It's not so often we get a drama that's just brimming with personality. It's so single-minded in its approach but the material is begging for it, they really couldn't half-ass anything. The actual structure of the story is formulaic but they make a lot of effort to not make it feel so episodic, it genuinely feels like we're building and building to something with each episode. I feel like maybe 1 or 2 more episodes would have been great to give the backhalf some breathing room, but I also love that we kept streamrolling to the end (in true spirit to how Kongming and Eiko crashed the party, so to speak). Anyway, the finale was epic and I'm looping the soundtrack now. ✌️
It leaned into the melodramatic a little too much at times, but I'll be damned if I didn't cry a bunch. It's a silly premise but it sells it. Maybe we all need a Daichi-sensei in our lives, even if just to look up to.
Airi keeps racking up the rom-com hits. Charming as ever! Also, this is probably my favourite Ryota role, he works better in lighter fare like this that's playing up his on-stage persona.
Fantastic finale. Like the rest of the series, a satisfying blend of intense sports action and charged melodrama.…
This drama has been the only thing on my mind for weeks now. If you could forgive my words, it's probably dramaland's first great LA sports anime (and Tsukhara Ayuko pays her dues to the genre, understanding what animation achieves that live action can't).
Fantastic finale. Like the rest of the series, a satisfying blend of intense sports action and charged melodrama. We already knew the outcome going in, yet the tension remained palpable. Truly who wouldn't be invested after seeing the miracle first years grow to become the core of Etsuzan High's baseball team? To see Nagumo-sensei rise from the ashes, Yamazumi-sensei realize a dream and the rest of the team create a legacy to be proud of? This whole thing was theirs to win.
Not the kind of show you think you would be holding your breath for each episode... but I do exactly that. I'm left speechless by the edit at times—one moment, slow and tense, suddenly, manic and rapid-fire. Like it's fighting itself, like it's a baseball game. Tsukahara Ayuko really outdoing herself here. She just knows how to make TV pop.
I didn't know if I would like this when I started it, mostly because I found Mukai to be too pathetic and they largely played it straight, but that's the point and I warmed up to it by the end. It's more like a late coming-of-age story and its debates about societal institutions and modern romance are better viewed through the lens of personal growth, the other character's arcs serving to drive certain points home. A very talky drama with not a lot of definitive conclusions... but that's what adulthood is sorta like, eh?
It's uneven quality-wise compared to the first, likely because the directors kept jumping around (4 for 9 episodes - and none are original director Matsumoto Kana, who I think understood best how to direct the motley crew, though they've mostly settled into their roles at this point) but Tobita Kazuki stuck the landing with the final 3 episodes as it really puts the themes of grief, loss and healing from abuse at the forefront. Still very strong and worth it for that last sprint.
Kawahara Eito grew so much in the span of two years. He's still a baby to me but every time we flash back I realize he was even more of a baby in the first season lol.
Would recommend this if you liked the drama Animals (2022) since it has similar themes and a modern feel. Though I didn't care for the romance angle at all (Igeta Hiroe had way more chemistry with Sou then Ryuche). Still, a great addition to the canon of the new adult genre.
This season felt just as strong as the first, even if some of the plamo inclusions weren't as organic (some very…
I love the idea that there's a multiverse of mass production type Rikos and a singular Yassan (and multiple assistants) watching over them, with the shop as a nexus point, defying space-time continuum. Not something you're ever made to think about, but it stays in the back of your mind and gives everything that happens some more weight.
This season felt just as strong as the first, even if some of the plamo inclusions weren't as organic (some very obvious "we have new Gundam to promote" mandates from Bandai). What made it click for me was that they were exploring the same themes of the first season but don't step on its toes, rather coming to the same conclusion to Riko's arc in a different way. It ends up being a satifying parallel course.
This has been light fun so far, easily on the same level as the enjoyable first season. Maybe even a little zanier now that it knows it can get away with it.
Feels like it's been a while since we've had a popcorn drama that feels this slick and sexy. Doesn't matter how ridiculous the whole thing was when the ride is just as fun. It knows exactly when to punch and when to pull and that's all this kind of formula stuff really needs.
For the romantics. 💞 Yoshioka Riho and Nagayama Eita were stellar here.