The movie may seem nonsensical or rather another "Make Over" concept at first, but gradually, the fun starts when the cross dressing male lead Koibuchi Kuranosuke gets more involved with the female lead Kurashita Tsukimi and her housemates. I think that's where the story line actually picks up. Kuragehime may not have a great romance aspect into it, but it does give hints as to whom the character's heart actually belongs to. The portrayal of an Otaku in this film is also quite a bit over rated to my taste but then there's Kuranosuke who by the way is trying to hide the fact that he is a male cross dressing as a female so as not to be hated by Tuskimi's housemates who thinks he is a girl... so that actually became a redeemer factor for me. The story revolves around this simple story line made complicated by the characters themselves. Though there may be additional conflict inserts along the plot line, it didn't give much impact to the over all feel of the film.
Acting wise, I really enjoyed the fact that the main lead is comfortable wearing female clothes and actually looks good in it. Compared to other cross dressed actors I've seen, Suda Masaki nailed his role, he never once looked like he was a trying-hard-wannabe-cross-dresser. It was fun watching him punch the air in excitement, dress up Mitzuki in pretty clothes and walk like a model while speaking in a male voice. The way he acted spelled FUN all over the place. Then there's our female lead, Mitzuki. Nounen Rena who portrayed this character (with her glasses on) looked so much like Aoi Miyazaki from the Movie - Tada Kimi Wo Aishiteru. Sorry, I had to insert that because I really found the resemblance quite astounding! Aside from that detail, I found myself liking her character. It wasn't as strong as the male lead, but it was cute enough to compliment Masaki along the way.
As for the other supporting actresses, I found each characters lovable: Banba (afro girl), Mayaya (Bangs Girl), Chieko (Doll Girl) and Jiji (Old Man lover girl). The person who caught my attention though was the afro girl. I really find her fetish for trains a bit odd, but her other skills like photography, having a keen eye, attention to details... those things made her really interesting. Oh! Her BIG Afro wig was a big plus too. Aside from these girls, I will have to insert Kuranosuke's brother - Shu Koibuchi and his ever faithful driver Yoshio Hanamori (played by my favorite Mokomichi Hayami-san!!!). Their tandem in this movie is funny, despite the over-acting in their part, I still find the slapstick comedy funny.
Music wise, I find it endearing and catchy, it also made me check out the band which was SEKAI NO OWARI. Ironically upon listening to their music they have the same feel as the American Band: Owl City, and when I did my research they already had a show together! That piece of information was really awesome. Another trivia about SEKAI NO OWARI, they are also the same band who sang the OST for Attack on Titans (but it's such a shame the movie wasn't up to my expections).
Over all, this will be worth your time if your mood is into a feel-good-funny movie with bits and pieces about Otakus, Gender Bender and Fashion.
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Are you kidding me? Give this drama a better rating c'mon!
I absolutely had to write a review because the rating is unfair. This is an amazing drama, great writing, direction and cast. This deals with social issues like feminism, class, inequality but also love, marriage and personal growth.What most people will love about this drama is the character development. The MCs are written beautifully, they're complex unconventional characters that have layers. ML is adorable, sweet and caring and not afraid to change his mind when he's unsure. He makes mistakes and is insecure at times, but he always has a goal and strong values. FL has a tough exterior to protect herself in a world where women are still property. Some watchers will give up on her too early instead of understanding her hardships. But when she loves she loves hard and will be a ride or die. The rest of the cast is just as detailed. This is the kind of drama that leaves you feeling really close with characters because they felt real.
This is also without a doubt a romcom, but not a dumb one. Its funny but still has some intrigue and the problems get resolved quickly. What I appreciated the most about the writing is how every new character and event intertwines and leads somewhere. There's no nonsense or holes.
Overall, I feel like the only people who will dislike this are the ones who will give up on it too early or were expecting something else. Because for what it is (cute romcom with unconventional characters) this is great.
Giving this a 10 because this is well above average and is up there in quality when it comes to cdramas.
(Also the set design is rich and has variety (big budget))
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A bit in more detail: I think the best thing about this drama was that you truly did not know whether the "witch" was guilty or not until the very end. Of course, the cute and honest character played by curly haired Toma Ikuta did help a lot (I even had made myself orange T-shirt with writing "THINK TWICE"), but that truly was only a bonus to the original and well executed plot of the story. As for the acting, there were no cases of overdone or underdone acting and expressing emotions, which, unfortunately, I have seen in Japanese dramas for a few times, especially when it comes to expressing intensity. I think it might have been also the first time when I thought about Ikuta as a talented actor in serious plots as well, and not only in such characters as from Hana Kimi.
The only thing I really did not like in this drama, and I did not like it very strongly was the arguments of the lawyers. They were too brief, too simple and even I could see many flaws in them, as well as in the too emotional arguing of the lawyers themselves (take notice that I have characters in mind and not the acting). On the other hand, most probably this could be written off to the fact that supposedly such system of courts in Japan had been only introduced (in the plot) and therefore the lawyers and/or the judges might not have clearly comprehended of how it should be executed as professionally as I would have liked to see.
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Don't misunderstand me. I mean it was really good and very cute. I liked watching the characters interact with each other and I honestly wished that this drama would have been enlarged so that I could enjoy it more. It is an easy watch but I actually prefer dramas which are longer with fully developed stories and characters.
The figures in this drama were so cute and so fun to watch. I would've liked to cuddle with a lot of them (not with Tackle, Ackle or whatever).
At the beginning I thought that Tae Joon would be annoying and vain but he turned out to be a very fun person who made me laugh more than once. And I loved how he gave his best to win over Irene, haha.
Irene on the other hand was kind of strange. I wonder how she survived in school without talking. Didn't anyone find her behavior somehow suspicious or anything?
Actually I liked "Irene" more when she was Hyun Woo and when Geu Rim found out about "her" identity (ääh, confusing, haha). "She's" really such a gorgeous guy. "She" looks good as a girl as well as a boy. That's something, eh?
And the ending was so cute.
Guys, you should definitely give this drama a try. I don't regret watching it even a bit and I can imagine rewatching this very well. Have fun!
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I think that not everyone will like this drama, but also you have to give it a try then you will later realize how good this story.The storyline isn't GREAT but it is still good. I personnally loved the acting more than the story(especially the two mains leads). Their chemistry was a?. I do have to warned u that the beginning is a little slow, confusing and irritating(especially the FL) but just wait a little more eps and u will find yourself smiling like crazy and also crying.
The music was another great thing. It went well with the story. I am not a find of slow, sweet music but i found muself singing the OST.
All in all, very good drama. Slow but Good. My rewatch value is a ten because of Zhao Lusi and Zhen YeCheng's chemistry. I will await their future drama(if they have one).
Give this Drama a chance and you'll love it.
I am greatful to all the cast, directors,producers and all the team behind the beautiful drama.
Xie Xie Ni
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The fact that it's the first Chinese drama to attract my attention in eight years is definitely such a huge feat to me..especially a show with such a subtle romance like that..So what's so amazing about it?
Because it was about defeating the evil through an intelligent method instead of simply falling on your knees begging for mercy :D I love how one motive led to such a touching friendships and bittersweet victory. And the characters.............. *sighs*
Mei Changsu aka Su Zhe aka Lin Shu - He amazed me! I love how he's so weak yet can be so powerful at the same moment. Such a fragile man able to shake up the King, what not to admire, right? I love how calm his character is and I think Hu Ge did amazing job at portraying him as a weak guy. When he's in pain, I could feel his pain and when he's in anger, I could feel his anger.
Prince Jing aka Xiao Jingyan - He's so.....nice. However his moral was such a huge pain in everyone else's necks most of the time. I love how no matter what people say or ask him to do, he would never bend to their wants if it requires him to go against what he believes in. It made him weak and strong at the same time. The other thing that I love about him would be that he's very, and I repeat, very loyal to his friend, Lin Shu. At times I even felt that he suffered the most when it comes to the tragedy because he wasn't there when the Chiyan army was attacked and he wasn't there to defend them once they were gone. He was basically helpless and it pained him every breath he took. I am glad that he finally managed to do something in the end.
Fei Liu - I love how he was so amazing at martial arts yet be so simple minded at the same time. His antics made me smile again and again. He was my anchor in the sea full of sadness. :D
General Meng - I love the fact he was a general that commanded 50000 soldiers yet can't be really slow at picking up clues most of the time.. His loyalty to
The Emperor - Ugh, I hated him, he was to freaking proud of himself!
Jingrui - He was an amazing friend. I think even Prince Jing couldn't defeat him when it comes to being reallllllllly nice.
Yujin - He was sooooooooooo simple, I like him lol
Duchess Nihuang - She was strong but when it comes to Lin Shu she was so fragile. If she were to live in this era, she would be singing "The One That Got Away by Katy Perry" again and again..
The official soundtracks were very touching and beautiful.
The graphic effects weren't overdone.
The actors acted well.
The plot was very intriguing.
The pace was great.
And the ending was nice.
So 10 stars from the nobody me :D
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Coming of Age
Itomichi is a fascinating and heartfelt coming-of-age story that revolves around highschool student Soma Ito. Awkward and shy due to the embarrassment of her unique Tsugaru dialect, she keeps to herself most of the time and doesn’t have any friends. She does happen to be an extremely talented Tsugaru-Shamisen musician, a skill inherited from her mother, but due to her introverted personality, she conceals her talent from outsiders. The film will showcase Soma Ito’s journey of growth to realising her potential both as a person and a budding traditional folk musician. The title Itomichi refers to the thread that is used on the finger when playing the shamisen.Yokohama Satoko directed and wrote the screenplay for this film, which is an adaptation of the eponymous novel written by Osamu Koshigaya who specialises in youth themes. Itomichi is her second book to be adapted into a film. Takuma Watanabe (Aristocrats) serves as the composer. The theme song Eden no Shoujo comes from Mishiranu Sekai, the 10th album of Ningen Isu, a Japanese 3-piece rock band. Katsumi Yanagishima (Zatoichi, Battle Royale) is the cinematographer for this project.
Principal photography took place from September to October 2020 entirely in the Tsugaru region of Aomori Prefecture and features scenes of Hirosaki City, Itayanagi Town, Kitatsugaru District, and Hirakawa City. Itomichi won the Best Picture Award and Audience Award at the 16th Osaka Asian Film Festival as well as numerous other awards at the 13th TAMA film Award, 34th Nikkan Sports Film Awards (New Face Award for Ren Komai) and 95th Kinema Junpo Best Ten Japanese Movies (9th placing).
What I Liked
First of all, the narrative and the storytelling approach. This is one of the most intriguing coming-of-age films I’ve seen. I have a preference for slow burn, emotive and inspiring stories when it comes to depictions of slice-of-life with realism and relatability. For me, Itomichi undoubtedly falls within this category, with a dose of Japanese sensibility. In fact, Japanese filmmakers are masters of this distinctive approach to the genre where all elements of the story blend beautifully with the cultural aspects and atmospherics of the setting. Case in point, the juxtaposition of traditional music and modern cosplay which represents the context of this film.
In addition to the direction, other production aspects are equally well executed, which further enhances the quality of the screenplay. The filming locale has a charming appeal that is exquisitely framed by the excellent cinematography. The stunning visuals not only showcase the beauty of the setting but also evoke a somewhat nostalgic mood to the storytelling. I certainly appreciated some of the quiet and delicate moments that conveyed the complexity and depth of emotions despite having minimal dialogue between the characters.
The music in this film constitutes the backdrop of the story and abundantly features the traditional folk themes of the Tsugaru-Shamisen that is native to the Tsugaru region. I’m a huge fan of traditional music and as far as Japanese folk music is concerned, the shamisen is an enchanting instrument that is a favourite of mine. It’s ever present in Japanese jidaigeki productions but rarely, if ever, in contemporary films so I’m utterly thrilled that the beautiful sounds of the shamisen is afforded the spotlight in this story.
Komai Ren impresses as the central character, Soma Ito. Her absorbing portrayal exudes an aura of mystique that gradually draws viewers in, as it did for me. I honestly do think she was the right choice for the female lead, having also been born in Aomori which is the setting of the narrative, and she speaks the Tsugaru dialect fluently. Fun fact: In preparation for her role, she had trained playing the Tsugaru-Shamisen for nine months.
Toyokawa Etsushi, the multiple Japan Academy Award winner and recipient of numerous acting honours, plays Soma Koichi. His experience truly shines even in a supporting role, through his subdued and nuanced interpretation of Soma Ito’s father. Kurokawa Mei portrays the charismatic Kasai Sachiko while Nakajima Ayumu cuts an enigmatic figure of Kudo Yuichiro, the manager of the maid coffee shop. Yokota Mayuu’s headstrong and manga-loving Fukushi Tomomi completes the team of maids.
The final aspect that I have enjoyed immensely is the perfectly executed and extremely befitting ending. There’s nothing more gratifying than a production that sticks the landing flawlessly, complete with a powerful stage performance of the Tsugaru Aiyabushi.
Final Thoughts
Do not be fooled by the poster (at the time of writing, in case it gets changed by MDL). The fluffy vibes are somewhat misleading and completely misrepresent the actual tone of the film. If you’re in the mood for a heartwarming and poignant film with realistic portrayals and enthralling music, then Itomichi would most certainly be worth checking out.
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This review may contain spoilers
Understandable, but Not Excusable
I didn't intend on writing a review for this show seeing as there are plenty of reviews to read (this one will most likely be caught in the web of not being seen), but after leaving comments on a few reviews, I decided to go ahead and write one for my own benefit.before diving in, I do want to but a disclaimer that I put this show on my WNF list (Will Not Finish) and stopped watching after episode 6 because I was a little bored and also fed up with the bullsh*t that were the plot holes.
Now let's dive in.
Production: 5/10 - Nothing bad, but nothing spectacular either. Tharntype was the very first BL that I have ever seen, as well as the first tv series from Asia that I'd ever watched, so there are very noticeable differences in the use of sound, lighting, effects, and ads.
Story: 4/10 - The plot was generic and basic, nothing special once again. Your average university students plot, except this one hates the gays more than the average uni student.
Acting: 8/10 - As much as I didn't like most any of the plots, the acting was superb in this series. The chemistry between the leads were good, and all other characters played their roles exactly right that adding to the world-building.
Others - If Tharntype is the best BL that you have ever seen in the history of BLs then there is one thing that you haven't done:
1. Seen literally any other BL
If this was your first BL ever like it was mine, then fine, I get it. And I even get it if you had seen Hotel Stars or WaterBoyy next, but you HAVEN'T seen anything good if you still consider this the best BL ever. There are so many other series that literally take the cake and eat all of it and then go back and get more cake, like seriously. The ones on my top five are - 1000 Stars, Gameboys, HIStory 3: MODC, I Told Sunset About You and Mr. Heart. I promise Tharntype will become the least of your worries once you have seen these series, I swear to GOD. Okay, moving on,
I'm going to skip the part in which I talk about each individual couple since I only really saw Tharn and Type. Their chemistry didn't really reach a good point until after they had sex, anything before that felt angsty, gross, perverted, and boring. Gulf and Mew are amazing actors and I hope to see them in future projects that aren't as problematic as Tharntype was. I could give a lengthy review on why Tharntype is so toxic and not good, but there are plenty of reviews that do so, so I'll keep it brief. I think it's perfectly okay to like this series, as there are good parts, but some reviews try to excuse their behavior to fit their narrative and that is not okay. We all have our guilty pleasures, there are shows we probably shouldn't like, but we do. And that's completely fine, but don't ignore the bad just to only highlight the good.
Type:
Although Type was very ignorant and rude, his behavior is somewhat acceptable seeing as he has gone through past trauma, and the worst he did was just throw around Tharns things, and be annoying on purpose to have Tharn move out. I don't think it's an excuse for his anger issues, but rather an understanding.
Tharn:
Tharn sexually assaulted Type by groping and kissing him while Type was under the influence. Type literally wakes up the next morning covered in hickeys. That was one out of the many problems with Tharn. I personally liked Tharn more than Type, just because Type was pretty arrogant, and arrogant characters are not my forte. If we look past the disgust that was his behavior, he was sweet and did genuinely build up feelings for Type (that could've been executed more consensually, but oh well).
RECOMMEND? No, it would be the LAST series I recommend to someone new to BL. Maybe someone that has seen a umteenth number of BLs, but by then they probably have already seen TT.
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Pleasant and realistic, but a bit dull
The characters in this are well-drawn and not stock stereotypes. Han Ji Yu is a foodie/functional alcoholic who meets uptight chef Park Ki Hoon, who has an irrational hatred of alcohol. Their initial reaction to each other is quite finny and entertaining without being OTT. Han Ji Yu's passion for food and his unguarded pleasure it it charms Park Ki Hoon, who slowly opens up to him, and it's cute.The problem is that it doesn't really go anywhere and it's barely a romance. Until KBL can get over it's homophobia it's never going to hit the high notes in Thai or Taiwanese BL - the dead fish kisses and the way they manage to keep a meter of space between their bodies even during intimacy makes it, well, not intimate. I think it's implied they had sex in the finale, but it's really unclear - they might have just kissed, or maybe they were just tired and rested with their faces barely touching, although it looked like a diffficult yoga pose more than resting.
Anyway, you won't resent the series for the time you invested in it, but you probably won't remember anything but the first episode a month after watching it.
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Plot is good and I think it's similar to American series "Cold Case". I liked that series but I think this one is better because this doesn't have many and many more seasons like non-Asian dramas usually has...
Acting was great. Ueto Aya is my favorite actress (well one of them) so I might be biased a bit. Her character was different from her characters before. I also liked every other character too. I think the "lab nerds" were amazing, especially Kimura Ryo.
I liked the insert songs/music in this drama. Opening and ending suited for the drama but they weren't my taste though..but I still liked them...maybe it's a bit weird..
I re-watch only rare few dramas and I think I might just re-watch this one day. Though there's still SP and 2nd Season for me to watch.
Overall I gave this 8 even though most of the ratings are 6...
This is a good drama for Ueto Aya fans and people who likes mystery dramas like I do :D
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sure enough around September 2013... i wanted a distraction from work. so i chose to watch Secret Garden.
i wasn't expecting anything. however, when i got started, I was hooked.
Secret Garden is about a snobish rich guy who falls in love at first sight with a poor stunts woman.
he tries to stop his feelings but ends up stalking her. when he finds her house, he spends the whole night watching the apartment as if wondering how a person could fit in it. he walks out and tells her to forget about him when he sees her coming out of the house.
she was more than happy to disappear from his life. but some how they wind up in a secret garden where they get a magical potion. to their horror, they find their bodies got switched.
put a rich CEO in a poor stunts womans body and a poor woman in a rich man's body and imagine the chaos that will follow.
-----
i was laughing, sighing and crying throughout the whole series.
this series is so good that the lead actor and actress both won an award.
nough said. watch it for yourself and discover the magic of Secret Garden.
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For me the drama didn't instantly pull me in and I think that was more to do with the fact that I was keen to see the older cast. However the earlier episodes are really important in the development in the story and so even if it may not seem particularly interesting at first PLEASE bear with it because it only gets better from there.
As a drama in general, the character development for each individual cast in the drama was done really well. As a viewer I was completely immersed in the drama and as much as I tried to hate some characters I really couldn't. I could see each character's good points as well as their flaws. The really good thing about this is that no character in the drama was portrayed as being 'perfect' or 'evil' which made them seem simply human, because i was able to understand them to an extent I couldn't bring myself to hate them. Even those who angered me to bits I could tolerate more as the drama progressed. Even if they may seem completely villainous at first, the director set out this drama in a way that you could also see the reasons why they behaved that way. Throughout the drama we go through all the ups and downs with the female lead and I felt myself becoming emotionally invested as i continued to watch this drama.
I loved how strong the female lead was and there were many moments where I was crying with her, the amount of situations she has to deal with and the pain she goes through, makes her a character to be respected. There were also many humorous moments in the drama which added comical relief. I came to adore the supporting casts which added a lot more to the drama.
To cut a long story short, this historical drama contained a lot of elements there was a love story ( a couple actually), strong friendships made, a number of family problems. From watching the beginning of the drama I really wasn't sure how it would finish but as the end of it drew near all of the secrets came out and it was pieced together really well. I cried and laughed many times from watching this and I'm sure anyone else watching this drama would understand why.
The music is really fitting especially the instrumentals in the background. After watching half of the episodes, you'll find yourself singing along to the OST.
I probably would NOT rewatch the WHOLE of this drama but just go back to my favourite episodes once in a while.
If I was to pick out a negative in this drama it would be how prolonged some parts were, I just was going immense stress just waiting for the moment that someone would find out the truth. However this drama wouldn't be that long if it was going to be that simple. So a definite watch even if you don't normally watch long dramas MAKE THIS THE EXCEPTION!!
I had a great time watching this drama and I encourage everyone to try it out.
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