Gay teenager in 1990s Japan
This is not the usual school drama or movie we see these days. Usual school issues actually play little part in it (apart from one. instance touching on bullying). It starts as a realistic film of confused adolescent emotions in mainly school setting into which we are gradually introduced to a dark side of gender identity, sexual violence (Aihara, a female student transferred after being raped) and repression but especially the struggle for identity of a gay teenager, Ito, worked around his feelings for a classmate(Yoshida) in a still non-accepting society in the 1990s (though unhappily not so much changed 30 years later) an object of scorn by other students and his father( who still thinks he can be medically "cured" ), the movie climaxes (no pun intended) in a surreal meeting of the three on a beach in which the conventional boundaries are crossed this is a nuanced movie where the dark erotic instincts, feelings, motivations swirling in the protagonists are brought to the surface slowly but finally only in the dark isolation of a nocturnal seashore (the grains of sand) and yet still remain unresolved as they return to their habitual lives very good exploration of these difficult issues and must have been ground-breaking in 1990s Japan 〜Was this review helpful to you?
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manga bender
enjoyable comedic drama but as it went on for me it became more than just this and was thought provoking too on nature of gender and also where reality and fantasy begin and end with manga passion transmuted into ”real life” 〜very touching and well thought out ending though slightly disappointing from one viewpoint acting good all round：I think Matsuzaka is in characteristic style here as accident prone "little guy" finding himself in compromising situation but ？maybe？ seems slightly ill at ease in same sex scenes here but Iura quite at ease and excellent🇯🇵Was this review helpful to you?
Night Flight
wonderful moving film about gay love repressed in an oppressive society reflected in its schools 〜thoughtful and provocative with much darkness about how and why people behave to each other so cruelly especially to those considered "different" and the struggle to accept yourself being gay in this environment。the action is filmed against a background of arid broken gloomy urban landscapes well reflecting the cruelty and alienation in the fight for survival among the persecutors as much as those they persecute. there are only brief interludes of happiness or beauty along the way such as Yong Joo's and Gi Woong's trip to the coast。the title of the film Night Flight comes from an abandoned gay club （closed down because of prejudice it was too near to schools！） where Yong Joo and the only other student from a different school in the area secretly meet。 it is a dark film with much violence bitterness hatred but out of the darkness almost miraculously come fragile glimmerings of light, love and hope💛💛Was this review helpful to you?
Silent Criminal
really interesting start and just gets better from quiet small beginnings in small provincial town about a clever local constable the plot becomes more complex progressing to involve high affairs of state〜the MLs have appealing chemistry of opposites reminding me of 「The Untamed」 and main female leads also have well-drawn characters〜 the wuxia is exciting without taking over the story。among the few dramas I can rewatch and wish was longer though one of the strengths is the tightness of the plot。music very good too。 very glad I found this drama and I wish the MLs had more good roles though seem limited to support roles from MDL list❤️Was this review helpful to you?
look through the politics and you will find an endearing short Chinese GL drama series
enjoy this good story attractive actors, costume, background but the modern political prejudices are hardly well hidden [Kuomintang one-sidedly portrayed as the inhumane thugs] and it is fairly obvious why Chinese censorship did not take a heavy hand with this despite the same sex undertones （some parts even contain virtual lectures：do not let the start put you off）：maybe in 2017 they thought with the propaganda it is worth risking effect of the heavy friendship！ yes、 end very telescoped （but you could say this about the whole drama） but it worked〜 look through the politics and use your imagination （though with Zhou Yao Huayou's character played by Yan Zi Dong maybe do not need much imagination） and this is endearing same sex drama〜☆*✲ﾟ*｡(((´♡‿♡`+)))｡*ﾟ✲*☆
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Good ride
very slick well written and planned and well-acted thriller with plenty of action like the best K-drama of its genre〜the concept is not that original but it is well done 〜reminds me of 「Mission Impossible」except it is not one completed story for every episode but leaves cliffhanger and there emerges an underlying backstory and plan behind the targeted individuals〜 you have to focus to follow the detail 〜this is binge watch quality which is rare for me。Great cast both main and support。 you really want them to get those low-lifes in high places。Song Seung Hyeon was also in similar genre「 Black」（also with Kim Won Hae） and 「Time Slip Dr Jin」 that I liked but his main career roles seem romance or melodrama〜Kim Won Hae also has a long distinguished career in similar roles （main and support） such as 「Nine Times Time Travel」、「Black」「 I am Human Too」 「Hotel del Luna」 to name a few it would have been good to see a follow up with these actors as they developed good chemistry。Was this review helpful to you?
great drama of political intrigue
after slow start （maybe because I did not watch the prequel so not familiar with background）I loved this superlative action drama and very involving once you begin to unravel the overload of information about various courts intrigues and players〜one I watch many episodes together〜 also this drama really lives up to its name as it is episode 4 and I have not seen a single female： how do they reproduce？(^_-) as usually it seems with Chinese dramas the introduction songs are too long、 I assume Chinese audience like action shots with music as a distinct part of the show〜but though I like rock music it seems bizarrely out of place in this type of period drama〜my only criticism is the very unsatisfactory ending on which see separate comment with spoliers〜〜Was this review helpful to you?
Inspirational message
certainly set in different background from usual school drama which I find interesting〜 there is room for some social class comment although of course a romanticised view of technical schools as this is fiction〜as to the girl in boys school trope、this has a different more original feel than similar dramas： of course heroine is too good to be true as we would all like to be but this is fiction！and then also a love triangle but it feels like this was put in as part of the formula and is not a main focus〜but interesting plot elements showing hard background stories of some students 〜such as one involving single parent、 another financially struggling〜 really add interest and are well developed though finally it is obviously intended as inspirational message for teenagers rather than realistic 〜still no boring part and I liked this more as I watch it really good show so 10 / 10Was this review helpful to you?
Another watchable Chinese fantasy production
finally I enjoyed this series very much as the characters developed and for me this and the fantasy were the best parts。 it was disappointing the relationship between Zhao Yun Lan and Shen Wei was sanitised by censorship but unfortunately not unexpected and you have to learn to use your imagination in these Chinese dramas〜 some actors are better at being suggestible than others：here for me only 7０％。It was also a learning curve working out how the double characters fitted。 I think the less good part was the production values、 very basic with the same unconvincing cardboard sets and props throughout and the total populations of Haixing and Dixiang in crowd scenes seeming at most 40 or 50 people: must be the budget〜also the obvious and very artificial and mostly unconvincing attempts to insert straight romance between certain characters。but looking beyond this the larger story including back story was very well developed coming together nicely in the second half Music was good especially closing song。Not close in quality to 「The Untamed」 but a very good show that had me watching one episode most nights to the end of the series which means for me it must be very good。Was this review helpful to you?
dysfunctional
Finishing this drama I think it divided into two with first 5 to 6 episodes about the relationship of sensei/student between Gu Qing Pei and Yuan Yang but which does not really work because for me the violence is too unrealistic to the point I nearly dropped this：no one would accept that treatment and carry on the connection whatever the money or business reward〜then it starts to become more interesting as the two different characters work together to get results from around episodes 6〜 then after only about two episodes big disappointment because it was as though it totally lost that bromance or gay plot line and became mainly a business and family contact drama with Gu Qing Pei and Yuan Yang relationship in background and so twisted around I did not know what it was supposed to be。 I enjoyed the story andit kept me wanting to know what happened next and I binge watched last episodes but I do not think the two halves fitted together that well and so the drama as a whole lost direction and as for the relationship theme it was like premature ejaculation〜 it never happened in more ways than one。 quite good acting and drama flow（it sometimes gets slow or disjointed with Chinese drama I feel）。Production values only average but actors made the best of what they were given music very good Overall enjoyable watchWas this review helpful to you?
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Blood
this drama I had doubts I would stay with for 20 episodes but in the end I completed in binge session of last 3 episodes. I think it started out better、 then too much unconvincing romance from around episode 8 [do people really turn 180 degrees round in love-hate relationship?] spoilt it for me but more tension and plot turns and surprises toward end kept me hooked. I do think the romance element was really very weak spot in this drama and truly interfered with the drama but luckily the drama improved and in last episodes I was hooked to see what happened next. as it turned out the drama in the final ending was not for me as good as expected, although the final twist was very original and surprising. I have my own individualistic interpretation about the last two episodes and romance ending which others may not agree with but for me is as convincing as what we are maybe expected to feel 〜that is Park Ji Sang's true love was Joo Hyun Wooー there are hints all over the earlier episodes.ーso when Hyun Woo died in episode 19 Ji Sang was emotionally dead and more accepting of his own sacrifice because his true love was gone. I never found the relationship between Ji Sang and Ri Ta convincing and still less the one created from thin air between Hyun Woo and Soo Eun. I am not saying there was no feeling between him and Ri Ta, just that it was not as deep as for Hyun Woo. the only reason this was not spelled out in my opinion was because they wanted the show to conform to the conventional boy-girl romance、 the last romantic scene between Ji Sang and Ri Ta was emotional bit for me seems very artificial and conventional〜but maybe this is just my fantasy。 also what was the last part all about? total fantasy ?Ri Ta meet an unknown brother or clone of Ji Sang in Kochenia? or had she died and met him in the afterlife? just a continuation of the unconvincing romance to give sort of happy ending I feel。 but in all a very enjoyable drama with excellent start and sufficient interest to stick with to the end 。Was this review helpful to you?
Fun fable
Yes this movie is weird and fun but is a fable also about the all powerful controlling manipulating social machine starting from education machine onward for life holding children and then adult in its and how only those brave enough to stand against it will become true human being。To do this you also need to learn and grow as shown in the movie。 Who is the real monster? When you dig beneath the surface is it really a simple story of an alien threatening to blow up the world or are the state powers and defence team really more concerned that Korosensei will bring down "the system" running all of us? You have to look at how this story develops from the simple "alien threatening the world" sci-fi trope。 The state authorities and defense team want to stop him, but even under threat they want to use the no-hope class to do it because they are expendable。Reminds me of how the people getting killed in wars are considered expendable。 Note how the children come eventually to feel attached to Korosensei as they realise he 〜the outsider〜 is the one who is really on their side and teaching them how to evolve as human beings instead of being dumped and forgotten in the school shed by the powers who run the system。 Just like lots of human beings considered expendable because they cannot fit in with the system in the real world。 But of course the movie can be enjoyed for itself without seeing any deeper meaning。 The action and special effects are quite good and I did not feel bored anywhere in the movie. It was about the right length。Was this review helpful to you?
Kindaichi Shonen no Jikenbo: Gakuen Nanafushigi Satsujin Jiken
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