KingC

— 😁 I'm not much of a CDrama pro since I only began watching them sometime around 2016 or 2017? Me and my sister used to binge a lot of 80s Hollywood stuff and Japanese movies prior to the ‘drama phase’.
But, I've watched enough thanks to their easy accessibility on YT and came to realize very soon that 90% of them are predicable. Once you've watched around 10 dramas, chances are that you will be able to predict the remaining.
60+ episodes are good. Particularly for those long xianxia dramas. But, the cut down episodes in one way was a benefit. Half of the idol dramas drag around endlessly in circles.

— Goodbye My Princess truly deserved the ending. The number of people I cared for in the drama all got killed within the first 9 episodes, so I wanted the remaining ones to perish too. Cause, oh boy…

—- Lost You Forever is actually centered around two cousins - Xiao Yao and Cang Xuan.
Xiang Liu, in a way, does have a very major role - particularly when it comes to Cang Xuan. Hint? Xiang Liu is the fearsome General of the remnants of the Chen Rong army… and Cheng Rong was captured by Cang Xuan’s grandfather, The Emperor, by force, because when you are a King, you gotta so something to make somebody hate you. And Xiao Yao has a very ‘complicated’ and loyal relation with Cang Xuan – they literally only have each other.
But, both in the book and the drama, all characters get adequate screen time and chapters that help us establish a sense of familiarity with them.
The author herself is one of the scriptwriters for the drama, so there are not many changes. I read the novel after watching the drama and felt that all the drama did was literally bring the characters and story to life. Particularly Xiang Liu, because we get to see him for who he is and analyse his reactions instead of seeing it through the FL’s eyes.
Same goes for S2. So far, they are sticking quite strong to the novel’s roots.


To me, the author intended Xiang Liu to be more than just Xiao Yao's potential love interest. But, there are so many ship wars going on that the true depth of his character is forgotten. Plus, it doesn't help that the audience in general are easily attracted to characters like him. So, I personally feel like people are trying to fit him into their narrative, which ultimately erases who he is.
When you watch the drama, (and read the book) you realize that he is the only character who truly had his own agency. Everyone else are bound by some stuff that will bring them pain. Even the female lead, Xiao Yao, inspite of how hard she fights her destiny. They both underwent similar situations, but Xiang Liu truly got a chance to choose whereas Xiao Yao didn't.
He has a tragic ending by the way, but it's the ending he clearly says that he would like to have much earlier in the story. In a twisted way, he too, fought for what he believed in till the end, just like the Shinsengumi.
And the terrible airing schedule of CDramas? They've already had about 11 episodes out and it began airing like only about 10 or 12 days ago. I watched some glimpses from the center cause I just do not have the time to sit and watch 4 hours worth of episodes in a day. 😵‍💫 But, what I watched did not disappoint when it comes to adaptations.

—- This drama sure is capable of selling itself as a star-crossed lovers story, whether it is intentional or not. Pretty sure that one of the taglines on the recently released poster goes something like ‘I thought we'd be together forever…’ (based on Google Translate) and about how they were destined to kill each other. If you didn't know the context, it could mean anything. Plus, there is a very interesting character chart released.
Basically it's established that there are two pairs: Kyujuro and Daisaku + Namunosuke and Shinnojo. Plus, I watched episode 12, sans audio, and we are now being given Daisaku's perspective.
And… I don't think the drama is going to go all dog-blood because they introduced two more characters who were “real life” historical figures.
Ito Kashitaro and his younger brother, which indicates that they plan to go headlong into history instead of a complete filler.
— Kondo Isami comes off as passive throughout the first half, almost always at an edge every time. I personally know people who try to play safe, yet be in the central role, and unfortunately, it's not as calm as this drama. Ill feelings develop quite quickly and resentments start to heighten. He is able to read people to and extent – he was able to see through Kyujuro's innocence, and Daisaku’s ruthlessness. In a way, he is a nice guy. But…
Daisaku was 100% right when he told how he couldn't trust such a person.
Kondo does indeed have the brains and is observant, which might be why Serizawa thought that he could be the one.

— That's an interesting take on Daisaku's character! Okita mentions in EP2 about how he fights as if he was already dead - a dead man's sword.
He himself speaks the motto of the Choshu faction: that he came because he was ready to die. (That was a dead giveaway and one clean check would've confirmed that he was from the other side.)
Gengo mentions how they are asked to throw away their lives. The same seems to have been going on for Daisaku until he met Kyujuro and Namu.
Honestly, I felt like he decided to stick around Kyujuro after the confrontation with Sakamoto Ryoma. He never really tries to be his ‘friend’ and even seemed to have refuted Ryoma's question as to whether he was. (We are never shown this. I might be wrong though.) It wasn't until he realized that Kyujuro behaved more like a puppy completely trusting its mother than a soldier, did he finally decide to take him under his wings. He does try to push him away. (The sword dance episodes.) Then, caves in when he realizes how pure he was.
And now that we are being told the story from his point of view, it looks particularly sad.

— Too late for him to start making decisions on his own now. I'm saying this after watching EP12.


And you are right – Hijikata does what he did in the manga. I'm surprised that it happens quite early on in the second half - probably because Hijikata got new people to worry about? (The brothers.) The only difference is that Hijikata, I'm unsure about this too, isn't aware of ‘who’ the spy is. Only Kondo suspects as of now. By the way, he is legit scary. ☠️
I kinda choose the manga when it comes to characters and brains because the Daisaku in this version dug his own grave.
Honestly, if he spills the truth to Kyujuro even now, he may be livid, but he'll still probably let Daisaku live. Don't even get me started on Kyujuro. 💀 I am starting to see why Serizawa went “bye, Kondo stooge”.
There is literally an exact line told by Serizawa to Hijikata in EP9 being repeated here. But by Daisaku to Kyujuro. The foreshadowing is just too strong, and in the final shot of the new end credits where everyone is walking away from the screen, the entire Shinsengumi is there. I didn't see Kyujuro, or maybe he was just walking in front?
I just feel irritated that he is the only one in the dark. I'm not sure if Kondo ever said that the letter and information he got were from Daisaku.
I'm not even sure that Hijikata knows. It looked like Kondo was still trying to find out more about the spy thingy and speak things out slowly when Hijikata decided to jump the wagon.

Which means that the seniors are hiding information from him and in a twisted way, using his new found rigor to eliminate the enemies.
—- Yamanami San… he passed away in 1865. So, if they really are going to depict the deaths of certain characters, he would probably be the first one to go. With the introduction of the new characters, the stakes have heightened. (Apparently they joined at the end of 1864 as per history. So…)
And from what I read, things turn pretty ugly. Atleast, Saito Hajime now has company upto EP20. 🤡 The younger brother survived.

— I'm not a fan of Katsuragi or that Aizu Lord. Both of them are jerks of their own kind. But, at least Katsuragi has a reason to be mad. In an ordinary sense, him asking Daisaku to murder Kyujuro is fair. The Aizu Clan are brats that live in opulence. Heck, if someone spoke to me like how the leader did in EP12, I'll head straight out and leave them for the Ishin Shishi.

— Damn. Where is Sakamoto Ryoma when you need him? If it followed the manga, it's time that Kyujuro admitted that seeking revenge was pointless to him, right? But, unlike the manga, Kyujuro here starts to suspect Daisaku's identity. So… better things to worry about?
Apparently Kondo Isami was beheaded for suspected involvement in Ryoma’s assassination.
Plus, he has now become enlightened by some twisted idea that he can somehow protect the people if he becomes ruthless. Was this what Okita did?
And Sakamato Ryoma does indeed seem to have a part in the second half. He is officially introduced in the character connection poster as a ‘world teacher’ to Kyujuro.
So, they must be sticking to the manga's ending.

By the way, how come Kyujuro is able to stand Sakamato Ryoma, who is an Ishin Shishi? And how did he even get away by dealing with him without getting discovered by the seniors? Pretty sure he would’ve been the first one to go.

--- Daisaku will go full on spy mode. I think that's one thing that will never change in the manga or the drama.
The only trouble is that his identity is at stake.
Whatever the case, the drama just complicated a seemingly straightforward story. I think Daisaku never had to attempt to kill Kyujuro in the manga – his identity was the reason that they were put in a difficult spot.
Here, he is ordered to murder Kyujuro because he murdered his best friend.
I don't think there is any going back for anyone. But, this is the first time I'm seeing a story take such an irreversible turn to darkness when the manga, although dark managed to avoid the push and pull drama between Kyujuro and Daisaku. The history was steeped in misery, and literally everything related to this drama is advertised ominously and very clearly mentioning how everyone are eventually going to die – disappeared like a flash of lightning/fireworks.

—- That's what annoys me to no end. The manga version of Kyujuro irritated me from what you said, as it seemed like he took Hijikata seriously enough to kill his friend, whatever the reason was. But, the drama version is too innocent and blinded by his friend’s affection that he spectacularly fails to see how much Daisaku is hiding. Not to mention how he comes up with the most misconstrued explanations for every suspicious or cruel word Daisaku spoke. But, I guess that part of him bid farewell after his first kill – he needed the strength to protect his loved ones. 💀 How ironic. I still can't wrap my mind around how he is unable to read Daisaku when people like Shinnojo do it in a glance. Daisaku holds himself responsible for somehow managing to change Kyujuro. But, wait… since there are two pivotal characters being introduced, we can expect more to the tale.

—- Escaping out of a window! 😂 Well, they did depict it as accurately as possible. Katsuragi did come into the frame, but left/escaped on time. But, he unfortunately, seems to have the mind of a General or someone of power. Honestly, I wonder why when we are shown glimpses of Choshu meetings, they always seem to be stuck in some hideout. The overall reaction from the general public towards the Shinsengumi's approach is closer to their ideals. (Like, everyone looks at them in a rather weird way on the
streets.)

— 🤣 “Generally sad at how much his life sucks” pretty much sums it up. Gengo wasn't a bad guy from what I understood. Definitely at the extreme end of the stick, but not a terrible human being in general. I disliked him for his “divine retribution” and endless murder without a second thought. Ryoma mentions that he bad been warned to behave – which means he must've been infamous for his attitude. Who knows what he had suffered? He was hell bent on dying for his cause.
Kyujuro ending him sort of completed the circle. But, I still feel terrible for him. He didn't have a clue about Daisaku and Kyuu’s friendship and neither did Kyujuro.

—- Well, it was a secret meeting right? Gengo can't definitely go up to him and say, “Long time no see, bestie. We are going to have a secret meeting at this Inn to plan to set fire to the city the day before the Gion festival. Please join.”
Gengo was probably passing on the message to Daisaku from the Choshu side. It's just that he was able to meet up with him in person to do that. I think it's the same way that Daisaku manages to communicate with others – through written messages. As to how the message manages to make it out of the camp, I have no idea. Pretty sure that the original Shinsengumi had more than just 10 members, including potential spies.
– I think Daisaku knew that people would die, but he couldn't stand and watch that happen. So, he decides to run away with Kyujuro, who tells him that he wants to, but doesn't want his dad’s misfortune to fall on any other common person. He wants to enjoy the festival with Daisaku, just like how the kids told him they wanted to. When he stays to protect, Daisaku stays with him and spilled the plan to make it come true.
To be honest, Daisaku seems to have been the one who took the fireworks offer a bit ‘too seriously’ from EP12.

— I think they are heading to portray upto some extent of history. There are 8 more episodes, so they can't possibly fit all the endings, right?

—- Shinnojo did ‘ditch’ him! I sort of neglected that part entirely. After watching EP12, it's evident that he has many similarities to Daisaku. Namu and his master-servant relationship and sincerity makes it easier for Shinnojo to express his emotions even if he is not completely open about it. And Namu doesn't understand him to that extent, or rather, he is too straightforward, innocent and trusting.
At this point, I just want Namu and him to be happy. Kyujuro and Daisaku are a lost cause. ☠️ That monumentaly dumb plan ruined a lot.

I really want to know where Okita and the remaining team's stories are heading.

— Yep, the 2nd part seems to be from Daisaku’s perspective. He was training in a Han school before getting kicked out? [I remember Shinnojo speaking about it in EP8.]
Either he gets killed an episode early, or judging from the runtime, the beginning of the final episode. Or as he himself is the one narrating, there is a chance that he chooses to kill himself to make it easier for Kyujuro if he is unable to do it? Daisaku hesitates to kill Kyujuro in EP12.

(In EP13,'s preview, Daisaku seems to become 'dead' once again.)
They have to switch perspectives anyway. From the first episode:
– We already know that Kyujuro is narrating from the future. He introduces himself as someone back then who didn't know any better.
– ‘Cutting one's own heart’ – he understood it far too late.
— He has no way of knowing/ asking Daisaku anymore questions.
You are right about the Titanic thing in a twisted way. Heck, even the manga had such an end. But, Rose met Jack in the afterlife. Here, chances of them meeting is zero or the writers did film something similar.
— We get a lot of Hijikata and Kondo scenes. And Hijikata is legit scary and implacable. And with the introduction of the new characters, one of whom is historically significant as his rival, pretty sure that things will take a turn. As to how Yamanami comes into the mix?

— The series seems to have been filmed in a very short time. Probably because most of the effort went into the acting and sword fights instead of costumes. I appreciate them for that because most of the CDramas I watch go overboard with costumes and accessories and have zero story.

--- I don’t check any BTS too. Just follow the episodes as they are released. This one and I Hear The Sun Spot are the ones I'm currently following due to their convenient runtime. I lost track of My Stand-In after EP8 when things got too hectic, unfortunately. But, the lead guy didn’t piss me off too much even though he was innocent . Some people are just born nice.

I decided to spoil myself for Lost You Forever S2 cause by the time I'm ready to begin, everything would be out already.

I began this in April, without much knowledge, but it's a decent drama to be honest. Not too flashy, but just enough to pique my curiosity. And the fact that they are mixing the historical portrayal with the real one is interesting.
It's a wonder that they didn’t mess up so far.

I kept wondering after I stumbled on twitter, why people kept thinking he was going to kiss him. 😂

His hands are in 100% "SQUEEZE!" mode.

It's obvious that Katsuragi orders him to kill Kyujuro. Blood for blood. The same thing sort of happens in the manga in a rather twisted manner.

Here is the link for Nutmegfluff's post. She took a lot of time to explain all this to dumb old me, so if you aren't bothered by spoilers: https://kisskh.at/762955-kimi-to-yukite-saku-shinsengumi-seishunroku#comment-17521709

And no more sakura. Plus, now that I think about it, the fight that happens at beginning maybe for a totally different reason - possibly Daisaku does try to kill Kyujuro and he finds out everything in a rather terrible manner?
Well. Daisaku is dying anyways.
As you said. Let's find out.

No, no. Don't be sorry. Thank 'you' for taking your time to respond. Long replies don’t bother me. 😁

Well, I guess Daisaku's confusion about his feelings ended with Gengo's death. The synopsis for the next episode pretty much goes: They finally became enemies. Not to mention, there is a scene which seems to be Daisaku going to strangle Kyujuro while he is sleeping.

Honestly, all this could’ve been avoided if Daisaku had just confessed the truth to Kyujuro.

I think the
main reason he chose to save Kyujuro was because he (and the rest of the Yamanami corps), unlike Gengo, himself and the rest of the people who were blinded by their goals, was simply there in a desperate attempt to somehow become stronger and try to protect the people he loved. He had his happiness snatched away, and he was still too naive, young and innocent to be put in such a difficult situation.

But, I do agree that Daisaku made a lot of questionable decisions in the past few episodes. But, I do believe that he made those decisions for what he thought would be the best. That letter thingy was decided when Gengo refused to give up the fire plan and wanted a 'necessary sacrifice'. And Katsuragi, from what I observed, is not exactly the kindest man there. Pretty sure that Daisaku thought that making the Shinsengumi incite a ruckus would ruin their plan somehow. I'm sure he was dying of guilt and the situation was highly unfavorable for him -- he had saved a frozen Kyujuro, yet couldn’t say a single word to Gengo that would reveal his identity. (Which pretty much got ruined anyways.)

The manga ended before the Ikedaya, and they changed several stuff anyways. (I haven't read it myself, but there is well described summary by Nutmegfluff from a month ago if you scroll down.) So, whatever is happening now is the scriptwriter's and crew's imagination.

– Trust me. Chinese dramas taught me to be wary of endings because 90% of them are just terrible. And it does not help that we invest about 40 - 60 episodes just to end up regretting the time we've wasted. But, there are also bad endings that are actually worthy: Hard to Find, The King's Woman, Goodbye My Princess, Nirvana in Fire are a few that I do think went well.
-- Yep, the whote haired fellow his him. The actor was initially listed as a “guest role” because Xiang Liu is a character who appears only whenever the female lead needs him and pretty much works behind the scenes. Yet, I think he was wonderfully written. It's sad to see his role get dumped down to a favorite ‘ship’ rather than for who his character is. The novel in which the drama is based ends with Xiang Liu’s final and only point of view, which itself speaks volumes.

— Honestly, I think Daisaku does have a deeper feeling for Kyujuro, but seeing how the drama ends, I don't think he'll just ‘throw’ everything away. Even the spy letter thingy doesn't make him innocent yet. And things are set to turn pretty dark during the second half of the drama.
He just wanted to avoid unnecessary deaths, not betray his people; like how you described that the manga version of the characters shared the same ideology. But, you are right about one thing. In EP11, Kondo immediately clocks that he is a spy when he lies about how he obtained the information. So, there is no turning back for him from that.
Plus, during the incident he was seeking out Gengo (Okita Soji notices him searching for someone in the midst of the attack, so more trouble ahead), which itself tells that he never intended to betray the Ishin shishi. Maybe stop their attack and save the people.
As they have deviated from the manga's roots and the story has taken a new path, I'm pretty sure Daisaku will be kept as a ticking bomb in the Shinsengumi by the seniors till the very end. (I suspect that a few major characters would definitely have said their farewells by the time Kyujuro and he fight off at the river bank.)

— I personally feel that the first part of the drama peaked at EP9. I mean, it was perfect – the tension, the confusion, the violence, the music (which is just so haunting and an upgrade), not to mention Serizawa-san himself. I, too, miss his presence because after his departure, I feel like the drama lost one of the few characters who actually had a brain. Now it's led by two muddleheads and two innocents, (I'll get to that later) and the seniors who are too stringent and implacable. Katsuragi himself said that it's easier to move about thanks to his demise. Which meant that Serizawa’s extensive spy ring did have an impact.
Yamanami-san is the only remaining hope, but we all know how that ended. ☠️
And really, I took that as an insult when he told Kyujuro that he was like Kondo. Kondo Isami is a character whom I don’t understand. To be honest, he reminds me of those 'playing safe' people, who just watch everything by the sidelines, yet never fully dives headfirst to solve a problem with resolve. I guess this was what Daisaku hated about him.
The character Kyujuro is too blinded by acts of kindness I guess. That's what I gathered so far from his actions that were plain naive. The same thing goes for his relationship with Daisaku.

— Well, I saw EP11 yesterday and I don't even know if it's good news or bad news right now. Daisaku does get slashed by Gengo, who believes that he betrayed him and raises his sword. Kyujuro (who had narrowly escaped moments ago) seeing this, kills Gengo. So we have our first half out with both the leads making it out alive, but the ending lines are from Daisaku’s point of view– the same opening lines.
Why did I tell that they were muddleheads?
Well, for starters, Daisaku. I think the manga one was a lot smarter than the drama one. Him lying about his identity did no good except get his friend killed. To Kyujuro, he was saving Daisaku (and getting revenge for his father) from a killer. To Daisaku, Kyujuro just killed his own friend. He wishes that he never met him in the first place.
Which is tragic because Kyu was only trying to save his friend (in his view, thanks to Daisaku never having told his past). I feel like I was right about Kyujuro being the pitiful one in the end. He has blood on his hands now.
And the short preview I saw for EP12 doesn't seem good. I'm sure that I saw him kill more people (aka, he literally awakened his killing aura and became a terminator) and Daisaku crying. And trying to strangle him in his sleep. I guess the “protect Kyujuro” part expired.
Which is a major change because I guess the manga Daisaku never had to physically harm his friend. The drama version now has a valid reason to off Kyujuro, however twisted the situation is.

I wonder what the end is. Here, it looks like finally having to kill his friend is the only thing that opens Kyujuro’s eyes to reality. Or something like that?

—- Well the one thing Kondo did find out by himself is that Daisaku was lying and was most probably a spy from Choshu. I have a feeling that he is going to somehow wait to see the chinks in Daisaku's armor or probably tail him, waiting for a chance to attack. Cause there are 9 episodes left. They need to have something to push the story forward. I somehow now understand why the manga stopped right before things got anymore worse for either of the main characters — the author literally made them disappear off Japan.
If Kyujuro is definitely Kondo'a stooge… ☠️ I'm okay if they kill each other, but I don't want Kyujuro to kill Daisaku because of someone's “orders”. Judging from how they were violently trying to maim the other (and the preview of EP12 where Daisaku seemingly goes to strangle Kyuu in his sleep, most probably because he was instructed to do so?) there must be some serious movement from the Choshu side. Possibly involving death.


Katsuragi lost points from me after he chose to run away and abandon everyone. A simple order of retreat would've ended so many casualties. In a sense, he is correct. But, it still hurts to see it happen. I can literally feel Gengo's helplessness at that point.
— That incident in EP11 was just confusing and emotionally exhausting, particularly for Daisaku alone, because the dude made some questionable moves which somehow not only implicated his identity as a spy, but also caused Gengo’s death, which I have to admit, was quite sad. Yep, final nail in the coffin indeed. Because Daisaku now seems to regret meeting Kyujuro. I said somewhere in a post before, he can't have his cake and eat it. Either he had to confess and make Kyujuro understand, or just stayed away from the whole thing.
What exactly is the drama’s story about anyways? It seems more like a love story gone wrong at times.
But, I'm pretty sure that Daisaku is going to take the reins to right the wrong that had been done. He must have done something pretty major to make Kyu enraged at him enough to cross swords and kill.
—- I heard tons about the Double. But, my last experience with ‘In Blossom’ was rather not memorable, so I decided to stay away and begin that when I feel like it. And the mass release of episodes doesn't work well with me. This is the major issue I have with CDramas. Hence, why I have stuck to following Korean, Japanese and Thai dramas during my busy days. They release episodes as per schedule unlike CDramas, who mass release 4-8 episodes at once.

—-Shinnojo is definitely going through it since the last few episodes.
[And Namu is going to have to go eventually as of now because the foreshadowing is too strong. He will literally do anything to make sure that Shinnojo stay safe. Or the drama fools us, but chances are low.]
Not to mention, during his very first appearance, he spoke about what he fears to Daisaku, as if he already knew that there would come a time when they'll be forced to part.
He literally runs off during the Ikedaya Incident and wonders about how the anti-shogunate factions were feeling. And you are right – he does know to some extent that both Daisaku and Kyujuro are incompatible. When Kyujuro snaps at Daisaku for expressing his dislike for Kondo, it's Shinnojo who asks him to calm down. (Also, when Namu and he were praising Kondo, he was literally just standing there and pondering. Plus, he does know that he and Daisaku share a lot of sentiments. The episode in which Sakamoto Ryoma had to save Kyujuro was right after an argument in which he tries to reason for the anti-shogunate factions.)
Here is the interview. I used Google Translate to understand, so my deduction might not be correct.

https://www.walkerplus.com/article/1205028/3.html

— The advertisements were those newspaper articles announcing the cast. They mentioned how they blossomed and fell off during the end of the Edo period. I saw it far too late to stop myself from watching this on air. 🤡

— Nope, I was wrong. The first part is based on the manga and they didn't kill off any character. Rather, things turn dark between the two leads during the 2nd half. Many pivotal stuff already happened such as Okita Soji's tuberculosis finally worsening and Gengo calling Daisaku a traitor at the end of the first half. Kyujuro hears this, but judging by how they are still together as a pair to some extent, I believe he himself cooked up an explanation in his usual naive manner. But, it's implied that he becomes adept at killing people.

Here is the link for a short bit of EP12: https://x.com/naruhina279/status/1808975097916453315

—-The end of EP11 and I guess the second half is indeed going to have some Daisaku moments. But, since the voice-over monologues are from Kyu's point of view, I wonder if they'll have to switch perspectives after Daisaku is gone.
—- Okita is definitely dying. I was surprised to find that I actually felt sad seeing him like that. The actor's portrayal is just spot on. I somehow began to accept him as this all-powerful and undefeated Okita Soji. As for Yamanami… it's evident that the killing off Serizawa left him scarred for life. He won't live long if Hijikata looks closely and realizes that he isn't as enthusiastic about his cause as before.
— Kyujuro is a sad character to be honest. The more evident this becomes as the story progresses. He went from wanting a simple life, seeing his father murdered, seeing Serizawa murdered and then attempts to seemingly ‘save’ Daisaku by killing off Gengo. The Yamanami corps are just a bunch of regular people who sought refuge for different reasons. It's strange seeing how far the drama has come from all the flowery beginnings.

— I wish that Kyujuro dies too somehow. And that he reunites with Daisaku in heaven at least. (Chances are nil since he is the one narrating ) Since the influences of the manga's story are zero right now, I'm really curious about how they plan to end it. At least, now both of them have a reason to kill the other and it's not plainly because of someone's orders. 💔

— That's what I find upsetting. Though, the whole thing starts off really ominously when we think back – the boy's father just got murdered. He joins the Mibu Roshigumi for revenge and then we have Yamanami-san screaming and Namunosuke fumbling around when we reach there. Daisaku is literally the only person right from the get go, whom we know doesn't really fit there.
The manga had more violence. I still find the ending frustrating (but it hits the nail on the head about how everything happening was just pointless). But, this drama is another level. I don't know which direction they planned for Kyujuro's character, who is now a part of post Ikedaya Shinsengumi, which you mentioned was the peak of their power.

—-I invested my time for My Stand-In, but the runtime was a problem and I missed two episodes. So, I guess I'll have to catch up. Every episode of that one gave me anxiety because of how foolishly kind the lead guy was.

--- Cute fanmeet... I guess they are sticking to the theme of the poster instead of what is 'inside' the drama. I wonder how the atmosphere was while filming. Honestly, there are episodes which are just comic in certain aspects (for eg: the sword dance practice, we have Namu and Shinnojo failing spectacularly when about a minute ago, there was a very neat and serious performance by Soji and team.) Then when things do turn serious, they go all out. EP9 and EP11 are the best examples. They wrapped it up well despite the limited runtime.
But, I guess the ending of the first part is a turning point for every single character. Particularly, Kyujuro.

I guess this drama's theme is more along the lines of 'sincerity'. Which I think is pretty hard to define as it changes between people and perspective.
Well, so far, EP11 disturbed/annoyed me enough to motivate myself to focus on important tasks, so I'll have to thank the drama for that.
I just hope that they don’t character assassinate anyone for shock value.

It was announced as comprising of 20 episodes broadcast over a period of six months. Just that it's split into a Part 1 (11 episodes) and Part 2 (9 episodes), just with no gap in the airing time. (There is a recap next week and the next part starts right after that.)
So, I guess, viki, which is releasing the episodes slowly need not create a new season page as the story will end by that time.

Gengo Shonai is not an 'antagonist' per se. He is simply a person who was driven to such means of violence by the Shogunate. People process emotions in different ways. [Look at Shinnojo-sama. His emotions are very evident from the past few episodes.]
Gengo values his comrades -- when he saw that they were being cut down, he asked for help -- only to be told to run away. [Bro. Katsuragi lost cookie points from me for that. But, as a leader, he was right.] Gengo is in no way like Katsuragi or Hijikata. He is a simple man who believes in what he thinks is right and values relationships. And hold your horses, I don’t think Daisaku was betraying him--he just wanted to stop the innocent people from dying. He was searching for Gengo during the attack -- Okita Soji noticed it. Most probably to explain what his plan was?
His mistake was trying to save Kyujuro.
Gengo's death is pitiful. Because he died uselessly -- his friend 'supposedly' betrayed him and Katsuragi gave up and plans to revive with a new army. (Kyujuro would not have been able to kill him if he had not raised his sword at Daisaku.)
His comrades all died. In my opinion, he was a "real, regular" character. Daisaku is the cunning and calculative one. Gengo wouldn't be able to fake his emotions like him.
For that alone, I like his character.

Killing 'anything' related to Shogun with no question, including Kyujuro's father are his only mistake.

Thank you so much! Now, more episodes to fear for their lives! 🤡
Well, apparently this incident is the one which established the Shinsengumi as a real force. So... they wouldn't kill off the major characters. I expected someone (fictional) to die though. I haven't seen the episode yet, but since they completely deviated from the manga, I'm not sure about the direction they are heading.
A new ending and opening song? Okay... atleast this time they'll be a bit more serious and try to reflect that instead of all that flowery stuff (the ending song atleast).
[ Hehe. I thought that most of the cast members were stage actors or pure actors except a couple of Idols. At one point or another, they all spoke about practicing the dance. Apparently the actor for Gengo auditioned for another role and got this one instead. He sort of succeeded in it though, cause I didn't like him dying just like that.]
There is nothing flowery, about this.
But, atleast now everyone has valid reasons to kill the other. ☠

Japanese adaptations are 98% heart wrenching from my personal experience. The only other option is Kyuu-chan not killing Daisaku, but instead leaving him and Japan forever. Though, this drama might pull something and somehow end up killing every character in various ways. (99% of the cast are going to die anyway.)

The term 'sincerity' keeps getting mentioned a lot. So, maybe by killing Dai was the only way to keep their friendship real? I don’t like it. But, yeah. Let's brace ourselves for the worst.

To be honest, it makes me hate the ending more if things go down the road you suggested. Dai got wounded for Kyu, yet Kyujuro has to kill him. (I've seen similar stuff happen in movies, so it's not an uncommon theme.) I can literally feel the angst.

Your welcome! 😁
Sure you can share, thanks! Credits aren't necessary though.

I don't know if there is enough time to stuff another meeting and ordering by Hijikata, but if it's a word by word reiteration of the beginning of EP1... I doubt whether they'll be able to wrap up neatly -- it seems as if Kyuu had just learnt about Dai's identity at that moment. And how are they going to power up his character to kill Daisaku when he himself is fumbling around a lot upto EP10? I just can't see him killing off Daisaku under someone's order, maybe he was capable in the manga, but here?

Maybe they'll speed run with everything that happens in Ikedaya (with focus on important characters like the two MC pairs and Okita) and end exactly like EP1 with another 5 minutes to show what Kyujuro is doing at present.
I thought that Kyuu-chan finds out about the spy thingy from the Gengo confrontation, though. Anyway, it's going to be really messy and probably stuffed with monologues to keep up with the continuity.

Watched EP10 and I have to say, Daisaku giving away the plan was not for Kondo Isami's (whom he clearly dislikes) or the Shinsengumi's sake. Rather it's an attempt to save the lives of ordinary people since Kyujuro wants the same too.
It could also be him baiting the Shinsengumi into a direct confrontation with the Choshu, considering how he doesn’t exactly like anyone's guts -- two birds with one stone.
His last line about how he was glad that he met Kyuu-chan seems to be a farewell.
And he literally handed over his identity as a spy on a platter to Kondo, so there's no going back for him now.
If Kyujuro (who is still unable to hurt even a fly) had to be mad enough to attack and slash Daisaku to the afterlife, someone (most probably Namu and many others?) must have died as a result of his meddling.
Though, it seems that Daisaku never had a chance to explain his actions.
I said in an earlier post, he can't have his cake and eat it too. Whatever the case, Kyujuro's friend was a spy who literally led people to their death and hid the fact that his father’s murderer was his sidekick. All the while he followed him, believed whatever he said to him and comforted him. He must have felt played like a fool.
Plain tragic, really.

No need to apologize! You can take your time to reply. 😁

Cdramas are notorious for their terrible endings – some of them are just gratuitous with zero purpose, but Hard to Find had a really good ending. In a twisted way, even Journey to Love had a good one. Everyone dies in both the dramas, which means that there is nobody left with a part of them lost forever. Speaking of lost, there is a character, General Xiang Liu in the drama Lost you Forever. He is complex and has accepted that he will forever have his priorities and loyalty ahead of love. Which by no means meant that his love was not strong enough – it was just that there was no way either of them could compromise for the other without hurting the people involved.
This seems to be the case for Kyujuro and Daisaku in the manga at least.

Well, Serizawa was an enigmatic character indeed. He was smart in his own way – I loved how he subtly warned Hijikata for jumping ahead to kill off any potential spies, but it is also hinted that Serizawa knew his end was approaching. Him asking Kondo to kill off Hijikata was radical, but I guess he knew that Hijikata was indeed a threat to his power or would go to sny extent.
I liked how he went down, fighting till the end, even openly scoffing at the ‘bushido code’. The actor was just spot on with his performance. This version of Serizawa was much more deeper than the manga one - which is a win for the drama. His interactions with Kyujuro was another highlight. Instead of them fighting each other, he slowly gave him hints and advice disguised within his actions and words.
[But, wait. I thought that Hijikata simply found an excuse to attack Serizawa – not that he really was set out to betray the Shinsengumi.]

I did not expect his death to affect the whole vibe of the drama, but it did definitely affect Kyujuro. It's pretty much a murder spree from EP9 onwards.

I'm sorry to say I still do not feel that Kyuu-chan is capable of murder. This fact seems to be cemented in EP10, where he rethinks his decision of seeking revenge. A very different change from the manga, I guess. Then again, Serizawa was not complex and kind there.
Live action Kyujuro knows that revenge is useless by now, and just wants to protect the ordinary.
So, I want to see how it plays out… within one episode.

And everyone is actively involved in the Ikedaya Incident– another major change in the story. And yep, Okita is going down.

Episode 11 is where Kyujuro’s story ends, yet Gengo Shonai is still kicking his butt based on the previews. And Daisaku seems to take a slash from Gengo in Kyujuro’s stead. This opens the possibility that Kyujuro did not kill Daisaku during the fireworks, but him seeking out Genko for revenge somehow got Daisaku killed. Or they went for each other after the Ikedaya Incident.
There is a conversation about fireworks and that bean soup between the two at the end of EP10 which pretty much foreshadows everything that is going to go wrong in EP11.

And Daisaku does suggest something along the lines that they both run away where nobody knows them and open up that soup store, just like how you mentioned in a post last month.

This makes the ending even more painful – Daisaku must've planned something much bigger to make Kyujuro mad enough to lose every ounce of trust he had in him. Here, he seems to be the one who broke news of the Ikedaya incident – his spy reveal itself is ominous and not anything like the manga at all. Like he really was finally ready to wither after blooming.
[I read about the real Ikedaya Incident and honestly? It looks like some really bad miscommunication/rumour spreading that had terrible consequences.]
Nothing seems to be going good for either of these characters – Daisaku will most probably end up getting killed without ever having had a chance to reveal his true intentions or explanations. Which sucks in the live action version.

And yep, he openly expresses his dislike for Kondo Isami in EP10.

I just hope that in the end Kyujuro doesn't get mad at him/kill him for someone like Kondo Isami. I sort of have respect for Kondo, but also think that he is a bit unintelligent when it comes to certain things.

Shibukawa's death was just terrible. I understand Daisaku's actions, but he literally got him killed. His only mistake was being a part of the Shinsengumi. [Majority of Revenge driven dramas have innocent people get killed.] I interpreted the scene as Hijikata attempting to catch Shibukawa ‘in the act’ by sending Kyuu-chan and Daisaku to first observe, then a senior member to arrest him once they confirmed what was going on. (Kyujuro mentioned that he could be wrong about it.)

And nope. ☠️ My hopes that Namunosuke makes it out alive are almost gone– there is a scene and a still where Shinnojo bends down to a wounded and unconscious Namu who is slumped against a cabinet on the floor.
Namu is too pure for all that fighting happening over there. If we notice, he listens a lot to what both Kyuu-chan and Daisaku say. He never really goes against either of them. Shinnojo bottles up all his thoughts from what I observed. He has this constantly torn expression.
And to be honest, he is even more distracted and contemplative in EP10 than Daisaku.
I don’t think they've met before, but something about how both of their line of thought seems to align makes me feel that Shinnojo had somehow deduced that Daisaku is not exactly whom he appears to be.
If there is going to be some”major” character change, it is going to be from his side.

There was an interesting interview by the actor who said something along the same line as yours. Guess he'll be forced to take the sword.

But, the drama was literally advertised as ‘stories of the youth of Shinsengumi who showed bright and disappeared in a flash’, so we are definitely seeing everyone go through some tough times. Part 2 awaits with 9 episodes, and I wonder if it will focus on a totally new character or just continue on with the remaining cast.

Seeing that this manga was written a really, really long time ago, I get where the author was coming from.
Though, in the live action, it seems to be established already that all the fighting is useless to begin with even by Kyujuro himself. (Yamanami-San has important stuff to tell, but I guess nobody in the senior members wants to listen.)
You are right about the manga being a separate entity and the live action being more of a companion – the entire tone is different from what you've said. Kyujuro himself admits that he was weak and naive, but still wants to protect the ordinary. His revenge grip waned after Serizawa’s death, but I guess that he will still try to snatch the chance to get a swing at Shonai, cause revenge runs deep.

I don't think Kyujuro dies, unfortunately. 😭
Daisaku does, judging by how he says that there was no way of knowing, and that all he could do was remember… while addressing Daisaku. [Once at the end of EP2 with the bean soup and once more while gazing at the stars whilst he comforts him.]
Now, there is a slight hope that someone does manage to kill him before the end of EP20, if Ryoma doesn't send him off to America. But, as I said. Chances for that are zero.

I intensely dislike endings like these. I began this believing that both of them somehow kill each other. 🤡
Whatever the case, I've been watching this since April, and I've invested too much precious time to regret or even drop.
My only complaint is how they baited me into believing that this is a fun drama with all the dancing and singing going on. Now, it ranks right behind My Stand-In for successfully
triggerring my anxiety whenever I begin an episode.

Haha. No problem at all. Thank 'you' for replying. 😁

Well, I read that the Ikedaya incident never happened in the manga (Kyuu-chan leaves before it, apparently. )
And nope, that was not Gengo Shonai killing Daisaku, but rather 'Kyuu-chan getting saved Part 4'. (Haven't seen EP10 yet.)
Pretty sure that is how he learns that Daisaku is a spy; it might be the turning point which finally ends with him killing Daisaku who must have had some major part in that incident. Looks like he tried to trap the Shinsengumi from what I gleaned? Or maybe I'm just stupid. If he did take that slash for Kyujuro... well, you can't have your cake and eat it too.

Unlike in the manga, Okita is going down in the live action. But, as they plan to continue a second part with 9 more episodes, this seems like a set up for the succeeding part 2. (Only the first part is the manga from what I understood.)
Based on my experience with JDramas, I don’t think they'll increase the length of the episode. They seem to be heading straight for the throat from the preview.

I didn't read the manga, but made sure to get spoiled, so yep, I knew Namu was going to die. But, his character in the manga and here are so different.

Saito is the only person who managed to live past his 30s (he died at 71) and one of the few who actually made it out alive.
Plus, his actor Shoji Kohei, mentioned that he has 20 episodes to get to know his character. So, yep. He definitely makes it upto EP20. [Plus, killing off a real person who managed to live his life unlike his comrades is rather unholy. 🤡]
Perhaps, zesty spearman might escape too, since there are accounts of him being alive in history.
Daisaku won't be killed by Genko I guess -- but Kyuu-chan. He doesn't look
like he is capable of murder in the live action. But, like I said, Daisaku's actions are like a double sided sword. Being his father's killer's sidekick is no help either, unless he confessed earlier.
People, even innocent ones, end up getting killed. There might be a point where he just snaps.

It seems that they really are going to kill off my favorite character, based on that official still of him with Shinnojo. ☠️
So, one of each pair makes it out alive... Unless something happens to Shinnojo and Kyuu-chan too.
I expected it based on Nutmegfluff's post, but Namu was the most innocent. [Daisaku's end is inevitable unless they change the ending. He reminds me a lot about those type of characters -- he loves his friends, but his cause is his life's purpose. Many of his decisions are double edged swords.]
9 more episodes to see everyone else perish. 💀
At least, Saito makes it alive upto EP20.

This is the first time I'm hearing about the phrase ‘mono no aware’. It's beautiful, but painfully tragic, nostalgic and wistful all rolled into one. 😭
Thank you for that!

[As for the CDrama I mentioned, it's a throwaway 24 episode drama, Different Princess, with not much substance, but I personally found it really enjoyable. The writer tells us on the spot that their relationship ends badly – the guy is revenge driven and wants to murder the person who had his family wiped out. He falls for their daughter. Yet… things go back to square one eventually. She knows what happened, yet she still makes certain choices. In a rather stupid way too, but I couldn't blame anyone when it happened because character-wise, it seemed fitting. There are quite a few CDramas that end as tragedies.]

And hearing ‘bunch of polarizing ruthless thugs’ is really weird, considering how well organized and kind they are in the drama.
But, wait. There is a preview of EP9 and literally everybody becomes a part of Thugs™.
They literally did turn it into a bloodbath and ominous drama within one episode – they even show the fallen cherry blossoms right before getting down to business . [Plus, this is the first part of the story, which I guess deals with Kyujuro and Daisaku, according to a TV article. If it is 20, then I suppose they'll wrap it up around EP10 or 12.]
I guess ‘mono no aware’ is indeed the theme as people have begun getting officially snuffed out. Starting right with our first fictional character death. Now, 4/5 remain, out of which one is going down for sure.

Sakamoto Ryoma has indeed appeared. I like that guy, unfortunately. Hope they skip his assassination.
They are going mellow with all the major events --many things are just told in passing by the Aizu Domain leader.

Daisaku is a lot different from the manga. I don't know if it was a good idea or if it did a disservice to his character.
Many of the manga Daisaku's duties have been distributed to Namu and Shin.
There really is no going back for him after what happened at the end of EP8, which was rather bitter. Those two could've shut up and just let Shibukawa go by revealing that he had just come out to see the girl, yet he had to go and yell all that. Or what even was going on in his head?
Or maybe the writers are slowly giving reasons for why EP1's fight happened?

He is definitely not making it out alive. There is too much foreshadowing going on.
All those monologues seem to be Kyuu-chan speaking in front of Daisaku's grave to be honest, or reminiscing about his past.

I have to say, it irks me that Kyuu-chan is still far from being perceptive. How is he missing so many clues? Even Shinnojo seems to be far ahead of him when it comes to Daisaku. Something about how he easily reads Daisaku makes me suspect that he knows that he has a rather unsavory past with the Shogun.

(I have a slight hope that Shinnojo would make it out alive, but I better get ready. He is far too kind a character for the writers to let off alone. At worst, both Nammu and he will end up as targets.)

To me, it feels like Kyu-chan is the one who is going to get the wrong end of the sword, no matter who ends up dead. He is going in ‘totally’ blind when it comes to the betrayal. Now, with added guilt and suffering, thanks to Shibukawa. [This is definitely one of the nails in the coffin for Daisaku.]
Not to mention, he still seems too immature to handle such a huge task like murder.

But, the way he was swinging at Daisaku in the beginning of EP1 makes me suspect that he was too shocked and hurt at the betrayal to properly have a conversation with him.

At least Daisaku has a purpose in the live action, unlike the free manga version, who had no additional burden except for spying and taking care of Kyujuro. [That death would have been an absolute waste.] This angsty version makes me feel bad for Kyu-chan. And the ending much more grounded. But, it still doesn’t make it any less unpleasant.

And it does seem like we are watching Daisaku's story unfold from Kyuu-chan's point of view. Kyujuro has no other intention except to kill his father's murderer, which makes lumping him up with a dangerous character like Daisaku sort of pitiful.

Serizawa is indeed going down before EP10, but I guess that comes as no surprise, but seeing so many characters suddenly turning dark is startling. His death is going to be sad, whatever the case. [Out of everyone in Shinsengumi, Serizawa might appear sleazy, but he definitely is more well informed than the others over there. At least in the live action.]
As for how Kyujuro gets involved in his death, I'm curious to know. But, he looks terrible in the preview.

I feel so conflicted while watching this. Well, this is a Japanese drama. They aim for your feelings a little too well. I hope that they don't just messily wrap up Kyuu-chan's story. Or at least give us a dream sequence or something where he gets to see Daisaku again. But, this us such a rare phenomenon in dramas that I am keeping my hopes at -10 level.

Whelp. When I saw the sword fight in the trailer, I thought that it must have been Daisaku who killed Kyujuro's father. 🤡
Then, we get to actually witness his death, all by people sans masks.

I suspected that he was from the other side right from the start. His extreme strength and swordsmanship devoid of feelings pretty much singled him out.
Not to mention in the beginning, Kyujuro literally asks him 'how it could happen'. The only real answer could be if he was from the other side.
Plus, he evades questions and doesn't meet the eye in EP1. If he was allotted to someone else's corps, pretty sure he would be easily suspected. People like Okita Soji and Saito are very perceptive.
Having watched too many dramas, his entire demeanor screams ‘shady’.

I briefed this story to my dad and when I told the ending -- all he said was that nobody would remember it if it hadn't happened that way. Plus, he definitely hid the fact that he was a spy until the end.
If Daisaku coughed up the truth by himself to Kyujuro, things would've been a lot different. Their story is doomed from the point he hid his identity -- I watched EP7, which is without a doubt, the final episode with peace and it's established where the drama is heading. The entire drama seems to be narrated by Kyujuro and his monologues pretty much confirm some points. (I think we'll probably shift to Daisaku's at the end as the voice over in EP1 seems to be from his point of view until his death. I'm not sure about this, though. Kyujuro's voice seems to have a ‘spring’ in it.)

And yes, Okita’s scenes must have been given to the totally fictional characters. Instead he is quite close to Yamanami-san, Hijikata and Saito. Dude’s now doomed for sure. 💀
Saito makes it out alive in history, but neither Yamanami nor Okita had a pleasant journey. If they included his tuberculosis in the official character details, we might be getting that part too.

The overall tone, upto EP7, has been so light that it's disconcerting to know the real history.

Hijikata is definitely turning dark – and suspicious..
(I was rooting for you! 😫)
The drama is starting to make it seem like Serizawa is heading towards his goal through peace, even if it means seeking unorthodox methods. In the manga, he seems to be more radical.
At Least somebody understands that the Yamanami team is perfect for garbage duty – he singles them out and it almost seems like an effort to keep them away from the tense atmosphere.
[I liked Serizawa's advice to Kyujuro in EP6 – it looked like he wished that he would stop trying too hard and instead try to avoid getting himself into a situation where he has no choice but to fight.]

Oh, no, it's thanks to your details about the manga that I understand some stuff now. It looks like the drama is following the manga quite closely in certain parts too. I saw a still and in the preview, Sakamoto Ryoma is showing Kyuu-chan the globe – he is set to appear in EP8.
Don't know how much longer the story goes after this meeting; if they truly are intending to wrap up with 20 episodes, maybe the first 10 will end with Serizawa's assassination.
(Each episode is roughly 20 minutes minus the opening and closing credits. And it's already pre-produced I guess.)

But, from the synopsis of the upcoming eighth episode, Kyuu-chan does start to suspect that ‘somebody’ from the Mibu Roshi is a spy.
So, yes… dark times are on sight. Though, with the clips, I think they will stick to the minimum and not go overboard with the incidents.
Like in the previews of EP8, we see Saito battling it out one on one.

So far from what I've seen, Japanese productions manage to adjust and deliver the best with what they have, unlike CDramas where they attempt to go beyond and it becomes glaringly obvious that they lack budget and people.

Also, in the drama Kyuu says that it's Daisaku who taught him how to use the sword - Okita is unable to make a breakthrough with him in EP6 and it wasn't until Serizawa stepped in that he got some inkling. So, the ‘spy reveal’ might be different?

By the way, something about how the drama focuses a lot on Namunosuke and Shinnojo's relationship seems ominous. (In the opening credits, if we pause at the right time during the scene just before Hijikata is officially introduced, there is a shot of Namu fighting while he is carrying Shinnojo. 😂)
In the manga, both Yae and Kyuu-chan survive. (The two pairs are the sakura team, according to twitter accounts. But, sakura is ominous when it comes to this drama. The word ‘bloom’ has a very different meaning here.)

Namu is the one who takes care of everyone, and doesn't have a single evil thought to save a life. Unless some freak accident or attack suddenly kills Namu, I don't see him dying.
Unless the writer manages to somehow turn Shinnojo against Kyujuro by killing off Namu.


Both Shinnojo and Daisaku are victims of the shogunate and both are in Shinsengumi for different reasons. (They even understand each other better from the snippets of conversation they have.)
Both Namu and Kyuu-chan are dumb in their own ways.
But, there was a moment in EP6, where I felt that Daisaku threw caution to the winds (or it was purposefully shot that way as he was already guilty that Kyujuro was stupid to take his words to heart) – after Kyujuro told him that all he saw was him after getting inspired by their initial duel.
He suddenly began spouting stuff such as ‘entrust yourself to me, I entrust myself to you’ and helped him for the first time. (Thanks to Namunosuke for that.) I have a feeling that this is going to come back to bite him in the final episodes.
Like that nonsense of how ‘it's a blessing to be killed by you’. Then, what about the person doing the killing? This is why I'm bitter about the end. Kyuu-chan has to live forever with memories of Daisaku. Maybe this is his retribution for seeking fruitless revenge? What exactly was the purpose of him killing off Daisaku?

A CDrama I watched this year had a couple with an almost similar backstory and it was foreshadowed very early on, but when it happened… boy, people were pissed.

It hurts that in the manga, Daisaku seems to be ready to commit sepukku for Kyujuro/take blame for him, yet in the final moment, Kyujuro has no choice but to kill him. Wasn't he even a bit angry at Daisaku for hiding his identity?
Daisaku is more friendshaped from what you said in the manga. Here, he is moody almost everytime. As if he is awaiting impending doom. I assume that (based on everything that the Choshu dude said): blooming = ready for death. ‘With you, I bloom’ = getting to ready to die, with you? Preparing for death with you?

I would've actually liked the Choshu fellow; he seems like a nice person (there is a moment in EP7 where he is genuinely kind to someone in the present time), but the instant he gets a sniff that someone is pro-shogunate, he goes ‘DIVINE PUNISHMENT!!’ and kills just anyone. I respect him for his cause, but his insane urge to kill is off the charts.

And the word ‘fleeting’ (according to Oshiroen’s subtitles and Google Translate). Have no idea what the word implies in Japanese, but it has been so far alluded to two characters in the drama (as of EP7). And the cutting one’s own heart thingy doesn't sit well with me at all. Daisaku seems to have done it already by the way he understood Okita, but Kyuu-chan will probably wither away, judging by his relationship with Daisaku.

It's strange to watch something like this. Usually, it's the winners who write the story. Not the other way around. Here, historically, Daisaku is on the winning side, yet we are supposed to root for Kyujuro, who is standing at the opposite side.

The adaptation is 'seinen', though it seems too short to have many blood baths.

As for the fluffy stuff floating around -- pretty sure it's a tactic to make viewers fall easily in love with the characters. [The episodes are short, and if they hadn't made Kyujuro naive and Daisaku darker, it would take some time for their relationship to develop to this point. Now, it's more complex. Same with Namu and Shinnojo - building up a solid foundation instead of making Yae/Shinnojo just randomly appear out of the blue.

I can put up with the opening song which is much closer to the theme of the drama. The last ending credits song, though? Oh boy. Unless, it's a song they all are dancing to in their alternate universe in heaven, I just can't take it seriously. Particularly after a rewatch. ☠️

Whoa! Thanks a tonne for this! 🤗

They toned down the violence in favor of more friendly banter and the darker side of Daisaku. And the manga is definitely a lot more bloody and complicated. There was plenty of time to flesh out stuff such as Kyujuro's relation with Ryoma.

From what you said, it seems like Kyu and Dai had a much more worry free and happy relationship unlike the drama, where Kyuu-chan is always confused about what is going on in Daisaku's mind. [And the boy somehow manages to misinterpret every dubious things he said/did.]
I can still see his concern in some of the sentences, but he comes off as a bit of a meany. Plus, he is ready for death and is burdened by his past.

The live-action Daisaku is head first involved in everything going on -- his direct relation with the assassin makes the ending much more plausible and the betrayal much more real. If Hijikata simply asked Kyujuro to kill Daisaku and he did it, that would probably be not as impactful, considering how 'light' the drama is... unless they manage to somehow depict some bloody clashes between the opposing factions.
(The only read murder we saw upto now is Kyu's father's.)

It's a shock to know that Kyujuro is the one who kills Serizawa.

In the drama, literally nobody seems to be capable of committing actual murder, save for Hijikata (there is a preview where he violently spars with someone and nobody would want to be at the opposing end of his sword if he had that expression), Saito, Okita and the Choshu gang, including Daisaku.

By the way, there are character introductions in the official site which sort of give vague spoilers, and based on that -- it is mentioned that Okita's mental state is affected due to his progressing tuberculosis and the multiple people he had killed. So, thinks aren't looking well for his character. 💀
I want to see whether they manage to keep the Kyu + Dai + Okita part together.

And unlike the manga, Kondo Isami is supposedly the one who starts to suspect Daisaku's identity. Well, we'll have to wait and see about that part.
Apparently, in real life, Kondo Isami seems to have been someone who just wanted to make peace. I can understand that he is dissatisfied with Serizawa, but he doesn't show it yet. Hijikata seems to be however, much more open about it.

Sakamoto Ryoma definitely had a very bigger role in the manga. If he comes into the picture, the drama will have to definitely move towards the darker side. [And why, oh why, did he come at the last minute to hand Kyuu a ticket for America? Why didn't he just give two tickets and throw both of them onto a ship earlier?]

Well, well, they literally puppified Namunosuke -- I will cry if he dies a sad death.
And yep, Shinnojo is definitely a modified, male version of 'Yae'. The 'favorite' that Nueno dude mentioned in EP3 seems to be alluding to Shinnojo. And he is definitely the most delicate.
It's kind of strange to hear that Namu x Yae and Kyu x Daisaku were originally on the opposite sides.
In the preview of EP7, the two couples have some fun time -- a very stark contrast to what was originally supposed to happen. But, I'm happy with this change.
Namu is the one who saves Kyu from Serizawa twice and defends him before Daisaku. He bandages him up every time.

As for Daisaku's and Kyujuro's relationship... Daisaku said some dangerous words in EP6, so I can see this heading straight for heartbreak land.

I don't want anything bad to happen to these two. Or at least, Kyujuro should start to suspect Daisaku earlier on, unlike in the manga.

You were right, Katsura Kogoro died of cancer, but he at least made it past the age of 40. All the Shinsengumi except for Saito Hajime (there were others too, I believe, who are not included in the drama) died before that.

I guess at this point, we'll have to wait and see who makes more enemies and at what point. I can imagine Kyuu-chan getting stronger, but him calling people is a no-no for me, except for his dad's assassin.

And how much darker the drama is going to get, because up till now, it's only the Choshu clan who are out for blood. All the other dangerous and ominous signs were somehow lightened up with sword dances, soft bromance and banter in general. 😭

Thanks a tonne! 😊
And yes, please! I love spoilers, unfortunately, as it's annoying to have my mood ruined by fictional characters.
The final Rurouni Kenshin movie had a huge hype in MDL when it got released. Then, I saw that I had to catch up to it's other movies too, and gave up. Maybe I'll pick it back up since I know some basic stuff to begin it.
I do think that this has a smaller budget, cause the Shinnojo rescue team was 3 people and about 10 thugs. Even the Ishin Shishi has 12 people tops. That makes it difficult to pull off any major battles.
As for spoilers...

Wait, so Serizawa does die in the manga?
In the drama, he strikes down Kyujuro, but also seems to have a soft spot for him.
Well, things are definitely heading towards a bad end for him, because Hijikata is not happy with the way things are going. So... that dude who goes for errands for him and spies on the Ishin shishi (Shibukawa Kihei) will die too, right? Or was he too, introduced as a new character?
And as of EP6, they revealed Daisaku's identity as the spy. How did the Mibu-Roshi teams find out about him? Also, does Daisaku have some particular animosity towards any of the heads - such as Kondo Isami? [Some of his words and one still from the drama sort of makes me wonder that.]

Kyujuro pretty much misinterprets Daisaku's actions and words. At the end of EP2, when he did nothing on seeing Kyujuro get turned to pancake by his Choshu comrade, and also in EP5 when he simply was being mean to him. Was he the same in the manga or was all that added for extra feels?

And does Sakamato Ryoma have an important part further in the manga as you mentioned that they are sort of mentor/mentee relation?

Last, but not the least - Namunosuke. How does he die? 😭 The drama portrayed him waay too lovable to be killed off so easily.

And definitely... does Kyujuro finally get his revenge in some way? In the drama, Daisaku is literally close with that assassin which seals the deal. Plus, he himself complicated things in the end by making some pretty astonishing decisions considering that he appears resolute. 💀
[There goes all my hope of the drama separating them in the near future.]
Does this all happen in the manga?
Terribly sorry for the deluge of questions, but I desperately needed some hindsight into what awaits in the future. 🙏🏽

Don't know if it's good news or bad news, but this is the first part of the Shinsengumi Chronicles. They are planning to broadcast it as two parts over a period of six months as per official information. So, it's definitely more than 8 episodes. @GinnyDragon mentioned 20 episodes.
Plenty of time to kill off characters! 🤡

They pretty much mentioned that this is a 'heart breaking' story. So, tragedy it is. (The screenwriter of the drama is the same as the one for My Beautiful Man.)

Yep, I did read a bit. I did not know what I was signing up for and never really cared much about the drama, until I stumbled upon the spoilers. So, I just had to prepare myself. Imagine that you are watching a flowery drama for fun and just enjoy all the sword work and bromance, only to get some history lessons and find out that you are going to watch everyone you care about die. 💀

Everyone under Yamanami-san are innocent (except for Daisaku, whose purpose is totally different) and fictional. If Namu dies, then high chance Shinnojo is going with him. 😭

So, Kyujuro does have a shift in his opinions... okay. I just hope he gets his revenge -- unless Daisaku stops him from doing it. (Killing someone that easily and walking away, whether your deed is for a good cause or not is plain evil.)

I liked Hijikata-san in the drama, unfortunately. It also seems that there is already some disturbance regarding Serizawa in EP5. And the posts from the official site are hinting at dark times ahead. I don't think they'll go full steam ahead in depicting the clashes. (This is my first J-Historical, so I'm not sure how things usually go down in those.)
Sadly, I'm too invested in this now for me to drop. Hopefully, by the time the drama wraps, I will be too busy to be upset about the ending. 🤡