romance. Though we only see them together for a short time, I think this couple has become one of my favorite asadora couples. Hide-san is definitely one of the sweetest and most caring love interests.
As with most asadoras, the side characters are the real highlight of this series. Miyamoto Nobuko (from asadoras "Dondo Hare" and "Amachan) once again steals every scene that she's in playing the restaurant owner Suzuko. I also particularly loved Aiko-san (Wakui Emi from "Chiritotechin"), Setsuko (Kanno Miho from "Churasan"), and Saori (Ito Sairi, whom went on to lead "Tora ni Tsubasa"). From the previous sentence, you can guess that the asadora is populated by a lot of familiar faces and veteran actors. One thing I really loved about the supporting characters that new ones are introduced with every phase of Mineko's life. Many have their own arcs like Tokiko (Sakuma Yui) and Mitsuo (Izumisawa Yuuki), whom both come to Tokyo with her. Then there's the girls' dorm friends, Mineko's coworkers at the restaurant, and the residents of her apartment. There's so many characters to get attached to that I could go on and on.
Normally, I don't pay attention the crew behind asadoras... But, here I noticed that the writer Okada Yoshikazu also wrote "Churasan" and "Ohisama." While I didn't completely like "Churasan," "Ohisama" is one of my favorite asadoras. "Hiyokko" has my favorite elements of both of these asadoras, such as the close-knit community from "Churasan" and the easy, slice-of-life vibe from "Ohisama" among others. For "Hiyokko," Okada added a new element that being the mystery behind Mineko's father's (Sawamura Ikki) disappearance, which is the main storyline of the entire asadora. I'd like to thank Okada for writing these three asadoras and improving with each one.
"Hiyokko" only takes place over four years from 1964 to 1968, which is unique for an asadora. The series feels very firmly planted in the 60s and there's so many wonderful references like with The Beatles and Twiggy. My favorite reference is San Francisco being referred to by the song title "Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair." After finishing "Hiyokko," I realized that 156 episodes can feel so short. I very much wanted to stay in the world of "Hiyokko," which is why I immediately watched "Hiyokko 2" after.
My Asadora Ranking: https://kisskh.at/list/LAlqpp21
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This review may contain spoilers
This shogi piece only moves forward...
"Futarikko" is my 37th asadora watched. After finishing "Hiyokko" in May, words can't express my happiness that there are still asadoras for me to watch. "Futarikko" is quite an interesting asadora, veering away from the set patterns of the time to tell a thoroughly modern story. It also brought asadoras out of a ratings slump at the time. This fact is no surprise when you watch it. Though most asadoras can be described as "addicting," I think this one embodies the word the most. One episode after the next. I never got bored watching it. Yes, there were storylines I didn't particularly like, but I was never bored and I just needed to keep watching.One of the core themes of "Futarikko" is finding happiness. Despite setback after setback, each character in this asadora finds happiness in their chosen path. Strangely, it took me until the next to final week to actually understand this. I was being a bit judgey, questioning why certain characters ended up where they were or how they made their choices. Happiness is hard to win. You may accomplish your dreams and find complete contentment in that. Or you may not accomplish your dreams, but you may find happiness in a different place. "Futarikko" highlights the different paths a person can take. I'll be summarizing this asadora a bit, because that's the only way I can talk about it right now.
Unconventionally for an asadora, it follows a pair of twins, Kyoko (Iwasaki Hiromi) and Reiko (Kikuchi Maiko). These two are played brilliantly in the first two weeks by child actresses Mikura Mana and Kana. The twins' personalities are perfectly established by Mana and Kana, before being taken over by Hiromi and Maiko. Kyoko is a slightly clueless tomboy whom becomes enamored with the game of shogi. Reiko is the intelligent honor student who secretly longs for a lavish lifestyle. The entire series changes with Reiko's decision to live with their rich grandparents, whom her mother has not seen in twenty years. Poor Kyoko, meanwhile, is terrible at school and decides to drop out. She apprentices for her father briefly, before deciding to pursue a career in professional shogi.
As with most asadoras, the love interests are usually one of the most interesting aspects. And boy is this part juicy in "Futarikko." Prepare yourself for major spoilers. Reiko's first boyfriend is Kaito Shohei (Yamamoto Taro), a rich boy she meets in college. She basically lies about her entire background and Kaito breaks up with her, which he later regrets. Reiko then becomes interested in Kaito's friend Moriyama Shiro (Uchino Seiyou), whom Kyoko is in love with. Moriyama seems completely uninterested in being in this love triangle [lol], though he does ultimately pick Kyoko. Reiko shows that she's a good sister after all by convincing Kyoko to follow her feelings. She then chooses ever loyal neighbor Masao (Ihara Tsuyoshi) to marry since he understands her twisted personality and doesn't judge her for it. Of course, the troubles don't stop here...
After the time skip, Reiko is shown to be taking Masao for granted. Kaito reenters the picture and apparently still loves Reiko. She nearly marries Kaito (in a sacrificial act actually), but stays with Masao and turns into an ordinary housewife. Her twins Remi and Mami (also played by Mana and Kana) mirror her and Kyoko's personalities. Much like herself years earlier, Mami judges Reiko's choices. In a powerful moment, Reiko declares that her dreams failed but that her current life has made her the happiest. Meanwhile, Kyoko has divorced Moriyama in order to focus on shogi completely and after a traumatizing event. I personally nearly tapped out at this point. However, I will concede that while I don't like it, what their relationship turns into is ultimately more meaningful than just being married.
One final note on Masao. He's one of those dumb idiotic childhood friends you'll often see in asadoras. I thought he was a little creepy at first tbh. However, I slowly warmed up to him. He doesn't ignore Reiko's feelings and seems to be aware that she's mostly using him (for rides, comfort, etc.). Masao accepts their relationship as is and doesn't expect more until Reiko proposes to him. This is a rare case where the dumb idiot earns the love of the heroine.
Okay, now to a storyline I greatly dislike even if it was entertaining. The twins' parents, Koichi (Danta Yasunori) and Chiaki (Tezuka Satomi), eloped twenty years before the series starts. Chiaki left her rich lifestyle to help Koichi with his tofu shop. Despite this, Koichi never seems to let go of his insecurities. And let me tell you, male insecurities are one of the most annoying things to watch. Of course, I sorta understand what eventually drove him to run away with another woman. But... that doesn't mean I like it at all. Especially when his wife swallows her pride but he ignores her... Anyway, part of me really wanted to hate Aurora Teruko (Kawai Michiko), the singer he left with. But, after hearing her story later on, it's hard not to feel sorry for her or blame her for seizing her happiness even at the expense of others. Of course, Koichi and Chiaki get back together though I wonder if it would've been better for them to stay apart. [Or maybe not drag the story so long...]
This review is already getting too long so I won't get into the plethora of wonderful side characters. I will say that some of my favorites were from the shogi side of the series, including Amamiya (Taguchi Hiromasa) and Hashiba (Shigeyama Motohiko).
"Futarikko" is an amazing experience. It's a look at a different kind of asadora, completely different from the asadoras of the last twenty or so years. The two heroines are so unique and I loved them even if I didn't always like them. I'm so happy we have subs for this series, even if they're incomplete. My tip if you're Japanese isn't good is to use the Google Translate app while watching the episodes and scenes missing subtitles. You'll get the gist of what they're saying.
My Asadora Ranking: https://kisskh.at/list/LAlqpp21
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This review may contain spoilers
"Even if we are far apart, the bonds between our hearts will never break."
"Churasan 4" is the third sequel to the 2001 asadora "Churasan." As stated in my previous reviews, the amount of sequels is indicative to how popular this asadora was at the time. Of course, "Churasan 4" is only two episodes which tells you that this was very much the swan song of this series as a whole. Strangely enough, I preferred "Churasan 4" to both of the previous sequels. It was very much what I always wanted from "Churasan," but it was also a case of too little too late.The plot of "Churasan 4" is relatively simple. Eri (Kuninaka Ryoko) and Fumiya (Kohashi Kenji) are finally back in Kohama permanently. Kazuya (Suzuki Shogo) is a little older now and acting very obstinately towards his mother, which is rather cute. The family spends the New Year with Eri's family and there's some shenanigans with her father Keibun (Sakai Masaaki). The second plot follows Yoko (Yo Kimiko) who decides that she wants to move her family to Kohama. Shibata (Murata Takehiro) agrees and they arrive with their daughter to their new home, which they plan to turn into a lodging house. Eri and Yoko also reaffirm their sisterly relationship with Mariya (Kanno Miho), reminding her that they will always be connected despite the distance between them.
The latter half of the original "Churasan" and the two sequels always seemed afraid to make huge changes, instead opting to have everyone be the same place (i.e. that stupid boardinghouse!!). This final sequel evidently realized it was the FINAL and finally made some decisions and stuck by them. As I said before, this is everything I had wanted before. I just wish I hadn't had to sit through 30+ episodes of the original and eleven episodes of the sequels to get here...
While I prefer "Churasan 4" to the previous sequels, it would've been better had it been extended to four episodes in total. There's also some missing fan favorite characters like Keitatsu and Haruka. Poor Keitatsu couldn't even be redeemed from his treatment in "Churasan 3." So, in conclusion, I can't really recommend any of these sequels unless you're just "Churasan"'s biggest fan. I'm happy the series ended on a high note, but it honestly should've just been left with the original "Churasan."
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"Being alive is so much fun."
"Churasan 2" is the sequel to the 2001 asadora "Churasan." It's rare for an asadora to receive a sequel, especially a multi-episode sequel and it's even rarer for the sequel to be subbed by fansubbers. This sequel and the fact that there are two other installments attest to "Churasan"'s popularity at the time. Unfortunately, in my experience, asadora sequels/specials are either not good or just disappointing. "Churasan 2" did not prove me wrong.The sequel is set a year after the original "Churasan" ended. Eri (played by Kuninaka Ryoko) and Fumiya (Kohashi Kenji) have been living in Kohama for a year with their son while running a clinic. The couple decide to move back to Tokyo in order to study medicine more to continue helping the island residents in the future. Eri becomes a travelling nurse under her former colleague Nanako (Sato Aiko), whom married her brother Keisho (Gori) though they live separately most of the time.
"Churasan 2" has many of the same problems I complained about in my review for the first "Churasan." First, Eri leaves Okinawa just to go back to that boardinghouse again!! I get it. They wanted a centralized location for a bunch of the characters to gather, but more and more people come to live there like it's prime real estate. It's just unrealistic that that many people would want to live there without any problems. And, from a story perspective, it shows that these people have not grown. I really just wanted to see more of Okinawa!
Second, the humor and gags were in overdrive. Obviously, a lot of the gags really worked with the original audience because they overused the same jokes several times. Of course, I'm not Japanese and it's not 2003 anymore so the jokes only made me laugh half of the time. The rest of my time I was rolling my eyes because I've heard that joke fifty times already! For me, this really took me out of the story but it's not the worst element of "Churasan 2."
Third, random storylines and character changes/regression. Despite being a six episode miniseries, the writer's still structured it like a fifteen minute per episode asadora. There were just random storylines that come out of nowhere in the middle of an episode like revealing Keisho's birth father. Why? I don't care about either of these men, especially since Keisho repeats the same mistake he made at the beginning of the original "Churasan." I really don't understand what was going on with Keisho and his "wife" Nanako, though I guess it was kinda cute? Then there's the character assassination of Haruka (Konishi Manami). She's originally a very cool character that can come off as somewhat cold, but in "Churasan 2" they make her some lovesick, manic girl who forcibly comes to live at the boardinghouse. And they try to pair her with Tencho (Fujiki Hayato) for a second and if they had happened I would've rioted. My last character complaint is that Yoko (Yo Kimiko) and Shibata (Murata Takehiro) find out that they're having a baby at the end. I wish this would've happened between the series' actually. I hated how the boardinghouse residents just didn't change at all before "Churasan 2."
Now for some actual bright spots in the drama. Eri is still an airhead, but it's toned down some. Thankfully, she grows as character through her interactions with a patient, which is something I wish they had done more of in the original "Churasan" (not just that one time). Keitatsu's (Yamada Takayuki) struggle to enter the music industry wasn't perfect, but it was something interesting to do with his character. Mariya (Kanno Miho) is once again the stand-out character. Her monologue about her previous love story was very moving, though I wish they had done something further with it.
In conclusion, "Churasan 2" is kind of boring and kind of frustrating. It has some good parts that I enjoyed, but if you're not absolutely in love with "Churasan 1" I cannot recommend it The characters are mostly stagnant because there's nothing really more to tell about them. Unless you just want to see their bright happy faces again, just leave it with the original series.
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To connect…?
"Welkame" is the 31st asadora that I've watched. I decided to watch it right after the other 2009 asadora "Tsubasa" to gauge why they're both so unpopular. With "Tsubasa," I came to the conclusion that it was more of a matter of taste, though some of the criticism is warranted. With "Welkame," I'm sad to say that all of the criticism is fair.First, the premise of "Welkame" is not necessarily bad and could've been good with some MAJOR tweaks. But... I confess that I feel a bit catfished. The drama is called "Wel-KAME" (i.e. turtle) and there are turtles everywhere. However, the heroine nor her love interest becomes a marine biologist or turtle researcher or something. Being a writer, specifically a magazine writer, is not a bad choice for the heroine but it's not as interesting as a marine biologist could've been. Besides the turtles being a metaphor for going out into the world... why are there so many turtles everywhere if the heroine's given profession isn't something ocean related? Instead the heroine becomes a writer with some vague notion to "connect" the world. I see where they were going here, but it wasn't as deep or profound as they thought.
Kurashina Kana as the heroine, Nami, is fine but she's really not given much to work with. Nami is characterized as clueless, naive, and happy. Yes, she has her lows but we're mostly treated to her sometimes annoying cluelessness. Her love interest, Katsunoshin, has one of the strangest personalities I've seen in any drama let alone an asadora but is always pointing out how strange she is [which is actually kinda funny]. I felt only a slight interest in their romance and once they married I felt myself start to completely check out of the drama. Not that I liked it much before.
The side characters are either annoying or are not given the chance to shine. I really liked Nami's friends Aya (Tanaka Konatsu) and Kaho (Iwasa Mayuko). All three being at different points in their adult lives is great, though it's not explored as fully as it could be. Nami's grandfather Taizo (Ashiya Kogan) has a cute storyline about his first love, but it's quickly dropped. Nami's mother Kayo (Hada Michiko) could've been showed as so much more than the long suffering wife. Yuka (Matsuo Reiko), a somewhat eccentric turtle researcher, is ruined by throwing her into a weird love triangle [unbeknownst to her as well].
Instead of any of the aforementioned characters, more and more time is devoted to two of the most annoying characters I've seen in an asadora thus far. That being Nami's father Tetsuya (Ishiguro Ken) and her childhood friend Ippei (Takeda Kouhei). Tetsuya is one of those useless dads in asadoras that we're still supposed to like for some reason. He essentially abandons his wife and child to go surfing around the world until he can't anymore. The drama does try to explore the guilt he feels about this for a little bit, but quickly reverts to him being a useless, dream chaser. I will say that his character is not egregiously horrible. His personality just rubs me the wrong way. I cannot say the same for Ippei [the second Ippei I've completely hated in an asadora btw].
Ippei having an unrequited crush on Nami is not terrible, but his attitude is. He acts all arrogant like he's the only one who can make her happy, despite her rejecting him and never showing even a slight interest. There's a similar dynamic between Ichiko and Yoichiro in the asadora "Mare," which was slightly annoying. But, you feel bad for Yoichiro because he knows it's hopeless. Ippei, however, only makes me want to beat him with a stick. He never stops pursuing Nami until she literally has to reject him a second time. The writer really thought they had a winning character here, because they even try to match him with Kaho later. I'm sorry but no. A hardworking doctor like Kaho would never be interested in that loser with one brain cell.
Other annoying characters include Nami's brother Wataru (Morinaga Yuki). I was so sad when they aged him up to a teenager because he immediately starts crushing on Yuka who's at least fifteen or more years older than him. I probably could've tolerated this plot if it had not gone on so long. Then there's also Katsunoshin's cousin Maya (Yamashita Rio), who has got to be the devil in disguise. What the f*ck is wrong with this girl? She interferes in Nami's and Katsunoshin's relationship when they are first starting to date. Why? I don't know. I thought she was in love with him, but the drama never elaborates. Her extremely hurtful antics are actually chalked up to her "teasing" the two, which I just don't buy. As for the other characters, there are several sweet and nice characters, including Nami's coworkers. However, I just felt that they didn't leave much of an impression on me by the end.
Hmmm.... I went on a little rant I see. I'll conclude this review by saying that this drama had some potential but not enough to even leave me angry-frustrated like "Hitomi" or "Dandan." Instead this drama left me bored-frustrated, which is a new low. I'm giving this asadora a 6.5. As I'm still an easy-to-please person, I kind of refuse to give it a rating lower than that. I did watch all 150 episodes of it after all. One thing I will miss is the lovely theme song "Ano Ko no Yume" (あの子の夢) by Aiko. Though the opening notes have the potential to be grating, the song is really too good for this drama. I will also miss the cute turtle that appears during the opening. According to J-Wikipedia, his name is Kametta (かめっ太). Too cute.
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