I admit it was gripping until halfway through, and then the character development kind of went downhill just to make way to the (sometimes shoddy) plot twists. I would have appreciated less of that and more consistency. (But, in all probability, this drama is just a faithful adaptation of a manga confused about its own genre - or confused about how genres are subverted skillfully.) Nonetheless, not a bad watch!
This was a rollercoaster. I have no idea how Sakamoto does it every time - but this mix of genres was quite explosive.…
Even if by episode 8/9, the final killer 'reveal' was pretty obvious... the last episode was a masterpiece of writing, acting and direction. Frankly, I wish all tv was a Sakamoto Yuji's script.
This was a rollercoaster. I have no idea how Sakamoto does it every time - but this mix of genres was quite explosive. I hope we get another thriller/detective drama from him soon!
Ep. 8: I don't know if it has to do with the fact that they have just introduced his character as a 'real-life tsundere', but I am kind of falling for Takanashi/Odagiri Joe too (lol)
E4. Kagome is HANDS DOWN my favourite character in this drama. I freaking love her & teared up because I related…
What I especially love about this comment is that it's almost word by word what I wrote 20 days ago. XD I have wished more than once that Kagome was my friend.
Rintaro calling Nagisa, Mio at the end!! and notice how Rintaro's clothes are getting less darker and more lightBased…
Cool, thanks! I did not know that in Otogizoshi he ended up turning into a crane and reuniting with Otohime on Horaisan, that such a fascinating ending for it. (I just knew the most common version that ends with him opening the box.)
That's a really cute and romantic reading for the drama, btw, I hope you're right!
I do find this drama mindlessly fun, but sometimes I feel I am asked to suspend my disbelief too often. The mother's death is still a bit unbelievable to me, e.g.: How little sense of self-preservation does someone have to have to die trying to get a beachball (or was it a frisbee) back? Why not just turn back when you realize you're going too far? Or, I guess the simplicity with which Rintaro or Kamoi-san accept everything is just a little puzzling to me. Then again, I guess this receptivity of theirs is what makes them and the drama cute?
Yes, Kagome. With absolutely no warning, and almost without breaking the general comedic tone. I am speechless and feel incredibly betrayed, mostly because no one (neither characters nor audience) is even given time to mourn her. :(
I like both Eguchi Noriko and going places by myself, so I thought it was time to give this a try. The OST is pretty great. Everything else is what you would expect: an episodic drama that in its best moments is a decently told story of self-discovery, and in others, basically, an infomercial. Still, good as a mindless watch (especially when you're not looking for plot).
Watching this drama felt a bit like stepping into a time machine. It filled me with nostalgia for a number of reasons: the themes and plot (=any Japanese workplace series from the early 2000s I've ever watched), the company and intersocial dynamics, the cast (I was kinda happy to see Becky again, where has she been?). But it was a little traumatic as well, since every time the characters mentioned it was the Reiwa period, I felt a jolt of surprise and realized I was not watching something filmed 10/15 years ago. Then again, what did I expect from an NHK (business) romance drama, I guess. There were a few good things that kept me watching: nods at the importance of women's financial independence, Eguchi Noriko's character, the coffee controversy (you'll know what I mean when you get there). Tabe-chan was a bit frustrating at times, but still a pretty relatable protagonist, all considering. As for the stalking issue - yup, the fact that it was never explained how and where Tayou-kun got her number was weird, and the insistent invitations to go out in the beginning were an issue. He does find the right distance after that, so personally I was not too bothered. In general, he's a character with a strong learning curve and I mostly enjoyed his portrayal - so if you're debating whether to watch it or not because of the comments/reviews, give it a try, this might be for you.
Apparently there's gonna be a collaboration and a crossover between 'Love kome no okite' and Eguchi Noriko's 'Solo Katsu joshi no susume' - so we can expect some nice cameos of the respective casts in both! (For who's interested: https://www.tv-tokyo.co.jp/kojidan/news/)
Can you go into detail about the signs you mentioned, I'm not very familiar with noh as I've only learned about…
Sure! There's not that much to say about it, but here: Noh has its origins in rituals to pacify deities and spirits. Mugen Noh (the most common kind of play) pieces, in particular, have a ghost, often of important historical figures, come back to the place were they died - and then find peace through dance and the telling of their story. Considering how sensible Kudo usually is to questions of composition and intertextuality, I figured a character was going to die at the end (but at the beginning I still thought it was going to be the father). As the drama itself mentions, however, Sumidagawa is a play about a mother looking for her lost son (kidnapped by slave traders). She discovers he is dead on a ferry on the river Sumida, where she also meets the ghost of said son. In other words, the hint that the person who will die might be Juichi himself is already there at the point that the play is introduced within the plot. Plus, the fact that the play is a 'Kyojomono' (a 'mad woman' story) nicely plays with 'Juju''s worsening dementia and his refusal to move on from Juichi's death.
As for Kangoku no Himesama, I hope you find time to watch it (iespecially f you like Kudo Kankuro's other stuff)! It's a comedic revenge story that features all of his favorite actresses. The humor has a bit of a mysoginistic and ageist streak at times, since the running joke is that they're a bunch of oba-sans, but if you can ignore that it's a pleasure to watch. And nobody important dies, as far as I remember (lol)
Yes I hope this is getting better per episode. The pilot is tbh the most promising one out of the currently airing…
Haha, sorry, it wasn't a real question, just a surprised observation (I now realize the way I wrote it was a bit confusing). I'm on episode 3 and I grant you it gets even better!
Nonetheless, not a bad watch!
Here is an actual promo from TV Asahi: https://twitter.com/i/status/1604008491970084864
The title is 'Presence', and it's performed by Matsu Takako and by a different rapper each week.
I have wished more than once that Kagome was my friend.
That's a really cute and romantic reading for the drama, btw, I hope you're right!
The mother's death is still a bit unbelievable to me, e.g.: How little sense of self-preservation does someone have to have to die trying to get a beachball (or was it a frisbee) back? Why not just turn back when you realize you're going too far?
Or, I guess the simplicity with which Rintaro or Kamoi-san accept everything is just a little puzzling to me. Then again, I guess this receptivity of theirs is what makes them and the drama cute?
I am speechless and feel incredibly betrayed, mostly because no one (neither characters nor audience) is even given time to mourn her. :(
Still, good as a mindless watch (especially when you're not looking for plot).
There were a few good things that kept me watching: nods at the importance of women's financial independence, Eguchi Noriko's character, the coffee controversy (you'll know what I mean when you get there). Tabe-chan was a bit frustrating at times, but still a pretty relatable protagonist, all considering.
As for the stalking issue - yup, the fact that it was never explained how and where Tayou-kun got her number was weird, and the insistent invitations to go out in the beginning were an issue. He does find the right distance after that, so personally I was not too bothered. In general, he's a character with a strong learning curve and I mostly enjoyed his portrayal - so if you're debating whether to watch it or not because of the comments/reviews, give it a try, this might be for you.
(For who's interested: https://www.tv-tokyo.co.jp/kojidan/news/)
Considering how sensible Kudo usually is to questions of composition and intertextuality, I figured a character was going to die at the end (but at the beginning I still thought it was going to be the father).
As the drama itself mentions, however, Sumidagawa is a play about a mother looking for her lost son (kidnapped by slave traders). She discovers he is dead on a ferry on the river Sumida, where she also meets the ghost of said son. In other words, the hint that the person who will die might be Juichi himself is already there at the point that the play is introduced within the plot.
Plus, the fact that the play is a 'Kyojomono' (a 'mad woman' story) nicely plays with 'Juju''s worsening dementia and his refusal to move on from Juichi's death.
As for Kangoku no Himesama, I hope you find time to watch it (iespecially f you like Kudo Kankuro's other stuff)! It's a comedic revenge story that features all of his favorite actresses. The humor has a bit of a mysoginistic and ageist streak at times, since the running joke is that they're a bunch of oba-sans, but if you can ignore that it's a pleasure to watch. And nobody important dies, as far as I remember (lol)
I'm on episode 3 and I grant you it gets even better!