Slow burning, mood horror that surprised my expectations.
Much better I was expecting. I knew the premise and that it was a manga adaptation with many many sequels (of presumably diminishing returns in quality). I already had a bias that this was going to be a very silly horror with cheap thrills but actually I thought it was rather arty and slow in pace. Perhaps that may turn of some but for me it was a real mood movie. The soundtrack was really wonderful and unnerving and eerie with a sense of foreboding and melancholy as the film became progressively darker.If you're looking for a scary or gory horror flick then you will be disappointed. I think that was where the series went in later installments. Instead this movie is a creepy, slow burning movie about manipulation, obsession, lust and control. I also think the choice to keep Tomie very downplayed and not on screen for a large part of the movie was really smart. It created alot of tension and mystery about the character and even when she is in shot she is often obscured from view. Kanno Miho is excellently cast as Tomie and after watching two other actresses play her since this movie, she has not been beaten. To be honest I'd say the movie is worth it alone for anyone who is a fan of her.
Recommend.
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A silly premise and rough around the edges but ultimately addictive good time.
This was really really goofy and requires huge suspense of disbelief but once you are willing to go along with the premise (and you will) there is alot of fun to be had.Saito Kyoko did a good job of acting as an older woman in a young woman's body. I've never seen her in anything before and really enjoyed her in this. She's very intense but did have this air of maturity about her fitting for the role. Mizuno Miki was absolutely wonderful and had me practically in tears in the first episode. I've seen her in her younger days but I was very impressed here. She become a wonderful actress and should be getting bigger roles than she does now.
Unfortunately, the rest of the cast were doing a very different kind of acting which sort of lead to the drama feeling tonally mismatched at times. The villains were all rather ridiculous and hammy. It kind of worked but then the two leads would be giving realism and intense emotions. One minute Mizuno Miki is heart wrenching the next minute you're cringe laughing at Shinkawa Yua's villainous character. It makes you wonder which vibe the show was going for as it flip flops from sleazy ott drama to intense melodrama.
Oh and aside, I thought Shiroiwa Ruki was pretty awful. Stiff wooden acting and just a general drip. Very miscast and shown up frequently by the female leads.
The ride was really fun though and each episode was largely episodic and never felt too bloated. It seemed to just sort of fizzle away at the end and seemed to want to commit staying sort of neutral. Satisfying, yes? Memorable, probably not. But as a short-form format drama of just 20 minutes its a really easy watch and had enough highs to make me look forward to each weeks new episode. A rough around the edges but ultimately good time. My score is in a vacuum of the short form extreme revenge drama style shows. Don't be expecting anything profound here, but within its own niche its a good one.
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A sometimes cheeky, but overall sweet modern fairytale with a very likeable cast.
That was far far better than my expectations. The effects in the first episode were a little rubbish but after that it was generally well done for the time. I also quite admire the actors for acting the entire series without actually being next to each other due to having to superimpose in post production. You never pick on this as a viewer and it's very convincing back and forth. I think the show in general gets better after the first episode.There's something really whimsical and innocent about this show feels almost sad watching in 2025 as a relic of an era capable of simplicity in TV that I feel has been a bit lost now. Pure romance without the cynicism and edge a modern show would need to include. It used to be a bit cringe now I find it refreshing.
I had heard the ending left people wanting more but personally I feel very satisfied. I need to hunt the special episode sequel down now but honestly, I'm not sure it needed one.
Warm, sincere and decently acted within the expectation of the genre and target audience. Easy to see why it was popular. If I had one complaint, episode 9 was a drag and could have been chopped as very little actually happened that couldn't have been said in 15 minutes. The ending song is also really pretty sung by the lead actress and really sums up the shows energy. I often skip endings but enjoyed this one.
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Go Home: Keishicho Mimoto Fumeinin Sodanshitsu
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A moving emotional investigation drama without the grit and murder.
I'm not sure why I chose to watch this drama as generally I shy away from Japanese crime dramas as my experience of them hasn't been too great. However I did try, and was immensely surprised. Each episode of Go Home deals with a deceased person who's identity largely remains unknown. The team work hard to find who they are and to try to have their family collect their remains so they may finally rest in peace. This usually involves finding out what happened to them and often some sort of emotional journey, learning and acceptance. Unlike most shows it's not usually the victim of murder and is more focused on who the person was in life often without a culprit or heavy violence.I give this a 9.5 because one or two episodes were a bit of a miss for me but when it hit, it really hit. I found myself getting very teary at a few of the stories, this will depend on your own personal triggers but one or two episodes really struck chords. One episode I won't say much on handled a topic I don't see as much in Japanese media (although I haven't been keeping up with modern shows and I thought it was incredibly well done and a positive portrayal.
I found most of the conclusions to be satisfactory and didn't extend too far into realms of unrealistic leaps which I tend to find happen in Japanese crime shows I've seen before. The cast were all brilliant and I really took a shine to Oshima Yuko. She has come a long long way since I last saw her in a show over 10 years ago. Actually want to see her in more now. Koshiba Fuka was a new face to me and one I would like to see again. I especially loved the dynamic of the friendship between the two women who are almost a decade difference in age. It was a nice onscreen chemistry.
If you want a nice emotional possibly tearjerking investigation series then this is a big recommend. In a cynical world it was nice to just watch stories of often flawed but ultimately good people and trying to find resolves and closure to painful feelings of those left behind. It's one you can watch off and on too as while there is a slight over arcing story, it's largely "case of the week" format. Top drama of 2024 for me and the finale was a nice conclusion that tied up everything well. I really hope this gets a 2nd season.
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