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อย่าหยุดสู้! -- Never Stop Fighting!
I usually only watch variety shows when I'm feeling really, really sick. So, when I clicked start on the first episode of "Running Man Thailand" in late February, I didn't expect to get hooked on the show and to wait impatiently for the next episode to air each week.Somehow, the regular hosts, their guests and the technical crew made this show highly addictive. There's never a dull moment, even if some episodes scratch the two hour mark.
Granted, not every game met the mark (I think the game inventors severely underestimated the difficulty of the Pattaya Beach games), and I didn't think the "couples' episode" (ep 5), was the best of ideas -- but overall, the games were well-designed, and made so that every participant could shine at least once.
Episodes were also edited on point for the most part; the editors built tension incredibly well and I think they found the best scenes to tell a good story for each game. The amount of material must have been huge, so I really think this is impressive work.
The regular hosts were delightful! I love how competetive all of them were -- nobody backed down, even when exhausted or cornered. NuNew was a wonderful surprise. I also liked how they grew over the course of the season -- from people who knew each other in passing as professionals in the same industry to team members (or opponents) who know each other's strengths and weaknesses.
However, even with all of these great aspects, there's one thing that makes this show stand out: The hosts (and guests) all genuinely seem to like each other. I love how happy they are when an opponent does something extraordinary; I love how they step back after a fight and check if the other is okay. There never seems to be even a second of animosity between any of them.
Of course, one never knows how much exactly is scripted in shows like these but I think there is some genuine fondness among the participants.
Overall, I enjoyed almost every minute of "Running Man Thailand". I really hope the producers will consider a second season.
For those who consider watching just one episode for their favourites -- you can, of course, and it's likely you will enjoy it. But I really recommend watching all ten episodes for the development of the dynamics between the regulars.
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It felt as if it was two different dramas -- one that ran for about two thirds of the total and another that started around the end of episode 7 or 8.
The drama starts like quite a few Japanese detective dramas do: An eccentric main character, often a genius, accompagnied by one or two equally eccentric (or very straight-laced) side-kicks solve a "case of the week" , often with a twist or using unusual methods. Their "lair" is appropriately colourful and chaotic, the way the first few cases are laid out follows the pattern of traditional mystery dramas.
And I do love this kind of mystery drama, I liked 99.9 Criminal Lawyer, The Locked Room Murders, and more.
But Inheritance Detective failed to connect me with the team members. It neither develops their quirks well enough for them to really become a running gag (for example Tomonaga is supposed to often speak very quietly, so that nobody can understand him, which is used only occasionally in the earlier episodes, and never in the later ones. Haie himself eats dry coffee beans when he takes on a case, but it's never explained why or at least commented on or, I don't know, *something*, he just does.)
The drama's cases are neither good detective cases, where the audience can either guess along or be astonished at the genius detective's abilities, nor are they connected by a common thread (except by inheritance and wills), unlike the themes of "identity" and "mother-child-relationships" in Don't Call it Mystery.
I could have followed either direction -- comedy, mystery, philosophy -- but this drama failed to evolve any of these possibilities to a depth I could have been satisfied with.
And then the "showdown" with the real villain started, and it felt as if I watched a completely different drama. Any hint of levity was gone, characters suddenly seemed to change (from antagonists to supporters), and it felt like a revenge thriller or court drama, complete with seemingly life-threatening situations.
But this too was never developed deeply enough, even the villain stayed one-dimensional, the speech Haie gives in court near the end felt more contrived than moving -- mainly because I wasn't invested in anything.
Actually, I went through the first five episodes like a breeze, slowed down later, and the last episode took me long enough that I watched both seasons of Minato's Laundromat (which were at least not boring, just frustrating), *and* 8 episodes of Monster Next Door in the meantime.
And it's a real shame that the script was so bad, because the main actors were brilliant. I almost didn't recognize Akaso Eiji, he completely disappeared behind his role.
I think, based on the actors' abilities, I could have loved the team -- but not with this script.
However, there *is* one thing in the script I loved: When Haie tries to sideline his female sidekick "for her safety" (not his male sidekick), she doesn't let him, but involves herself again without his consent or even knowledge.
Was it good? -- It had some good ideas, but wasn't consistent in theme or tone. The actors were brilliant.
Did I like it? -- I would have given the first part a 7/10 or the second part a 6/10 -- but put together, no.
Would I recommend it? -- No. Neither to mystery nor to thriller aficionados.
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It's so fluffy!
Taiwanese BLs have a tendency towards fluff, and this show really tests how far they can go.The one thing that amazes me most about this series is how they develop very real tension for possible danger or conflict -- and then turn it into more fluff. And they pull it off! It doesn't feel like contrived or forced.
The tl;dr:
Was it good?
YES! It managed to combine fluff, cheesy tropes and a character-centric love story into a sweet whole, without stereotyping Shaopeng's disability; and Jin Yun was excellent in his role as Jiang Shaopeng.
Did I like it?
Absolutely. It hit my sweet spot. It's one of the few shows I've watched and finished while it was on.
Would I recommend it?
Yes, but those who are allergic to tropes might want to steer clear.
The show's premise is already a trope in itself -- rich and useless heir meets hard-working young man -- and is reformed by it; antagonistic relatives try to sabotage the heir, controlling parents try to push heir to new heights, jealous fiancée plots devious schemes, sweet and goofy mother cheers from the sidelines.
And the episodes themselves are chock-full of classic tropes: We get the fall-and-catch, the fall-and-kiss, the tending-to-smallish wounds, the only-one-bed, the interrupted kiss, and more.
However, behind all these tropes, there is a beautiful love story between two men who learn to trust each other, who can finally let go of the masks they have worn around their closest family, who can rely on the unconditional love they have for each other.
In fact, I even think the screenwriter even used the tropes to their advantage: The writer managed to build up tension for possible danger, only to resolve that with impossibly sweet scenes between our main couple -- showing how much the two men are absorbed in each other's presence, so much so that they don't even notice most of the schemes around them -- or when they do, they don't care much.
One aspect of the show that does not rely on stereotypes or tropes is the way the script deals with Jiang Shaopeng's disability. The story doesn't focus on Shaopeng being deaf (unlike the 2024 Japanese "Hidamari Ga Kikoeru") -- we only get glimpses of the prejudice and the discrimination he faces, just enough to explain his actions. More important to the story is how he has dealt with it in the past -- and how he tried to carry that burden alone until Yang Zi Xiang fell in love with him.
Jin Yun is very convincing as Jiang Shaopeng -- his facial expressions, especially his eyes, are mesmerising in their intensity.
Raiden Lin as Yang Zi Xiang uses gestures with Jiang Shaopeng from the first minute he learns that Shaopeng is deaf -- Yang Zi Xiang is not only unprejudiced towards Jiang Shaopeng but also does not hesitate to adapt his own way of communicating to Shaopeng's needs.
I also love how the production team decided to give Shaopeng his own version of an inner monologue -- we don't hear a voice but see his thoughts in writing, and even in flashbacks, there's no sound, and the camera focuses on the mouths shaping sounds, the hands talking with sign-language or facial expressions.
In terms of acting, it's not just the leads who are convincing -- it's the whole cast. They manage to give even the most one-dimensional characters some depth.
Score could have been a bit less intrusive at times, but it did not distract from what's happening too much.
Overall, the script is well thought out. Only the subplot with the two women could have been shortened a bit -- the cousin's story was much more intriguing than the stereotypical "jealous ex/fiancée" one, and I think there is a lot to explore there. I also don't know why there always has to be a secondary couple -- although I liked the back-and-forth, there was not enough time to really develop their relationship beyond the superficially tropey "cool top teases puppy-like bottom", as is usually the case with shorter dramas.
Even with the above-mentioned flaws, this drama gives us a sweet, tropey love story with some depth, with good acting and overall solid pacing. I think I'll even rewatch it someday, when I need a pick-me-up.
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Aspects I find especially outstanding:
* The class: Even the background characters had their own personality. They weren't just there, the actors seemed to know what their characters were like at any time. I found myself rewinding some scenes just to watch them doing their thing in the background. There's not only our favourite drama couple (the original Cinderella & her prince) but also look out for: the guy who alsways has his little notebook with him, the foodie, the two boys playing games... I would actually watch a second series just to see what they were all up to during the whole relationship drama of Aoki and Ida. (The same is true for the volleyball team btw.)
* The whole atmosphere in the class. It reminded me of my own last two years of school. We had much less dramatics, or at least I wasn't aware of any, but this is what it can be like if young people are allowed to be whoever they are and respect that about each other.
* I liked every single character in this show. Yes, even the student teacher. They were all genuinely trying to understand and to grow.
* The friendship between Aoki and Hashimoto. Hashimoto could easily have been that stereotypical love rival but she wasn't. I love how we gradually get to discover that she is more than just a timid or shy girl.
* I haven't even said anything about the two main leads. They earnestly try to discover how they feel and what to do about it. I like how the drama focuses on the awkwardness of trying to figure out who you can be as a romantic partner, and what you want your partner to be like. I remember being this awkward at 16 and 17, so for me, it's actually quite an accurate portayal of a first love, if a bit exaggerated -- but it IS a Japanese show and adapted from a manga, so it is kind of expected.
Overall, this little series has become of my favourites, and is one of the series I choose to watch if I need a pick-me-up.
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This review may contain spoilers
Little Gem
I watched this series on Viki, in the edited 12-episode-format.Some people have mentioned that it's obviously low-budget -- but I think if the story and the story-telling is good, things like this don't matter much. And the story-telling is excellent!
First, the series is set both in our present and in the past (or maybe dreams) -- and they are beautifully interwoven. I loved how smoothly the transitions between both worlds are done.
There are five sub-plots (or rather short stories) about friendship, familial love, romantic love -- about loss, letting go, sacrifice, and healing. These are cleverly tied together by the "Demon Bar", a place where demons meet, and destiny brings customers to ... well, to what? To dream? To tell their story? To relive past lives?
What is real, what is a dream -- this is never quite clear; and in the moment when the sommelier (the demon hunter?) maybe grasps an important part of the truth -- the series is over.
I wouldn't even be sad if there's never going to be a second season, this ending is kind of perfect.
Throughout all of these sub-stories, we also follow the friendship (and it can't be more, it's from China) of the demon hunter and the dragon. The former gets some backstory and also some character development; the latter unfortunately not. Maybe he is supposed to remain shrouded in mystery.
On a personal note: I laughed a lot -- but I also cried at the end of every sub-story, especially the first two had me bawling my eyes out.
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PWTP -- Porn With Travel Promotion, part 2 (now with added plot!)
Someone watched "Kiseki Chapter 2", and really said "This makes me want to sponsor a second season"? Well, why not.Compared to the prequel, this one was an improvement, which isn't saying much -- it's still soft porn with travel advertisement more than anything else.
The outside shots in Japan were certainly not bad, and the actors were certainly better than before -- although I can't say whether this was because they had better directing (or rather, any directing at all) or because they were more comfortable in their presence before a camera.
The sex scenes were longer and more detailed, and had more variety than in the previous drama. Whether they are in any way realistic, I'll leave that to every viewer's own judgement. I did like that most of the sex scenes with P and Pan had a certain levity and a good amount of playfulness to them, which I haven't often seen in BLs.
We also got somewhat of a story, and I think that contributed to the overall feeling that this season was more cohesive than the one before. I do wish that this premise (namely how the Thai way of promoting artists with "imagined couples" severely impacts their private life) were devoloped into a better story, there's a lot of potential there.
I think the plot -- simple as it is -- made the outings much better than in the prequel, in that I didn't make me want to skip the scenes; and it gave me a bit of background to connect with the characters. It also grounded the sex scenes a bit more and made them feel warmer than those in "Chapter 2".
And I admit it, I like the manager, even with all the toilet humour (he should definitely see a doctor about his bowel movements), and I hope he'll find his own lover some day.
The camera work is still on an elementary level, and especially the outing in the last episode looked and felt like an average vlog post.
That last episode was a let down plot-wise too -- I had hoped for a better resolution of the problem than just "yeah, the other hashtag is trending now, so it's all good" -- and in the last few minutes, it just kind of fizzled out.
This is one of those dramas I choose to watch when I am feeling physically unwell, as it doesn't require me to engage with anything much, and still is somewhat entertaining.
To be honest, there are Thai BLs with worse plots and/or acting ("Coffee Melody", "The Renovation", "2Gether", "Bad Guy My Boss") which nevertheless get loved by some because the actors are "cute" or something like that.
However, I can't in good conscience recommend this drama.
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To be fair: It's not the actors' fault, all of them delivered a great performance. It's also not a technical issue -- everything was up to the usual J-BL standards. The problem lies with the story and with the characterisations.
There is much ado about what happened back in middle school to seperate the two main characters, an event that has Miyata still in its grip even fifteen years later -- and somehow none of the two is able to address it, not hurt Miyata, and neither suave Iwanaga; even though the latter is quite adamant about rekindling their Whatever-It-Was. They both act as if ths was some great and traumatising event -- but when we finally hear the whole backstory in episode 5, it's actually nothing to speak of, at least not for two men in their thirties, who should have the emotional maturity enough to understand the difference between a teenaged crush and adult love. And yet, whenever they mention their own age in the present, they talk about it as if they are already middle aged, when they are only just over thirty. Thirty is still young!
... overall, the two main characters behave like a fifteen-year-old would imagine people in their thirties to be like, not like actual adults, which made for a very frustrating viewing experience.
Added to that, we get two love rivals in six short episodes, which are about two too many, and a traditional family in the background -- all of it adds to the impression that this story was written by a teenager who has no idea how the adult world works.
Was it good?
In all technical aspects, it was fine. Characterizations were unsatisfying.
Did I like it?
No.
Would I recommend it?
No, there are better second-chance J-BLs out there.
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Here, it’s mainly told from the point of view of a young man, whose past hold a tragic event, and who finds not only solace in painting but also a new way forward in life.
As such, this film is less straightforward about showing and explaining the art of Sumi-E than “Every Day A Good Day”, which introduced us to the art of tea making,. I still loved the many close-ups of the brushes painting ink on the paper and the insight the film gave us into the art. The connection between human and nature is much more subtle than in “Every Day A Good Day” but it’s still obviously there. The subtlety also makes the film not obnoxious about the message it carries (unlike in “The Zen Diary”).
Another thing that I liked was that there was no romance at all. I feared that there would be when they introduced the young woman, who is only two years younger than Sosuke – but they connect over their art and their struggles, and it all stays very, very platonic. I would have liked it more if the film had placed Sosuke firmly in the “still a beginner” category and have her stay on a much higher lever of expertise in the ending scene (as it is, it feels too much like the tired trope of the man who starts as a beginner and supersedes the female teacher in the end) – I do think the script made it clear that they both have learned that it’s painting their own lines that’s more important than any outside appreciation, but it was nevertheless slightly disappointing for me.
Having Sosuke as the beginner who is still not in the lime light would also have been a better fit for his overall humble personality.
As always, whatever is on JFF Theater, is of high quality regarding filming, editing and acting and with great attention to detail. I admit, I was a bit distracted by Sosuke’s hair – but even here, the way it was styled reflected his state of mind.
Was it good?
It was! It had a good story with a clear emotional arc and still gave insight into the art of Sumi-E.
Did I like it?
Surprisingly, yes. I wasn’t too sure about the subject – painting is really not something I connect to and the “Spirit of Dō” collection and all JFF films that get philosophical can feel too overbearing very quickly for me. I even shed a tear or two.
Who would I recommend it to?
To painters and appreciators of painting. But with the caveat that one should be in the right mood for a slow film.
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And these are indeed the reasons why I would say it's worth to watch this film -- because the story itself is very predictable and did not touch me.
The cinematography, however, is beautiful, and quite stunning, especially considering the aged material. I loved the peek the film gives us into the lives of Thai villagers 70 years ago, and I loved with how much care the ceremonies were filmed. Among others, we get to see a school, Loy Kratong, a wedding, and the ordainment of a monk -- and the film takes its time to show them to us in detail, though without explanation.
The story itself shows us attitudes towards disabled people, towards women and towards marriage and family of that time (and modern audiences might see how much of it has (not) changed since then). It also, more implicitly, tells us about Buddhist mores, the relevance of the belief in Dhamma and Karma, and what is considered to be a meritful life. In Buddhist teachings, เกิด แก่ เจ็บ ตาย "birth, aging, illness and death" are the four natural inevitable aspects of a person's life. When Santi is "sees the light" (grows up), he sees the world in all its beauty -- and its suffering. Only now can he see his "right" path forward.
The film was thought to be lost for decades -- only in 2014 was the film negative found at the British Film Institute, and screening versions at the China Film Archive in China and the Gosfilmofond in Russia. More than 1700 hours went into the digital restauration.
Was it good?
It has very good cinematography, and it gives us a window into the past. It's also notable for its importance for Thai film history, as it is one of the first 35mm colour films.
Did I like it?
I didn't get on with the story, but I loved seeing the daily life of the villagers, and their ceremonies.
Who would I recommend it to?
To people who are seriously into the history of Thai cinema. And to people who want to see life in a Thai village in the early 1950s.
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All right, I thought, time travel, man out of time, comedy -- we all know how his one will go, right?
Wrong.
Well, at least I was wrong. The story continually surprised me with how it developed, to the point that I had no idea how it would end until the last five minutes or so.
If a film with a widely used trope like "time travel" can do that, then it is an automatic recommendation from me.
I don't want to spoil the actual plot for you either, but let me just say this: This might have been labelled as a comedy on JFF Theater, but it is not only that. I found more than a few thoughts about other, more profound themes in there, I was breathless during the "last scene", and I shed some tears in between.
This film is both a spoof of and a hommage to Samurai films and Jidaigeki TV shows (Samurai series). It both honors an image of the noble samurai and points out the horrors of killing and war. And, as a lot of Japanese productions do, it shows people's dedication to their craft, whichever it might be. (Also, food appreciation. Where Thai media has ghosts, Japanese media will always have people loving their food.)
The main character is so loveable, I wanted to give him a hug more than a few times -- and all of the other recurring characters are very likeable too. Watching them help and respect each other was a joy -- even the relationship between the main character and his (perceived) antagonist is full of respect.
There was some slight romance, but nothing explicit, and open-ended; it was one of many sub plots, and certainly one of the less important ones.
What makes the film even more outstanding is the performances. The fight scenes, "choreographed" and "not", look very good to my untrained eye, which is as it should be, given the two main topics here, and the actors balance comedy and darker emotions very well.
I am sure that aficionados of Samurai genre will see even more love in the film, but it was already brimming with love for filming, Samurai movies and history for me.
I don't even need to pose my three question here; it was excellent, I loved it, and everybody should give this film a try!
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I really liked this documentary. The narrative gently leads the audience from the process they use on the peninsula to the history of why almost every family made salt there to why they stopped doing it -- and how it came to be preserved nevertheless. And then it looks into the present of 2011 and into the future of how this traditional method might be preserved and maybe even help the economic situation of this rural part of Japan.
I admit it, I had an elevated level of interest already because in my home town there also is a history of salt making (from briney springs rather than sea water), and in the very early days, before the invention of Gradierwerke, they also boiled the brine to produce salt crystals.
So, I had a connection already, but the documentary wouldn't have held my interest if not for these points:
* They built the narrative so that someone who has no prior knowledge can follow along. It takes time to explain and show the process, and also gives room for the beauty of salt and the landscape. Its slow pace also underlines how slow and back-breaking the labour was and is.
* They were probably lucky that there are not only photos but also film footage of the family who were the only ones to make salt for dacades. I'm glad we got to see this.
* There's a good balance between the facts of salt making and the people with their emotions and passion. Neither could exist without the other.
* Regarding people, after the revival of salt making (mostly for tourism), there are several endeavors to do so -- and I liked how the documentary doesn't try to push a "We're in this together, ganbarimasu!" type of narrative, because it clearly is not the case. The original family's father is very salty about how things went in recent years, and they don't try to hide that.
* I also liked how they found a random granny on the street, decided to interview her, and kept that footage in the documentary.
* The documentary also doesn't gloss over the fact that industrialization changed Noto, that salt making is not a craft with a bright future -- but that is more tourist-oriented now, trying to bring in money for the people who are left while preserving salt making as a historical artifact, and that this has changed salt making itself.
Was it good? -- Yes. It was informative, and engaging. It was also a bit slow, but I think that's perfect for the subject.
Did I like it? -- Very much so. I do have questions after watching it, but they are follow-up questions that would deepen my understanding, not questions because there was something missing or unclear.
Would I recommend it? -- Absolutely.
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The acting and the production value was great, as it often is with Japanese films -- but this one doesn't have the tight writing I've been accustomed to by other Japanese productions.
The script wasted time on several love stories, but couldn't develop them all, and then proceeded to use cliches for additional drama. Cliches, I might add, for the women only. I was most diappointed by the mother's reason for "retiring", which is one of the most overused trope in films and dramas.
These tired plot points distracted from the two story lines that should have been at the centre of the movie: The love story between Takeshi and Johyun and the preparation for the tug-of-war. It could have been a sweet, community-focused slice-of-life. It could have been a love story of a man who struggles between his own dreams and expectations or between old dreams and new ones.
There were also hints at other stories: A man who's single misstep at high-school overshadows his whole life, a mother whose life has been dedicated to family and the family business, a divorced single mother who constantly is at odds with a sexist society; the list could go on and on.
And even though the film took the time to explain about the tug-of-war in several dialogues, I didn't even understand what was exactly happening during the tug-of-war. What is the purpose of the disruptors exactly, what was that about the loops, why does the rope have to be cut at the end?
The film gives us tantalising glances into a fascinating cultural event as well as into interesting plot lines -- but none of them is ever developed to a satisfying point.
All in all, I would have rather watched a documentary about the Sendai Tug of War.
Was it good? -- Everything was great -- except for the script.
Did I like it? -- Not really. Script and characters are at the centre of a film for me, and here they frustrated me.
Who would I recommend it to? -- I'm not sure. To people who want to know about Japanese culture maybe? But then there's not enough explanation fo it.
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Intended for a domestic, not international, audience, this documentary does not need to tell the story of Tsukemen, the ramen variant invented by Yamagishi-san in 1961, and it does also not need to tell us about the dish itself.
Instead it focuses on the last active years of Yamagishi, and some of his years after retirement -- as well as how his work and marriage has shaped his life and his legacy.
As always with these documentaries that follow a person's personal life, I admire how close the film maker is able to get to the subjects of his film. The raw honesty with which Yamagishi can show us his life is the main reason this documentary can evoke the deep feelings viewers can feel while watching it -- personally, I cried throughout the last third until the very last second of the closing credits -- they were tears of suffering, of relief, of nostalgia for a life I did not live. Every moment of happiness was tinged with a deep melancholia for the passing of time and the changes it brings with it.
The way Yamagishi suffers through most of the film, and how he is still able to look back on his life and see the good things -- how he can accept the finality of age will stay with me for a long time.
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And, as expected from any film shown on the JFF Theater platform, the actors are brilliant. They are indeed so brilliant that there is no need for dramatic music, or experimental camera work -- the actor's way of portraying their characters is what carries this film.
Most of the film's value comes from how the characters react to their circumstances (or, rather how they try to shape them) -- which is why the actor's capabilities are so important.
I don't want to spoil anything about the plot and its little twists and turns. Maybe just this: This is not a "firework of jokes" kind of comedy -- yes, there are some scenes that made me laugh out loud, like right in the beginning, when Kanae Mizushima straightens her desk and then takes out a small vacuum cleaner for the finish; most of the comedic bits are more subtle.
And a short word about the romance -- yes, there is a romance story -- it was very cute. Two oddballs falling in love with each other, over their shared passion for plans and lists, was sweet to watch. And the hug in the end was everything.
As the best comedies do, this film also touches upon question of human existence: What is love? And what are you willing to do for it? What makes you "you"? How do you "know" who you are? And can you be an ethical killer?
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This review may contain spoilers
Does what it set out to do.
"You Are Mine" is a classic office rom-com with a boss-employee romance. This drama thankfully doesn't pretend to want to be anything else, and it does it well.In accordance with its theme, the drama is rife with tropes -- from the gaggle of secretaries / colleagues, to the meddling friend/co-worker, and of course, both working overtime and the all-too-common work outing and more.
There's one story aspect that doesn't quite fit.
The main struggle in this story is that there's an imbalance of power between a boos and his employee -- and I do love that they address this! -- but it doesn't quite make itself clear through the script. For the longest time, it seems as if our employee is the usual "bottom"-type who is reluctant to enter a sexual/romantic same-sex relationship. The writing emphasizes this aspect too much and for too long, while the much more interesting and *actual* hurdle is only truly visible near the end.
I also am not too enamoured by the music. While the songs themselves fit the vibe of the drama and are likeable enough, they are unbearable as background music and distract from rather than support the scenes.
Both these aspects though are overshadowed by the amazingly on-point performance of the main actors, and also by the supporting actors -- it feels as if they know their characters inside out. The comedic timing is usually perfect.
I also love the "interviews" at the start of each episode (except episode 1, which has it at the end), which are funny in their own unique way.
Overall, it's a nice and fun watch for a gloomy day.
Edit to add:
This has become one of my comfort watches.
With every rewatch, I like this one more and more. It's actually quite good at evolving the characters feelings, they are just mostly not speeled out but only shown through facial expressions and the eyes.
Only the music gets more annoying each time I watch it.
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