This review may contain spoilers
Recommend to those who enjoy the mystical and supernatural genres
I haven’t read the manga or watched the anime, but the theme of yokai really interests me. And this drama is exactly my kind of thing. I liked absolutely everything about it: the plot, the meaning, the cinematography, the costumes, beautiful scenery, special effects, well-executed stunts, music, acting, and of course the actors themselves.A 14-year-old delinquent dies while saving a child, and he is met by a grim reaper who offers him a job as a ghost detective. That’s where it all begins. The eternal struggle between good and evil… And it’s shown well here that even evil can feel compassion and not be purely evil, but only partly so in form. The drama does a great job revealing the story of each character and showing their relationships. Overall, the film is very easy to watch. There are no meaningless dialogues; everything is to the point, and there’s even humor in some of them. I liked that people and yokai unite to achieve a common goal. Thanks to films like this or “Youkai Sharehouse,” you can get acquainted with yokai culture and learn more about Japanese mythology. The on-screen portrayal of some yokai is truly impressive and astonishing. Just think of the little fox with poisonous flowers or the boy with a dragon arm. There’s also an interesting character in the heavenly office — a guy with a pacifier.
I definitely recommend it not only to fans of anime and manga, but also to those who enjoy the mystical and supernatural genres.
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"Beach Boys" is very cozy and heartfelt drama.
"Beach Boys" is a good old Japanese retro from before modern technological wonders and all those smartphones—very cozy and heartfelt drama.It’s like a life-affirming ode to youth: summer, sun, ocean, beach, the sound of the surf, as well as complete freedom and open roads—a real healing cocktail for melancholy, light and pleasant in taste, warming but with a slight bitterness, garnished for the mood with an umbrella of humor. Recommended for any time of year!
Are we happy? Are we satisfied with life, and how do we find our path, our place, our “own ocean” in this world?
The question of self-determination can be pressing not only at 17–18. At any age, people can rethink and change their lives, if only they have enough strength and courage—and the support of understanding, close people is very important.
But even if you yourself can only timidly dream of turning off the comfortable, well-trodden path, just watching it on screen is incredibly inspiring.
Young, wonderful Sorimachi Takashi and Takenouchi Yutaka form a magnificent male duo in this drama. The characters have completely different personalities and life experiences, but between them we see a true bromance, chemistry without any hint of ambiguity. By a twist of fate, finding themselves neighbors in a cramped little room, they gradually get used to each other—irritation gives way to patience, then comes understanding and genuine, sincere friendship.
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Quite short but pleasant drama about how a modern girl ends up three hundred years in the past
“The Girl Ashigaru” is quite a short but pleasant Japanese drama about how a modern girl ends up three hundred years in the past. If I had to describe the drama in just one word, the first thing that comes to mind is “purity.” That’s the impression it left on me. And above all, it’s the purity of feelings from the main heroine, Yui. According to the plot, she’s an ordinary high school girl who doesn’t shine intellectually, studies poorly, but is cheerful and open with everyone. That’s exactly why almost all the characters in the film respond to her sincerity, and some even become “infected” by her purity and become better themselves. At the same time, there’s no direct moralizing or pushy “let’s all live in harmony” message anywhere. Yui simply becomes that ray of sunshine and a kind of guidepost in a dark world. Even though the time period is shown as harsh—dirt, hunger, battles, etc.—it’s easy to watch. Maybe because the episodes are short, and the director didn’t overload us with gloom and political games… Thanks to him for that. So the pacing isn’t dragged out—that’s a big plus. There’s romance, intrigue, and also comedic moments.Another plus is the lack of excessive introspection in the characters; they don’t get distracted by secondary matters, but once they set a goal, they stubbornly strive to achieve it. As for the acting—I liked both the main and supporting characters.
Overall, I recommend this drama for watching.
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