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2-Storyline/Plot : To start with, I never read the manga or watched the anime, so for someone like me everything was a first time.
The story was set in a good way because it was something different: I didn't watch many shows or films about fashion before so the general concept was appealing enough.
3-Acting/Cast : I just like Kitagawa Keiko as an actress but I can't say the same thing about her character which seemed to have many flaws. On the other hand, George's character was well done.
Other character were okay, no special feelings about them.
4-Music : Kind of cool; it's not a bad music.
5-Rewatch value : It's possible for some cases.
6-The ending : My friends who already watched the anime told me that the anime's ending was really bad. All I know that the film's ending was a fluffy ending.
7-My impression : I never lost interest while watching this plus I appreciated the fashion-love combination. It didn't touch me deeply but it was enjoyable.
8-Overall : As a person who watched this film for itself not to compare it with the manga/anime, I believe that it was good enough to waste my time on it; an acceptable film overall.
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Hana Sugisaki and Taishi Nakagawa as Oto and Tenma were brilliant together. I'm convinced Taishi only took the second male lead in order to work with Hana again. Sho Hirano was charming as the male lead Haruto, though his acting was a little on the weaker side. The supporting cast were also fun and did a reasonably well job. I was a bit conflicted about the "friend group" thing between Oto, Konno, Airi, and Megumi as this does not happen in the manga. It felt a bit unrealistic to be honest, especially for Megumi.
The highlight of the series were the cameos [I cried when Tsukasa (Jun Matsumoto) appeared]! I was a little disappointed by the ending. They are obviously hoping for a second season since it only covers seven volumes of the manga. "Hana Nochi Hare", while not as good as "Hana Yori Dango", will hopefully delight old and new fans.
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Unique story that could have been reworked into a great drama with more time and attention.
People are comparing this to 50 Shades, but they're not all that alike, at least in terms of plot. The reason why it reminds people of 50 Shades is because it's the same type of spice (overtones of S&M), similar color palate and styling (black/white/gray, expensive and spartan interiors, simple & classic styles for hair and wardrobe), and an extremely controlling ML.But where 50 Shades' story focuses more on the relationship itself, and the growth of the characters, this story does not. Deep Love Love Again reminds me more of Secret or My Lethal Man, with pretty outrageous plotlines and characters. It seems like it might borrow some of it's inspiration from the classic story 'La Femme Nikita'.
It wasn't bad at all. The actors were exemplary and their chemistry was fire. But it just had too many shortcomings to rise above mediocre. For starters, the story was laid out in a disjointed way. It was meant to be mysterious and keep you guessing, but it missed the mark and turned out simply confusing. It was meant to reflect S&M tastes in spice, but the characters don't have enough depth and consistency to create a good S&M relationship. There are some loose ends that never get wrapped up. The dialogue is too sparse, vague, and devoid of emotional content.
These are technical issues that could have been remedied with enough time for the scriptwriters to go back over it and fix it, but all projects are on a budget and a schedule, and I'm sure they just ran out of time to polish the story. But the basic plotline is solid.... moreso than many dime-a-dozen short length dramas. And the aesthetic is different than what you usually see in a mini c-drama, which was refreshing. None of the problems with this drama had anything to do with the actors, who all gave excellent performances and were very well cast.
There was a decent level of spice, but even so, it should have been spicier. It was a decent one-time watch, and the plot deserves to be recycled into a longer drama by someone who can actually make it shine.
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Light xianxia, only worth to watch for the 2.nd couple
It is a light drama, you dont have to use a lot of braincapacity to follow it, but it have warm and lovely storyline. No, not the main storyline, the second one :)Pan Mei Ye (Xiao Qing / Qing Qing) was a very annoying character in first sight, overreacted actions and too noisy behaviour. Then I have to realise, yes, that is how a silly blue chicken could act if it could be an elf, so her acting become my favourite. One of my favourite, because the other was the second male lead Deng Wei ( Xue Qian Xun ) who portrayed an immortal lord with soo mutch elegance what I haven't seen since Luo Yunxi in the Ashes of love. It is unbelivable, that this series is his first drama. He is really awesome. Extra point, that these two have got really good chemisty, their acting together is living and vivid, can't stop rewatch them. I have to agree, they totally got this show and I hope both of them have got more opportunity in the future. Acting is 7 point only for them and the other sidecast.
I am really sorry the poor storyline of Zhu Zan Jin (Mingge Xingjun [Immortal of Fate]). Guys, this actor have got far more skill than this, it was a waste to gave him soo little time.
The ending is happy, but only the second couple have got valuable, well written "endscene" .
The main couple just met in the pink forest with lot of firefly. Again...
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The acting was great, the ML was good at what he does, his emotions, his acting, the way he freely talked, this was meant for him. The female lead was clueless, but sweet, innocent and naive but she does it great, you know what I mean? They clicked, the chemistry was there, the kisses were amazing, the whole relationship really just made the show for me. I loved them, I loved these two together. As far as everyone else and the rest of the story? Didn't care for them, at all. I liked the best friend, the little sister, but everyone else can KICK ROCKS.
The music was fantastic, worth listening too and really fitting.
Overall, I just can't put myself through to watching this drama again, I'll probably rewatch any scene our main leads are in and their romance factors and watch every kiss or just cute scene with them but the WHOLE show? Miss me with that tbh. I felt like I was watching some kiss and slap Thai drama, I was like "WHAT KIND OF THAIANESE DRAMA AM I WATCHING???" Overall, I'm glad I watched it. I'm happy to push through because it was so romantic in those aspects and they made me click with them. It started slow, got draggy and those are downfalls. But the COUPLE WAS AMAZING. SO 10/10 FOR THEM, 8/10 for every other POS that made me mad in this show.
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This review may contain spoilers
A beautiful Xianxia that is worth watching! [Haven't seen one this captivating in a long time now]!
The last time I rated a drama 10/10 was Ten Miles Peach Blossom, this is the second drama that I fell in love with that wants to give full rating to, but sadly after watching the ending, I have mark it down and give the story 9/10 instead, but I will mark the overall 9.5/10 because I am still in love with this series in the overall, just can't give it 10/10 - Story becomes 9/10 because the ending is what sums up the entire story to me, my feeling of the ending? Well, I will tell you at the end of this review... Omg.Ok, I admit that I am one of those people who thinks Zhou Dong Yu is average looking, and I wasn't quite used to her when I first started, because I wanted a prettier actress, BUT don't let that put you off from watching this drama, because beauty is not determined through the physical look right? her acting really convinced me that she was made for this role, and I am glad that I gave this drama a chance and stuck to it, because it became one of my favourites! I love seeing the process of Shang Gu's character development from the beginning to the end, I love how she comes to take her responsibilities as a Chief God seriously, because you see that growth in her, although the destiny of a Chief God, is just too cruel IMO T_T. But these types of angst is needed for these types of dramas. IMO, Zhou Dong Yu played her character well, where in the emotional department she was excellent, and this brings me to....
Xu Kai, this was the first drama I watched him in, and then while this drama was airing, I found out that he also acted in 'The Legends', so I also jumped to watching 'The Legends' on my end at the same time, to save myself the agony from waiting for the episodes to be uploaded. While I love Xu Kai's character in The Legends, I personally love his character more as Bai Jue, because with each role he was given, he really played his part well. I can see the love he has for Shang Gu/Hou Chi, and I can FEEL the love he has for her, that he will go through great (sacrificial) lengths to be willing to do all this for her. His love for her really touched me, he is referred to 'Ice Cube', despite his original being/element is fire hahaha, but this whole 'Ice Cube' is referencing to his personality being cold, where he keeps everyone at a distance, and is more of a loner type, so his personality really connects with Shang Gu's personality, which shows they have great chemistry, because they complements each other, and you can see that Shang Gu, really thawed the ice/barrier Bai Jue have set up on his end, which is very nice to see. And I understood why Bai Jue did all that, so for me, I can never hate Bai Jue, I love him, and he really have suffered so much, but to me, these are great sacrificial love, I just felt like giving him a hug at the end because he deserves it.
To me, what is sad about this is, this fandom (as like many other fandoms) tends to see things on the Female perspectives, and doesn't understand the pain/great love the Male (in this case, Bai Jue) have for Shang Gu, so for me, I decided to do up a thread in here, to shed some light to his perspective: https://kisskh.at/discussions/the-legend-of-gu-and-jue/63779-to-shed-some-light-in-bai-jue-s-drama-perspective
^If you're interested, you can check it out
Qing Mu is a very loveable character to me, and I will always have a soft spot for him, but to me, I don't separate him from Bai Jue, since he is still Bai Jue to me. Qing Mu condition is the same as Hou Chi if you look at it, because Qing Mu is Bai Jue, and Hou Chi is Shang Gu, just without their memories of their past. Their love is an extension to Bai Jue and Shang Gu, just like what Gu Jun said in episode 33 "Your love with Hou Chi kind of makes up for their regret", because the short time they had as Qing Mu and Hou Chi is an extension to the love Bai Jue and Shang Gu want to have with each other, but they never got the chance to due to the tragedy that happen. If it didn't happen, and if they weren't tied to their responsibilities back then, they would have been able to get that kind of love. Remember how Shang Gu said, when she spent that one day with Bai Jue (before she sacrificed herself), Shang Gu asked Bai Jue why he is so sweet to her(the last day they both shared with each other), and Bai Jue said that it's not impossible, showing that if they have time, without the tragedy happening, Bai Jue can show that kind of love to Shang Gu back then. So, this is why when Bai Jue returns with complete memories, despite he is breaking off these emotional connection to those he cared about, he still cherish the time he (as Qing Mu) have with Hou Chi and why when Hou Chi asked him to divorce her, it hurted him so much and he was reluctant at first, but in the end, it just have to be, because he's determined to go through with his plan. In addition to this, Bai Jue have already shown me he can be sweet when it comes to his love for Shang Gu, so for me, I don't separate Qing Mu and Hou Chi from Bai Jue and Shang Gu. To, me they are the same, just under different identity when they love each other as Qing Mu and Hou Chi. As Bai Jue and Shang Gu, their love is not inferior to their love as Qing Mu and Hou Chi in my opinion, because, they've been through a lot to be together, and to see the sacrifice and pain Bai Jue did all that, it made me love them even more, because their love provided me the angst, and a sense of touching love story, which I love.
The side characters are also loveable, and I noticed that there's two side actors in this one that also starred in Falling into your Smile lol (I think I am getting good at recognizing familiar faces XD), and the second side couple is nice between Feng Ran and Jing Jian.
And Zhi Yang >>>>>>>> Mu Guang for me, I don't like Mu Guang on my end. So this is why between the God Realm and Heaven Realm, I much prefer the God Realm back then when Zhi Yang was in charge. I don't like what the heaven realm has become 60,000 years later.
What makes this story interesting and captivating is it starts of with the back story for the 'building you into the story' department, you get to see what the characters was like 60,000 years ago, and as you are watching it, it's like a journey you are also experiencing with these characters, so it's captivating in that sense. You see how the characters grow, change, take up their responsibilities, and I do love the female lead (Shang Gu) in this one, sure she may have started off slacking off, and does nothing but just lazed off, and play and don't take her role as the Chief God seriously, but that all changed for her when she became a disciple to Bai Jue, and I personally find it endearing how she calls him 'Shizun', it's much better than 'Shifu' lol. I have to admit that I am starting to have a thing for Shizun x Disciple relationship XDDD. I mean, well, that's not the main part, the main part is, the story itself have depth and is engaging me in every part of it, not just the romance department, but I also love the bromance too, I love the trio, Bai Jue, Tian Qi and Zhi Yang, they are like close friends, Xiong-Di, so I love seeing them, and LOL, Zhi Yang sure paid the price for lying to Bai Jue saying that Shang Gu is hardworking, submissive, smart and never makes trouble, but turned out it was biggest lie, because he wants Bai Jue to teach her so she can take up her responsibility as a Chief God seriously XDD.
Music: I actually love the OST's in this one, some are very memorable, and my very favourite is "Gǎnyìng" (感应) by Liu Yuning, that song always reminds me of Bai Jue/Qing Mu and Shang Gu/Hou Chi moments, so touching (T^T), and don't even get me started with the lyrics *sniffs* (T^T). And I have Tencent to blame for uploading this beautiful MV lol: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ok9DTHDLYw8
Another one I really like is: "Perseverance" (执生念) by Ye Xuanqing also made me cry each time I listened to it, when I listened to that song, it reminded me to all the sacrificed Bai Jue have done for Shang Gu/Hou Chi. And it shows the strong/deep love they have for each other. They both will wait for each other forever.
And another one: "Years" (年岁) by Máo Bùyì (毛不易), for these three music, they are on my replay list on my phone where I will listen to this on repeat.
Ending: I will wait until I watch that scene in full to judge that ending. I already knew it's a happy ending before I saw that clip on twitter/Weibo, but how that happy ending played out is determined if they will give us something more than that scene, because I want a more fulfilling/happy ending to show their family life, and interactions before the credit rolls, so I am keeping an open mind for now before I watch the ending. So I will come back and edit this review when I have seen the ending. To be honest, I really hope it is a fulfilling ending, since they really have been through so much to be together in the end, I wanted to see some extended scenes to it to make up for all the heart-ache and pain they've been through. Honestly, Sometimes I wish that I don’t have such high expectations for an ending because it really does hurt when it doesn’t deliver(┬┬﹏┬┬). But it remains a fact that I will always love this drama on my end, why I wanted an extended ending because Bai Jue and Shang Gu deserves an extended happy ending after all they’ve been through, instead of ending at that scene. But I will always love ALP on my end, and yes, I am also not ready to depart from this/their story (┬┬﹏┬┬).
EDIT - As I said, I will come back to rate the ending after I watched it, note, I even woke up at 4am due to the time difference, because I couldn't sleep to watch the remaining 3 episodes 47-49. You can bet I was left with so many feelings in the end (┬┬﹏┬┬).
What I like:
- The battle against Wu Huan, how Bai Jue and Tian Qi to help Shang Gu fight against her, and I am so glad to see that Bai Jue actually faked his "death" to have Wu Huan put her guard down, that's my loveable Bai Jue for you!!! And the part when Bai Jue went to Tian Qi to revived him, was really nice, I really love their bromance moments <3 And that sad look Tian Qi gave Bai Jue when Bai Jue told him that, after Wu Huan is gone, he can finally go in peace/without worries. I love this subtle moment, to see how Tian Qi also cared for Bai Jue on his end <3
- Thank you! For giving me the Father-Son moment between Bai Jue and Yuan Qi, because I really did cried. How it started off that Yuan Qi didn't want to even see Bai Jue, really hurted him (┬┬﹏┬┬), and then later they had that talk, and then when Bai Jue took Yuan Qi to the human realm, this time, as his real self, and not disguised as Feng Ran, those were all sweet moments that I wanted to see before the finale, and you can also see that Yuan Qi probably guessed that it was actually his father (Bai Jue) who took him to play a day in the human realm as "Feng Ran" back then. The part when Bai Jue lets Yuan Qi win the game, was sweet <3 And at the end, before they said good bye, how Bai Jue hoped to hear Yuan Qi to call him "Father" at least once, before he goes, was so sad omg (┬┬﹏┬┬) At first when Yuan Qi showed that he can't say it, and while Bai Jue was sad about it, but he didn't force him to call him father, and when he leaving, and then Yuan Qi called him "Father", I literally shed tears in that scene (┬┬﹏┬┬)(┬┬﹏┬┬), he didn't call him "Father" once but several times!!!
- Hong Ri came back!!! And I'm glad to have him back!!!
- It is implied Gu Jun will come back later as well, because Bai Jue saved a piece of his spiritual/soul, so he will come back later, although this is left off-screen.
- Jing Jian is reborn so he's also back, however without his memories, so that's a bit of a shame.
- Glad to see Zhi Yang is back, although I somehow have mix feelings about it, since the part when he's drunk at first, and Tian Qi is like looking through the documents, I am like, did they switch roles? LOL
- I don't like Jin Yang, but in the end, he somewhat redeemed himself for me, for what he said to his mother (Wu Huan). Like it needed to be said. I like how he said that he doesn't want the throne, he only wants to be his father(Mu Guang) son, and Jing Jian's brother. And he even told Wu Huan, that he doesn't want to be her son(because of all the things she did that killed the family) Wu Huan didn't even regret, not even in the end, so I felt like what Jin Yang said is a slap to her face!
What I don't like about the ending:
- I can't believe that bitch Wu Huan didn't die... I wanted her dead so much, but her suffering eternally like that is better than nothing, death would be too easy for her. I wish Jing Zhao's punishment was heavier, in the end, she was just mute, but seeing her suffering to see her mother like that, I guess is her punishment, and she can't even say any words to her anymore. I hated Jing Zhao so much because she even have the audacity to curse Shang Gu like that, what the f*ck!
- Mu Guang, I don't care if you sacrifice yourself for the peace in the end, but what you did, even at the end, how you begged Shang Gu to not kill Wu Huan, I was literally face palm at that scene.... Seriously, after all this you can forgive her?! Shang Gu even in her way scolded him, about how and what he's doing now have disappointed Yuemi and how well she treated him back then.
- Now, what I don't like is after all the hardships, heart-breaks that Bai Jue and Shang Gu went through, they have it end in THAT SCENE?! (┬┬﹏┬┬). I just can't really accept it... I mean, it is a happy ending, and I am thankful that that is a bit better than the novel, where they got a hug and Bai Jue smiled at her, not to mention Bai Jue deserves a hug at the end of all this but honestly, all I wanted was an EXTENDED scene after that part where they have their talk, and not just hugging each other. Ok, that is at least better than nothing, but still.... I wanted to see Tian Qi and Zhi Yang also say something to Bai Jue like welcoming him back. But at least the part where Bai Jue said "Shang Gu, I am Bai Jue" is heaps better than in the novel, because in the novel, Bai Jue didn't smiled at her in that scene in the novel (not that I recall), then Shang Gu, in the novel, expresses her happiness, no hug, nothing, but just words to describe that in that moment, it is just perfect and, I am like "?????" in the novel, a feeling of unsatisfied, and lead me to question, that the novel ending, so does Bai Jue have his memories after he came back??? This is why in the Drama ending, it creates no confusion, Bai Jue is back, and with complete memories, because he smiled and said to her "Shang Gu, I am Bai Jue", and they got that hug, so it's a bit better than the novel, but this is not what I wanted to see, because I wanted something more. They separated for so long and we only got like 2 minutes (at most) for their reunion.... (┬┬﹏┬┬) You can't be serious right? I mean, thanks for giving me a happy ending, but I already knew it is a happy ending, still I cannot accept that THIS is how it ended!!! I was hoping to see more of a closure, of them talking, them having their sweet times, their bliss before it ended, but this kind of ending... While it is a happy ending but I am still somewhat disappointed... (┬┬﹏┬┬)
I guess hoping for a TMOPB ending is a bit too much to ask for...... (┬┬﹏┬┬)
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should've been at least 10 eps shorter
I can't believe that it took them years to release this series, and this ended up being the final product. Nothing wrong with actors, everything wrong with the writing. Initially, I thought that Ye Han and Li Xiao Xiao are the only MCs based on promo , so imagine my disappointment when I found out about other five characters who were quite irritating for most of the series. It caused me to skip a lot at some partsWas this review helpful to you?
It's all about connection and understanding ☺️
For me this is a total package from family, friends, and lovers. It's give you a lesson in every scenes that you realize after how love and being open is important. I like the way they portrait each character specially joke and zo. They will make you fall, I swear! Thank you for making me feel love, and "kilig" and giving me a beautiful feeling while watching this series. Showing how important to love and to be loved. Hoping and cross fingers to have a season 2 and more episodes. Thank you.amd God bless 🥰🥰🥰Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
This is a very pleasing drama with a touch of Korean mythology. For anyone who've watched Goblin before, some of the mythological entities in this drama would certainly be familiar to you such as Grandmother Samshin as well as a goblin, though they won't be the same one as with the former's depiction. I have to say that the love story setting was a very intriguing one, not to mention the idea that one could use an enchanted portrait to seal an evil spirit that possesed a person granted that it was painted by a painter blessed by the heavens was fascinating. In a way, this reminded me of a similar idea from Joseon Exorcist (in which they used mirrors instead) as well as few other similar dramas dealing with demons and such. To which, I'm really glad that this drama was able to aired completely without having to face the issue that caused Joseon Exorcist to be cancelled.
The CGI effects and cinematography that was shown in the drama was really done well and beautifully made. The paintings and the many magical scenes involving the different deities and demons were so beautifully drawn, it was really a delight to watch the drama based on that alone. I really love how the drama depict scenes of how Cheongi's painting came to life in a very supernatural way that sets it apart from other normal paintings.
Kim Yoojung as Hong Cheongi really brought out the sweetness and innocence of the character as she strive to get people to approve of her artistic talent enough that she was later tasked to repair a portrait once painted by her father. Yoojung also brought out Cheongi's earnestness and desperation as she hoped to save Ha Ram who was possessed by the Demon.
Ahn Hyoseop on the other hand, turned out to look pretty good as a scholar who seem to be supernaturally handsome. He really did look like someone who wasn't quite from this world so it really fit his character. Considering this drama should be his first attempt at fusion sageuk, he really did well in portraying the character. Hyoseop and Yoojung really looked good together and made a very beautiful pair. As the drama tend to have a lot of focus on the eyes, you really can't help finding a strange interest in people's eyes. Especially Hyoseop and Yoojung's eyes whenever their eyes were depicted as normal or when the eyes were sightless or when it was brimming with supernatural energies.
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Story Evaluation - In the beginning the most intriguing part is the sexual tension. This tension then leads up to much more complex situations and serious problems. Some of them are I admit too dramatic and full of angst, but the relationships between all the chatacters pulls you in enough to keep you watching all 2 hours. The story is not expected at all and is unique in many ways. It is a Japanese movie though. (((: This is not a fluff or a smut really. The movie is more of just about a deeper meaning than anything else, and I guess that meaning would be the nature of love (you'll see if you watch it.. just watch it!).
Casting/Acting - The teacher is HANDSOME y'all. I might rewatch this one day in the future and one of the main reasons will be to see his face. But the acting itself is great for the story. The characters visuals very well fit their personalities too. Nothing to complain about at all.
What I love - The drama has little quotes all throughout it that teach you lessons. While they're mostly about love, they're very insightful and beautiful. They will make you think differently.
Also this movie is gayland. The type of movie where everyone's gay and no one asks any questions about it. The word gay is not even said once in the movie. Thailand needs to take some notes. With that being said, the movie is extreme in many ways, and because of that.. it's pretty beautiful in a weird way if you can take the angst.
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This review may contain spoilers
Being together needs two people, but breakup only needs one.
If you are a fan of Noona Romances (older woman/younger man) that deliver actual depth, pain, and incredible payoff, stop what you are doing and watch Sniper Butterfly.The Plot:
The story is split between two timelines: 2016 and 2024. In 2016, we see a heartbreakingly selfless breakup. Cen Yuan (FL) lies to Li Wu (ML), forcing him to accept a prestigious offer in Pennsylvania because she refuses to be the reason he sacrifices his future. Her crushing line, "Being together needs two people, but a breakup only needs one," sets the tone for the angst that follows.
Fast forward 8 years to 2024, the dynamic flips. Li Wu returns not as the needy student, but as a capable, determined man. They meet as strangers, but the history is palpable.
Why it’s a 9.5/10:
1. The "Green Flag" Hero:
Zhou Ke Yu as Li Wu is a revelation. Usually, in these dramas, the male lead comes back cold or vengeful after being "dumped." But Li Wu? He comes back chasing. He knows what he wants. His persistence in pursuing Cen Yuan, despite her pushing him away proves that his love wasn't just a puppy crush—it was endgame. The character growth from a boy who needed saving to a man who wants to protect is top-tier.
2. Realistic Conflict:
Cen Yuan isn't just playing hard to get; her hesitation is rooted in reality. The age gap hits harder in 2024. She faces pressure from her parents to settle down with the "perfect on paper" Doctor (who represents stability and logic), while Li Wu represents risk and passion. Her internal battle between doing what's "right" vs. what her heart wants is frustrating but so understandable.
3. The Chemistry:
The visual chemistry is insane. The height difference alone (Zhou Ke Yu is 188cm!) adds to the tension. Every stare, every near-touch feels electric because of the 8 years of suppressed longing.
The Verdict:
It’s a story about "Right Person, Wrong Time" finally becoming the "Right Time." It hurts, it’s frustrating, but it is so rewarding. If you love second-chance romances where the hero is utterly devoted, this is for you.
Favorite Quote: "Being together needs two people, but breakup only needs one." (Painful, but iconic).
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Lovely drama
I’ll start with saying that this drama is lovely. It’s not the drama of the year, but it’s one that leaves a quiet and lasting impression, at least for me.First, it’s a low budget drama with actors with a short resume. That might repulse some people who would automatically catalogue this drama into the lame one. But there are very expensive dramas which aren’t good so money is not necessarely the winning factor.
Second, I think the actors played very well, all of them. A bit on the exaggerated side, like in sitcoms (but still, less than in american sitcoms !). I had seen the ML in a short drama where he was not nice at all and arrogant and here, he plays a sweet, old fashion man very naturally so I find him quite good for someone with so little acting experience. The FL was fine, I hadn’t seen her in anything else but she was doing well, here. Especially when she was playing scenes with her best friend, I have to say.
The summary on MDL is not quite exact when it comes to who and what the ML is but I’m not going to spoil it for you, just know that it’s more complicated and original than a simple « ghost story ».
This drama has this serene elegance, due to who the ML is, the music, the ambiance of the drama. There are some fun moments, some angst, some mystery and in episodes 11 and 12, real sadness. Be prepared for it if you are living through the same thing in RL, it can be a bit tough, at least for me, it rang true. The drama has more depth than the ratings would let you believe. Life, death, longevity, loss, going on with life despite being bereft of love and affection…
It’s a paranormal/love story drama so of course, you have to be willing to, what’s the english word ? Suspend disbelief ? But « fantasy » is in the tags for this drama.
I’ll end up by saying that yes, there is quite a height difference between the ML and the FL. I’m starting to wonder if writers and directors don’t have a fondness for this situation because it’s not the first time that I watch a drama with such a height difference (Hello « My little happiness » and « Put your head on my shoulder »). I can’t help thinking that it must be uncomfortable for both actors to shoot a drama for months with such a difference.
But apart from that, I really loved this drama. If you love old fashion MLs and old fashion eerie feeling hovering over a drama (while still remaining modern), then you can give this drama a chance.
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could’ve been written better
the script was rather disappointing, although the overall storyline was good. Main leads were great, their scripts were just not that great. Not to mention that the episodes were so short, this whole series could’ve just been made into a movie. Male lead needs better roles. He is the main reason I finished the series. People were getting annoyed with Female lead, however, the script written for her was not suited. She was doing quite well in Meteor Garden. I’ll watch it again. For male lead only.Was this review helpful to you?
A Worthwhile Adaptation…
Adapting a popular manga and anime series to a live-action movie can be a case of trial and error with attempting to appease newcomers and fans alike rarely ending in overall success. Nevertheless Tsutomu Hanabusa and Izumi Takahashi decided to take on the challenge of mangaka Ken Wakui’s popular series ‘ Tokyo Revengers’ to the big-screen with an adrenal-infused movie that delivered all of the franchise’s punches and blows.
Akin to its original source material the movie focused upon deadbeat " loser" Takemichi Hanagaki ( Takumi Kitamura). At twenty -six years old and stuck in a job that he absolutely loathes with the passion , Hanagaki soon comes to the conclusion that he’s reached a stalemate with life-given opportunities . However fate has other plan for the unlikely hero.
Hanagaki stumbles upon the revealed truth that his ex-girlfriend Tachibana Hinata ( Mio Imada) perished at the hand of the notorious Tokyo Manji Gang. When Hanagaki is given a golden-opportunity to travel back in time to save his former-girlfriend from her violent death, Hanagaki becomes determined to do whatever it takes to save Hinata. The " crybaby hero" is forced to befriend the Manji group’s unlikely leader Mikey"( Yoshizawa Rio), and his right-hand man " Draken" ( Yamada Yuki) as he attempts to infiltrate the gang and prevent domino- effect -events from occurring through his timeline. However as Takemichi works together with Hinata’s younger brother and detective Tachibana Naoto ( Sugino Yosuke),Takemichi’s life begins to diverge in new directions as he dives deeper into the underworld of delinquents…
Tokyo Revengers’ has always had a “ love-hate” relationship with fans and enthusiasts alike. Whilst many have praised mangaka Ken Wakui’s popular series for its intriguing setup and characters, the series has always hit a rut with audiences over two notable flaws : the believability of its ensemble of teen characters actually acting and being their age, as well as the plot holes and loops which remain greatly prominent in the manga writer’s well-known work. In many ways Takahashi and Hanabusa are subtly decisive within the included elements in their adapted live-action movie.
Of course the director and screenwriter are careful not to stray too far away from the source material. On the other hand subtle changes can become prominent to audiences through certain directions of the storyline and especially with consideration to the age of the characters. Takahashi presented the characters as slightly older than their original counterparts; arguably resonating with audiences by the complex journey of adolescence reflected through the allegorical harshness of reality and experiences onscreen.
Paired together with Takahashi’s kaleidoscope of eclectic genres from mystery to action and then romance, there’ s a gritty-edge to Hanabusa’s focus upon fight scenes which add a notable focus upon violence throughout the movie.
Although silly and lighthearted gags transcended onto the big-screen from Wakui’s manga in order to lighten up heavy-angst and fist fights, Hanabusa downplayed comic relief a lot in his adaptation. Instead the movie’s pacing could feel heavily impacted by the blows and fists of its onscreen characters. The elements of comedy which heavily dominated Wakui’s work against darker panels were sparingly dispersed throughout the film; necessary padding at times but gradually beginning to unravel the storyline’s loose-ends.
As the film’s narrative progressed it became evident to audiences that there was an evident disparity in fight scenes. Arguably Hanabusa’s defence against main lead Takemichi Hanagaki being a visible weakling who is often beat up is excusable to a certain extent as he’d rarely escape from a fight or brawl scene unmarked. Nevertheless there was an unintentional farcical element as the storyline progressed with the contrast between realistic physical strength amongst those engaged in the action soon growing clearly visible for audiences.
Of course Hanabusa wasn’t entirely devoid of coherency when attempting to film the fight scenes of the movie. Together with the help of Tomo Ezaki , there was something surprisingly pacy about stunning visuals coinciding against emotional punches especially as the climax began to arise. However the movie’s climax did help to mark drawing up the fight for audiences, the delivered result of aesthetic and visual brawl sequences could often feel like a coated exterior to draw attention away from the anticlimactic buildup of initial events and the delivered result.
Another element of the movie which arguably suffered under the restraints of pacing was the romantic relationship between Hinata and Takemichi. It is arguable that Hanabusa did not entirely abandon the onscreen relationship between the main lead and his former-girlfriend as this did arguably remain one of the greatest-driving forces for the storyline and Takemichi’s personal goals. On the other hand it could often feel as though Hanabusa used the romantic element of ‘ Tokyo Revengers’ as merely padding once again again the violence of the series; necessary for framing the storyline and plot-drive but rarely shaping out the relationship and complexities for Hinata and Takemichi with more definitive edges.
Then of course there’s the discussion surrounding the casting choices of our main leads. Whilst there were admittedly a few scenes where audiences had to power through certain wooden line deliverances, it’s undeniable that Kitamura is brilliant as Takemichi. The actor managed to bring out the awkward charm of Hanagaki’s adult-self navigating his past against his rekindled courage and determinism which gradually awakens through Kitamura’s subtle yet profound micro-expressions and intonations. Costarring with Kitamura are Ryo Yoshizawa as Mikey and Yuki Yamada as Draken are astounding in their roles by adding an idiosyncratic ambience to their onscreen personas that is both heartwarming and threatening.
Then there’s Mio Imada as Takemichi’s former-lover. Whilst Imada’s screen time is restricted due to her character’s limited scream appears des , her performance did offer a level of sweet and dynamic charm to her embodied role as Hinata and carried through with natural chemistry towards her costar Kitamura.
The vision of Hanabusa’s work was aesthetic for audiences but admittedly without a few flaws. Exploration into Takemichi’s reasons for time-travelling and the handshake being the ultimatum are left hanging the air in the movie’s tight-paced storyline. Additionally there were often few transgressions ( aside from haircuts and technology) made between the past and present eras for the audience. Whilst it would’ve been ridiculous for the series to have nuanced each time-leap in depth there were certainly a multitude of missed-out opportunities to explore a manipulation of cinematography. This could’ve easily been done in order to highlight a greater sense of pathos and nostalgia by Takemichi as an adult experiencing his youth once more. Despite this the ending delivered audiences with a fairly satisfying and outcome to the events of the movie.
Hanabusa and Takahashi’s adapted live-action movie was an evident challenge from the outset. Whilst the movie is evidently limited to a certain extent carried on by noted flaws from Wakui’s work as well as the director and screenwriter’s own directions having their strengths and limits. Nevertheless ‘ Tokyo Revengers’ was a fairly satisfying and adrenal-ride; pacy at times and slightly tedious in other parts, but engaging and intriguing through its cast and setup tone by Hanabusa and Takahashi.
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kwon mi na is always misunderstood as a person who brings bad luck to ones around. while she is having hard time to socialise, we find these guys showing interest towards her.
now the viewer get chance to play cupid ,bring couple together and leave rest to her. so we get different endings with different guys. and believe me, all endings are good. pretty neat concept. definetly not bad.
music goes well with stories, on the whole, web drama is taken as opportunity to introduce us rookie eyecandy boy dance group. we have sun woo from signal here. acting is also really not bad.
so watch this. its definetly worth your time. and moreover we need not have to deal with second lead syndrome.
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