I enjoyed it too! Great acting and chemistry between the main leads despite some silly/cliche parts.I just wish…
Just from experience ... this drama really just touched the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the absurdities of life and the twisted thinking that drives what people do and say. People are such complex beings ... you can never know what is going on in their heads and yet we make all kinds of assumptions about what we think that might be. I also liked the sort of lack of resolution too because that is what happens in real life as well.
I thought they did supremely well to shine a light on aspects of life that happen but tend not to make it into the media spotlight unless the proverbial hits the fan ... as to the aftermath of such incidents we rarely find out what happened.
WOW ... this was a very profound movie. TRIGGER WARNING: confronting rape scene.
Trust and suspicion ... it really is a case of walking on a razor's edge. How can you really know when it is safe to trust ... or when it is best to be suspicious ... and what if you get it wrong ... can you survive that, can you move forward or will you be consumed by rage and possibly contribute its perpetuation on to the lives of others 🤔
This movie really plunged into the depths of these questions and the ensuing rage and despair when it goes wrong ... and if the situation is redeemable / survivable. It is gritty, confronting and very raw ... the way it was filmed, scripted and acted was nothing less than masterful ... it is like you are grabbed and literally thrusted into the lives of the character and forced to being a witness to the unfolding events which were so realistically portrayed and delivered to the screen.
The theme brings to mind something Orson Scott Card (an American author who wrote Ender's Game) said that really nails the connection between trust, suspicion and rage:
"There's a sort of rage a man feels when he's been deceived where he most trusted. It compares to no other anger."
And in the end, after all has been said and done, what is left ... 🤔 ... loss, grief, rage, death (yours and/or others) <> forgiveness, relief, moving forward, alive
It has been a while since I watched the 2019 series Fujoshi, Ukkari Gei ni Kokuru ... in my notes about the series I said I thought it was ok ... but this movie version I totally loved ... so I don't know if I have changed or what ... I may need to watch the series again 😄.
StefAnd in their movie review above, said 'Every knot got untied'. Indeed many knots were untied and covered a number of different perspectives to one degree or another ... though how many 'knots' get untied will be a subjective thing depending on the viewer and their own life experience. I thought the scripting was loaded but some people may wish more attention to be given to some points of view ... but I guess you can only put so much into a movie. I liked the acting and thought it was well done ... and I liked the way it was filmed too ... put altogether, it made for a profound ... poignant ... and deeply deeply moving viewing experience. Definitely worth a rewatch.
I liked some of the underlying themes of "friction" and "Understanding". "Understanding" is such an under rated aspiration ... too many of us as far too busy categorising people and things into 'boxes' with 'labels', assigning a 'value' to those categories and then trying to convince everyone else around you that you are right about your categories and 'values' ... so busy that we miss the seeing the beauty and miracle of being alive and being 'you' and loving someone for just the way they are.
Trigger warning ... there are su i cidal themes here so if you are feeling fragile give it a miss until you are strong again and then come back for a visit ... or maybe watch it in chunks.
(: ⊙‸⊙ :) ... Whoa ... plot twists and karmic connections ... they don't show up early in the series so you got to keep watching ... when you see them the story ramps up exponentially ... talk about "the sins of the parents" ... smh ... wow (: ⊙‸⊙ :)
For me, this was 🌟 EPIC 🌟 storytelling. Don't be mistaken thinking this was a story of a sordid little affair between teacher and student ... there is far more to the story than the description lets on ... the plot becomes more and more complex and the psychology runs deep across multiple characters and yet it flows seamlessly ... it takes you very slowly at first and then before you know it, around half-way, you hit dramatic 'white water' and then things get really rough ... there are twists and turns and hidden rocks below ... what you thought the story was about ... is not what the story is about.
Your emotions are going to get a beating, but at the very end of that intense 'white water' ride of a drama ... the waters suddenly slowed to a gently flow ... at last you could 'float'. I had tears at the end as well, but these tears were of a different kind ... and now I just want a long firm hug.
"Lesson in Love" ... yes it was ... and it was a lesson for many of the main characters in this series ... including the viewer watching it. It is a series about people, their pain, their loves, their hidden stories and drivers ... it is a story about unexpected degrees of separation between everyone ... it is the story about the 'face' value of someone's life and actions and the fact that people are definitely not always what they seem to be and because of their hidden lives and/or because of their failure to communicate, it is all too easy to jump to conclusions and 'see' someone's life and what they do to be something that it is not and "kill" them for it.
My MVPs are Yi Xiang for his integrity and purity of soul ... his character ran deep and was definitely more than what you saw a face value. Yi Xiang's Pa is my other MVP ... not only was he a hot Daddy, but he was just gold in how he respected his son's self determination and saw through the game plays of people around him.
AWESOME series ... I am glad I watched to the end ... I am glad it was not what I thought it would be when I started watching it. It was brilliantly acted ... Edward Chen did a stellar job. The script was amazing ... nothing was irrelevant at all ... the art of misdirection was superb ... WOW what a ride.
◝(ᵔ◡ᵔ)◜AWESOME ... 10/10 comedic gold ... I loved it and laughed my head off all throughout. The last episode was going so well and then ... Ehhhhh (☉_☉) ... the end?
I am praying to the "Throat Buddha" (•ᴗ-) that there is a second season, and that until then everything will be daijobu.
WOW - This movie is awesome ... a 10/10 for me, I loved it but think it perhaps may not be for everyone. It is so loaded and 'raw'.
The movie was truely beautiful to watch ... so many cinematographic view points, which, to me, were very symbolic and seemed to reflect all the different states of mind of the main characters at any given time ... the shots looking up from below ... shots looking down from on high ... shots in and of 'enclosed' and confining spaces ... views of characters taken from a distance and usually with some kind of barrier between the view and the observed ... the staircase ... all the walkways and bridges to get from one place to another ... very symbolic.
It was also beautiful to listen to. I loved hearing the serene sounds of Pachabel and twinkle twinkle litte star gently weave its way through all the turbulence and intensity of emotions ... from the loud cruel words to the soft venomous betrayals ... the declarations of 'love' ... that fascinating empty clang of racing up and down those metal steps and walkways. The music kept me 'grounded' while watching all the trauma ... it's quite serenity was a fascinating auditory contrast to the sounds of the harsh reality that is life ... it left me feeling like I was embraced by it, as if in the end, everything would be ok, we would get through this and find knowledge and acceptance of self and peace of mind ... or something.
As for the story line, there is a persistent cruelty that runs throughout the movie. The FL, Narita, is at the focus of it. In her naivety, she is constantly being 'broken up' by Azusa; Ryoki and Shinogu ... she picks her self up, changes tact, 'rebuilds' her internal resilience and identity ... and then gets smashed again ... dusts herself off, 'rebuilds' then repeat. It is painful to watch, particularly when you see parts of yourself in that process. It is interesting to see how Narita's reaction to this persistent and ongoing cruelty, in turn affects those who have been using her ... as they too are 'broken down and built up'. Each character in the movie, even the side characters, are all going through an evolutionary process. It is so fascinating to watch the dynamics of that, even though there were some smh and wtf is going on moments.
The actors did an awesome job with their roles, they were just brilliant. This is the second time I have watched this movie and this time around I got even more out of the experience. I will definitely watch it again (for the third time) but I will read the manga first as I am sure that my third viewing will be even more thought provoking and visually and auditorily satisfying.
Ooo I liked the "deus ex machina" come "Rube Goldenberg" twist in Ep 11 :-) I enjoyed this series ... liked the characters' comraderie, character development, the humour and the inclusion of some interesting things to think about. It was all integrated very nicely.
This is 10/10 gold for comedic value ... 5 minute episodes but you are guaranteed your comedic fill each episode ... I found them to be LMAO and ROFL funny with lots of naughty inuendoes, telepathy and raptuous internal dialogue and fantasies. They really nailed the story and the comedic timing for this series ... just gold.
Yep another end of the world 🙌😄 ... the science is more credible, so I am liking the premise ... actually…
As for the asteroid/meteorite ... if that happened in real life and I was in Japan, I cannot think of anything better to do than either make my way to Northern Australia and go out with the big bang OR spend my time reading mangas in a library and meeting a Kusakabe look alike ... or more preferably Saito or Yamapi 🙌😄😈 and get all hot and bothered as we slowly freeze in the ensuing post-apocalyptic winter 😄🙌 ... so I hope Masumi and Ritsu can get their 'priorities' right before the big one hits.
Yep another end of the world 🙌😄 ... the science is more credible, so I am liking the premise ... actually am liking everything else too. I haven't read the manga yet but I know this is going to take us on a hell of a ride ... so buckle up.
In many ways this movie was very Isaac Asimov like ... instead of "Bicentennial Man" it is "Mercenary Oma" ... but that is ok ... I liked the story ... the special effects were really good. I loved that kick arse robot thing that could walk on all fours and roller blade as well ... they way it 'drifted' around corners ... awesome 😄. The eyes of the latest robot versions were fascinating ... they pupils were like little camera lenses ... I really liked that ... they almost looked human ... very nicely done.
The human side of the story touched on age old issues that have plagued humanity since god knows when ... our technology has increased but the human propensity towards power, position, pleasure and territory at any cost has not changed. It was nice to see this counter-balanced at the end by Seo Hyun's love for her mother's memory and love for her before she 'died' in combat. On one hand a sad ending ... but on the other hand a beginning of new possibilities.
Absolutely brilliant 🙌 ... this series is a visual and cerebral feast. The effort they have put into bringing this story to the screen is top notch ... the sets, the cinematography, the musical score, the special effects, the science and the acting ... awesome .... I am in the 11th heaven watching this 🙌😊🙌
I absolutely loved the manga this series was based on and totally enjoyed this live action version 🙌 ... it is a wonderful blend of escapism and profundity. Furukawa Yuuta and Baba Fumika were perfect as Oya and Yuri. I just loved the kabuki theatrical stage/sound/lighting effects used throughout the episodes ... for me, that really ramped up the intensity of the story ... it was awesome.
I especially loved the life wisdom that underpinned and pervaded each episode ... wisdom that came from living a yakuza 'life and death' way of life ... it is wisdom that applies to anybody's everyday life, yakuza or not. Everyone is born with a death sentence so Yuri and Oya's way of greeting and saying goodbye to each other, how 'present' they were when they are with each other ... it is so poignant and weighty ... never take your life for granted or think you will always have a tomorrow to do / say those things to your loved ones ... yeah ... \( ͡❛ ᵜ ͡❛)/ I loved it \( ͡❛ ᵜ ͡❛)/
I absolutely love this little 7 minute 'generational' movie ... what is a better youth ... the answer cuts across the generations so that it is not some much "what is a better youth" ... but "what is a better person" ... it is never too late, and you are never too old to become 'you'.
I have three episodes to go in this second series, but wanted to comment about the first three episodes ... it was that arc of the story that fuelled me to carry on in spite of all the gory mayhem. There are many layers to this series and the end of episode three really rammed that home for me. There is a masterfully crafted metaphysical thread woven through all the blood and guts and mayhem and fight for survival ... Kyuma's story epitomises this in both words and deeds.
At first I just wallowed around in great joy at the visual beauty of Kyuma's glorious nude body ... but as the episodes progressed, I thought WOW, Kyuma really is an interesting character ... there is a profound 'presence' to him ... his nudity morphed from being a visual feast into something that was very symbolic ... symbolic of Kyuma's abandonment of all the BS that we habitually and many times, desperately, cover ourselves with in our real lives.
Kyuma powerfully exudes this wonderful sense of 'abandonment' ... his mind and body are unfettered by mind-made chains ... he is so deeply connected with the essence of life and death ... so rooted in the 'real' reality of being alive ... WOW ... such a powerful beauty of being ... no anger or bitterness or despair or hatred ... no illusion ... just an amazing sense of purity of his own kind of 'being' ... 🤔 there are some powerful life lessons there. His words to Arisu are profound, and for me, aspirational ...
"I hope you figure that out. How to live by your own rules. Your life is yours. Don't follow someone else's path ...."
At the end of this episode ... Kyuma's philosophy of life comes full circle ... surrounded by the 'products' of a ravenous consumer society, so long lost in the savagery of its own mind-made delusions of 'value' and 'purpose' ... there is Kyuma standing on a pylon ... out in the open ... naked ... arms out wide ... face to the sky ... the most sublime look of peace and contentment on his beautiful face ... he is free ... unfettered ... pure ... WOW ...
This kind of philosophy is worth following through to the end of the series .... BRILLIANT
😄 I enjoyed this little cheeky gay rom-com escape to 2015 ... it was still censored compared to the novel (which is hard core in comparison), but nowhere near the censorship applied to Chinese productions post 2016 when China ramped up their censorship restrictions (and further again in 2022).
The plot twist of going after his ex's boyfriend was funny, particularly since he didn't know about Chi Cheng's past history. The end was satisfying ... except that Yue Yue didn't take the brick and there was no season 2 ... oh well. The "Special Episode" was hilarious and rounded my viewing pleasure of this series just perfectly 🙌
My favourite character was Wu Suo Wei's doctor friend ... he is worthy of a place in the "Top Wingmen" list for sure 😄.
I did jump around various sites to see the whole series but thanks to jedwanjun (below comment who has all the links) I got to see them all. MyReadingManga actually has the "Special Episode" that is not in jedwanjun's links ... watch ep 11 ... it is hilarious ... Suo Wei having a tanty because he wants to top ... just gold 🤣🤣
I thought they did supremely well to shine a light on aspects of life that happen but tend not to make it into the media spotlight unless the proverbial hits the fan ... as to the aftermath of such incidents we rarely find out what happened.
Trust and suspicion ... it really is a case of walking on a razor's edge. How can you really know when it is safe to trust ... or when it is best to be suspicious ... and what if you get it wrong ... can you survive that, can you move forward or will you be consumed by rage and possibly contribute its perpetuation on to the lives of others 🤔
This movie really plunged into the depths of these questions and the ensuing rage and despair when it goes wrong ... and if the situation is redeemable / survivable. It is gritty, confronting and very raw ... the way it was filmed, scripted and acted was nothing less than masterful ... it is like you are grabbed and literally thrusted into the lives of the character and forced to being a witness to the unfolding events which were so realistically portrayed and delivered to the screen.
The theme brings to mind something Orson Scott Card (an American author who wrote Ender's Game) said that really nails the connection between trust, suspicion and rage:
"There's a sort of rage a man feels when he's been deceived where he most trusted. It compares to no other anger."
And in the end, after all has been said and done, what is left ... 🤔 ...
loss, grief, rage, death (yours and/or others) <> forgiveness, relief, moving forward, alive
StefAnd in their movie review above, said 'Every knot got untied'. Indeed many knots were untied and covered a number of different perspectives to one degree or another ... though how many 'knots' get untied will be a subjective thing depending on the viewer and their own life experience. I thought the scripting was loaded but some people may wish more attention to be given to some points of view ... but I guess you can only put so much into a movie. I liked the acting and thought it was well done ... and I liked the way it was filmed too ... put altogether, it made for a profound ... poignant ... and deeply deeply moving viewing experience. Definitely worth a rewatch.
I liked some of the underlying themes of "friction" and "Understanding". "Understanding" is such an under rated aspiration ... too many of us as far too busy categorising people and things into 'boxes' with 'labels', assigning a 'value' to those categories and then trying to convince everyone else around you that you are right about your categories and 'values' ... so busy that we miss the seeing the beauty and miracle of being alive and being 'you' and loving someone for just the way they are.
Trigger warning ... there are su i cidal themes here so if you are feeling fragile give it a miss until you are strong again and then come back for a visit ... or maybe watch it in chunks.
For me, this was 🌟 EPIC 🌟 storytelling. Don't be mistaken thinking this was a story of a sordid little affair between teacher and student ... there is far more to the story than the description lets on ... the plot becomes more and more complex and the psychology runs deep across multiple characters and yet it flows seamlessly ... it takes you very slowly at first and then before you know it, around half-way, you hit dramatic 'white water' and then things get really rough ... there are twists and turns and hidden rocks below ... what you thought the story was about ... is not what the story is about.
Your emotions are going to get a beating, but at the very end of that intense 'white water' ride of a drama ... the waters suddenly slowed to a gently flow ... at last you could 'float'. I had tears at the end as well, but these tears were of a different kind ... and now I just want a long firm hug.
"Lesson in Love" ... yes it was ... and it was a lesson for many of the main characters in this series ... including the viewer watching it. It is a series about people, their pain, their loves, their hidden stories and drivers ... it is a story about unexpected degrees of separation between everyone ... it is the story about the 'face' value of someone's life and actions and the fact that people are definitely not always what they seem to be and because of their hidden lives and/or because of their failure to communicate, it is all too easy to jump to conclusions and 'see' someone's life and what they do to be something that it is not and "kill" them for it.
My MVPs are Yi Xiang for his integrity and purity of soul ... his character ran deep and was definitely more than what you saw a face value. Yi Xiang's Pa is my other MVP ... not only was he a hot Daddy, but he was just gold in how he respected his son's self determination and saw through the game plays of people around him.
AWESOME series ... I am glad I watched to the end ... I am glad it was not what I thought it would be when I started watching it. It was brilliantly acted ... Edward Chen did a stellar job. The script was amazing ... nothing was irrelevant at all ... the art of misdirection was superb ... WOW what a ride.
I am praying to the "Throat Buddha" (•ᴗ-) that there is a second season, and that until then everything will be daijobu.
The movie was truely beautiful to watch ... so many cinematographic view points, which, to me, were very symbolic and seemed to reflect all the different states of mind of the main characters at any given time ... the shots looking up from below ... shots looking down from on high ... shots in and of 'enclosed' and confining spaces ... views of characters taken from a distance and usually with some kind of barrier between the view and the observed ... the staircase ... all the walkways and bridges to get from one place to another ... very symbolic.
It was also beautiful to listen to. I loved hearing the serene sounds of Pachabel and twinkle twinkle litte star gently weave its way through all the turbulence and intensity of emotions ... from the loud cruel words to the soft venomous betrayals ... the declarations of 'love' ... that fascinating empty clang of racing up and down those metal steps and walkways. The music kept me 'grounded' while watching all the trauma ... it's quite serenity was a fascinating auditory contrast to the sounds of the harsh reality that is life ... it left me feeling like I was embraced by it, as if in the end, everything would be ok, we would get through this and find knowledge and acceptance of self and peace of mind ... or something.
As for the story line, there is a persistent cruelty that runs throughout the movie. The FL, Narita, is at the focus of it. In her naivety, she is constantly being 'broken up' by Azusa; Ryoki and Shinogu ... she picks her self up, changes tact, 'rebuilds' her internal resilience and identity ... and then gets smashed again ... dusts herself off, 'rebuilds' then repeat. It is painful to watch, particularly when you see parts of yourself in that process. It is interesting to see how Narita's reaction to this persistent and ongoing cruelty, in turn affects those who have been using her ... as they too are 'broken down and built up'. Each character in the movie, even the side characters, are all going through an evolutionary process. It is so fascinating to watch the dynamics of that, even though there were some smh and wtf is going on moments.
The actors did an awesome job with their roles, they were just brilliant. This is the second time I have watched this movie and this time around I got even more out of the experience. I will definitely watch it again (for the third time) but I will read the manga first as I am sure that my third viewing will be even more thought provoking and visually and auditorily satisfying.
I enjoyed this series ... liked the characters' comraderie, character development, the humour and the inclusion of some interesting things to think about. It was all integrated very nicely.
In many ways this movie was very Isaac Asimov like ... instead of "Bicentennial Man" it is "Mercenary Oma" ... but that is ok ... I liked the story ... the special effects were really good. I loved that kick arse robot thing that could walk on all fours and roller blade as well ... they way it 'drifted' around corners ... awesome 😄. The eyes of the latest robot versions were fascinating ... they pupils were like little camera lenses ... I really liked that ... they almost looked human ... very nicely done.
The human side of the story touched on age old issues that have plagued humanity since god knows when ... our technology has increased but the human propensity towards power, position, pleasure and territory at any cost has not changed. It was nice to see this counter-balanced at the end by Seo Hyun's love for her mother's memory and love for her before she 'died' in combat. On one hand a sad ending ... but on the other hand a beginning of new possibilities.
I especially loved the life wisdom that underpinned and pervaded each episode ... wisdom that came from living a yakuza 'life and death' way of life ... it is wisdom that applies to anybody's everyday life, yakuza or not. Everyone is born with a death sentence so Yuri and Oya's way of greeting and saying goodbye to each other, how 'present' they were when they are with each other ... it is so poignant and weighty ... never take your life for granted or think you will always have a tomorrow to do / say those things to your loved ones ... yeah ...
\( ͡❛ ᵜ ͡❛)/ I loved it \( ͡❛ ᵜ ͡❛)/
At first I just wallowed around in great joy at the visual beauty of Kyuma's glorious nude body ... but as the episodes progressed, I thought WOW, Kyuma really is an interesting character ... there is a profound 'presence' to him ... his nudity morphed from being a visual feast into something that was very symbolic ... symbolic of Kyuma's abandonment of all the BS that we habitually and many times, desperately, cover ourselves with in our real lives.
Kyuma powerfully exudes this wonderful sense of 'abandonment' ... his mind and body are unfettered by mind-made chains ... he is so deeply connected with the essence of life and death ... so rooted in the 'real' reality of being alive ... WOW ... such a powerful beauty of being ... no anger or bitterness or despair or hatred ... no illusion ... just an amazing sense of purity of his own kind of 'being' ... 🤔 there are some powerful life lessons there. His words to Arisu are profound, and for me, aspirational ...
"I hope you figure that out. How to live by your own rules. Your life is yours. Don't follow someone else's path ...."
At the end of this episode ... Kyuma's philosophy of life comes full circle ... surrounded by the 'products' of a ravenous consumer society, so long lost in the savagery of its own mind-made delusions of 'value' and 'purpose' ... there is Kyuma standing on a pylon ... out in the open ... naked ... arms out wide ... face to the sky ... the most sublime look of peace and contentment on his beautiful face ... he is free ... unfettered ... pure ... WOW ...
This kind of philosophy is worth following through to the end of the series .... BRILLIANT
The plot twist of going after his ex's boyfriend was funny, particularly since he didn't know about Chi Cheng's past history. The end was satisfying ... except that Yue Yue didn't take the brick and there was no season 2 ... oh well. The "Special Episode" was hilarious and rounded my viewing pleasure of this series just perfectly 🙌
My favourite character was Wu Suo Wei's doctor friend ... he is worthy of a place in the "Top Wingmen" list for sure 😄.
I did jump around various sites to see the whole series but thanks to jedwanjun (below comment who has all the links) I got to see them all. MyReadingManga actually has the "Special Episode" that is not in jedwanjun's links ... watch ep 11 ... it is hilarious ... Suo Wei having a tanty because he wants to top ... just gold 🤣🤣