I was so unsure of where this drama would take us, but halfway through and it's clearer than ever: healing old wounds, navigating life's complexities, growing up. I'm happy to be on this ride with these characters.
There's shades of other Okada work here: of recent, Nijiiro Karute, given the ensemble cast and the emphasis on cathartic storytelling, but the found family aspect of Nichiyo no Yoru Gurai wa is also present and informs the dynamics in similar ways. So, it's on its way to becoming one of his classics. When the dude's on fire, he's unstoppable lol.
And they did. Nagi is the Arata to Meguru's Chihaya. Fantastic writing across the board. My only gripe? I want more. Give me all the generations. Give me all the school teams. Truly one of the greatest franchises to have ever blessed us.
The idea is his, so it makes sense for him to direct his own work.. He said he got inspired by the beach episodes…
The beach episodes in Never Let Me Go were a welcome reprieve in an otherwise typical Jojo show. Whether that holds up for a full series... well, I just have my doubts. The first episode was rough but it was mostly awkward set-up so maybe it'll pick up now that we're past it.
I'm still shocked they let Jojo direct this. It's not in his wheelhouse. Not exactly the first person I think of when it comes to escapist fantasies or coming of age narratives. It needs gloss, not grit, and he's hardly the earnest type.
Once again, the writing is top notch. The double Ruka thing could easily be a gimmick but instead their own individuality and dynamic relationship is the crux. If the end goal of the series is the self-actualization of "mass-produced" types, then what happens with two people who mirror each other in that way start diverging paths? Add to that some welcome love letters to classic coming-of-age cinema (referencing Typhoon Club on its 40th anniversary year!) and you really just feel the care and love from everyone involved. Truly the franchise that keeps on giving.
We really could walk away with this being one of the strongest Rider shows. They let Komura Junko cook and she's delivered a Michelin star meal right up to the final arc.
This is brilliant so far. The LA adaptations of Chihayafuru are such a tough act to follow (genuinely some of my favourite movies in the youth genre), I'm glad they brought back so many of the original staff to do a sequel justice.
At least it wasn't boring! I liked that with every rebirth we were also catapulted into a new style, each one felt like a pastiche of a certain director (though I'm drawing a blank on which ones). It's an idea that could really be taken further in better hands.
I love that so much of this drama is about being considerate. Be considerate of the food you eat, be considerate of the work you do, be considerate of your body, be considerate of others... and you'll find that consideration is repaid.
An audacious, though rather silly, critique of Japanese work culture. Exploitative companies, workaholic parents and generational value shifts all get a play here, but its ambitions give rise to its struggles. Nogi Akiko & Tsukahara Ayuko make great TV and you can tell this would work better in a series format. A little more time spent milking all it can out of this concept would do it good.
It was actually refreshing having the final conflict not be about the relationship. Like there was pretense of a breakup, but the reality was that they were only torn apart by external forces with the real crux being the threat to Mao's family. It does mean a slight tonal shift for the last arc, but I got my 9 episodes of rom-com fluff so I'm cool with what is basically 3 bonus episodes. Yes! Reaffirm your feelings! Fight for things you care about! Shirota Yu, you're still handsome AF!
I love how desparate Hayashi is. She's honestly the most fun character here just because of all her scheming and pettiness. The necklace comment in episode 8 had me REELING with laughter 🤣
There's shades of other Okada work here: of recent, Nijiiro Karute, given the ensemble cast and the emphasis on cathartic storytelling, but the found family aspect of Nichiyo no Yoru Gurai wa is also present and informs the dynamics in similar ways. So, it's on its way to becoming one of his classics. When the dude's on fire, he's unstoppable lol.
they will meet in the end
And they did. Nagi is the Arata to Meguru's Chihaya. Fantastic writing across the board. My only gripe? I want more. Give me all the generations. Give me all the school teams. Truly one of the greatest franchises to have ever blessed us.
My chaotic trio, I'll miss you...