Akai Ito (2008)

This drama isn't as spectacular as I thought it was going to be. The episodes were only 36 min. but they felt longer just because the story was a little slow at times. I was disappointed, that although the leads were suppose to have this great romance, they only dated briefly before breaking up. Then they spent the rest of the drama a part. So it was kind of hard to feel for them and want them together in the end. I actually liked the stories of the supporting cast much more than the actual romance. The ending could have been done better as well. Still, this is just a great drama to watch when you've seen the better J romance dramas.

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It took me a long time to put my feelings for this drama into words. From the very beginning, there was something which attracted me and yet I felt something else was missing.
It's not the acting, which is very good, the cinematography, played on pastel colours and some truly beautiful scenery, nor is it the music, which is very fitting and has a nice soothing quality to it.

I believe the weak point of this drama to be the story itself, the expectations created by the premises and never truly attended. Perhaps I should precise that I am not a fan of the idea of destiny, not in general and definitely not when applied to love. It seems to me, the idea of destiny is too easy an explanation for something very complex. Why do we make certain decisions? Why do we love someone and not someone else? Are we able to face the consequences of our choices? It's way too easy and slightly coward to answer: it's destiny, a higher power decided for me and I'm the impotent victim of a bigger plan.
However, I'm not immune to the fascination of "magic", so I can comprehend - if not approve of - the romantic charm the very old idea of fate holds.
Therefore, I would have accepted a plot entirely built upon the original concept of the red thread bonding two people. But this drama throws in so many elements, in the end it can't be even called a story about destiny, or love. Love is there, but in all its possible forms: friendship, motherly love, filial love, obsession, mistaken love, unrequited one, love for life... you name the rest, it's there anyway.
The Akai Ito legend is also mentioned, but there is no true parallel in the plot, and this red thread ends up being the bond connecting an innumerable number of people.
Furthermore, each and every character in this drama makes more or less pondered choiches and lives with the consequences of them, hence completely defeating the object of a destined love.

I recognize the merit of the writer to portray difficult issues and courageously fit them into the lives of a group of adolescents, but some of them are treated with too light a touch, as if an abusing young man could be convinced of his wrongdoings by a short speech... I wish it were so simple.

This said, I liked the final episode: it brings closure to every character in a way I wasn't expecting given the overall feeling. The friendship theme is strong and I truly liked it: I think the drama would have gained if it had been presented from the very beginning as a story of a few friends and their tribulations.

I don't think I'll re-watch this any time soon. But these young actors did a very good job, so I believe the highest mark for this show goes to them.

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At its core, this drama it is a story about love, fate, and growing up. However, it plays out as a bad soap opera with jumbled plot, overly dramatic music, and poor pacing. Initially, I was drawn to this TV series as I enjoy high school dramas and coming of age stories, but was left underwhelmed and overall disappointed.

For me, there was too much crazy, unbelievable stuff that happened that left a bad taste in my mouth due to its mature content despite the age group it portrayed such as a: drugs, rape, suicide, violence, etc. Despite the actors’ best attempts to redeem this script I felt that the drama just felt, for lack of a better word… off. Although there was a lot of extreme situations that happened in the drama (despite it containing only 11 episodes at a little over a half hour each), most of the time the drama felt slow and boring. And then there would suddenly be an attempted suicide, seemingly out of nowhere! It just did not feel right, felt more like shock value versus a well-rounded story that progressed naturally.

Personally, I cannot recommend this drama as I feel there are so many better ones. However, if you are a fan of Koizora this might be a drama worth trying.

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I finished this drama in one day, I was so interested when I read the story of this drama, really interested & even though I didn't like it that much something kept me going.
The story had a very good structure, but they moved way too fast sometimes or way too slow in other times, I expected a little depth in the characters, but they were too shallow, plus the worst part was that there was actually no time for them to love each other !!
I didn't even get the feeling they loved each other !
anyway , it kind og gets until the end, you kind have this feeling that you want to see where it goes eventually.
the best part about this drama is the OST !
its really very very very beautiful

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Well, i started watching this drama by mistake, actually. But I'm happy I found it.
Was no problem watching the drama, was short and only 11 episodes.

Things I liked:
- The story has something so beautiful. Destiny...not all the story is beautiful, actually, is very tragic.
- Soundtack was good enough, cute songs.
- Some characters. They are cute, I like them. But I especially loved one boy character there, and i'm not talking about Akun... ;-;

Things I didn't like:
- As I said, the storyline can be beautiful, but so sad too. So much tragedy, it looks like real life, in this case. I can say...i cried. And when the drama finished, I though so much about it. The story, the tragedy, the drama. It made my heart kinda broken. I don't know if in a good way, but I liked the drama, so...

I can't say spoilers, so i'm not gonna say the thing I hated the most... The worst on this drama. Seriously. It's about the story, tho. Was something unfair.
It's up to you if you're gonna watch it or not.

I would rewatch, since is too short.

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