Daisuke

Weird but interesting story - brings together several genres such as the closed room whodunnit of crime fiction, hard edged rebarbative sci-fi/horror and - through its school student setting - dystopian works of children's atavistic reversion to savagery when plucked from normal "civilised" life, such as Golding's Lord of the Flies, Oe's Nip the Buds, Shoot the Kids and in cinema Battle Royale. I feel the plot becomes too clever for its own good, the contortions become hard to follow and there's a fair amount of sleight of hand by the time it gets to the end. Still, it makes you think - whether as a dramatic comment on human society or a dramatic projection of human psychological motivations. Or maybe I'm reading too much into it!! Some nice eye candy here anyway, in particular with the sultry good looks of Ota Motahiro (whose photo on the biog page completely fails imho to do him justice compared to the movie!) (Was there any music? I don't see how we can give a required score).

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This is one of my favourite movies. I found it a really interesting and watchable treatment of a developing gay relationship between two boys unsure of their sexuality and wanting to explore in the face of the usual prejudice and snide remarks of other adolescent boys in a school. But it also bravely tackled a subject that is even more a minority and sensitive one than gay life - cross-dressing., though it does go beyond merely that theme, so I wouldn't be put off if you're not really into that. It's amazing how this movie managed to pack so much into a short time, showing the far from smooth development of this friendship and relationship without seeming rushed. I thought the actors were completely convincing and came across very well. Researching their other work I'm surprised they haven't done more. Recommended.

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Love it - you have to watch a while to get the comical slant of what at first appears a slightly OTT "bullying - masochistic" theme but the game is given away quite early (I won't spoil it by saying how - you have to watch carefully), it is really done very well and the good-looking protagonists (well, to me they are) kept me watching, some might say Kurosaki was OTT and Akahane OTT passive but that's actually the nature of manga, it doesn't generally do "refined" (does it??) Not for everyone, maybe, but I absolutely loved the dark humour and bizarre characters, and (I have to confess) Kurosaki best.

Music - well I picked out Vivaldi, Mozart, Dvorak, Prokofiev and Debussy, so how much better can you get? Very refined these kids.

Re-watch for me 11/10

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Beautiful drama, costumes, ost so far, I'm glad I watched it. The "cross dressing" dramas would be far better with a real man disguised as a woman disguising "herself" as a man. Then all these supposed women-disguised-as men ~~ who will never fool anyone with at least the intelligence of a hen ~~ would be infinitely more credible. This has started off so nice with gay vibes with at least 3 characters, why spoil it for them by revealing the truth?
~~ ? (??? ??)? ~~

Others have already reviewed far better than I can, will only say I am with the lovers of this drama. Just finished watching after putting it off and off because I did not want it to end, For me everything about this drama was peak, including the ending. It is one of very few I could watch again in due course. (*•??•?*)? ??

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Phew! in the first episodes don't blink or you'll miss this, and I thought I was volatile. Story of fight between leads set among lots of crazy action. Hope it is not another love story as they promise - but love/hate?. Lee Eleanor very funny. Huang Jun Jie looks great - very prissy character played well. Recommended by Hmmsy, thank you. 10/10 entertainment value so far. Love every character in this. For me not so good in later episodes, the turn to fantasy, full on in ep. 16, was interesting to start but dragged on and did not really work for me, so I have to deduct a point because it became a struggle to watch all the clever-clever fantasy. I preferred the school setting. The music is good but takes up too much time. I find Chinese dramas are hit and miss but this was very accomplished and well produced.

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Kano is courted by numerous other men but according to some viewers of the movie he only really loves Soji. I'm not sure exactly where that idea comes from except from possible pointers towards the end of the movie. But if true, this would be highly ironic, given that a point is made of Soji being fiercely antipathetic to same sex love. Earlier in the movie it is specifically stated Kano and Tashiro are an item. So why does he accept the command to kill him? This in turn is because the powers-that-be suspect Tashiro of committing murders from jealousy. But as the movie concludes it seems rather more likely that Soji may have been responsible due to his hatred of same sex love, in which case, if Kano loved Soji, it may make sense that he killed Tashiro to cover up for Soji who was actually the one he loved. Was Soji running back claiming he'd forgotten something really to get away to murder someone else - even perhaps Kano? It all gets really impenetrable. I suppose you can reach your own conclusions depending on which pieces of the jigsaw you select. The above is only predicated on the emphasis some comments have put on Soji and Kano's supposed love for him. But I'm not sure I accept that anyway. Still, it's a beautifully produced, atmospheric movie with an androgynous and beautiful lead. Alas youth is fated to be cut down for even the most beautiful like the cherry tree at the end of the film. I think that's a common metaphor in Japanese culture.

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Sharp satire

I really feel for this guy spinning in a vortex of conflicting interests〜 just how I feel watching this show but it keeps my mind sharp to try following what is going on and seeing how he survives〜〜highly recommended sharp satire、very minor romance not a problem for me though it had its place in the plot but was the weakest aspect of the drama。one of those cases where I had it on my list for some time but should have watched it sooner 〜even the music's good variations on theme of J S Bach！ superlative tight plotted and produced drama with good actors all round and rewatchable〜〜

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likeable back-to-school fantasy

I am glad I disregarded the negative reviews to watch reLife〜for me this was a lovely thoughtful film、yes it is fantasy and repeats some typical episodes in Japanese school life like festival、 trip and so on but not dwelling on each of them too long and treating them within an original theme of so-to-say a person living inside while at the same time standing outside youth〜 yes it is fantasy but still has something to say to both young and older ages I believe。 its main weakness for me was the very ending with its just too neat and predictable ”resolution”。 This role suited Nakagawa well like other teen roles he has played and ”made his own” as I feel his screen presence very much has childlike freshness、 but maybe he has now reached his own graduation in real life （unfortunately not yet seen in his most recent role in the disappointing 「Oyabaka Seishun Hakusho」）and I will be interested to see how he makes the transition from ”youth” drama to ”adult”roles and hope he is successful without losing his youthful attractiveness〜

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ウケる

ウケる〜this drama is so brilliant I can not praise it enough I never would expect a drama set around sales and marketing department of a business to be so great and go into all the lives and problems and joys of the team so well。 The humor is hilarious but there is also a darker back story。 Park Hae Jin and Kim Eung Soo have great chemistry as do some of the team who pair up・ there is some romance but it is light-hearted and does not take over the story。 the end I found for me not so satisfying I do not like instant time shifts、 this is a weak trick and ”cop out” explanation and was really not needed in this drama。 the series as a whole was great but for me the ending was confused and crazy（ I expect deliberately） it rounded the series off but I would prefer a more realistic outcome、 but as a whole drama I recommend it highly〜it is one of a few I will maybe re-watch

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Fun movie but with a deeper message too

Nice movie. Although it is fun [there is some "black humor too] it also is quite deep in what it has to say about how deprived children have to survive and how these two come together from initial antagonism to a mutual understanding in "standing up for their rights". I think in some ways Lee Min Ho's early movies/dramas are some of his best, he has a fresh, unspoilt character. I have watched it twice now and it makes me happy to watch. It makes you feel there is hope where there is a human spark to bring people together - not just the two leads but the other characters they meet on the way.

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Lovely, understated movie. All the actors are appealing and play their parts well. It must be very difficult to act an emotionally traumatized role. Not a movie for those looking for a lot of action but well worth viewing if you like well developed characters and a good story. My only slight criticism is that the denouement is a bit too neat - unless we are to understand that manager Sawashiro deliberately picked out a remote unpromising hotel to manage because of past events. Maybe - but it's certainly not spelt out and you need to exercise your imagination pretty hard before you come to that realisation. I can't say more without making a spoiler. Watch it and you'll understand. Would certainly watch again myself.

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Really good to see a sympathetic gay movie, excellent cast, including the sister. The two male leads so handsome, and that most difficult to come by "happy ending" to a gay movie. The only thing that marred it for me is the OTT violence, but I suppose that went with the territory here. The villains were all too credible. The story required some suspension of disbelief, what with the coincidences. I can't go further so as to avoid spoilers. Music hardly made an impression, but not knocking it down for that. All I can say to anyone into BL or gay movies is: WATCH IT. We need more like this and I for one am quite willing to support with my wallet. Top notch, well worth a re-watch.

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Love

not an easy watch but an illuminating aesthetic and feeling experience〜 not as I expected really a depiction of social attitudes in a homophobic society but an exploration of one man working out his psychological, emotional survival in that society, the fine line between love and hurt 、self-realization and self-disgust、 acceptance and rejection ：who was it who said　”beauty can come out of a dunghill” ? beautiful imagery of nature and the eponymous palace in cinematography and sound ( Chinese opera ) 〜Si Han acted sensitively and convincingly
it is interesting to note that gay love was an accepted part of civilization in China (as in Japan) for hundreds of years ironically persecuted in current supposedly humanitarian times is it really a decaying palace or a decaying society where love is driven into the night and memorials of a past cultured civilization ?

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