Watched it in Osaka Asian Film Festival 2021. It's such a simple, yet really funny slice-of-life portraying souls working and roaming Shimokitazawa area in Tokyo, which is full of indie shops and artworks. It feels a bit like very subtle version of Moteki, where in both shows the main actors (who aren't particularly good-looking or good at dealing with opposite sex) experience a period when they suddenly become popular among girls. Aside from the low-key humor, it's the long takes of scenes with static camera that catch my attention the most. It has always been used in the genre but it's taken a bit further in this show, some of which clock up to 20+ minutes but it comes out so effortlessly and isn't draggy at all, thanks to decent improvisation of the cast.
Was watching it in the movie theatre this week. Really nice work with soe really nice little popculture references.
Do you live in Japan too? I concur, especially with the football reference (when Germany beat Brazil 7-1 at their own turf in 2014). Reminds me of that in Soredemo Ikiteyuku when similar topic was brought up in the conversation, namely Japan NT's run in World Cup 2010.
Ishii Yuya is already a big name in Japanese cinema. I think he is not so far behind the likes of Koreeda and Kawase.
Other candidates to keep an eye on: Sotoyama Bunji (Soiree) Fukuda Momoko (Kimi no Sekai Hajimari) Ogawa Sara (Koreeda's protege, she's an actress too but I think she's better off as director) Sakai Mai (mostly TV director, but her directing style is very distinct and unique) Imaizumi Rikiya (slice of life specialist, check out his work in one episode of Kasumin no Satsukyuu and Machi no Ue de)
I am not that familiar with the budgets of WOWOW, but the 2007-version was so grand. It reminded me of a Japanese…
I think if WOWOW goes all out like TBS did back in 2007, like doing more proper casting and invest on the best writers and crews, they might've well at least match it. We all know what's WOWOW is capable of when they get in the game (see Cold Case series).
Despite being an almost complete newcomer and in tender age, she pulls such very convincing and layered performances in Rinri and Ao no School Police. Perhaps even the best performer in both series. So far one of the best talents in the sub-2000 group, which is already a very talented cohort (much like late 90-liners). Kid will definitely go places, mark my word.
Damn Ep.5 is so intense, the problems of the two kids (Takasaki and Tokigawa) are no joke. The ending of the episode from both Takayanagi and these two kids seems to be an open one and far from complete (everyone is still unaware of Takasaki's underlying problem). I think it will be discussed in further episodes and let's see how things unravel.
So far this episode also showcases the best acting in the show. Yamada Yuki redeems his terrible performance in Sensei no Houteishiki with such sublime expressions, especially when he gazes Tokigawa at the school gate. Not to mention the kids, theirs also blow me away, particularly Kiryu Sakura as Takasaki who already impressed me in Ao no School Police. Kid's got real skill and versatility.
lol this one looks so weird - it has relatively decent young cast list (for example Shiraishi Sei and Ishii Anna are good enough to make it to play roles with emotionally-complex characters), but the premise appears to be closer to tokusatsu rather than a real dorama.
I sincerely appreciate MBS for being a refuge for those young talents who haven't got ever-vanishing chances to prove it elsewhere these days, but this one seems just way overboard and too wacky to my liking.
2 
8.75/10
BTW If you haven't watched Suzuki Sensei (the TV series), GO WATCH IT.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmFT8hfewfk&feature=emb_title
I concur, especially with the football reference (when Germany beat Brazil 7-1 at their own turf in 2014). Reminds me of that in Soredemo Ikiteyuku when similar topic was brought up in the conversation, namely Japan NT's run in World Cup 2010.
https://kisskh.at/people/23182-yanagita-sakura
Other candidates to keep an eye on:
Sotoyama Bunji (Soiree)
Fukuda Momoko (Kimi no Sekai Hajimari)
Ogawa Sara (Koreeda's protege, she's an actress too but I think she's better off as director)
Sakai Mai (mostly TV director, but her directing style is very distinct and unique)
Imaizumi Rikiya (slice of life specialist, check out his work in one episode of Kasumin no Satsukyuu and Machi no Ue de)
So far this episode also showcases the best acting in the show. Yamada Yuki redeems his terrible performance in Sensei no Houteishiki with such sublime expressions, especially when he gazes Tokigawa at the school gate. Not to mention the kids, theirs also blow me away, particularly Kiryu Sakura as Takasaki who already impressed me in Ao no School Police. Kid's got real skill and versatility.
I sincerely appreciate MBS for being a refuge for those young talents who haven't got ever-vanishing chances to prove it elsewhere these days, but this one seems just way overboard and too wacky to my liking.