Now for some specific details I'll put behind a spoiler tag! Please close it if you haven't watched!!
I won't lie, it was super frustrating seeing Ayaka act out so badly at home that I too, felt for Endo when she was stuffing the karaage into Ayaka's mouth. In fact, this made the show even more emotionally touching and highlighted how Japanese the story was. Japanese society is so bent on saving face and having everyone stay in their lane that when someone loses it and snaps, we can truly believe it. Endo had been suffering Ayaka's tantrums, the absence of her husband at critical times, and constant criticism from her snooty neighbors, yet she still powered through with a calm and collected demeanor. She never hit Ayaka once, and always cleaned up after the mess. Her character was so strong... I only wish Ayaka had talked to her mother about the bullying instead of yelling at every single soul except Shiho (who, by the way, was a complete bitch for a middle schooler, like damn!). I was really happy when that final fight at school broke out.
The ending was satisfying. I'm happy that Shinji, Ayaka, and Hinako can now stick together. Plus, I hope Junko gets to a good place and forgives herself after killing her husband. Her worries as a mother, and commoner (if you remember, because she came from a poorer background compared to her husband) were very real.
Wow just finished watching this, I must say this truly lives up to the name of 'drama'. The plot was well made, and it's one of those crime/drama shows where you piece together the mystery each episode. I came here after watching Ishida Yuriko in NigeHaji but I must say Suzuki Kyoka really stole the show with her superb acting. It's a must-watch!
Watched this a while back but I think it would be good to give my 2 cents; this drama sucked...not even gonna lie. I only stayed for Jun Jae and Takuya. I would have given the drama a 1 if it weren't for them. The rest of the couples were soooooo annoying, especially the room with the girl hiding her true nature in front of her boyfriend; it's a good thing she ended up with the French guy so she could stop frontin'. I also felt really bad for the older couple and the guy just rejecting the idea of marriage in her face when they had been together for so long. Also their bathroom humor really grossed me out... I just didn't find it funny >_>. The older girl and the young band dude was such a waste of time, she clearly didn't care about where her life was going because it was stagnant as hell with the boy even after he started getting some recognition (also why didn't they help the musician with his under eye bags???? bruh)
I think I expected a lot more bc Room 709's story felt super progressive and positive in representation but yeah... disappointing. Don't get your hopes up because the show was grossly over-hyped :/
I wish some more time had been dedicated to Yuri-chan and Kazami, I was definitely more invested in their relationship haha! (really wished Kazami-san had gone in for the kill when they were in Yuri's apartment *but* I like how she was in control of the situation tbh)
Sometimes I hate how dramas focus on career women and how they are somehow 'lacking' because they aren't married/in a relationship, but I really admired Yuri's drive and her approach to both the workplace and her personal life. She was such a relatable character <3
This was a really nice drama that at first didn't grab me like I was expecting it to. The characters had great development as the story moved on. I will say that in the last two episodes, Mikuri was getting a little bit annoying, but the ending was still satisfying and I enjoyed watching this drama :)
It was okay but the conclusion was kind of hard to understand with all the time traveling; nonetheless it was a nice short drama to watch as an Aya fan :)
Great lighthearted drama with funny story lines and characters you grow to love, also I'm going to hop on the bandwagon and also crown episode 9 as the funniest episode haha!
I enjoyed this drama! It was very dramatic (especially the special effects lol) but I think it did a good job of showing how the actions/thoughts of parents affect the livelihood of children; they really do imitate what's around them and it's good to always talk to them and encourage them to do their best
So I watched the whole series without subs (so happy I've reached this level of proficiency!) and honestly the series was a let down. I think more in depth analysis on the mother would have added to the story line better and explain why her obsession with her daughter was so strong. Plus, the episodes dragged on and this is only 8 episodes long lol. The ending was happy of sorts but I don't think it was deserved, I needed more intensity. The fight scene between Gotou's mom and Mizuki's mom was nicely intense though!
ALSO they never explain Mizuki's 10 yen-sized bald spot on the back of her head? My theory was that the mother shaved some of her hair while she was very young and sleeping to make a doll but the mother didn't know about it... maybe it was just of natural causes lol
I watched this in middle school so around the age of the protagonist, and it was really a humbling experience full of raw emotion. I had just started watching j-dramas too and seeing different cultural perspectives on teen pregnancy was quite thought provoking. I think sometimes the emotions were so real that I felt uncomfortable not knowing how to process this heavy stuff as a kid, but as an adult now I definitely recommend this show.
This was a very enjoyable movie! I love how honest the characters became as the movie progressed. The humor was spot on and this movie put Kiritani Mirei on my radar. It's definitely worth a watch
Honestly I was expecting so much better, but the drama played up too many cliches that I have really grown tired…
I wholeheartedly agree (to be honest I was surprised how many people seemed to have enjoyed the drama)
What is so radical about having a male love interest who actually shares his feelings and cares for the emotional well-being of the heroine?? Because that's the only way a romance drama can present what a healthy relationship should ideally be like *ugh*
The ending was absolutely beautiful, I had to rewatch that kiss scene. So passionate and pure, it made me really happy I watched the show. Great acting, loved all the emotions. Plus my favorite actress Ueto Aya made it all the better. Definitely recommend this one!
I'm just starting the last episode but I'm very surprised!! How did Nao not know she was 6 weeks pregnant? If she was really focused on the fertility issues wouldn't she have noticed she skipped a cycle...? Also the show made it seem like the husband never fulfilled his promise (aka never slept with her that night she asked him to come home early?)
I really, really loved this drama, until I watched episode 9. Man, that episode made me cringe so hard. I like how this show touches on important topics such as maintaining family life in Japanese homes and the financial commitment buying a home needs, but I really despise the way they portrayed the foreigner Victor Musa. It's bad enough that they made him look/sound dumb (not even a beginner speaks Japanese like that let's be real), but I was even more annoyed with the fact that they made him Nigerian. Those facts he stated like 'a man lives with all 7 of his wives', are outdated as fuck and taken out of context (that was long before colonization...but even then I can't fully speak on this because there are so many different tribes in the country). My point is that it made Nigeria sound socially backward, polygamy isn't a thing anymore. And before anyone says I am overreacting please try and see where I am coming from. Japanese people rarely interact with people of other countries (especially Africans) so now some people probably have a false image of what Nigerians look like. As a Nigerian who has spent a lot of time learning Japanese/Japanese culture, and even immersing myself well in the streets of Tokyo, this was a unwanted and sad portrayal of a foreigner overall.
If there's anything anyone can take away from this, it's that representation matters. I hope some can empathize with how upsetting the episode was. It really had so much potential. If they had really wanted to get it right, Victor would have been speaking fluently (his actor is apparently half-Cameroonian and Japanese, and he lives in Japan plus his twitter is entirely in Japanese so I'm pretty sure he can speak well). Plus, Victor would have been educated on Japanese culture and would not have been making such embarrassing outbursts toward the end of the episode (especially the part where he yelled and the mother-in-law called him scary, wow way to demonize black men >_>). If Japan really wants to have a positive, global perspective they need to make the effort to show that foreigners are not from a different planet. We have the ability to share information and learn about places far from our homes, and if someone really puts in effort, they will do their best to understand and respect Japanese culture enough for one to look past the fact they aren't Japanese.
*Feel free to message me or even send a friend request if you like, I'm open to comments*
EDIT: Thanks for the likes guys :') I actually got in contact with the actor to discuss my feelings and we had a great dialogue on representation of foreigners in Japan. He too did not like the situation, but he had no idea about the character's detailing until actual filming came around (and he couldn't go against the director which is understandable). I guess I just wanted to say that you should always speak up if something doesn't sit right with you because something good might come out :)
I enjoyed this drama, especially the connection between Eguchi Yosuke and Shinohaka Ryoko's characters; it felt real and reletable, plus the theme song was beautiful
I won't lie, it was super frustrating seeing Ayaka act out so badly at home that I too, felt for Endo when she was stuffing the karaage into Ayaka's mouth. In fact, this made the show even more emotionally touching and highlighted how Japanese the story was. Japanese society is so bent on saving face and having everyone stay in their lane that when someone loses it and snaps, we can truly believe it. Endo had been suffering Ayaka's tantrums, the absence of her husband at critical times, and constant criticism from her snooty neighbors, yet she still powered through with a calm and collected demeanor. She never hit Ayaka once, and always cleaned up after the mess. Her character was so strong... I only wish Ayaka had talked to her mother about the bullying instead of yelling at every single soul except Shiho (who, by the way, was a complete bitch for a middle schooler, like damn!). I was really happy when that final fight at school broke out.
The ending was satisfying. I'm happy that Shinji, Ayaka, and Hinako can now stick together. Plus, I hope Junko gets to a good place and forgives herself after killing her husband. Her worries as a mother, and commoner (if you remember, because she came from a poorer background compared to her husband) were very real.
Good drama :)
I think I expected a lot more bc Room 709's story felt super progressive and positive in representation but yeah... disappointing. Don't get your hopes up because the show was grossly over-hyped :/
Sometimes I hate how dramas focus on career women and how they are somehow 'lacking' because they aren't married/in a relationship, but I really admired Yuri's drive and her approach to both the workplace and her personal life. She was such a relatable character <3
ALSO they never explain Mizuki's 10 yen-sized bald spot on the back of her head? My theory was that the mother shaved some of her hair while she was very young and sleeping to make a doll but the mother didn't know about it... maybe it was just of natural causes lol
What is so radical about having a male love interest who actually shares his feelings and cares for the emotional well-being of the heroine?? Because that's the only way a romance drama can present what a healthy relationship should ideally be like *ugh*
If there's anything anyone can take away from this, it's that representation matters. I hope some can empathize with how upsetting the episode was. It really had so much potential. If they had really wanted to get it right, Victor would have been speaking fluently (his actor is apparently half-Cameroonian and Japanese, and he lives in Japan plus his twitter is entirely in Japanese so I'm pretty sure he can speak well). Plus, Victor would have been educated on Japanese culture and would not have been making such embarrassing outbursts toward the end of the episode (especially the part where he yelled and the mother-in-law called him scary, wow way to demonize black men >_>). If Japan really wants to have a positive, global perspective they need to make the effort to show that foreigners are not from a different planet. We have the ability to share information and learn about places far from our homes, and if someone really puts in effort, they will do their best to understand and respect Japanese culture enough for one to look past the fact they aren't Japanese.
*Feel free to message me or even send a friend request if you like, I'm open to comments*
EDIT: Thanks for the likes guys :') I actually got in contact with the actor to discuss my feelings and we had a great dialogue on representation of foreigners in Japan. He too did not like the situation, but he had no idea about the character's detailing until actual filming came around (and he couldn't go against the director which is understandable). I guess I just wanted to say that you should always speak up if something doesn't sit right with you because something good might come out :)