puddang

I've Played These Games Before

This drama is fine if you're looking for a light watch and it's probably foolish to expect anything deeper out of it, but it's just soooooooo unoriginal. It tricks you into thinking it's changing things up by making the FL the promiscuous one and the ML the pure and innocent one, but besides the gender swap, the story beats are exactly the same as any generic teen romance - and yes, teen and not adult because besides them saying the word "sex" and the FL having a FWB, the romance is extremely PG, with all the typical shoujo manga tropes - Sharing a room/bed (more than once)! Caring for you when you're sick! Random free tickets to go on an aquarium date!

What really irks me is the FL lead being set up as an empowered, sex-positive girlboss, but in the end, the drama suggests that the only way for her to be truly happy is to "respect" herself by casting aside her casual relationships and settling down with the young virgin who accepts her despite her history. And of course, no age-gap romance is complete without the characters having known each other as kids, like PLEASE can romance mangakas diversify already?? The amount of dramas I've seen that use that exact set-up is getting excessive.

The two leads are cute and their acting is fine, but they don't really have that much chemistry. I honestly wanted Karen to get with Yuto and Teito to get with his kouhai lol. At the very least, I will say this drama doesn't really drag and went by surprisingly fast.

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If anything, watch for the last two episodes

Classic NHK when it comes to discussing social issues and making you reflect on your own life - I found the topic of end-of-life prep interesting and relevant even as a non-Japanese person, so I think it's worth a watch for that alone, especially if you're a working adult.

Where it falls short for me lies with the MC. I know that Narumi being selfish and naive is the whole point of her character, but it made it SO hard to empathize with her, and the ~ random xD ~ way Ayase Haruka played her only made it worse. On the other hand, I thought Nasuda was really compelling, so the last two episodes that focus on him really saved this drama imo. The confrontation between Narumi and Nasuda in the records (?) room at work after he spent the day giving her the cold shoulder had me glued to my screen! Sano Hayato was a great casting choice because his boyish looks disarm you and make you try to excuse Nasuda’s sociopathic tendencies (or, at least, it worked on me lol), and I was impressed by some of the subtleties of his performance.

While I could've done without the more quirky elements (the rap battle portion especially), I will say that the lighter tone despite the heavy subject matter made these ideas more digestible and left me feeling somewhat hopeful instead of doomed as is often the case these days...lol.

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Surprisingly watchable

Is this drama good? Not particularly. But to come to its defense a little - I have watched or tried to watch many, MANY of these MBS dramas with this soapy vibe, and compared to those, this was quite decent. For one thing, I actually finished it without fast forwarding, which I can't say for a lot of other dramas in this category.

There are plenty of valid criticisms to be made which will very understandably impact people's enjoyment. The power dynamic between the two leads and the age gap between the actors is definitely not good. The story is super cliche, and the acting is nothing special.

However, if you're able to look past this, I think there are some redeeming qualities. I thought the FL, while naive, had some sense of conviction and agency rather than being some mindless baby whose existence revolves around the ML like so many characters like her tend to be. I particularly liked the part where she makes rings for them as a surprise, showing some more initiative than the usual passive FL who expects to be showered with love by the ML for barely anything in return. I also didn't read the ML as possessive or domineering as the description of the drama implies - rather, he seemed very sweet and loving and supportive of her. And I thought the chemistry between Hayashi Maeri and Inukai Atsuhiro was pretty decent despite their sus age gap.

It is certainly not the pinnacle of romance, but it's fine for a quick, light watch if you go in with low expectations. Honestly, I think it's worth watching for how good Yamanaka Jyutaro looks in this alone LOL

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Give it a try!

I think I'm the first person to rate this drama, and I know 6.5 is very low by MDL standards, so I also wanted to post a review to clarify that this fell between average and slightly above average on my personal rating scale. I think it's still worth giving it a shot if you're looking for something relaxing and slice-of-life!

I watched it raw with Japanese subtitles, and I would actually highly recommend it for Japanese learners who want to practice reading and listening because the language is super simple and there isn't really a plot, so it's easy to follow. The 32 episodes might seem daunting, but they're each barely 15 minutes long, so it goes by quick and is convenient to watch in small bursts.

I would say the viewing experience is almost like a kids show for adults - simple vignettes with a cast of quirky, almost cartoonish characters who are navigating life as ~ members of society ~. And they work at a toy company, for goodness sake! The downside is that it ends up being quite juvenile in tone, which kept me from liking it more.

Regardless, I thought the way Bando supported Ichikawa and helped her gain more confidence in herself was very sweet and I found myself anticipating what wacky compliments he would give out next.

The production is pretty noticeably low budget and no one's giving life-changing performances, but if you can look past that, it has its own charm. Although I don't think Kawasaki Takaya should quit his day job as a singer-songwriter any time soon, his slightly stilted acting suited the character of Bando well.

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Did I watch the same drama as everyone??

In all my years of watching dramas, I've never posted a public review, but after watching this one and seeing all the reviews online, I finally pulled the trigger and created an MDL account because I feel insane and I need someone to hear me out.

To preface, I have not read the original manga or watched the anime and movie, so I can't speak to how well this works as an adaptation - maybe I would have been more forgiving if I knew how this stacked up. Also, a disclaimer that if you enjoyed it, I'm happy for you! But I want to offer a different perspective.

The TL;DR is that I would personally recommend this drama ONLY IF you want to see Itagaki Rihito and Nakajima Yuto interact. If you are looking for ANYTHING else - romance, police procedural, mystery, thriller, sci-fi, BL - I strongly suggest you look elsewhere. Even if you just want to watch any of the actors on this cast, I think there are many options you should choose before you consider this one.

But first, some positives. I think the best part of this drama is the cinematography. The scenes have a nice atmosphere to them that fits the unsettling vibe and some of the stylistic choices were cool. I also really like the opening and ending themes and that one electronicky background track they used during tense moments. The acting is serviceable - I appreciated that it was a very different role for Rihito than what I'm used to and he did an okay job, although I think he is still a bit too young and fresh to really pull off the charisma of a character like Maki. From what I've seen of the manga, though, he definitely looks the part at least.

The first two episodes are also fairly decent. Even if the MRI stuff is a bit hokey, it's an interesting enough premise, and the way it was used in Ep 1 to catch the criminal was kinda clever. The twist at the end of Ep 1 into Ep 2 got me intrigued, too.

However, in my opinion, the number one reason this drama quickly tanked is the introduction of Aoki.

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To be more precise, I think Suzuki was killed off too early. He dies in the first half of Ep 2 when barely anything was known about his character and his relationship to the others, so Maki and Yukiko being so tormented by his death for the remaining run time ends up feeling hollow and overdramatic. Sure, we're told he has deep, strong bonds with them and catch some glimpses of the dynamic, but we basically just have to accept at face value how much he meant to them by seeing how intensely Yukiko and especially Maki are traumatized by it, when the viewers, on the other hand, have barely had time to feel any sort of emotions for him.

Then, because Suzuki was killed so early, when Aoki comes along, we don't have enough information to be able to distinguish Suzuki from Aoki, so Aoki loses his own individuality as a character and is just Suzuki with glasses and different hair, which distorts his dynamic with Maki and Yukiko. Like, do they really like Aoki for Aoki, or do they like him because he reminds them of Suzuki? It's hard to tell because we got almost no characterization of Suzuki, so we don't know how the two are different!!!

This leads into my other big issue with the drama - the romance between Aoki and Yukiko was so WEIRD. It really felt like it came out of nowhere. I can understand that maybe because Suzuki's thoughts/feelings transferred over to Aoki when he saw Suzuki's memories that Aoki would feel attracted to Yukiko, but Yukiko...girl....why are you getting involved with a man who looks EXACTLY like your dead boyfriend? That's just one coping mechanism too far! And then the reveal at the end that she was actually in love with Maki???? You got involved with TWO MEN WHO LOOK THE SAME but you had feelings for SOMEONE ELSE ENTIRELY????

And with Maki and Aoki, there's nothing wrong with shipping them (even tho I personally think they don't have that much chemistry) and I have a suspicion that they are the reason the drama's MDL rating is so high, but in my opinion, the drama doesn't even give shippers a lot to work with. I wouldn't necessarily say it's queerbaiting, but all of their "romantic" interactions are purely subtextual - even the "confession" at the end is a cop out with him saying "Everyone likes you!!" which is why I say this drama is just for people who want to see Rihito and Yuto exist on screen together and hug a couple of times, and honestly, I think that's all the writer wanted to see too because plot???? I don't know her!

It's pretty hard to make the cases interesting when you can basically see everything that happened through the MRI and indeed, the investigation aspect feels more like an afterthought. Everything is so random and disjointed and poorly paced. The twist at the end is very unearned - they suddenly throw all this backstory at us and expect us to care??? I really do believe everything was set up just so Maki could fall into despair and be all tortured every episode and have Aoki swoop in and comfort him.

I like to consider myself someone with a high tolerance for silly dramas, and I can usually find enjoyment somewhere in a mess, but this drama is decidedly not silly and takes itself way too seriously, so it had me groaning with exasperation and took watching at 3x speed to even get through it. It was a grueling experience, but most of all, it was an extremely disappointing experience. Normally, I would just drop a drama when I realize it's not for me, but I kept watching with the hope that it would somehow get really good towards the end and I would understand what all the hype was about, but that moment never came.

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Boring at Lv999

It's been awhile since I read the original manga, but I swear it was a lot more charming and sweet than the live-action made it out to be. It's a shame because I feel like the main couple visually matched their manga counterparts really well, and I was excited to see what Ryuto would do with his character since I enjoyed him as the younger man in Nagatan to Aoto, but in my opinion, this movie put all its energy into the visuals and saved nothing for the actual story, which I found to be the case in most of this director's other projects that I've watched, especially Jack O'Frost and Koi wo Suru nara Nidome ga Joto. I feel like one of the most difficult aspects of movie adaptations is that you have to make the most out of a limited runtime, so tell me why we wasted time watching Tsubaki's glasses fall dramatically to the floor and her and Yamada getting pelted by the rain when they weren't even the main couple?? A lot of the shots are strangely framed and linger too long on unnecessary things, too, like the closeup of Akane's foot as Yamada was helping her put on her shoe.

Above all, the romance just has no build-up and is devoid of chemistry. I thought Tsubaki's confession to him was way more romantic than anything Yamada and Akane got up to, and even that was just standard shojo fare. All Akane did was get belligerently drunk (twice!) and constantly rely on Yamada to help her - what reason does he possibly have to fall in love with her?? The gaming aspects aren't well-utilized, and the characters have no substance, not to mention there are too many of them that have little to no impact to the story. Like, I'm always glad to see Maeda Oshiro on my screen and I'm glad he's getting his bag, but what was he there for????

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Look at all these tall drinks of water (literally)

I really only watched this for Itsuki, so I can say I'm satisfied because I got what I came for. This drama also has a fun premise, and my highest points are for the cast because I think they did a great job embodying the sakes they were supposed to be. I loved the stylish image clips that would play whenever someone drank them (Takato holding a random pineapple 👍), and their interactions with each other and Gin were cute. This is definitely the best styling I've ever seen for Nishiyama Jun lol. So if you want to see a bunch of ikemen being a little silly, this is the one for you!

That being said, unlike Red Blue, which had somewhat of an engaging story while also having Makoto and a slew of other good-looking guys in it, Arabashiri is just kinda boring. With the exception of the makgeolli segment in ep 8 which I enjoyed, none of the stories introduced in each ep were particularly interesting, and I especially didn't care for the overarching plot about Gin and his mother. It would've been cool to learn more about Japanese sake or the different breweries and food pairings, but they don't really focus on this as much besides a few tidbits here and there. It runs long at 12 episodes for seemingly no particular reason - it starts to drag, and I feel like doing only eight eps would've done a lot to help with that. I also think Itsuki could use a bit more work on his emotional acting, although he still did a fairly good job for his first lead role (besides Prince of Legend lol).

Overall, a fine watch if you're a completionist Rampage fan like me or just looking for something light and full of hot guys, but don't expect much substance beyond that.

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Turn off your brain and fall into Manabu's strong, tanned arms

This is one of my most (if not my most) deranged opinions and my rating is 1000% purely subjective but I LOVE this drama. The rational part of me definitely knows this isn't that good but when I first watched it I binged it in one sitting because I was completely hooked.

I really think this is the epitome of dramas that are so delightfully unserious. The FL saying "My uterus was throbbing" after falling in love with the ML at first sight while he's wielding a jackhammer at his construction job pretty quickly clues you into that fact, and once I got the vibe, I had so much fun. I didn't even care that no one acts like a real human being and Keigo in particular was a little troll, I'm just along for the ride!

And honestly, underneath all the chaos, I thought the romance was well done, no doubt due to the chemistry of the two leads. I still go back to watch the arm wrestling scene every so often just to feel something, and I love the ending. Kasamatsu Sho was a great cast and really sold the character - I don't think it would've hit nearly as much if it was anyone else.

I really do understand why people don't like this and I can't in good faith recommend it to anyone unless you're truly, truly prepared to relinquish yourself to the mess, but I will say with my whole chest that if this drama doesn't have any defenders, I am dead.

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They really had me in the first half

Echoing the comments that said this went rapidly downhill, around episode 8. I was super disappointed because I was enjoying myself so much - it's surprisingly high quality for an MBS drama, I thought the dynamic between the two leads was relatively fresh, the mystery had intrigue, and this is by far the best styling I've seen for Yagi Yusei imo.

I didn't watch the Korean version, so I can't say how well it holds up as an adaptation, but I imagine it suffered a lot trying to condense twenty 60min long episodes into twelve 30min eps, because everything was way too rushed in the end. The romance had no real build-up, the mystery was unfulfilling, the motivations for all the characters were poorly fleshed out. I usually appreciate how Japanese adaptations of Korean dramas are able to trim the fat and keep the story concise, but it didn't work in this case. Too many characters, too many things going on. It's a shame since I also liked Kusakawa Takuya and Morita Kokoro here, but they barely matter to the plot. And I know they establish at the beginning that he has a thing for her, but tell me why I thought there might be some kind of twist that Takuya's character liked Yusei's character all along.... Maybe I'm just too influenced by those two actors' previous works, but I swear the vibe was there!! Ijima Ku was another highlight in the cast - a relatively new face for me, and I think he did well with what he was given, all things considered.

Overall, I give this a pass because I cannot overstate how much I was giggling and kicking my feet at Yagi Yusei in the first half (tbh the second half is worth watching for the kiss scene in ep 10 alone) and while it was ultimately disappointing, it had enough going for it to hold my attention to the end.

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Two seasons and a possible third for this?

I am so sorry to fans of this series but I *intensely* disliked this. Admittedly, I did not watch season 1 and went straight for season 2 because I'm a big Psychic Fever fan and was excited to see Kokoro in a bigger role, but judging from the flashbacks to season 1, I don't think I missed much and it honestly seems like season 1 is worse, if that's possible. And if you're like me and thinking of jumping in for Kokoro, be warned that he barely gets any screen time anyway.

I think the biggest problem is that this drama takes itself WAY too seriously for how ridiculous the color-seeing ability is. If it had leaned into the absurdity more, I actually might have liked it, but instead it's played completely straight and everything is so dark and moody. The main character has almost no personality - if I'm being charitable, maybe we can interpret the lack of colors and emotions outside of the interrogations as a choice to amplify the colors and emotions that the main character sees, but I think that's a big stretch.

Also, I know I didn't watch season 1 where most of it goes down so I'm probably missing a lot of details, but I thought the plotline with Akari's sister was SO BAD. It doesn't help that both the sisters have such blank expressions on their faces the majority of the time that makes it impossible to invest in their story. It definitely did not make me want to watch season 1 to find out. And the fact that they teased a possible season 3 at the end actually pissed me off - what could there possibly be more to do with these characters???? Points I guess for this being an original concept instead of an adaptation of something, but this doesn't really make the best case for the quality of original stories.....

The only remotely redeeming thing about this was the cast. I normally like Iitoyo Marie and Asaka Kodai, so I'm disappointed that they're tied to this kind of project, and they don't even seem that invested in it themselves. And I'll usually take any scraps of Iwase Yoji, Nakao Masaki, and Fukumatsu Rin I can get, but I really don't think this is worth it.

If you want something with this kind of vibe and a somewhat similar main character, please just watch SPEC instead, omg.

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