This seems like new on Netflix.Can anyone recommend top 90s/00s J drama other than this too (on Netflix)?
Sure! Have you ever watched Tokyo Love Story or Long Vacation? These two have the same vibes (I know Tokyo Love Story was available on Netflix Brazil at least) 💕 If you like Kimura Takuya, I also recommend Beautiful Life. I watched it a long time ago and it's gold! Another top jdramas from 90s and 00s are Asunaro Hakusho, Kimi no Te ga Sasayate Iru, 1 Rittoru no Namida, Kimi wa Petto, Summer Snow, Hana Yori Dango, Nodame Cantabile, Hotaru no Hikari, Zettai Kareshi.
I’ve been watching classic J-dramas, and of course I had to check this one out. But somehow, I feel like the producers tried really hard to emulate the success of Long Vacation. There are several visual and narrative similarities that almost force us to mirror one show with the other.
Of course, that’s a double-edged sword, because what drew us to Long Vacation (1996) can also hook viewers into Love Generation (even the titles are similar). However, the comparisons are inevitable, and Love Generation is definitely worse than its predecessor.
These attempts start right from the casting choices: Kimura Takuya as the male lead and Matsuo Takako as his romantic pair—the same actors from Long Vacation, although Matsuo-san played the secondary love interest in that one.
Kimura Takuya is just as charming here, and they even gave him a very similar look in both dramas. Even though the characters’ personalities differ slightly, I feel like Teppei could easily be Sena a year or two after the events of Long Vacation.
As for Matsuo-chan’s character, Riko, she seems to try to emulate Minami’s personality from Long Vacation, but in a more childish way. The similarity shows in her way of speaking and certain inconvenient moments (for example, the scene where Minami tells Sena and Ryoko to go to the hotel using a coupon). But Riko also has an undeniable touch of Rika from Tokyo Love Story.
And that brings me to another point of emulation. I think Love Generation tried to create a hybrid of these two series—a kind of chimera that combines the strengths of both character writing and storytelling.
In a way, Teppei mirrors Kanchi (Kanji) in his indecisiveness, but without his charisma and enthusiasm. Riko mirrors Rika (coincidence in names?) in her boldness, but fails miserably to capture the character’s charm and warmth. While Rika is ultimately altruistic—because seeing the one she loves happy is what truly matters to her—Riko, on the other hand, is very impatient, selfish, and uses psychological games to manipulate Teppei. She can’t stand the idea of him liking another girl, whereas Rika supported Kanji unconditionally, despite the pain of knowing he loved someone else.
I’m still halfway through. I do like the show, but I can’t shake the feeling that I’m not watching something truly original, but rather something deliberately crafted to emulate two major hits.
That frustrates me a bit, because it raises my expectations quite high—I love both of those earlier shows so much. And unfortunately, while Love Generation is very good and I am enjoying it, it lacks a distinct voice and freshness like the other two had in their own ways.
Just a curious thing about the soundtrack: "Bolero" (by Ravel) that plays in the beginning and the ending is also a "loop" composition. Same notes, same rhythm, each role just changing the main instrument.
Momo doesn't even have dark/tan skin in this adaptation, which weakened the whole plot. Peach Girl is about self-love and self-acceptance. Although the manga has this message, it does so in a very dubious way — the characters goes through a lot of weird, rough, dramatic and unlogical situations to get there. They make dumb choices, specially Momo and Toji. Sae is the worst shojo villain ever. The movie softened those situations a lot, that's the good side. But as in the manga everything is on a whole next level, the characters' feelings are much more intense.
If you like Kimura Takuya, I also recommend Beautiful Life. I watched it a long time ago and it's gold!
Another top jdramas from 90s and 00s are Asunaro Hakusho, Kimi no Te ga Sasayate Iru, 1 Rittoru no Namida, Kimi wa Petto, Summer Snow, Hana Yori Dango, Nodame Cantabile, Hotaru no Hikari, Zettai Kareshi.
Of course, that’s a double-edged sword, because what drew us to Long Vacation (1996) can also hook viewers into Love Generation (even the titles are similar). However, the comparisons are inevitable, and Love Generation is definitely worse than its predecessor.
These attempts start right from the casting choices: Kimura Takuya as the male lead and Matsuo Takako as his romantic pair—the same actors from Long Vacation, although Matsuo-san played the secondary love interest in that one.
Kimura Takuya is just as charming here, and they even gave him a very similar look in both dramas. Even though the characters’ personalities differ slightly, I feel like Teppei could easily be Sena a year or two after the events of Long Vacation.
As for Matsuo-chan’s character, Riko, she seems to try to emulate Minami’s personality from Long Vacation, but in a more childish way. The similarity shows in her way of speaking and certain inconvenient moments (for example, the scene where Minami tells Sena and Ryoko to go to the hotel using a coupon). But Riko also has an undeniable touch of Rika from Tokyo Love Story.
And that brings me to another point of emulation. I think Love Generation tried to create a hybrid of these two series—a kind of chimera that combines the strengths of both character writing and storytelling.
In a way, Teppei mirrors Kanchi (Kanji) in his indecisiveness, but without his charisma and enthusiasm. Riko mirrors Rika (coincidence in names?) in her boldness, but fails miserably to capture the character’s charm and warmth. While Rika is ultimately altruistic—because seeing the one she loves happy is what truly matters to her—Riko, on the other hand, is very impatient, selfish, and uses psychological games to manipulate Teppei. She can’t stand the idea of him liking another girl, whereas Rika supported Kanji unconditionally, despite the pain of knowing he loved someone else.
I’m still halfway through. I do like the show, but I can’t shake the feeling that I’m not watching something truly original, but rather something deliberately crafted to emulate two major hits.
That frustrates me a bit, because it raises my expectations quite high—I love both of those earlier shows so much. And unfortunately, while Love Generation is very good and I am enjoying it, it lacks a distinct voice and freshness like the other two had in their own ways.